26 December 2022
25 December 2022
23 December 2022
20 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
They must preach the resurrection of the dead, that great and truly glorious sign by which testimony is borne him that the Emmanuel is truly God and by nature the Son of God the Father. He utterly abolished death and wiped out destruction. He robbed hell, and overthrew the tyranny of the enemy. He took away the sin of the world, opened the gates above to the dwellers upon earth, and united earth to heaven.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 49 on St. Luke
Luther
Therefore we should let joy have rule, let Christ be greater than our sins.—Sermon for Advent IV, Epistle (CP VI:96)
Catechesis: Fourth Commandment
“For if we wish to have excellent and able person both for civil and for 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.
19 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
The feeding of the multitudes in the desert by Christ is worthy of all admiration. But it is also profitable in another way. We can plainly see that these new miracles are in harmony with those of ancient times. They are the acts of one and the same power.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 48 on St. Luke
Catechesis: Fourth Commandment
But those who keep God’s will and commandment in sight have this promise: everything they give to temporal and spiritual fathers, and whatever they do to honor them, shall be richly repaid to them. They will not have bread, clothing, and money for a year or two, but will have a long life, support, and peace. They shall be eternally richly and blessed. So just do what is your duty.—LC I:164
15 December 2022
Well, we’re down to…
…six more podcasts to record….three more podcasts to write….two more Issues’ shows to write and record…have finished up at St. Paul’s School…and THEN all that remains is singing in choir for Advent IV, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
102 Years Ago
Stuart Maupin Weedon was born to Chancellor Barbour Weedon and Bessie James Maupin. They had married relatively late in life, and Stuart was their first child, to be followed four years later by Edgar Jackson Weedon. His father was 41 years old when he came along (as he was nearly 40 when I came along); his mother was 34. He was born in Fredericksburg, but raised in Richardsville, Virginia, where they both grew up. The house he was raised in (what’s left of it!) stands still on land my sister owns. This picture of him was taken upon his last birthday. He died some 16 days later. It was a rule in our house that the tree did not go up until on or after daddy’s birthday. I see the tree up here and I honestly don’t remember when we even got it that year. Everything was a blur. He was fading fast. So his earthly pilgrimage was 59 years and 16 days. The older I’ve grown, the more I resemble my dad. It’s odd passing a mirror and out of the corner of the eye catching a glimpse of my father walking past! 
13 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
A man who has an evil spirit is a figure of the Gentile people, covered in vices, naked to error, vulnerable to sin.—St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of Luke
Catechesis: Fourth Commandment
We must therefore impress this truth upon the young that they should think of their parents as standing in God’s place. They should remember that however lowly, poor, frail, and strange their parents may be, nevertheless they are the father and the mother given to them by God.—LC I:108
Luther
Mark you, beloved, to serve Christ, or to serve God, is defined by Paul himself as to fulfil a Christ-ordained office, the office of preaching. This office is a service or ministry proceeding from Christ to us, and not from us to Christ.—Sermon for Advent III, Epistle (CP VI:66)
12 December 2022
Thinking of something Lewis wrote…
…about prayer: that God, who is outside of and beyond all time, has all of our history spread before Him “at once”, and He has no problem answering a prayer that we offer today some two weeks or even two decades ago.
This led me to ponder the nature of the Our Father. It occurred to me that all of Christendom is praying these seven petitions for all of Christendom.
We are praying them today, but also praying them for the saints who have gone before us, for those who journey with us now, and for those who may yet come later. Wherever the others may find themselves in the “space time continuum” they are within the embrace of the Church’s unceasing Our Father. Truly, that “our” embraces the entirety of Christ’s people on pilgrimage. I find it a very comforting thought that prayers offered centuries before, even, are coming to fulfillment in my little life here in the 21st century.
Patristic Quote of the Day
We may also learn this from what befell the herd of swine. Wicked demons are cruel, mischievous, hurtful, and treacherous to those who are in their power. The fact clearly proves this, because they hurried the swine over a precipice and drowned them in the waters. Christ granted their request that we might learn from what happened that their disposition is ruthless, bestial, incapable of being softened, and solely intent on doing evil to those whom they can get into their power.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 44 on St. Luke
Catechesis: Third Commandment
On the other hand, the Word is so effective that whenever it is seriously contemplated, heard, and used, it is bound never to be without fruit. It always awakens new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts. For these words are not lazy or dead, but are creative, living words.—LC I:101
Luther
[On 1 Cor. 4:1] The same limit here made concerning apostles applies also to bishops. It designates the character of their office and the extend of their power. So when we see a bishop assuming more than this text gives him warrant for, we may safely regard him as a wolf, and an apostle of the devil, and avoid him as such.—Sermon on Epistle for Advent IV, CP VI:65
11 December 2022
09 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
It will never happen that those who love Christ will become subject to them [that is, the demons].—Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 44 on St. Luke
Catechesis: Second Commandment
To confuse the devil, I say, we should always have this holy name in our mouth, so that the devil may not be able to injure us as he wishes.—LC I:72 (with import for the use of the Jesus Prayer)
Luther
Let him who desires to fast and make confession, do so, but let no one censure, judge, condemn or quarrel with his fellow over the matter.—Sermon for Advent II, Epistle (Church Postil VI:47).
