For the Unity of the Church

From the Augsburg Confession:  "For the true unity of the Church it is enough to agree about the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments."  VII:2

Why?  Because the unity of the Church is nothing else and other than the unity which that Gospel and Sacrament effect when through imparting and strengthening saving faith they unite a human being in saving faith to Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit and so to the Father.  The Church is the company of those so united to the Triune God - hence, "die Versammlung aller Gläubigen."

The unity of the Church is not another thing distinct from the unity of all believers with the Triune God; it is one and the same.  No one is part of the Church strictly speaking who is not united by the Spirit's work in saving faith to Jesus Christ and in Him to the Father.  "What we have heard and seen we proclaim to you that you also may have fellowship (koinonia) with us, and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."  So when our Lord prays for the unity of His Church, He prays:  "that they may be one even as we are one.  I in them, You in Me, that they may become perfectly one." 

What preserves the unity of the Church is that which alone unites in saving faith to the blessed Trinity - the Word of the Gospel preached, the blessed sacraments administered and received.  "I pray for those who believe on me through their Word..." To focus on anything else is to focus on window dressing.

Random Laetare Thoughts

And what would have happened if they had held onto that little chunk of bread and of fish that Jesus handed them? How much would they have had at the end of the day? That little bit. That’s all.

But because they dared to do what He commanded, because they gave away from what they had - and what they never felt to be more more than a handful - they ended up the day not with a handful of bread and fish, but each carrying a basket.

There’s more here than just a lesson to trust in divine providence. Jesus is, instead, opening up to you the very secret of life - real life, His life. It’s not found in keeping and guarding and protecting, building a wall around, you and your stuff. It’s found instead, quite unexpectedly and counter-intuitively, in giving away - stuff, to be sure. But more than stuff, self.

This is the crazy life into which our Lord was calling them - and into which He calls us. The miracle of the loaves and fish is like a living parable of the truth of His words later in John’s Gospel: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (12:24,25)

Give your life away, He dared them, and you’ll be given an abundance of life that you can’t even begin to imagine. Hold onto your life here, and hold it tight, and never let it be taken away, and you’ll end up losing the thing you’re trying to guard.

These are not just words or ideas. These are the key to unlock the miracle of His own life!

That bread in their hand that they gave away - it was a sign of Him. For He is the bread of life, and He came down from heaven to give life to the world and to do by giving His own life away - and thus He brought our human nature into an abundance that could never be imagined before. He has indeed borne much fruit!

Glory to You, self-giving Lord! Glory to You! Grant us the joy of losing our lives that we might truly find them - in You alone.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

This sin is something inborn, which is first to be pardoned, then controlled, and finally annihilated by a new birth, by the grace of God, by the work of the Holy Spirit, by the entrance on the glory of heaven, by the mighty power by which a risen Savior is to raise these vile bodies and make them like His own body. -- Krauth, *Conservative Reformation* p. 406

Patristic Quote of the Day

On consideration, your Majesty, of the reason wherefore men have so far gone astray, or that many— alas!— should follow diverse ways of belief concerning the Son of God, the marvel seems to be, not at all that human knowledge has been baffled in dealing with superhuman things, but that it has not submitted to the authority of the Scriptures. -- St. Ambrose, On the Christian Faith, Book IV

Yesterday Marked

the one year anniversary of what I dubbed the "Holy Tuesday Treachery" - Synod's abrupt and inexplicable cancellation of Issues, Etc. Today I got to do an Issues, Etc. roundtable with fellow Lutheran pastors on Articles VII/VIII of the Augsburg Confession. Like the proverbial phoenix, from the ashes new life has sprung, stronger and bolder than ever in witnessing to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Who'd have ever dreamed it? Thanks to everyone who supported Pr. Wilken and Jeff through those most difficult of days. Thanks to everyone who supported them through the silliness of Synod's threats about a lawsuit over the trademark (I think that chapter is over). May Issues, Etc. continue for many a year to strengthen Lutherans in the faith once delivered to the saints. Pr. Wilken and Jeff - we rejoice with you! God bless your service to the Church! Check them out here:

Issues, Etc.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

If God did not dwell with the saints in the New Jerusalem, they would not be blessed even in that beautiful heavenly city. This city, with its heavenly splendor and fountains of joy, would be a lonely, bleak house of sorrow. But God will dwell with His saints as a dear Father in the midst of his children, and this make their condition perfectly blessed. -- C. F. W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 310

Patristic Quote of the Day

For to those who wish and strive and worthily pray for this result, whatever sins remain in them are daily remitted because we sincerely pray, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12 Whosoever shall deny that this prayer is in this life necessary for every righteous man who knows and does the will of God, except the one Saint of saints, greatly errs, and is utterly incapable of pleasing Him whom he praises. Moreover, if he supposes himself to be such a character, he deceives himself, and the truth is not in him, 1 John 1:8 — for no other reason than that he thinks what is false. -- St. Augustine, *On Merit and the Remission of Sins* Book III:23

Korby Goodies - Thanks to Pr. Tom Fast

"Wood, Hay, Stubble"
by Kenneth F. Korby

Death is not a real foundation for living. Nevertheless, most individuals and civilizations build their lives on avoiding, evading, or postponing death. By a strange and reverse worship, they assert and confess the lordship of death. To them it seems to be the only sure foundation of power. The power to kill is fundamental, and apparently sure. The threat of death is the ultimate fear, and apparently viable.

When hosting the Lord of Life, full God manifest in the vulnerable and weak flesh, the builders of civilizations and religions did what they had to do to insure the edifice they had built. They exercised sure and necessary power to kill Jesus, using the power of God against God!

Death may be painful, but, culturally seen, it is at least sure. Almost. Although the nature of death is such that it dulls its victims, there are still uncertainties. Notes from the underground, as it were, disquiet the illusion that death might be an easy slipping into nothingness. The preludes of the absolute terror and loneliness may be quieted by devices of culture and religion, but some uncertainties remain.

Hence, a rock was put in front of Jesus' grave. It seemed a fundamental guarantee of the finality of the power of civilization and religion to make death sure. But the death of Jesus was not merely the revelation of the mystery of iniquity. It was also the revelation of the mystery of the will of God to destroy death by dying it. Death did not shatter Jesus. Jesus shattered death. Death is not lord. Jesus is Lord. By his death and resurrection from the dead, in a body of glory that cannot die again, Jesus is the foundation for living a life that does not evade death or end up in death, but one that ends in life.

The consequences of this work of Jesus is the building of a new race, a new humanity, the Church. Mortified with him in his cross, vivified with him in his resurrection, this new people is a living, growing organism. Created by the Holy Spirit, she is the carrier and agent of that life-giving spirited word. Even while she lives in the wilderness, pursued by death, she is nurtured and built on the foundation. Living in the midst of cultures and civilizations that are built on the deceit of evading death, she is built in truth with wisdom. Such building activity is a delicate business.

The temptation of the craftsmen who are charged with building her is to use materials that are shoddy and cheap. The Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 3) calls them "wood, hay, stubble." The enticements of the temptation contain the threat and promises of the deceits of civilizations and religions: "You will not die; you will be as gods." The promise is an invitation to mistrust the Lord. The threat is the pressure: if you want to be something, buy our wares. And so, many who build on the foundation advocate proposals with variety and enthusiasm, promising new keys to success, guaranteed formulae for church growth. Renewal is promised through ritual. Effectiveness goes with certain evangelism programs and techniques. Church growth is worked out with scientific and business-like acumen and industry. These things have become as popular as the New Measures of the nineteenth century. Added benefits increase the allurements: there will be effective and influential ministry, authentic and supportive communities. And who, in God's name, can be against these? And then, the best of all worlds: these various building materials will be promoted from a "Lutheran point of view!"

Meanwhile, a hidden, alien catechesis works quietly to shape a different spirit and form, a different content and pattern of life. The Apostle warns against using wood, hay, and stubble, noting these materials are flammable. They are fuel in the fire of judgment and the day of the Lord. The smallest piece of wood will ignite, even if it has been tinkered with! Those who build on the foundation with such materials will indeed escape with their lives, but their work will be consumed and they will be left naked.

