Circumcision

There are no hymns that include the word circumcision. I'm surprised. Every other dominant theme in scripture gets a mention in hymnody and there are so many cool things that rhyme with circumcision - mission, vision, collision, television. 

I'm starting a dandy hymn in my head right now.

I'm not entering into any kind of pro or con circumcision discussion here, but there is something about altering your flesh that makes entering into a covenant take on a certain intensity. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Jeremiah 4:4, "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, remove the foreskin of your hearts." 

That's quite the image and part of the reason I'm not real hip on spirituality. 

I know that's not something pastors are supposed to say, but I'm always a bit wary of anything labeled spiritual. We're people devoted to the incarnation (enfleshment) of God so I like to see some flesh attached to my spirituality.

Carnal evening at the Stage-Harvey's

I'm thinking about starting a carnality movement. Praying in the midst of incense, icons, and beautiful music saved my faith in a way that listening to lots of words or trying to sit still have often left me wondering if there really is anything besides my navel. 

I need some flesh. I don't buy into the "I feel closer to God in the woods" stuff either. You will never have a loving and forgiving relationship with a tree and the loving/forgiving stuff seems central to God's heart. A tree may be a moment of beauty and appreciation, but the God in scripture only hangs out in those moments for a bit.

Lying in the dewy grass, holding hands with someone you love, looking at the stars is a glimpse of the carnality movement. Some grace, some beauty, and some humility all wrapped into one fleshy moment. 

Eating lunch with a bunch of crazy kids who are telling you stories about their families, often a mix of comedy and tragedy, is a glimpse of carnality. All summer I get to be a guest at God's table and have my faith restored moment by moment. 

Not always in a sweet way. They make me zany sometimes. We get frustrated with each other, sometimes lies are told, excuses made, hurtful names are called. We wrestle through the ugly and stay in relationship. That's a God moment.

The church should be messy and fleshy. Ours often is and would be worse if it weren't for Saint Alice. But I'm consoled since neither circumcision or crucifixion are overly tidy affairs. Being in relationship with a God who insists on love and forgiveness is not an otherworldly, mystic experience. It's showing up in the flesh with the foreskins of our hearts removed.

I've got a great demonstration about circumcision for when I teach the middle schoolers the story of Abraham. Just in case you ever need me as entertainment at a party.