Friday, August 10, 2007
Our Time in Taize
I don’t want to neglect sharing about the blessings God is giving us on account of the pressing or stressful things that are going on.
The highlight of our summer (every two years) is our visit to the community in Taize. This year it was no different - the rhythm of prayer, the common study of the Bible, sharing in small groups, serving one another, hearing a slew of foreign languages and being in a child-friendly environment all contribute to a very pleasant and refreshing experience. You can see our family in the picture above during a ‘contemplative’ prayer time together (notice the intense concentration of most of those present :-).
This year our small group of parents and children consisted of a family from England, two families from Denmark and one from Sweden. Somehow there is an instant trust and openness that happens in these small groups. You share honestly what you may not have been able to share with anyone where you live. I suppose it is the common experience of a pilgrim that makes people open to each other. And how did the kids communicate you ask? I don’t know, but somehow they are able to make themselves understood.
It is impossible to share the fulness of the experience in words - you have to make the trip yourself. Somewhat like just believing in God is a poor substitute for walking with him. I’ll share just one more picture: remember when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple when he was 12 and on the way back didn’t notice that he was missing for a whole day? That is what Taize is like - a place of pilgrimage and a community where your kids are safe even though you don’t really know where they are (while you are taking an afternoon nap).
And I can’t resist to mention one more thing. Steen, one of our Danish friends, mentioned an experience he had while visiting a catholic parish in London with a group of students. They were welcomed by the priest and shown around etc. And it so happened that a celebration of someone’s 60th birthday was to take place at the church that same day. The priest told our friend and his group that now that they have been welcomed and introduced to the ministry they should take on the role of hosts and start thinking of themselves as hosts. Soon after that the door bell rang and the first visitors started to arrive for the birthday party. And Steen and his group put on their smiles and welcomed the new visitors and started serving them.
This story in itself would be worth the trip to Taize. It is a present day parable of our place in the kingdom - we are welcomed and ‘shown around’ and then invited to begin serving and welcoming those coming in after us.
