02 December 2023
For that perennial pesky problem…
28 November 2023
Bad: Cold; Good: Fire
25 November 2023
29 Years Ago…
24 November 2023
A Joyous Thanksgiving
28 October 2023
Not playing that game
21 October 2023
First Time in a Long Time
18 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Where did you learn to philosophize in such a manner about Christ? The Jews crucify Him, who knew the law, but you, inexperienced in this, call God the condemned one and worship the crucified.—St. John Chrysostom, Sermon on the Repentant Thief
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
16 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
13 October 2023
12 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
11 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
10 October 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Catechesis
Lewis
Patristic Quote of the Day
09 October 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
07 October 2023
A Very Late “Aha!”
06 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
If someone asks you, ‘Do you worship the crucified one?’ answer with a cheerful voice and a joyful countenance, ‘Yes, I worship, and I will never cease to worship.’ And if they laugh, weep for them because they are deranged. Give thanks to the Lord because He has bestowed such benefits on us that no one can learn without divine revelation. Therefore, even if someone laughs, it’s because the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit.—St. John Chrysostom, Sermon on the Holy Cross
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
05 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Christ came once and found our ancient document, which Adam had written. He brought the beginning of the debt; we have increased it with our sins afterward. There was a curse, sin, death, and the condemnation of the Law written in that document; Christ abolished all these and canceled them. Therefore, Paul cries out, ‘Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.’ He did not say He wiped it out but nailed it to the cross so that not even a trace of it should remain. That’s why He did not obliterate it but tore it up. The nails of the cross tore it up and destroyed it so that it would become useless forever.—St. John Chrysostom, Third Sermon on the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
04 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Do you want to learn the power of this blood from another source? Look from where it flowed initially and from where it had its source, from above the cross, from the side of the Lord. For, it is said, ‘When Jesus was dead but still hanging on the cross, a soldier came and pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. This was the symbol of baptism and of the mysteries. Therefore, it did not say, ‘Blood came out,’ but ‘Blood and water.’ Why? Because, from both of these, the Church is born, ‘the water, for regeneration, and the blood, for sanctification, the Spirit’s manifestation.’ And the symbols of the baptism and the mysteries came from the side. From the side, therefore, Christ formed the Church, just as He formed Eve from the side of Adam.—St. John Chrysostom, Sermon 3 on the Newly Illumined.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
03 October 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
For this reason, indeed, we baptize infants, though they have no sins*, so that sanctification, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood, and being members of Christ, becoming a dwelling place of the Spirit may be added.—St. John Chrysostom, Sermon 3 on the Newly Illumined
*Chrysostom was speaking here of volitional sins, sins committed in defiance of God’s will which one knows and understands, but chooses to ignore.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
29 September 2023
A Glorious Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
27 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
26 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Therefore, the faith in this [i.e., baptism], which grants the forgiveness of sins, bestows upon us this adoption. And the things that follow, sufficient to instruct us about who has been liberated and who has been honored by this mystical rite. For as they emerge from those holy pools, all those present embrace, greet, kiss, rejoice, and are glad that those who were formerly slaves and captives have become free and sons, and have been invited to the royal banquet. After the ascent from there, they are immediately led to the terrifying table, full of countless goods, and they partake of the body and blood of the Lord, and they become the dwelling place of the Spirit. And they go forth adorned like certain earthly angels, appearing everywhere and shining with the rays of the sun.—St. John Chrysostom, Second Sermon on the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
25 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
For indeed, baptism is both a burial and a resurrection. ‘For the old man is buried in sin, and the new one, being renewed in the image of the Creator, rises up.’ We put off and we put on. We put off the old garment, tattered by the multitude of sins, and we put on the new one, free from every stain. But what am I saying? We put on Christ Himself: ‘For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.’—St John Chrysostom, On the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
22 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Have you seen the condescension of the Master? Have you seen the impossible philanthropy? He does not ask for anything burdensome or difficult from us. For He did not say, ‘Learn from Me, for I have worked miracles, raised the dead, and performed wonders, all by My own power.’ But what did He say? ‘Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ Have you seen how great the gain is from this yoke? How great the benefit? Therefore, if anyone is worthy to come under this yoke and capable of learning from the Master that He is gentle and humble in heart, he will provide rest for his whole soul. For this is the essence of our salvation.—St. John Chrysostom, On the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
21 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Consider whom He calls: those who have spent their resources in transgressions, those who are burdened by sins, those who can no longer stand upright, those filled with shame, those who have no boldness. And for what purpose does He call them? Not to demand an account or to sit in judgment. But what? To grant rest from their toil, to remove the heavy burden.—St. John Chrysostom, On the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
20 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
You need to know that no sin is so great that it can overcome the zeal of the Lord. Even if someone is a fornicator, an adulterer, effeminate, a homosexual, a prostitute, a thief, a greedy person, a drunkard, an idolater, the power of grace and the philanthropy of the Lord is so great that it can erase all these things and show the mind alone to be grateful.—St. John Chrysostom, Sermon on the Newly Illumined
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
19 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
18 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
This weekend…
14 September 2023
On the Feast of the Holy Cross, 2023
Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, Be for all the noblest tree,
None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit Thine equal be;
Symbol of the world’s redemption, For the weight that hung on Thee.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
13 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
12 September 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
11 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
09 September 2023
08 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
07 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
06 September 2023
+ George Daniel Plvan
05 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
04 September 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
03 September 2023
Today’s sunrise
31 August 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
29 August 2023
The Decollation of St. John the Baptist
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
28 August 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
Are you a sinner? Do not despair; rather, enter, presenting repentance. Have you sinned? Tell God, “I have sinned.” What is the labor, what the period of time, what the expense? What kind of hardship is it to say, “I have sinned”? You have an advocate with the Father who said, “Be the first to confess your sins so you may be justified.” Say the sin to obliterate it. For this, there is no toil, no expense, no need of deep arguments, no need of philosophical reasoning, say, “I have sinned.” —St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Repentance
27 August 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
26 August 2023
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Patristic Quote of the Day
Saturday mornings…
25 August 2023
Patristic Quote of the Day
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Lewis
Catechesis
Need a bit of comfort from God’s Word?
24 August 2023
From this morning’s service
Upon the Festival of St. Bartholomew. We not only remember today this holy apostle of Christ, but also the numerous French protestants surprised and killed by their Roman Catholic fellow countrymen on the Eve and day and week following St. Bartholomew in 1572. The numbers of those killed has not be ascertained with certainty but runs from 5,000 up to 30,000.
“And take they our life, goods, fame, child and wife. Let all these all be gone! They yet have nothing won. The kingdom ours remaineth.”
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Ps cxvi