{"id":1676,"date":"2016-12-23T12:58:06","date_gmt":"2016-12-23T18:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1676"},"modified":"2016-12-23T12:58:06","modified_gmt":"2016-12-23T18:58:06","slug":"traditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/12\/23\/traditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Below is a post about traditions. \u00a0This post is on the website of the Church I serve at, First Lutheran Church, South Sioux City Nebraska. \u00a0http:\/\/www.flcssc.org<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This time of the year can be steeped in traditions. \u00a0Sometimes we don\u2019t even recall when or why a tradition was started. \u00a0 Traditions have their place, to a point. \u00a0But just what is that point where tradition no longer carries the weight that it used to. \u00a0When I am thinking of tradition, I am speaking more in terms of traditions as it relates to religion. \u00a0Tradition in the Lutheran church, at least in the ELCA, since that is the only one I can really speak to, does not determine our theology. \u00a0Our theology instead leads into\u00a0our traditions.<\/p>\n

Since Christmas is around the corner, I\u2019ll reflect upon the Christmas service and a couple\u00a0traditions that can be helpful in keeping focus about what the day and season is about. \u00a0A candlelight service is a tradition that goes way back.<\/p>\n

There are many speculations to the origins, but we cannot say for sure. \u00a0Here is what we can be sure of. \u00a0The Jews use candles in Hanukkah, and as we know, the origins of Christians come out of Judaism. \u00a0Christmas is celebrated as the birth of Jesus. \u00a0However it is not that Jesus was born on the 25th of December, but a time for the celebration. \u00a0That celebration time has roots back to the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. \u00a0Candles were used in that celebration to remember that, spring would come soon. \u00a0Christians used the time of the winter solstice as one means of conversion of the pagans. \u00a0Right or wrong, it is what was done and our tradition of candles may reflect out of that. \u00a0One of the simplest of reasons may simply be the lack of any other way to light a Church in the early days of the church, at night but by candles and the tradition of candles for the Christmas Eve service is with candles even today.<\/p>\n

The last explanation, reminds me of the story a woman who would chop off 1\/3 of her ham before cooking it. \u00a0When asked why by her daughter, she could only say that, that is what my mother and grandmother did. \u00a0Upon further investigation, it is found that the reason for chopping off 1\/3 of the ham, was because the pan was not big enough to fit the ham. \u00a0Then the tradition continued to be handed down, even though the pan was large enough now.<\/p>\n

Back to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. \u00a0No matter how it started, there is a symbolism that can be associated with it that helps us focus during worship, on what we are truly in worship for. \u00a0The candles illuminate the darkness, as Jesus does to the darkness in the world because of sin. \u00a0Jesus himself is the light to the world. \u00a0Standing in the back of the church, one could even see the lights progressing towards the altar, where there are more candles, more symbols of the light of Jesus, who comes into the world on Christmas.<\/p>\n

I believe the reason, determines the usefulness and validity of the tradition. \u00a0If we get hung up on what order the candles are lite, from what source, if we are to light from the altar, backwards or even what order the altar candles or any other candles are ignited or extinguished, then we have overstepped the boundaries\u00a0of tradition being useful to potentially harmful.<\/p>\n

We have communion during the Christmas and Christmas day service. \u00a0At some Churches this does not fall into our \u201cregular\u201d schedule of communion but it is a tradition for some, to serve communion on these days. \u00a0Some would argue that communion should be offered at all services, and I would agree. \u00a0However, that is another topic for another day. \u00a0What communion does offer, is an opportunity to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in the transformation of the bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Jesus. \u00a0In taking the communion, we experience the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ. \u00a0We are joined with God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, all those in heaven, those people of the past, the present and all of the people of God around the world in taking communion. \u00a0Communion in this case, then I believe, would be a good tradition. \u00a0I have heard it argued that communion on Christmas allows those that seem to only attend on Christmas, to receive communion, which happens to be one determiner for those who can vote on church related matters. \u00a0If we are offering communion on Christmas, so those that only attend on Christmas, can vote, then I say this is not a good tradition.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have a particular problem with tradition. \u00a0However if it does not effectively connect us in some way with God, then it might be an opportunity for education on the tradition or time to change the tradition . \u00a0Hopefully then it can effectively help connect us in some way to God. \u00a0We need to always be asking why we are doing what we are doing and asking if it is working.<\/p>\n

I am sure I have potentially opened up a can of worms. \u00a0However, worms work well for fishing. \u00a0Jesus made the disciples \u201cfishers of [people]\u201d and if this can of worms causes conversation, then so be it. \u00a0After All Jesus also said, go fishing. \u00a0Luke 5:4<\/a><\/a> \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is a post about traditions. \u00a0This post is on the website of the Church I serve at, First Lutheran Church, South Sioux City Nebraska. \u00a0http:\/\/www.flcssc.org   This time of the year can be steeped in traditions. \u00a0Sometimes we don\u2019t even recall when or why a tradition was started. \u00a0 Traditions have their place, to … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[87,49,3,126,10,79,39,4,104],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1676","6":"format-standard","7":"category-christ","8":"category-christmas","9":"category-grace","10":"category-holy-spirit","11":"category-jesus","12":"category-light","13":"category-sin-2","14":"category-spirit","15":"category-tradition"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-r2","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1990,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2018\/01\/06\/traditions-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1676,"position":0},"title":"Traditions","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, December 31, 2017 | Christmas First Sunday after Christmas:\u00a0 Holy Family Year B New Testament Galatians 4:4\u20137 Gospel Luke 2:22\u201340 \u00a0 https:\/\/youtu.be\/zUWeJrRQf5A","rel":"","context":"In "Baptism"","block_context":{"text":"Baptism","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/baptism\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/zUWeJrRQf5A\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1682,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/12\/28\/jesuss-birth-drop-your-security-blankets\/","url_meta":{"origin":1676,"position":1},"title":"Jesus’s Birth, Drop Your Security Blankets","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"December 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the sermon that was delivered at First Lutheran Church, South Sioux City NE.\u00a0on December 24th at the 11 PM Service. 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