Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-17.
God’s Spirit is here. The baby has come, and with it, the mess of making a life. The waiting is over. God’s Spirit is HERE.
Often in a group, I have a lot going on in my head. Am I talking too much? Did I just interrupt them? Ooo, but I really want to say this thing. The process. The social dynamics. The outcomes. Sometimes, I get a whiff of that Spirit from this text – of the beloved nature of our gathering, of the beloved nature of the people I am with, of a glimpse of God in them. When I do, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for being among them, and awed by what God is doing.
Real community is real messy. Sometimes that truth overwhelms the Truth that we are God’s temple, the very place God lives in the world. In this season of God-with-us in Christ, remember how messy that reality was. The stink of the stable. The stink of the baby. The bags under Mary’s eyes that are left out of every Nativity scene. Next time you are gathered with a group that is real community to you – a small group, a church, a worship community, a campus ministry, a retreat group – look around. See the messiness. See the reality. Set aside all the narratives in your head and really look. And embrace that God’s Spirit is not present despite the messiness, but in it. Remember that God’s temple is sacred, and together, you are that temple.
Pray
Loving God, thank you for showing up among us. Remind us of who we are when we gather – that our gathering is where you live. Empower us to notice and to build communities of true grace and love.
Rev. Abby King-Kaiser
Associate Director
Common Ground & Center for Faith and Justice (Xavier University)
Words for Waiting 