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Aardvark Alley

Lutheran Aardvark

18 June 2008
  The BBOV Rides Again
The Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©

BBOV by St. CharlesYeah, I know, it's been quite a while. Still, the volume isn't that high. (Could the supply of potential Confessional Lutheran bloggers be exhausted?) Anyhow, the time is ripe to address changes to the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© — this time involving additions and updates.

If you're not sure what to make of the BBOV or wonder about the benefits of being listed and of listing others' blogs, please read the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar. Those who'd like the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© can either email me or copy the list from the Alley's source code (click View | Page Source or Control+U in Firefox or View | Source in Internet Explorer).

NEWLY ENSCONCED

  §  AC 24: News from the Counter-Pietism Unit
  §  The Anonymous Lutheran
  §  Beholding the Lamb of God
  §  The Heart of a Pastor
  §  LSI Blog: Lutheran Science Institute
  §  The Name of the Lord
  §  Share Unit
  §  Stand Firm

REPACKAGED & RE-SHELVED

  §  Lutherans and Procreation — New Name
  §  The Minnesota Lutheran — New URL
  §  Esgetology — New URL

IN CONCLUSION

For these and all others enrolled in the BBOV, links back are certainly appreciated. And don't forget that all of those listed benefit when you use the entire blogroll. Also, if you'd like to graphically point to the Alley and the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©, you may use the above design from St. Charles Place (created before St. Charles left our midst) or one of these blog buttons:
Each of these buttons measures 80x15 pixels. Should you choose to use one, please link back to either the main Aardvark Alley URL or else to the post What Is the BBOV.

Finally, if you own or know of a Lutheran blog demonstrating a quia confessional subscription and would like me to consider it for inclusion, please leave a comment. And again, for more information about why this stuff benefits confessional Lutheran blogging, morality, and other worthwhile endeavors, please check out the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar.

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  23:40 | 2 comments | links to this post
  Celtics Win!
Celtic Aardvark
The Boston Celtics have claimed their 17th NBA Championship and I am finally returning (at least slowly and grudgingly) from the land of Hiatus. And lest you think of me as a Johnnie Come Lately, I started cheering for the Celts years ago. Not during the Bird Era but back when Hondo roamed Boston Garden.

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  18:33 | 1 comments | links to this post
08 April 2008
  Jayhawk! KU!

Chalk

One more time, with feeling!

Kansas 75, Memphis 68 in OT


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  00:23 | 1 comments | links to this post
  Chalk

Chalk

Sing louder this time!


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  00:21 | 0 comments | links to this post
  Rock

Rock

Sing along with the Jayhawks!


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  00:02 | 1 comments | links to this post
28 March 2008
  KFUO Mixed Messages
I just received the following note: "On January 11, 2008 KFUO FM aired The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, which included wording that described God as a woman."

Rather than merely cut and past the contents of the email, I took a couple minutes to check the veracity of its claims and dug up some links for you to follow.

You can see the Mass listed on the Classic 99 playlist from that date.
While the rest of the Mass/ballad refers to God in masculine language, the Conclusion differs:

      They say God loved the World so dear
      She set aside her crown
      And cloaked herself in human shape;
      They say that she came down,
      And dwelt awhile among us here.
      She came down

A copy of the lyrics can be found at The PuritanBoard. If you start reading at the beginning, you may not be able to make it to the Conclusion. For example, the "Credo" has three stanzas but certainly isn't Trinitarian. If you think that an error in transcription may have been made in the conclusion, check out the Mass at Clarion Records. It includes the MP3 for the Conclusion (click #12 when you get there). You clearly hear the vocalist sing "she" and "her."

I'll return you to the author of the email for a final question and comment: "How does the airing of such material fit with the mission and values of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod? Such programming contrasts markedly with what one could hear on Issues, Etc." Can I get an "Amen"?

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  13:00 | 5 comments | links to this post
03 March 2008
  The Newest BBOV
The Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©

BBOV by St. CharlesIt's been a month and a half since the last update of the BBOV. Now the time has now come to address the changes to the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© — this time involving only additions, no subtractions or changes in name or address.

