Spiritual Integrity

Sigh.  It has been quite a journey, starting with Ash Wednesday's sober reminder of our origin as star dust, and culminating today in a sea of flowers, children and youth, and joyous music of the resurrection.  Throughout the journey we have been challenged to listen contemplatively to the teaching and example of Rabbi Jesus, who, as the human face of God, brought nothing short of revolutionary ideas to our spiritual journey.  We watched the cost of embodying truth and love, and got an unflinching view of where that kind of integrity might lead as we ran headlong into the cross.  And then today we heard God's answer to what looked like failure and defeat:  New life!

Now we are called to continue in this journey of spiritual integrity, knowing that wherever it leads, God is with us.

Normally when leading worship I stay focused on the "mechanics" of what needs to happen, often to the point of not having a spiritual experience in worship.   But both last Sunday and today, I found myself "present" in a new way, as if a door had been opened and I could enter into the experience at a different level.  Part of me was still tracking the "mechanics" of what needed to happen - especially because we had a house full of guests, and hospitality demands nothing less than attention to the details.  I've been trying all day to identify what key opened this door for me today - was it the children (their energy was amazing and pure) or was it all the flowers they brought for the decorating the cross (the colors were stunning and spoke of new life) or was it the music (equally stunning) - or was it the look in the eyes of the child who was baptized today?  Her love and openness was amazing, and disarming.  I have long wanted to re-write the UCC baptismal liturgy, and when I met with this child and her Mom and found myself re-writing the liturgy as I spoke with her about baptism, I decided that now was the time to do it for real.

Perhaps that was it...I felt like the words I said, and the prayers I prayed, had integrity - I did not have to cross my fingers behind my back as I said them.  I was able to be myself and be fully present - like the children.  The experience had integrity for me.

Baptism as a decision to follow in the ways of Rabbi Jesus - as desire to learn from Jesus and grow into relationship with God as taught to us through Jesus.  Not dismissing or judging the many other beautiful ways to God, but celebrating the unique nature of this way.  No talk of sin (especially original) or a washing away of our iniquity (please - how much iniquity does a young child have)?  Instead, the focus is on the work that love can do in our lives.  What I said was who I am.  And I hope that when she is fourteen, or twenty four, or forty - and facing the kinds of challenges that come to all people - she will remember this experience, and be able to look in the mirror and say "I am a beloved child of God - created in God's very image.  God loves me, and I am unique, special, and have worth."  If we gave her that gift today, then the realm of God was truly in our midst!

Spiritual integrity - is there a natural resonance with what you believe, how you worship, and how you live/what you say?  I am beginning to experience the power of such integration - it opens doors to a new level of awareness and experience that I highly recommend.

I invite you to think about what you believe, how you worship, and how you live your life/what you say in your everyday life.  How do these pieces fit together?  Do they fit together?  Are you experiencing integrity in your spiritual life?

A blessed Pascha to all,
Kim