Thanks to the Amazing Fossil Photography

 (Link here) which means Dean’s sister, Jessica, for these lovely pics of our beloved Herberts grandchildren.

Today

A dear friend wrote that he’d been blessed to celebrate the commendation of the dying with his father, and to commune both his father and mother. God is so good, in the midst of all the sorrows of the valley of shadow of death, to grant such sweet solace…to the parents and to the son. Glory to God for all things!

Gaudete from Christmas Day Mass

Click here.

Our Final Hymn

Both yesterday and today was “Let Our Gladness Have No End.” Here it is in Slovak (or Czech?), and they are having entirely too much fun with it! Click here.

Patristic Quote of the Day

Yesterday our King, clothed in a robe of flesh, came forth from a virginal womb and deigned to visit the earth; today a soldier, leaving the tabernacle of the body, departs as a conqueror for heaven.—St. Fulgenius

And our beloved Ibishes and younger Weedon crew:

…

Oh, and a very merry Christmas to one and all…

…from the Weedons! 

We do not want to abolish…

…the elevation, but retain it because…[it] signifies that Christ has commanded us to remember Him. For just as the sacrament is bodily elevated and yet Christ’s body and blood are not seen in it, so He is also remembered and elevated by the word of the sermon and is confessed and adored in the reception of the sacrament. In each case He is apprehended only by faith; for we cannot see how Christ gives His body and blood for us and even now daily shows and offers it before God to obtain grace for us.—Martin Luther, The German Mass (AE 53:82).

Christmas Day 2021

 

A most frustrating Christmas…

…when God gives you the gift of your voice tanking, so you can squeak, but cannot sing, the liturgy and Christmas hymns and the choir music you’ve been delighting in. Sigh. It happens. So very, very hard to sit back and listen and participate by ear and not by mouth (well, impossible, I squeaked through some anyway). And choir really did do some of the most beautiful pieces this year: Gaudete; Verbum caro factum est; To Us Is Born Emmanuel (Praetorius). Le sigh. 

NEVERTHELESS…was blessed by the incredible diversity of music last evening. Thank you, Kantor Muth!!! Thank you to Pr. Daenzer for his wonderful work on recorder and for holding up the bass section singlehandedly. The children and Kantor gave us strings, we had Zach on his trumpet, we had the beautiful Quempas carol with procession around the four corners (and a dad’s chorus for the Nunc Angelorum). There was sax (way to go Michaela!), the children’s own singing of Verbum Caro, and David’s O Holy Night. Such overflowing joy in the astounding fact that God deigned to become man to make us children of men into children of God. Glory to God in the highest!

Our Beautiful Herberts Grandchildren (plus dad and mom!)

 

Patristic Quote of the Day

All men have an equal part in the great reason why we are joyful, for our Lord, who is the destroyer of sin and death, finding that all are bound under condemnation, is come to make all free!—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther, for Christmas Day

See, then, that thou make this birth thine own and dost change with Him, that thou mayest be rid of thy birth, and mayest take over His, which comes to pass if thou believest. Thus dost thou surely sit in the Virgin Mary’s lap, and art her darling child. But thou must learn to have such faith and to exercise it throughout thine earthly life, for it can never be strong enough.—Sermon upon Christmas Day, 1522

Joys of Christmas Eve

 

THE Question

And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall ?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.

—the end of the poem Christmas by John Betjeman

Patristic Quote of the Day

Dearly beloved brethren: Unto us is born this day a Savior. Let us rejoice. It would be unlawful to be sad today, for today is Life’s birthday; the birthday of that Life, which for us mortal creatures takes away the sing of death and brings the bright promise of an eternal hereafter.—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther

Who, then, but men should receive this child? The angels do not need Him. The devils do not want Him. But we need Him, and for our sake was He made Man. Thus it behooves us to receive Him joyfully as here the angels say: “Unto you is born a Saviour.”—Sermon upon Christmas Day, 1544

Catechesis: The Sixth Commandment

In general and in all conditions it is solemnly commanded by God that men and women, who were created for marriage, shall be found in this estate. Yet there are some exceptions (although few) that God has especially set apart. They are not fit for the married estate. Or there are individuals whom He has released by some high, supernatural gift so that they can maintain chastity without this estate.—LC I:211

Meet Chancellor James Herberts…

…born a child of man on Dec. 22nd; reborn a child of God on Dec. 23rd. Our eleventh grandchild!

