I let that day go by without comment, but it is surely a very precious day for a parish named "St. Paul's." We remember on June 29th St. Paul's death (and St. Peter's) in Rome. Paul beheaded (Roman citizens got this better treatment) and St. Peter crucified upside down, judging himself unworthy to crucified in the same manner as the Lord Jesus. The year was likely 66 A.D.
In Christianity, it has been said that each of the three great "divisions" corresponds roughly to these three apostles:
In the East, St. John has the preeminence.
In Rome, St. Peter.
For the Protestants, St. Paul.
There is something beautiful in the Church remembering that we cannot oppose these men; that they belong together in their witness to the Incarnate Lord who is crucified and risen and ascended and who will come again in glory as judge of the living and the dead. Granted, St. John was not included in the commemoration on June 29, but he is there with both Peter and Paul in spirit as they yield their lives in witness to Him who is victor over death and the grave, for could Peter ever have forgotten the words spoken to him about John by our Lord in John 21?
Give Your church,
Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity.
O Lord, have mercy!
01 July 2007
What Sundays Were Meant To Be...
...today was my ideal Sunday. After the Divine Services and Bible Class, came home and had a pot of coffee (had it set to begin brewing right before service was finished). Then we had lunch together. I vaccuumed the pool, and went for a chilly swim (is it really the first day of July?). Worked in the garden for about 1/2 hour, read a bunch of Krauth, took a nap, went for a three mile bike-ride, and helped get dinner ready - a summer feast (burgers & chicken, fresh corn on the cob, tomatoes, mock "potato salad", watermelon and cantaloupe). Prayed Evening Prayer at Church, worked more on Starck, and then spent a little time blogging. Nothing pressing at the moment and this week (so far!) looks relatively light. Ah, summer as it was MEANT to be, and Sundays that truly are "days of rest" - for these, O Lord, receive our thanks!
Salt Water System
Gotta tell you: that salt water system for the pool is unbelievable. The water is crystal clear. No stinging of the eyes or discoloration of bathing suits. I just love how the pool looks and feels (water has a silky feel). And the best thing is that this system is totally mindless. The system runs each night for the designated hours and then the pool is ready to go for another 24 hours. All I need to do is make sure that the filter is on before the System starts and voila! I can't imagine trying to balance chemicals and such when this is SOOOO easy.
Now, if I could just convince Big Paw (one of our outside cats) that it is not a good idea to sleep on the inflated top of the pool! One day I'm sure I'm going to find a dead cat floating in it. :(
Now, if I could just convince Big Paw (one of our outside cats) that it is not a good idea to sleep on the inflated top of the pool! One day I'm sure I'm going to find a dead cat floating in it. :(
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
We do not interpret God's word by the Creed, neither do we interpret the Creed by God's Word, but interpreting both independently, by the laws of language, and finding that they teach one and the same truth, we heartily acknowledge the Confession as a true exhibition of the faith of the Rule - a true witness to the one, pure, and unchanging faith of the Christian Church, and freely make it our own Confession, as truly as if it had been now first uttered by our lips, or had first gone forth from our hands. -- Krauth, p. 169
Patristic Quote for the Day
Receive in the bread that which was hung upon the cross. Receive in the cup that which was shed from Christ's side. - St. Augustine, To the Neophytes, I.
Krauth again
The fellow is astonishing:
The faith of the Church now is identical with what it was in the Apostolic time, but the relation of identity does not preclude growth - it only excludes changes of identity. That faith must always be its essential self - whether as a babe receiving milk, or as a man enjoying strong meat. In a word, the advances are wrought, not by change in the Church's faith, but by the perpetual activity of that faith, a faith which because it is incapable of change itself, assimilates more and more to it the consciousness of the Church, her system of doctrine, her language, and her life. p. 270
The faith of the Church now is identical with what it was in the Apostolic time, but the relation of identity does not preclude growth - it only excludes changes of identity. That faith must always be its essential self - whether as a babe receiving milk, or as a man enjoying strong meat. In a word, the advances are wrought, not by change in the Church's faith, but by the perpetual activity of that faith, a faith which because it is incapable of change itself, assimilates more and more to it the consciousness of the Church, her system of doctrine, her language, and her life. p. 270
Lynn was right
Lynn Steinmann told me at the beginning of Bible Class that we need to sing "O God, my faithful God" each week. I think she was right. What a great, great hymn! I quoted in the blog last week, I think. And boy does it ever jive with Starck's prayerbook too. Thanks be to God for the rich treasury of our chorales and for the depth of faith to which they call us.
