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The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord

2012-02-02T00:01:00.004-06:00

2 February, New Testament

The Presentation of Our Lord at the Temple, one of the Christological feasts of the Christian Church, is Scripture's final infancy narrative concerning Jesus. After the Presentation, the Bible says nothing more about Him until His twelfth year.

Many liturgical calendars name this the Feast of the Purification (of the Blessed Virgin Mary), emphasizing its Marian connection. Still another term used is Candlemas, drawing the name from the tradition of blessing the coming year's church candles on this day.

Saint Luke is the only one of the Evangelists to describe the event (see 2:22-40), something likely unfamiliar to most of his Gentile readers. According to the Gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Baby to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to consecrate Jesus to God and to complete the ritual purification of Mary, both of these because of the command of God's Law (Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16; Leviticus 12).

Upon entering the temple, the family encountered the devout and holy Simeon. Luke records that he was promised that "he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. (Luke 2:26)" Simeon took Jesus into his arms, prayed the prayer that would become known as the Nunc Dimittis, or Canticle of Simeon, blessed the parents, and prophesied regarding Jesus and Mary.

The prophetess Anna (2:36-38) was also in the temple. She, too, offered prayers and praise to God for sending the Savior.

In the Western liturgical calendar, the Presentation of Our Lord falls on 2 February because this is the fortieth day of Christmas. It is the last festival determined by the date of Christmas and thus shows that the Epiphany season is drawing to a close. Most churches in the East observe the occasion on 14 February since they celebrate Christ's Nativity on 6 January.

Lection

Psalm 84
1 Samuel 1:21-28
Hebrews 2:14-18
Luke 2:22-32 (33-40)

Collect

Almighty and ever-living God, as Your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, grant that we may be presented to You with pure and clean hearts; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Claus Harms +

2012-02-01T00:01:00.004-06:00

1 February AD 1855

German pastor and theologian Klaus Harms was born at Fahrstedt, Schleswig-Holstein on 25 May 1778 and baptized the next day in the neighboring community of Marne. Before entering university, he worked in his father's mill. He also farmed for a brief time.

His early religious and philosophical leanings tended strongly toward Rationalism but change commenced after he began studies at the University of Kiel. First, Friedrich Schleiermacher led Harms toward a less extreme, slightly more Evangelical understanding of Christianity. Further study of Scripture and older Lutheran writers pulled him away from the liberal, inner-conscious Christianity of Schleiermacher toward traditional, orthodox Lutheranism.

By the time of his graduation, it's unlikely that Harms would have been certified for the ministry by the crass Rationalists or the disciples of Schleiermacher. Therefore, he took his oral and written examinations before J. L. Callisen, the orthodox Lutheran superintendent of Holstein.

Following his studies and a stint as tutor and guest preacher, Harms was married in Probsteierhagen in 1806. Later that year, he was called as deacon (assitant pastor) at Lunden. After serving there for ten years, he accepted a call to serve the St. Nikolai Church in Kiel as archdeacon. He became chief pastor and superintendent in 1835. All through this period he continued to distance himself from Rationalism and the feeling- and experience-based theology of Schleiermacher to increasingly espouse the pure Lutheran doctrine of the 16th Century.

Harms's personality and preaching style led to growing popularity in Kiel and beyond. He drew international attention in 1817. On the 300th anniversary of the Reformation, he published Luther's original Ninety-five Theses and ninety-five additional theses of his own composition, "directed against all sorts of false and confused knowledge within the Lutheran church." These latter attacked Rationalism and unionism and called for a return to pure Lutheran theology and practice.

Much as Luther condemned the magisterial use of reason which placed rational thought above faith in Christ, Harms wrote, "We could call reason our time's pope, our antichrist.... (Thesis 9)" He claimed the right of Lutherans to have authentic Lutheran clergy: "Reason rages in the Lutheran church: it tears Christ from the altar, throws God's word from the pulpit, casts excrements into the baptismal water, mixes all sorts of people when it comes to God-parents, erases the address of the confessional chair, hisses out the priests, and all people with them, and has been doing this for a long time. (Thesis 71)"

Furthermore, Harms lauded a proper balance in Word and Sacrament ministry. Theses 92-94 say, "The evangelical-catholic church is a glorious church. It rests on and builds itself preferably by the sacrament. The evangelical-reformed church is a glorious church. It rests on and builds itself by God's word. More glorious than both is the evangelical-Lutheran church. It rests on and builds itself by the sacrament as well as God's word."

While Harms had considerable influence throughout Germany, we must also recognize his huge, albeit indirect, contribution to American Lutheranism. His Christ-centered, confessional Lutheranism led C. F. W. Walther and others to their awakening into true Lutheranism later during the 19th Century.

Besides his credentials as a theologian, Harms was a qualified musician. As such, his growing Lutheran identity led him to restore Lutheran hymnody to the church. Many of his textual reforms remain to present times. However, he never had the same success with the restoration of the original melodies and the bold syncopation of the traditional chorales remain buried under the bland metrical style for many years following.

Among his writings are the aforementioned Theses, volumes of his sermons, an autobiography, and his 1830 Pastoraltheologie. Due to blindness, Harms resigned his pastorate in 1849. He died on 1 February 1855.

Quotes from The 95 Theses of Claus Harms at LutheranWiki.

See also the articles at Christian Cyclopedia, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, and Wikipedia.

+ Matthias Loy +

2012-01-28T00:01:00.005-06:00

26 January AD 1915; transferred to 28 January*

Matthias Loy (1828-1915) was born on 17 March to Matthias and Christina Loy, a pair of German immigrants. The family lived in near-poverty in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg. He was the fourth of seven children. Matthias, Senior was a lapsed Catholic who apparently held only nominal religious beliefs for most of his life. Christina came from pietistic Lutheran stock in Württemberg. She did what she could to give the family some semblance of a Christian education and made sure that all but the eldest child were baptized as infants. Even her first-born son eventually was confirmed into the Lutheran Church.

When Matthias was six years old, the family moved to Hogestown, Pennsylvania. He lived with his family until he was fourteen. They then apprenticed him to Baab and Hummel Printers of Harrisburg. During the next six years, he worked for them while attending school. Mr. Hummel brought Matthias to the attention of Harrisburg minister C. W. Schäffer. Pastor Schäffer urged Matthias to consider a pastoral vocation. To this end, he studied studied Greek and Latin under the Harrisburg Academy's principal. This led to enrollment as a full student at the Academy. He hoped to enter the Gettysburg Theological Seminary, perhaps the epicenter of Lutheran liberalism in America.

Illness led Loy's doctor to encourage the young man to move farther west. Matthias found an employment opportunity with the United Brethren Publishing House in Circleville, Ohio. There he would become printer for the Brethren's semimonthly German paper. Loy came to Circleville in 1847 and quickly met the Lutheran pastor. This good soul suggested that Matthias waste no more time getting on with his pastoral education and suggested that he enroll at the Theological Seminary in Columbus. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio was much more conservative and confessional than the Lutherans he had left behind in Pennsylvania.

With the promise of financial aid through the Lutheran pastor, Loy sought and received release from his printer's contract and left for Columbus. Of Matthias's time there, C. George Fry writes, "It was at this institution that he received the only two years of formal higher education deemed necessary to be a pastor. In 1849, after a two year 'cram course' that included academy, college, and seminary, Loy was graduated and installed as a minister in Delaware, Ohio."

According to Fry, these two men, along with Charles Porterfield Krauth, "must be seen as a common effort to preserve traditional Lutheran theology from the corrosive effects of 'the acids of modernity' in the last half of the nineteenth century. These three titans — Walther in the West, Krauth in the East, and Loy in the middle — could be compared to three anchors holding fast the ship of Lutheran Confessionalism during the ferocious storms of the Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy."

In 1860, the Joint Synod of Ohio elected Loy President. Four years later, he was appointed editor of the Lutheran Standard. After sixteen years in the ministry, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio called Loy as professor of theology. He resigned as president of the Ohio Synod in 1878 he resigned as President of the Ohio Synod. Around this time he also returned the call to become English-language professor of theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Wilhelm Friedrich Lehmann, Loy's successor as synodical president, died in 1880 and Loy returned to that office, succeeding him also as President of Capital University. He started the Columbus Theological Magazine in 1881. Loy retired as professor emeritus in 1902 and died on 26 January 1915.

Loy was finally surrounded by orthodox Lutheran theology and he made the most of his time at the seminary. As a student, he began reading Der Lutheraner, edited by C. F. W. Walther. This led to a long relationship with Dr. Walther, a friendship that grew so great that even their eventual disagreements over predestination and the fracturing of the Synodical Conference couldn't destroy.

Loy was instrumental in the formation of the Synodical Conference. However, at the Ohio Synod meeting at Wheeling in 1881, the synod withdrew from the Conference. This came about over sharp differences in understanding Predestination. Many Ohio Synod pastors taught that God predestined people according to His foreknowledge of whether they would come to faith while the Missouri Synod condemned this as false doctrine.

During his life, Loy wrote several books. Of special note is his seminal work The Augsburg Confession: An Introduction to Its Study and an Exposition of Its Contents.

He also wrote at least twenty hymns, including An Awe-full Mystery Is Here, The Law of God Is Good and Wise, The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace, and Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever. His hymn translations included All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall, The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us, Let Me Be Thine Forever, and Thy Table I Approach.

*Since his death date (26 January) and birth date (17 March) both conflict with long-standing festivals on the sanctorial calendar (Titus and Pádraig respectively) and since 27 January belongs to John Chrysostom, I moved Loy's commemoration the first open date, 28 January.

Sources

Quotes from C. George Fry's Matthias Loy: Theologian of American Lutheran Orthodoxy [PDF]. This excellent biography was printed in The Springfielder, October 1974, Volume 38, Number 4.

Additional Reading includes Loy's autobiography, The Story of My Life [PDF] and entries at Net Hymnal and the Christian Cyclopedia.

Suggested Lection

Psalm 46
Isaiah 55:6-11
Romans 10:5-17
John 15:1-11

Collect

O Lord God, heavenly Father, we pray that, as You raised up Matthias Loy to lead Lutherans in American into a renewed appreciation of their confessional heritage and to a fuller confidence in the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, so You would continue to provide us with faithful pastors and leaders, keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, defend us against all enemies of Your Word, and bestow on Christ's Church Militant Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

+ John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church +

2012-01-27T00:01:00.002-06:00

27 January AD 407

Saint John Chrysostom, Preacher, Bishop, and Theologian, was called Chrysostom (Greek for"golden-mouthed") by his hearers. He was a dominant force in the fourth-century Christian church.

Born in Antioch around AD 347, John was instructed in the Faith by his pious mother, Anthusa. After serving in a number of Christian offices, including acolyte and lector, John was ordained a presbyter and given preaching responsibilities.

His simple but direct messages found an audience well beyond his home town. His title came from his legendary preaching abilities. An unsubstantiated but widely circulated tale is that pickpockets and cutpurses would flock to services because he held his audience so spellbound that they could easily rob Saint John's hearers.

In 398, John was made Patriarch of Constantinople, where His determination to reform the church, court, and city brought him into conflict with established authorities. Eventually, he was exiled from his adopted city. Although removed from his parishes and people, he continued writing and preaching until his death in 407. It is reported that his final words were: "Glory be to God for all things. Amen."

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

Quote

The following excerpt is based on the passage, "[T]he letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)" It comes from his Sixth Homily On 2 Corinthians.

Yet he says these things not in one sense only, but in reference to those who prided themselves on the things of Judaism. By the "letter" here he means the Law which punishes those who transgress; but by the "spirit" he means the grace which through Baptism gives life to those who by sins were made dead.

In the Law he that has sin is punished. Here, he that has sins comes and is baptized and is made righteous, and being made righteous, he lives, being delivered from the death of sin. The Law, if it lay hold on a murderer, puts him to death. The Gospel, if it lay hold on a murderer, enlightens, and gives him life.

Quoted from The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism © 2004 by Concordia Publishing House.

Lection

Psalm 49:1-8 or 34:15-22
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Luke 21:12-15

Collect

O God, who gave Your servant John Chrysostom the grace to proclaim eloquently Your righteousness in the great congregation, and fearlessly to bear reproach for the honor of Your Name, mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellency in preaching and fidelity in ministering Your Word, that Your people shall be partakers with them of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Saint Titus, Pastor and Bishop +

2012-01-26T00:01:00.003-06:00

26 January, New Testament

Saint Titus, Pastor and Confessor was sent by Paul as bishop and pastor to Crete.

Along with his other duties, he was also to "appoint elders in every town (Titus 1:5)" — in other words, he chose and consecrated the first generation of Cretan pastors and appears to have been the island's de facto bishop. While there, he was to himself be a faithful shepherd for Christ's flock as he trained and placed others into the Office of the Holy Ministry.

