Sermon: A Liturgical Life
Scripture Text: Psalm 1
Quotes for Reflection
Byung-Chul Han, The Disappearance of Rituals
Rituals stabilize life. To paraphrase Antoine Saint Exupéry, we may say: rituals are in life what things are in space…They ‘have the function of stabilizing human life.’ Their ‘objectivity lies in the fact that…men, their ever-changing nature notwithstanding, can retrieve their sameness, that is, their identity, by being related to the same chair the same table.’ In life, serve as stabilizing resting points. Rituals serve the same purpose. Through their self-sameness, their repetitiveness, they stabilize life. They make life last.
Søren Kierkegaard, Repetition and Philosophical Crumbs
Repetition’s love is in truth the only happy love…Hope is new attire, stiff and starched and splendid. Still, since it has not yet been tried on, one does not know whether it will suit one, or whether it will fit. Recollection is discarded clothing which, however lovely it might be, no longer suits one because one has outgrown it. Repetition is clothing that never becomes worn, that fits snugly and comfortably, that neither pulls nor hangs too loosely….repetition is the daily bread that satisfies through blessing.
Péter Nádas, A Careful Definition of the Locale: Walking Around and Around a Solitary Wild Pear Tree
Ever since I have lived near this gigantic wild pear tree, I have not needed to go yonder when I want to look into the distance or back in time.
Willem A. VanGemeren, Psalms
In the Wisdom literature, the way of torah signifies adherence to God’s will in everyday life and enjoying this application of his will. The delight of the godly in doing God’s will on earth is the result of a special relationship with the Lord.
Application Questions
1. Consider two examples from your life. First, consider the joy of possessing something new. Second, consider the joy of possessing the same thing over many years. What do you notice about the difference between those two joys?
2. Of all the metaphors the psalmist could have chosen in Psalm 1 to represent life with God, he chose a tree. Why a tree, and what stands out to you about this image?
3. What sort of impact has the sameness of the liturgy had on your life during the week?