If you're not sure what to make of the BBOV or wonder about the benefits of being listed and of listing others' blogs, please read the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar. Those who'd like the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© can either email me or copy the list from the Alley's source code (click View | Page Source or Control+U in Firefox or View | Source in Internet Explorer).

THE NEW ROUND OF NEWBIES

Since we only have a few blogs with which to deal, I'll give a thumbnail introduction instead of the usual bare-bones list. First, meet the blogs cum newsletters of two solidly confessional congregations. Holy Cross Happenings comes to us from the congregation in Emma, Missouri served by (Ask the) Pastor Snyder. We also have Memorial Moments from Houston, Texas.

The next three belong to a seminarist and two pastors. Please give a warm welcome to My Babblings, 92nd & State, and The Sober Peasant.

I don't know; quite likely this next one belongs to a pastor, also, but I don't speak or read Finnish, so I can't say for sure. What I can say is that my ol' pappy always told me that I could judge a man by the company he chooses to keep. Most of the company in this fellow's blogroll is pretty darned orthodox Lutheran. Therefore, we now list Vesa-Ilkka Laurion blogi 2.

Finally, we come across a new blog from the distaff side. Women Among Disciples "is an adult women's ministry dedicated to exploring what it means to be women among disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ at home, in church and in community."

IN CONCLUSION

For these and all others enrolled in the BBOV, links back are certainly appreciated. And don't forget that all of those listed benefit when you use the entire blogroll. Also, if you'd like to graphically point to the Alley and the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©, you may use the above design from St. Charles Place (created before St. Charles left our midst) or one of these blog buttons:
Each of these buttons measures 80x15 pixels. Should you choose to use one, please link back to either the main Aardvark Alley URL or else to the post What Is the BBOV.

Finally, if you own or know of a Lutheran blog demonstrating a quia confessional subscription and would like me to consider it for inclusion, please leave a comment. And again, for more information about why this stuff benefits confessional Lutheran blogging, morality, and other worthwhile endeavors, please check out the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar.

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  00:01 | 5 comments | links to this post
02 March 2008
  Margaret Sanger, Take Two
Planned Parenthood Can't Leave Its Racist Roots

The "science" of eugenics may be out of the limelight but it's certainly not out of practice:


This is part of the work done by Live Action, UCLA's pro-life student organization, and their magazine, The Advocate.

See also an undercover "sting" discussed on Hannity & Colmes via YouTube. In it, guests debate an instance where a secret recording is made of a Planned Parenthood counselor apparently coaching a minor to lie about her age and to cover up any evidence of statutory rape.

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  21:54 | 1 comments | links to this post
15 February 2008
  Philemon and Onesimus
15 February, New Testament

Paul and OnesimusPhilemon was a prominent first-century Christian who owned a slave named Onesimus. While the name "Onesimus" means "useful," Onesimus proved himself "useless. (Philemon 11)" He ran away from his master and perhaps even stole from him (v. 18).

Somehow, Onesimus came into contact with the apostle Paul while the latter was in prison (possibly in Rome). Perhaps he knew that Paul and Philemon had a friendship and went to Paul in order to protect himself from harsh treatment should he be returned home. In any event, through Paul's proclamation of the Gospel he became a Christian. After Onesemus confessed to the apostle that he was a runaway slave, Paul directed him to return to his master and become "useful" again, as Paul had already determined him to be (v. 11).

HandsIn order to help pave the way for Onesimus' peaceful return home, Paul sent him on his way with a letter addressed to Philemon, a letter in which he urged Philemon to forgive his slave for having run away and to "receive him as you would receive me (v. 17)" Paul encourged Philemon to think of Onesimus "no longer as a slave ... but as a beloved brother (v. 16)"

The letter was eventually included by the church as one of the books of the New Testament.