Titus is mentioned as Paul's companion in some of the epistles: 2 Corinthians 2:13; 7:6, 13-14; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18; Galatians 2:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:10.

The letters Paul wrote to Titus and Timothy are collectively known as the Pastoral Epistles. Much of Christianity's understanding and practice of the pastorate comes from these three relatively brief letters.

Lection

Psalm 71:1-14
Acts 20:28-35
Titus 1:1-9
Luke 10:1-9

Collect

Almighty God, You called Titus to the work of pastor and teacher. Make all shepherds of Your flock diligent in preaching Your hold Word so that the whole world may know the immeasurable riches of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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The Conversion of Saint Paul

2012-01-25T00:01:00.003-06:00

25 January, New Testament

Today celebrates the Conversion of Saint Paul through the revelation of the risen Christ to him on the road to Damascus. The zealous Pharisee Saul was traveling to arrest followers of Jesus. Instead of capturing Christians, Paul found Himself made captive by his Savior's boundless grace and became Christ's primary apostle to the Gentiles. Accounts of the event are in Acts 9:1-22; Acts 26:9-21; and Galatians 1:11-24.

Paul's normal symbol in ecclesiastical art is a shield with sword and open Bible. The Latin words Spiritus Gladius (sword of the Spirit) come from the apostle's words about the armor of God, where he urges believers to take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)" The sword also reminds us of the traditional accounts of his martyr's death, beheading during the Neronian Persecution.

Lection

Psalm 67
Acts 9:1-22
Galatians 1:11-24
Matthew 19:27-30

Collect

Almighty God, as You turned the heart of him who persecuted the Church and by his preaching caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world, grant us ever to rejoice in the saving light of Your Gospel and to spread it to the uttermost parts of the earth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Saint Timothy, Pastor and Bishop +

2012-01-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

24 January, New Testament

Today we commemorate Saint Timothy, Pastor and Confessor. The festival days for Pastors Timothy and Titus are set on either side of the day marking Saint Paul's conversion. This proximity reminds us of their connection with the apostle, including his establishing them in office and the letters he wrote to them.

Timothy grew up in the faith as taught by his mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. He was a companion of Paul for many of the apostle's travels and spent much of his own pastorate in Ephesus.

Timothy is mentioned in Acts 16-20, and appears in 9 epistles either as joining in Paul's greetings or as a messenger. Additionally, two of Paul's three "pastoral epistles" — 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy — were addressed to him and his congregation.

The letters Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus are collectively known as the Pastoral Epistles. Much of Christianity's understanding and practice of the pastorate comes from these three relatively brief letters.

Lection

Psalm 71:15-24
Acts 16:1-5
1 Timothy 6:11-16
Matthew 24:42-47

Collect

Lord Jesus Christ, You have always given to Your Church on earth faithful shepherds such as Timothy to guide and feed Your flock. Make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Word and administer Your means of grace, and grant Your people wisdom to follow in the way that leads to life eternal; for You live and reign iwth the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Sarah +

2012-01-20T00:01:00.003-06:00

20 January, Old Testament

Sarah, whose name means "princess," was wife (and half-sister) of Hebrew patriarch Abraham (Genesis 11:29; 20:12). In obedience to divine command (Genesis 12:1), she made the long and arduous journey west, along with her husband and his relatives, from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and then finally to the land of Canaan.

She was originally named Sarai but the Lord commanded her change in name (Genesis 17:15). At the same time, He changed Abram's name to Abraham (from "exalted father" to "father of a people"; Genesis 17:5).

She remained childless until old age. Then, in keeping with God's long-standing promise, she gave birth to a son and heir of the covenant (Genesis 21:1-3). When first promising Abraham and Sarah a son of their own, He told Abraham, "You shall call his name Isaac [he laughs]. (Genesis 17:19)" Evidently, the Lord anticipated both Sarah's celebration at his birth (Genesis 21:6) and her previous disbelieving laughter when she first heard she would become pregnant (Genesis 18:12-15). Thus, God reminds subsequent generations that He always "gets the last laugh."

We remember and honor Sarah as faithful wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, the second of the three great patriarchs. Thus, she became biological mother to the people of Israel and spiritual mother to all who believe in Jesus Christ, her greatest descendant. We also acknowledge her gracious hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).

Following her death at the age of 127, Abraham laid her to rest in the Cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23), where he was later buried (Genesis 25:7-10).

Saint Paul used the example of Sarah bearing Isaac according to divine promise to illustrate the relationship Christians have with God through the Gospel's promise. Galatians 4:21-31 contrasts Ishmael, the child of the slave woman Hagar, with Isaac, the promised child of the free woman Sarah. The author of Hebrews was inspired by the Holy Spirit to record that even though she initially laughed at the Lord's seemingly impossible prediction, "By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. (Hebrews 11:11)

Scripture quoted from the ESV.

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The Confession of Saint Peter

2012-01-18T00:01:00.003-06:00

18 January, New Testament

Today we celebrate God's blessed revelation to the disciples that Jesus was more than a good man, a holy man, an outstanding teacher, or an awesome miracle worker: Thus, we also celebrate that through the Apostles and Evangelists, we also know and believe that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)"

Flesh and blood still don't reveal this to us; faith is still a gift of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God. However, with the primary means of the Gospel Word, God uses the secondary means of flesh and blood to proclaim and teach each new generation this central confession of the Christian Faith.

Thus, once the Father, working through the Holy Spirit, created faith in Peter and the others that Jesus was the Anointed One promised by the prophets, Jesus commissioned them to minister in His Name. Yet they weren't to begin immediately. Peter's great Christological "aha!" would sit in silence until after the Son of Man went to Jerusalem to "suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Matthew 16:21)"

After the Resurrection, the Apostles received the fullness of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and immediately put this confession into the world. Preaching, teaching, baptizing, and absolving sinners, the original disciples discipled others. The Good News of the suffering, dying, and risen Messiah led thousands, then millions to the Faith.

Using the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven — the binding of unrepentant sinners' trangressions to them and the remission of sins for those who believe in Jesus as their Savior — remains the Church's mission. Their exercise is through the divinely created Office of the Holy Ministry, wherein Christ's called pastors continue to forgive sins on behalf of their Lord.

Through the pastoral office, Jesus continues to breathe His Spirit upon His appointed messengers. They continue the apostolic practice of forgiving sins in His stead and by His command while still firmly declaring the unremitting wrath of God against those who will not repent and believe: "If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld. (John 20:23)"

The Lutheran Confessions are replete with many instances and expressions of this gracious office. One brief and clear section is in the Small Catechism in the writing on Confession.

Lection

Psalm 118:19-29
Acts 4:8-13
2 Peter 1:1-15
Mark 8:27-35 (36-9:1)

Collect

Dear Father in heaven, You revealed to the apostle Peter the blessed truth that Your Son Jesus is the Christ. Strengthen us by the proclamation of this truth that we too may joyfully confess that there is salvation in no one else; 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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+ Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa +

2012-01-10T00:01:00.003-06:00

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

Saints 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.

When we commemorate the brothers, we also do well to remember their sister Macrina (Makrina). The eldest child of their generation, she did much to support and encourage the brothers' theological studies, moral development, and later work. Gregory of Nyssa wrote a Life of Macrina, one that actually focuses more on his sister's last days and death.

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.

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. Recently, Roman Catholicism adopted 2 January for the commemoration. The LCMS chose to remember Wilhelm Loehe on that date and transferred Basil to an open day, combining his commemoration with those of the two others 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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The Baptism of Our Lord

2012-01-08T00:01:00.003-06:00

The First Sunday after the Epiphany, New Testament

The Baptism of our Lord (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:4-11; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22) is 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 1:11)"

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)"

Following 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 had 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.

*The traditional date for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord was 13 January, the octave day of Epiphany. Currently, however, Jesus' baptism is celebrated on the Sunday after 6 January. Yet in many places, the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany is transferred to the Sunday closest to the date. At times, this means that celebrations of Epiphany and the Baptism of Jesus fall on the same day. If this is the case, churches following this lectionary scheme celebrate only Epiphany, not Christ's baptism. This is never a problem if we do not move Epiphany from its set date.

Lection

Psalm 29
Genesis 1:1-5
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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+ Jakob Andreae +

2012-01-07T00:01:00.004-06:00

7 January AD 1590

Born 25 March 1528 to blacksmith Jakob Endriß and his wife Anna (née Weißkopf) in Waiblingen in the dukedom of Württemberg, Jakob Andreae (also Andreæ or Andreä) came from a family seemingly too poor to support any higher education. However, it was his good fortune to come of age at a time when Duke Ulrich began Evangelical reform in the duchy. Württemberg's mayor, aware of the young man's potential, procured for him a ducal scholarship.

In 1539 Andreae attended a preparatory school in Stuttgart, and two years later he entered the University of Tübingen — at the tender age of thirteen years. In 1545 he began his study of theology under the Tübingen faculty. He stayed only briefly. Württemberg was critically short of pastors and he was placed in the parish after one year of study. His enemies found ample ammunition for their opposition of him due in part to his arrested academic career.

The religious sea change that Martin Luther began with the German Reformation had spread through Europe. In many parts of the continent, the changes went much deeper than did those of the Lutherans. New ways of thinking and of doing theology led to new sects and confessions within Christendom. With all the change around them, some Lutherans began following other ways of thinking, although many remained orthodox followers of Luther.

The signing of the Augsburg Confession in 1530 appeared to signal full doctrinal consent among the Lutherans but agreement was brief. The interpretation of the Scriptures and the roles of the Augsburg Confession, its Apology, the Smalcald Articles, and the Catechisms became controverted. While Philipp Melanchthon and others were already altering the Confessions to suit their shifting interpretations of Scripture, Luther's death in 1546 hastened Lutheran disunity. Into the turmoil of the middle and latter Sixteenth Century stepped Jakob Andreae.

Andreae began this time in theology's public sphere with the intention of conciliation among Protestant Christianity. Yet even at his most irenic, Andreae never forsook fidelity to orthodox Lutheranism. Convinced that it was God's will that the Church would be one (cf. John 17:11-12, 20-23), he sought to reach out to those outside the Lutheran party while also challenging errorists within. The hardliners among the Gnesio-Lutherans unswervingly believed that anyone teaching falsely deserved immediate and absolute condemnation.

This caught Andreae in a bind: He could continue his gentle methods in dealing with errorists, including John Calvin and invite the wrath of the staunchest Lutherans or he could be more forceful with the false teachers and alienate them completely from Luther's heirs.

The actions of others finally led him to give up hope of full unity. A 1570 meeting of theologians in Zerbst in agreed to espouse unity based upon the Augsburg Confession, the Apology, the Smalcald Articles, and the Catechisms. Initially elated with the agreement, Andreae soon saw the Wittenberg theologians qualifying their confessional subscription according to Melanchthon's revisions. This was followed by a series of Crypto-Calvinist reinterpretations of the Lutheran Confessions and led Andreae to realize that it would be impossible to build and maintain a truly Lutheran Electoral Saxony with such errorists in place.

With the entire spectrum of Germanic Protestantism was calling upon the Augsburg Confession to support wildly contradictory theological positions, Andreae began arguing for a new confession around which true Lutherans could gather and which could be used to screen and reject errorists. Need for such a confession became even more apparent after Andreae visited Wittenberg and discovered for himself the depth of their Christological differences and found that on their home turf, these theologians had no interest in the unity he desired.

Finding himself stymied by these least Lutheran Protestants, Andreae turned his attention to those who still wanted to fully follow the reforms and the theology of Luther. He finally took of the gloves and started forceful condemnation of the Philippists and Crypto-Calvinists through the series Six Christian Sermons. Martin Chemnitz, David Chytraeus, and others read the copies sent them by Andreae, which asked that the sermons be used as the basis of the new confession. While they agreed with Andreae's theology, they didn't think that sermons were the proper means of making a confessional statement. They asked instead for a thesis-antithesis form.

Andreae responded by writing the Swabian Concord, built on the foundation of his Six Sermons. The finished document became the first draft of the Formula of Concord. After Chemnitz and Chytraeus read the document, they worked it into a revision known as the Swabian-Saxon Concord. Into this was assimilated Württemberg's Maulbronn Formula. Next came the Torgic Book, followed by the Bergic Book, developed in the years 1576-1577. The Bergic Book became the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord.

The Formula was included in the Book of Concord, which was published on 25 June 1580, the fiftieth anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession. Included with the Solid Declaration was the Formula's Epitome, the Augsburg Confession, the Apology, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, Luther's Catechisms, and the three Ecumenical Creeds. Finally, German Lutheranism had the theological consensus which Andreae had so long desired.

