Breaking The Barrier: In Search Of Meaning In Mess

“There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation.” – Madeleine L’Engle

    

One of my favorite memories of my time serving people with disabilities at L’Arche Calgary was, of all things, the personal care moments with my friend ‘Daisy.’ How many times did we share in the bathroom, chatting about the day and laughing at the absurdity of what ‘personal care’ actually entails. Giggling while plugging our noses and refilling, yet again, the toilet paper roll. Multiple side effects of various medications, supplements to help with limited muscle activity and a robust daily menu, all helped to create unique and often unhurried experiences. And yet, these times of waiting frequently created pockets of absolutely delightful conversation and dare I say even ‘sacred moments.’ These were times of beauty amidst a lot of mess!

A YouTube video, made two years ago, entitled ‘Breaking the Barrier’ has been resurfacing on Facebook. I don’t necessarily recommend it for the faint of heart but suffice it to say that if you want to hear how one couple developed boundaries (or lack thereof) around daily personal moments, it definitely creates conversation around what is or isn’t appropriate behavior. Wow. What a loaded question, what IS appropriate behavior these days? 

I have a little two-year-old niece I’ve mentioned before, named Norah. Recently, I was hosting her, along with her two older brothers and younger baby sister for an afternoon. It was busy. Active. Not quite chaos. I needed a personal moment and asked if the other kids would keep an eye on the baby. As soon as I asked for help, Norah jumped up and ran to the bathroom, lifted the toilet seat for me saying ‘here you go Chistee,’ and then ran back to play with her little sister. This act of hospitality and service melted my heart. Somewhere, in her little experience thus far, she had determined that this was appropriate behavior, to help others when asked – yes, take care of the baby and yes – take care of me.

It was this little act of supporting my personal care that got me thinking of another ‘breaking the barrier’ moment in life - as it relates to this Easter weekend. A creator-sustainer-provider-redeemer-God ‘broke the barrier,’ entered a little messed up world and chose to ‘lift the toilet seat’ of human experience to bring meaning and hope. The choice of behavior for this God was a harsh and bloody death on a cross. Messy. Lowly. And yet this death somehow, mysteriously, Christians believe, brings about life and life to the fullest. How appropriate is this behavior? Is this how I’d chose - in my limited knowledge of redemptive practices?

How great that in the deep need of daily experience, I am finding a God who delights to serve. Sacrificially. Personally. At the risk of being misunderstood and mocked. This God breaks a barrier again this Easter and says ‘It is finished.’ Not in the likeliest or perhaps most ‘appropriate’ of ways but in the most hopeful. Jesus on a cross. In a grave. And then…in a garden; victorious over death. Breaking the final barrier and offering freedom, love, hope - amidst mess. Not in spite of it but through it. Meaning in the mess. Amen.