What, then, will be achieved if we shall be negligent and lazy as we were under the Papacy? Alas! they are altogether shameful gluttons and servants of their own bellies who ought to be more properly swineherds and dog-tenders than care-takers of souls and pastors.Īnd now that they are delivered from the unprofitable and burdensome babbling of the Seven Canonical Hours, oh, that, instead thereof, they would only, morning, noon, and evening, read a page or two in the Catechism, the Prayer-book, the New Testament, or elsewhere in the Bible, and pray the Lord’s Prayer for themselves and their parishioners, so that they might render, in return, honor and thanks to the Gospel, by which they have been delivered from burdens and troubles so manifold, and might feel a little shame because like pigs and dogs they retain no more of the Gospel than such a lazy, pernicious, shameful, carnal liberty!įor, alas! as it is, the common people regard the Gospel altogether too lightly, and we accomplish nothing extraordinary even though we use all diligence. We have no slight reasons for treating the Catechism so constantly and for both desiring and beseeching others to teach it, since we see to our sorrow that many pastors and preachers are very negligent in this, and slight both their office and this teaching some from great and high art (giving their mind, as they imagine, to much higher matters], but others from sheer laziness and care for their paunches, assuming no other relation to this business than if they were pastors and preachers, for their bellies' sake, and had nothing to do but, to consume their emoluments as long as they live, as they have been accustomed to do under the Papacy.Īnd although they have now everything that they are to preach and teach placed before them so abundantly, clearly, and easily, in so many helpful books, and the true Sermones per se loquentes, Dormi secure, Paratos et Thesauros, as they were called in former times yet they are not so godly and honest as to buy these books, or even when they have them, to look at them or read them. Martin Luther to All Christians, but Especially to All Pastors and Preachers, that They Should Daily Exercise Themselves in the Catechism, which is a Short Summary and, Epitome of the Entire Holy Scriptures, and that They May Always Teach the Same. Introduction A Christian, Profitable, and Necessary Preface, and Faithful, Earnest Exhortation of Dr.
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