[Preaching on 'to you is born this day a Savior']When I can say: This I accept as my own, because the angel meant it for me, then, if I believe it in my heart, I shall not fail to love the mother Mary, and even more the Child, and especially the Father. For, if it is true that the child was born of the virgin and is mine, then I have no angry God and I must know and feel that there is nothing but laughter and joy in the heart of the Father and no sadness in my heart. Homily for Christmas Day, 1530, AE 51:216
The truly sad reality I've grown to appreciate, if that is the right word, is that due to the Roman and Eastern errors over against the Mother of God, we have been so "spooked" by the reality of Mariolatry that we have lost a proper and healthy respect for and, if properly understood, even a "devotion" to the Blessed Virgin. Simply put, we love the mother of Jesus and honor her best by heeding her words, "Whatever he tells you to do, do!" But ignoring her and presenting that the dear lady is responsible for the horrible abuses she is subjected to at the hands of those who would take the focus off of her son is certainly not her fault and we should not allow our proper rejection of false doctrine that arose in the cult of Mary to rob us of the proper respect and attention due her.
ReplyDeleteI was more interested in the words about the Father. It recalled to my mind that beautiful Christmas hymn of Gerhardt:
ReplyDeleteShould we fear our God's displeasure,
Who, to save, freely gave
His most precious treasure?
To redeem us He has given
His own Son from the Throne
Of His might in heaven. LSB 360:3
Or
Thou Christian heart,
Whoe'er thou art,
Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee!
For God's own Child,
In mercy mild,
Joins thee to Him;
How greatly God must love thee! LSB 372:4
Lovely image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel !!
ReplyDeleteI focused on the Father as well, and noted how this statement is/was such a prescient preemptive strike against Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
ReplyDeleteI have no angry God.
Amen to that.
Christine,
ReplyDeleteYou are dealing with a illiterati here. All I know is that I thought it a nice pic. : ) Is there some story behind it, then?
Kepler,
We were thinking along the same lines.
Pastor Weedon, you are by no means an illiterati.
ReplyDeleteThere's no reason that most folks outside of the Catholic tradition would be familiar with the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (moi, having Catholic relatives, one comes across these kinds of things!)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Mount Carmel being associated with the prophet Elijah) is an paradigm of contemplative prayer most notably in the Carmelite Orders of the Catholic Church, St. Therese of Lisieux. St. John of the Cross and in more recent times Edith Stein, now known as Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of the titles for Mary in the Catholic Church.
Christine,
ReplyDeleteSo that's like Fr. Elijah in the book by the same name. I LOVE that story.
Well it helps if one types contextually -- what I meant was "most notably in the Carmelite Order of the Catholic Church which includes such notables as Therese of Lisieux, ..... etc."s
ReplyDeletePastor Weedon, I loved Father Elijah too. I thought it was a great story !!
ReplyDeleteThat's the St. Therese (of the little flower or some such??) that made those GREAT statements about faith and not trusting works, correct?
ReplyDeleteHi Pastor,
ReplyDeleteYes, the same Saint Therese who is called a "little flower" in God's garden. She is known for her great love for Jesus, trusting him with the simplicity of a child.
This is the quote that I think you may be referring to:
At the close of life's evening I shall appear before Thee with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that Thou wouldst count my works...All our justice is tarnished in Thy sight. It is therefore my desire to be clothed with Thine own Justice and to receive from Thy Love the eternal possession of Thyself. I crave no other Throne nor other Crown but Thee, O my Beloved!...
It is said that her life at the Carmel where Therese was enclosed was spent always in service of others, never refusing even the most tedious tasks and maintaining a humble and cheerful heart no matter how she was treated.
It is no wonder Mother Teresea of Calcutta, who took the name of Therese, said we are called not to be successful but to be faithful, to do small things with great love. Very much in the spirit of Saint Therese, whose trust in the infinite mercy of Christ informed her entire life.