What’s in Your Imagination?
At last Sunday’s 10:15 a.m. Mass, guest priest Fr. Thomas Kommers preached on the power of imagination. His examples included Jesus, who resisted the lack of imagination that reduced God to an idol; or the idea that God only loved certain groups of people.
Another example was Pope John XXIII, whose imagination led to the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s. In Pope John’s words, the Council would open the windows of the church and let in the fresh air of the Holy Spirit.
Here at St. Matt’s, we often talk about Vatican II. The Council’s teachings emphasized an openness to the world, which we reflect in our openness to our neighbors and new members. The Council also emphasized the importance of the laity in our church; that’s reflected in our being a parish led by lay members.
Another set of Council teachings reflected generations of scholarship in liturgical theology. The Council wanted our worship to shift away from a narrow focus on rubrics* alone, to worship that encouraged active participation by everyone—not only priests.
*Rubrics in liturgical matters refers to “how to” guidelines printed in red in liturgical books.
Even our church building reflects insights from Vatican II and the liturgical renewal of the 20th century. We use chairs, not pews. (Pews were a Protestant innovation a few hundred years ago.) Our building’s size and shape support active participation by the entire assembly when we gather for worship. We also use our space for community gatherings such as talks, workshops and concerts.
Now our parish is engaged in planning our future. Our Parish Council began this process in the fall. This past Thursday, a task force gathered to discuss what we want St. Matt’s to look like in three years. There will be additional discussions over the next few months, with opportunities for everyone to weigh in.
I wonder where the Holy Spirit is leading St. Matt’s. I wonder, what’s in your imagination?
Have a great week!
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