DANCE - The Trinity as a Model for Community

Young Woman Dancing In A Field With The Words The Dance Written On It

 I am a terrible dancer; literally. My signature move is called the ‘crazy octopus’. I invented it. But I love dancing, especially when no one is looking. I have always wanted to take dancing lessons, so that I can look better on the dance floor, but also because dancing with someone is such a beautiful thing to behold. In the ancient Orthodox tradition, the Trinity is viewed as a dance. The son moves around the father and spirit, the spirit moves around the father and son, and the father moves around the spirit and son. Each one complementing the other, each one equal. The dance itself breathing life into creation. We are called to join in this dance with God, to move in rhythm with Her. I guess that this is what they call discipleship, what they call ‘being the church’.
When I think of the dance, what kind of music are we dancing to? What do the steps look like? I imagine it has to start with love, seeing as God is love. The scriptures paint the picture: Justice, mercy, peace, humility, generosity, grace, forgiveness. The dance steps are hard, but we have a great teacher. One who has walked in our shoes, lived in our skin, tasted his own blood. Just as the trinity flows around one another, we too were created for community, for other dance partners. After all, that is what church is about. Staring at the back of somebody’s head for 2 hours whilst listening to someone talk is not church. A movement of justice, peace and reconciliation is church. People dancing in union to alleviate poverty, to care for the sick and dying, to fight injustice, this is the dance that we join in with. A dance that has been going on since before time began.

May we be bound together in love, as a community in Christ. May we know the joy that comes from dancing with others and may we join in the dance with God

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