Patristic Quote of the Day

Be conscious, O Christian, of your dignity! You have been made partaker of the divine nature; do not fall again by a corrupt manner of life into the beggarly elements above which you are lifted.—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther

And if thou canst believe this this voice of John is a harbinger of truth, and follow the direction of his finger, and behold the Lamb of God bearing thy sin, thou hast won the victory, thou art become a Christian, a master over sin and death, and hell, and all things.—Sermon for Rorate Coeli, 1522.

Catechesis: Sixth Commandment

Therefore, this commandment is directed against all kinds of unchastity, whatever it may be called. Not only is the outward act of adultery forbidden, but also every kind of cause, motive, and means of adultery. Then the heart, the lips, and the whole body may be chaste and offer no opportunity, help, or persuasion toward inchastity.—LC I:202, 203

Patristic Quote of the Day

Let us then put off the old man with his deeds and having obtained a share in the sonship of Christ, let us renounce the deeds of the flesh.—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther

Behold, He comes to you full of grace, that He may help you out of all your need and make you just and blessed. If ye receive Him, all will be well with you; if not, He will soon finish with you.—Sermons, 1540.

Catechesis: Fifth Commandment

Second, a person who does evil to his neighbor is not the only one guilty under this commandment. It also applies to anyone who can do his neighbor good, prevent or resist evil, defend, and save his neighbor so that no bodily harm or hurt happens to him—yet does not do this.—LC I:189

Patristic Quote of the Day

Let us give thanks to God the Father through His Son in the Holy Spirit, who for His great love wherewith He loves us has had mercy on us and has quickened us together with Christ even when we were dead in sins, that in Him we might be a new creature and a new handiwork.—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther

This, then, is the way made straight for Christ, and this is the true ministry of John, that he shall humble men and tell them that they are all sinners, lost and condemned, poor, miserable creatures, and that there is no life, nor work, nor standing so holy, great, and good, that it is not under condemnation, unless Christ dwell, and work, and walk therein; and both is and does all things through His faith. And they all need Christ Jesus and should earnestly desire to partake of His grace.—Sermon for Rorate Coeli, 1522

Catechesis: Fifth Commandment

Now this commandment is easy enough and has often been presented, because we hear it each year in the Gospel of St. Matthew 5:20-26 [Trinity 6], where Christ Himself explains and sums it up. He says we must not kill, neither with hand, heart, mouth, signs, gestures, help, nor counsel.—LC I:182

Patristic Quote of the Day

For when the fullness of time was come, the Son of God took upon Himself the nature of man so that He might reconcile that nature to Him who made it; hence the devil, the inventor of death, is met and conquered in that very flesh which had been the field of his victory.—Pope St. Leo the Great

Luther

[St. John the Baptist’s] ministry is greater and nobler even than that of all the prophets, for he not only prophesies about the coming of the Lord, that He will come sooner or later; the rather he points to Him at this moment with his finger: Lo, this is He!—Exposition, John 1

Catechesis: Fourth Commandment

For if we wish to have excellent and able persons for both civil and Church leadership, we must spare no diligence, time, or cost in teaching and educating our children, so that they may serve God and the world. —LC I:172

Rorate Coeli

I was privileged to preach and celebrate the Holy Eucharist on this final Sunday of Advent 2021. Cindi snapped a few pics:

Patristic Quote of the Day

You are a soldier of Christ, beloved; take up arms, not cosmetics. You are a noble athlete; act like a man, not a fashion statement. In this way let us imitate these saints, in this way let us honor the warriors, the crowned victors, the friends of God, and by walking the same road as them, we shall attain the same crowns as them.—St. John Chrysostom, On Saint Barlaam par. 12.

