You Did Not Dance

‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’ Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgement it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.’ Matthew 11:16-24

Dancing is participating in the life of the people, responding to the beat of the drum and the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Singing and dancing are some of the earliest expressions that small children demonstrate long before they can speak and even walk. When we refuse to be moved by the world around us, when we fail to be moved by the needs of the people, we set ourselves apart from the love of God. Dancing is primal and when we refuse to dance, we refuse to be a part of Creation. I hope you can dance today.

Loving Creator, creation heartbeat is your drum

you invite us to be one with you as we dance

as we weep and mourn with the suffering one

and as we listen deeply to the cries around us.

We like to judge and play games too much 

we think ourselves better than those dancing

we refuse to find you in the small joys of life

and imagine ourselves with stars in our crowns.

Lord, help us to be humble and open like children

let us have hearts that feel your heartbeat within us

make us always ready to sing, dance and weep

s your love might shine through us in this darkness. Amen.