One of the most powerful images I remember from my days in catechism over 35 years ago was Pastor Reule teaching our class the significance of the temple curtain being torn in two. With the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, access to the holiest of holies was now available to all. A priesthood of all believers can confess, pray, be forgiven, commune, cavort, enjoy, and worship God directly -- no barriers are in the way. What a profound and immense joy, and what a profound symbol of our changed relationship to God Most High through Jesus Christ!
It seems to me that slowly, stitch by stitch, that curtain is being resewn. Last week I was cultivating corn. Listening to the radio in the tractor, an hourly news report came on reporting that 100,000 had gathered to "watch the pope celebrate mass" in a field in Croatia, and several had died due to the heat. The report was sad in two ways -- people had died, and the curtain was up. The people only "watched." They weren't communing, participating, receiving, only bystanding -- watching.
Stitch by stitch. Last week a notice came to our synod's clergy from our bishop, reminding pastors and councils to ensure that "appropriate" people were going to preside at communion through the summer months while ordained clergy were on vacation. It's no longer enough to proclaim the Word in a community of believers.
Stitch by stitch. Historic episcopy declares a special class of believers uniquely endowed to preserve the integrity of the faith.
Stitch by Stitch. Eucharistic prayer changes the direction of the sacrament and its meaning. It's no longer about Christ's coming to us, but it's about "us remembering;" it's about "our sense of community;" it's about "who we are as the people of God," praising His action; it's about ordained clergy putting on "the right show." I bought and read Oliver Olson's tome on Matthias Flacius Illyricus. It's not an easy read for a layman but it tells a piece of our history which needs to be remembered and valued. We need to remember sacrifices made in the past and why those sacrifices were made and the dangers of ignoring the lessons of history. "The whole papacy is in the canon." -- Flacius, via Olson
Stitch by stitch. With JDDJ the ELCA believes we are closer to the Roman Catholic communion. Bishop Hanson hopes to soon share communion and altar fellowship with those folks. Before long, I can look forward to "watching the pope celebrate mass." A poor miserable layman excluded from things holy by a rebuilt temple curtain.
"Lutherans believe in the priesthood of all believers. In the ELCA, some believers are more priestly than others."
With apologies to Orwell,
Lou Hesse
Moses Lake, WA