Monday, December 23, 2013

Monday, December 23, 2013

Luke 1: 67-80

There is a good chance that today’s reading is familiar to you. You might know it as the Benedictus (“blessed”) in Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer. The first two chapters of Luke are punctuated by beautiful soliloquies, and liturgists have made good use of them. 

The Gospel According to St. Luke begins with a dedication wherein the author tells his reader that he has set out to write “an orderly account... so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed” (Luke 1:3-4). It seems to me that the Gospel is “orderly” not simply in its organization, but in its beauty. Unique to this Gospel, in addition to the Benedictus, are the Annunciation to Mary, the Magnificat, and the Nunc Dimittis. Awesome stuff. 

How does this Gospel help us to “know the truth?” I’d suggest that we come to a deeper experience of the truth when we worship. When these portions of the infancy narratives are incorporated into our liturgy and prayed by those gathered, the words come alive. Worshipping in a liturgical context reassures us that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time we pray. It reminds us that our prayers are meaningful and life-giving, not due to our ingenuity, but because of the moving of God's Spirit amongst us. Our liturgy roots us in our tradition and to the great communion of saints. 

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be open to change. Tradition is a living thing. Our liturgy, however, rooted as it is in our Biblical faith and communal history, challenges the individualistic, fad-oriented tendencies of our society. There are several younger members of our congregation who are fed spiritually in our quiet Book of Common Prayer Communion service at 7:30 on Wednesday mornings (myself included). It is one of the few times in my week when I experience profound quiet and stillness. I am thankful for these moments, and for our liturgy that guides us into prayer and the experience of Christ in the breaking of bread. 

-Matthew Kieswetter