GOD AT WORK

 

 

There are 88 keys on my piano.  To properly record on music paper every possible melody and harmony would require that every forest be harvested and turned into paper.

John made a similar observation in reference to his presentation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel.

 

Of course the little 2 page riff on baptism I’ve begun writing, that is intended as a lesson for young adults vaguely familiar with Scripture and nothing else, does not begin to tell the whole story.  As pastors, teachers and evangelists we have a very small window in terms of both time and space (paper) to present the Good News and the work of the Body of Christ in this world.

 

I am grateful for the books of +Sutton, Tarsitano+ and others, so my recent suggestion that we could use a new prayer book commentary was a compliment to persons on this list who had written particularly illuminating and concise paragraphs, not a condemnation of work by other people in other times.  We need more books, briefer and appropriate for our time.

 

For many years, when teaching catechism, I have used a “Men at Work” road sign as the beginning point of a discussion on sacraments.  The session begins with the question, “What sign shall we put over Sacraments;  Men at Work or God at Work?”  This question gives opportunity for us to correct what is wanting in the TV ministers’ “only believe” presentations without having to fight every battle Christian teachers faced since Nicea.   We can use Scripture as the basis for teaching how God gives grace to his people without reciting the whole dismal history of how Christians dismembered and burned one another in the political/religious conflicts of another time, another place.  I find there isn’t sufficient time to present our positive messages and revisit old battlefields or to read the Liturgy through the lens of theologians of another age when teaching young people the basics.

 

I was encouraged by Louis Tarsitano’s lines on page 31 of his “Outline of an Anglican Life.”  In his discussion on sacraments in bold headlines he asks the question, “Who performs the work in a sacrament?”        

 

His answer is given in two brief paragraphs of two sentences each.

 

“This is an important point that escapes many well-meaning people: that God performs all the work in a sacrament.  God is the giver of grace, and faithful human beings are the receivers of grace.”

“Sacraments are objective acts of grace performed by God for our benefit.  While God uses the physical instruments of outward signs and ministers in the sacraments, it is God alone who bestows grace, and God’s promises alone that are fulfilled.”

 

Dr. Tarsitano has been for years teaching that the sign over sacraments is “God at Work.”

 

 I firmly believe that there are no idolaters in the APA or REC ranks and that all the clergy understand the Sovereignty of God, that He is the source of all goodness and that the Real Presence of Jesus Christ is the means of grace and hope of glory for those who by faith receive Him.  We need to work together producing more teaching materials that will aid the youth of our time to understand the mystery of faith.

 

Fr. Spencer, as I flipped through the 1994 edition of the book (we received it in 1995), I noticed this line by Dr. Tarsitano:  “I also wish to thank the Reverend Fathers Glenn M. Spencer and Louis E. Traycik, who guided the publication of the previous editions of this work.”  Good job Fr. Glenn!

 

Charles+

 


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