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The prayer room, beautifully adorned, was roped off. No one could enter, only look, only adore, unless invited and accompanied on entrance.
I was confused by this prayer room, when inspecting the chapel at the seminary. The room was between two large sets of doors leading into the sanctuary. Another person confirmed it was a prayer room, upon my asking about it. He, also, informed me that no one could go in, only persons the wife of the school president would invite in. So, each chapel meeting we not-invited-in could walk by the forbidden prayer room. I guess we could call this a VIP prayer room.
* * *
It appeared to me that this room contradicted the aspiration and need for prayer, as well as the Divine invitation for us to commune with the Sacred anywhere devoted to that Sacred. Can we bar others, common persons, seen to be non-VIPs, from any holy place and not violate the holiness of that place? I, as a student and 'commoner,' a 'peasant,' could inspect the chapel. I, and others like me, however, could not pray in the prayer room. What is that?
* * *
At this same seminary, I, as inspector, inspected all buildings on campus and off-campus housing. One day, inspecting the rooms assigned for visitors to campus, I found on a door these letters: VIP. I had never heard of VIP. I went back to the office and inquired as to what VIP meant. I was informed the room was only for Very Important Persons. I, which this school represented, was raised with a Gospel that said there are no Very Important Persons. Again, I was confused at how we had come to equate Christ and VIP beings. So, now I could see, we had a room and a prayer chapel for these apparently special persons. I found this odd. Some would say I am being naive, but that is okay. I prefer to live in a world where no one is a VIP, so, ironically, everyone is a VIP. Even better, and more true, what we are each and together is neither VIP nor not-VIP.
And, who decides who is a VIP? Who is not a VIP? Is a president or a senator or a congressperson or a famous athlete a VIP, and a homemaker or school teacher or a truck driver or a real estate agent or a caregiver not a VIP? Is anyone born a VIP? In death, does anyone die a VIP?
a sacred space
is an equalizing space
for in that space we are reminded of Home
where everyone is one, and one is everyone
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