Those looking to Scripture for a definitive statement on slavery find mixed messages in this brief epistle. While Paul seems to urge Philemon in the direction of treating Onesimus as a freedman, he certainly leaves open the option that Onesimus might be returning to slavery, albeit in a much-improved situation.

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  00:01 | 3 comments | links to this post
14 February 2008
  + Saint Valentine, Martyr +
14 February AD 270

NB: Although Valentine was slain for the Faith, the color for Lent supersedes the martyr's red.

St. ValentineDetails of ancient Christianity are sketchy since for much of the Church's early years, it was a crime to be a Christian and records were hidden or kept purposely incomplete to protect believers. Thus, the story of Saint Valentine, as well as those of many others ancient believers, must be pieced together from fragmentary evidence.

Some ancient accounts record a physician and priest living in Rome during the rule of the Emperor Claudius II. This Valentine become one of the noted martyrs of the third century. It seems that his main "crime" was joining couples in marriage. Specifically, Valentine married Roman soldiers. Evidently, Claudius thought that single men made better soldiers while Valentine and the Church resisted the immorality of less-permanent relationships.

The commemoration of his death, thought to have occurred during the year 270, became part of the calendar of remembrance in the early Western Church. Tradition suggests that on the day of his execution for his Christian faith, he left a note of encouragement for a child of his jailer. The note was written on an irregularly-shaped piece of paper which suggested the shape of a heart. This greeting became a pattern for millions of written expressions of love and caring that now are the highlight of Valentine's Day in many nations.

Lection

Psalm 95:1-7a
Ezekiel 18:1-9
1 Peter 4:12-19
John 2:1-11

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, who kindled the flame of Your love in the heart of Your holy martyr Valentine, grant to us, Your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in his triumph may profit by his example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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  00:01 | 0 comments | links to this post
06 February 2008
  Ash Wednesday
The Lenten Season Begins

The entire Christian life celebrates Christ's victorious Resurrection on Easter morning. However, from Christianity's earliest days, the actual Paschal season has received special emphasis. The Church has traditionally prepared for this, the greatest Feast of our Lord, through the season of Lent.

From ancient times, Ash Wednesday has marked the first day of Lent. There are forty days from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Sundays are not counted because the Sundays in Lent are not fast days; rather, each is a celebration of the Resurrection. The forty days of Lent are reminiscent of the forty days in which rain fell during the Flood, our Lord's forty days and Israel's forty years in the wilderness, Christ's forty hours in the tomb, and related periods of judgment, testing, and completion of divine activities. The Gospel readings of Lent focus on the temptation and trials that Christ underwent on his way to His suffering and crucifixion.

Many people observe Lent by fasting. This can take place in many ways: Physically, we may deny ourselves various foods and pleasures; liturgically, we may omit parts of the Divine Liturgy, such as Alleluias and songs of praise. The Fast increases in depth and seriousness as we move from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week. During the Sundays following Ash Wednesday, we follow our Savior as he puts himself "in harm's way" and prepares for his passion and death. As we continue through the Church Calendar, it is then during Holy Week that we fully focus on his suffering and death.

Along with fasting, two other traditional activities of the early Church remain part of many people's Lenten observance. These are increased prayer and almsgiving. All three of these are mentioned together in the Sermon on the Mount. A portion of this discourse in Matthew is the appointed Gospel in the three-year Lectionary cycle.

Ash WednesdayAsh Wednesday receives its name from the ancient custom of rubbing oneself in ashes during a fast or period of penance as a sign of humility and sorrow. In Scripture, we observe this happening among people as varied as Job, the king of Ninevah and the rest of the city, Daniel, and Mordecai.

These days, most believers don't cover themselves in burlap and ashes; the ashes are placed on the foreheads of believers as their pastor says, "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." The ashes remind us that we still daily sin and that all our grand and glorious deeds are nothing in God's sight. This is especially illustrated when the ashes are taken from the burning of the previous year's branches used on Palm Sunday. The praises of the people, their "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord," have fallen silent and are consigned to the burn pile of good intentions not followed through.