Andreae's efforts for church unity based on doctrinal agreement didn't end with the Formula of Concord. In his later years, he continued to espouse pure Lutheran theology and to oppose all who denied or compromised it. This included his 1586 debate on the ubiquity of Christ with Calvinist theologian Theodore de Beza in Mömpelgard, Württemberg (now Montbéliard, France).

In addition to his tireless work on behalf of Lutheran unity, Jakob Andreae also found time for a large family. He married Anna Entringer in Tübingen in June 1546. She bore him twenty children between 1547 and 1579. Of these, eleven reached adulthood. Anna died in 1583. In 1585, he married Regensburg widow Regina Reitter, nee Schachner. Andreae died on 7 January 1590, followed 2 ½ years later by Regina.

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The BBOV — Blogpiphany 2012

2012-01-06T12:46:00.006-06:00

The Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

As many Christians (and non-Christians, for that matter) know, Epiphany means "manifestation" or "showing forth." Since today is the Feast of the Epiphany on the Church's calendar and since it's well past time to do another update, here is the Alley's Blogpiphany, a showing forth of recently discovered confessional Lutheran blogs.

I promise to keep my nose close to the ground on Facebook and Networked Blogs and welcome suggestions from others in order to discover, catalog, and add more listings to the confessional Lutheran blogosphere. And since this lovable fuzzball cannot read minds, please contact me if you change blogging services or move to a new URL or blog name. The BBOV is only as good as the blogs it lists and broken or obsolete links drive people away from here, which may keep them from discovering more good sites, including yours.

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).

If you enjoy this blog, especially if you're listed or would like to be added to the Aardvark family, you can let me know via blog comment or through my Facebook page. If you friend me, please attach a note telling me if you are a current or prospective member of the BBOV. And when you find things you like through the Alley, please leave a comment to that effect with the blog owners.

CONFESSIONAL LUTHERAN BLOGS

Five Gifts for Epiphany

  † An American Lutheran
  † Authentic Frontier Gibberish
  † Blog Luthérien du Poitou
  † Lutheran Messenger Online
  † When I Say Run, Run!

FINALLY ...

For all those 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 the Illuminous 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.

Last of all, 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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The Epiphany of Our Lord

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

6 January, New Testament

The 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 and deeds or by the actions of the Father and the Holy Spirit (as in His baptism). The hymn Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (printed below) praises many of these manifestations and anticipates that last, great Epiphany, when Jesus manifests Himself visibly before all mankind and brings His Church home to eternal glory.

In much of the world, Epiphany, not Christmas, is a day for giving gifts to family and friends. Rather than using the day in which the Father gave His Son to a sin-darkened and unexpecting world, many nations choose the day celebrating the gifts the Wise Men brought the Christ Child as a day of giving gifts to their own children (and to others). This Wikipedia article details some of the religious and cultural practices of the day. Of course, some countries are done with the presents before Christmas; they choose Saint Nicholas Day on 6 December as the time of giving gifts.

The Wise Men Traveled from Afar, another Epiphany hymn, is posted at the Happenings and Ask the Pastor blogs. Ask the Pastor also has several archived posts pertaining to the Epiphany: Unbiblical Christmas Carols, Jesus and the Wise Men, and Names of the Magi.

Lection

Psalm 72
Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Collect

O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead us, who know You by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymn

Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David's stem,
In Thy birth at Bethlehem.
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,
And at Cana, Wedding-guest,
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine,
Changing water into wine.
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil's might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill.
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heavens shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Mirrored in Thy holy Word;
May we imitate Thee now
And be pure as pure art Thou
That we like to Thee may be
At Thy great Epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.

+ Charles Porterfield Krauth, Pastor and Theologian +

2012-01-03T00:01:00.005-06:00

2 January AD 1883; transferred to 3 January*

Charles Porterfield Krauth was born in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), on 17 March 1823. He was son of the noted Lutheran pastor Dr. Charles Philip Krauth. However, young Charles wasn't named for his father but for grandfathers Charles James Krauth and Robert Porterfield Augustus Heiskell.

In 1839, Krauth graduated from Pennsylvania (now Gettysburg) College. His father was the college's president at this time and also served on the theological faculty of the city's Lutheran Theological Seminary, so it's no surprise that young C. P. Krauth attended this school for his pastoral education. He graduated in 1841 and was ordained the following year, after which he served as parish pastor in Baltimore, the Shenandoah Valley, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Krauth was called to St. Mark's Church, Philidelphia in 1859 and served there for two years. However, his dissatisfaction with American Lutheranism led him to resign and assume editorship of the Lutheran and Missionary, a journal espousing a return to the theology of the Augsburg Confession. His movement away from his father's church seems to have been triggered by ... his own father! This wasn't the result of family strife but because Charles James Krauth had given Charles Porterfield Krauth the gift of Chemnitz.

The more he read from "the Second Martin," the more he was convinced that the General Synod and most of Americanized Lutheranism had departed the ways of "the First Martin"; i.e., Luther himself. C. P. Krauth became increasingly uncomfortable with Lutherans who were so concerned with ecumenism that they would downplay, abandon, or deny the theology of the Augsburg Confession and the rest of the Book of Concord. He recognized the strains of "Socinianism ... Universalism ... Unionism, Pietism, Moravianism, and Methodism"* and other non-Lutheran, even unchristian, philosopies and theologies that diluted and corrupted pure Evangelical Lutheranism away from what he was ever-increasingly growing to know, to believe, and to love.

As he ventured farther into the "old" Lutheranism of the Reformation and the Age of Orthodoxy, Krauth started speaking more harshly about the "new" Lutheran leaders who were following the lead of Samuel Simon Schmucker. He claimed that the General Synod had become the playground of "moral weaklings." These "amiable inanities" only played at "neutrality and conservatism," ignored major theological differences, and generally espoused a healing through "a cataplasm of soft words and soft soap, or an ointment of love and lard."† Needless to say, the other side hated these criticisms and the cracks between their conflicting confessions quickly expanded to a major rift.

This new conservative and confessional wing of English-speaking American Lutheranism found itself needing its own organization and theological institutions. The confessional party established Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia in 1864 and asked Krauth to lead their new school and become its professor of systematic theology. In 1867, Krauth was instrumental in the establishment of the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America. He wrote the General Council's position papers and the foundational document and then drafted its constitution. Three years later, he was elected the Council's president, in which office he served for a decade, until 1880.

Krauth composed a series of theses on pulpit and altar fellowship under the title the “Akron-Galesburg Rule.” The summary is simple: "Lutheran pulpits only for Lutheran pastors, and Lutheran altars only for Lutheran communicants only." While the Galesburg Rule permitted exceptions based on pastoral discretion, it still strongly repudiated the nearly blind ecumenism of the General Synod.

Krauth's theological arguments and personal appeal stood him in good stead. Over the course of time, both his own father and Beale Melanchthon Schmucker (Samuel Simon's grandson) joined him in a literal reading of the Scriptures and a quia adherence to the Lutheran Confessions. He also drew William Passavant, the pioneer of the American Lutheran deaconess movement, into the confessional camp.

Krauth's scholarship and academic influence went beyond Lutheranism. He became a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, serving from 1865 to 1868. He was made Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy in 1868 and held that position until his death in 1883. From 1873-1882, he was also Penn's Vice Provost.

Over the course of his life, Charles Porterfield Krauth saw more than one hundred of his works in print. Chief among these was The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology: As Represented in the Augsburg Confession, and in the History and Literature of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (1875). His reputation as one of the great American Lutheran theologians remains secure. In fact, we might drop the "American" and name him as one of the great theologians throughout all Lutheranism.

Pastor David Jay Webber leads us to think thusly, claiming that if C. F. W. Walther justly deserves the title, of "the American Luther," then Krauth is the best candidate for "the American Chemnitz."†† Walther himself noted a Chemnitz-like mix of confessional theology and a conciliar nature in calling Krauth "the most eminent man in the English Lutheran Church of this country, a man of rare learning, at home no less in the old than in modern theology, and, what is of greatest import, whole-heartedly devoted to the pure doctrine of our Church, as he had learned to understand it, a noble man and without guile."†††

Finally, a few notes on his family: C. P. Krauth was married to Susan Reynolds from 1844 until her death in 1853. In 1855, he married Virginia Baker. He was blessed with five children through his two wives.

*Commemoration moved from 2 January (the LCMS calendar's remembrance of Wilhelm Loehe) to today. His birth date of 17 March conflicts with the commemoration of Saint Pádraig.

† "The General Council Before Its First Anniversary," The Lutheran Church Review, Vol. XXVI, No. 4 (October 1907)
†† David Jay Webber, Charles Porterfield Krauth: The American Chemnitz (2004)
††† Walther, Lehre und Wehre XXIX:1 (January 1883)

Sources and extended reading suggestions: Christian Cyclopedia, Wikipedia, Penn Biographies, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology at Google Books, and, especially, David Jay Webber's Charles Porterfield Krauth: The American Chemnitz.

Suggested Lection

Psalm 46
Isaiah 55:6-11
Romans 10:5-17
John 15:1-11

Collect

O Lord God, heavenly Father, we pray that, as You raised up Charles Porterfield Krauth to lead Lutherans in American into a renewed appreciation of their confessional heritage and to a fuller confidence in the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, so You would continue to provide us with faithful pastors and leaders, keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, defend us against all enemies of Your Word, and bestow on Christ's Church Militant Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

+ Wilhelm Loehe +

2012-01-02T00:01:00.006-06:00

2 January AD 1872

Christened Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe, he established a reputation already as a young pastor for being "too" theologically conservative and "too" politically progressive. This led to his being moved to at least twelve positions until he received his own parish in Neuendettelsau, Bavaria in 1837. Beginning his career with difficulty, he accomplished much from such a small place. Even though he had aspirations of a more prominent position in a major city, church and government officials never allowed that to pass.

The Catholic king of Bavaria was de facto leader of the Lutheran Church. His main desire was to keep the churches from becoming places of political unrest. Thus arose strict restrictions, such as an assembly of more than five people needing a police permit. He prohibited mission circles and other "subversive enterprises," thus relegating church activities to not much more than Sunday services only.

In 1840, Loehe read a newspaper account from America by Pastor Friedrich Wyneken. It told of German emigrants not having church or pastoral care — nobody could baptize their children, teach, visit the sick, or bury the dead. Pastor Loehe felt compelled to aid the German Lutherans in America and published an article in a church periodical asking for help. Beginning in the spring of 1841, several young men responded to Loehe's letter, expressing the desire help the settlers with their own skills and occupations. In the summer of 1842 he sent them to America at his own expense. He called them Nothelfer ("helpers in need") or "auxiliary saints", and trained them to be "emergency pastors."

Even while he had no theologians to assist his plans, Loehe published a map entitled "Overview for the German Lutheran Mission Work in the United States." It illustrated a system he developed for advancing pastoral care and outreach among German speakers in the United States. More young men followed and by his death, at least 185 came to America. Loehe paid for many of them himself and was always trying to raise money.

After only six years of marriage, Loehe's wife died, leaving him to raise their four children alone. Even among such hardships, his dreams remained clear and his desire to serve the Lord strong. Indeed, recent years have brought recognition for his farsightedness. This contrasts sharply with the handed-down opinions of many contemporaries who, while recognizing him as a founder of social institutions and mission education in Neuendettelsau, regarded him as divisive, narrow-minded, or combative. Changes in attitude began taking place especially after 1985, when several thousand of his letters were published, many previously unknown to scholars in Germany.

Seeking to support and strengthen missions and pastoral ministry in the United States, Loehe established a large parish cooperative throughout Germany. As support grew, he could publish his 1845 "Letter from the Home Country to the German Lutheran Emigrants" which 946 people, including 350 theologians, signed.

With the home churches finally behind him, he could at last send pastors! Loehe saw to the training of twenty-two pastors for work in America. Due in large part to his direct influence a seminary was established in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1846 as well as a teachers' institute in Saginaw, Michigan. Some of the men he sent to the U.S. helped to establish The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. Today, two LCMS seminaries, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri continue equipping and forming men to send out into the Savior's harvest fields.

Besides his interest in the United States, Loehe also assisted in training and sending pastors to care for emigrants in Brazil and Australia, both of which still have relatively small but vital Lutheran populations. He will continue to be remembered for his confessional integrity and his interest in liturgy and catechetics. He also never forgot the physical needs of those less fortunate and his works of Christian charity include the establishment of a deaconess training house, homes for the aged, an asylum for the mentally ill, and other caring institutions.

Please see Loehe etexts translated through Project Wittenberg for his Sonntagsblatt Appeal, his 1842 Instructions of Adam Ernst and Georg Burger, a letter from C.F.W. Walther to Loehe About the Fort Wayne Seminary, and Loehe's Report of Walther's and Wyneken's Visit.

