I went to a funeral yesterday.

photo: picture: S.Shull @ flickr

I went to a funeral yesterday.

When I tell people that they sometimes get sad for me or wonder how that could have any deep joy for me, spending my time that way.

Going to church is easy and it smells good and it sounds purdy and it's a nice contemplative break from a busy noisy world.

Following The Way as Jesus laid out, however, means showing up; being an active participant in a congregation; being present and prayerful in the lives of others; that's the chore, that's the task, and it's the hardest part: living in community.

When one of my dearest heart's marriage ended, she was reluctant to return to the altar because she felt like she had made promises on that altar she found she couldn't keep. Wuhl, sometimes that happens, and isn't that why we're always repeating our vows? pledging to help one another live those vows?

Thing is, you gotta walk that aisle and you gotta show up at that altar and you gotta lay down your broken life on that altar day after day in order to be healed and restored, refreshed and renewed. We're gonna help one another get up that aisle week after week and hopefully, one long healthy day away from now, someone is going to love us enough to help us take that last important walk and place us lovingly in our final resting space, and continue our memory by telling tales of our love and participation among the other Travellers in that parish, forever.

So ... yeah ... I went to a funeral yesterday ... and I'm'a go and walk up that aisle today ... I will, with God's help. Join me, won't you?