tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3847211149012008703.post3623495828944343541..comments2023-11-03T04:50:42.128-05:00Comments on Confessional Gadfly: A story of correctionRev. Eric J Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17747919365522145094noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3847211149012008703.post-44795312966876146312011-01-05T08:28:41.760-06:002011-01-05T08:28:41.760-06:00It is true that we often want to be the center of ...It is true that we often want to be the center of the service.<br /><br />Perhaps it is a choral or choir piece, where people will note our singing. Perhaps it is by extraneous additions to the rites and custom of the service that draw attention to the one who presides, or the liturgical garb "meant to cover" yet awfully onstentacious. Perhaps it is even with the sermon itself - after all, Luther, in his sachristy prayer would have us pray that we not preach in order to garner the praise of men - something that one can easily be tempted towards.<br /><br />In all things, sinful human beings will take what should be simple gifts to them from God - worship, the hearing of the Word, and they will try to make it about themselves - whether it is drawing attention to themselves, whether it is desiring their own preferences and hiding this selfishness under various guises of supposed holiness (Oh, but we need to be more open. Oh, but we need to be more spiritual. Oh, but we need to have more solemnity)<br /><br />In all things, whether high or low, ancient or new, we remain what we are - sinners, and as such we will always seek to shift the focus off of God and onto ourselves.<br /><br />We all must learn to follow the wisdom of John the Baptist - I must decrease that He may increase. You are correct, this rarely happens.Rev. Eric J Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17747919365522145094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3847211149012008703.post-77167319111831157922011-01-05T03:08:58.121-06:002011-01-05T03:08:58.121-06:00"I learned that it was a terrifying and horri...<i>"I learned that it was a terrifying and horrible thing to be bad in Church."</i> -- Rev. Eric J Brown <br /><br />One of <i>several</i> things learned, I do suspect. See, what I learned from the anecdote is that little kids ... especially those of the smarter subset ... inevitably learn to strive to become the focus of the Lutheran Divine Service. "Pick Master Precious, buddy, or I'll yank your cincture and that collar becomes a millstone." This attitude is not altogether surprising, as children are naturally accomplished in the fine art of narcissism, from day one. "That comforting and nourishing breast is me, and don't me forget it!"<br /><br />What <i>is</i> surprising, however, is the de facto enabling of such self-centered aims, by sheep and shepherd ... which enabling hides under the guise of it being but an established part of the liturgical "flow," now.Michael L. Anderson, M.D., Ph.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13158953802996685938noreply@blogger.com