For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. ¹⁹ Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:17-19)

Kringle from O&H Bakery in Racine, WI

My maternal ancestors are very pious Danish Lutherans. Family reunions, weddings, and funerals always involved kringle, open-faced sandwiches, coffee, and hymn singing. My great grandfather served as Bishop of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church. My grandfather and several great uncles served as pastors in the UELC tradition as well. These folks were known as the “Sad Danes.” You see, the Danish Lutheran community was divided between “sad” and “happy” Danes; though the “sad” Danes preferred to call themselves “holy.” The reason for the split? Dancing. The happy Danes followed the teachings of a guy named N. F. S. Grundtvig. He believed that "amusements such as dancing, dramatics, songs, games, reading of novels and card playing... festivals and celebrations of a social and national character" weren't necessarily wrong. The holy Danes would have none of that. Christian piety called for prayer and devotion, not reckless frivolity. (For those who wonder what happened to me, my paternal ancestors are Roman Catholic. Dad was always the life of the party at the Carlsen family gatherings. Those genetics are strong).

The early Christian communities all struggled with what practices were good and proper and “holy.” This was a source of many problems with which Paul had to contend. That’s what is going on in this passage in which Paul offers an alternative vision of community that rests in Christ, not self-righteous piety. A community that rests in Christ has a particular piety that compels it to offer itself in service, love, and mercy for the sake of the other. To be "holy," as I've mentioned on many occasions, is to be used by God. Like  water, bread, wine, and ancient writings, we are just ordinary (and often broken) vessels that, when used by God to offer grace and forgiveness, become "holy."