Why you probably usually misunderstand me
I have come to realize that few things in life are actually important. The liturgy is important. Family is important. Beyond that, most everything is transitory and a joke. For years, I took myself and everything I said and did far too seriously. I regret that.
So when I’m preaching or presiding at mass, I’m deadly serious. If you’re among the congregation gathered for Divine Service, I expect you to be too. If I’m hearing confession, I’m serious. If I’m baptizing someone, or saying the commendation of the dying, or officiating at a funeral, I’m serious.
Otherwise, I’m probably joking. I like to laugh, and for too long I suppressed it. I almost never tell a joke during a sermon. I may say something funny, but it will be for a serious purpose. But the rest of the time, there’s plenty of things to poke fun of, both in myself and in our crazy world. Now I’m a terrible joke-teller – can’t remember ‘em, get nervous trying to deliver the lines at the right time. Since I can’t tell a joke, I use sarcasm, understatement, and hyperbole. So lighten up a bit, and don’t take it so seriously!
When I write something like “Real priests wear rose,” IT’S A JOKE. If you’ve been around this blog, or me, for any period of time, you know I’m a traditionalist. I think tradition is important. Really, really important. But I also believe that differences in fasting are not differences in faith. I think I read that somewhere. 
So, I’ve prepared this handy guide to help you, gentle reader, delve into the Esgetological mystery:
- If it’s a sermon … no joke
- If it’s an exegetical discussion of Holy Scripture, the Word of God … no joke
- If it’s a discussion of just about anything else … probably a joke. Assume that I’m just poking fun at myself and you, trying to remain sane in this dark world
I thought “Real priests wear rose” was a joke. But then I’m a socially impaired engineer so I thought I missed something.
There seems to be a lot of baggage from both sides of that argument at Madre’s blog. It seems to me like there hasn’t been enough forgiving going on, and probably not enough confessing, either.
I’ve had people tell me that I need to smile more when I’m preaching or assisting with the liturgy. I make up for it by having the biggest smile I can muster while greeting people after the service.
In all of this “real priests wear rose” talk, the theme song from “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” just popped into my head. “We’re men (manly men). We’re men in tight (tight) tights!”
What i want to know,was there any viking purple under the rose?
Nope – BLACK for the departure of one of my favorite players, Matt Birk. I have some Vikings cufflinks, but my wife won’t let me wear them to church. 8(
I don’t know any of the people involved in this controversy, but stumbled onto it because I read Weedon’s blog. Honestly, I am completely disgusted right now. How anyone can care if someone wears or doesn’t wear rose and then posts pictures or doesn’t post pictures is utterly beyond me. I also confess to being very disturbed at the violently worded posts by 2 higher ups in HT. But, I guess it’s good for me to see that this organization has its problems like any other. All I can conclude is that there is something else going on amongst these people besides rose vestments and concern that someone is puffed up by posted pictures for their congregation. I simply can’t see how otherwise rational Christian people could be so violent towards each other over a non-issue. It sounds like several of those involved could use some serious pastoral counseling. Sorry to vent on your blog Pastor Esget, but this whole debate seems so completely vile and frustrating that I guess I had to vent somewhere. Awful to see fellow Lutherans eat each other alive!
Bethany Tanis
Well, as Nick Nolte (another Omaha boy) said to Eddie Murphy in 48 Hrs, Some of us citizens are with you all the way.
In addition to what Bethany has expressed, which I share, it amazes me how simple facts are just ignored in the matter. Namely three.
One, garments are generally best featured on a model. What’s the big deal there? Speculation as to the psychological or spiritual state of the model is more what one would expect from the sort of stuff in the racks by the grocery check-out.
Two, the chromatics of rose and pink are different, really, so the carrying on about “rose” being more affectation like the garment itself makes no sense.
Three, I sometimes wish some of those so afraid of swimming the Tiber would just swim the damn thing and find out what it is really like over there. In this case, rose vestments are no more than allowed local option even in the Roman church, in which I was batpised, raised, confirmed, and that before Vatican II. Judas at the Curia, if they only knew what to really be afraid of!
And Amen to “Why you probably usually misunderstand me”!! God bless me if we can’t have a little fun with the language while we write, and enjoy it when reading another’s writing. Life can’t be so grim as to not admit of that.
Can’t WAIT for Advent. Think I’ll come right off the top rope with a flying elbow smash about blue vestments faster than you can say Gera-Speed.
(Maybe that’s before your time, Pastor — remember the wrestling shows from the Calhoun Beach Hotel Saturdays on WTCN to get you to go to the Minneapolis Auditorium and pay for the big show? Wally Karbo, Marty O’Neill, Vern Gagne, Big Tiny Mills, Larry “Pretty Boy” Hennig, Hard Boiled Haggerty, and God’s sign of my later move to Omaha, Mad Dog Vachon? Oh hell yes!)