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The Circumcision and Name of Jesus

2012-01-01T00:01:00.003-06:00

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T00:01:00.004-06:00

31 December
Also the Eve of Jesus' Name

On this day, we prepare to celebrate the name chosen by God for His dear Son, who came in the flesh to save His people from their sins. It is also a time to take stock of our lives, ponder our brief time spent on earth, and prepare for eternity with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Lection

Psalm 90:1-12
Isaiah 30:(8-14) 15-17
Romans 8:31b-39
Luke 12:35-40

Collects

Eternal God, we commit to Your mercy and forgiveness the year now ending and commend to Your blessing and love the times yet to come. In the new year, abide among us with Your Holy Spirit that we may always trust in the saving name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Lord God, heavenly Father, because You sent us Your only-begotten Son for our salvation and gave Him the name of Jesus, grant that we may begin the New Year trusting in His saving name and live all our days in His service and praise to the glory of His holy name; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

+ David +

2011-12-29T00:01:00.001-06:00

29 December, Old Testament

David, son of Jesse, went from tending his father's flocks to being the greatest of Israel's kings. He ruled from about 1010 to 970 B.C. He was chosen by the Lord and anointed by Samuel to replace the apostate King Saul, for whom David had provided years of faithful service. The events of his life are found from 1 Samuel 16 through 1 Kings 2 and in 1 Chronicles 10 through chapter 29. David's son Solomon succeeded him as king.

David was also gifted musically. Skilled in playing the lyre, he wrote at least seventy-three of the Psalms, including the beloved Psalm 23 and several Messianic prophecies, including the foreshadowing of Christ's crucifixion in Psalm 22.

David's public and private character displayed a mixture of good, for example, his defeat of the giant Goliath, (1 Samuel 17) and evil, as in his adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, followed by his murder of Uriah, (2 Samuel 11). David's greatness lay in his fierce loyalty to God as Israel's military and political leader. For example, under his leadership, the people of Israel were united into a single nation with Jerusalem as the capital city.

This devotion to the Lord and to the people was coupled with his willingness to acknowledge his sins and ask for God's forgiveness (2 Samuel 12). The great penitential outpouring of Psalm 51 came as a result of his sins against Uriah, as did the thoughts and emotions expressed in Psalm 32.

David's standing before the Lord and his place in the Messianic line are mentioned in many places. Of all of these, Paul's words in Acts 13:22-23 provide a fitting summary: "[The Lord] raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised."

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+ The Holy Innocents +

2011-12-28T00:01:00.001-06:00

28 December, New Testament

This day commemorates the slaughter of Bethlehem's children by Herod the Great (Matthew 2:16-18), as he attempted to destroy the Usurper to his throne.

Herod, his jealousy inflamed by the account given by the Wise Men (Matthew 2:7), sent his soldiers to kill all the town's boys two years old and younger in order to protect his throne and lineage. This was one of the last major decisions made in a life filled with vainglory and increasing insanity. His plan went awry, since the Lord sent an angel to warn Joseph, who led Jesus and Mary to safety in Egypt, where they stayed until the tyrant's death.

The commemorations of Stephen, John, and the Innocents remind us that not all receive the Gift of Christmas with joy. However, God's plan of salvation spreads in spite of hatred. Even today, much of the world actively rejects the Gospel and persecutes those who preach and live it.

Yet through all the years, the Church has continued to proclaim Christ — Christ incarnate, Christ crucified, Christ resurrected, Christ ascended, Christ returning. The very resistance of the Devil, the hard-hearts of others, and the testimony of our own sinful natures all provide ample evidence of the world's desperate need for His forgiveness. God grant that we faithfully believe and steadfastly confess this saving message, the Good News of forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus.

Lection

Psalm 54
Jeremiah 31:15-17
Revelation 14:1-5
Matthew 2:13-18

Collect

Almighty God, the martyred innocents of Bethlehem showed forth Your praise not by speaking but by dying. Put to death in us all that is in conflict with Your will that our lives may bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips; through Lord Jesus, our Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ John, Apostle and Evangelist +

2011-12-27T00:01:00.001-06:00

27 December, New Testament

Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, a son of Zebedee, was one of the twelve apostles. With his brother James and Simon Peter, he formed an inner circle among the Twelve: Those three beheld the Great Catch of Fish (Luke 5:10), the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31), the raising of Jairus' daughter(Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28), and Gethsemane's agony (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33).

He expressed willingness to undergo martyrdom (Matthew 20:22; Mark 10:39) — as did the other apostles (Matthew 26:35; Mark 14:31). However, ancient testimony says that even though he was imprisoned and exiled, he was eventually released and died a natural death in Ephesus.

According to Mark 3:17, Jesus gave James and John "the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder." He is credited with the writing three epistles and one Gospel. He is also the probable author of Revelation, although this identification is less certain.

His symbol in ecclesiastical art is usually the eagle. This and the images used for the other evangelists come from the visions of the four living creatures around God's throne in heaven. See the biography of Saint Matthew for the specifics of each.

Lection

Psalm 11
Revelation 1:1-6
1 John 1:1-2:2
John 21:20-25

Collect

Merciful Lord, cast the bright beams of Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed in the doctrine of Your blessed apostle and evangelist John, may come to the light of everlasting life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Stephen, Protomartyr +

2011-12-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

26 December, New Testament

Saint Stephen's Day remembers the first recorded martyr of the Church. Stephen knew the gift of Christmas: His Lord came in human flesh to bring forgiveness and as Jesus forgave His killers, so Stephen forgave those whose stones smashed away his life. The account of his calling, witness, and death is in Acts 6:1-8:2. Notice how closely the martyr's responses echo those of His Savior as each approached death.

In art, Stephen is often represented by the stones which took his life and by the palm branch, an ancient symbol of triumph and, especially in Christianity, of martyrdom. Both stones and branch are prominent in this Carlo Crivelli painting from the Demidoff Altarpiece.

Stephen's feast day supposedly occasioned of a great act of charity by the later martyred Wenceslaus, Kníže of Bohemia. Wenceslaus (or Václav) is remembered in the carol Good King Wenceslaus.

Lection

Psalm 119:137-144
2 Chronicles 24:17-22
Acts 6:8-7:2a, 51-60
Matthew 23:34-39

Collect

Heavenly Father, in the midst of our sufferings for Christ grant us grace to follow the example of the first martyr, Stephen, that we may also look to the One who suffered and was crucified on our behalf and pray for those who do us wrong; through our Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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O Emmanuel

2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-06:00

O God with Us

We now arrive at the seventh and final O Antiphon, including related Scriptures, Latin text and English translation, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn known as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Emmanuel, Rex et legisfer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator erum:
℟ veni ad salvandum nos, Domine Deus noster.

℣ O Emmanuel, our King and our Lord, the Anointed for the nations and their | Savior:*
℟ Come and save us, O | Lord our God.

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)" See also Isaiah 8:6-8; Matthew 1:23; Haggai 2:7 (KJV).

Veni Veni, Emmanuel Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exsilio, Privatus Dei Filio.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Read the final daily meditations from the O Antiphons by Pastor Cwirla and Pastor Weedon.

Ero Cras!

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are quoted from the ESV®

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O Rex Gentium

2011-12-22T00:01:00.001-06:00

O King of the Nations (King of the Gentiles)

This brings us to the sixth O Antiphon. Again, Latin text and English translation, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn known as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel are included. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unem:
℟ veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

℣ O King of the Nations, the Ruler they long for, the Cornerstone uniting all | people:*
℟ Come and save us all, whom You formed | out of clay.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)" Also, "He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)." See also Revelation 15:3; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Peter 2:6.

Veni, Veni, Rex Gentium, Veni, Redemptor omnium,
Ut salvas tuos famulos Peccati sibi conscios.

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Read today's comments on O Rex Gentium from Pastors Bill Cwirla and William Weedon.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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O Oriens

2011-12-21T00:02:00.000-06:00

O Dayspring (alternately, Dawn of the East, Rising Dawn, etc.)

Here follows the fifth of the seven O Antiphons, with Latin text and English translation, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn known as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
℟ veni, et illumina sedentis in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

℣ O Dayspring, splendor of light ever- | lasting:*
℟ Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the sha- | dow of death.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)" See also Luke 1:78-79; Malachi 4:2.

Veni, Veni O Oriens, Solare nos adveniens,
Noctis depelle nebulas, Dirasque mortis tenebras.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Continue by reading today's meditation by Pr. Bill Cwirla and this one, from Pr. William Weedon.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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+ Thomas, Apostle and Martyr +

2011-12-21T00:01:00.001-06:00

21 December, New Testament

The Apostle Thomas (Hebrew or Aramaic for "twin") was also called Didymus (Greek for "twin"); either his parents gave him a most peculiar name or else he consistently went by his nickname.

Absent when the Risen Lord appeared to the other apostles on the evening of Easter Day, He refused to believe that Christ had indeed risen until he had seen Him for himself. When he saw Him the following week, he said to Jesus, "My Lord and My God."

Because of this, he has been known ever since as "Doubting Thomas," although "Disbelieving Thomas" or even "Faithless Thomas" probably would be more accurate. See John 20:19-29 for the full account.

We also remember his earlier words, when Jesus announced His intention of going to Jerusalem, even though His life was in danger there: Thomas said to the others, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:7-16) Thus, we see that Thomas was sturdily loyal.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said: "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas was the one who responded, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" To this Jesus answered: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (see John 14:1-6)"

John 21 records Thomas as one of the seven disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee when the Lord appeared to them. Aside from these Biblical accounts, he appears only as a name on lists of the Apostles.

A few centuries later, a story circulated in the Mediterranean world that he went to preach in India; a community in the Kerala district claims descent from Christians converted by the preaching of Thomas. Among Indian Christians, tradition claims that Thomas was speared to death near Madras, and accordingly is often pictured holding a spear.

Since he was credited with the building up of the Church through his missionary journeys, a carpenter's square also is a regular symbol of the apostle.

Lection

Psalm 136:1-4
Judges 6:36-40
Ephesians 4:7, 11-16
John 20:24-29

Collect

Almighty and ever living God, who upheld and strengthened Your apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in Your Son's resurrection, grant us perfect and unwavering belief in Jesus Christ, our resurrected Lord and God, that our faith may never be found wanting in Your sight; through this same Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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O Clavis David

2011-12-20T00:02:00.002-06:00

O Key of David

This is the fourth of the seven O Antiphons with Scriptures, Latin and English texts of the antiphon, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn we know as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit:
℟ veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

℣ O Key of David, and Scepter of the House of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can | open:*
℟ Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shad- | ow of death.

"I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Isaiah 22:22)" "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:7)" See also Revelation 3:7.

Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica,
fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Here's more from Pastor Cwirla and Pastor Weedon.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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+ Katharina von Bora Luther +

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-06:00

20 December AD 1552

Financial and marital circumstances led Katharina von Bora's (b.1499) parents to place her in a convent when she was but a child of five. In 1515, she became a nun. Later, she and some of her associates heard clear proclamation of Gospel through the Lutheran Reformation. This Gospel message soon changed their beliefs and their lives.

Convinced that the vows they had taken were contrary to God's word, Katharina joined eight other nuns who desired to renounce the cloistered life. In April 1523 they were rescued from the convent and smuggled away to Wittenberg among empty herring barrels. Martin Luther and his associates helped some of these women return to their former homes while placing others with good families. Most of them were soon married.

However, Luther and friends found that dealing with "Katie" was no easy task. She rejected a number of prospective husbands, finally declaring that she'd marry either Martin or Nikolaus von Amsdorf — and nobody else. While he worried that a violent death would soon part him from any bride, Martin gave in to the stubborn young woman. They were married on 13 June 1525. Their happy marriage was blessed with six children. Katie skillfully managed the Luther household, which seemed to grow ever larger because of his generous hospitality.

Martin and Katie certainly butted heads at times. Perhaps that's why Luther sometimes called her kette (chain). However, the reformer truly adored his bride, also naming her "my Rib" and "my lord Katie." The freedom and joy that he experienced in his marriage received testimony from his 1535 Commentary on Galatians, which Luther lovingly called, "My Katie von Bora."

After Martin's death in 1546, Katie remained in Wittenberg. Sadly, she lived most of her remaining years in poverty. Her 1552 death came after an accident she suffered while traveling with her children to Torgau in order to escape the plague.

Katharina Luther remains a wonderful example of godly womanhood, beautifully portraying the "excellent wife" celebrated in Proverbs 31:10-31.

For more on Katie Luther, visit the online exhibit at Concordia Historical Institute. These portraits of Martin and Katharina Luther were painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder during the first year of their marriage. The originals are in the Wartburg Collection in Eisenach.

