By The Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, RectorDavid danced before the Lord. There was a big celebration and parade as they escorted the Ark of the Covenant from its traditional northern home to Jerusalem, David’s new capital city. The Ark, long before it was lost and retrieved by raiders, was a relatively small, decorative container for the stone tablets marking the ten commandments. The ancient Israelites believed that whoever possessed the Ark would be blessed by God in both battle and harvests. It was a symbol of God’s presence and a focal point for worship.
We’re told that David danced before the Ark in a linen ephod, though we’re never really told what an ephod is. From the reaction of David’s wife, Michal, we can assume that it was scanty. In fact in the verses missing from this particular reading, she rails at him for making such an inappropriate spectacle of himself. That’s not how a king should behave. Having been the daughter of a king, she knew how to behave and obviously felt it was time to teach her shepherd husband, now king, how to conduct himself in public. David, of course, being a man of the people, was having none of that, and delighted in the dance.
I think public sentiment today would side with Michal on this one. I remember when Bill Clinton was first running for President he went on Saturday Night Live. In a now famous clip, he put on a hat and sun glasses playing the saxophone doing a Blues Brothers impersonation. Commentators clucked and said it was "unpresidential". I wondered why. Can’t the President have fun too? Shortly after Barack Obama was elected he and his family went to Hawaii on vacation. Some photographer zoomed in and got a shot of him leaving his room going to the beach without a shirt. Again commentators debated the appropriateness of the public seeing the president not fully clad.
The image of David dancing in the street with the crowds in a show of comaradery and joy over the presence of God in their midst is, I think, enormously human and refreshingly joyful.
The theme of dancing is carried over into the Gospel lesson also. But in this case it takes an ominous form. Tradition names her "Salome" though in the Bible she is not named and referred to mostly as the daughter of Herodias - Herod’s stepdaughter. She’s one of the Bible’s bad girls and shares notoriety with a future Queen of Israel named - Jezebel. In any event, her dance is seductive and enticing and elicits from Herod the offer for anything she wants. She chooses, of course, the head of John the Baptist. It is not a joyful dance, but a dance of death.
In the early 1960's songwriter Sydney Carter took a Shaker tune and wrote the words of what became a popular song called Lord of the Dance. This song depicted Jesus as the dancer inviting people to dance with him. Like David, it brings forth a playful image of joy and excitement in the presence of God.
I’ve always enjoyed the references to God’s playfulness and joy. My favorite quote from Psalm 104 says God made the Leviathan for the sport of it. There’s so much joy to be had and too often we squelch it before it has a chance to take root. Jesus says he came that we might have joy and that our joy will be full.
The unfortunate specter of Pilgrims and Puritans is part of our cultural DNA that casts a suspicious eye on dancing or other forms of joy as being the Devil’s playground. It’s a shame that what comes most natural to people is suspect.
We’re given mixed messages about joyfulness - its appropriateness and its expression. To be sure there are times when silence is called for and serious attitudes are needed to address serious situations. In the great Cathedrals awe at the high naves and towering pillars often makes people quiet and pensive. Issues of poverty and justice also require a serious determination.
And yet matters of personal faith should include joy. Dancing is one of those forms of movement that allows us to "let go." It’s freeing and unique self expression. I love going to ballets and modern dances to see the art forms made in motion. I must say, that I still do prefer watching other people dancing rather than myself. I am much too guarded. When I became single again after many years, I was in my early 40's and my best friend said he was going to teach me how to be single again and took me out to some hot spots. After coming out of one place he came up behind me, grabbed my shoulders, shook me and yelled at me to loosen up. (He’s one of the few friends I have taller than me and can do that quite easily.) He then said we were going dancing. I really froze and pleaded that I couldn’t dance. Nonsense, everyone can dance, says someone who is an excellent dancer. We go out and after a few minutes on the dance floor, he just stops, puts his hands on his hips, looked at me with a cocked head and said, "You really don’t get out much, do you?"
In the monastery in South Africa, Brother Josias was well known for dancing during the music. Tall and thin his robes twirl as he claps and bobs and weaves through the chapel to the drums and singing. It’s a beautiful sight full of joy before the Lord. Taking a freedom that we’ve often lost and making it a gift to God, who, to tell you the truth I believe is also dancing.
Liturgical dance is an outgrowth of this feeling. Some of the churches around here have groups of liturgical dancers and it’s quite an effective and meaningful addition to the worship service. I understand there’s been some interest mentioned here among different members and I want to encourage those who can bring this particular gift to the altar.
Dancing takes many forms and not all of it is with feet on a floor. Dancing is also how we relate to each other and to God. The freedom and joy or the skepticism, hostility and violence. We can dance with the lightness of David or the ominous intensity of Salome, but we do dance and it’s up to us how we do it.
Faith shouldn’t be so restrictive. From ancient times our service is called a Celebration of the Eucharist. The one who leads the worship is called the Celebrant. There’s a new movement in the church to replace that name with the word "presider". I resist this change since for me it loses this very important dimension of joy in the worship and replaces it with a utility function. Yes, one does preside over the service, but that sounds so dry to me and I’d rather celebrate. I like a neat, smooth liturgy since it is a dance, and dancers do practice and make their dance appealing. But mistakes can be absorbed in love and good nature.
I believe that how we worship is how we re-enter the world of day to day. With a sense of joy and toleration, rich satisfaction of a dance well danced, inviting others to the dance and offering it all to the Lord of the Dance. While Michal is in understandable person, and we see modern versions of her all the time, she missed a wonderful opportunity to redefine the role of King and Queen as those who are unafraid to show their joy and invite others to do the same.
At wedding receptions and other big functions where there’s music and dancing, inevitably someone starts a conga line inviting all the wall flowers to join in the dance. I get this image in life as there is so much joy available and with the invitation to join in. Allow this celebration to be a time to let your spirits free in prayer and joy, knowing that God invites you to dance and let go of all that prevents you from sharing God’s joy, a joy that God wants for us and a joy that is full. Amen.
©2009 St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ
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