In my nearly twenty years of ordained ministry, I have finally come to see what my role as pastor is all about. (Okay so I'm kind of a slow learner.) In my head I have known that my function as pastor is to preach the word, preside at the sacrament, teach and bring comfort to God's people.
But yesterday during worship, the "why" of these functions became clear. As I do most every week when communion distribution is finishing up, I began to ready myself to grab a communion assistant and take the sacrament over to those folk who are physically unable to come forward. Before my feet even started to move, one of our wonderful liturgical deacons stepped out with a communion assistant in tow and delivered the body and blood of Jesus for me.
We pastors tend to overanalyze a lot of things, but what hit me yesterday was abundantly clear. My job as pastor (you know, that preaching and presiding stuff) is not to sell the church to the world like some stereotypically sleazy used car salesperson, but to help God's people discern their God-given gifts so that they can be Christ in the world. Bearing Christ was just what I saw happen in worship yesterday.
Imagine if everyone who was there yesterday took Christ with them back out into the world bearing God's creative and redeeming word in whatever way they are gifted. I don't have to imagine it. Knowing the folks of Incarnate Word, I have no doubt that the healing hands and loving heart of Christ went out from here yesterday to a city and a world hungering and thirsting for mercy and justice.
And by the way, here's the miraculous thing about it all. Not only do they put up with my "out there" preaching and those more than occasional wrong notes I hit in the liturgy, but the very folks who embody the healing and love of Christ in the world have themselves been hungry and thirsty for that same healing love. What can I say? God is great!!
Overwhelmed by Christ's love,
Pastor Doug