Lection

Psalm 128
Proverbs 31:10-31 or 31:10-12, 17, 20, 23, 25-31
1 Corinthians 7:1-9
John 3:25-30

Collect

Dear heavenly Father, You establish marriage to bless and benefit all mankind and to testify to the world of the marriage of Christ and His Bride the Church. Grant that, as You led Katharina von Bora to become the wife of Martin Luther and, through her, blessed not only him but all Christendom, so You would also seal and protect marriages in our day, that families, society, and Church would be strengthened, stabilized, and nurtured until You call us to the wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end; through this same Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymn Stanza

  A world that disregarded The gift of married life
  Saw God call saintly Katie As Martin’s faithful wife.
  Her self she gave completely To him, who loved his Rib;
  Submission, strength, and courage, Her testaments, still live.

Commemorative hymn stanza from Ask the Pastor is © 2006 by Walter P. Snyder and used according to permission granted.

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O Radix Jesse

2011-12-19T00:02:00.001-06:00

O Root of Jesse

Here follows the third of the O Antiphons with Scriptures, Latin and English texts of the antiphon, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn we know as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur;
℟ veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardere.

℣ O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom they will do | homage:*
℟ Come quickly to de- | liver us.

"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1)" "In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples — of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)" Jesse was the father of King David; Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David's city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). See also Romans 15:12; Revelation 5:5.

Veni, O Jesse Virgula, Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De spectu tuos tartari Educ et antro barathri.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse's tree, Free them from Satan's tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow'r to save, And give them vict'ry o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Please see also what Pastor Cwirla and Pastor Weedon wrote.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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+ Adam and Eve, Our First Parents +

2011-12-19T00:01:00.002-06:00

19 December, Old Testament

Adam was the first man, made in the image of God and given dominion over all the earth (Genesis 1:26). His name may be variously translated "earth," "dust," or "clay," all of which point to the substance of his making. [A brief digression: Adam may also mean "red." This is akin to "Edom," the later name for Esau, who received the title not only because of how he looked at birth (25:25) but also because he sold his birthright for the red stew (25:29-34).]

Eve was the first woman, formed from one of Adam's ribs (may also be understood as from his side)to be his companion and helper (2:18-24). Her name seems related to the Hebrew words for "life giver" and "living." Interestingly, however, Adam didn't give her this name until after the Fall.

God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to take care of the creation as His stewards, or representatives. But they forsook God's Word, ate the fruit of the one tree of which the Lord had placed off-limits to them, and plunged the world into sin (3:1-7). For this disobedience, God drove them from the Garden. Eve had to suffer the pain of childbirth and be subject to Adam; Adam had to toil amid thorns and thistles and return to the dust of the ground. Our burial rite recalls this curse, as does the traditional sentence pronounced during Ash Wednesday's imposition of ashes: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (LSB Altar Book)"

Despite Adam and Eve's attempt to overthrow their Creator and make themselves into gods, the Lord promised that the woman's Seed would crush the serpent's head while Himself suffering a mortal wound (3:8–24). While sin had entered God's perfect creation, decaying and changing it, God would restore it again through the perfect life and the bitter suffering and death of His beloved Son, the God-man Jesus Christ. And even though He died in the struggle, He rose to life on the Third Day and lives forevermore, as seal that we, too will rise and live in God's presence forever.

Eve is the mother of the human race. Adam not only fathered all mankind but also represents all humanity and the Fall, as St. Paul writes, "For in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)" The sinful corruption and rebellious natures which we have from conception and birth we sometimes call original (or "birth") sin. It clings to all descendants of Adam, save Jesus. Therefore, we often speak of our sinful natures as the Old Adam.

This date for the commemoration was chosen by the The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. For some of my personal observations on the First and Second Adams, I invite you to read Temptation: Adam and Adamant. Drawing on this account, Pastor Michael McCoy wrote an extended allegory of the Church and the Pastoral Office, beginning in the Garden and ending with the Final Judgment. The Bestman, the Bride, and the Wedding is available for purchase as a paperback or as a free download (1.66mb PDF). Pastor McCoy also provides a detailed study guide.

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O Adonai

2011-12-18T00:01:00.002-06:00

O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel

This is the second of the O Antiphons with Scriptures, Latin and English texts of the antiphon, a Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn we know as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

"With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. (Isaiah 11:4-5)" "For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us. (Isaiah 33:22)" See also Exodus 3; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6.

℣ O Adonai, et dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
℟ veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

℣ O Adonai and Ruler of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on | Sinai:*
℟ come with an outstretched arm and re- | deem us.

Veni, Veni, Adonai, Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice In maiestate gloriae.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times didst give the Law In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Read some more from Pastors Bill Cwirla and William Weedon.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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O Sapientia

2011-12-17T00:02:00.003-06:00

O Wisdom from on High

This is the first of the O Antiphons with relevant Scriptures, Latin and English texts, the corresponding Latin hymn stanza, and the English versification from the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (The English language renditions are from the Lutheran Service Book.)

℣ O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia:
℟ veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

℣ O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, permeating all creation, mightily ordering | all things:*
℟ Come and teach us the way of | prudence.

"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2-3)" "This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. (Isaiah 28:29)" See also Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 8-9 and 1 Corinthians 1:30.

Veni, O Sapientia, Quae hic disponis omnia,
Veni, viam prudentiae Ut doceas et gloriae.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who ord'rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

You are invited to read more from Pastor Cwirla and Pastor Weedon.

Addendum: Time Out has posted audio of the First Antiphon, chanted by Kantor Nathan Beede.

Scripture quoted from the ESV®

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+ Daniel and the Three Young Men +

2011-12-17T00:01:00.001-06:00

17 December, Old Testament

Today we commemorate the Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Young Men — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These four were among the young men of Judah who were taken into captivity in Babylon. Showing promise in leadership positions, their captors elevated them to positions or authority. Still, even in that strange and foreign land, regardless of persecution or pressure to worship false gods, they remained faithful to the one true God in piety, prayer, and life.

On account of their steadfast faithfulness in the face of pagan idolatry, the Three Young Men were thrown into a fiery furnace, from which they were saved by the Lord and emerged unharmed (Daniel 3). Similarly, Daniel was thrown into a pit of lions, from which he also was saved (Daniel 6).

The canonical text of Daniel only tells us that a fourth person joined the Three Young Men in the furnace and that they were unharmed in the ordeal. Supplemental accounts from the Apocrypha provide insertions between verses 23 and 24 of chapter 3. The Prayer of Azariah and The Song of the Three Young Men are purported accounts of what they sang and prayed while amidst the flames. The latter song entered Jewish and then Christian worship as a canticle of praise. Much of Christendom knows the song by its Latin title and still sings Benedicite Omnia Opera (Bless Him, All You Works [of the Lord]). These verses also inspire hymnists and various metrical works based upon the Benedicite have been written and sung through the years.

Perhaps because of its apocalyptic nature, the book of Daniel inspired not only these two prayers but other "supplemental" writings. Some Bibles insert these various passages into the Masoretic Text while others include some or all of them as separate writings. Of these additions, the two most noted are Susanna and Bel and the Dragon. The former is a tale of moral integrity in the face of sexual blackmail while the latter is a loose collection of stories involving Babylonian gods, a literal beast slain by Daniel, and a different tale of the prophet amidst the lions.

Blessed in all their endeavors by the Lord — and in spite of the hostility of some — Daniel and the Three Young Men performed admirably in the positions of leadership granted to them (Daniel 2:48-49; 3:30; 6:28). No doubt their fidelity in their vocations brought more animosity from others than did their faith and worship.

Daniel received special favor from the Lord and was given the ability to interpret the difficult dreams and strange signs that were given to King Nebuchadnezzar and King Belshazzar (Daniel 2; 4-5). To Daniel himself the Lord gave visions of the end times and a picture of "one like a son of man" who "came to the Ancient of Days. (Daniel 7:9-14)" This same imagery returns to Holy Scripture in portions of Revelation and was also a title Jesus favored for Himself, as Saint Matthew frequently noted.

As an aside, we note that the Babylonians gave new names to some of their captives. Although the book and most references to the prophet use his Hebrew name, Daniel was also known as Belteshazzar. Meanwhile, the Three Young Men are normally referred to by their captive names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their Hebrew names were, respectively, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

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Come, Lord Jesus: The O Antiphons

2011-12-16T00:01:00.002-06:00

Our Final Christmas Countdown

We count down the final days of Advent using the traditional monastic antiphons to the Magnificat. Most of English speaking Christendom knows these antiphons through their versification, Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel. Beginning in eternity, the antiphons follow a rough chronology through history until the coming of Immanuel, Hebrew for "God [is] with Us" (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

Thus, the first stanza that we normally sing of the hymn is actually the last of the antiphons, sung on 23 December. By Vespers on the 24th, it's time to remove the final vestiges of Advent and enter into Christmas.

The order itself, whether by design or coincidence, forms a Latin reverse acrostic. The initial address for the coming Savior in each antiphon is as follows: Sapientia, Adonai, Radix, Clavis, Oriens, Rex, and Emmanuel. Taking each title's first letter and writing the result backwards yields "ero cras"; normally this is rendered, "I shall be [with you] tomorrow." Thus our Lord promises to return for us and so He leads us to pledge to join together in His worship while still on earth.

Through the next week, I'll post each day's antiphon in Latin, its translation from Lutheran Service Book, the Latin hymn verse, and the corresponding hymn stanza of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel from LSB. If you don't want to wait for each day's antiphon, I've linked to each individually from December 2007.

Look also for daily links to writings by Pastors Bill Cwirla and William Weedon.

Posts in the Series:

† O Sapientia — O Wisdom
† O Adonai — O Lord and Ruler
† O Radix Jesse — O Root of Jesse
† O Clavis David — O Key of David
† O Oriens — O Dayspring
† O Rex Gentium — O King of the Nations
† O Emmanuel — O God with Us

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+ Lucia of Syracuse, Martyr +

2011-12-13T00:01:00.002-06:00

13 December AD 304

Lucia (also Lucy or Lukia) was one of the victims of the great persecution under the Roman emperor Diocletian. She met her death at Syracuse on the island of Sicily because of her Christian faith. Known for her charity, "Santa Lucia" (as she is called in Italy) gave away her dowry and remained a virgin until her execution by the sword. Some accounts, similar to those surrounding Saint Polycarp, claim that Lucy was first sentenced to be burned and that when this failed, she was stabbed to death.

Various stories are told about her. Some claim that she refused to marry a pagan and was killed; others say that forfeiting her dowry led her unbelieving fiancé to denounce her to the authorities as a Christian. Another account tells us that either during or at a time before her execution, her eyes were gouged out but that God restored her sight.

The name Lucia means "light." Because of that, festivals of light held in her honor became popular throughout Europe, especially in the Scandinavian countries. There, her feast day corresponds with the time of year when there is the least amount of daylight. Under the Julian Calendar, her feast day actually fell on the shortest, darkest day of the year but this connection vanished with adoption of the Gregorian Calendar.

Ecclesiastical art often portrays Saint Lucia holding a palm branch, the traditional sign of victory or martyrdom; a sword may also be shown piercing her breast or throat. Sometimes, as in the pictures above, we see her holding her missing eyes in her hand or on a plate before her.

Another common portrayal has the saint dressed in a white baptismal gown, wearing a wreath of candles upon her head. In many Nordic homes, this attire is mimicked on her feast day. One of the girls or women of a household, often the eldest daughter, wakes early on Lucy's feast day, prepares a special breakfast, dons a headpiece of candles, and moves through the home with the meal honoring the saint.

Lucy's name was applied to various people and places in the centuries following her death. Among the most noted would be the Santa Lucia area of Naples, celebrated in the Neapolitan song Santa Lucia. The tune calls Lucy's namesake area impero dell'armonia (the empire of harmony).

ADDENDUM: Pastor Petersen provides some excellent theological musings on Saint Lucy at his always informative CyberStones.

Agatha, 5 February AD 290

With Lucy, the Church sometimes also honors the virgin martyr Agatha. She came from Catania in Sicily, and was most likely martyred in the late 200s. Aside from her name on the lists of early martyrs, we know nothing of her.

Lection

Psalm 65:1-8
Deuteronomy 33:1-3
Revelation 7:2-17
Matthew 5:1-12

Collect

O Almighty God, by whose grace and power Your holy martyr(s) Lucy (and Agatha) triumphed over suffering and was (were) faithful even unto death, grant us, who now remember her (them) with thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to You in this world, that we may receive with her (them) the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Hymn Stanza

For holy martyr Lucy, Who faced the tyrant's sword
And through her death gave witness, We praise Your name, O Lord.
Your light she showed in darkness; May we thus also shine
Until, our struggles ended, We see Your face divine.

Hymn text © 2006 by Walter P. Snyder. Permission granted for use.