Odd How Often It Happens...
...I had several people tell me today, as they walked out of Church, that the hymns, collect, readings, sermon and prayers directly addressed matters they were struggling with. It is not an odd occurrence, but a rather regular one. And it never ceases to amaze me. At times we pastors in our unbelief struggle with the itch to be "relevant" - but there is nothing more relevant than God's Holy Word as it confronts us with our sins, absolves us, and moves us to share the joy of the new life that Christ reaches us through our union with Him. We don't need to go searching for ways to make the message of Scripture relevant for today; we need only to clear out of the way so that that Word can do its work. Glory to Jesus Christ for all things! Amen.
30 June 2007
More Krauth
The mightiest weapon which the Reformation employed against Rome was, not Rome's errors, but Rome's truths. It professed to make no new discoveries, to find no unheard-of interpretations but taking the Scriptures in that very sense to which the greatest of her writers had assented, uncovering the law and the gospel of God which she retained, applying them as her most distinguished and most honored teachers had applied them, though she made them of none effect by her traditions, the Reformation took into its heart the life-stream of sixteen centuries, and came forth in the stature and strength of a Christianity, grown from infancy in the primitive ages, to the ripened manhood of that maturer period. There was no fear of truth, simply because Rome held it, and no disposition to embrace error, because it might be employed with advantage to Rome's injury.... They allowed no authority but the Word of God, but they listened respectfully to the witness of believers of all time. (p. 203)
Krauth
I recently purchased CPH's reprint of *The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology* by Charles Porterfield Krauth. Wow. Very good book - but don't ever tell me *I've* got quotitis again. This man can compose entire chapters of strings of quotes. But the best stuff is not what he quotes, but the gems he strings out of his own along the way. There's more than a tad of triumphalism in the work that is very sad in view of what has become of Lutheranism in the late 20th and early 21st century. Clearly NOT what he envisioned happening. But still a good read for all that.
A few of my favorites so far (only on page 161 - a long way to go):
Lutherans are characterized as "possessing liturgical life without liturgical bondage."
"The Lutheran Church does claim that it is God's truth which she confesses, and by logical necessity regards the deviations from the doctrines of the Confession as deviations from divine truth, but she does not claim to be the whole Church."
"She says: 'The Catholic Church consists of men scattered throughout the whole world, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same.' She unchurches none of other names, even though they may be unsound. It is not her business to do this. They have their own Master, to whom they stand or fall. She protests against error; she removes it by spiritual means from her own midst; but she judges not those who are without. God is her judge and theirs, and to Him she commits herself and them."
"In the former [Reformed theology], Scripture is regarded more exclusively as the sole source; in the latter [Lutheran theology], more as the norm of a doctrine which is evolved from the analogy of faith, and to which consequently, the pure exegetical and confessional tradition of the Church possess more value."
A few of my favorites so far (only on page 161 - a long way to go):
Lutherans are characterized as "possessing liturgical life without liturgical bondage."
"The Lutheran Church does claim that it is God's truth which she confesses, and by logical necessity regards the deviations from the doctrines of the Confession as deviations from divine truth, but she does not claim to be the whole Church."
"She says: 'The Catholic Church consists of men scattered throughout the whole world, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same.' She unchurches none of other names, even though they may be unsound. It is not her business to do this. They have their own Master, to whom they stand or fall. She protests against error; she removes it by spiritual means from her own midst; but she judges not those who are without. God is her judge and theirs, and to Him she commits herself and them."
"In the former [Reformed theology], Scripture is regarded more exclusively as the sole source; in the latter [Lutheran theology], more as the norm of a doctrine which is evolved from the analogy of faith, and to which consequently, the pure exegetical and confessional tradition of the Church possess more value."
28 June 2007
Silly mind
You know, at times it is just ridiculous the way the mind operates. Today for Vespers the reading was of Paul's conversion in Acts 9. As I'm reading along I suddenly find myself thinking "I wonder if CPH will release another edition of the Altar Book with thinner pages." HOW SICK IS THAT? Lord, have mercy!!!
