"Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom."
This is the curtain that is explained with so much detail and care in Exodus 26. In Exodus we are in the midst of reading about all the care that is taken to prepare the tent of meeting---where the people go to experience and meet God---where God dwells. And we see some of these same details and items in our practice rituals: the vestments, the offerings placed on the altar, the incense and anointed oil.
Many of these practices and the vestments and the "smells and bells" bring great beauty to our acts of worship. But, we must be careful to remember that none of these things make "God happen." God does not come among us because we do all these things exactly as stipulated. God does not show up because we say the right words or have on the right vestments or have the most beautiful sanctuary. Worship isn't about us doing all the right things to make God present. It's about presenting ourselves.....opening ourselves through the senses of sight, sound, and smell....exposing ourselves to the the transformation presence of God through prayer.....recognizing God in the faces of the gathered....bringing the best of our selves, our souls and bodies to place on the altar in the offering.
The curtain is torn....God is very present.....God dwells among us. Come, now is the time to worship.
Question about Pontius Pilate:
ReplyDeleteMother Jane, Is there any significance in the dream of Pilate's wife? In washing his hands of the guilt of Jesus' death, is he also washing away Jesus' redemption? Don't we want to have Jesus' blood on our hands so that we can be forgiven of all of our sins?