Catechesis

For we are now only half pure and holy. So the Holy Spirit always has some reason to continue His work in us through the Word. He must daily administer forgiveness until we reach the life to come. At that time there will be no more forgiveness, but only pure and holy people. We will be full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body. You see, all this is the Holy Spirit's office and work.—LC II:58, 59

34 Years Ago

And it has been an unspeakably blessed and utterly undeserved journey.

Luther and Lewis

Such is the devil's desire and delight that he strives for nothing else but to shatter love among the Christians and to cause hate and envy. For he well knows that through love Christendom is built up and sustained.—Martin Luther, Exposition John xv.

In a perfect Friendship this Appreciative love is, I think, often so great and so firmly based that each member of the circle feels, in his secret heart, bumbled before all the rest. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 161.

Patristic Quote of the Day

For lest the believers should say, You are making us very cheap and despicable, when you put us, who are to enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven, under subjection to rulers, he shows that it is not to rulers, but to God again that he makes them subject in doing this. For it is to Him, that he who subjects himself to authorities is obedient.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily 23 on Romans

Catechesis

The little word Lord means simply the same as redeemer. It means the One who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the same.—LC II:31

Well...

...it was an eventful lunch (right, Rebekah?), and then a stunning game of Liverpool. We missed the D. Weedons joining us today, but poor Henry had his tonsils out on Friday and was still not feeling well. Hopefully next week!

Patristic Quote of the Day

For there is no power, he says, but of God. What say you? It may be said; is every ruler then elected by God? This I do not say, he answers. Nor am I now speaking about individual rulers, but about the thing in itself. For that there should be rulers, and some rule and others be ruled, and that all things should not just be carried on in one confusion, the people swaying like waves in this direction and that; this, I say, is the work of God's wisdom. Hence he does not say, for there is no ruler but of God; but it is the thing he speaks of, and says, there is no power but of God. And the powers that be, are ordained of God.—St. Jn Chrysostom, Homily 23 on Romans

The Second Sunday after Trinity

Tonight I was blessed to serve as a deacon (reading Old Testament and Epistle; distributing the holy chalice; and praying the post communion versicle and collect) in the Liturgy for the Second Sunday after Trinity. I'll do the same tomorrow at 8 a.m. This was the first time we had sung Eucharist since the state of Illinois closed our church back in March. We sang the liturgy and the Hymn of the Day (no other hymns; still easing back in and keeping the attendance below 50). I told pastor after the holy liturgy concluded that THIS was the medicine the doctor had ordered. Whew. I've missed singing the Divine Service together with my brothers and sisters more than words can begin to describe. It's been a hole right at the center of life itself.

Patristic Quote for the Day

And to show that these regulations are for all, even for priests, and monks, and not for men of secular occupations only, he has made this plan at the outset, by saying as follows: let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, if you be an Apostle even, or an Evangelist, or a Prophet, or anything whatsoever, inasmuch as this subjection is not subversive of religion. And he does not say merely "obey,but be subject. And the first claim such an enactment has upon us, and the reasoning that suits the faithful, is, that all this is of God's appointment.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily 23 on Romans (chapter 13)

Luther and Lewis

Let us not sleep like others, but let us watch and be sober, for temporal desires are to the eternal goods as the images of a dream are to true pictures. Therefore sleep now is nothing but love and desire for creatures. But to be wakeful is to hold to the eternal good and to seek it and long for it.—Martin Luther, The Seven Penitential Psalms

In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than mine own to show all his facets.—Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 159

Catechesis

This is a most excellent knowledge but a far greater treasure. For here we see how the Father has given Himself to us, together with all creatures, and has most richly provided for us in this life. We see that He has overwhelmed us with unspeakable, eternal treasures By His Son and the Holy Spirit.—LC II:24

Patristic Quote for the Day

When, however, the Word of God became flesh, He confirmed both these: for He both showed forth the image truly, since He became Himself what was His image; and He re-established the similitude after a sure manner, by assimilating man to the invisible Father through means of the visible Word.
—St. Irenaeus (A.H., ..)

Luther and Lewis

God is such a Craftsman that He has the skill to make those things that would harm and hinder us help and further us.—Martin Luther, Exposition Jn xv.

To those—and they are now the majority—who see human life merely as a development and complication of animal life all forms of behaviour which cannot produce certificates of an animal origin and survival are suspect. Friendship’s certificates are not very satisfactory.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 157.

