But sin
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind In Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Sin: it's pretty much out of fashion in life and the Church anymore, but the liturgy still provides, and most parishes probably continue, though the rubric says "A Confession of Sin is said here if it has not been said earlier. On occasion, the Confession may be omitted" and indeed some omit during Easter as theologically redundant, a mindlessly arrogant affront to what the cross and empty tomb are meant to convey.
Sin doesn't preach, isn't preached, and we don't think about sin, nor ourselves as sinners, it doesn't sell. What is sin anyway - - in the Pensacola church that my mother grew up in, sin was drinking, dancing, playing cards, going to the baseball game on Sunday afternoon. And it was preached weekly, at least the drinking part was never missed in a sermon rant, which among other indications was that the clergyman was clinging to the wagon. Not unlike homosexuality preached against today: prima facie that the preacher is in the closet.
But sin: two-twenty-three o'clock in the dark half and while typing I'm sipping a mug of cool water and nibbling a peanut butter sandwich, I never thought it would come to this. Thick spread of chunky peanut butter and two squares of butter on a slice of seeds bread, folded over, untrue to my very self.
No, I'm pretty sure Father Tom of my growing up years let us sinners have it as warranted about sin, our sinfulness. And three quarters of Sundays the Confession opened worship, vice tucked in the middle of the service. What would it have been, sin to Episcopalians? Not dancing, asininity; character flaws, personal and societal, cultural. Greed, selfishness, racism. Unkindness. Ingratitude. Contempt for the views, politics, social position, religion of people who were different. Upholding the norms of our Southern culture and society.
Sin today: what is it?
Perhaps it's us. Our Being. Just as we are, the way we are. In the Cosmos, our very Presence. A failed experiment in Godliness.
Sin: it's pretty much out of fashion in life and the Church anymore, but the liturgy still provides, and most parishes probably continue, though the rubric says "A Confession of Sin is said here if it has not been said earlier. On occasion, the Confession may be omitted" and indeed some omit during Easter as theologically redundant, a mindlessly arrogant affront to what the cross and empty tomb are meant to convey.
Sin doesn't preach, isn't preached, and we don't think about sin, nor ourselves as sinners, it doesn't sell. What is sin anyway - - in the Pensacola church that my mother grew up in, sin was drinking, dancing, playing cards, going to the baseball game on Sunday afternoon. And it was preached weekly, at least the drinking part was never missed in a sermon rant, which among other indications was that the clergyman was clinging to the wagon. Not unlike homosexuality preached against today: prima facie that the preacher is in the closet.
But sin: two-twenty-three o'clock in the dark half and while typing I'm sipping a mug of cool water and nibbling a peanut butter sandwich, I never thought it would come to this. Thick spread of chunky peanut butter and two squares of butter on a slice of seeds bread, folded over, untrue to my very self.
No, I'm pretty sure Father Tom of my growing up years let us sinners have it as warranted about sin, our sinfulness. And three quarters of Sundays the Confession opened worship, vice tucked in the middle of the service. What would it have been, sin to Episcopalians? Not dancing, asininity; character flaws, personal and societal, cultural. Greed, selfishness, racism. Unkindness. Ingratitude. Contempt for the views, politics, social position, religion of people who were different. Upholding the norms of our Southern culture and society.
Sin today: what is it?
Perhaps it's us. Our Being. Just as we are, the way we are. In the Cosmos, our very Presence. A failed experiment in Godliness.