Truth!

I haven't posted much lately. Been catching up on things after the end of school - things both of home and church. But I saw this on another blog and thought it an excellent comment. It is from a Roman Catholic blogger (Fr. Z), so for your church, just replace the word "priest" with "pastor" and it works just as well.

Do you want to know what true clericalism is?

The worst manifestation of clericalism is when priests “clericalize” the laity. That is nothing less than a signal that the priest doesn’t think lay people have their own dignity as lay people. In order to “be something” or “participate”, lay people have to do what priests do. Priests think they they make lay people a little better, because they have made them more like themselves.

Vile.

Boo-rah! All the baptized have their own vocations to live in that are important and valuable and where God wants them to be His representatives. As I tell my Bible classes, this world would be a terrible place if everyone was a pastor - terrible! For who would run the country, who would sell the goods that we need, who would manufacture, etc. All these are important. Let us help all people see how they serve God in their callings, where they are, and come to the Divine Service on Sunday to receive the gifts of God they need.