Spa spirituality is rampant these days. Not that going to a spa is bad, we all could use a little self care that is for sure. But when we see religion as primary a place we go to in order to get our needs met or our souls tended or a place where we feel good and get our warm fuzzies, then we have fallen into trappings of spa spirituality.
Rather than seeing religion as a spa day that we go to and get our treatment for the week, would we be willing to see religion as our workout class.
It is the place were we go to get sweaty and dirty. We stretch and even pushed beyond our comfort level. It is the place were we work hard that we might actually walk a little funny the next few days. The place where the leaders are the trainer rather than the masseuse. The place where we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The place where we are unwilling to settle for the status quo.
The invitation is extended to consider religion as workout (more yoga than spin class) and not a spa treatment.
[Echos of a 2009 post (was it that long ago!) in which I submit that Sunday might be better served at the end of our week rather than the beginning.]