Blessed be the Goofy and the Whacky!

A verse from Isaiah especially sustains me as a preacher, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty.  (Is 55:11a)

The best example I have from my years of ministry was when I was just a baby pastor and teaching confirmation class in my first years.  Jason was a cute kid with red hair and freckles with a short attention span and a tendency for trouble-making.  We were studying a unit on Holy Baptism and I was telling them about making the sign of the cross on the head of the baptized.

I went on to tell the class that there is nothing “un-Lutheran” about making the sign of the cross nor is it the property of any church.  Rather, tracing the cross upon ourselves is done in remembrance of our baptism.  I told the kids that one way to start the practice is when they are standing all alone in the shower while they let the water rain upon them to say, “I am baptized” and make the sign of the cross.  I wondered if the suggestion was a little more pious than what 12 and 13 year olds were ready for.  Jason, of course, was squirreling around during the moment of instruction.

The following week, in good teaching style, we started with a quick review of the previous week.  Jason blurted out, “You know that thing you said about doing the cross in the shower?  Well, I tried it.”  There was a pause and then, “It was kind of neat.”

Hallelujah!  So much for the short attention span and pestering others in class, something made its way into this kid’s noggin.  I do not know if Jason grew up to be a participating adult of the congregation and unashamedly makes the signs of the cross within worship or not, but the word took some kind of root.

Here’s the point—or two points:  First, to all the Geezer’s Lutheran readers, there is nothing “too catholic” about making the sign of the cross.  Don’t forget that it says in Luther’s Small Catechism at the beginning of instruction for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, “make the sign of the cross in remembrance of your baptism.”  It adds a tactile dimension to both our worship and prayer.

 The second point tells us never to think our words of grace and hope are just going to fall on empty ears so why bother.  The Holy Spirit has a real goofy way and a whacky timetable of how and when those words connect.  Blessed be the goofy and the whacky!