Welcome to my blog!
I prefer traditional liturgy because it grounds us in the Word of God and links us with Christians of all times and all places. It stands the church on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and him crucified. It makes up for the paucity of our own words and self-centered thoughts about God. It extinguishes our attempts to storm the gates of heaven (ala The Tower of Babel in Genesis 11). It makes of us who are gathered a temple in which Christ Jesus dwells by his Spirit.
How does it do all of that? Simply by bringing heaven to earth.
We sing the canticles of angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, thereby joining them in eternal song. See Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 & 5.
We receive from God in Word and Sacrament what we cannot give to ourselves-- a right and proper standing before God through Jesus Christ. We are cleansed of all sin and freed from the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.
The grace of God shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is apportioned to us in visible and tangible means of word, water, bread, and wine.
In all of these ways we become participants in the Biblical narrative of salvation, and not mere spectators. We are put to death and raised with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places, as that is our baptismal birthright, being clothed in the righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ.
Why would we want it any other way?
I prefer traditional liturgy because it grounds us in the Word of God and links us with Christians of all times and all places. It stands the church on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and him crucified. It makes up for the paucity of our own words and self-centered thoughts about God. It extinguishes our attempts to storm the gates of heaven (ala The Tower of Babel in Genesis 11). It makes of us who are gathered a temple in which Christ Jesus dwells by his Spirit.
How does it do all of that? Simply by bringing heaven to earth.
We sing the canticles of angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, thereby joining them in eternal song. See Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 & 5.
We receive from God in Word and Sacrament what we cannot give to ourselves-- a right and proper standing before God through Jesus Christ. We are cleansed of all sin and freed from the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature.
The grace of God shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is apportioned to us in visible and tangible means of word, water, bread, and wine.
In all of these ways we become participants in the Biblical narrative of salvation, and not mere spectators. We are put to death and raised with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places, as that is our baptismal birthright, being clothed in the righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ.
Why would we want it any other way?
RSS Feed
