Messy passion

The congregation rose and formed a line for communion. The pastor talked about what was to take place. The chalice held grape juice, and a round loaf of bread sat on a matching plate. The faithful were instructed to break off a sizable chunk of bread so that they could "really taste the goodness of God."

I did. I broke off a portion, moved to the chalice and dunked it in the juice. As I brought it up to my lips, I cupped my hand to keep the juice from dripping on the carpet. I returned to my seat, and I proceeded to watch everyone do the same. All worked very hard to protect the carpet from stain. Participating in a holy sacrament, all of us refrained from being carried away by passion, by ensuring that the mess was kept to a minimum.

If we give ourselves over to passion it does become messy. If I consumed the host, unaware of my surrounding, and others do the same, the carpet may have to be replaced.

Hollywood does a great job of illustrating passion, but I'm not sure I've seen those same passionate lovers deciding in the next scene who was going to sleep on the wet spot in the bed.

King David stripped down and danced for joy in the streets at the return of the Ark of the Lord. In his passionate dancing, his wife grew contemptuous and disgusted. (See II Kings 6:14-23)

Passion is messy. If we are going to get passionate about anything, we are going to have to lose our fear of creating mess. True passion lets go of control and enters into the experience without thought of what may happen. And that is tough because control can clutch us like a drowning victim.

So I ask myself, what would it look like if I let go of control and entered into this experience with my whole self? How would it change for me?