Praying the Small Catechism – A Prayer Book for the Christian
Ash Wednesday
March 1, 2017
Zion Lutheran Church + Nampa, ID
(Audio comes in a couple minutes late)
Next to the Bible itself, Luther’s Small Catechism is the most important book in the life of a Christian. Many of us have heard this before, probably in confirmation classes and Sunday School, and yet the point cannot be overemphasized. Next to the Bible itself, Luther’s Small Catechism is the most important book in the life of a Christian.
In 1529, after Luther had visited many churches in Saxony, and had found that many people, even many of the pastors, could not recite the 10 Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, he wrote this little book of instruction for the head of the house (aka the father) to teach his family. Luther intended the catechism to be a handbook of Christian doctrine, a prayer book, and a book for the ongoing Christian life. In short, the small catechism gives the head of a household everything he needs to teach his family what they are to believe and do as Christians. It teaches them what and how to prayer. It teaches them the calling from God where they are to live their faith in Christ. It teaches them where to find God’s mercy and help against all sin and temptation. For almost 500 years, it has been part of the fabric of what it means to be Lutheran and foundational to our identity.
When I say Small Catechism, what I mean is the six chief parts – 10 Commandments, Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession, and Sacrament of the Altar. The 10 Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer became the backbone for Luther’s prayer. These texts are not “Luther’s.” They belong to the Church of God at all times and in all places. They are the most important texts for the Church because they are nothing but Scripture, and then a brief explanation of what it means that directs us back to Scripture.
Even as the catechism functions as a handbook of doctrine, is serves a prayer book of the Reformation. I would argue that the catechism is in fact, primarily a prayer book. The catechism, which means simply a “book of instruction” was intended to be prayed. These things we believe, teach, and confess are not just things to be memorized, internalized, and memorialized, but are meant to be an active part of the living faith of the Christian. It is not mindless meditation or wordless thoughts to connect with a higher power. Praying the Catechism tutors us in what St. Paul calls the pattern of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13). The Small Catechism guides us in the heart of the Scripture, for it is (FC Ep 5) a Bible for the laity, in which everything is summarized that is treated in detail in Holy Scripture and that is necessary for a Christian to know for salvation.
As Prof. John Pless has noted, “Prayer learns how to listen to the Word of the Lord and out of that listening to speak to Him. In so doing, prayers is the Christian’s engagement in battle against Satan… Positively, to pray the catechism is to learn how to speak to God the Father in the name of the Son through the Holy Spirit who calls us to faith in the Gospel. It is based on God’s command and promise. Negatively, this same prayer is directed against the devil as he would pull us away from the Father through distrust of the Son, causing us to doubt the promises of the Gospel. For Luther, prayer involves spiritual warfare, and the catechism is weaponry for this battle, both defensively and offensively. The power of the catechism is the power of the word of God which, it carries.” John Pless. Praying Luther’s Small Catechism. CPH, 2016. 2)
Yesterday I sat at the bedside of a man who was dying. It is never an altogether pleasant experience. I couldn’t help but think of the ashes today, and the stark reminder of our mortality, “Remember that you are from dust and to dust you shall return.” This man wasn’t able to speak, nor really move, but even in these times a person can hear the words of those around him. What is he thinking? What would he say if he could? What does he believe and in whom is his faith placed?
It is essential for Christians to learn how to pray according to God’s command and promise. Faith is essential for prayer. This is the faith, the prayers, you should know as you lay on your death bed: The 10 Commandments, the Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Contained in these 6 parts are the basics of Christianity that a child can know, yet with depths that a lifetime cannot fully comprehend. They point us to Christ and Him crucified for the forgiveness of sins.
Even the very order of these does such a thing. Luther departs from the medieval ordering of the chief parts as Lord’s Prayer, Creed, and Ten Commandments. Luther writes, “Thus the commandments teach man to recognize his sickness, enabling him to perceive what he must do or refrain from doing, consent to or refuse, and so he will recognize himself a sinful and wicked person. The Creed will teach and show him where to find the medicine – grace – which will help him to become devout and keep the commandments. The Creed points him to God and his mercy, given and made plain to him in Christ. Finally, the Lord’s Prayer teaches all this, namely, through the fulfillment of God’s commandments everything will be given him. In these three things are the essentials of the entire Bible” (Luther, Personal Prayer Book, LW 43:4). Law, Gospel, prayer. These are the chief elements of the Christian faith. These are the core texts for Christian prayer. Praying the faith and then receiving the Sacraments then shape our identity in Christ and our ongoing life in Him.
By teaching us the faith, the catechism teaches us how to pray. It teaches us how to pray, and it can be prayed. Luther explains this in 1535 letter to Peter Beskendorf, the Wittenberg town barber, entitled “A Simple Way to Pray.” A model for prayer: First, Instruction – God teaches and expects us to have faith in Him alone. Second, Thanksgiving – God is our God. He has provided us with all that we are and all that we have. Third, Confession – we acknowledge our countless acts of idolatry and ingratitude. Fourth, prayer – we petition God to preserve us from unbelief and ingratitude. Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, Prayer.