Liturgy that Matters – November 8, 2020 – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Themes: The community in Thessalonica is struggling with questions of futures, loss, and grief. How do we press on without everyone with us? How do we envision a future lacking of our beloveds? Is there room for faith and grief to co-mingle rather than to compete? We hold these questions as we think through what it means to call for God’s future to arrive. We question traditional readings of this text that can patronize both the author and the community. Thinking about God’s nearness through means other than days, months, or years, we reorient ourselves to the coming of Christ.