…Opening To…

Therefore, we pray you, Lord, forgive; so when our wanderings here shall cease, we may with you for ever live, in love and unity and peace. (Gregory the Great, from The Hymnal 1982)

…Listening In…

I received a tradition from the Lord, which I also handed on to you: on the night on which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread. After giving thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this to remember me.” He did the same thing with the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Every time you drink it, do this to remember me.” Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you broadcast the death of the Lord until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26; context)

…Filling Up…

This Lent, we are exploring our faith by running through the alphabet. Today, “O” is for ordo. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that now I’m just making up words or that “Ordo” sounds like an alien from Star Wars. Rather, ordo roughly translates structure or a pattern. Think of the words “order” and “ordinary.” Something that is “extraordinary” is outside the normal structure or pattern.

Ordo helps us make sense of our lives. Each and every one of us uses the concept of ordo whether we realize it or not. Our personal ordo tells us that it’s time to watch the news or go to bed. It tells us that answering the phone call from mom is more important than finishing the YouTube video. It tells us that looking both ways before crossing the street is a good idea.

Following Jesus Christ adds another layer to our personal ordo, but it isn’t a layer that goes on top of the ones we already had. It goes beneath them. Being disciples of Jesus Christ means structuring and patterning our lives with his path for us as our foundation. In the worship services of the church, we practice a certain kind of ordo, a pattern of worship that goes from greeting to reading to listening to praying to confessing to thanking to sharing to feasting to serving. By sticking with this basic structure, our participation in the worship of God in the church helps us build our own personal ordo in light of our worship.

How does following Jesus Christ influence your ordo? Is being a disciple part of your daily pattern? If not, how could you invite Christ to help you restructure your life with him as a foundation?

…Praying For…

Dear God, you move through every moment of my life. Help me to pattern my life so that I expect your movement and begin to move with you. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

…Sending Out…

I leave this moment with you, God, counting myself blessed that you would choose to make me the person I am and love me into the person I am becoming.