Have I Told You Lately?

Last Wednesday Kristi and I attended a noon mass and organ concert at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. As we walked from the Music Center toward the Cathedral, we could not easily tell the building was a house of worship. The only clue we had was the bell tower.

We walked down the sidewalk to the entrance and I felt like we were walking the perimeter of a fortress. The walls are high. The gate opens into a huge courtyard that includes the entrance to the sanctuary, a gift shop and a restaurant. Across the courtyard was a playground filled with children. Within the courtyard, we saw scores of people sitting at tables having lunch and enjoying a perfect day in Southern California.

The sanctuary is vast. It is modern in appearance and appointments with an impressive chancel area, beautiful tapestries on the wall and a 6,000 pipe organ that fills the room when played. At the rear of the sanctuary is a fountain used for baptisms. Beneath the sanctuary is a mausoleum that has crypts for hundreds of coffins.

Now that I am a week removed from the experience, I see the logic and beauty of the facility. The wall around the perimeter communicates there is safety within the gate. The other features I noticed mark the times and transitions in our lives. In between our passage through the water and our entrance into our crypt, are the opportunities for worship, play, feasting and gifting.

The Church of Jesus Christ is to be a community of love and grace. Within the walls of the faith community persons should find safety and affirmation. When the danger of being inside the wall exceeds the danger of being outside the wall the Church as God intended has fallen and is in need of redemption.

Judas was very critical of the devotion being shown to Jesus. He was trying to sound more holy than the others with a false concern for the poor. His concern was himself. Judas was not only criticizing the woman but he was critical of Jesus right to be honored that way. Jesus received the gift as anticipation of his death and burial.

There are always those who are quick to criticize when money is spent to honor Christ. There are always those who can only see how much something costs and can never see the importance of its use.

Mary showed her love for Jesus by anointing his feet. Love for Jesus was expressed in love for his body.

An important element of Christian understanding is that after the resurrection the church became the body of Christ. We are the body. We each have a function, We each have a job to do. We each have a role to play. We need each other for the health of the entire body.

We show love for Jesus when we do what is best for his body, the church.

Have you told Jesus lately that you love him?

We will talk about redemption on Sunday when we look at the story of the women who anointed the feet of Jesus with the costly perfume. Judas condemned her for her extravagant gift. Jesus, however, affirmed her for her act of love and devotion. We will ask the question of ourselves “Have I Told You (Jesus) Lately that I love you?”