Catechesis

We present them as though the Creed were briefly summarized in so many words: I believe in God the Father, who has created me; I believe in God the Son, who has redeemed me; I believe in the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies me. One God and one faith, but three persons. LC II:7

Lewis and Luther for the day

Friendship is—in a sense not at all derogatory to it—the least natural of loves; the least instinctive, organic, biological, gregarious and necessary.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 156.

On the other hand, He sometimes let the conscience be afraid and troubled, in order that the soul, even in the happy days, may not forget the fear of God—Martin Luther, Exposition of the Lord's Prayer for Simple Layfolk

Catechesis for the Day

In all estates upon earth they must get used to looking at these commandments only and to be concerned about these matters. For it will be a long time before they will produce a teaching or estate equal to the Ten Commandment, because they are so high that no one can reach them by human power.—LC I:317

Good question

A friend asked me a question last night: 

Random question that came to me last night reading Matthew 10:28: who is the referent of the one who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna?

My response, for what it is worth:

I have often wondered on that one. Part of me WANTS it to be a reference to Satan. And that might be where Jesus is heading, but it wouldn't be terribly Hebrew of Him, if you know what I mean. I mean: He is Yahweh incarnate. He is the One who proclaims of Himself: "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god besides me; I kill and make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand." Deut. 32:39 And did not Jesus proclaim in Revelation that HE has the keys of death and hades? It is before His throne in Revelation 20 that the dead are judged and consigned either to the kingdom or the lake of fire. And speaking of Revelation, remember that shocking passage in 14:10... In the presence of the Lamb!

My friend agreed that that seemed to be the better reading, but NT Wright had sent him in the other direction. It just strikes me as ultimately a dualistic move: this attempt to evade Job's clear word, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" And remember the Holy Spirit adds: "In all this Job did not sin with his lips." (Job 2:10)

Catechesis

A couple months ago a friend (Pastor Lincoln Winter) sent along his excellent little volume Catechetics (see here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/lincoln-winter/catechetics-fixing-confirmation/hardcover/product-23991847.html). I do highly recommend the work.

After reading it, I contemplated my own time in the Catechism and was rather convicted that I had not been spending the time in it that I ought. So I ordered this gem from CPH:

https://www.cph.org/p-33133-martin-luthers-small-and-large-catechisms.aspx

I love this little volume! As my buddy Kal Waetzig would describe it, it is totally packy. 

Since receiving it, I have spent time each day praying and thinking about a part of the Catechism. I read the primary text, then the Small Catechism on it, then onto the Large Catechism. I've been through the whole once, started back again, and am up to the 9th and 10th commandments today (I put them together because that's how the LC treats them). I haven't allowed myself to write in my new little book yet, but the urge grows stronger by the day. There are sections that simply require highlighting and remembering!

A special delight? Note to yourself every single time Luther goes off on "the greatest treasure on earth." You'll find that whatever he's holding up for you to delight in at the moment is almost always so described. It's sweetly childlike and I have no idea if he ever realized how often he did this. But Lord God, please grant us all such a delight in whatever gift You happen to be giving us at the moment!

Has FB Killed Blogging?

I suppose it is distinctly possible. But I've gotten so discouraged with so-called social media over the last few weeks, that I've washed my hands one more time. I have done it in the past. Tried to move beyond it. Each time "work" has sucked me back into that vortex. I'm thinking "not this time, it won't."

I remember reading Lewis describing why he didn't bother with newspapers and such: it only made him feel guilty or helpless over situations he could do absolutely nothing about, and invited him to neglect the neighbor who was right at hand.

Very well, then. Time to cut that cord. We'll see if it will last this time. I'm tired of the manipulation; tired of the horrible way conversations don't happen on "social media" and the way one is simply boxed up and dispatched. Ye olde Blog has had its share of arguments over the years, but at least it was always possible to read and follow along the discussion. I never even figured that out for Facebook or for Twitter.

So I'm back to doing my writing here, and it's mostly just where I think out loud about this or that. No promises regarding frequency of posting or responses. If I choose to respond, I will, but please don't take it as an insult if there IS no response. Sometimes I just have nothing to say in response to a given responder's words.

So the last posting on this site was some Easter pics of the family, scattered during the COVID exile. Today I went for a walk in the early morning and I noted the far field: the wheat has already turned to its amber waves and is ready for harvest. June is swiftly passing! More late, God willing.

Even though

We couldn't be together this Easter, here we are all together nonetheless... A blessed Easter one and all. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!