The apostolic master-builder suggests "gold, silver and precious stones"--very poor fuel for fire--as the building materials. There is a simplicity about these materials, as there is a simplicity in the way the church is built on the foundation. It is the simplicity of the new life by the Spirit in the water and word of Baptism, or nurturing the life of faith and love on the vitalities of the Lord's Body and Blood, of reordering the relationship of the sinner to God by the word of forgiveness of sins spoken into the ear from the mouth of another. The simplicity of the catechesis is the handing of this word from mouth to ear in the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Our Father. The shape and content of the word are the shape and content of the life: repentance, faith, holiness.

The celebration of Easter--with its participation in eating our Passover Lamb--is the call to purge out the influence of malice and wickedness, the call to keep the feast with the simple bread of sincerity and truth.

The Church is God's temple. Those who desecrate her will be desecrated.

Reminder: Annunciation

Tomorrow is St. Joseph's, and that means that next Wednesday (March 25) we will have joy of celebrating the Annunciation of Our Lord. Divine Service will be at 7 a.m. at St. Paul's. Please join us, if you can! "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your salvation comes'" (Introit).

What Is It

about the Passion Vespers that is so peaceful, so joyous, and yet so full of contrition? We gather, we sing, we listen, we pray. But it's different.

Homily from Yesteryear in Honor of St. Joseph

Tomorrow is the Day of St. Joseph, Guardian of our Lord. Here's a homily to provide some meditation upon this beloved Saint:

He sort of lurks in the background, Joseph does. We know that he’s there, but we tend to forget him. It’s a role fathers are accustomed to at the time of child-birth, and one – truth to tell – that we’re rather comfortable with. After all, the star of the show is the little baby, and if there’s a first-runner-up, it’s the mama. The papa’s joy comes from just standing there in awe and staring at the miracle in front of him.

Of course, for Joseph, it was different. The child wasn’t his. He’d been hurt, of course, dreadfully hurt when he found out that Mary was pregnant. You see, they were betrothed, not married. But in Jewish society of that day, betrothal was so serious that it could be broken only by divorce. And it sure seemed to Joseph that Mary had broken faith with him.

Joseph was a good man. He was torn, as all good men are, over the horrible conflict between justice and pity. His sense of justice wouldn’t let him even consider marrying her. She was just not the sort of person he had been led to believe her to be. She evidently didn’t hold God’s commands in the same high regard that he did, and what kind of a life could be built out of two people who lived by such different values. And yet, in pity, he didn’t want to make a public spectacle out of her. He wasn’t the least bit vindictive; he wouldn’t enjoy abandoning her to public shame. He was just very sad.

And no doubt people were already talking, and given the normal behavior of human beings the obvious answer to Mary’s condition leapt to the mind. Probably there was a good deal of speculation as to who the papa was. Some held out for Joseph. Others said: “That old priss! He wouldn’t touch her until after the ceremony. Trust me, my friend, Mary just couldn’t wait.”

Many were the nights that Joseph lay awake and stared at the ceiling, wondering what to do. Wondering what God’s will was for him in this situation. Asking: “Why me, God? Why have you let this happen to me?” And then it happened. One night after he had finally fallen into a fitful sleep, God answered. You see, there was someone who saw Joseph’s pain and hurt and knew his struggle. There was someone who saw the hurt and fear in Mary’s eyes as well. And that someone in his own time and in his own way did something about it.

It was a dream Joseph had, but as real as could be. The Angel of the Lord stood there, shining and glittering and somehow terrifying in his holiness, and spoke gentle, unbelievable words of comfort. “Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son and you are to give him the name JESUS because he will save his people from their sins.”
And suddenly as the dream had started, it was over. Joseph was wide awake again. But now his eyes were filled with tears and his heart with peace. “Why did I ever doubt her, God? And why did I ever doubt you?” Bet he got out of bed and made himself a pot of coffee or some such and waited impatiently for the light of dawn.

As soon as it was light, he ran out of the house and over to Mary’s parent’s home. When she saw him, saw the look in his eyes, saw the smile on his face, she knew that he knew the truth. At last. Old Elizabeth had shared her secret joy, but no one else up to that point. Now Joseph did. Joseph understood – and that meant the world to Mary. No doubt there were awkward attempts at an apology from Joseph, but Mary just brushed them all away. None of that mattered anymore – now that Joseph knew the secret of what and who was growing in her womb.
“I see his plan now, Mary. I am not to be this baby’s father, but his protector and provider. The protector and provider of the Messiah, Mary! The Promised One, the One whose name is JESUS – who saves his people from their sins. The One promised by Isaiah as God with Us – the Virgin-Born. Oh, Mary! God is so good! How could I have doubted?”

Now please note: the sneers and the knowing looks in Nazareth did not cease. If anything they increased when the people saw that Joseph was determined to stand by Mary. And no doubt, half of the people said: “See, I was right. He is the father.” And the other half said: “See, I was right. He doesn’t have the guts to throw her over even after what she did to him.” But Joseph and Mary were beyond being bothered by such comments and looks. They just looked at each other and smiled. A marvelous secret!

Jesus was the name the angel gave. “Because he will save his people from their sins.” As Mary came nearer to term and the child bulged in her womb, Joseph would place his hand on her tummy and feel the baby kick, and say to himself: “This is my Savior. This is the one we have prayed for and hoped for all our lives. He comes to set us free!”

Old Joseph didn’t live to see how that redemption would take place. He’s last mentioned in the temple with Mary and Jesus when the lad was 12. Sometime between then and Jesus’ baptism at the age of 30, he died. He didn’t live to see the shame of the cross, when only Mary and her friends had the courage to stand by him. He didn’t live to see the joy of the empty tomb when Jesus would begin spreading the joy of death’s defeat into all the world. He probably never saw Jesus work a miracle, but that didn’t matter.

He still died full of faith and hope because he knew that in that child, learning to walk, learning to talk, in that child who hugged him and liked to rub his face in Joseph’s rough beard, in that child who ate at his table and looked so peaceful sleeping under his roof, in that child who played with abandon and prayed with glee, in that child God had come to be with us, to save us. And so Joseph closed his eyes in peace and opened them in heaven’s light only to be embraced by his child, his Jesus. While on earth, Joseph had cared and provided for the Child and now in heaven the Child of Mary would forever care and provide for him.

Joseph lurks in the background, true. But how our Lord loved his earthly protector and provider! You and I often know what Joseph felt like. We’re background people, too, for the most part. Maybe often overlooked and forgotten, just doing the tasks the Lord has given us to do. That’s okay. There’s one who doesn’t overlook or forget. One who loves us. One who is waiting to welcome us home. The Child who was born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph; the Child who by his cross and resurrection has opened for all who trust Him – great and small alike – an eternal home. Amen.

A Bit of Donne

This always grips my heart:

A HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER.
by John Donne


I.
WILT Thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

II.
Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallowed in a score?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

III.
I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore ;
But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore ;
And having done that, Thou hast done ;
I fear no more.

Wish I Had Been There

Fr. Hollywood's Parish gets a visit from Fr. Andrae and a discussion of Lutherans worldwide!

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

The children of God here below have still not been perfectly delivered out of the bonds of their natural corruption. The old, loveless heart often continues to stir in them bad thoughts, to cling to its love of the creature, and even to break out in loveless words and deeds. But all of this cannot rule the one who is a true child of God. When he succumbs to it, he at once falls on his face in the dust, sighing and crying, for grace and forgiveness. God has no stillborn children. If someone is a true child of God, he is not only obligated to walk in holy love, he also has the desire and power and grace to do it. -- C. F. W. Walther, *God Grant It!*

Patristic Quote of the Day

And so the human race was lying under a just condemnation, and all men were the children of wrath. Of which wrath it is written: "All our days are passed away in Your wrath; we spend our years as a tale that is told." Of which wrath also Job says: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Of which wrath also the Lord Jesus says: "He that believes in the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him." He does not say it will come, but it "abides on him." For every man is born with it; wherefore the apostle says: "We were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Now, as men were lying under this wrath by reason of their original sin, and as this original sin was the more heavy and deadly in proportion to the number and magnitude of the actual sins which were added to it, there was need for a Mediator, that is, for a reconciler, who, by the offering of one sacrifice, of which all the sacrifices of the law and the prophets were types, should take away this wrath. -- St. Augustine, Enchiridion 33

What to Make of This?

