Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day! And on this day, it seems that being Irish is just about the best thing in the world to be. We wear green clothes, eat corned beef and cabbage, and some folks down a pint or two of Irish brew. It's a wonderful fantasy to be Irish for a day.

Last Sunday, Crossroads Church had a Celtic worship service with Celtic inspired music and a distinctly Irish flavor to the prayers and teachings. Celtic spirituality that grew and developed largely in Ireland, provides a wonderful frame for all of us to envision our own faith today. I find it especially helpful in this turbulent and rapidly-change age. Its pre-Christian and earth-centered roots help the message of Christianity for example find a sense of connection to the rhythm of our everyday lives.  It reminds us as well of the very "thin" veil separating heaven and earth.

Biblical scholarship, archeological science, and cultural change are pushing many of us today to re-examine traditional ways of understanding and discussing our faith. Breathtaking advances in communications push us to consider the suffering in the world and to heed Jesus' call and the call of ancient and modern prophets to challenge oppressive social structures, call destructive practices such as racism and economic exploitation by name, and work to reshape this world into God's dream of Shalom—of wholeness, connectedness, and true peace. To act on this call will require that we challenge ourselves and our excuses. It will necessitate stepping up to full partnership with God in becoming all we can be and leading our churches and synagogues "to do justice."

To start acting like people who can make a difference in the part of the world we inhabit will be hard. It may even seem unrealistic to make these changes. But the Spirit of God who made life in the first place and who makes life anew each day has placed within each person the soul of a game changer. What is required is that we seek the depths of our inner lives and intimacy of sacred community to find our identity and direction. What is also required is that we move from that inner life to action in the world around us. The cycle of moving between inner and outer living is what gives us the power to act, heals our brokenness, and refills our hungry souls.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.
  
Jack Price

FYI - Jack has published several articles at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_F_Price

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