By Jeff Scoggins

My five-year old has taught himself to read enough that he is able to broach subjects that I know nothing about. Right now he is infatuated with the calendar and its list of holidays and celebrations inside the United States and outside, as well as inside Christianity and outside.

A while back he asked what Rosh Hashanah was. With a little help from an encyclopedia I explained that it was the Jewish New Year. “What food do they eat and can we eat that?” he wanted to know.

Then he wanted to know what Passover was. I explained that is when the Jews remember the exodus out of Egypt. “What did they eat?” I didn’t need the encyclopedia for that one. Unleavened bread and bitter herbs. “Can we eat that?” So we did.

Then he wanted to know about Sukkot. I really needed the encyclopedia for that. “Ah, that’s the feast of booths. That’s when the Jews remembered living in the wilderness for 40 years.”

“What did they eat?” I was beginning to see a distinct agenda to his study of the calendar.

Then he began to ask about Muslim holidays, which I was entirely clueless about. That is until he got to Ramadan. “Daddy, what is Raaaa-maaaa-daaaa-n?” I instantly saw the promise in what was about to transpire.

“It’s a Muslim holiday that lasts a whole month!” I replied enthusiastically. He also instantly saw the promise in what he thought was about to transpire.

“What do they eat?”

I looked him dead in the eye, “They don’t.”

His eyes looked confused and then widened. “For a whole month?”

“Just during the day,” I said. “They eat at night. It’s called fasting.” I watched the mental wheels spin to the point of overheating.

“Daddy?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to celebrate Ramadan.”

“Why not? Not at all?” Nope! “How about for just one week?” He shook his head. “Maybe a couple of days?” Still no. “Just one day?”

“I know,” he said. “I’ll celebrate Ramadan for part of one meal.” Then he qualified further, “A meal that doesn’t have treats.”

Spoken like a human being. Holidays in general and religious celebrations in particular are intended to draw our thoughts to something great, to give us an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of some historical high point or grand theme. The hope is that in such remembrance we will live differently today. We will be more grateful, more willing to give of ourselves, more likely to live in unity with others, etc.

But we have made holidays in large part about the food, or presents, or drinking. Why? Because ultimately we like to feel good, and good food makes us feel good, getting stuff makes us feel good, and I don’t even want to think about the “benefits” of getting drunk. We have managed to turn holidays into “me” events.

We’ve done the same with church. I want to quote some selections from an article written by my friend, Andy Romstad, pastor of Cambridge Lutheran Church.

A visitor found me. Worship was not what they had expected. “We were pleasantly surprised,” they said. “We’re looking for a church.” I see. These conversations are usually unhealthy. They ask how our church “fits their needs.” You want to answer “correctly.”…. For kicks, I should say, “I don’t think you’d like it here. You’re not what we’re looking for in new members.”…. Often what is being said is, “Whatever church makes the best case for how well they can serve us, we’ll reward by becoming members.” (High maintenance, anyone?).

 

I’d love to hear: “We’re looking for an imperfect church with problems,” “We’re seeking new servant opportunities to take up our cross,” “We really need to grow as disciples—bad!”…. “Do you have any poor people that we could share resources with?”….

 

…we need to be judging our current servant quotient versus our “me-meter.”

We are prone to selfishness even in matters of religion. Perhaps now would be a good time to think about the object of church, a celebration in its own rite. Perhaps its time to think of what we can bring to it more than what it can bring to us. Like 4-H says, “You will get out of it what you put into it.”

Anyone care to fast for a month? A day? How about part of a meal—as long as it doesn’t have treats?