Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Good Shepherd--Psalm 23

This very familiar Psalm has got me thinking about sacred space, probably because this is the Psalm I always recite at the bedside of dying parishioners. Being present for people who are dying is one of the great honors of the vocation of pastor. It can be difficult but is always emotionally and spiritually meaningful. These are holy moments.

Death is, of course, overwhelming powerful. And not just in those last few moments of life. As the psychotherapist Milton Erickson said, "As soon as we are born we begin to die; some people do it more efficiently than others." The church is that sacred space where we explore the tension between mortality and immortality.

Where do you find sacred space?