Elert
I'm working my way through Elert's Morphology again this summer, and came across this gem:
"Yes, Luther does not hesitate to characterize joy as the real motive of ethical behavior... He who is no longer sensible of the joy of Luther's Christmas hymns, of the jubilation in our Easter hymns, of Paul Gerhardt's 'God for us' and 'Christ for me,' should examine himself to see whether his theology is not more closely related to the Koran than to the Gospel." pp. 69,70
"Yes, Luther does not hesitate to characterize joy as the real motive of ethical behavior... He who is no longer sensible of the joy of Luther's Christmas hymns, of the jubilation in our Easter hymns, of Paul Gerhardt's 'God for us' and 'Christ for me,' should examine himself to see whether his theology is not more closely related to the Koran than to the Gospel." pp. 69,70
Archeology
Cindi and Lauren have been busy as beavers working on the garden. The other day they started clearing off the path from our back door to the garden, and they've unearthed the path a whole lot further than we EVER remember it existing. Our backyard must have been quite beautiful once! We intend to see if we can restore it as best we can - maybe even that little fish pond that is full of sand and grass. The girls were tired after their exertions today - and even yours truly is sporting a blister on the hand from digging and hauling dirt. But I think we're all pretty excited about uncovering the whole thing again.
Thomas Wasn't All Bad...
Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors. Hence Augustine says (Epis. ad Hieron. xix, 1): "Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning."--Summa Theologia, Part 1, Question 1, Article 8
Patristic Quote for the Day
Today, our churches remember and honor St. Irenaeus of Lyons. In his honor, I quote from his most famous writing today:Then, again, how can they say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption, and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either alter their opinion, or cease from offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn establishes our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, announcing consistently the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. Against Heresies IV.18.5
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
In the Holy Supper of our Lord we have a mystery placed before us that should cause the deepest awe and excite our profoundest adoration. --Johann Gerhard, *Sacred Meditations* XIX
Homily for Trinity 4 (Draft 1)
[Genesis 50:15-21 / Romans 12:14-21 / Luke 6:36-42]
People loved by God, in today’s collect we prayed that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by God’s governance that His Church would joyfully serve Him – and here’s the phrase we need to think about – “in all godly quietness.”
What is this “godly quietness” for which we ask? It is the peace of heart, the quiet and calm that can rule in our hearts, even in the midst of the most difficult and trying times. The peace that passes understanding and that doesn’t fret and get all worked up, but instead entrusts itself into the hands of God. Godly quietness of heart is one of the fruits of faith. To get a handle on it, think of today’s Old Testament reading.
Joseph – all those dreams from his youth, everyone bowing down to him, honoring him. God had told him that’s how it would be. And what happened? Betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, an exile who then is falsely accused and, because he would not compromise with wickedness, was tossed into jail, and there he was promptly forgotten by those to whom he did nothing but good. And at many points along that journey, I wonder if he struggled to hold onto the promises that God had made so many years earlier. Could it possibly be that God really meant them? Why then was He allowing such awful things to befall Joseph time and time again? But in true worship, which is “the exercises of faith struggling with despair,” [Tractatus 44] Joseph held to the promise, and in peace of heart, in godly quietness, he sought to serve in whatever new position he found himself.
“Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” Think of how Joseph experienced the truth of those words! Joseph humbled himself and in godly quietness cast his cares on the Lord, and look at what happened! That moment came when in a single day he went from being Pharaoh’s prisoner to being the Prime Minister of Egypt. And he went on serving, saving the lives of countless Egyptians, and yes, of his own family, who did indeed come and kneel before him as his servants.
But if godly quiet reigned in Joseph’s heart, fear reigned in the hearts of his brothers who had so ill-treated him. “What if he pays us back?” they wonder when they see that their father Jacob has died. “What if Joseph decides to get even now?” How little they understood their brother’s heart! And so they come and plead with him for forgiveness one more time.
Joseph speaks those astonishing words: “Do not fear. Am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” He spoke out of the godly quiet of his heart. He did not excuse their wickedness, but invited them to behold the miracle of God: that our Lord knows how to take the evil and sin we suffer at the hands of others and even do ourselves and in sheer grace, turn it into blessing for us and also for others.
Joseph, of course, was a type of our Lord. In Christ’s divine human heart there reigned this quietness for which we pray. His trust in His Father was unshakeable, and so He would urge us to be merciful just as Father is merciful. It was His trust in His Father’s final plan and vindication of Him that led Him to call to us: “Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you – more than you ask, desire or deserve.” He’s not inviting you there into anything else than the life He lived. He’s reaching it to you to be your life. A life where the godly quietness of heart that trusts the Father’s plan, knows that He is the master of turning ill to good, and making evil and hatred serve the designs of His gracious kingdom.