However we observe Lent, we must take care to not assume a false piety by focusing on self. The believer keeps Lent extra nos (outside of self), following the lead of Hebrews 12:2 and "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Yes, Lent is a time of reflection and repentance. However, it's not intended to keep us looking within. Instead, upon viewing our sins, we then focus on the One who takes them away.

Along with readings and collect, I also include the Litany, a responsive prayer appropriate to days and seasons of penitence.

Lection

Psalm 51:1-13 (14-19)
Joel 2:12-19
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that, lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Litany

God the Father, in heaven,
      have mercy.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
      have mercy.
God the Holy Spirit,
      have mercy.
Be gracious to us.
      Spare us, good Lord.
Be gracious to us.
      Help us, good Lord.
By the mystery of Your holy Incarnation;
   by Your holy Nativity;
   by Your Baptism, fasting, and temptation;
   by Your agony and bloody sweat;
   by Your Cross and Passion;
   by Your precious Death and Burial;
   by Your glorious Resurrection and Ascension;
   and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:
      Help us, good Lord.
In all our time of tribulation;
   in all our time of prosperity;
   in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:
      Help us, good Lord.
We poor sinners implore You
      to hear us, O Lord.
To prosper the preaching of Your Word;
   to bless our prayer and meditation;
   to strengthen and preserve us in the true faith;
   to give heart to our sorrow and strength to our repentance:
      We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
To draw us to Yourself;
   to bless those who are instructed in the faith;
   to watch over and console the poor, the sick, the distressed,
   the lonely, the forsaken, the abandoned,
   and all who stand in need of our prayers;
to give abundant blessing to all our works of mercy;
   and to have mercy on us all:
      We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
To turn our hearts to You;
   to turn the hearts of our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers;
   and graciously to hear our prayers:
      We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
      we implore you to hear us.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
      have mercy.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
      have mercy.
Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
      grant us Your peace.
O Christ,
      hear us.
O Lord,
      have mercy.
O Christ,
      have mercy.
O Lord, have mercy.
      Amen.

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  00:01 | 1 comments | links to this post
31 January 2008
  The Wurst of the BBOV

In case you wondered (or even if you didn't) where I've been, I haven't said anything recently because my computer rendered me speechless. In other words — IOW, for those who IM and text way too much — I experienced a major crash. The power supply went on the fritz, damaged the motherboard, and started a cycle of spontaneous rebooting that slowly got worse until I finally couldn't completely enter Windows. This, then leads to a classic "good news, bad news" paragraph.

First the good news: My system is fixed better than before (new dual HDs in RAID configuration that are each 75gb larger than the old, the old HD in a new case as an external USB drive, and 2 x 1gb of faster RAM replacing the older 1gb that wouldn't work with the newer, faster board). Now the bad news: An extended time of ordering and receiving the correct hardware, reconfiguring the OS, and adding back data files, etc. for essential programs  ... oh, and some six hundred + dollars in parts and service.

Since the final crash and resumption of computer services in the Burrow, I found another good entry to the BBOV. Therefore, I'm happy to introduce the newest member of the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©, The Wurst Blog, the genius of Pastor Robert Wurst of Maple City, Michigan. Drop by, order a wurst and a beer, and tell him, "The Aardvark sent me."

And now, finally, at long last, I hope to get BBOV updates to those who've patiently (for the most part) waited and wondered where they were.

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  19:54 | 5 comments | links to this post
16 January 2008
  BBOV: The Chaplain Reappears

Thanks to Barb the Evil Genius, the new URL for the Chaplain to the World has been found and added to the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©. Let cries of "Huzzah!" resound throughout the land.

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  02:23 | 2 comments | links to this post
13 January 2008
  The BBOV: Did You Think I'd Forgotten?
The Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©

BBOV by St. CharlesToo many days have passed since the last update of the BBOV. However, the time has now come, so let's get on with addressing the changes to the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© — meeting the newcomers, noting the changed URL, and saying "Sayonara," to our dear departed. Then you can kick back with me and wait for the next round of people to tell me that I forgot their blogs, so I can (again) ask, "Did you tell me?"

