The Journey 19: Tranformation In My Parish

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Read: John 4:1-42   

In one of my parish that I served earlier, there was one particular member who would lot of issues in the general body meeting and also had no problem in talking very rudely to the other members of the church. On a closer observation I realized that whenever there was general body meeting, he would not attend the worship service. Only after the completion of the worship service would he come to church to attend the general body meeting. When confronted with this fact, this man replied to me “ Achen you know I always raise lot of issues and my behavior and language is sometimes not acceptable, but if I participate in the communion service then I will not be able to talk in the way I want to talk in the general body meeting”.  A person who knows what is the true essence of worship, but consciously keeps away from it so that he could do whatever he pleases.  In one aspect, I respect that person, at least he knew what the true worship should lead to, though he does not do in his life.
                      On Thursday’s we meditate on how we can transform our parish. The primary focus for us to meet as parish is to worship together as a faith community. But what should worship lead us to?. In the biblical portion that we meditate on Thursday we read about the encounter between Jesus Christ and the Samaritan woman. As the Samaritan woman spend time with our Lord, she is convicted of her life style. She knows that she is living in sin, and her life is in a mess because of that sinful life style. Till then worship for her was another ritual that had no impact nor influence on her life style. Worshiping God [ John 4:20] yet living in sin [John 4:17].  But after her encounter with Jesus Christ she realizes that when one worship it should lead to conviction of ones  sin and a transformation in ones life and that is what true worship is all about “ worshiping in Spirit and Truth”. When we worship as a faith community and come together as one parish on Sunday’s does God convict us of our sin and does our worship lead us to transformed lives. If not then we all are doing idolatry or involving in meaningless ritual.
Transformation in the parish is all about transformation of my life style as a Christian and its influence on my parish life.
 
For Further Study:
Psalms 64, Micah 6
 
Let us Pray: Dear Lord, help us to always remember that when we meet together as a faith community, we need to be convicted and transformed by you. Help us to be submit to this purpose of yours. Amen

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