Then he said to them, “Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.” — Matthew 13:52
I have become familiar with antiques through marriage. Barbara’s love for them has helped me appreciate their variety and beauty, along with the stories that attach themselves to them.
It seems that an antique shop may be an image that many people associate with church. It’s something built on the past, with teachings, traditions, and memories. Unfortunately, because of this, it’s something that can be seen as backward-looking. It can be something more concerned with preserving yesterday than addressing today.
In reflecting on the above passage, Father Richard Rohr commented: We don’t want the church or the Christian tradition to become an antique shop just preserving old things. We want to build on old things and allow them to be useful in different ages, vocabularies, and cultures.
I find myself more optimistic than ever about the Christian faith today. Chaos and modern challenges have encouraged us to get back to the basics of the gospel Jesus proclaimed. It’s not about protecting rigid beliefs but letting words like justice, compassion, empathy, generosity, and sacrifice become real expressions in life. A church based on such foundations is constantly creating and evolving into what the Father of Jesus imagined.
In what ways have you seen the church build on old things so that new encounters with the living Christ can happen?