Well, don't stop on my account! If more threads went from backbiting to devotion, we'd be better witnesses.
Your remarks about organized religion touch me "in a special way" since, for my sins, I have been elected to the Parish Pastoral Council. I expect to become a Quaker before my term is up -- or maybe a hermit.
(As you know from your Catholic background, "in a special way" is a phrase Catholics use when they don't want to take the time or trouble to figure out in WHAT way. It's one of the first things I learned about Catholic culture. The other thing is that every liturgical season and most holy days must be introduced by the Pastor calling it a "beautiful" season or day. As a would-be philosopher, I wonder, "If they're ALL beautiful, isn't it redundant to mention their beauty? Wouldn't we save a lot of time if we just said, "Hey! It's beautiful! As you were." But they don't listen to me ...)
I have been very blessed in two relevant ways. One is represented by the sign on the pulpit desk in the "practice chapel" at my seminary: "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel!" And the other is by the wonderful preaching and teaching I've been offered at the two parishes with which I have been associated since I swam the Tiber in 1994.
To me the meaning and the mission of the first is that I want to proclaim first the Love of God -- first the possessive genitive, which will, I believe tend then to inspire the objective genitive.
Years ago a radio evangelist told me that in his experience the normal sequence of events was that his auditors first heard and responded to the Love, and then, after a distinct interval, like a day or two, got a real insight into their sinfulness. I find in my own life that, while part of my adult turning to Christ was a seeking of relief from the pain of remorse, it was increasing confidence in His Love that gave (and gives) increasing understanding of my need to throw myself utterly upon it -- and to long for the coal from the altar to be touched to my lips.
In any event, my paradigmatic sermon traces the sins I assume we acknowledge to a lack of faith, and a resulting kind of spiritual wound or deformation; and then preaches Love to that wound. (Whether I was ever any good at it is another question altogether.)
As for the second, at least where I worship, the pedal point of all the preaching and teaching is "Every good thing is a freely-given gift, nothing is earned by us, and without these good gifts are lives are filth, confusion, and sorrow."
But, I have to say that I do remember one confession when the priest, a ringer from another parish, obviously had read a little too much of "I'm Okay, You're Okay," and way too little of the Bible. That's okay, the efficacy of the sacrament is not lessened if the priest is, maybe, a little jejune.
But my comment, upon further review, is that here was a priest into whom the Gospel had not sunk very far, so that he saw neither the calamity of sin nor the wonder of the remedy, and therefore succumbed to the temptation to minimize both in his counsel.
I think I'll pray for him today.
“his auditors first heard and responded to the Love.” And people think the Bible can to easily be misunderstood (after suspecting a typo i found the 2 meanings)
I was not minimizing the love, but today, due to the flesh being satiated with things, and where most all think God loves them and is ok with how they live, i think Jesus would be preaching much like unto Lk. 6:24-26, beginning at the house of God. Few souls are walking under conviction of sin and looking for mercy here, and it is in the light of the holiness and justice of almighty God that love and mercy became a precious need for souls. Living a week under he Law would do us all some good, though grace is purposed to bring man higher. (Rm. 8:4)
“I expect to become a Quaker”:)
Quakers went too far in reaction against institutionalization.
“in a special way”
How about “mystery?”
What used to get me after i became born again and unintended “different” (though more aware of how carnal the old man is) and eager to talk about the Bible and God saving souls was “we Christians,” while virtually no one showed in interest in or identification with such or heart in worship, etc. Not that i had arrived, or have yet.
“the coal from the altar to be touched to my lips.”
not only, “but also my hands and my head.” Peter knew the problem began with the head.
“too much of “I’m Okay, You’re Okay,””
Think that had much to do with the 60’s “back to the Garden” but not to God mentality?