Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Do you mean to say that God could permit the Church to be in error for so long a time? That is the chief stumbling block of which Simeon here speaks. When that's the situation, you can say that matters are going exactly as foretold. For it is written that this child born of the Virgin Mary who was to be the Savior of the whole world and a light to the Gentiles, was destined for the fall not of those who know nothing of God, but rather "many in Israel," God's people who have his Word. This child, on the contrary, has been placed as a stone of stumbling for the wise of the world, the intellectuals, and the self-righteous, who will trample, tumble, fall, and break their necks over this child. They simply can't bear to have their wisdom, their righteousness, and their piety count for nothing. - Blessed Martin Luther's 1531 Homily for the Sunday after Christmas (House Postil I:160)