Luther

The truly humble never think of the result of their humility, but with a simple heart they look at what is lowly, live gladly with it, and are never aware of their own humility.—Sermons from 1523

Catechesis: The Fourth Commandment

Therefore, this is a true and good saying of old and wise people: “To God, to parents, and to teachers we can never offer enough thanks and compensation.” The person who thinks about and considers this will give all honor to his parents without force and bear them up on his hands as those through whom God has done him all good.—LC I:130

Patristic Quote of the Day

For the martyrs’ tomb is a soldier’s tent. And if you open wide the eyes of faith, you will see the breastplate of righteousness lying there, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the greaves of the Gospel, the sword of the Spirit, hurling the very head of the devil to the ground.—St. John Chrysostom, On Saint Barlaam par. 10.

Luther

God’s nature is too high and incomprehensible for us. Therefore for our good He submitted Himself to the nature which is best known to us, that is, our own. There He waits for us, and there He may be found, and nowhere else.—Sermons from 1526.

Catechesis: Fourth Commandment

I would be very glad—I say it again—if people would open their eyes and ears and take this to heart, lest someday we should again be led astray from God’s pure Word to the devil’s lying vanities. If people would take it to heart, all would be well. For parents would have more joy, love, friendship, and unity in their houses. The children could captivate their parents’ hearts.—LC I:121.

My sister posted

This pic of my dad on FB. He had less than a month left to live. If you notice the little beagle dog on the table beside him, that’s what I gave him that Christmas. What do you give a man who is dying? Cindi and I both were taken aback at how much I resemble him these days:

Happy 101, Daddy!

Well, today my father would turn 101. Hard to fathom. I’m already two years older than he was when he died. This is a pic of him, Stuart Maupin Weedon, with his younger brother, Edgar Jackson Weedon. He was an extraordinarily silent man, by and large. He, mom and I could ride in the car together for a long time and he’d never utter a word. I thank God for his faithful provision for his family, all his hard work and without nary a word of complaint. And I will always thank God especially for the wondrous day daddy took me to select a piano and arranged for lessons. I remember him sitting in the car, smoking his cigars, during while Mrs. Edlow taught me (lessons he paid for without the first grumbling). I don’t think I ever heard him even try to sing and I’m not sure how much he ever really loved music, but he enabled me to love it and for that I’ll be grateful to him all my days.

Patristic Quote of the Day

Do you see how terrifying death is? So then, let’s marvel at our Master in that he made what was terrifying to the prophets (1 Kings 19:2,3) contemptible to women. Elijah fled death; women fled toward death.—St. John Chrysostom, On Sts. Bernike, Prosdoke, and Domnina, par. 7.

Luther

Thus all Holy Writ points from the beginning to the end to Christ alone, and directs our minds to Him, and makes in this matter no mention of other saints, in whom we might seek and find grace and truth.—Exposition of Jn 1.

Catechesis: Fourth Commandment

For God’s sake, let us learn this at last: placing all other things out of sight, let our youths look first to this commandment if they wish to serve God with truly good works. Then they may do what is pleasing to their fathers and mothers, or to those to whom they may be subject instead of parents.—LC I:115

Patristic Quote of the Day

For giving birth is not the defining characteristic of a mother, for that is a matter of nature; instead, a mother’s defining feature is raising her child, for that is a matter of choice.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on the Maccabees (par. 8)

Luther

But with a man who belongs to an everlasting kingdom, all is well, and it is fitting that he should dance through life forevermore.—Sermons, 1544.

Catechesis: Fourth Commandment

To the position of fatherhood and motherhood God has given special distinction above all positions that are beneath it: He does not simply command us to love our parents, but to honor them.—LC I:105

Patristic Quote of the Day

What did he mean? He here indicates baptism and forgiveness through grace. This happened not under the law, but under the new covenant. For under the law there was punishment and torture and penalty punishing those who transgressed its edicts. Under the new covenant, grace and forgiveness of wrongdoings and absolution.—St. John Chrysostom, On Eleazar and the Seven Boys (par. 13).

Luther

This is the good and happy news, that Christ has paid for our sin, and through His suffering has redeemed us from eternal death. It is His kingdom and His ministry, to preach the Gospel to the poor; that is His purpose. For to the great and holy He cannot come. They do not wish to be counted sinners, and therefore do not need His Gospel.—Sermon for Gaudete, 1544.

