Liturgy Lesson for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity: Prayer Book Rubrics
July 7, 2007
In the Book of Common Prayer, there are italic directions, called “rubrics” (reds) because of their original red lettering. Holding the force of canon law, officiants in any services must comply with them as a means to do things “decently and in order,” as Scripture commands. At the end of the Holy Communion service are general rubrics, intended to govern the administration of the entire service. These instruct the celebrant to refuse the Holy Communion to anyone openly living an evil (unrepentant) life or who have wronged their neighbors by word or deed. It also directs the priest to deny communion to anyone he perceives to have unresolved malice or hatred against their brothers or sisters in Christ. In this, the clergy actually protects those living this kind of life, because they have not repented from sinning and are in danger of partaking in the Lord’s Supper unworthily–that is to say, with unresolved, purposeful sin in their lives—which calls the Lord’s condemnation down on them. This calls the great question, then to us all–have we truly turned from our sins? Are we, as we say in the words of invitation, truly and earnestly repenting from our sins and in love and charity with our neighbors, and intend to lead a new life by following God’s commandments and walking from that point on in His holy ways? If we can answer “yes,”, then we can go to the Lord’s Table to receive Communion, allowing the joy of the Lord to quiet our hearts and strengthen us, but if not, we need to do authentic “heart business” with our Heavenly Father, seeking the answer to that question, as the Holy Ghost shows us our hearts! This is the way we have His peace and governance in our world—with a heart broken and ready for His indwelling!
The Cost of the Cross
July 2, 2007
Reading: Luke 9:23-24 (New King James Version)
23 Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
Bonus Reading: Matthew 10:37-39
Underground Reality: Vietnam struck me when I heard about it from an Air Force buddy. We are so comfortable - so blessed - so unprepared for our Faith to cost us something. That troubled me. How would we fare if called upon to be martyred? Would we acquit ourselves well and do honor to our Lord?
A few weeks back, we hosted the Voice of the Martyrs speaker here at All Saints. Remember how the life path of the Church Militant has been marked with the blood of the martyrs. That marking continues.
Like Fox’s Book of Martyrs, Underground Reality: Vietnam is a resource for the Holy Spirit to use to help us understand just how our brothers and sisters pay the ultimate price for Jesus. Perhaps these works can help us remember that when our flesh pulls us away from worship, fellowship, stewardship - or perhaps just standing for the Truth of the Gospel in our daily lives - we are making a choice of taking up our crosses - or not. And let’s be honest, beloved, we can’t always hang this on the Devil. Lots of times we are not edified in the Lord, have no peace in our lives, can’t figure out what we should properly do, or don’t know the fullness of our Lord because we just have other priorities that lead us away from denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, and following. We’ve all done it. And it’s time to repent.
Jesus told us unless we took up our crosses and followed Him, we cannot be His disciples. How many crosses are lying, unmoved, right where we first received them - at the “altar of self”? This is a proper examen for us in a world that desperately needs us to be Salt and Light. If we are not willing to exert ourselves to be Christians, we are just not following Him. And if we not following Him, we can’t lead others. In short, we are failing in the task He clearly left for us to do - making disciples of all nations. So, it all comes back to what choice we have made - and we need help to see the answer. Thanks be to God He has given us the help in the Holy Ghost. As we like to say on the staff, you just can’t beat…the Paraclete.
So, this week, in our prayer closets, let’s pray: ”Come, Holy Ghost, and show us - have we taken up our crosses and followed?
Grace and peace,
Chip+
