On Sanctuary

     

On a recent Sunday I had the pleasure of listening to a ministerial colleague comment on his topic for the day…Sanctuary. The moment he spoke the word into the room, I felt a profound depth stir in me, something primal and beautiful. I was reminded immediately of the old, medieval stories that told of people’s fleeing into churches to avoid persecution or prosecution. Once inside the church walls they could claim sanctuary and be safe from harm. As long as they remained inside the church, they were safe. Safe…at ease…secure, that’s it, isn’t it? Sanctuary. My colleague defined sanctuary as “a place of refuge, safety, comfort,” which churches and holy places still provide in their special ways. We expect them to be places where we may be received without judgment, where we may be uplifted by enlightened thought, where we may be immersed in an atmosphere of prayer and lifted Godward.

Shelter...

But my friend also broadened his scope…and mine…as he considered a much larger field of sanctuary. Quoting from a favorite scholar, Thomas Troward, he read, “The whole world is a temple of the spirit and you, yourself its sanctuary.” I had to ask myself: Is there a place in me so broad, so God-filled that those in my orbit can feel safe…secure…loved…in a place of refuge? Can others hide out for a while in the wings of my own atmosphere. Could I be like a great, leafy tree where birds come for shelter? I know this can happen. I have been with people who carry sanctuary with them wherever they go, and they are not necessarily great church leaders but often just vital human beings living their lives, knowing who they are.

Temples of the spirit...

My next question followed naturally. Could we begin to see ourselves as temples of the spirit, places where the divine resides so that we have light to share, gifts to bring…and refuge to offer? Think of what this could mean to a world so harmed by fears and uncertainties. What if we brought the best of ourselves into every day, not judging, simply loving as well as we were able at any given moment and making this a natural way of life?

Imagine what the world might become if we said yes.


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