08 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
He calls the holy church “a lamp stand.” By its proclamation, the Word of God gives light to all who are in this world and illuminates those in the house with the rays of the truth, filling the minds of all with divine knowledge.—Origen, Fragments on Luke
Catechesis: Second Commandment
For when He says “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,” He wants us to understand at the same time that His name is to be used properly. For His name has been revealed and given to us so that it may be of constant use and profit.—LC I:63
Luther
Paul says God grants patience and comfort; we do not possess them of ourselves. If they are granted they are not of nature, but of grace, and are gifts.—Sermon for Advent II, Church Postil, VI:45
07 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
The parable points out to the eyes of the mind what is impossible to see with the eyes of the body. It beautifully shapes out the subtlety of intellectual things by means of the things of sense and palpable to touch.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 41 on St. Luke
Catechesis: Second Commandment
The First Commandment has instructed the heart and taught faith. This commandment now leads us forward and directs the mouth and tongue to God.—LC I:50
Luther
This life is simply a mortification of the old Adam, which must die. So patience is essential. Again, since the life to come is not evident to mortal sense, it is necessary for the soul to have something to which it may cleave in patience, something to help it to a partial comprehension of that future life, and upon which it can rest. That something is God’s Word.—Sermon for Advent II, Epistle (CP VI:43)
06 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
Christ is our love. Love is good, since it offered itself to death for transgressions. Love is good, which forgave sins. Let our soul clothe herself with love of a kind that is “strong as death.”—St. Ambrose, Issac or the Soul 8:75
Catechesis: First Commandment
We will see how He requires nothing greater from us than confidence from the heart for everything good. Then we may live right and straightforward and use all the blessings 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.—LC I:47
Luther
Now, the Christian hatred of sin discriminates between the vices and the individual. It endeavors to exterminate only the former and to preserve the later. It does flee from, evade, reject or despise anyone: rather it receives every man, takes a warm interest in him and accords him treatment calculated to relieve him of his vices. —Sermon for Advent II (Epistle), CP VI:35
Tik Tok Fun
…for the Podcast. Click here. Peter has me answering some of the most frequently asked questions about the Bible. This one makes me sad, because I forgot to mention that the Fathers speculate that the prohibition on the tree of knowledge of good and evil may have only been for a time. In which case, it was more like a Christmas gift under the tree with instruction: “Don’t open this YET!”
05 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
He came that He might forgive the debtors much and little and show mercy upon small and great, that there might be no one whatsoever who did not participate in His goodness.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 40 on St. Luke
Catechesis: Close
These are the people He means when He says, “those who hate Me” (Ex. 20:5); i.e., those who persist in their defiance and pride. Whatever is preached or said to them, they will not listen. When they are rebuked in order that they may know themselves and make amends before punishment begins, they become mad and foolish.—LC I:38
Luther
We are to avoid as heathen those who obstinately attempt to justify their sins and are unwilling to forsake them.—Sermon for Advent II Epistle, Church Postils (VI:37)
04 December 2022
Joyous day!
Today our oldest granddaughter (in process of adoption) was baptized into Christ and adopted into the family of the heavenly Father! Aunt Meaghan, Uncle Jon, and honorary Aunt Kinsley were godparents. Pastor Christian allowed the family to sing right before the Baptism a song I had written for Bekah’s baptism some 31 years ago. We are so happy that K’s with our family, but even more that she is with the heavenly Father’s family through the grace of baptism!
03 December 2022
Well, it’s been interesting…
…My friend Stephanie pointed out that with Illinois’ change of law, hearing aids are much cheaper and you can order and try them with no doctor’s appointment. And if you’ve ever had to endure my constant “what?”, you know I needed them. Just ask the poor kids at St. Paul’s school! So, I went shopping online and found a promising pair at Walmart (for just $188!) and they even charge overnight (so no changing of batteries!!!).
My first choir rehearsal wearing them was definitely an improvement. I could hear Kantor’s instructions clearly, which I had been struggling to hear before. And last night I went to the Collinsville Chorale Christmas concert and, well, WOW! The difference to me was truly shocking. I could understand what the choir was singing, at least most of the time.
The only down side, thus far, is that my ear canals are a bit sore from the foreign object persistently in them. I figure that will mend in time. I’m really looking forward to experiencing Church with them, and seeing if I can hear the sermon better.
Cindi has threatened to drag me to the Muny next summer (I always hated it because it was a boring, two hour waste of time, since I just couldn’t make out anything they were singing). We’ll have to see about that! It might still be a boring waste of time even if I CAN figure out what they’re singing!
01 December 2022
Patristic Quote of the Day
The kingdom of God signifies, as we affirm, the grace that is by faith, by means of which we are accounted worthy of every blessing and of the possession of the rich gifts which come from above from God. It frees us from all blame and makes us to be the children of God, partakers of the Holy Spirit, and heirs of a heavenly inheritance.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 38 on St. Luke
Catechesis: On Catechesis
For the reason we exercise such diligence in preaching the catechism often* is so that it may be taught to our youth, not in a high and clever way, but briefly and with the greatest simplicity. In this way it will enter the mind easily and be fixed in the memory.—LC Shorter Intro, par. 27
*The custom at Wittenberg in Luther’s time was to preach through the Catechism four times a year, using the Ember days.
Luther
All foods are good creations of God and to be used. Only take heed to be temperate in appropriating them and to abstain when it is necessary to the conquest of the works of darkness. It is impossible to lay down a common rule of abstinence, for all bodies are not constituted alike. One needs more, another less. Everyone must judge for himself, and must care for his body according to the advice of Paul: “Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” [Note: Luther’s German reads, Make provision for the flesh, yet not so as to fulfill the lusts thereof.”]—Homily for Advent I Epistle, Church Postils