The demise of private confession and the corporate confessional services once well known among us Lutherans has left us with only the general confession and absolution to prepare us for the Lord/s Table. I do not mean to demean this at all but to suggest that even this act of confession and absolution can become as routine as the reception of the Lord's Supper itself. In particular, the commonplace nature of cohabitation, children outside of wedlock, and promiscuity raise the issue of whether or not we are communing in repentance or as a people who no longer acknowledge these sins. While this is but one area of sin, there are others that could be listed here.
The lack of personal disciplines of fasting and prayer has become the norm of those who commune. I grew up with the idea that breakfast was eaten after Church on Sunday morning and I still find it hard to approach the Lord's Table without fasting. Again, I am not saying we need to impose a rule or that we should reduce the frequency of the Sacrament being offered. No, not at all, but what we should be doing is preaching and teaching more of the godly preparation for the Lord's Supper which helps us receive to our benefit what the Lord has promised.
Before people jump to the idea that a new Pharisaism is being born, I am encouraging the faithful to do this on their own and Pastors to proclaim the benefits and blessing of such godly preparation. At bare minimum I recommend a devotional review of the Christian Questions and Answers conveniently printed out in the hymnal as a great first step. We routinely print out prayers from the hymnal to be prayed before and after receiving the Lord's Supper. Again, these are good first steps toward the goal of a more fruitful reception of the Lord's body and blood by discerning that body and being ready in faith to receive this gift, to proclaim the mystery, and to rejoicing in the blessing.
5 comments:
Before people jump to the idea that a new Pharisaism is being born, I am encouraging the faithful to do this on their own.
The practice of fasting, eating breakfast after church, and private confession, have been encouraged but recognized as voluntary by those in the Missouri Synod for many, many years. The suggestion that these practices are needed as "good first steps" to achieve the "goal of a more fruitful reception of the Lord's body and blood" is what people, including Lutherans, may regard as a new Pharisaism.
Just where do you live Mr. Vehse and where do you find these practices have been encouraged and recognized as voluntary in the Missouri Synod for years? I have been a member of 7 different LCMS congregations in my lifetime (51 years - from Midwest to East Coast and now Southeast) and have never ever heard this said from the pulpit, spoken about during Bible class, mentioned in the bulletin, or written in the church newsletter.
These practices are mentioned in the Book of Concord and, as such, are taught by the church. They have been mentioned and taught in our churches.
Is there an actual service of preparation to receive Holy Communion? If not, why not? The Lutherans are always inventing new services, why not create one for receiving communion using historic prayers of the Lutheran confessions? The Orthodox have one with many prayers that can be said with the typical morning prayers. Perhaps, the service could be said corporately before the start of divine Liturgy in the church. Attendance shouldn't be required, but encouraged. It is not Pharisaical to prepare oneself as Mr. Vehse suggests. It is spiritually detrimental that one receives the Sacrament without preparation.--Chris
Taught or not taught, mentioned or not, I believe it is more a matter of paying attention to what it is we're doing, and observing.
Coming from a background that held a low view of the Supper (nor would they call it a Sacrament), I find these practices beneficial. I suspect the real reason for failure to prepare is the very real influence of Evangelicalism on Lutherans. There are no rules or rubrics on these practices, but if we are to be confessional Lutherans, should we not pay attention to whence we came?
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