Thursday, April 06, 2017

Five Minute Friday: Enough

With historical, emotional, and other implications, our host Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday prompt is—enough!

Maundy Thursday

The title of the song "Dayenu" that's part of the Passover Haggadah – telling, remembering, re-enacting the story of God delivering God's people Israel from slavery and into freedom – reminds us that only a single one of God's signs and wonders would have been plenty, sufficient, would have been "enough."

Next Thursday the three day long liturgy of the Triduum [Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil/Day] begins with Maundy or Holy Thursday, when the church tells the story, remembers, and re-enacts the Eucharistic founding meal Jesus gave us as he celebrated Passover (or possibly a pre-passover meal) with at least a dozen of his closest followers. Bread of heaven from the heart of the earth, cup of salvation from the fruit of the vine, the church's freedom feast also is sign and anticipatory realization of the fullness of the God's reign, when all creation is healthy and whole, all humanity reconciled into the household of God in a Holy Communion, a common unity.

Regarding "enough" and related to some of our dismay and disappointment with the church, the Reformers reassured us we find the church wherever we find the assembly of God's people gathered around Word and Sacrament. Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession tells us Satis es—it is enough or sufficient, "it suffices" for the presence of the church that the gospel be faithfully preached, the sacraments rightly administered. I'll add during those times our lives seem to be reeling, rocking, and rolling, Word and Sacrament are enough. For us.

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2
God is here! As we God's people meet to offer praise and prayer...
Here are symbols to remind us of our lifelong need of grace.
Here are table, font and pulpit, here the cross has central place...
–Fred Pratt Green© 1979 Hope Publishing Co.


Not part of original post, but to clarify what I've written:
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
five minute friday button five minute friday enough

1 comment:

  1. THIS: "—it is enough or sufficient, "it suffices" for the presence of the church that the gospel be faithfully preached, the sacraments rightly administered. I'll add during those times our lives seem to be reeling, rocking, and rolling, Word and Sacrament are enough. For us." I'm your neighbor this week.

    ReplyDelete

thanks for visiting—peace and hope to all of us!