Burning Bushes and Coming Home

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. — Exodus 3:1–15

I had an amazing vacation to Costa Rica last week. If you know me at all, you know that there is nothing more restorative to my soul than nature. If animals are included—all the better! What was particularly impactful to me was our naturalists, who were leading us on our hikes during the week. They had the ability to see things I would never have noticed, like tarantula lairs or very well-camouflaged sloths. In several cases they had incredible magnifying telescopes that gave us close-up looks at insects and high-dwelling tree creatures. Those close-up views transformed what we were seeing and reminded me of the gratuitous beauty of creation. I can’t help but be drawn into the mystery of the world we inhabit when I’m reminded of the interconnectedness of creation and its creatures.

It makes me wonder about the well-known story of the burning bush. It is easy to imagine this as a startling apparition that couldn’t help but draw Moses’ gaze. And perhaps that is what it was. But I also wonder if part of our ability to see burning bushes is about how we look at things. If we attenuate our gaze to move a bit more slowly, the capacity for wonder and awe only increases. Being away at its best returns us home with a different way of seeing the ordinary things in front of us.

Which brings me to Homecoming Sunday. This Sunday we will gather to look together at what our plans are for the coming program year. There will be some new offerings to consider, as well as our existing ministries. I invite you to look closely. Maybe there are different ways to connect in the parish this year. Or maybe you will just be restored enough from our summer rhythms to readily reengage in a beloved ministry or area of study. We will be introducing a new online parish directory to facilitate our ability to connect with one another. So, join us for worship at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and come by the ministry fair at 9:15 a.m. for breakfast and the opportunity to see all our common life has to offer. See you there! And invite a friend!

Peace, Beth +