"My daughter just had a child. Holding him, I thought, "It is so difficult to believe that an infant's heart is sinful." Many teach this, but not Orthodoxy. We do not believe that we are totally depraved, as many Protestants do. Nor do we believe we are born with the guilt of sin, as the Romans teach. Instead, we are born in innocence and our heart is pure. To be sure, we all sin. Yet some, as did our Lady the Birthgiver-of-God, continue in purity of heart the rest of their lives, as blameless. Mary was as human as we are, yet morally pure throughout her life. We are all born in the same condition and we have the choice to keep our hearts pure and directed towards God, or to sin and rebel against the purity of a loving heart. Our lives become a continual struggle to conform our hearts to purity and holiness. Recognize this, and we are on our way to becoming Orthodox."

A friend recently pointed out these shocking words. They come from here:

Ukrainian Orthodox

And are on page 16. Yes, the Ukrainian Orthodox are canonical. And they tolerate, if not actually teach, that "we are born in innocence and our heart is pure." One of my parishioners attended a Baptism in an Orthodox Church (OCA) where the priest hammered home the same point: we are not baptizing this baby because it is a sinner!

Striking the difference between this blatant Pelagianism and the piece I've been working through by St. Augustine called *On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins.* Striking too how anyone who was once Lutheran can embrace this, let alone pray Psalm 51 anymore.

Restructuring

Seems everyone's doing it. Even the Orthodox. Word is that folks are not happy with the Patriarch's latest move.

I suppose

it would be rude for the men to boast about winning both games of pinochle tonight - played once without passing, and once with - so if you hear ANY rumors about Dean and I beating the daylights out of Cindi and Lauren, just know that we're too genteel to confirm the truth of such an embarrassing outcome for our dear ladies... yuk, yuk yuk!

The Way to a Man's Heart...

...Irish Soda Bread (low-carb even!), Corned Beef (so tender, it's falling apart), Cabbage and Turnips, Green Beans, and Strawberries and Grapes for dessert - a wee break from the Lenten fast in honor of St. Patrick and all things Irish. Oh, and for the kids mashed taters and gravy. The Soda Bread was really outstanding - and I ate too much of it. LOADED with butter! What a cook my dear wife is, what a cook!

Patristic Quote of the Day

Now, undoubtedly, he who is still renewed day by day is not as yet wholly renewed; and in so far as he is not yet wholly renewed, he is still in his old state. Since, then, men, even after they are baptized, are still in some degree in their old condition, they are on that account also still children of the world; but inasmuch as they are also admitted into a new state, that is to say, by the full and perfect remission of their sins, and in so far as they are spiritually-minded, and behave correspondingly, they are the children of God. -- St. Augustine *On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins* Book II, Chapter 9

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Everywhere we see the traces of an unseen Hand; everywhere we hear the voice of an unseen Speaker. Wherever we go, we are limited by His power and controlled by His wisdom. He breathes in every breath that we draw, acts in every act we put forth, and lives in all our lives. We know His existence and presence just as certainly as we do that of our very nearest friend. - H. E. Jacobs *Elements* p. 32

Glory to You, O Lord, for Your Servant Patrick!

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The Word of God to give me speech
His heavenly host to be my guard.

...

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

--from St. Patrick's Breastplate (Treasury, p. 1284,1285 - the whole is worth reading and rereading - a powerful and joyous prayer)

Here's an interview yesterday from Issues:

St. Patrick

The Opening Line

of the Treasury is pure gold:

"The life of the Church is centered around the Church's worship." p. 7

Like a helix it lifts us ever upward and onward into the life of Christ; it swirls around that life and from it draws all its force and vigor.

OH YEAH!!!!

Growing right outside the door to the Church basement.




















Which doth call forth:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Patristic Quote of the Day

As, therefore, it then came to pass that whoever looked at the raised serpent was both healed of the poison and freed from death, so also now, whosoever is conformed to the likeness of the death of Christ by faith in Him and His baptism, is freed both from sin by justification, and from death by resurrection. For this is what He says: That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:15 -- St. Augustine, *On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins* Book I:61

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

The Holy Scriptures are the infallible and inerrant record of God's revelation of His saving grace to men. Since the revelation was made long before it was committed to writing, the record is not the sole source of the truths which it contains. -- H. E. Jacobs, *Elements* p. 23

Pathways of Growth

My friend Doug and I were talking today about pathways of growth in the faith. Does the Church have a way to help folks mature in the faith? We acknowledge that the Sunday Divine Service is vital - the Table of the Lord's Word and His Supper are at the very heart - but they cannot do the whole job, nor were they ever intended to.

Yet they are a good beginning. I remember reading in Neuhaus once that he insisted on this as the starting point: No Sunday without the Divine Service. You may not feel like going. It may be too rainy, too sunny, too cold, too hot. Doesn't matter: let this be the start of discipleship, a habit of weekly hearing of the Word and receiving the Holy Eucharist with no excuses for not being there save for serious illness or death.

Another place where I believe our people need to grow is in giving. First, the tithe (the 10%) which is not ours to manage, but which is the Lord's (given over to the Church and to charity). But beyond that, the grace of giving. We need to learn such a loose hold on money that we constantly give it over to bless others. It returns to us a hundredfold and in countless ways. But it's not enough to know about it: our lives need to become lives of giving. And not just giving the money - though that is always a part - but giving of ourselves to others, especially in serving them in need.

Yet another place that needs attention is our growth in prayer. Here I think our Catechism helps us. To begin with, make yourself say the Morning and Evening Prayers in the Catechism. Never open or close a day without them. Once they are habit, we turn for more help to a wonderful resource like the Treasury to grow in daily prayer - its introduction provides so much help on this that I need only refer to it. It's a blessing indeed.

Control of our body is yet another place for growth. I think of fasting (in whatever capacity you are able), bodily exercise that helps you to rule the body by the mind, and reserving sexual activity solely to the marriage bed.

Learning to seize the opportunities God presents us to "give an account of the hope that is in us" is certainly an area where we can daily grow. God brings us people every day. Can we love them in Him? Serve them in Him? Witness to them of the hope and life that is ours in Christ? Invite them to join us in the Divine Service and let God richly serve up to us His gifts?

Can a Christian grow in such areas? Unquestionably we can. Our growth does not mean that God loves us more or is somehow more pleased with us than before - His love is whole and entire and cannot grow since it is full always. But we can grow in the apprehension of His love, we can grow in allowing His life to be evermore ours. For is not this the life of Christ Himself? To devote ourselves to hearing God's Word, to giving to others, to praying more and more, to controlling our flesh and constantly seeking ways to draw others into God's Family? What is this but growing in Christ Himself?

Homily upon Oculi

[Exodus 8:16-24 / Eph 5:1-9 / Luke 11:14-28]

Last week we observed that Lent is a training period for those new to Christ - and so a great refresher for those who are not so new. The first week prepared the catechumens for the fact that they have an enemy to guard against, who likes to parade around like a friend – the devil. The second week prepared them for those moments of trial when it seems God Himself is against them and sought to strengthen the catechumens to persevere in prayer. This third week continues the pattern. For you see, another obstacle you will face if you are at all serious in following Christ is this: people will bad mouth you. They will speak against you, attribute false motives to you, and suggest that far from following the true God, you’re actually doing the work of the devil. Our Lord made it clear that we should expect nothing less: “Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”

Our Lord performs a great miracle. Frees a man from a demon that had tied his tongue and locked him away from others, shackled in silence. The people marvel at this wonder, but soon enough, some start attacking Jesus’ works. They say that the awesome power undeniably at work in Him comes from Satan, not God. They bad-mouth Him in the worst way. Here His heart was filled only with love and compassion for lost humanity and yet those He came for, viewed His intentions with suspicion and fear. So they talked trash about Him. How could He get through to them?

Jesus describes the battle in which He is engaged for human souls. He’s perfectly clear that human beings, good creations of God in themselves, since the Fall are in big trouble. They’ve got a parasite living inside. And that parasite is no weakling. Rather, a strong spirit, who has taken up residence and plans to stay put inside of us, until, like all parasites, it finally destroys its host and move on to another victim. Jesus says: “That parasite is strong, but I am stronger. And I have come to attack him, overcome him, and throw him out.”

That of course is what His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead was all about! Overcoming the enemy in seeming weakness and then breaking his stranglehold on human lives with the splash of baptismal water and the power of the Word of God.

But Jesus warns: tossed out, that parasite, that demon, is in agony, searching restlessly for another host, and he keeps searching, and finally goes back to check out the one he’d been driven from. Should he find that host open and empty, the creature moves back in along with seven other spirits worse than himself and the host, the human person, ends up more wretched than he was at the get go.

So just because he’s been sent packing once doesn’t mean that the demon loses interest in you. If anything, you become even more desirable to him, tastier than ever. The message of the holy Church this Sunday then is clear: To cave to the pressure of getting along with others just so they won’t bad mouth you and your faith is to turn away from the Stronger Man, Jesus Christ, leaving your body and soul with a “for rent” sign that the demons soon notice, and then move back in with a vengeance, and the misery really begins. Real misery that St. Paul described in detail in today’s Epistle: “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolator), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Do not tell yourself: “My sins are forgiven!” if you are living in such; the Scriptures tell you they are not. For your sins are forgiven only IN CHRIST and no such things rule where He lives. As the Apostle said: let no one deceive you in this. Such things take you from the Kingdom; and bring misery upon misery.

If today’s Gospel started with bad-mouthing, it ends with blessing. A woman from the crowd cries out: “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” Jesus responds: “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Now, He was not putting down His mother. He was pointing out the truly amazing thing about the holy Virgin. St. Luke underscores it time and again.

She not only listened to God’s Word, but she kept it, hid it deep in her heart. She held fast to what the Angel Gabriel told her and the report of the shepherds and the mysterious words Simeon spoke to her in the temple, and the hard words her Son said as a twelve year old lad in the temple. No one and nothing could take that Word from her; she built upon it her faith, her hope, her life. And even when she didn’t understand what she heard, and her brow puckered, she still took those words and hid them deep in her heart and kept them there, and so she was able to open her heart and give those words to St. Luke when he came asking. Do you see then how that way there was no room in her for Satan and his parasites? Because she held to that Word people said some horrible things about her. They still do. But she held to it, nonetheless. She would not let go.

What about you? Have you caved to the pressure of people’s words? Has fear paralyzed you and kept you from doing and speaking what you know is right and God-pleasing? Have you embraced the sin which the Savior died to free you from? Repent! Repent and turn from it!

Today, your Lord stands ready to forgive and renew you by the Spirit of God, the Spirit who drives out the demons as the finger of God (OT lesson) and strengthens people for bold, uncompromising witness to Jesus Christ. He Himself wishes to take up residence within you through His Holy Body and Blood, once offered for you as that "fragrant and sweet-smelling sacrifice to God." (Epistle) Yes, Christian, people will talk trash about you; expect it. They will say: “you think you’re such a do-gooder and that you always think you’re right and everyone else is wrong.” Yes, Satan will tempt you to believe that sexual sin is no big deal - and that life really is about the accumulation of possessions. Don't believe him. He's a liar! Instead, you hold tightly to the Word of God, hear it, keep it, confess it! Satan will then find no more of a hold on your life than he found on the life of the blessed Mother of God. And on the Last Day, the Son of Man will delight to confess you together with His Mother and all who have held to His Word regardless of the cost. He will confess with joy that you are His before the Father and all the Holy Angels; and to the same Lord Jesus with His holy Father and the life-giving Spirit be all the glory now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Speaking of Commemoration...

...someone recently inquired about the saints that we regularly commemorate in our Divine Service at St. Paul's:

The Blessed Virgin Mary,
St. Joseph, her husband;
St. John the Baptist;
Sts. Peter and Paul.

Why these? The reason is that they are important witnesses: the holy Virgin and St. Joseph to the circumstances surrounding the incarnation itself; St. John the Baptist to the miracles at the Baptism of our Lord; Sts. Peter and Paul to the Resurrected Christ as victor over death.

There are, of course, many more who could be remembered, but we especially honor those whom God chose to be His witnesses to these wondrous events upon which our faith rests and by commemorating them in our prayers, we rejoice in the One to whom they witness and who has made them all sharers in His unending life.

Upcoming Commemorations

Note, Treasury users, that this Tuesday marks St. Patrick's Day (Commemoration propers - including the entire Rune of St. Patrick - on page 1284ff.) and on Thursday St. Joseph, Guardian of Jesus (Commemoration propers on page 1286). The week following we will have the unspeakable joy of the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord on Wednesday, March 25th, and its propers on pp. 1286 and 1287 - more on that later. Just a heads up for now.

You Know What Floats My Boat?

Planning Easter Vigil! I love that liturgy above all others. I'm really looking forward to it this year - no Baptisms that day, but we will be confirming four (possibly five) adults. What joy to return to Baptism as the fount of our life in the Savior and to rejoice in sharing His resurrection victory that evening!

Lectio Divina

In today's Matins we read the account of the blessing of Jacob. So...

A younger son receives the blessing of the older son.
His mother clothes him with the clothes of his older brother.
His father smells the smell of the older brother upon him.
He receives the older son's blessing, while the older son receives what can only be called his curse.

And there we are; before our Father, clothed by our mother in the garments of our brother, smelling like him, and the blessing that is His is poured out upon us. The ultimate sweet swap (Schroeder), the blessed exchange that we read about earlier in the week from the Epistle to Diognetus:

Oh, the sweet exchange!
Oh, the incomprehensible handiwork of God!
Oh, the unlooked for kindness:
that, on the one hand, the lawlessness of the many be hidden in the Righteous One,
while, on the other hand, the righteousness of the One justify the many lawless. (Treasury, p. 75)

Patristic Quote of the Day

The Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, and, in the form of a servant, became obedient even to the death of the cross, Philippians 2:8 for no other reason than, by this dispensation of His most merciful grace, to give life to all those to whom, as engrafted members of His body, He becomes Head for laying hold upon the kingdom of heaven: to save, free, redeem, and enlighten them,— who had aforetime been involved in the death, infirmities, servitude, captivity, and darkness of sin, under the dominion of the devil, the author of sin: and thus to become the Mediator between God and man, by whom (after the enmity of our ungodly condition had been terminated by His gracious help) we might be reconciled to God unto eternal life, having been rescued from the eternal death which threatened such as us. - St. Augustine, *On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins* I:39

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

For that reason the ancients said that the devil has, so to speak, twin mirrors which he holds before a man. The first mirror is the minimizing mirror. With it he makes the sin quite small and insignificant. He holds this mirror up to a person when he wants to tempt a man into, to drive him towards, sin. The second mirror is the magnifying mirror. With it he makes the sin quite large and thick. He holds this mirror up to a person he has toppled into sin. With this trick the devil deceives very many people, so that they either commit sin against their conscience with great eagerness; or later despair in vexation over the sin. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 147

On Ruling Sins

Here is a challenge to Lutheran preachers. Have we forgotten thesis XVIII of Walther's series?

In the fourteenth place, the Word of God is not rightly divided when the universal corruption of mankind is described in such a manner as to create the impression that even true believers are still under the spell of ruling sins and are sinning purposefully?

Have we forgotten what this means?

"A pilgrim travelling on a lonely road, when attacked by a highway man, escapes from him at the first opportunity. He does not want to be overcome and slain. Christians are pilgrims through this world on their way to heaven. The devil, like a highway robber, assaults them, and they go down before him because of their weakness, not because they meant to go down. To a true Christian his fall is forgiven because he turns to God in daily repentance with tears or at least heartfelt sighings for pardon. If a person allows sin to rule him, this is a sure a sign that he is not a Christian, but a hypocrite, no matter how pious he pretends to be...."

"You ought to form the resolution that, when the particular time for a pericope containing these texts arrives [these texts being Romans 8:13,13; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5,6], you will expound them to your hearers and tell them that, as God lives, they will be damned if they live in this or that sin. If you only tell them that Christians remain sinners until they die, you will frequently be misunderstood. Some will lull themselves to sleep with the reflection that they are poor and frail human beings, but that they have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ - however, a lip faith." [Law & Gospel, pp. 320, 322]

Brothers, we betray our holy commission whenever we imply to our people that they may continue under grace while they willingly remain servants of sin. Our gracious Lord desires to "forgive us our sins" AND "to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Baptized into Christ...

...Sophia Lorene Leistico (our littlest godchild):

Thought from Matins

When we pray "thy will be done" we are not merely recognizing that all things come to us from the hand of God, but we are praying for the grace to accept all things from His hand as He would have us accept them, as gifts given from His heart of love and to be received lovingly by us. It's miles from fatalism; it is the triumph of faith.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

God the Lord created the first man so that he should be a temple and residence for the Holy Trinity. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 132

Patristic Quote of the Day

Let us therefore give in and yield our assent to the authority of Holy Scripture, which knows not how either to be deceived or to deceive. -- St. Augustine, *On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sins* Book I:33

An Interesting Article

from the Orthodox side of the aisle - it was recently recommended reading on a list that I'm on as an antidote to the notion that of Orthodox liturgy as "timeless and unchanging." What I found particularly helpful was the reflection that the Sunday Eucharist, vital and indispensable as it is, cannot carry the whole weight - and thus the great importance of the Daily Office. I could not help but think how in our Lutheran circles this is the exact need which Treasury addresses and addresses in that flexible way that Meyendorff here calls for. Whereas we've seen a great renewal in our parishes in the centrality of the Eucharist (now more than at any point in our history in this country, I suspect), yet where is the daily office, the discipline of daily prayer? Of course, we have long since restored the Old Testament reading to the Divine Service, but the general problem of Biblical illiteracy blocking the apprehension of the hymnody certainly rings a bell, doesn't it? The observation by Bishop Nazarii is strikingly similar to the guiding principal of Vatican II: "But if worship is to accomplish all this, then all the faithful must participate in it directly, consciously, and actively" - a point which has long been near and dear to the heart of Lutherans. And as for "each priest his own typikon" - goodness, isn't that our problem indeed! In any case, highly recommended reading simply for contemplating about the strikingly parallel state of Lutheranism at many points:

Liturgical Path

I'm so amazed

at how vast the world and how many things there are to experience. I've been youtubing and enjoying the music of the High Kings. I'd never heard of them before, but they had a beautiful setting of that Wild Mountain Thyme and that led to other pieces of music. Unbelievable. I'd love to attend one of their concerts and see them make this incredible music!

Here's Wild Mountain Thyme - the tune of which we sing Magnificat to here at St. Paul's. What is it about this piece of music that grabs at my throat each time I hear it?

That Crazy Jen

I love it!

Since Randy and Paul

played along, I will too:

Book Confessions Meme

1. To mark your page you: use a bookmark, bend the page corner, leave the book open face down?
Depends on the book. If I own it and it's a novel, yes I bend the page corner. I usually use stick it notes in my other books.

2. Do you lend your books?
Yes, and yes they frequently wander off. It's part of the joy of books! Lee, where IS that Gerhard book???

3. You find an interesting passage: you write in your book or NO WRITING IN BOOKS!
I scribble all through books when I own them and find something of interest. I mark it so as to be able to find it again quickly.

4. Dust jackets - leave it on or take it off.
Off.

5. Hard cover, paperback, skip it and get the audio book?
I prefer hardcover (who doesn't?), but my budget usually suggests paperback and whenever possible (if it is a fiction work) I borrow from the library.

6. Do you shelve your books by subject, author, or size and color of the book spines?
What an odd question! I suppose loosely by subject or author. But mostly I just put them anywhere. Hunting up a book is part of book fun. Color and size? People really do that???

7. Buy it or borrow it from the library later?
Library for my murder mysteries usually; but for theological works or poetry books, I buy.

8. Do you put your name on your books - scribble your name in the cover, fancy bookplate, or stamp?
Usually scribble my name in the front.

9. Most of the books you own are rare and out of print books or recent publications?
I've got a mixture -- some old ones I prize. One German copy of True Christianity by Arndt that is quite old.

10. Page edges - deckled or straight?
What does deckled mean?

11. How many books do you read at one time?
I usually have several books of non-fiction going at once. If I am reading a novel (which I used to do all the time and now quite seldom get the chance to), all else is on hold until it is finished. I like to read them in "one sitting" and it drive my wife crazy.

12. Be honest, ever tear a page from a book?
I have by accident before, but certainly not intentionally.

Aphorisms from Gerhard's Meditation XXVIII

Nothing is more fatal to godliness than procrastination.

To stand still in the way of the Lord is really to retrograde.

In thy conversation be pleasant to all, be harsh to none, and familiar with few.

God hath given Himself wholly to thee; do thou give thyself wholly to thy neighbor.

Keep thy body in subjection to thy mind; and thy mind to God.

The best life on earth is that which is wholly spent in serving others.

Be mindful of death, that thou mayest avoid sin.

Silence of the mouth is an excellent thing for peace of the heart.

Employ thy riches in benefactions to the poor.

Let Christ be the aim of thy life.

Patristic Quote of the Day

Now there is much significance in that He does not say, The wrath of God shall come upon him, but abides on him. For from this wrath (in which we are all involved under sin, and of which the apostle says, For we too were once by nature the children of wrath, even as others Ephesians 2:3) nothing delivers us but the grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. -- St. Augustine, *On Merit and the Forgiveness of sins* chapter 29

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

We read of an ancient father who, unable to endure temptation in a cloister, left it that he might in the wilderness serve God in peace. But in the desert one day his little water-jug overturned. He set it up, but it overturned a second time. Becoming enraged, he dashed the vessel into pieces. Then, saying within himself, "Since I cannot find peace when alone, the defect must be in myself," he returned to the cloister to suffer temptations from that time forward teaching that we must obtain the victory, not by fleeing worldly lusts, but by denying them. -- Blessed Martin Luther, Church Postil VI.121,122

So I am told...

...that I must blog on this. SOME people seem to think it funny.

We had a bit of a storm last night. It blew over a portable basket-ball hoop in the parking lot beside the school. I looked out the window and saw that it had been knocked down by the wind and told the folks in the room: "Oh, look. The, um, um, well the thing you put the ball through has been knocked over!"

They all found this hysterically funny for some reason I cannot fathom. I just couldn't think of the word; that's all. It happens...

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Our repentance also takes place in weakness. Underneath it there is always imperfection. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 123

Patristic Quote of the Day

Now if any man had it in his power confidently to declare, “I justify you,” it would necessarily follow that he could also say, “Believe in me.” But it has never been in the power of any of the saints of God to say this except the Saint of saints, who said: “You believe in God, believe also in me;” John 14:1 so that, inasmuch as it is He that justifies the ungodly, to the man who believes in him that justifies the ungodly his faith is imputed for righteousness. - St. Augustine, On Merit and the Forgiveness of Sin, Chap. 18

Have you ever pondered

that the world is different today because Frodo lived? Literature inhabits a world of its own, but it is not without impact on our lives. This is a very small consequence of how God has chosen to interact with us through a story that also changes the course of history and has a power within it that is "unutterable, deep, divine."

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Thus it always is: One must lose and give up more for the sake of Christ than another. Such inequality emanates from the all-wise counsel of God. Therefore, we should not be led astray; rather, we should accept with patience that which God lays on upon us, be it a great or an insignificant cross. We should not look at others to see whether they have to suffer as much as we do.... We should follow Christ as He leads us - through thorns and hedgerows - moreover, leaving it up to Him how He would lead and guide others. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* pp. 94, 95

Patristic Quote of the Day

In this way the saints are holy and blessed because of the Blessed One who is with them. Through Him they become alive instead of dead, wise instead of unwise, holy and righteous, and sons of God, instead of polluted, wicked, and slaves. From themselves and from human nature and effort there is nothing whatever that enables them to be justly so called. Rather, they are holy because of the Holy One, righteous and wise because of the righteous and wise One who abides with them. In short, if any men are really worthy of being called by these great and august names, their appellation derives from Him, especially because their own efforts and powers are so far from capable of making them righteous and wise that their righteousness is mere wickedness, their wisdom sheer folly. -- St. Nicholas Cabasilas, *The Life in Christ* p. 138

In Christ

One of the things that confuses people when Lutherans speak of our universal justification is that it sounds like it should flat out end up in universalism. And how on earth do we hold together what we teach about God having forgiven and absolved the world through the suffering and death of His Beloved Son together with what our Catechism teaches us about the office of the keys forgiving and retaining sin?

The key is "in Christ." Romp through St. Paul's writings sometime and gather up all the goodies that he speaks of as yours "in Christ." In Christ, the sins of the world have been forgiven. In Christ, there is pardon for all. In Christ, you are beloved and welcomed and wanted by God. In Christ, you have been made his joint-heir and you will share in all His glory. In Christ.

But outside of Christ, in this world as it is, it remains under wrath, headed to death, to hell, to destruction. It sealed its fate when it rejected its own life: Christ!

Thus our entire plea as Church is to call to those outside of Christ and urge them to abandon the attempt to find life and hope and meaning in this world as it is. It's a dead end road. To call them instead to find in Christ, in the Man who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification a life beyond anything anyone of us could ever have dreamed possible.

Inside Christ, in union with Him, there is a world bigger the entire universe outside of Him. He came among us, bled and died and then rose again to bring our humanity into that biggest of all worlds. He is the new Adam and the whole race is recapitulated, re-headed, in Him.

In the Last Battle, Lewis gets the hang of it exactly. There, inside a stable, is a world bigger than the world outside it - an outside world that is literally falling to pieces, filled with sadness and death and deception. The stable didn't look that impressive. Rather ugly even on the outside. It wasn't until you stepped through into a new world that everything began to change and you could see what really is. And from inside, you could look out the door at the falling apart world from which you had come. The Church is this stable. The Church is what it means to be "in Christ." To be joined in saving faith to Him and to find in union with Him a life and a world whose horizons you can scarcely begin to explore now, but which will be our joyful home for all eternity - an eternity of never ending growth and joy in Christ.

In Christ. It's the key to everything.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

This conflict endures for a person's entire lifetime. And indeed, all certainty, all pride, all self-reliance in one's own power should rightly fall away from us as we hear that in this dangerous strife, which involves the crown of eternal life, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Therefore, the best counsel is, to petition and bid the strong Lord of Sabaoth with zealous prayer that He would be powerful in our weakness with His might, so that we be preserved by such power for the salvation set aside and held in trust for us. To that end, God help us through Christ. Amen. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 71,72

Patristic Quote of the Day

Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 Not this or that person, but all that are in anxiety, in sorrows, in sins. Come, not that I may call you to account, but that I may do away your sins; come, not that I want your honor, but that I want your salvation. For I, says He, will give you rest. He said not, I will save you, only; but what was much more, I will place you in all security. -- St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew 11

In the Very Midst of Life

May our gracious God grant rest to the soul of his servant, Pr. Winters, and peace and consolation to his wife, children and the members of his congregation. I can't help but think of the words of Luther's great hymn:

In the very midst of life
Snares of death surround us;
Who shall help us in the strife
Lest the foe confound us?
Thou only, Lord, Thou only!

...
Lord, preserve and keep us
In the peace that faith can give.
Have mercy, O Lord!

First Passion Vespers - 2009

Preceded by hymn-sing:

Lenten Catechesis

This week we reviewed the Ten Commandments - so much to reflect upon. Next week, we'll be walking through the Creed - and again, so much to learn and remember of God's revelation to us. This Lenten Catechesis, devoting one part of the Catechism to each of the weeks of Lent, was a true stroke of genius in the Treasury. My thanks to whomever thought of this!

A Great Thought

"There are other ways of noting time, besides by its loss. The Church Festivals note it by its gains, the Church Year marks the time which has been redeemed forever."

Who said it?

Homily upon Reminiscere

[Genesis 32:22-32; 1 Thes 4:1-7; Matt 15:21-28]

When do you ever recall Jesus treating anyone the way he treated that woman? Where is the One who answered the leper: “I will, be clean”? Where is the One who embraced the children and held them in his arms, blessing them? Where is the One who gently conversed with the woman at the well and brought her to faith? It’s almost as though this Jesus in today’s Gospel is some stranger.

Put yourself in the place of that poor woman. There is she, not knowing where to turn, what to do, her daughter grievously afflicted by the evil spirit – so that she would have cried out: “What has taken hold of you, my child?” And just when the mother was the point of despairing, unbelievable news reached her. News that Jesus is nearby. Jesus, the great healer and prophet from Galilee, the man rumored to be the Jewish Messiah, and most importantly the man to whom no one ever cried for help in vain. And so off she runs to find him and seek the help that can come only from his hand.

And how does he greet her? How does he welcome her? As if she herself were a demon. He ignores her! He strides right on the up road as if she’d never even spoken to him.

Have you ever been ignored? I mean intentionally ignored? Then you know the feelings that battled in her heart. For Satan was right there whispering: “See, you’ve got it all wrong. He doesn’t care about you. You might as well go on home.” But the woman persists.

Jesus and the disciples walk along and they’ve got a hound yapping at their heels: “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! Have mercy!” She won’t shut up and she won’t go away.

You can see the disciples begin to look at each other in discomfort and finally they steel up the nerve to speak to the Lord Jesus, who is acting like he’s not in a mood to be disturbed. “Lord, please” they say, “send her away. She’s crying out after us.” Understand, “she’s making a scene and if you just give her what she wants, she’ll go away and we’ll have some peace.”

Jesus’ reply cuts deeper in her heart than his silence ever did. “I am the shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep. I’m not sent to deal with groveling goats. I’m Israel’s savior.” 


And she, she was not of Israel. She was not a Jew. A Canaanite, a descendant from that race that God told the children of Israel were accursed and to be wiped out. And so what right does she have to be there begging Jesus for mercy? Satan again whispers in her heart: “Give it up, woman. He’s not for you. He’s not your Savior or helper. He doesn’t care about you in the least. Just go home.”

We can only guess what kind of a struggle went on in her mind as she dealt with Jesus’ harsh words. But we know the outcome of the struggle. It’s as though she said to herself: “Look, Master, you can pretend to be as hard and cold and callous as you want, but I know you better than that. I know what I’ve heard and I know it’s true, and I will not give up on you, because I know you will not give up on me.” And so she plants her face in the dust at his feet and simply begs, “Help me!”

And as if all his harsh words were not harsh enough, think of how he answers now: “It would not be right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus calls her a dog, unworthy of bread he had come to bring to His own people, the Jews. Luther wrote: “If he spoke like that to me, I’d have gone away sad, thinking he hated me.”

But not this woman. Look at the miracle of faith. He calls her a dog. Fine, then. A dog she will be. And as a dog she will demand her due. For the dogs eat the crumbs from the children’s table, and all she wants is a crumb, after all.

Can you see the stony, hard face of Jesus melt into a smile of joy? Can you see him reach out his hand and lay it gently on her head and say to her: “Oh, woman. Great is your faith. Let it be done for you as you desire.” And, of course, it was. Instantly. You see, it’s how the Lord exercises our faith, puts muscle on it. She walked away strengthened and confirmed in what she had held to be true throughout Jesus’ rough handling.

Now, what about you. Have you ever been there? Have you ever been where this woman was? In great need and when you prayed, you felt like all you got was the stony silence of heaven for an answer? If you’ve ever had Satan whisper in your heart at such a time: “He doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t love you. You’re not one of his” – then you know what she was going through.

But, oh, my friends, learn from her too. Learn from her that faith does not give up on God. That faith closes itself off from feelings and appearances and wraps itself up in the Word of promise. Learn from her that that Word of promise – that your Jesus is for you and loves you – is the unshakable rock upon which faith rests.

To strengthen you in such faith against all appearances to the contrary, your Jesus gives you His body and blood, the very ransom price he once offered for your body and soul. He gives it to you and says: “for you.” And that “for you” means beyond all else that He IS for you, that He is on your side and wants you to share in His life forever. That’s what he went to the cross for, after all. That’s why he left the door of grave shattered behind him. That's why He baptized you into Himself and promised you an eternity of communion with Him.

And so strengthened by His promise, you can go back and wrestle with Him like Jacob and like this Canaanite woman. You too can say: “Treat me however you will. I know that your love for me is unshakable and on that I rest secure and at peace. And no, I will not let you go until you bless me.”

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

So it still is that God the Lord unequally distributes the chalice of suffering. And, if God wants to lead you ever closer to a cross, and make you Christ-like, then go along willingly and do not question why it is that others remain up front, on whom God does not lay as much and yet at the same time are good Christians. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 59

Patristic Quote of the Day

This is why Christ exposes Himself to fleshly indignity, why he undergoes the abuse that he suffered, why he perseveres through various forms of punishment, and why he endured a very bitter death, because He willed to be condemned since He had such love for what He had created. -- St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 72B, par 4

Commemoration of Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas

from the Treasury and our Synod's website:

At the beginning of the third century, the Roman emperor Septimus Severus forbade conversions to Christianity. Among those disobeying that edict were Perpetua, a young noblewoman, and her maidservant Felicitas. Both were jailed at Carthage in North Africa along with three fellow Christians. During their imprisonment, Perpetua and Felicitas witnessed to their faith with such conviction that the officer in charge became a follower of Jesus. After making arrangements for the well-being of their children, Perpetua and Felicitas were executed on March 7, 203. Tradition holds that Perpetua showed mercy to her captors by falling on a sword because they could not bear to put her to death. The story of this martyrdom has been told ever since as an encouragement to persecuted Christians.

The Treasury supplies an additional, beautiful account by Tertullian of their martyrdom.

Glory to You, Most Holy Father, for giving to Your servants Perpetua and Feliticas and their companions the grace of martyrdom, that they might confess their Lord by their death as by their words. Glory to You! "Teach us through their example, and the example of so many martyrs, to be ever watchful for the confession of Your Son's name. Let us not be put to shame when the evil foe lays his hand on us. But if it is Your will that we be persecuted for confessing Jesus as our Lord and only Savior, then support us in Your grace that we may withstand all trials, and grant us peaceful rest, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. " (Treasury, p. 1307)

Absolutely Priceless

Rosebrough

Treasury Reminder

Tomorrow is the first Commemoration that falls this year in the Lent/Easter section. So after praying the material for the first Saturday in Lent, you'll want to turn to page 1284 to commemorate Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs.

I Like!

The crocuses are coming up in the front yard and it was so warm today when Cin and I took Lucy for a walk, I walked sans shirt. AND we heard froggies croaking. BEAUTIFUL!

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

He is singular Man who is called, the "Door," through which which we enter the Godhead. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 29

Patristic Quote of the Day

"We have an Advocate with the Father." He says not, you have; nor says, you have me; nor says, you have Christ Himself: but he puts Christ, not himself, and says, also, “We have,” not, you have. He chose rather to put himself in the number of sinners that he might have Christ for his advocate, than to put himself in Christ's stead as advocate, and to be found among the proud that shall be condemned. -- St. Augustine, Homily on 1 John 1,2

Update on Sophia

our god-daughter-to be. She is home from the hospital and doing well. Acid reflux was the culprit. Thanks for the prayers. Her baptism is this Sunday, but sadly neither Cindi and I will be physically present, though we will still be there as the Church always and only gathers as one. We'll just not be visible. Pictures soon to follow of the Baptism, though, I hope.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Yet one must not interpret this to mean that God the Lord implanted such murderous thoughts into the hearts of Judas, Herod, Pilate, and the rulers of the people or compelled them to act thus in order to accomplish His decree, for that would be contrary to Scripture, which testifies that God is not the cause of sin nor forces anyone to sin. Instead, one must understand this hand and counsel of God within the context of Christ's suffering; namely, that God the Lord allowed the enemies of Christ enough leeway so that they were able to bring to completion the murderous plot against Him, which the Devil had inspired within them and which had been nurtured within by their own hatred and envy. And God the Lord permitted the Devil and his tools this, not because He had pleasure and delight in their evil deeds, but because He knew how to direct this suffering of Christ to a blessed end; namely, for the redemption of the human race. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 51,52

Patristic Quote of the Day

There is no salvation save in the fellowship of God. - St. Augustine, Homily on 1 John 1

On Inhaling and Exhaling

Word and Sacrament we hear all the time. That's great. You can't live without breathing in. But you also can't live without breathing out. And the breathing out is prayer. We need to foster our parishes more in it, I am utterly convinced. Ecclesia orans - that's what the Church does. "And the Lord added to the number daily those being saved." A Church without prayer is a Church trying only to breath in. It will soon explode. You can only breathe in so much. But a Church that exhales the Word inbreathed in prayer is a Church that is will discover the joy of being ALIVE. May the Lord grant us all such life! Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. There you go!

Speaking of Lutherans Around the World

What about a Polish Lutheran Confirmation Sunday?

Polish Lutheran Confirmation Sunday

No Midweek Homilies

will be posted this Lent; I prepared CPH's series Sacred Head, Now Wounded, and so the homilies belong to them. My apologies for those who usually read them here.

Bidding Prayer Again

We did it tonight to close out Passion Vespers. Time for silence after each bid for the royal priesthood of the baptized to offer their intercessions. Then I would stand, and speak out the collect, and they would amen. The next bid. Individual silent prayer. Collect and then Amen. Over and over again. It was a wonderful and refreshing way to pray. Dix was right. We lost something HUGE when we lost this manner of prayer. Sadly, I had no assisting minister tonight, so I read both the bids and the collect. Still, what a great time of prayer.

Thousand, Thousand

Christ, the life of all the living,
Christ, the death of death, our foe,
Who, Thyself for me once giving
To the darkest depths of woe:
Through Thy suff'rings, death and merit
Life eternal I inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou, ah, Thou, hast taken on Thee
Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee,
O Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver
From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou hast borne the smiting only
That my wounds might all be whole;
Thou hast suffered, sad and lonely,
Rest to give my weary soul;
Yea, the curse of God enduring,
Blessing unto me securing.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
LSB 420:1-3

Anyone Else

loving the Lenten Catechesis in Treasury of Daily Prayer? I thought it was particularly fitting on this ember day (traditional days for ordination in the Western Church and also a day when prayer is made for crops), that our Catechesis on the 4th commandment reminded of the honor due to our spiritual fathers and that the NT reading was our Lord's parable of the Sower and the Seed! For more on Ember Days, see page 21 of the Treasury.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

"And when He had sung an hymn."

If we, accordingly, want to follow the example of Christ and the angels, then we must lift our voices to the praise of God with them; and, whoever thus praises God with the angels, such a person by all rights already becomes a member of the angelic, triumphant Church in this life. And, what he intones and begins here, that he will bring to completion there in eternity with the more lofty choir. Such glorification and praise of God is also a sure indication of the indwelling by the Holy Spirit. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 47

Patristic Quote of the Day

Since, therefore, it was impossible to apply this penalty to the things which Christ had done, and since the Savior had no trace of any disease for which He needed a remedy to heal Him, the power of His cup is applied to us and slays the sin that is in us. The wounding of Him who is under no censure becomes the penalty of those who are guilty of many things. -- St. Nicholas Cabasilas, *The Life in Christ* p. 58, 59

The Great Canon

of St. Andrew of Crete hammers over and over again this refrain:

"Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!"

Those words and that melody have very much been with me today.

And these words: "When I think of the many evil things I have done..."

Something Dr. Korby pointed out that I had never thought through: the Miscerere (Psalm 51) was written AFTER Nathan confronted David and absolved him. It's a prayer about the battle of absolution against the vivid memory of sin in the conscience - maybe composed as his child lay dying. Our sins have long shadows and consequences for others as well as ourselves. We have such a hard time believing the damage sin does to us and others. We lie to ourselves, deceive ourselves that it's no big deal. Satan is a master of treachery who minimizes the sin to us when he entices us to commit it and then maximizes it afterward.

Yet that too can be for us a moment of grace when God allows the terror of our sins to confront us - and in those moments we flee to the only place we can: to His arms, which are open wide, ready and waiting for us. That's, after all, what the Cross is all about.

Indeed, "have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!"

As He holds us He whispers: "I have, dear one. I have and I will."

What Happens

when my beloved wife tries to open a bottle of wine for a friend...













...Don't even ask. I haven't the slightest idea how.

When I Die

O my God, my rock and tower,
Grant that in Your death I trust,
Knowing death has lost its power
Since you crushed it in the dust.
Savior, let Your agony
Ever help and comfort me;
When I die, be my protection,
Light and Life and Resurrection!
LSB 421:5

Those Ukrainian Lutherans

SINGING! Check it out:

Music of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church

#7 is A Mighty Fortress
#13 is the Lord's Prayer
#16 is the Nicene Creed (I think!)
#18 is Holy, Holy, Holy
#19 is Our God, Our Help
#21 is My Faith Looks up to Thee

A delightful blend of mostly Eastern, some Western music, and yet all with a very Eastern sound - as you'd expect. After all, this is the Church that worships according to this liturgy:

http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/saintsophiaseminary/liturgy.html

You know, I have decided...

...that my ultimate answer to any Lutheran who is seriously contemplating a swim is to ask one question: Have you read Krauth?

And if you don't mind reading on your computer: Krauth

Offered in Hope...

How beautiful You are in the triumphant festival of spring, when all creatures come to life again and in a thousand ways joyfully call out to You: You are the source of life; You are the victor over death.--Akathist of Thanksgiving

All the fair beauty of earth
From the death of the winter arising,
Every good gift of the year
Now with its master returns.

Daily the loveliness grows,
Adorned with the glory of blosom;
Heaven her gateway unbars,
Flinging her increase of light.
--Fortunatus, LSB 489

Waiting eagerly for the festival to begin. I see the signs. Buds swelling on the lilac. Green stems popping out of the earth beneath the tree that Lucy fertilizes regularly. Cold today, but I hear that 60's may make it by the end of the week. I am eagerly awaiting them!

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Christ became for us a curse upon the timber-trunk of the cross so that we would not be eternally cursed by God. Christ was pierced in the side to atone for the sin which was brought into the world by Eve, who was crafted from the side of Adam. Christ died so that we might live forever. From this we see that the suffering of Christ is the clearest reflector of comfort in the face of sin. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Expalanation* p. 26

Patristic Quote of the Day

The second reason is so that he would abrogate in an even more just manner the sentence of death, which he had imposed with justice. God wanted to fulfill his own statute by suffering, so that he would not enforce it by a command, as he himself says: "I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it." God's promise of good things for good people is unreliable, if what has been established by God for the wicked comes to nothing. -- St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 72B, par. 5

Great Article

Bishop Visits Southern Illinois

Prayer Request

I just got a message from my dear friend Jim that our soon to be little god-daughter had to be rushed to the hospital. No further information at the moment, but please remember Sophia in your prayers.

Update: She's much better. For precaution being transferred to one of the larger hospitals in St. Louis.

Why

do cats just HAVE to walk all over a freshly washed car?

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Without a doubt, there is still much contained in the passion story which will yet be fulfilled within the spiritual Body of Christ before the end of the world. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 14

Patristic Quote of the Day

Forgiveness is beaten, Pardon is condemned, Majesty is mocked, Virtue is ridiculed; the Bestower of rain is drenched with spittle, the One who has arrayed the heavens is restrained by nails of iron, the Giver of honey is fed with gall, the One who makes springs of water flow is given vinegar to drink; and when there is no longer any punishment left, death takes cover, death hesitates, because it does not notice anything there that is its own. -- St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 72B, par. 2

MARCH!

Not in the military sense, in the YEAR sense. Yeah! May it bring a swift Spring. I really do delight in the change of seasons, but there is no season that so thrills as Spring. I've likely mentioned it before, but for some reason emblazoned in my memory is Connecticut Avenue in Washington D.C., lined with majestic old trees, with that "first green" which Frost rightly calls "gold." I can see the afternoon sun cutting through them and how beautiful they looked. Anyone from DC know if it is still like that? My memory is from sometime in the 1970's. In any case, the month that brings us Spring is upon us - DEO GRATIAS!

Despite the rather

awkward wording of the new Lenten preface in LSB, it is quite wonderful that week by week the goal is set before us:

"that with cleansed hearts we might be prepared to celebrate the Paschal feast in sincerity and truth."

Lent is not preparation for Good Friday; it is preparation for the Paschal feast, for Easter.

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

If a bishop thinks about his calling, he sees that he is a bishop by the rite, the oracle, and the command of God, and, secondly, that he has in his hand the possession and the property of Christ. What is that? It is the Gospel and the sacraments. He has been appointed a minister of the Word for this, that he should distribute these things to his family, to his brethren, that is, that he should diligently preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments, instruct the ignorant, exhort the instructed, rebuke those who misbehave, moderating and tempering them by the Word and ministering to them with prayer and the sacraments. And he ought to make gain, so that the property of Christ grows and increases. - Blessed Martin Luther on Titus 1

Patristic Quote of the Day

For since the Lord Himself, in that form of a servant by which He united Himself as Mediator to the Church, was not glorified except by the glory of His resurrection (whence it is said, The Spirit was not yet given, because Christ was not yet glorified John 7:39), how shall His Church be described as glorious, before its resurrection? He cleanses it, therefore, now by the laver of the water in the word, Ephesians 5:26 washing away its past sins, and driving off from it the dominion of wicked angels; but then by bringing all its healthy powers to perfection, He makes it meet for that glorious state, where it shall shine without a spot or wrinkle. -- St. Augustine, On Man's Perfection in Righteousness, par. 35

On that Lenten Responsory...

The Order of Vespers in LSB and in the Treasury of Daily Prayer provides a Lenten responsory; but there is a different responsory for Lent provided under the Lenten propers (p. 0-64). I suspect that what is intended is to use the one provided with the Lenten propers during Matins, and to use the one printed in the order with Vespers.

An Invocabit Thought

From today's OT Reading:

God to the Serpent: "Dust you shall eat."

God to the Man: "You are dust."

Think about it...

Pastor Gleason's Homily upon Invocabit

Hebrews 4:14-16

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” So St. Paul said in Romans 8:15. Martin Luther wrote similarly in his explanation to the opening words of the Our Father, “God would thereby [with this little introduction] tenderly urge us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear father.” The Scriptures assure us that God is a personal, caring God—a loving Father, who is very much involved with us; that he is not far away, but that he is our heavenly Father, to whom we may draw near.

And how is it that sinners, such as we, may approach the holy and almighty God of heaven and earth; even to call Him Father? It is all because we have a High Priest who speaks to the Father on our behalf: Jesus, our Advocate.
Scripture gives us this assurance: “We have a great high priest who has gone though the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (Heb. 4:14). We confess this belief when we say in the Creed that Jesus “ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Yes, Jesus is our great High Priest. That means he is always before the Father pleading with Him on our behalf; holding up the wounds that he carries for us. And as the Son of God with whom the Father is well pleased, he is a High Priest who “meets our needs—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (7:26).

At the same time that we confess our Advocate to be the Son of God, holy, blameless, and pure, we also confess his humanity. He is the Son of God and the Son of Mary. “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears.” (5:7) Our Jesus knows what it means to pray. The gospels tell us that Jesus frequently went to the temple for prayer, as well as to private places to be alone in prayer. He prayed fervently in the garden of Gethsemane just before His crucifixion—to the point of sweating blood. He knows how to be our Advocate with the Father. He understands our needs and invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:25). Because Jesus is both God and man, He is our perfect mediator between us and God.

Jesus is so intimately united with us that the Apostle assures us: “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Jesus became just like us, with our same flesh and blood. And He was Incarnate in order “to serve,…and to give His life as a ransom for the many.” He faced all the possible temptations with which we are faced so he knows and understands our minds, our feelings, and our hearts. Clearly we see this in the Gospel lesson for today when Jesus was tempted so sorely by Satan.

And yet, though he was tempted as we are, He is without sin. St. Peter wrote,

Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats....he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree of the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 7:21-24)

And St. Paul wrote that Christ “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness....he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:7-8).

The Son of God took our sin in His body to the cross in order to become the “source of eternal salvation” for us. Although he was innocent, He died the death of the condemned, the death of those who are guilty as charged.
This death was real—the actual and agonizing separation from God that is damnation itself. Yet, as fierce and terrible as it was, death could not hold him. The announcement made at the empty tomb gives us real hope and certainty for our salvation, “He is not here; he has risen” (Matt. 28:6). We thank God for the sure promise of victory over death and the grave that has been won for us by our great High Priest and Savior, Jesus.

Because Jesus gave himself for us, we now have a Advocate with the Father through whom we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4-16). When Jesus declared on the cross, “It is finished!” He meant that the work he came to do as our High Priest on earth was done. And now through him and his shed blood, we may approach the throne of God's grace with complete confidence, knowing that we are offered mercy and grace to help us against every temptation, and every struggle with sin and death. That throne of grace is the Ministry of the Gospel where in Word and Sacraments “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”

Shortly we will partake of that needed mercy and grace in the Sacrament. And with that heavenly nourishment we will depart in peace to face many temptations of our own. We will find ourselves in battles and struggles against sin and the devil, and we will endeavor to live our lives for Christ. The battles will not be easy. The struggles will be real and painful. Yet, we thank God that we have a High Priest who can sympathize with us, a Savior who understands. One who invites us to the throne of grace with the promise of a sure victory over the enemy.

So let us hold firmly to this faith we profess. Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence. We will receive mercy and grace to help us in our need. In the Name of our great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God, we can encourage each other to live with the joy and confidence that belongs to the children of God. Amen.