Week Four: Gathered at the Table

Read John 9:1-36

• Imagine you are this man. Blind from birth. That might be hard for us to imagine what it’s like to be without use of one of your senses. Jesus then encounters you and not only speaks to you but rubs cool, minerally-smelling mud on your eyes and then tells you to immerse your body in the cold bubbling waters of a spring-fed pool. Really imagine that sensation of mud on your eyes and being in that water. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? What sensations are you feeling in your body? What do those physical experiences mean to you? Why might that have been powerful for you rather than just hearing Jesus say you were healed?
• Has there been a time that a physical sensation—a taste, a smell, a touch, a sight—has helped you encounter God or learn something about yourself?

“Smells and bells.” That’s a phrase sometimes used to make fun of our Roman Catholic siblings for their love of using candles, incense, and bells in worship, but, honestly, it can (or should) apply to Lutherans too. Although it varies from congregation to congregation, Lutheran worship will always include some physical means of communicating God’s grace—be it water for baptism, bread and wine for communion, or the words of absolution and forgiveness. To varying degrees, you might also encounter other physical reminders that draw our attention to God’s presence and love—candles, incense, vestments, gestures (like the sign of the cross or bowing), processions, singing, stained glass, statues, icons, seasonal colors, etc. All of these serve the purpose of communicating God’s grace to us when words may fail or not be enough. We retain the use of physical rituals and elements because we remember that we are disciples of a God who willingly chose to encounter us human beings by taking on flesh and rubbing mud on our eyes and touching us and feeding us and washing our feet.

Read The Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Article XIII, 3-4

Our Lutheran spiritual practices are very physical because Jesus was and is physically present in the world. However, we do distinguish between what we call sacraments and all other physical symbols, rites, or reminders. Sacraments are only those rituals that Jesus himself instituted in Scripture and that also convey to us a promise Jesus made to us. So, we recognize three sacraments (although American Lutherans sometimes shy away from claiming the third).

Baptism: Jesus commands his disciples to baptize, and promises that those baptized will be his adopted children. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Communion: Jesus commands his disciples to “do this in remembrance of me” and promises that those who eat and drink of this meal will have a share in his life (Luke 22:14-20; John 6:53-58)

Confession & Absolution: Jesus gives his disciples the Spirit and tells them to forgive the sins of others and that they can be assured of the promise that their sins are indeed forgiven (John 20:19-23)

Now that isn’t to say that other rituals aren’t important. We still value the physicality of rituals like marriage, confirmation, burials, anointings, blessings, etc. Those rituals, however, were not commanded by Jesus which means we have freedom to use, not use, or adapt them however may best communicate to people the abounding love and grace of Jesus. The important part is that we remember that, sometimes, people need us to not just tell them how much God loves them, but we need to engage their senses, integrate their life’s milestones, and show them God’s grace.

Prayer Corner

Consider making yourself a prayer corner this week. It can be as simple as a little section on your bookshelf, or it can be as elaborate as a small table in the corner of a room somewhere. Use this space to begin collecting or placing physical reminders of your walk with God. This can be where you keep your Bible or maybe a prayer journal and some pens. You might have a cross or an image that is meaningful to you. You could also keep a small dish or vial of water there to remind you of your baptism. A candle is always a great addition! Maybe even things you find out in nature—like rocks, seashells, flowers, bird feathers. Be as creative as you want but see what happens when you begin having a space all to yourself that is a physical reminder to not only pray each day, but, in your time of prayer, to remember all those physical signs that God has used to get your attention.

A New Ritual

What’s a milestone in some peoples’ lives that you don’t think gets noticed enough? It could be getting a first driver’s license, or when someone moves into an assisted living, or when someone gets a new job, or when someone gets a new diagnosis, or maybe when a teenager starts a new sport or extracurricular activity. These are milestones that might not always be recognized in the church or through prayer, but God became flesh in Jesus and is therefore invested in every single second of our human experience, not just the “churchy” moments or the “big” moments.

Write a liturgy or ritual for the milestone you chose. What would we pray? Would we read a Bible passage? If so, which one? What physical sign would you use in the ritual—sprinkling with water, oil for anointing, putting a hand on the person’s shoulder as you pray, holding a prayer stone as we pray, writing something on a piece of paper, burning something in a fire? Let your imagination run wild. Make it creative and physical, but also be in tune with what that person might be feeling in the moment. What words and signs might be most encouraging and comforting to them?

Evangelical Lutheran Worship - most of our rituals, prayers, sacraments, and music that we use in ELCA congregations are contained in the red book you see in your pews on Sundays, the Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Feel free to borrow one to have at home! 

ELCA Worship FAQs - a helpful list of Q&A about worship within Lutheran congregations.

ELCA Worship Blog - a blog of the ELCA that posts new resources for rituals and worship within the church as well as weekly prayer intentions to use in Sunday worship.

The Nairobi Statement - this is a summary of the Nairobi Statement which was an important document on the nature of liturgy/worship written by member churches across the Lutheran World Federation.