August 10, 2016

Religious disciplines and devotional practices are the scaffolding that supports us, especially in our darkest hour.
“God and the Paraphernalia of God”, Michael Downey, from Weavings, Vol. 30, Num. 2, 2015

Weavings is a publication of the United Methodist Church, much like Forward Day by Day is a publication of the Episcopal Church.  I’m not sure where I picked up this particular copy, but it's been on the table in the chapel next to where I sit for Morning Prayer and Eucharist.  It was the other morning when I came across this particular quote.

Oftentimes we (or maybe just “I”) hear the words “religious/spiritual disciplines” and “devotional practices” and we get an image of a lonely, bearded monk dressed in a cassock and tucked safely away in some monastery far removed from civilization.  Or we think about people who manage to pray, as the psalmist said, “seven times a day.”  We tend to think of these disciplines and practices as something difficult to attain and mostly impossible to continue on a regular basis.

If that is how you view spiritual disciplines and practices, may I suggest you take a step back and consider them as the scaffolding that supports you.

Scaffolding, by definition, is a temporary structure on the outside of a building used while building, repairing, or cleaning the building.  Ignore for a moment its temporary nature and let's focus on the other part of the definition: used while building, repairing, or cleaning the building.

For us to grow in our spiritual knowledge and health, for us to become what God desires for us, we need to spend time learning and praying.  We need to work to build ourselves up as healthy, productive, knowledgeable members of the body of Christ.  A spiritual discipline helps to build us up.

Every once in awhile we become damaged and in need of repair.  Everything from the loss of a job or loved one to careful consideration of where God might be calling us next can cause us to wonder, or can cause us to face pains we have never faced before.  A spiritual discipline can help to soothe those wounds, calm our fears, and repair the damage we have sustained.

And over time we have places in our lives that need to be cleaned up.  Whether that is bad habits that have become vices or areas in our lives that have been neglected so long they are dark with pollution, a spiritual discipline or practice can help us shed light on those dark and stained areas so that we might clean them.

A spiritual discipline or practice doesn't have to feel like the fun of life is being sucked from you.  Nor do you need to feel like you need to keep up with St. Ignatius in order for your practice to be valid.  A spiritual discipline or practice is simply the scaffolding that is used to build, repair, and clean a person looking to deepen their relationship with God.

Scaffolding may not be used every day, but it's nice to have it in good shape when you need it.

Amen.