When the Homily is about Immunology

Tears of a clown

I have been thinking about the connection between "mission" and the ever present quest to be hip, appealing and "cool" as a means of evangelism. (We all do it on a personal level so it seems only natural that we would strive to make our churches thus) I guess I can remember in my youth working days surrounded by all sorts of Christian "coolness" (including Christian Punk Rock!) and really expecting to see the world come to Christ - as a point of fact I seem to recall that very phrase ("bring the world to Christ") being optimistically used.

But, what ought we to think about the teaching which espouses a "narrow way" with few finding it? What part of the New Testament makes us think that we should ever expect to be more than a persecuted, laughed at, and mocked minority?

So why bother? Well, come on now, that's not what I am saying. So what am I saying? Over-emphasis on trying to connect with outsiders and not enough of trying to connect with healing through asceticism and other aspects in the life of the Church?

And, by the way, these thoughts aren't for the POMO or Alternative Church folk (althought they COULD be I suppose)...think about how we often we try and dress up Orthodoxy for particular occassions. How often we work at making it so and neglect our prayers?

Nope, Orthodoxy at the place where the rubber meets the road is seen by the world as ugly, hard, demanding...don't like it? Well, I suppose (ok ok, subtract the supposition of it) we should give it a go in trying to explain WHY it is all these things...still don't like it? Be on your way then.