I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated by the entire Pope thing over the past month. I wonder if it is my Catholic upbringing or if it is something more. There is something about the mystery of it all that seems to be missing in the modern church. Don't get me wrong, I love the Vineyard and all, but our history only goes back 20 years or so. From what I understand, when Bert was elected as head of the AVC, they had a tele-conference, not a conclave. Not that I think we need to become more denominational, but there is something to say about the mystery of it all. About the history of it all. To think that some of this stuff that occurred today goes back over several centuries, if not longer. That just intrigues me.
I wonder if we lost something when the Protestant reformation threw out much of our past. Most of the sacrament are gone. Communion, no longer mysteriously transforms into the body and blood of Christ, now it just represents the body and blood. The liturgy has now become a service. And renewal meetings, signs, wonders, and charismatic gifts have all become the norm. We can even plan of vacations based on who is speaking at what conference and what they are going to do! (Has it all become a show?) Where is the mystery of it all?
I don't think we need to raise the clergy up to the level that they have in the Catholic Church (remember, everyone gets to play), but I do think we need to take time and remember that we do not know it all, that God is still God and that he can do what ever he wants, when ever he wants, where ever he wants, to whom ever he wants and because of that, we need to approach him with a sense of awe and mystery.
I'm just not sure how that looks today...
I wonder if we lost something when the Protestant reformation threw out much of our past. Most of the sacrament are gone. Communion, no longer mysteriously transforms into the body and blood of Christ, now it just represents the body and blood. The liturgy has now become a service. And renewal meetings, signs, wonders, and charismatic gifts have all become the norm. We can even plan of vacations based on who is speaking at what conference and what they are going to do! (Has it all become a show?) Where is the mystery of it all?
I don't think we need to raise the clergy up to the level that they have in the Catholic Church (remember, everyone gets to play), but I do think we need to take time and remember that we do not know it all, that God is still God and that he can do what ever he wants, when ever he wants, where ever he wants, to whom ever he wants and because of that, we need to approach him with a sense of awe and mystery.
I'm just not sure how that looks today...
