21 May 2007

Another Significant Seven

Here's seven more significant things that I've learned:

1. Seven-year-olds make ideal catechumens. But the entire Christian life is one of ongoing, daily catechesis, before, during and after Holy Baptism, from the womb to the tomb.

2. Catechesis is not primarily information; it is God putting you to death with His Law and raising you to life with His Gospel of forgiveness.

3. The Law always accuses; and whatever else the Law does is the Lord's prerogative, not mine.

4. The means of grace are as integral to the Gospel as are the Cross and Resurrection.

5. Everything depends upon the Word of God, which is the only thing we can ever be sure of.

6. Prayer, praise, thanksgiving and confession are simply the voice of faith, saying the same things that God has spoken. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.

7. Parents, Professors and Pastors are also finite, flawed and frail creatures, like everyone else. They don't know everything, and they can't do everything. They do know many things, and they are very good at some things. Sometimes they are wrong and make mistakes. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. They are to be respected and honored for the sake of their offices.

2 comments:

Susan said...

Since you have, on occasion, been accused of being a Lutheran ;-)

I wanted to point out what my [other] pastor says about #4. It's not just a Lutheran thing or a Catholic thing or whatever, Jesus Himself said the same thing near the end of Luke 24.

Rev. Rick Stuckwisch said...

Indeed. It is that very passage from St. Luke that substantiated the point for me; although it was my vicarage pastor, Rev. Steve Briel, who first taught me that the preaching of the Gospel necessarily includes the preaching of the means of grace.

It is also to the point that St. Luke goes on to write the Acts of the Apostles, which is really the continuation of all that Jesus does and speaks. So, too, the Church Year is readily divided into the life of Jesus, and the life of Jesus in His Church.