Devotion and Action

About twenty years ago I visited Jerusalem.   this was neither a crusade nor a mission trip to alleviate distress or build a water well nor some devotional pilgrimage. It was a business trip. In fact it was kind of an ecumenical business trip because my companions were a Hindu business man and his wife. We were guided around Jerusalem by an American Express tour guide assigned to us by a business contact.   As we walked through the first century parts of Jerusalem we passed numerous church groups following the “way of the cross.” These pilgrims rubbed their fingers over every stone and cobble at certain places where it was said that Jesus had stumbled or his sacred blood dripped.   I remember thinking that this was some kind of fantasy world- part actual, real place with a long and significant cultural and religious history and part make believe kingdom, a religious theme park where every citizen was really an actor just playing a role. Where divine mystery oozed out of the building walls and where a drop of Jesus’ blood could leave a stain still visible 2000 years later.    I felt kind of cynical about all this... (Listen to the rest of this sermon on the podcast.)