When I drive into the parking lot of St. Patrick's each Wednesday to be at Malachi's Storehouse, I am regularly struck by the deep relief I feel. I feel my whole body exhale and relax into the simplicity of the Gospel. Sorta like lowering myself into a fragrant lavender bath which envelops me into a world of sentience. When I'm at Malachi's Storehouse, my contract with the outside world falls away and I'm surrendering to the elegance of the Gospel. "Feed my Sheep". "Love your neighbor". "Know that you are One Body". The Gospel writers provide us with snippets of Jesus' clarifying instructions that are like rudders in a tempestuous sea. "Love One Another". Pretty clarifying instructions and I am plenty grateful for them.
At Malachi's, when we say that we gather and distribute food and it's "not just about the chicken" this is to what we refer. We
mean that we are so educated by the systems of hierarchy and domination
that it takes practice and intentionality to remember who we are in
God's Kingdom. We mean that we are so informed by our US citizenship that we have to work and remind ourselves that we are first and foremost citizens of God's kingdom.
I'm
as competitive and "me first" as the next human, so having a weekly
pilgrimage that provides me a place to walk home from the far away land
of "me and mine"
has been a great practice for me. Malachi's
grounds me in a contract with the Gospel that eclipses my contracts
with the cultural mores and mantras "you only get what you deserve", life should be fair",
"everyone has equal chances in the world".
Not everyone can get to Malachi's. Not everyone is called. Finding YOUR Malachi's is something to which I would encourage you to be open. We need the simplicity and the elegance of the Gospel in these chaotic and cacophonous times. We need to hear the clarifying single bell call us out from the thunderous din.
We need the clarification of contract that our baptismal vows offer to soothe us against the rant of the day.
“Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”
“I will, with God’s help.”
“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”
“I will, with God’s help.”
We need to come home to ourselves as citizens of God's Kingdom. Malachi's is it for me, the place that calls my soul home.
I'll enjoy hearing what it is for you.
