While studying for this Sunday’s sermon on the incarnational nature of Christ’s Church, I came across an old blog post by William Willimon. I’m probably going to use these last two paragraphs:

The night I was ordained,  a bishop laid hands on my head, repeating the ancient words of the Ordinal, “Never forget that the ones to whom you are called to minister are the ones for whom he died.”

There I was, wondering, “Will the church appreciate my superior training? Will I get an all-electric parsonage?” And there was the church, once again forcing me to be a Chalcedonian Christian, once again forcing me to believe in the blessed Incarnation, once again telling me, “The often disheartening, sometimes disappointing ones I’m making you fortunate enough to serve, are the ones for whom I died. This is my idea of salvation. Don’t mess it up.”

Peace,

Allan