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+ Ambrose of Milan, Bishop and Doctor +

2011-12-07T00:01:00.002-06:00

Bishop, Confessor, & Hymnodist: Consecrated 7 December AD 374

Saint Ambrose of Milan was born in Trier around AD 340. He became a Roman governor in northern Italy and the people of Milan later named him bishop by general acclaim. He stands as one of the four Latins among the eight Doctors of the undivided Church. Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great are the West's other representatives; Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus represent the East.

Ambrose was also an author of hymns, the best known of which is probably Intende, qui regis Israel (usually known by its second stanza as Veni, Redemptor gentium). Martin Luther translated it into German (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland); its English translations (from Luther or the original Latin) usually appear as Savior of the Nations, Come; Savior of the Heathen, Known; or Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth).

His name is also associated with Ambrosian Chant, of which a number of samples in PDF may be found at Canto Ambrosiano — Spartiti. This style of chanting the ancient liturgy took hold in the province of Milan. For more on his musical influence in the Church, see the NetHymnal for a detailed list with links to translations and adaptations of a number of the Hymns of Saint Ambrose.

While serving as a civil governor, Ambrose sought to bring peace among Christians in Milan who were divided into quarreling factions. When a new bishop was to be elected in 374, Ambrose addressed the crowd, and someone cried out, "Ambrose, bishop!" The entire gathering gave their support. At this time, Ambrose was still a catechumen, an unbaptized person still under instruction before joining the church. This acclaim hastened the catechetical process and the 34-year-old was baptized on December 7, after which he was consecrated bishop of Milan.

A strong defender of the faith, Ambrose convinced the Roman emperor Gratian in 379 to forbid the Arian heresy in the West. At Ambrose's urging, Gratian's successor, Theodosius, also publicly opposed Arianism.

Because Ambrose died on Good Friday, 4 April 397, the Church was unwilling to honor such a known and popular person on the day remembering the death of Christ. Thus, his feast day was translated from his "heavenly birthday" (or death date) to the date of his baptism and subsequent consecration as bishop.

Ambrose was also instrumental in the conversion of Augustine of Hippo. Some early traditions hold that the hymn Te Deum Laudamus ("We Praise You, O God") was a spontaneous composition by Ambrose, perhaps with Augustine's help, upon the baptism of the latter. While later researchers hold this to be unlikely, some scholars are convinced that he was largely responsible for authorship of the Athanasian Creed (14k PDF).

As a courageous doctor and musician he upheld the truth of God's Word. Once again this Advent-tide, thousands upon thousands of believers will use Savior of the Nations, Come to pray for the Second Coming of our Lord. Here is my favorite, passed on to us from Ambrose via Martin Luther and William Morton Reynolds:

Savior of the nations, come;
Virgin's Son, here make Thy home!
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.

Not by human flesh and blood;
By the Spirit of our God
Was the Word of God made flesh,
Woman's offspring, pure and fresh.

Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
Of the virgin undefiled!
Though by all the world disowned,
Still to be in heaven enthroned.

From the Father forth He came
And returneth to the same,
Captive leading death and hell
High the song of triumph swell!

Thou, the Father's only Son,
Hast over sin the victory won.
Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?

Brightly doth Thy manger shine,
Glorious is its light divine.
Let not sin o'ercloud this light;
Ever be our faith thus bright.

Praise to God the Father sing,
Praise to God the Son, our King,
Praise to God the Spirit be
Ever and eternally.

+ Nicholas of Myra, Pastor and Bishop +

2011-12-06T00:01:00.003-06:00

6 December AD 326

Of the many saints recognized by the Christian Church, Nicholas is one of the most widely commemorated. However, very little is known historically of him, although there was a church of Saint Nicholas in Constantinople as early as the sixth century. Research affirms that there was a bishop by the name of Nicholas in the city of Myra in Lycia (part of Turkey today) in the fourth century.

While we don't know a tremendous amount about him, scholars are certain that he was not a "jolly old elf" and that he espoused an austere lifestyle incompatible with "a round little belly" shaking "like a bowl full of jelly."

From that coastal location, legends about Nicholas have traveled across time and distance. He is associated with charitable giving in many countries around the world and is portrayed as the rescuer of sailors, the protector of children, and the friend of people in distress or need. In commemoration of Sinterklaas (a Dutch version of Saint Nicholas), 6 December is a day for giving and receiving gifts in many parts of Europe.

See the article at Ask the Pastor for a famous apocryphal story and related information on his patronage and "transformation" into the American Santa Claus. There you'll learn about his connection with money lending and his status as patron saint for pawnbrokers. Also, Ask the Pastor includes the following St. Nicholas Day hymn stanza as part of a previous year's article on midweek Advent services based upon sanctorial commemorations in the Christian calendar:

     With joy Your Church remembers
     Saint Nicholas, the blest,
     Who gave up earthly treasures
     And Jesus' name confessed.
     The poor and weak he welcomed,
     The heretic he scorned;
     Through faith and life and preaching,
     Christ's Gospel he adorned.

Meanwhile, Pastor Alex Klages focused on Nicholas as a staunchly orthodox bishop who grew so weary of the arch-heretic of Nicaea that he slapped Arius for continually professing false doctrine concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lection

Psalm 78:3-7 or 145:8-13
Isaiah 58:6-10
1 John 4:7-14
Mark 10:13-16

Collect

O Lord, let Your continual mercy enkindle in Your Church the unfailing gifts of charity and faith, that, following the example of your servant Nicholas of Myra, we may have grace to deal in generosity and love with children and with all who are poor and distressed, to uphold the cause of those who have no helper, and to strive for purity of doctrine in the Church; for the sake of Him who gave His life for us, Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ John of Damascus +

2011-12-04T00:01:00.003-06:00

4 December AD 749

John of Damascus, also called John Damascene and Chrysorrhoas, (meaning "streaming with gold," alluding to his "golden" speaking) was born around AD 675. The Christian Church remembers him as the greatest compiler and summarizer of the Orthodox faith.

Most church historians also consider him as the last great Greek theologian. Born in Damascus under Mohammedan rule, John gave up an influential position in the Islamic court to devote himself to the Christian faith. Around 716 he entered a Jerusalem monastery and was ordained a priest.

He was a staunch iconodule and when iconoclastic Byzantine Emperor Leo the Isaurian issued a decree in 726 forbidding icons (images of God, Jesus, holy people, angels, and the like), John forcefully resisted. The emperor retaliated by using a forged letter over John's signature to convince the caliph of Damascus that John intended to betray the city into Leo's hands.

Later, in his Apostolic Discourses, he argued for the legitimacy of the veneration of images, earning himself the condemnation of the Iconoclast Council in 754. John also wrote defenses of orthodox Christianity against contemporary heresies.

Coupled with his theological acumen and organizational skills were John's considerable talents as a hymn writer. Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain and The Day of Resurrection are sung in much of Christendom during the Easter season. John also contributed to the liturgy of the Byzantine churches.

John's major writing, The Fount of Wisdom, bears testimony to his abilities as theologian and compiler. Its third section, "The Orthodox Faith," is a compendium of truth from previous Eastern Christian theologians and includes almost every imaginable doctrinal topic from Christianity's first seven centuries. This summary of Orthodox Christianity left a lasting stamp on both the Eastern and Western churches.

Lection

Psalm 118:14-21 or 16:5-11
Exodus 15:1-21
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
John 5:24-27

Collect

O Lord, You create and sustain saving faith in the hearts and minds of Your believers; confirm our minds in the mysteries of the true Faith, as set forth by your servant John of Damascus, that we, with him, might ever confess Jesus to be true God and true Man and ever sing the praises of the risen Lord, and by the power of His resurrection, attain to eternal life and everlasting joy; through this same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymn: Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

   Come, you faithful, raise the strain
   Of triumphant gladness!
   God has brought His Israel
   Into joy from sadness,
   Loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke
   Jacob's sons and daughters,
   Led them with unmoistened foot
   Through the Red Sea waters.

   This the spring of souls today:
   Christ has burst His prison
   And from three days' sleep in death
   As a sun has risen;
   All the winter of our sins,
   Long and dark, is flying
   From His light, to whom is given
   Laud and praise undying.

   Now the queen of seasons, bright
   With the day of splendor,
   With the royal feast of feasts
   Comes its joy to render;
   Comes to gladden faithful hearts
   Which with true affection
   Welcome in unwearied strain
   Jesus' resurrection!

   For today among His own
   Christ appeared, bestowing
   His deep peace, which evermore
   Passes human knowing.
   Neither could the gates of death
   Nor the tomb's dark portal
   Nor the watchers nor the seal
   Hold Him as a mortal.

   Alleluia! Now we cry
   To our King immortal,
   Who, triumphant, burst the bars
   Of the tomb's dark portal
   Come, you faithful, raise the strain
   Of triumphant gladness!
   God has brought His Israel
   Into joy from sadness!

For more on this hymn, see Robert Cottrill's post Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain at Wordwise Hymns.

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+ Saint Andrew, Apostle +

2011-11-30T00:01:00.001-06:00

30 November, New Testament

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ. Most New Testament references include him on a list of the Twelve Apostles or group him with his brother, Simon Peter. But we see him acting as an individual three times. When a number of Greeks (or Greek-speaking Jews) wished to speak with Jesus, they approached Philip, who told Andrew, and the two of them told Jesus (John 12:20-22). Since "Philip" and "Andrew" are Greek names, these petitioners may have sought them out. Before Jesus fed the Five Thousand, Andrew said, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many? (John 6:9)"

The first two disciples whom John reports as attaching themselves to Jesus (John 1:35-42) are Andrew and another disciple (unnamed, but commonly supposed to be John himself — John never mentioned himself by name, a widespread literary convention). After meeting Jesus, Andrew found his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. Thus, on each occasion when he is mentioned as an individual, we see him bringing others to meet the Savior.

Just as Andrew was the first of the Apostles, so the Western Church uses his feast to mark the beginning of the Church Year. The First Sunday of Advent is defined as the Sunday on or nearest his feast. (The way the reckoning was designed, it also means that there are always four Sundays in Advent. This year, the First Sunday in Advent is 27 November, three days before Saint Andrew's Day.

Scotland considers Andrew to be its national saint. Meanwhile, George (23 April), Patrick (17 March), and Dewi (1 March) fill these roles for England, Ireland, and Wales, respectively. George, a soldier, is customarily pictured as a knight with a shield that bears a red cross on a white background. This became the national flag of England.

Tradition says that Andrew was crucified on a Cross Saltire — an "X"-shaped cross, which became his symbol and later, the national flag of Scotland. One symbol of Patrick is a red cross saltire on a white background. The crosses of George and Andrew were combined to form the Union Jack, or flag of Great Britain; later the cross of Patrick was added to create the present Union Jack.

Alas, poor Wales ... it doesn't appear on the British flag, perhaps because Dewi didn't have such a representative symbol.

Lection

Psalm 139:1-12
Ezekiel 3:16-21
Romans 10:8b-18
John 1:35-42a

Collect

Almighty God, by Your grace the blessed apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Son to be a disciple. Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heart and life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ The Holy Prophet Noah +

2011-11-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

29 November, Old Testament

The world had become extremely corrupt, so God instructed Noah, the son of Lamech (Genesis 5:30) to build an ark to provide security for his family and selected living creatures from the waters of a devastating flood that God warned was coming. Read the entire account in (Genesis 6:1-9:17). Noah built the ark, and the flood came soon after its completion (Genesis 7). The entire earth was flooded, blotting out "every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. (7:23)"

After the flood subsided, the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. When Noah determined it was safe, and God confirmed it, he and his family and all the animals disembarked (Genesis 8). Then Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice to God for having saved his family from destruction. God declared a rainbow to be sign of His promise that never again would a similar flood destroy the entire earth (9:8-17).

We remember and honor Noah for his faithful obedience, as he believed that God would do what He said He would. Jesus (Matthew 24:36-39; Luke 17:22-27), Saint Peter (1 Peter 3:18-22; 2 Peter 2:4-10), and the author of Hebrews (11:7) all used Noah and the Flood as illustrations. These include God's judgment on sin, unwavering faith, a picture of Holy Baptism, and a prefiguring of Christ's suffering, death, descent into hell, and resurrection. Luke also listed Noah in Jesus' genealogy (3:36).

Lection

Psalm 29
Genesis 7:1-5, 11-12, 17-23
1 Peter 3:18-22 or Hebrews 11:1-3, 7; 12:1-2
Matthew 24:36-44

Collect

Lord God, heavenly Father, You kept Noah righteous in the midst of a sinful world and, through him, delivered life from the Flood's destruction, continuing also the human line of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ and foreshadowing the destruction of sin in Baptism and the preservation of new and eternal life in the Ark of the Holy Christian Church. Grant that we, the heirs of Noah by birth would likewise be heirs in faith of all Your promises, for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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First Sunday in Advent

2011-11-27T00:01:00.005-06:00

27 November AD 2011

Out with the Old Year, in with the New

Today begins the solemn season of Advent, a preparatory period as Christians ready themselves for both the celebration of Christ's coming at Bethlehem and His Second Coming on Judgment Day.

