Broken for you

When Jesus took the bread and said, “This is my body which is broken for you” (1 Corinthians 11:24), it’s hard to believe that even in his wildest dreams he foresaw the tragic and ludicrous brokenness of the church as his body. There’s no reason why everyone should be Christian in the same way and every reason to leave room for differences, but if all the competing factions of Christendom were to give as much of themselves to the high calling and holy hope that unite them as they do now to the relative inconsequentialities that divide them, the church would look more like the Kingdom of God for a change and less like an ungodly mess. (Beyond Words: Daily Readings in the ABC of Faith, Frederick Buechner)

Lord, forgive our brokenness

The brokenness that demands

that we must pledge allegiance

to one form or another

to this tribe or that

to a set Liturgy

or a moveable feast.

Forgive our brokenness

that takes no account

of your unpredictable Spirit

who so often messes up

our carefully scripted worship

tossing aside our inflexibility 

and inviting us to dance.

Forgive our brokenness

which causes us to forget 

that we are your guests

invited to a feast

and not the hosts 

restricting access to the banquet 

Your table needs no bouncers

for you welcome one and all

There are no border patrols

examining certificates

of baptism

or confirmation

or even professions of faith

For with your brokenness

you hold your arms wide 

to embrace our brokenness 

and bid us come

a multi coloured people

held together as one

in your grace.