30 June 2006

We end this week with more on the Word of God from "Gravity and Grace" by Joseph Sittler.

Luther declared that the mother who teaches the child about the goodness of God, who is the shepherd of all children, is as much a doctor of the Word of God as is the archbishop of Mainz. So when the preacher preaches on "the Word of God," he or she might not quote Scripture. When one declares the presence and the grace of God, the Word is being preached. During the 10th and 12th centuries, when virtually no one could read, how did the church continue? The people didn't read Scripture; in fact, many priest didn't either. So they didn't preach Scripture. what they taught was the celebrative worship of God through images and liturgy, hymnody, acts of devotion and tradition. So the church lasted without Scripture.

Today there are so many people who are fixated on the "book" and on every "word" in the "book" that it has become more elevated than the gift it brings to us - the presence and the grace of God. What happens at that point is that the Book becomes a book of charms and almost magical powers. How the words are laid out on the page is more important than the witness to the life to which it points. People are getting so caught up in the vehicle of transmission that we do not see that gracious God to whom we give praise in our worship. Luther's point about the teaching of a mother and how that brings to the child a vision of the goodness of God makes her a doctor of the Word of God must be heard. In addition, I would also say that the mother must also be one who has heard of this God to whom the Scriptures give witness. She must know this presence and grace as she passes on the story. Otherwise, just like every other person, we tend to avoid this witness and fall into storytelling that simply suits us. That is dangerous with or without the Book in hand.

Connection: We are not simply readers of the story from the Word of God, we are storytellers whose telling becomes a witness alongside the Scriptures and is much needed for we are all called to speak of this God of ours who is present and leading us.

From generation to generation, O God, your presence is made known among us through your saints who are not afraid to witness to your Reign of Glory and Love that continues to be present among us and calls us to step in and participate in its life. We give you thanks for the way the Word makes it to our hearing and then grabs our lives. Amen.