And so the Cross. For our Lord too was betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, wrongfully arrested, and then condemned to die, despite His innocence. And He willingly accepted all this in utter godly quietness of heart – the quietness of heart that comes from submission to the will of the Father. “Not my will, but thine be done” He had prayed, and then in peace had gone forth to drink the cup His Father reached Him. And just like with Joseph, a grand reversal took place. Through the very act of His betrayal, suffering, and death, our new Joseph was raised from death in an incorruptible and immortal body not to rule some measly piece of earthly real estate but the whole of the universe, and instead of hating us for what we did, He uses it to forgive us and love us, and He says to us too: “Do not fear, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Joseph gave them grain. Jesus gives us the living bread of heaven, His own true body and blood – the body and blood that were on the cross for us, crying out for our forgiveness there for all the times that we have shamefully treated one another, betraying each other, hating each other and wishing each other ill. His body and blood cry out for our forgiveness still. They speak into our hearts the unfathomable truth that despite our wretchedness and sin, we are the beloved of the Father in His Son and that His will for us is to share with Him a life that never ends, the life of forgiveness and mercy.
The Eucharist comes to us as the gift of godly quietness. It frees us to live in that forgiveness ourselves. Like our Lord, no need to avenge ourselves, looking out for ourselves. That is God’s job. Instead, the joy that Paul exhorts us to in the Epistle: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them…. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to what is honorable in the sight of all…. Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Which is all to say, O Lord, grant us to serve You joyfully in godly quietness, to trust that our lives are governed by You and that all things are indeed working together to bring us blessing – especially when we are called to suffer for Your name. Then we are utterly free in our Jesus to love and bless, forgive and give to all who mistreat us, all who hate and seek our ruin. In our Jesus, by the strength of His Spirit, we are set free to love them and to seek God’s richest blessing on their lives. Give us, O Lord, this godly quietness of heart to trust in You at all times and in all places, for You are merciful and You love Your whole creation, and we Your creatures glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
People loved by God, in today’s collect we prayed that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by God’s governance that His Church would joyfully serve Him – and here’s the phrase we need to think about – “in all godly quietness.”
What is this “godly quietness” for which we ask? It is the peace of heart, the quiet and calm that can rule in our hearts, even in the midst of the most difficult and trying times. The peace that passes understanding and that doesn’t fret and get all worked up, but instead entrusts itself into the hands of God. Godly quietness of heart is one of the fruits of faith. To get a handle on it, think of today’s Old Testament reading.
Joseph – all those dreams from his youth, everyone bowing down to him, honoring him. God had told him that’s how it would be. And what happened? Betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, an exile who then is falsely accused and, because he would not compromise with wickedness, was tossed into jail, and there he was promptly forgotten by those to whom he did nothing but good. And at many points along that journey, I wonder if he struggled to hold onto the promises that God had made so many years earlier. Could it possibly be that God really meant them? Why then was He allowing such awful things to befall Joseph time and time again? But in true worship, which is “the exercises of faith struggling with despair,” [Tractatus 44] Joseph held to the promise, and in peace of heart, in godly quietness, he sought to serve in whatever new position he found himself.
“Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” Think of how Joseph experienced the truth of those words! Joseph humbled himself and in godly quietness cast his cares on the Lord, and look at what happened! That moment came when in a single day he went from being Pharaoh’s prisoner to being the Prime Minister of Egypt. And he went on serving, saving the lives of countless Egyptians, and yes, of his own family, who did indeed come and kneel before him as his servants.
But if godly quiet reigned in Joseph’s heart, fear reigned in the hearts of his brothers who had so ill-treated him. “What if he pays us back?” they wonder when they see that their father Jacob has died. “What if Joseph decides to get even now?” How little they understood their brother’s heart! And so they come and plead with him for forgiveness one more time.
Joseph speaks those astonishing words: “Do not fear. Am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” He spoke out of the godly quiet of his heart. He did not excuse their wickedness, but invited them to behold the miracle of God: that our Lord knows how to take the evil and sin we suffer at the hands of others and even do ourselves and in sheer grace, turn it into blessing for us and also for others.
