Canterbury Tales 2.0 Day Seven August 1, 2022

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. John 1:19-28

Today we spent time talking about Anglican identity and the variety of ways we understand holiness and being living stones. Many talked about welcome and inclusion as a mark of holiness. Surrounded in this place of the ancient and ornate, the extraordinary amount of process and procedure, it can be hard to find inclusion from my vantage point. The very air seems to be charged with structure and control. Although we have done away with voting, we are still being asked to weigh in. I would rather we spend all of our time getting to know each other. Dipping our toes together in the water and standing on muddy, shifting shores. And the schedule is wearing everyone out instead of being a place of refreshment and renewal.

Gracious Creator, you sent the baptizer

to help us anticipate the coming of Christ

and you invite us every day to prepare anew

to dive deep into your waters of healing.

Help us to slow down and listen closely

let us set aside the devices that count time

and open ourselves to the other near us

seeing them and welcoming them here.

May our work be your love made visible

and invitation to dive deep into your living stream. Amen.