Purple has traditionally been the primary color of Advent, symbolizing repentance and fasting. Purple is also the color of royalty, demonstrating the anticipation and reception of the coming King celebrated during Advent. Today, however, many churches have begun to use blue instead of purple, as a means of distinguishing Advent from Lent.

Rose (pink) often replaces purple on the Third Sunday in Advent. It represents dawn and hopeful anticipation or joy and begins a shift away from repentance toward celebration.

For more on this part of the Church Year, the so-called "three-fold coming of Christ," and Advent as a tonic for improper celebration of Christmas, please see Happy New Year! at Ask the Pastor.

Series B Lectionary

Psalm 80:1-7
Isaiah 64:1-9
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 11:1-10 or Mark 13:24-37

One Year Lectionary

Psalm 24
Jeremiah 23:5-8
Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14
Matthew 21:1-9

Collect

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

Fourth Thursday in November, United States

Another year, another day to stop and say, "Thanks." Of course, we don't need to be reminded to be thankful, do we? God doesn't need to encourage our living lives of love and trust in response to His mighty deeds, does He? Sad to say, we do and He does.

How many blessings has God already given you? How many times have you been truly thankful? How many times have you acted like you deserve the favorable treatment? How many times have you gone on without so much as a token nod to the Giver of all good?

Are we any better than those who've gone before us? Consider the lepers Jesus healed (Luke 17). All ten were cleansed (v. 14). Jesus sent them to the priests who were required to declare them ritually clean (see Leviticus 13). However, nothing either in the Scriptures or Christ's command prohibited them from returning first to the One who saved them from lives as outcasts. We don't know the motivation of those who kept going; we do know that one came back, "And he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks. (v. 16)"

Jesus pointed out that the returning man was a Samaritan, not an Israelite. Why would God's covenant people — "church people" — continue on rather than first returning? Yet this one, whose people had removed themselves from Israel, demonstrated faith that grasped the blessings of God.

Even when they show initial thankfulness, God's children have a poor record of continuing in the same spirit. Israel, following the Red Sea crossing, sang and celebrated, praising and thanking the Lord for His divine rescue. Yet only three days later they complained about the bitter waters of Marah (Exodus 15:22-25). Satisfied by the miracle of sweetened water, they soon started doubting God's providence, whining about not having food, blaming Moses and Aaron for bringing them out "to kill this whole assembly with hunger. (Exodus 16:3)" In response, God sent His manna.

Time and again, rather than thinking, speaking, and acting in thankfulness, God's people forget about His blessings and focus on their problems. Yet God provides a few heroes of the Faith who have the strength to thank Him even in times of trouble.

Now Thank We All Our God

Martin Rinckart, a Lutheran minister during the 1600s, was called to pastor Eilenburg, Germany just before the Thirty Years War began and served until right after hostilities ceased. Eilenburg was a walled city where refugees sought protection. Thousands of citizens and sojourners died of famine or plague; one of these was his wife. Much of the time, Rinckart was the only pastor, sometimes doing burial services for as many as seventy people in one day. Catholic Austrians sacked the city; so did Lutheran Swedes. Yet in the midst of all this, Rinckart was able to give thanks to the Lord.

In the heart of the hostilities, Rinckart penned one of the Church's enduring songs of faithfulness and thanksgiving. In our times of trouble, we can make it our own prayer: "Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, In whom His world rejoices; Who from our mother's arms Has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love And still is ours today."

Rinckart didn't look at the losses he or others had suffered. Instead, he focused on God's divine presence each day and the promise of eternal bliss: "Oh, may this bounteous God Through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us And keep us in His grace And guide us when perplexed And free us from all harm In this world and the next."

In the midst of death and destruction, Rinckart focused on the God of grace who faithfully keeps His promises. With unbridled joy, he bids us join the choir: "All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given, The Son, and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven. The one eternal God, Whom earth and heav'n adore; For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore."

Lection

Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Psalm 67 (antiphon v. 7)
Philippians 4:6-20 or 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Luke 17:11-19

Collect

Almighty God, Your mercies are new every morning and You graciously provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge Your goodness, give thanks for Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience all our days; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Paul Gerhardt was another hymn writer who experienced great sorrow yet boldly and joyfully confessed his Savior. We certainly must number Oh, Lord, I Sing with Lips and Heart among Christendom's greatest songs of thankfulness. Another classic song of thanksgiving is Praise, Oh, Praise Our God and King by John Milton.

Scripture quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV).

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+ Clement of Rome, Bishop and Theologian +

2011-11-23T00:01:00.003-06:00

23 November AD 100

Saint Clement (ca. A.D. 35–100) is remembered for establishing the pattern of apostolic authority that governed the Christian Church during the first and second centuries. He insisted on keeping Christ at the center of the Church's worship and outreach. In a letter to the Corinthian Christians, he emphasized the centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection: "Let us fix our eyes on the blood of Christ, realizing how precious it is to His Father, since it was poured out for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to the whole world" (1 Clement 6:31).

Early accounts claim that he suffered a martyr's death by drowning — specifically, he was said to have been tied to an anchor, hence his normal symbol is an anchor. Before his death, he displayed a steadfast, Christ-like love for all of God's redeemed people, serving as inspiration for future generations to continue building the Church on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, with Christ as the one and only cornerstone. His Epistle to the Corinthians addresses what he considered to be the improper dismissal of a bishop. It works both for good order and for abounding charity among the Corinthian Christians.

Here follows an excerpt from his Epistle to the Corinthians:

Let the one truly possessed by the love of Christ keep his commandments. Who can express the binding power of divine love? Who can find words for the splendor of its beauty? Beyond all description are the heights to which it lifts us. Love unites us to God; "it cancels innumerable sins," has no limits to its endurance, bears everything patiently. Love is neither servile nor arrogant. It does not provoke schisms or form cliques, but always acts in harmony with others. By it all God's chosen ones have been sanctified; without it, it is impossible to please him. Out of love the Lord took us to himself; because he loved us and it was God's will, our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life's blood for us — he gave his body for our body, his soul for our soul.

See then, beloved, what a great and wonderful thing love is, and how inexpressible its perfection. Who are worthy to possess it unless God makes them so? To him therefore we must turn, begging of his mercy that there may be found in us a love free from human partiality and beyond reproach. Every generation from Adam's time to ours has passed away; but those who by God's grace were made perfect in love and have a dwelling now among the saints, and when at last the kingdom of Christ appears, they will be revealed. "Take shelter in your rooms for a little while," says Scripture, "until my wrath subsides. Then I will remember the good days, and will raise you from your graves."

Happy are we, beloved, if love enables us to live in harmony and in the observance of God's commandments, for then it will also gain for us the remission of our sins. Scripture pronounces "happy those whose transgressions are pardoned, whose sins are forgiven. Happy the one," it says, "to whom the Lord imputes no fault, on whose lips there is no guile." This is the blessing given those whom God has chosen through Jesus Christ our Lord. To him be glory for ever and ever.
. . .

Let us fix our attention on the blood of Christ and recognize how precious it is to God his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has "offered the opportunity of repentance" to any who were willing to turn to him. When Noah preached God's message of repentance, all who listened to him were saved. Jonah told the Ninevites they were going to be destroyed, but when they repented, their prayers gained God's forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God's people.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the ministers of God's grace have spoken of repentance; indeed, the Master of the whole universe himself spoke of repentance with an oath: "As I live," says the Lord, "I do not wish the death of the sinner but the sinner's repentance." He added this evidence of his goodness: "House of Israel, repent of your wickedness. Tell my people: If their sins should reach from earth to heaven, if they are brighter than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, you need only turn to me with your whole heart and say, 'Father,' and I will listen to you as to a holy people."

In other words, God wanted all his beloved ones to have the opportunity to repent and he confirmed this desire by his own almighty will. That is why we should obey his sovereign and glorious will and prayerfully entreat his mercy and kindness. We should be suppliant before him and turn to his compassion, rejecting empty works and quarreling and jealousy which only lead to death.

We should be humble in mind, putting aside all arrogance, pride, and foolish anger. Rather, we should act in accordance with the Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit says: "The wise must not glory in wisdom nor the strong in strength nor the rich in riches. Rather, let the one who glories glory in the Lord, by seeking him and doing what is right and just." Recall especially what the Lord Jesus said when he taught gentleness and forbearance. "Be merciful," he said, "so that you may have mercy shown to you. Forgive, so that you may be forgiven. As you treat others, so you will be treated. As you give, so you will receive. As you judge, so you will be judged. As you are kind to others, so you will be treated kindly. The measure of your giving will be the measure of your receiving."

Let these commandments and precepts strengthen us to live in humble obedience to his sacred words. As Scripture asks: "Whom shall I look upon with favor except the humble, peaceful one who trembles at my words?"

Sharing then in the heritage of so many vast and glorious achievements, let us hasten toward the goal of peace, set before us from the beginning. Let us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Father and Creator of the whole universe, and hold fast to his splendid and transcendent gifts of peace and all his blessings.

+ Elisabeth of Hungary +

2011-11-19T00:01:00.001-06:00

19 November AD 1231

Also known as Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia — Szent Erzsébet in her native tongue — Elisabeth (also Erzsebet) was born in Sárospatak in 1207, the daughter of King András II and his wife Gertrude of Merania. When only four years old, she was betrothed by parental arrangement to Ludwig (Louis), son of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia, and Duchess Sophia. At this tender age, the child moved to the Thuringian court. She married him in 1220, when just fourteen. He was only twenty and had been ruling as Ludwig IV since 1217.

Her spirit of Christian generosity and charity pervaded the home she established for her husband and three children in the Wartburg Castle at Eisenach. Their abode was known for hospitality and family love.

Elisabeth often supervised the care of the sick and needy, even giving up her bed to a leper at one time. Unlike many medieval men, particularly the rulers, Louis encouraged her efforts and contributed directly to them. This seems due, in large part, to a faith that depended much upon works in order to guarantee eternal reward &mdash or, at least, to avoid Purgatory.

When she was widowed at 20, circumstances drastically changed. Already possessed of a charitable heart, Elisabeth increased her work on behalf of others — her confessor, the inquisitor Konrad von Marburg, encouraging (or pushing) her growing spiritual discipline. Some accounts say that Konrad not only enforced his will through a strong personality but that he also resorted to beatings and separating her from her children.

Later, she arranged for her children's well-being and entered into life as a nun in the Order of Saint Francis. Her self-denial, quite possibly abetted by harsh treatment at the hands of her confessor, led to failing health and an early death in 1231 at age 24. Remembered for her self-sacrificing ways, Elisabeth is commemorated through the many hospitals named for her around the world.

She was laid to rest in a gold shrine in Elisabeth Kirche in Marburg. The second illustration above is a scene of her helping the poor from that church's Elizabeth Window. Her popular cultus, aided in large part by political considerations, led to a rapid canonization. In 1235, Pope Gregory IX named her St. Elisabeth. Her official canonization ceremony was Pentecost (28 May), only about three and a half years after her death. The lasting effect she had on individuals, the Church, and on health care have led many to call her "the greatest woman of the German Middle Ages."

As we see from Rosenwunder: Wege zu Elisabeth von Thüringen, Elisabeth was the 2007 "cultural theme" for Erfurt. Along with Elisabeth Kirche, this site has a wealth of additional information and illustrations.

Note: For Lutherans, Wartburg Castle holds special significance because of events happening some three hundred years later. It was to the Wartburg that friends moved Martin Luther in 1521 to escape enforcement of the imperial ban and possible death. Hiding under the name Junker Jörg (Knight George), Luther employed himself by continuing his doctrinal and polemical writing and translating the New Testament.

Lection

Psalm 146:4-9 or 112:1-9
Tobit 12:6b-9
Matthew 25:31-40 or Luke 12:32-34

Collect

Almighty God, by whose grace your servant Elisabeth of Thuringia recognized and honored Jesus in the poor of this world, grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble, in the name and for the sake of through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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+ Justinian, Christian Ruler +

2011-11-14T00:01:00.000-06:00

14 November AD 565

Justinian, Christian Ruler and Confessor of Christ, was emperor of the East from A.D. 527 to 565, during the time of decline of the Roman Empire. Aided by his beautiful and capable wife, Theodora, he restored majesty to the Byzantine court and is considered by historians to be the last true "Roman" emperor. During his reign the Empire experienced a renaissance, due in large part to his ambition, intelligence, and strong religious convictions.