Joseph, of course, was a type of our Lord. In Christ’s divine human heart there reigned this quietness for which we pray. His trust in His Father was unshakeable, and so He would urge us to be merciful just as Father is merciful. It was His trust in His Father’s final plan and vindication of Him that led Him to call to us: “Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you – more than you ask, desire or deserve.” He’s not inviting you there into anything else than the life He lived. He’s reaching it to you to be your life. A life where the godly quietness of heart that trusts the Father’s plan, knows that He is the master of turning ill to good, and making evil and hatred serve the designs of His gracious kingdom.
And so the Cross. For our Lord too was betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, wrongfully arrested, and then condemned to die, despite His innocence. And He willingly accepted all this in utter godly quietness of heart – the quietness of heart that comes from submission to the will of the Father. “Not my will, but thine be done” He had prayed, and then in peace had gone forth to drink the cup His Father reached Him. And just like with Joseph, a grand reversal took place. Through the very act of His betrayal, suffering, and death, our new Joseph was raised from death in an incorruptible and immortal body not to rule some measly piece of earthly real estate but the whole of the universe, and instead of hating us for what we did, He uses it to forgive us and love us, and He says to us too: “Do not fear, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Joseph gave them grain. Jesus gives us the living bread of heaven, His own true body and blood – the body and blood that were on the cross for us, crying out for our forgiveness there for all the times that we have shamefully treated one another, betraying each other, hating each other and wishing each other ill. His body and blood cry out for our forgiveness still. They speak into our hearts the unfathomable truth that despite our wretchedness and sin, we are the beloved of the Father in His Son and that His will for us is to share with Him a life that never ends, the life of forgiveness and mercy.
The Eucharist comes to us as the gift of godly quietness. It frees us to live in that forgiveness ourselves. Like our Lord, no need to avenge ourselves, looking out for ourselves. That is God’s job. Instead, the joy that Paul exhorts us to in the Epistle: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them…. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to what is honorable in the sight of all…. Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Which is all to say, O Lord, grant us to serve You joyfully in godly quietness, to trust that our lives are governed by You and that all things are indeed working together to bring us blessing – especially when we are called to suffer for Your name. Then we are utterly free in our Jesus to love and bless, forgive and give to all who mistreat us, all who hate and seek our ruin. In our Jesus, by the strength of His Spirit, we are set free to love them and to seek God’s richest blessing on their lives. Give us, O Lord, this godly quietness of heart to trust in You at all times and in all places, for You are merciful and You love Your whole creation, and we Your creatures glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Vision to Recapture
In Apology XV, Melanchthon sets forth what was actually happening in the Churches of the Augsburg Confession. It is a beautiful description, a challenge and call for repentance among us:We cheerfully hold the old traditions, made in the Church for the sake of usefulness and peace. We interpret them in a more moderate way and reject the opinion that holds they justify...
Among us many use the Lord's Supper every Lord's Day. They do so after they have been first instructed, examined, and absolved. The children sing psalms in order to learn. The people also sing that they may either learn or pray...
Among us the pastors and ministers of the churches are encouraged publicly to instruct and hear the youth. This ceremony produces the best fruit...
...in our churches all sermons are filled with such topics as these: repentance; the fear of God; faith in Christ, the righteousness of faith, the comfort of consciences by faith; the exercises of faith; prayer, what its nature should be, and that we should be fully confident that it is power, that is is heard; the cross; the authority of officials and all civil ordinances; the distinction between the kingdom of Christ, or the spiritual kingdom, and political affairs; marriage; the education and instruction of children; chastity; all the offices of love. From this condition of the churches it may be determined that we earnestly keep Church discipline, godly ceremonies, and good Church customs...
In addition to this putting to death, which happens through the cross [involuntary suffering is meant], there is also a necessary, voluntary exercise.... These exercises are accepted not because they are services that justify, but because they are assumed to control the flesh, should overindulgence overpower us, and make us secure and unconcerned. This results in people indulging and obeying the tendencies of the flesh. This effort at mortification should be constant because it has God's permanent command.
27 June 2007
Return to the Latin Mass
Many of our Roman sisters and brothers are excited (or alarmed) about the apparently immanent arrival of the letter from Benedict XVI that will permit again the celebration of the old Latin service, at least as it was celebrated by Roman Catholic Christians throughout the world until the conclusion of Vatican II and its liturgical reforms. Those reforms were more than a bit of a mixed bag. Among Lutherans, Hermann Sasse could note with dismay that it seemed as if St. Zwingli presided over the liturgical reform! So a move back toward the old Tridentine mass is not something a Lutheran can view as entirely negative, not by a long shot.
This Lutheran watches from the sidelines with interest and sympathy. And I wonder.
