Worship Guide - Year B, Ordinary 22 (Proper 17)

What would a new creation look like?
 
Some imagine that The Song of Songs is an image of what life should have been like in the Garden of Eden: the joy of the two seeking out each other in the midst of creation; the animals and fruits and trees; without guilt and sin; just pure delight and joy.
 
It may be hard to imagine in the midst of Delta Covid and masks and fires and floods and Afghanistan and all the things.
 
At the same time, we know that all these things are not the life that God desires for us.
 
How do we carve out this life of new creation within these times of trials? How have people with generational trauma from slavery and racism or poverty imagined a life of new creation: a life of beauty and joy and right relationships.
 
A constant evaluation of what brings us joy may be it. Have we wandered into the world to be stained by consumerism, all the isms, not loving our neighbor? Does this bring us joy? Holy Moly. We need reminders to not fall into that trap.
 
Our worship brings us together to remind us of these things: the holy things that God intends for us to experience to bring joy and delight and love for the world and its peoples and creatures and fauna and waters.
 
     "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.
               The flowers appear on the earth;
                 the time of singing has come..."
 
Let us come together to worship God. Enter into worship.

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