His beginnings rival most any tale of rags to riches. Born into a peasant family, he was adopted by his uncle Justin, his mother's brother. Justin went from being a member of the imperial guard to Emperor and even, before reaching this pinnacle of power, was in a position to provide the best education possible for his nephew cum son. Justinian partially repaid his uncle's kindness by supporting Justin's selection as emperor.

Perhaps due in part to his own family's peasant members, Justin decreed that differences in social class were no longer barriers to marriage. Some time later, Justinian found a woman to claim as his bride. Since Justin had removed class barriers, Justinian made full advantage of the changes by taking Theodora as his wife. Here was a truly disparate set of individuals: While the emperor in waiting had ascended from peasant stock to ruling class, his bride came from a background considered lower than peasant — perhaps even lower than slave, for she was an actress and a courtesan.

Despite such unsavory beginnings, Theodora proved herself a worthy companion for the Emperor. Throughout her life she was Justinian's staunchest supporter and one of his most trusted advisers. Many historians believe that without her intellect and decisiveness, Justinian might have been deposed and the empire torn apart in the Nika riots.

Although he was responsible for a considerable number of civil and military accomplishments, Christians chose to remember Justinian for his religious contributions. He was a champion of orthodox Christianity. From this confessional position, he attempted to unite a sharply divided Church, seeking agreement among the parties in the Christological controversies of the day. He was particularly eager to bridge the gap between Chalcedonian Christians and the Monophysites. These parties disputed the relationship between the divine and human natures in the Person of Christ. His special interest likely because a large number of Monophysite Christians lived within the empire — including, at least in her younger years, his own wife. The Fifth Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in AD 533 addressed these disagreements but a full solution never presented itself.

Both Justianian and Theodora accomplished much. However, as with many other renowned champions of the faith, the emperor sometimes exhibited less than exemplary behavior. He often fostered overzealous attempts to forward or defend Christianity by fiat or force of arms. The list of those he suppressed, condemned, and sometimes killed is considerable. He set Athens' Neoplatonic Academy under state control, ending its teaching of unchristian Hellenistic philosophy. He suppressed Paganism. He halted the worship of Amun at Augila in the Libyan desert and that of Isis on the island of Philae.

Justinian's government restricted the civil rights of Jews and the emperor actively interfered with the synagogues, going so far as to forbid the use of the Hebrew language in worship. Resistance might be met with corporal penalties, exile, and property confiscation. The empire likewise persecuted the Manicheans. They, too, faced punishment and threats including exile and capital punishment. The incident that probably leaves the darkest stain on his reputation occurred at Constantinople. There, after severe questioning, a number of Manicheans were executed in his presence. Some were burned, others drowned.

The other side of his enthusiasm for God's Word and orthodox Christianity exhibited itself in his missionary zeal. Missionary ventures that Justinian sponsored helped to lead thousands in Africa and Asia Minor to the Christian Faith. For example, John of Ephesus claimed to be involved the the conversion of some 70,000 pagans in Asia Minor. Others led to Christianity included Huns dwelling near the Don, the Abasgi, the Heruli, and the Tzani of Caucasia. A mission to the Nabataeans was led by Julian the Presbyter and the Bishop Longinus. Justinian also tried to strengthen Christianity in Yemen by sending a bishop from Egypt to that region.

Theodora, born about twenty years after her husband, died about twenty years before he did. Meanwhile, Justinian died in his eighties, without seeing the completion of his desire for a solidly orthodox Christian empire. Due to his ongoing championing of the faith, the Eastern Church counts him as a saint, as it also does Theodora.

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Veterans Day

2011-11-11T05:00:00.004-06:00

Eleven, Eleven, Eleven

11 November AD 1918

In parts of the world, including these United States, 11 November is a day of remembrance growing out of the end of the First World War. It comes from the armistice ending western European hostilities in that conflict.

This post's subtitle gives nod to the implementation of the armistice at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month — that is, at 1100 GMT on 11 November 1918. Note that the time stamp of this post, 0500 Central Standard Time, equates to 1100 UTC.

This day of remembering was first called Armistice Day (and some still use the term). Gradually, the United States expanded the emphasis from gratitude for the end of the "War to End All Wars" to remembering and thanking all of our honorably discharged military personnel. The US holiday was officially established as Veterans Day in 1954.

Spiritually, the "Great War" of the early 1900s ended much positive thinking about the upward climb of mankind and helped usher in the era of Modernism. The harshness of the "peace" which followed led to renewed hatred and hostilities in Europe. Coupled with the Great Depression, this helped to begin events leading to the Second World War.

The false hope held by much of the world, including many Christians, for a Utopian earth with no more armed conflict perished on the battlefields of these two world conflicts along with thousands upon thousands of armed combatants and millions of civilians. Wars and rumors of wars continue to testify against this fallen Creation and point to the final end of conflict, when our Savior returns in judgment (see Matthew 24:6).

We will still remember those who served honorably to defend the ideals upon which our Republic was founded. We will also continue to pray that America would return to much she has forgotten about both individual freedom and the interdependence of all citizens in a free society.

Collect for Peace

Almighty God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts my be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, my live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Collect for the Military and Our Veterans

Almighty God, who ordains government to bear the sword on Your behalf, we commend into your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad and we thank you for the veterans of our military and the services they rendered our nation. May the examples of their their sacrifice and their valor encourage us to serve our neighbor selflessly; through Your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect adapted from a petition for Remembrance Day, courtesy of Lutheran Church — Canada.)

Technorati Tags: Veterans Day | Armistice Day | First World War | World War One | World War I | world history | holidays | American history | United States history | military service | church and state | Aardvark Alley

+ Saint Martin of Tours +

2011-11-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

11 November AD 397

Martin of Tours, pastor and bishop of the Church, was born into a pagan family in what is now Hungary around the year AD 316. He grew up in Lombardy (a region in Italy) and came to the Christian faith as a young man. He then began a career in the Roman army. But sensing a call to a church vocation, Martin left the military and became a monk, affirming that he was "Christ's soldier."

According to early stories, the change came about when Martin was about 21 years old. It was said that he passed the gates of Amiens and saw a man freezing on the side of the road. Taking pity on him, Martin ripped his army issue cloak in half and gave it to the man to help comfort him. That night, Martin dreamt of Jesus Christ wearing that half cloak. This vision shook Martin to the core. No longer wanting to be part of the army, he succeeded in attaining a discharge from service.

Martin journeyed to the city of Poitiers where he met Bishop Hilary. As was not uncommon at the time, even though Martin already considered himself a Christian, he was not yet baptized. Therefore, Hilary administered the sacrament before Martin left Poitiers.

Returning to Gaul, Martin found that the Arian heresy had taken a firm hold. He spoke out against it and was singled out for persecution and forced to flee. The same happened shortly thereafter to Saint Hilary. Martin fled to an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, living as a hermit. In 361, Martin discovered that Hilary had regained his seat in Pontiers; this news moved Martin to return to Gaul.

Hilary sent Martin to Leguge, a Benedictine monastery, to continue his ways as a hermit; there Martin spent the next ten years. In 371, the Bishop of Tours died and Martin was asked twice to assume that seat — he respectfully refused both times. Martin was tricked into coming to Tours to administer the Anointing of the Sick to a friend's wife. This time Martin was persuaded to accept the responsibility as Bishop of Tours. We remember him for his simple lifestyle and his determination to share the Gospel throughout rural Gaul, as well as his work as bishop in successfully staving off numerous heresies.

Hilary was named as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851. However, both he and Martin were already acclaimed as saints by general consensus before any official system of canonization was established.

Over a millennium later, on St. Martin's Day 1483, the one-day-old son of Hans and Margarette Luther was baptized and given the name Martin. Coincidentally, much of the world commemorates the armistice ending World War I and honors veterans on 11 November. Thus we also note that St. Martin is a traditional patron saint of soldiers.

Lection

Psalm 15 or 34:15-22
Isaiah 58:6-12
Matthew 25:34-40

Collect

Lord God of hosts, You clothed Your servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice and set him as a bishop in Your Church to be a defender of the orthodox, catholic, and apostolic Faith. Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that at the last we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.

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+ Martin Chemnitz +

2011-11-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

9 November AD 1522 – 8 April AD 1586

Today marks the birthday of Martin Chemnitz, Pastor and Confessor. We regard him as, after Martin Luther, the Lutheran Church's most important theologian. He possessed a penetrating intellect and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture and the Church Fathers combined with a genuine love for the Church.

Doctrinal quarrels after Luther's death in 1546 led Chemnitz to give himself fully to the restoration of unity in the Lutheran Church. He became the leading spirit and a principal author of the 1577 Formula of Concord, which settled the doctrinal disputes on the basis of the Scriptures and largely succeeded in restoring unity among Lutherans. Work on the Formula led Chemnitz and others to gather all the normative doctrinal statements confessed by the Lutherans, from the ancient creeds through the Evangelical writings of the 16th Century, into one volume, the Book of Concord.

Chemnitz also authored the four volume Examination of the Council of Trent (1565-1573). This monumental work saw him rigorously subjecting the pronouncements of this Roman Catholic Council to judgment by Scripture and the Church Fathers. The Examination is the definitive Lutheran answer to the Concilium Tridentinum and an outstanding exposition of the faith of the Augsburg Confession.

While he was an outstanding academic, Chemnitz also ably served in church administration. He joined the Wittenberg University faculty in January 1554 and was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry by Johannes Bugenhagen in November of that same year. Then, after several years as co-adjutor of the churches in the region of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, he became Superintendent (ecclesiastical supervisor), holding the post until his death. In this capacity, he worked diligently to balance the congregations' autonomy, particularly in calling pastors, with input and oversight by the the area ministerium.

As theologian and a churchman, "the Second Martin" was truly a gift of God to the Church. This is why the expression was coined, Si Martinus non fuisset, Martinus vix stetisset. ("If Martin [Chemnitz] had not come along, Martin [Luther] would hardly have survived.")

For a thorough yet highly readable biography, I recommend The Second Martin by J. A. O. Preus. And even though it spans four thick volumes, I found myself sailing through Fred Kramer's translation of the Examination of the Council of Trent. Believe it or not, Dr. Kramer caught Chemnitz's sense of humor to such a degree that I regularly chuckled to myself — and even laughed aloud a few times. I also recommend Two Natures in Christ and just about anything else he wrote.

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+ Johannes von Staupitz +

2011-11-08T00:01:00.001-06:00

ca. AD 1469 - 28 December 1524

Today we remember Johannes von Staupitz, vicar-general of the Augustinian Order in Germany. He befriended the spiritually troubled Martin Luther on numerous occasions, serving as father confessor for the young monk and sending Luther deeper into the Scriptures while attempting to calm his troubled conscience.

Staupitz was born in Saxony, studied at the universities in Leipzig and Cologne, and served on the faculty at Cologne. In 1503 Frederick the Wise called him to serve as dean of the theological faculty at the newly founded University of Wittenberg. There, Staupitz encouraged Luther to attain a doctorate in theology and appointed him as his successor to professor of Bible.

During Luther's early struggles to understand God's grace, it was Staupitz who counseled Luther to focus on Christ and not on himself. In later years, Luther said, "If it had not been for Dr. Staupitz, I should have sunk in hell."

Staupitz died on 28 December 1524 but the LCMS commemoration was moved away from the Nativity season and linked to this time in November immediately preceding the birthdays of reformers Martin Chemnitz and Luther.

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The BBOV: Autumnal Upgrade

2011-11-07T11:41:00.011-06:00

The Big Blogroll O' Vark®™©

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

I found or received suggestions for some nice, fresh Lutheran blogging and also discovered two three sites needing updated links, one of which also bears a new name. Hint: Aardie ain't a mind reader, so please, oh, please contact me if you change blogging services or move to a new URL or blog name. The BBOV is only as good as its intel.

I promise to keep my nose close to the ground on Facebook and Networked Blogs and welcome suggestions from others in order to discover, catalog, and add more listings to the confessional Lutheran blogosphere.

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).

If you enjoy this blog, especially if you're listed or would like to be added to the Aardvark family, you can let me know via blog comment or through my Facebook page. If you friend me, please attach a note telling me if you are a current or prospective member of the BBOV. And when you find things you like through the Alley, please leave a comment to that effect with the blog owners.

CONFESSIONAL LUTHERAN BLOGS

Old Lutheran Theology, New Lutheran Blogs

  † E-nklings
  † Justification Rules
  † Lamberts Online
  † Father Watson

Altered Identities, Unaltered Confession

  † The Burr in the Burbs (new URL)
  † It's Time for More Coffee (new URL)
  † The RAsburry Patch (replaces RAsburry's Res)

FINALLY ...

For all those 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 the Illuminous or one of these blog buttons: