On the occasion of September 11

I just watched Rick's sermon. I'm so weirded out by the move of sitting on the altar that I must write about it. Two synapses fired for me as I watched: (1) If the altar is a table, Mom would be really mad if I sat on the dining room table, and (presumably much more to the point) (2) If the altar is a place of sacrifice, then Rick's comment about speaking from the posture of being "on the altar" is more than a call to discipleship—it's a call to sacrifice (I almost said martyrdom there, but that word seems to be becoming the sole province of suicide bombers, which is not where I'm headed).

The visual I got when he said we were "on the altar" was of Isaac, bound with ropes while his father Abraham decides whether to knife him to death.

I'm wondering if those at worship got the same kind of strong message of sacrifice that came through for me. And is there a way to hear Rick's message without just seeing more bloodshed? I think it was Yitzhak Rabin who said, after all his years as a warrior, simply, "Enough of killing." Yes, a thousand times yes. Is there a way to say this word—to li(v)e on the altar—without also, precisely because of one's location there (as was the case with Rabin), being killed?

Hey, thanks for the comments! I haven't quite figured out the "etiquette" of commenting on comments. I'll try it here...

I wasn't in chapel on Thursday, because I was at home awaiting a repairperson, and so I engaged the chapel service over the web. Which is by way of saying, I really don't know what people thought about Rick's move onto the altar at that moment. I have to think it was striking, and semiotically at least, a very stark move. I'm intensely curious though! I was in class all day Friday, except for when I was in a dual degree program meeting, so again, I haven't heard anything. I'll be curious to see what students in discipleship think/thought of it. For myself, it evoked a whole range of resonances that tied in with my general sense that there's been too much in the U.S. lately of "us" (ie. U.S.) taking on the "them" (that is, whoever our government defines as terrorists), rather than of "us" seeing ourselves as intimately related to all others. Which led me to ponder what it might mean to move from a stance, even and especially politically, where the biggest fear I face is not of death, but rather of not loving deeply enough or fearlessly enough, to recognize God in the faces and wounds of my brothers and sisters. Rick's words and actions somehow brought those resonances out for me. Whether or not that was his intention? I suppose that's further evidence of how much meaning-making, whether in movie, film, radio, etc. -- or SERMON -- is a collaborative process of making meaning "in between" an author/producer/speaker's intentions, and the hearer/receiver/congregation's reception.

Think how many sermons/homilies we've heard that inspired little meaning making in between speaker and hearers, and even less extension of meaning beyond the original sermon! I think the fact that we're both thinking a lot about Rick's is high praise for it.

I like the implication in your comment that loving deeply and fearlessly was what Jesus was about (rather than just "coming to die," as if death were the goal and not love). Interestingly, on the way home from church, I looked at the texts for next week, and saw Matthew 9:13. "Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'" After spending a good part of the weekend thinking and writing about sacrifice, I smiled. As it happens, I'm preaching Sunday, so I guess the week coming up is my week to think and write about mercy.

The Spirit moves... (smile). I'll look forward to hearing what you've been thinking about in relation to mercy. Will you write about it at Pilgrim Preaching?

Very interesting and professional site! Good luck!