If you're not sure what to make of the BBOV or wonder about the benefits of being listed and of listing others' blogs, please read the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar. Those who'd like the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™© can either email me or copy the list from the Alley's source code (click View | Page Source or Control+U in Firefox or View | Source in Internet Explorer).

Finally, you can see how many blogs I ended up removing. If you own(ed) one of these, drop me a line if you start up again or begin a new blog. I'd be more than happy to list you again.

BRAND NEW TO THE BBOV

Included here are sixteen additions to two different sections of the blogroll.

  Confessional Lutherans
    The Abrahamsons
    Pastor Mason Beecroft
    Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary
    Concordian Sisters of Perpetual Parturition
    The Crowned Ones — back after a break
    The 14th Warrior
    Lest Every Man Be Blind
    The Long and Crunchy Road
    Lvtheranvs Latine Profitens
    Mystery of the Faith
    Palm Sundays
    Simil Justis et Pecatur — dear old friends of Vark
    Socratic Stammtisch
    Super-Sonic Platonic — from the author of Our Seneca
    Rev. Tucher

  Other Blogs
    Melanie Francis' Blog: Here I Stand

CHANGED — BUT STILL RECOGNIZABLE

These have some differences in URL, blog name, or both.

    The Albino Peacock — new URL
    Cleveland Confessional Lutheranism — slight name change: added "-ism"
    Concordia Seminary Institute on Lay Vocation — was Uwe Siemon-Netto
    Crafty Wright's — URL and name change; was The Crafty Wright's
    Cranach: The Blog of Veith — new URL
    Cross+Wise — URL; drop "Blog" from name
    LSB Development Team — moved to Recommended Lutheran Sites
    NightlyKnitter's LotzaStitches — was LotzaStitches
    St. Antony's Cave — corrected spelling from Anthony
    Die Schreiben von Schreiber — corrected gender from Das
    Uvulapie's Girl — was Hoffman Homemaker

REMOVED

Here's one way to shrink an unwieldy list: The thirty-five (35!) members of this group have either gone missing or else they're extremely out of date. Dates listed show the most recent updates.

    Anxious Contentment — 19 October 2006
    Beckfest — hijacked
    Beefstew-inator's Blog — 22 May 2006
    By the Rivers of Babylon — 404
    Chaplain to the World — update: see next post
    Confessions of a Young Lutheran — 3 August 2006
    Date-Dabitur
    Bunnie Diehl: If you don't like it, just go away — she went away, instead
    Eating Words
    Etz's View of the World — 18 June 2007
    God Is the Pilot — 23 October 2006
    Life at Seminary — 28 September 2006
    Long Thoughts of a Confessional Lutheran — 11 February 2007
    Lutheran Man — 26 August 2007
    Lutheran Survivor — 404; Ironic, eh?
    Not Quite Art, Not Quite Living — not quite updated, either (12 January 2007)
    Post-Emergent — 25 May 2006
    Properly Speaking — 5 April 2007
    The Provincial Life — 22 August 2006
    Random Thoughts of a Confessional Lutheran — 9 April 2007
    The Ranting Reverend — 1 November 2006
    Render Unto Caesar — 404
    Return of the Prodigal Blogger — prodigal again (lapsed back into atheism)
    Sacred Meditations — 17 January 2007
    St. Charles Place — 404
    Christina Schellenbach — 31 October 2007
    Michael Schuermann
    Sethanized Propaganda — 16 February 2007
    Seward Snow Dog — 11 September 2006
    Ten Days Faithful — 29 May 2007
    Theologically - Incorrect — 8 November 2006
    Theophilus' Inferno — 10 May 2007
    Thoughts of Steven — 404
    Unaltered Lutheran — hijacked
    The Unknown Lutheran — privatized

TIMELESS, IF NOT TIMELY

I didn't want to remove this next batch. They're good references, good friends, or both, and I hope that they'll start blogging again. If World Magazine hadn't have completely dropped her, I'd have Bunnie Diehl listed among these fine folk.

    Blog My Soul
    Cantor's Padded Balcony
    Pastor Cota's Blog
    The Crazy Lutheran — illness in the family
    Διαθηκη — on hiatus, but see The Abrahamsons
    Euchrestos
    First British Lutheran Blog Ever
    Pastor Keith GeRue — good sermon archive
    The Grateful Christian
    Our Seneca — now he's into Plato

IN CONCLUSION

For these and all others enrolled in the BBOV, links back are certainly appreciated. And don't forget that all of those listed benefit when you use the entire blogroll. Also, if you'd like to graphically point to the Alley and the Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©, you may use the above design from St. Charles Place (from before St. Charles left our midst) or one of these blog buttons:
Each of these buttons measures 80x15 pixels. Should you choose to use one, please link back to either the main Aardvark Alley URL or else to the post What Is the BBOV.

Finally, if you own or know of a Lutheran blog demonstrating a quia confessional subscription and would like me to consider it for inclusion, please leave a comment. And again, for more information about why this stuff benefits confessional Lutheran blogging, morality, and other worthwhile endeavors, please check out the first three links under Aurous Effluence in the sidebar.

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  22:00 | 2 comments | links to this post
  Need Wordpress Blogroll Advice
One of the members of the BBOV asks, "Is there an easy way to get your confessional blogroll to work using Wordpress?"

Would someone with this expertise either post a summary in the comments or else send me an email that I can pass on?

BTW, the updated blogroll is ready in the sidebar. The introductory and explanatory post shall, DV, soon follow.

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  12:01 | 2 comments | links to this post
  The Baptism of Our Lord
The First Sunday after the Epiphany

Baptism of JesusThe Baptism of our Lord (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:4-11; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22) is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the Epiphany. Christians remember how John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. The Holy Spirit assumed the form of a dove and came down to rest on Jesus' head while the voice of the Father spoke from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. (Mark 3:17)"

His Baptism marks the first adult appearance of our Lord recorded in Holy Scripture. Prior to this day, the last we hear of Him was following His return from the temple as a twelve year old boy. Luke records, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (2:52)"

Baptismal StarFollowing His baptism, "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. (Mark 1:12)" There He remained for forty days of fasting and temptation by Satan. Once the time of temptation was over, Jesus entered into His public ministry as He called the disciples, worked miracles, preached and taught, forgave sins, and prepared Himself for the suffering and death awaiting Him.

With John, we might wonder why Jesus came to be baptized (see Matthew 3:14). However, Jesus told him, "It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15)" Jesus' baptism publicly marked Him as God's Anointed One (Messiah or Christ). He nothing for which He needed to repent, so His entry into Baptism's waters was not to wash away sins. Instead, He took all the sins of mankind upon Himself. He identified Himself as one of us by being baptized and spent the rest of His earthly life fulfilling our righteousness, keeping the Law perfectly.

Lection

Psalm 29
Isaiah 42:1-9
Romans 6:1-11
Matthew 3:13-17

Collect

Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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  00:01 | 0 comments | links to this post
10 January 2008
  + Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa +
Basil the Great of Caesarea, 1 January AD 379
with Gregory of Nazianzus, 9 May AD 389
and Gregory of Nyssa, 9 March AD 395

Saint Basil the GreatSaints Basil and the two Gregorys, collectively known as the Cappadocian Fathers, were leaders of Christian orthodoxy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the later fourth century. Basil and Gregory of Nyssa were brothers; Gregory Nazianzus, Patriarch of Constantinople, was their friend. All three were influential in shaping the theology ratified by the Council of Constantinople of 381, which is expressed in the Nicene Creed.

Their defense of the doctrines of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Trinity, together with their contributions to the liturgy of the Eastern Church, make them among the most influential Christian teachers and theologians of their time. Their knowledge and wisdom continues to be heard and known in the Christian Church today.

Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of NyssaWhen we commemorate the brothers, we do well to remember their sister Macrina (Makrina), as well. The eldest child of their generation, she did much to support and encourage the brothers' theological studies, moral development, and later work.

Please note that this day of celebration was chosen by The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod for its list of commemorations. Basil is remembered in the East on his heavenly birthday (death date) while the West traditionally celebrated him on 14 June, the anniversary of his consecration. Recently, Roman Catholicism has adopted 2 January. The occidental Church doesn't commemorate him on his date of death because of its conflict with the Western celebration of a major Christological feast, The Circumcision and Name of Jesus. The LCMS chose to remember Wilhelm Loehe on 2 January and translated Basil to an open day, also combining his commemoration with those of the two with whom he worked so closely.

Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus were two of the four Eastern theologians among the eight great Doctors of the undivided Church. The other two were Athanasius and John Chrysostom. The four great early Western (or Latin) doctors were Augustine, Jerome, Gregory the Great, and Ambrose of Milan.

Lection

Psalm 139:1-9 or 34:1-8
Wisdom 7:7-14
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Luke 10:21-24

Collect

Almighty God, who revealed to Your Church Your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in a Trinity of Persons, give us grace that, like Your servants Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; who live and reign one God, now and forever.

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  00:01 | 1 comments | links to this post
09 January 2008
  Well Render Me Speechless ...
at Least Render Me Something

Actually, I'm not speechless, and for at least one sense of the word, I'd rather not be rendered, either.

Nor do I wish to be ... well ... carbonated? No, that's a second cousin* of the word I seek, at best.

Carbonized? Ah, that's it!

Also, while the process takes place within me, I certainly hope to avoid having synthesis acted upon me — even after my demise. Unfortunately, should Mrs. Vark outlive me, my preferences could go by the boards.

By now, you're likely pondering the nature of the bush about which I've been beating, so I shall attempt a more forthright tack. Should I die before it comes, I do not desire awaiting the great Day of the Lord having my physical self stripped down to its carbon content and converted into a synthetic diamond.

Tiffany DiamondYet I could face this fate should Mrs. V desire to discover if I might be worth more dead than alive and moves to contact LifeGem®. Yes, their patented process could reduce the earthly dwelling of my sparkling wit to a "forever" bauble sparkling upon her finger or hanging from her neck.

I have no tangible evidence that such a fate awaits me through the machinations of my fair, beautiful, loving, talented, charming bride of many years (yes, dear, I know you occasionally venture a visit to my corner of the Burrow). However, I inherited a certain suspicious nature (thanks, Daddy Vark) that sometimes borders upon paranoia (you, too, Mommy V). Said nature keeps watch in a dark corner of my mind, pouncing upon any event or activity it perceives to be out of the ordinary and/or potentially harmful.

The nagging worries stem from her recent encouragement to my already amply sized self to "eat more" because she thinks I'm "looking a bit underfed." Now back in the Dark Ages of my formal education, logic was something they taught us. We learned the sequence, "If A=B and B=C then A=C." This can carry on to D's, E's, F's, and beyond. So please help me check my philosophical math: "If my increased food consumption (A) yields a larger me (B) and a larger me (B) yields a larger pile of carbon (C) while a larger pile of carbon (C) yields a larger stone (D), then my increased food consumption (A) equals a larger diamond (D)."

As I indicated, it's probably just the curse of possessing a Doubting Thomas nature, but I now think that forming and keeping a belated New Year's resolution to lose a fair bit of weight might be more prudent than I previously imagined.

*"Use the right word, not its second cousin." Mark Twain, Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses, 13th Rule of Literary Art

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  00:05 | 0 comments | links to this post
06 January 2008
  The Epiphany of Our Lord
6 January, New Testament

Epiphany StarThe Epiphany season begins today, with the Feast of the Epiphany. This day celebrates the the Wise Men bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child.

The word Epiphany means "showing" or "manifestation" and the entire season from today until the beginning of Lent deals in one way with the ways in which Jesus was shown to be the Christ, either by His own words