Sunday, April 15, 2007

Repetition

This blog will be short because my third child, a son, was born on Friday morning and I have been fairly busy with other important matters. I had to put this out because it puts in clear focus the reason for those "repetitive, boring services" that are the same week after week. You learn them! Doubt it? I don't. Last night, while dressing my two kids for bed, my daughter started saying a phrase that I couldn't help but wonder at. She was saying "very God of very God..." over and over. She was reciting part of the Creed without studying it! I explained where it came from and the next couple lines before she lost interest, but she knows part of the Creed. She is 3!

The service is the basics of the Word, and the Readings and the Sermon should include the meat. But the point of the repetition is to teach the service, the psalms, and the important aspects without the need for fancy classes. It is placed in the rote memory. It is just there. If you toss that out for ever changing services, there is no continuity. You deprive yourself and your kids from the consistency and the rote memory of the Church. It isn't a catch all for preventing apostasy, but it is a great spot to start. If you don't have a doctrine, how do you know if you have left it?

1 comment:

Steven G. said...

As a fellow-father (I have three boys), let me join in your joy. My middle boy, who is 3 also picked up a book (Unbeknown to him, it was a J.B. Phillip's translation of the NT.) and started reciting the Apostles Creed! To see the Word through these (our!) Confessions take root in these little ones' hearts is awesome!