Recently, I saw one of the latest advertisements for Hallow, a digital prayer and devotion app available on mobile devices, iPads, and other forms we try to stay connected (perhaps, at times, over-connected) with the world. But what makes this particular technological application stand out more amidst the seemingly countless choices for Bible-reading and worship-streaming and all-around spiritual-assisting, is that it’s also being promoted by relatively well-known actors in Chris Pratt, Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, and a social media phenom in Fr. Mike. With that, it is more of a Roman Catholic-based interaction with the option of praying a rosary with the Oscar & Emmy-nominated Wahlberg, for instance, but it has been downloaded by tens of millions around the world.
And yet, one line stuck with me from the aforementioned well-recognized Wahlberg: “return to Christ,” as he was encouraging viewers to join in this online movement, especially during the season of Lent. Granted, the Roman Catholic Church is not the only one who uses that refrain. Lutherans sing it often as they prepare to hear the Gospel: “Return to the Lord, your God.” Many other faith traditions use it in their advertising during these 40 days, as this portion of our liturgical calendar seems to be a little more open to faith-wandering individuals through whatever form of wilderness or desert they are traversing. And yes, deep down, all these communities of faith who humbly nudge “Return to God,” hope the hearers come to their respective church buildings in-person and continuously join in that ministry going forward.
Yes, the words are spoken with the best of intentions, with hopes for the best for the child of God on the receiving end of the most hospitable of invitations. Except…perhaps it’s nothing more than semantics on my part; it’s quite possible I’m being too literal, or over-thinking it, but with every Lent, I wish there would, at least, be an asterisk (*) by the plea. Because, the truth is, God never left anyway.
For no matter how much a child of God feels they have fallen off from Bible-reading or worship-participating or spiritual-developing, at no point, did God ever leave. God loves the world far too much to leave anyone behind. Yes, we can feel distant amidst our perspective on the world, including on how much one should be physically and financially active in a local faith community. Children of God may very well feel they are alone in some job or family or current event-ridden wilderness, wondering where the Divine is in all of it. And so, engaging with in-person or digital or whatever forms of more direct God-engaging, including with other siblings in Christ, may very well bring about the heart-warming feeling of drawing closer to the One. But the ultimate Gospel brought to life at the end of this 40-day stretch applies to the entirety of our earthly and eternal journey, no matter how far off whatever path we think we’ve gone: Christ lives to be with you, with the world, and will never, ever leave. Thanks be to God, indeed!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad