Patristic Quote of the Day

Christ takes on the appearance of each of the poor and assimilates Himself to all of them so that no one who believes in Him will be arrogant toward his fellow being.  -- St. Symeon, the New Theologian *Practical and Theological Texts* #114

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Like the planets go round the sun, so the congregation in its services, full of loveliness and dignity, moves about her Lord.  In holy childlike innocence, which only a childlike innocent heart rightly understands, the host of redeemed sanctified children of God moves in worship about the universal Father and the Lamb, and the Spirit of the Lord of Lords leads them.  The spiritual joy and heavenly delight which such enjoy in their participation in the Liturgy, cannot be described; it impresses even those who are less devout, and the pure confession has no lovelier form, no more attractive manner, than when it is engaged in adoration and praise. -- Wilhelm Löhe, *Three Books* pp. 196, 197

Litany

The litany is a great prayer to remember to pray as we continue to watch the situation develop in CA.  It's found on LSB p. 288, 289.

On Fires

In working on Starck, there's a whole series of prayers regarding those who are in danger from conflagrations. I remember when I started working on them wondering how on earth people in this day and age would be able to relate to these. And then I remembered that there are still wild fires that occur from time to time. And now, these terrible fire storms out West. One of my flock has a sister and her family who were driven from their home by them, and it sounds as if the home were lost. So many thousands affected in the same way. Lord, have mercy! Starck's prayers are more pertinent than we realize - they shine every time the illusion breaks that we have things under our control. May Christ sustain His people in California through these difficult times.

Two Updates

First, I had never noticed that on the profile industry was set to "Accountant." Goodness! Can't get much further from the Gospel than that! No offense, Craig.  ;)

Second, the pic was rather old and my friend, Jack, had written to ask for an updated one, so I thought, oh, well, put that same one up on the blog. It makes me smile when I see it, because it was taken during my daughter's wedding. So it reminds me of a very happy and joyful day. It's not nearly so pious as it looks. The goal that day was to avoid eye contact with Lauren so I wouldn't start crying (like I almost did at the rehearsal). It worked!  

Von Schenk again

This time, via Asburry (he has a great sermon up on his blog that he delivered yesterday at Matins for the Missouri District Pastoral Conference):

"At the Altar is the cresset where we get our fire of the Calvary Love. How this love is needed! We have lost much of it. We have to invent all kinds of methods to attract the people. We must advertise, we must entertain. Why? Because the Church has lost its way to the Altar it has also lost its way into the heart of the world. For the pure love of Calvary alone can save the world. It is that love for which the world is aching. But we must first recapture it ourselves.

Let us find the reality of Calvary, of love, by the way of the Altar. There we can again touch the wounds of Christ; and by touching the wounds of Christ, we shall touch the wounds of the world” (The Presence, 91).

Patristic Quote of the Day

The more a man descends into the depths of humility and condemns himself as one not worthy of salvation, the more he mourns and sheds streams of tears.  The more he mourns and sheds tears, the more spiritual joy flows into his heart, and with it flows increasing hope which gives him the most complete certainty of salvation.  -- St. Symeon, the New Theologian, *Practical and Theological Precepts* #73

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Pious prayer offered in faith is familiar conversation with God. It is a salutary remedy to all the difficulties of life. It is the key to heaven and the door to paradise. It shows us how much we depend on God, and it is a ladder of ascension to God. It is a shield for our defense and a faithful messenger of the ambassador. It is refreshment in the heat of misfortune; it is medicine during illness. It is a winch, drawing us to heaven, and a vessel that draws water from the font of divine kindness. It is a sword against the devil and a defense against all misfortune. It is a wind that blows away evil and brings earthly benefits. It is a nurse that nurtures virtue and conquers faults. It is a great fortification for the soul and gives free access to God. It is a spiritual feast and a heavenly delicacy. It is a consolation for the dejected and a delight for the holy. It grants knowledge of the secret things of God and acquires His gifts. It upholds the world and rescues people. It is a joy for the heart and a jubilation for the mind. It follows God's gift of grace, and it leads ahead into glory. It is a garden of happiness and a tree full of delights.  It calms the conscience and increases our thankfulness. It sends demons running and draws angels close. It is a soothing remedy for the misfortunes of this life and the sweet smell of the sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is a foretaste of the life to come and sweetens the bitterness of death. - Johann Gerhard, *Meditations on Divine Mercy* pp. 21, 22

Thanks be to God

...for the gift of song, the joy of worship.

...for His body and blood and the forgiveness of all sin.

...for the family of the baptized, united by an unseen bond into the one family of God.

...for the gift of loving and caring.

...for joys shared and sorrows carried together to the throne of grace.

...for animals who teach us so much about kindness and love.

...for opportunities to share the good news.

...for those who hate us and those who love us.

...for bright shining witnesses to God's grace like Fr. Arseny.

...for the joys of friendship.

...for the gift of daily bread.

...for the joys of teaching children.

...for the privilege of administering the means of grace.

...for all things!

Around the Great Bell...

...in Saint Paul's tower are inscribed the words:

Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr!

Those are the first words of the hymn that most often stood in for the Gloria in Excelsis in the old Lutheran service.  It's with great joy that we'll sing that hymn as the Gloria this coming Sunday.  The LSB does not indicate who is responsible for updating the words, but kudos to whomever did it.  I love this new translation:

All glory be to God on high

And thanks for all His favor;

No harm can touch or terrify

A child of God forever.

God shows His good and gracious will

And grants His peace, the world to fill -

All strife at last has ended.

We praise and laud and worship You;

We give You thanks forever,

O Father, for Your rule is true

And just and changes never.

With boundless pow'r, Your mighty reign

Fulfills whatever You ordain.

Lord, grant us ev'ry blessing!

O Jesus Christ, the only Son

Begotten of the Father,

Your saving death has made us one

With God and with each other.

O Lamb of God, to You on high

In our distress we sinners cry,

Have mercy on us, amen!

O Holy Spirit, our delight,

And source of consolation,

Protect us from the devil's might

Through Jesus, our salvation,

Who by His death upon a tree

Has rescued us from misery:

To this we hold forever.  

This text strikes me as much nearer to the German, and it really captures the jubilation which inspired the tune.  Both text and tune were written by Nicholas Decius in the 16th century.

Nice Treat

So, as David was getting ready to head out to the university today, he said to me:  "You should meet me for lunch; I'm going to the Chinese Buffet."  Being a terrible sinner, my first thought - which I blurted out - was:  "You just want me to pay for your lunch." He got a look on his face and said:  "No, that hadn't occurred to me, but since you bring it up...." Rats. Turns out, he just wanted to have lunch with his dad. Now I think that's a wonderful thing. We had lunch together, drank a whole pot of hot tea, and enjoyed a few minutes of each other's company. He's a good laddie, and Cindi and I thank the Lord for him and for my daughters and son-in-law. You have to love your family, whether you like them or not. But what unspeakable joy it is when you LIKE them too! Then spending time together isn't ever a chore, a "have-to" - it comes across as sheer gift, a "get-to."  

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

If we stand up for the doctrine of the sinner's justification sola gratia, sola fide, it is not the dogmatic idiosyncrasy of a denomination which is at stake, but the article of which "nothing can be yielded or surrendered, even if heaven and earth and all things sink to ruin." Not only the church of our Confession, but the whole church of Christ, lives by this article. Hence we cannot possibly render a better service to the whole Christian church on earth, or even to the Christians of other communions who do not understand us today, than by preaching this doctrine in all purity and clarity. - Hermann Sasse, *Here We Stand* p. 29

Patristic Quote of the Day

And he well said, "a righteousness of mine own," not that which I gained by labor and toil, but that which I found from grace. If then he who was so excellent is saved by grace, much more are you. For since it was likely they would say that the righteousness which comes from toil is the greater, he shows that it is dung in comparison with the other. For otherwise I, who was so excellent in it, would not have cast it away, and run to the other. But what is that other? That which is from the faith of God, i.e. it too is given by God. This is the righteousness of God; this is altogether a gift. And the gifts of God far exceed those worthless good deeds, which are due to our own diligence. --St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 3

In Honor of the Reformation

This classic text by Johann Heermann (commemorated in our Synod on October 26):

If Your beloved Son, O God,
Had not to earth descended
And in our mortal flesh and blood
And not sin's power ended,
Then this poor, wretched soul of mine
In hell eternally would pine
Because of my transgression.

But now I find sweet peace and rest;
Despair no more reigns o'er me.
No more am I by sin oppressed,
For Christ has borne sin for me.
Upon the cross for me He died
That, reconciled, I might abide
With You, my God, forever.

I trust in Him with all my heart;
Now all my sorrow ceases.
His words abiding peace impart;
His blood from sin releases.
Free grace through Him I now obtain;
He washes me from ev'ry stain,
And pure I stand before Him.

All righteousness by works is vain;
The Law brings condemnation.
True righteousness by faith I gain;
Christ's work is my salvation.
His death, that perfect sacrifice,
Has paid the all-sufficient price;
In Him my hope is anchored.

My guilt, O Father, You have laid
On Christ Your Son, my Savior.
Lord Jesus, You my debt have paid
And gained for me God's favor.
O Holy Spirit, Fount of grace,
The good in me to You I trace;
In faith and hope preserve me.
LSB 568:1-5

Looking forward to the Reformation Festival

this year. This coming weekend, we'll observe Divine Service, Setting Five, for the first time at St. Paul's. This setting is based on the classic "Chorale Mass" that characterized worship in the rural churches of Saxony after the Reformation. In outline, the ordo runs as follows:

Confession and Absolution
Entrance Hymn: "A Mighty Fortress"
Kyrie, God Father (sung by Cindi Weedon)
Gloria in Excelsis: "All Glory be to God on High" (festival setting by St. Paul's choir, bells, timpani and trumpet, together with congregation)
Salutation and Collect
First Reading
Gradual
Second Reading
Hymn of the Day: "If Your Beloved Son, O God"
Holy Gospel
"We All Believe" - Chorale setting of the Creed
Sermon
Prayer of the Church
Offering
Preface (invariable)
Our Father
Words of Our Lord
Sanctus: "Isaiah, Mighty Seer"
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei - "O Christ, Thou Lamb of God"
Distribution with hymns
Post-Communion Hymn: "O Lord, We Praise Thee"
Post-Communion Collect
Benedicamus and Benediction
Hymn: "Lord, Keep Us Steadfast"

You know...

...I'll be glad when the time change happens. Right now, it is growing dark right through the middle of our Catechism Service, and there is no comparison between the light we can give off electronically and the light that shines in the windows from the setting sun. It simply grows glum in the nave and folks get sleepy with it - shoot, *I* get sleepy with it. In a couple weeks, though, it will just BE dark when we get there. And then it won't seem so bad, I don't think. It's the dying of the light that's awkward right now. Next year I would really like to see about moving the experience up in the afternoon. We'll have to see what schedules will allow.

As to how the experience is going, I continue to be impressed with it. I love that it doesn't just include time for study, but also for Scripture reading, singing, prayer, reciting of Catechism, and the intergenerational nature makes for a wonderful challenge. Tonight was our seventh week. In my old practice we'd have only one week more of catechesis for the adults, but I shudder to think of how rushed that is, how little time it gives folks to live with the stories that shape and form our faith.

Must Reading for Reformation

I don't know how it happened, but I had not read Dr. Nagel's sermon for Reformation in *Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel* before. 307-313. Very worth the read. So many of the themes he hammered home over the years join together to sing the Gospel in that homily. Heartily recommend it as a suitable meditation upon the Reformation - the God whom you cannot escape!

The Amazing Bekah Boo

An Honor Long Since Past

I was reading some in Sasse today, and came across this passage. I think it is very sad that we can no longer make such a claim:

Despite its decided rejection of false teachings which prevail in other churches, our church has never denied the presence of the church of Christ in the established churches of England and Scotland, in Holland and Switzerland, in Spain and Italy, in Greece and Russia. It has not tried, therefore, to conduct missions for the Lutheran confessional church in these countries, just as it has avoided the "evanglicalization" of Catholic territories in Germany. Let all those who accuse Lutheranism of intolerant confessionalism reflect on the fact that the Lutheran Church is one of the very few churches in Christendom which has never, under any circumstances, engaged in propaganda for itself or conducted missions among Christians of other persuasions. (Here We Stand, pp. 182, 183)

Ah, how unablaze can you get, I ask you? Yes to missions where Christ has not been named, but a refusal to attempt proselytizing Christians of other confessions to embrace Lutheranism.

"Our church knows that it can do no more than bear witness before Christendom, before all communions and denominations, to the understanding of the divine Word which has been vouchsafed it. What happens to this witness, whether it is heeded or not, does not lie in its power. Thus the two statements stand side by side: the Lutheran Church which is faithful to its confession is the true church of Jesus Christ, and the church of Christ is not limited to the church of the Lutheran Confession. The two statements are inseparably connected to the Lutheran doctrine of the church." (p. 183)

The whole of the book is worth attending to, but perhaps particularly Sasse's last chapter titled *The Lutheran Church and the Una Sancta.*

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

The perfect righteousness of Christ is the glorious robe of His saints; let not him therefore who is clothed in this robe fear the least spot of sin. - Johann Gerhard, *Sacred Meditation* XVII