As we have dug down into Jesus’ parable about the two men praying in the temple, I have not been very merciful toward the self-righteous Pharisee. Neither was Jesus. Let’s give him a little regard. He was motivated to please God in the way he knew best – by following rules and upholding the system that made the rules important. Perhaps the rules, the Law, had become his object of worship, obscuring the offer of relationship God gave along with the Law – “You shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
We might say the Pharisee represents Religion - initial cap intended, as befits an abstraction. And the tax-collector represents Faith. Religion can be a wonderful vehicle for faith – but let us never mistake it for the God it purports to honor. Uncompromising allegiance to words of Scripture or church tradition can blind us to the movements of our Living God. These are God-given gifts, but when we focus on the gifts rather than the Giver, we miss the next new thing God is doing. And our God is always doing a new thing.
I don’t think human beings can get away from religion, hard as we might try to just be “spiritual.” It is human nature to create structures that allow us to feel good, and to repeat a profound experience, and to stay in community with others who have shared that profound experience. Before you know it, we’re worshipping at the same time every week, using the same words or songs or rituals that “worked” last week to mediate an encounter with God. If they don’t work as well this week – maybe we double down and get even more rigid.
Meanwhile, God is saying, “Over here, guys – I’m here now.” God is rarely in the last place we saw Him. She’s almost always on the move, doing a new thing, singing a new song, revealing a new facet of her identity.
Today, let’s do another set of lists. Name one list “Religion” and the other “Relationship.” What activities of yours would classify “religion?” Which ones are life-giving? Which ones are stale, or like trying to wear someone else’s clothes? Do they fit you, or feed your faith?
Now, what activities would you name as “relationship building,” that enhance your relationship with God? How would you characterize your relationship with God, on a spectrum from distant (1) to intimate (5)? Are there any things on the first list that get in the way of the second?
The other day the great REM song, Losing My Religion*, ran through my head. Doesn’t have much to do with religion (according to Wikipedia, band members said "losing my religion" is a Southern US expression that means losing one's temper or composure), but it’s catchy as all get out, and a great theme song for us as we seek to unfetter ourselves from all that is human-made about our interaction with God, and open ourselves to the new winds of the Spirit.
The greatest gift we can give ourselves, and each other, is to loose our “religion” and open our arms wide to the relationship with God that Christ makes possible for us through the Holy Spirit. All religion will pass away – but that relationship is ours for eternity.
*not the official video, which I feel distracts too much from the song…
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