The same could be said of the sacraments. The sacrament's efficacy is due to the presence of Christ and nothing else. Preaching that is helpful isn't helpful because the preacher is a good preacher, and the Eucharist's effectiveness is independent of the holiness of the priest and congregation. People come expecting to receive, and Christ is gracious enough to be present, in word and sacrament.
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ReplyDeleteThanks Cecil. Corrected now.
ReplyDeleteWhile, of course, I get the point. And agree.
ReplyDeleteLet's face it that some preaching is self-indulgent crap. Some down right heretical. Some is abusive
If we believe in sin then we must also allow for the possibility that some preaching is not Christ-like at all viz those who might preach prejudice, slavery, subjugation etc ...or those who use their preaching to bully and might actually do harm.
We could say "Well this is not preaching!" but where and how do you draw the lines?
It gets very difficult. Jesus can, of course, shoose not to be present. That is the easy part as we don't control him. But drawing the line. When we think about the impossibility of a human being preaching the word of God, or our liturgies making present the living Christ, it gets very difficult to draw the line. People do choose, of course. But all of the great icons of the Christian tradition were all flawed. Berhard of Clairvaux was one of the great spiritual writers and preachers of his day, yet he was a great supporter of the crusades and galvanized parts of Western Europe into action. God, it would seem, is willing to be present where the 'rules' are broken.
ReplyDeleteGod cries due to what he sees by being present everywhere.
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