Musical illiteracy (not being able to read music notation – a.k.a. “sheet music”) is right “up” there (or down there?) with being unable to write in cursive. If you went to a good old Lutheran parochial elementary school, you know that nobody got out of there without being able to read music and write legibly in cursive. Like it or not.
One wonders if that standard still holds. I’ve no way of knowing. It was a tale of the distant past. What ever happened to glorious soul uplifting choral music and traditional hymns with theologically sound lyrics that actually teach, since the mind can grasp what’s sung more easily than by rote memorization? It craves beauty, and the flow of good lyrics and melody can bring that. There’s a place for these disciplines in worship music excellence, which must have a foundation of musical literacy.
It’s been replaced in many churches by, frankly, a dumbed down dysrhythmic nonsense that is only a rock and roll stage show!!! That comes from mostly younger people who regard “classical” music as going back only as far as Elvis. They cannot entirely be blamed for this, since their parents and maybe even grandparents before them do not know any better either. (Heaven help us!) And so we offer the music and beats of the streets to our Lord?
Standards are poor. We used to show respect for God, others, and oneself by dressing nicely for church. Not to mention modestly! (Good grief, ladies and girls! Sorry, but short shorts have no place in church!) What’s become of that, all the while dragging your latte, cola, or water into the sanctuary.
People used to fast before church and communion. But now? Oh, we will just die of thirst! You Tube says we must stay hydrated lest we perish.
And then there’s the chattering. What ever became of quietly taking our seat and reading through one of the hymns, or the Scripture reading, or preparing your heart to receive a blessing from the Lord’s Word and in Holy Communion, by spending the time in prayer, before worship officially starts.
The understanding used to be that in worship we join the saints and angels in heaven before God’s throne. It’s called Communion of Saints. This is how we meet together with “Papa” and come into His house. It is no worldly place.
Is it any wonder that many are departing for very strongly liturgical settings, where there’s an actual, shall we say, protocol as to how to enter the worship space? Especially as the Woke Ness monster begins to infest so many seminaries, churches, and parochial schools. May Papa wake us up! Maybe it will require a trip to the woodshed, where we learn by experience to fear the Lord.
There’s a part of our soul that hungers for reverence! Fear / reverence renders us receptive to something bigger and better than wanting an emotional high. There are tried and true approaches to seeing to the soul’s care and feeding. Many have no idea.
Ask, seek, knock… if you are one of the hungry ones. Papa will answer.
Peace and good on you in Christ Jesus.
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