Catechesis: The Third Commandment

Know, therefore, that you must be concerned not only about hearing, but also about learning and retaining God’s Word in memory. Do not think this is optional for you and of no great important. Think that it is God’s commandment, who will require an account from you about how you have heard, learned, and honored His Word.—LC I:98

A few more pics from Gaudete…

 

I love this…

Oliver was sick (Meaghan stayed home with him) and Aunt Bekah and Uncle Andy hadn’t arrived yet for the service with Kloe and Lydia, so Henry sat with his great grandpa, Opa:

I think we just had TOO much fun!

Chris and I romp through the Scriptures, joying in Jesus:

Jesus in the OT

Catechesis: Third Commandment

Second, and most especially, on this day of rest (since we can get no other chance), we have the freedom and time to attend the divine service. We come together to hear and use God’s Word, and then to praise God, to sing and to pray.—LC I:84

Patristic Quote of the Day

Now here on earth the good things aren’t unmixed with sorrows; instead, everywhere there is a great deal of mixing up of everything.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily on All Martyrs

Luther

Thus is slain the spiteful fiend by the breath which cometh forth from the mouth of God, which is the Word preached by His ministers. This, I say, is going forth now and forevermore until the blessed hour of our final redemption for which we wait.—Sermon, 1537

Patristic Quote of the Day

My point is that such has been God’s custom right from the start, to turn whatever plots the Devil contrives against us back onto that demon’s head and to set things in place for our salvation. Consider! He (the devil) expelled humankind from Paradise, and God opened up heaven to them. He drove them from governing on earth, and God gave them the kingdom of heaven, and set our nature firmly on the royal throne. In this way He always give more abundant blessings than the devil attempts to strip away.—St. John of Damascus, Homily on St. Romanus

Catechesis: Second Commandment

It is also useful that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants, and all that we have, against every need to may arise. So also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals and other prayers, morning and evening, have begun and remained in use.—LC I:73

Luther

How many Christians may there be found at this moment who could suffer all their doings to come to light? But what manner of Christian life is it we hypocrites live, if we cannot suffer to have our ways laid open before our neighbors, when, of a truth, they are long since laid bare before God and His angels and creatures, and at the Day of Judgment will be known to every man?—Sermon for Ad Te Levavi, 1522

Beautiful thought from Lewis

He [the devil] always sends errors into the world in pairs—pairs of opposites. And he always encourages us to spend a lot of time thinking which is the worse. You see why, of course? He relies on your extra dislike of the one error to draw you into the opposite one. But do not let us be fooled. We have to keep our eyes on the goal and go straight through between both errors. We have no other concern than that with either of them.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 304.

Patristic Quote of the Day

By welcoming Christ here, we will be able to be welcomed into the eternal dwellings after we depart here.—St. John Chrysostom, On the Holy Martyrs.

Catechesis: The Second Commandment

By nature we all have within us this beautiful virtue, that whoever has committed a wrong would like to cover up and adorn his disgrace, so that no one may see or know it.—LC I:59

Luther

And in those signs, which unto wit and world betoken but destruction, which man must flee and fear, He can discern all that is good, and can find there that blessed word ‘your redemption,’ and so have a comforting picture for which the heart should long above all things.—Sermon for Populus Sion, 1531.

Patristic Quote of the Day

Reflect on how wonderful it is, in the depths of night, when there is the most profound silence, for you alone to be awake and to converse boldly with the common Master of all. So, sleep is sweet? But nothing is sweeter than praying. If you converse with him one on one, you can accomplish a lot, with no one hassling you or cheating you of your supplication. You also have time on your side with regard to obtaining what you want.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily On the Holy Martyrs

Catechesis: First Commandment

We will how He requires nothing greater from us than confidence from the heart for everything good. Then we live right and straightforward and use all the blessings that God gives, just as shoemaker uses his needle, awl, and thread for work and then lays them aside. Or we may behave like a traveler using an inn, food, and bed only to meet his present need. Each person may do this in his calling, according to God’s order, without allowing any of these things to be his lord or idol.—LC I:47

Luther

For the grace of God and His kingdom, with all the virtues thereof, must come to us, if ever we are to inherit it.—Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer

