Dr. Fauci really does need to go to church

I saw this over at RedState and thought that Dr. Tony Fauci's opinion of church attendance was emblematic of how many people feel about liturgical churches, 

“A number of complicated reasons,” he said. “First of all, I think my own personal ethics on life are I think enough to keep me going on the right path.”

“And I think there are enough negative aspects about the organizational Church,” he continued. He noted that Kay was “very well aware” of these things, without naming them.

“I’m not against it,” Fauci explained. “I identify myself as a Catholic. I was raised, I was baptized, I was confirmed, I was married in the Church. My children were baptized in the Church.”

“But as far as practicing it, it seems almost like a pro forma thing that I don’t really need to do.” 

For those who need the current definition of pro forma, 

pro forma adjective 

1: made or carried out in a perfunctory manner or as a formality (Merriam-Webster)

I can understand how regular church attendance at a liturgical church can bring about the feeling that one's attendance is a mere formality because of the repetitive recitation of the words of the liturgy week after week (for Sunday pewsitters) or daily (for those using the daily offices). Maybe this is why so many people are attracted to modern independent churches many of which offer services that seem more like entertainment than worship. 

At least those churches give people a church family(we hope).

A good liturgy (unlike what the Episcopal church seems to be creating) should offer protection against heresy, especially the type of heresy that denies the need for congregational worship. Such denial takes one down the pathway of setting oneself up as the creator of their own personal religion. This inevitably leads to any of a number of heresies. 

The sin that grows out of a self created religion is the sin of Pride. With congregational worship, especially with a good liturgy, should come a sense of humility as we prepare ourselves to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the form of the bread and wine of the Eucharist. It is Pride that keeps us from repentance and it is Pride that holds us back from getting down on our knees before God to accept His free gift of salvation.

No, Tony, swallow your pride. Swallow the bread and the wine. You really need to "do" church. We all do.