We are here for His anamnesis. What is that anamnesis (remembrance)? It is the body and blood of Christ. This is what our Lord has bequeathed to His Church. This is not something we invent or decide but what He Himself has given. Worship is not for us or about us but for the Lord to distribute His gifts through the means of grace and for the Spirit to enable us to receive them by faith. It is about Christ and what He has done to provide forgiveness, life and salvation for us.
In this way, every Sunday is memorial day -- the day on which the focus lies upon that which Christ has given us to be His anamnesis -- His body and blood. What St. Paul received and solemnly passed on is the source and summit of all that we are here for -- grace pure and free and grace that is efficacious and accomplishes His purpose. The function of the liturgy is to maintain this focus against our constant temptation to turn the attention from Him and His gifts to us and what we desire...
3 comments:
Just a thought - I understand the point you're making and I agree that all too often we get way too focused on ourselves. However, if the Lord's Supper is indeed a gift that God gives to us doesn't that, in a sense, make it about us? Furthermore, don't we proclaim in the words of institution, given and shed for you? In other words, if there is no "us" there's no one to receive the gift. Objective justification without subjective justification doesn't work. Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding your point.
I'm not trying to be nit-picky or argumentative here - forgive me if that's how I'm coming off. I'm a pastor with far less experience so I'm certainly willing to be corrected in my thinking.
good thought-I have come to rejoice in sharing your thoughts. You bring a great gift my old alma Mater Concordia Senior College would be proud of the many men its succesor has raised.
Steven Little of Dorm E CSC???
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