It was sooooo cold on Sunday.. (how cold was it, Bob?)
It was so cold, that there were sun dogs out all day. You know, those little ribbons of rainbow that bracket the sun like a pair of parentheses. On a super-cold winter day the sunshine reflects off the ice crystals in the atmosphere, and the rainbow brackets hang there, dogging the sun all day.
So when I went to St. Paul Cathedral in the afternoon for the Rite of Election (more on that later), the wind was howling with the chill factor down to -30. Ugh. Makes the little hairs in your nose freeze. That is, if you have some of those. ;)
The closest spot to park was two blocks away and so I run like mad to the nearest door to get out of the wind. Inside the door is a Holy Water basin. I slip off my glove, reach for it, and .. it's solid!
Holy Ice, Batman! Now what? Well, I guess you just rub it with your fingers 'till a little melts and.. you're good to go. :) It's still Holy Water, after all.. just in a different mode.
Which reminds me of a theological discussion we had in class a while back on the "heresy" of Modalism (which I don't think is so much of a heresy as it is a different way of looking at things.) The notion there is that the Trinity is really one God in three "modes" of being, rather than three distinct persons as the classical theologians say.
Water is often used by both groups as an analogy to describe the concept of the Trinity - one in essence, differing in form (or mode.) But some Modalists say that God can only exist in one mode at a time, and their critics say that the account of Jesus' baptism rules that out, since the Father, Son and Spirit seem to all be present simultaneously, so therefore modalism can't be true. Of course, other Modalists don't hold to the "only one mode at a time" thing, but classical Trinitarians just skip right over these people in their objections..
Going back to water as an analogy, one essence in three modes is certainly possible. Imagine heating a chunk of ice in a pan over a stove in a freezing cold cabin in the woods. You would have some water in the form of ice (a solid), some in liquid form surrounding the remaining ice as it melts, and some in the form of water vapor or steam (a gas) as the heated water encounters the cold air in the cabin, and eventually starts boiling. For a period of time, you'd have that original amount of water present in three forms. Hm.
Well, where was I anyway? Oh yes, the Rite of Election.
It was an interesting weekend for me because I also experienced church (or at least worship) in three very distinct forms from Friday night through Sunday afternoon: being part of an audience following a performer's lead in worship at a concert, being up on the platform singing and helping lead a congregation in worship, and being the subject of two formal rituals of faith during worship services. Each distinct modes, but.. one God as the object of all the worship.
Friday night, Steven Curtis Chapman gave a concert at a mega-church in the SW corner of the metroplex. Quite a hike to get there, but.. worth it. I had forgotten just how good he is as a musician and songwriter. All the trappings of the record label's promotions notwithstanding, he was unpretentious on stage, and very effective in directing the focus of the hearts of the audience toward God. It was great to be led in worship by someone who knows how.
Sunday morning, it was my turn to be up in front and sing on worship team, and try to direct the focus of the congregation toward God. Sometimes it was discouraging to see the impassive faces (oh, these stiff Scandinavians!), so.. I just turned my own heart in the right direction, let the energy from nervousness move me toward just being intensely "in the moment", and.. they came around. :) I learned a long time ago that God has to do the moving; a leader's happy-face enthusiasm and manipulative "earnestness" just don't cut it.
Saturday afternoon's Rite of Sending (during the regular Mass) and Sunday afternoon's RIte of Election (at the Cathedral with Archbishop Flynn presiding and blessing us individually afterwards) were both rituals where I was the happy and humbled subject of the Church's attention; the affirmation of my (and others') journey of faith being the occasion for worship, as it were.
So, over the course of 36 hours, I was a follower of others in worship, a leader of others in worship and.. the occasion prompting others to worship. What a blend of rich experiences.. and modes of worship. :)
Does that mean I'm a modalist? Oh, I don't know.. I have one more Systematic Theology course to take next quarter, and *then* maybe I'll know. Or maybe not. ;)
But finally.. my web-based presentation to India is done, and I am exhausted, ready for sleep. Reminds me of the verse from Psalm 127: "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for God grants sleep to those he loves."
Amen to that.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..
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