Catechesis: The First Commandment

The purpose of this commandment is to require true faith and trust of the heart, which settles upon the only true God and clings to Him along. It is like saying, “See to it that you let Me alone be your God, and never seek another.” In other words, “Whatever you lack of good things, expect it from Me. Look to Me for it. And whenever you suffer misfortune and distress, crawl and cling to Me. I, yes, I will give you enough and help you out of every need. Only do not let your heart cleave to or rest on any other.”—LC I:4

Luther

The thunders which occur now are but a prelude of that last thunder which will make the whole world pass away, whereat all creatures shall cry: ‘Yea and Amen!’—Sermon for Populus Sion, 1545.

Patristic Quote of the Day

For just as in a single lyre the strings are different, but they make a single harmonious sound, so too in the company of the apostles the persons were different, but the teaching one and the same, since there was also a single Artist, the Holy Spirit, who was setting their souls in motion.—St. John Chrysostom, On the Holy Martyr Ignatius, par. 4.

Happy 75th to My Sister!

 

She and I are standing between our grandparents in this pic (my daddy’s dad and mom). Believe it or not, I remember that day; because I wanted a peanut butter sandwich and Grandma Bess sent Sissy to the Springhouse to get the peanut butter off the shelf. And Sissy didn’t like the thought of the snakes down there, so…she made me come with her! We didn’t see any snakes that day and I did get my peanut butter sandwich. She’s the very best sister anyone could ever have. Happy birthday, Sis!

A beautiful sunset yesterday

 At Church: 

Catechesis: Learning It Better

When these parts have been well learned, you may supplement and strengthen them by also setting before them some psalms or hymns, which have been composed on these parts of the catechism. Lead the young into the Scriptures this way, and make progress in them daily.—LC Shorter Preface, 25

Luther

And the fullness of time is for every man when he begins to believe in Christ as the One whose advent was promised before all times and who has now come.—Sermon for the Sunday in the Octave of Christmas, 1522

Patristic Quote of the Day

My point is that just as the first tree, though green, bore death, the wood of the cross, though dry, gave birth to life.—St. John Chrysostom, On Saint Phocas, par. 5.

Catechesis: How to Teach It

These [the Ten Commandments, Apostles Creed, and Our Father] are the most necessary parts of Christian teaching that one should first learn to repeat word for word. And our children should be reciting them daily when they rise in the morning, when they sit down to their meals, and when they go to bed at night. Until they repeat them, they should not be given food or drink.—LC Shorter Preface 15, 16

Luther

Behold, herein findest thou the difference between the Law and the Gospel, to wit, that the Law commands while the Gospel gives all things freely. The Law causes anger and hate, the Gospel gives grace.—Sermon for Palmarum, 1522.

Patristic Quote of the Day

For I don’t hound in reality, but pursue verbally, not the heretic, but the heresy. I don’t reject the person, but hate the error and want it overturned. My fight is not with substance, for substance is a work of God. Rather, I want to set straight the thinking which the Devil destroyed.—St. John Chrysostom, On Saint Phocas, par. 4.

Catechesis: What the Catechism Teaches

It [the Catechism] teaches what every Christian must know. So a person who does not know this catechism could not be counted as a Christian or be admitted to any Sacrament, just as a mechanic who does not understand the rules and customs of his trade is expelled and considered incapable. Therefore, we must have the young learn well and fluently the parts of the catechism or instruction for children, diligently exercise themselves in them, and keep busy with these parts.—LC Shorter Preface, 2

Luther

Therefore learn here from the Gospel what happens when God begins to build us into the likeness of Him, and what is the beginning of saintliness. There is no other beginning than that thy king comes unto thee, and begins the work in thee. Thou dost not seek Him, He seeks thee.—Sermon for Ad Te Levavi, 1522.

Patristic Quote of the Day

For today the psalm leads us out into battle array against the heretics, not so that we might fell them as they stand, but so that we might raise them up from their fallen state. I mean, that’s how our battle works. It doesn’t make corpses of the living, but fashions living people of the dead, brimming as it is with gentleness and considerable kindness. —St. John Chrysostom, On Saint Phocas, par. 4.