This month’s Readers Digest

Asks “when did you have your first black teacher?” They assumed many had never. Had to chuckle because I had Mrs Green in first grade at Glenmont Elementary School in the fall of 1966 and certainly one of the most popular teachers in Junior High was P. T. Waddleton. Two beloved black teachers that I happily recall. 

And now for a totally non-Carnivore moment...

...Nannie just being a Nannie: Christmas Candy with three of the grandchildren. Marianne Roarick’s famous Chocolate Crunch Bars, but called these days Christmas Crack.

From a Christmas Homily of St. John Chrysostom

For this He assumed my body, that I may become capable of His Word; taking my flesh, He gives me His spirit; and so He bestowing and I receiving, He prepares for me the treasure of Life. He takes my flesh, to sanctify me; He gives me His Spirit, that He may save me. 

Memory Eternal!

My dear, sweet Marianne, we will never forget you, or your kindness and love to us and to our kids, and the gifts of music God gave you to share with His Church. We miss you so much!!! Happy birthday! Rest eternal grant her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her!

Gerhard and Walther

By His descent into hell, Christ demonstrated that He has destroyed the devil’s kingdom so that it also would be destroyed in us. However, anyone who from now on still wants to live by sinning against conscience, in such a person the kingdom of the devil is once again re-established. Is it not to be pitied that we would want to again rebuilt and restore that which Christ has broken down and destroyed?—Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis, I:63.

If Jesus had only spoken God’s Word and failed to perform God’s works, a person could excuse himself by saying that in spiritual matters he is like a blind man and unable to examine and appraise the excellence of His doctrine. But anyone, even a child, can and must recognize the divinity of His works.—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, p. 43. 

Patristic Quote of the Day

He did not say “I was” but “I am.” I am the God of those that are, those who live. Adam lived on the day he ate of the tree, then died in the sentence. Even though the progeny of Adam died, they live in the promise of resurrection.—St. John Chrysostom, Homily 70 on St. Matthew

Catechesis: The Fourth Commandment

If God’s Word and will are placed first and are observed, nothing ought to be considered more important than the will and word of our parents, provided that these, too, are subordinated to obedience toward God and are not set in opposition to the preceding commandments.—LC I:116

Gaudete!

 

Gaudete! Sunday of the Rose Candle, Sunday of joy. The Introit announces it from the get go: 

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice!” And reminds us of the why: “You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin.” 

Our faith came into the world as the Advent of Great Joy. That is the very name that the Angels gave Him on the night of His birth: “Good news of a Great Joy for all people.” That’s Jesus. And so the upcoming Feast of His holy Nativity with its overflowing joy floods back into the solemn Advent fast with a reminder that it is all about joy. So we pray in the Collect for this Sunday that the darkness of our hearts would be lightened by our God’s gracious visitation.

Think of the readings for today: “Comfort, comfort, my people, says your God.... The Word of our God stands forever.” “Judge nothing before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each will receive his commendation from God.” “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” (And as a bonus: even my personal Matins this morning, using the old KJV reading schedule, the second reading from Acts 13 ended with these words: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.” “The Spirit turns to joy whatever He touches” said St. Seraphim of Sarov.)

Or consider the great hymn of the day from the medieval Church: Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Crying with that incomparable stanza four: So when next He comes in glory And the world is wrapt in fear He will shield us with His mercy And with words of love draw near.” What a vision! What a joyous hope!

 So pastor preached the comfort of this great joy that none of the darkness around us can quench. What good is a Savior that doesn’t get His forerunner out of prison? What good is a Savior that doesn’t rescue you from earthly trials and heartache? He delivered John IN prison. He delivers us IN the trials. He does so by the Word He sends us to sustain us, carrying with it all that is His and giving it to us, promising that it all ends in Resurrection and Forgiveness. And thus He lifts us through His word into the joy that is His and that He came to impart to us that it might be ours forever, no matter what sorrow or grief comes our way. 

Yes, people loved by God, you have an Unquenchable Joy in Him, who is Forgiveness of all sin, who is the Destruction of death and who is the Gift of Life Eternal! How can life be anything other than a time for rejoicing?!

 Gaudete!!!

These pastors are agreed: We love Gaudete!

A tremendous Kelly Hogan Video

On Youtube. These two ladies simply rock. Yes, it’s about carnivory (Kelly’s stuff always is!), but wow, what a story right here. 

https://youtu.be/X6jxsP8Ya6M

Cindi modeling her new hoodie

Love this pic of her! 

We got to enjoy...

...a bit of the magic of the Thoelke’s tree with real candles last evening...and some much needed rounds of pinochle with old friends.

The heavens declare the glory of God

...and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge. Ps 19:1, 2*

*Also, Red sky in morning, sailors take warning. Now it’s raining....

Just loving the beauty of this time of the year...

 

Gerhard and Walther

The reason Christ wanted to be born of the Virgin was so that through Him we might be born of God; so that He might be born in us and so that we might obtain His form or likeness.—Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis I:59.

[The spiritually asleep] do not sense how great is the grace that caused Jesus Christ to enter the world to save sinners. For them, Jesus remains a stranger, and the world remains their highest good. They do not come to hate sin or to understand that everything the world offers and everything man strives after avails nothing. They never understand, as Solomon did, that “all is vanity.”—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, p. 32.

Patristic Quote of the Day

The Father made a marriage feast for His Son by joining the church to Him through the mystery of His incarnation. The womb of the Virgin who bore Him was the bridal chamber of this bridegroom... He truly came forth like a bridegroom from His bridal chamber who, as God incarnate, left the inviolate womb of the Virgin to unite the church to Himself.—Pope St. Gregory the Great, Homily 38 on the Holy Gospels

Catechesis: Third Commandment

Actually, there should be worship daily; however, since this is more than the common people can do, at least one day in the week must be set apart for it. Since from ancient times Sunday has been appointed for this purpose, we should not change it. In this way a common order will prevail and no one will create disorder by unnecessary innovation.—LC I:85

Gerhard and Walther

The reason the Son of God became man is so that we through Him could become partakers of the divine nature and become God’s children.—Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis I:59

By letting Himself be slaughtered and sacrificed, Christ received the punishment for mankind’s sin, satisfying fully the righteousness of God. All of Satan’s accusations against fallen man thus came to an end. Christ destroyed Satan’s kingdom and severed the bands of death and damnation.—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, pp. 39, 40

Patristic Quote of the Day

Christ is called a stone for two reasons. First, because his foundation is solid and no one who stands upon him will fall victim to deceit charms or be moved by storms of persecution. Second, Christ is called a stone because in Him is the ultimate destruction of the wicked, for just as everything which collides with a stone is shattered while the stone itself remains intact, so also everyone who opposes the Christian faith will himself be ruined, but Christianity will remain untouched. This is the sense in which Christ is the great stone.—Anonymous, Opus Imperfectum on St. Matthew (Homily 40)

Catechesis: Second Commandment

For true honor to God’s name consists in looking to it for all consolation and therefore calling upon it.—LC I:70

To defy the devil, I say, we should always keep the holy name on our lips so that he may not be able to injure us as he is eager to do.—LC I:72

Gerhard and Walther

Christ died so that He might kill off sin in us.—Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis, p. 58

This terrible scene (of the final judgment) can happen today, even this very hour, and it should prompt us to rise immediately and to flee into the wounds of Jesus Christ. Let us remain there.—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, pp. 28, 29.