Sunday, March 2, 2008

Buscalo...

Talk about a public witness of faith! Coming back from my run in the park I ran into this Lenten procession winding though the streets and into the local Catholic church. I could not have looked more ridiculous or western in my white tennies and green spandex shorts, but there I was! carpe diem!
I was struck by a few things... the public nature of this worship in the streets, the verse above the door and the "alfambra" on the road, and the difficulty getting Jesus into the church. I wonder if the tendency of churches in the U.S. is not an opposite posture toward worship... we worship in the churches, and hold Jesus hostage there. I'm being a bit facetious.

The verse struck me because in many English versions we translate that famous verse "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" which gives the verse a personalized moral call, but here is (and according to the Greek it could be) translated "Seek first the Kingdom of God and God's justice" very different ethical connotation. The alfambra, made of dyed sawdust simply says "Buscalo" or "Seek it!"

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