Heaven on earth

The morning prayers at the Assembly are well prepared and well thought through. There is a book with all the songs, and they really represent the whole worldwide church. In front there are so many different persons leading us. Regardless of gender, faith tradition, age, or other variations. We are children of God in unity. The woman that worshipped next to me said what I had already thought.

This is heaven on earth.

It is of course sad that we cannot share Eucharist. Be this as it may, we still praise God together, we listen to the Word, we lament, and we turn to God in prayer for this broken world.

Having said this, I need to stop and deepen the analysis. Since we cannot share Eucharist in this ecumenical space, we don't reach the profound unity that Jesus prayed for the night before his death. I lament this.

When I reflect on other spaces I lament even more. Nominations yesterday were depressing. Less young people are nominated to the central committee, less laity and I guess maybe also less women. We are moving in the wrong direction.

What is it that we don't understand? We read from Galatians 3:23-29 in the morning prayer:

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

And a fantastic drama over the text about the Canaanite woman, from Matthew 15:21-28. The text was not read but it was there to be understood for us that a woman approached Jesus and Jesus changed his mind and listened to her prayer.

The Canaanite women makes Jesus listen.

It is hopeful and at the same time troublesome. But the singing together still gives me more hope than despair. We sang so many songs but I especially remember the short chorus with the text

Act justly

Love mercy

Walk humbly

With your God 

After the morning devotion the Thematic plenary followed with the theme:

Affirming Justice and Human Dignity

Different persons representing people with disabilities, women, youth and racialised people were talking.

The best part, however, was a dance. Fadi El Halabi from Lebanon sits in a wheelchair. But he danced with Karen Abou Nader who is an international dancer. Have a look at it. You won’t regret it. It starts 23.30 into the YouTube clip.

I was also glad that Samson Waweru Njoki - who is blind - made a comment on yesterdays Bible text about the blind man whom Jesus cured. Samson asked the question about who needs to have his or her sight back?

The drama from the morning prayer continued. I was proud to see a number of my friends from A Just Community of Women and Men acting. The whole plenary also ended with the words from the song:

Act justly

Love mercy

Walk humbly

With your God

The drama included a journalist who asked questions and summarised
the impact of the encounter between the Canaanite woman,
who was given a name: "Justa" and Jesus.