I hope and pray we do not return to normal. . .

Although there are certainly aspects of the old normal that I long to know and enjoy again, I hope and pray we do not return to that normal.  There are many things upset by the pandemic which were bad ideas conceived in haste and/or the natural progression of things that had not been good for a while.  We would not be wise to pick up where we left off -- especially when that was not and is not a good place to be. . .

• I hope and pray we do not return to the era in which the Church so willingly accepts the judgment that her ministrations are not essential and that the government has the right and power to decide when the church doors are open and when they are closed.  
• I hope and pray we do not return to the old normal when the people of God take for granted the gifts of God's House or presume that these gifts are either nothing special or nothing so important that they cannot be delayed or experienced virtually (but not really).  
• I hope and pray we do not return to when pastors are reticent to call to repentance those who absent themselves from the Divine Service routinely and for no legitimate reason and yet presume they are in good standing as members.  
• I hope and pray we do not return to the time in which the Church finds herself begging her people to yearn for the gifts of God's house as much as they would yearn for ordinary things in scarcity and want because of fear.
• I hope and pray we do not return to a time in which government programs replace the generosity of God's people who joyfully and willingly support the Church and her mission even when they are away from God's house.  
• I hope and pray that we do not return to the era of pastors inventing ways to meet their people that forget to be faithful to the integrity of the Church's preaching and sacramental life (thinking here of everything from a DIY sacrament with your cup and bread and the words of Christ livestreamed or on video to drive by sacraments without preaching).
• I hope and pray that we do not return to a time when people presume that marriage is what people decide it is, that marriage is the same as living together, and that success is defined by happiness.
• I hope and pray that we do not return to the haphazard and minimalistic view of catechesis in which we presume more than we teach to the young and those coming to faith as adults.
• I hope and pray we do not go back to the view of Christian music that says what we like is more important than what that music says and that performance music is the same as congregational song.
• I hope and pray we do not go back to a Christianity which suggests that programs or services provided people is the same as preaching and teaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  
• I hope and pray we do not go back to a Church adverse to doctrine or willing to dilute or diminish the Church's confession in order to win people without preaching the Word that bestows faith.
  

Lets face it.  The old normal was better than life under the pandemic but not where we should be.  Normal of the way we used to do things should not suffice in an era in which nothing less than our best for His glory will do.  It serves no good to have people who are Christians in name only but who reject the dogma of the faith and who are strangers to God's House.  If we are not going to return to the old normal with all of its problems, then let us work hard to improve things and to be more faithful.