Fr Trey: February 2008 Archives
It recently dawned on me that this coming Sunday is Laetare Sunday. One of the two Sundays in the church year when Rose is the colour instead of the Lenten Purple or Advent blue. I believe it is a sad fact that a majority of the liturgical churches don't make use of the Rose colour or even the proper introit anthem "Laetare Ierusalem." Instead we settle for mediocrity of sub-standard worship in most parishes. Sadly, I never hear of a rector or priest saying, "our worship is sub-standard" rather, each of them believe their worship is decent and in order. I'm not entirely certain I agree. We, that is Episcopalians, tend to stay with the rote Eucharistic services not varying much from things that were done in the immediate past. This, I think, is our folly. John Keble, St. John H. Newman, and the other Oxford Movement members fought the secularisation of the church in their time. It seems we're right back where they were- the church has opted to forgo the traditional worship, doctrine, and theology as has been handed down. Now the church (Rome excluded) seems to be bending to the whims of modern society. You want salvation without Jesus? Some in ECUSA think that is fine- even some bishops saying that there are other ways to God other than Jesus. This, of course, violates canon and doctrine, let alone what Jesus said. Our worship has fallen into the same trap- we want to be accessible and non-offensive. We're afraid to be who we are, and that I think is the problem.
The mess were in is because we have, in some major areas, ceased being the church. We have become social activists without the Cross of Christ before us and that is the problem. We're afraid to be the bearers of the Gospel and we're afraid to worship in the beauty of holiness as someone may not find it accessible. I've often found that if I don't understand something that I want/need to understand- I'll ask questions. It is only inaccessible if I refuse to participate and those who are there refuse to help. At some point we have to stop spoon feeding people and allow them to grow and to ask questions and to discern. Being a Christian isn't easy- it wasn't meant to be- deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ: it doesn't seem to be in the same paradigm as the national church currently. From our worship style and this shunning of the traditional ways to our theology and shunning of anything that even remotely smacks of something that is counter-cultural- we have lost the traditions and theology of Christendom and started to mold our own golden calf that the people demanded. I dare say it is time to bring back the rose vestments and for Keble's sermon on National Apostasy to be read from the pulpits.
The mess were in is because we have, in some major areas, ceased being the church. We have become social activists without the Cross of Christ before us and that is the problem. We're afraid to be the bearers of the Gospel and we're afraid to worship in the beauty of holiness as someone may not find it accessible. I've often found that if I don't understand something that I want/need to understand- I'll ask questions. It is only inaccessible if I refuse to participate and those who are there refuse to help. At some point we have to stop spoon feeding people and allow them to grow and to ask questions and to discern. Being a Christian isn't easy- it wasn't meant to be- deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ: it doesn't seem to be in the same paradigm as the national church currently. From our worship style and this shunning of the traditional ways to our theology and shunning of anything that even remotely smacks of something that is counter-cultural- we have lost the traditions and theology of Christendom and started to mold our own golden calf that the people demanded. I dare say it is time to bring back the rose vestments and for Keble's sermon on National Apostasy to be read from the pulpits.