You see, there is a parallel in a way with our own liturgy. If I may put it so, LSB contains both the results of the second Vatican Council and the liturgy prior to it. You can worship with Divine Service I or II and the revised three year lectionary, and the very heart of the council's reforms are yours (right down to the "and also with you"). Or you can worship with Divine Service III and the one year (better called the historic) lectionary and you are essentially worshipping in the manner that Lutherans in this country worshipped prior to the heady liturgical reforms in the middle of the 20th century - granted, not in Latin, but the Latin mass largely in direct translation (right down to the "and with thy spirit").
I confess to being a traditionalist in this regard. My parish at its sung Divine Services over the weekend uses only Divine Service 3. We still use the old calendar (gesimas and such, and yes, Visitation is coming up on July 2!) and the traditional collects to the traditional tones.
But we are not exclusively Vatican II, if you will. During Advent and Lent we use Evening Prayer (rather than Vespers) and this ordo owes much to the liturgical reforms. And at our Thursday Divine Services (spoken) which will begin in July, we'll be using Divine Service I.
Which is all to say to any Roman brothers or sisters who read this, I don't think the allowance of the old Tridentine mass will be a bad thing for Rome, not at all. It will restore much that was beautiful and lost with Vatican II. I trust it will counter the man-centered treatment of the liturgy and restore it as a prayer addressed to the All-holy Father through the Son and in the Spirit. But I hope that some of the best of Vatican II is not lost: celebration in the language of the people (at least for the Scripture readings and the sermon!), and the realization that there is more than one way to pray Eucharistically than the recitation of the Roman canon (that throughout much of the history of the Western church there have been other ways). Frankly, from my perspective, the ideal would be to see the old service rendered in the vernacular without all the changes that came with Vatican II. We can witness from our perspective, it is possible to live from the best of both pre and post the Council, and that is what we hope and pray for you and your parishes.
This Lutheran watches from the sidelines with interest and sympathy. And I wonder.
You see, there is a parallel in a way with our own liturgy. If I may put it so, LSB contains both the results of the second Vatican Council and the liturgy prior to it. You can worship with Divine Service I or II and the revised three year lectionary, and the very heart of the council's reforms are yours (right down to the "and also with you"). Or you can worship with Divine Service III and the one year (better called the historic) lectionary and you are essentially worshipping in the manner that Lutherans in this country worshipped prior to the heady liturgical reforms in the middle of the 20th century - granted, not in Latin, but the Latin mass largely in direct translation (right down to the "and with thy spirit").
I confess to being a traditionalist in this regard. My parish at its sung Divine Services over the weekend uses only Divine Service 3. We still use the old calendar (gesimas and such, and yes, Visitation is coming up on July 2!) and the traditional collects to the traditional tones.
But we are not exclusively Vatican II, if you will. During Advent and Lent we use Evening Prayer (rather than Vespers) and this ordo owes much to the liturgical reforms. And at our Thursday Divine Services (spoken) which will begin in July, we'll be using Divine Service I.
Which is all to say to any Roman brothers or sisters who read this, I don't think the allowance of the old Tridentine mass will be a bad thing for Rome, not at all. It will restore much that was beautiful and lost with Vatican II. I trust it will counter the man-centered treatment of the liturgy and restore it as a prayer addressed to the All-holy Father through the Son and in the Spirit. But I hope that some of the best of Vatican II is not lost: celebration in the language of the people (at least for the Scripture readings and the sermon!), and the realization that there is more than one way to pray Eucharistically than the recitation of the Roman canon (that throughout much of the history of the Western church there have been other ways). Frankly, from my perspective, the ideal would be to see the old service rendered in the vernacular without all the changes that came with Vatican II. We can witness from our perspective, it is possible to live from the best of both pre and post the Council, and that is what we hope and pray for you and your parishes.
Patristic Quote for the Day
The favors of God so far exceed human hope and expectation, that often they are not believed. For God has bestowed upon us such things as the mind of man never looked for, never thought of. It is for this reason that the Apostles spend much discourse in securing a belief of the gifts that are granted us of God. For as men, upon receiving some great good, ask themselves if it is not a dream, as not believing it; so it is with respect to the gifts of God. What then was it that was thought incredible? That those who were enemies, and sinners, neither justified by the law, nor by works, should immediately through faith alone be advanced to the highest favor. - St. John Chrysostom, Homily 4 on 1 Timothy
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