We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. (1John 3:16)
During a recent children’s message, I introduced the children present to my stuffed animal friend, Tommy Tatanka. (Tatanka means buffalo in the Lakota language, and that’s what Tommy is.) I bought Tommy when visiting the National Buffalo Museum in Jamestown, ND, because I thought seeing it would help me remember my Lakota children and youth at St. Joseph’s Indian School. The motto for the school is: “We serve and teach. We receive and learn.” This reminds us that our relationships are meant to be reciprocal, and I received and learned much from the Native students and their families. I mentioned during the children’s message as we explored the story of the creation of the first family in Genesis 2 that the Lakota had a saying used often in prayer, sacred story, and at other times: Mitakuye Oyasin (“We are all related”). They seek to remember that the human family remains in relationship with one another and all of creation much as many Psalms and other biblical citations suggest.
In Lakota Christian communities, you might often see this concept represented concretely. Amidst traditional Christian symbols of the cross, candles (representing the light of Christ), Christograms (such as the ancient Alpha and Omega symbol for Jesus ), a butterfly (a more modern symbol of resurrection and new life), or perhaps an ichthys fish symbol (reportedly used by ancient Christians to help people recognize churches and other believers during a time when they faced persecution in the Roman Empire), among all these things and more, you might find Native religious symbology as well. For example, one might see a buffalo skull. Why a buffalo skull? In past times, the buffalo was hunted for food, but every part of the buffalo would be used by the tribe for clothing, shelter, or tools. Nothing would be wasted. The Lakota still believe that because of the American buffalo’s great importance to the people, a buffalo skull should rightly be present at sacred Lakota rituals. The skull represents a powerful animal that gives completely of itself for others. The buffalo is a symbol of self-sacrifice, and for Lakota Christians, the skull often helps remind them of Jesus’ own sacrifice for our sake.
Yet, the buffalo proved an important role model to our students as well. In the fierce winter storms, the buffalo always faces the wind. It survives by addressing things head on. This becomes inspirational for the students as they face new challenges or experiences, or as they deal with losses or trauma. For Christian Lakota, it can remind them to pick up their cross as Jesus did in the service of others.
As I write this, St. Joseph’s Indian School is about to have their annual student pow wow. It serves as a reunion of sorts, but it also becomes a time for families of the community and from across the US to gather. The children and youth dance and sing remembering their relatives of the past proudly even as they sing with hope for the future. In loving one another, we find hope. I discovered that we can even meet Jesus.
Happy Native American Heritage Month to one and all!
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Adapted from an article originally published in the October 2023 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
[Job cried out,] “Though he kill/slay/murder me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15a).
The world seems a scary place right now, filled with violence, fear, and grief for many. (To some extent, this is always true, but it is harder for me to ignore evil as I write.) Hamas terrorists have just mercilessly attacked Israeli civilians. Israel in return is preparing to enter Gaza. I’ve seen some people call for a nuclear response. I’ve witnessed neighbors turn on neighbor. War might spread. Things are grim, and we might feel a bit like Job. “Is God against us? Why are we suffering? Where is God?”
Evil can be prevalent in the world and capture our vision at times. It can blind us to God’s love, but we are promised by Jesus that God is always reaching out to save us. As a Christian song (Hallelujah, You are Good, by Steven Curtis Chapman) proclaims to God in an early version, “You are with us, You are for us, Hallelujah, You are good.” This song was written sometime after the musician had lost his beloved daughter in an accident. A sibling backed over her as she played in the driveway, and his daughter died.
What kind of faith is this that can trust even when one’s heart is broken? It is the faith we are invited to share. It is a faith in a God who promises to bind up the injured, heal the sick, and free the captives. It is faith in a God who comforted Joseph in prison and freed his descendants and extended family from slavery. It is faith in a God who was willing to die for us, so that we can truly live.
Yes, as the song says, faith will give way to fear at times. We won’t always feel God near, and what we dread most might come to pass (and with it tears). Yet, Steven Curtis Chapman and his family decided to seek to trust God’s heart, a divine heart that seeks to embrace us in love and give us new life. This is a bit of the faith of Job who lost all his family. There was no good reason for this evil and loss. Job could not understand. He was in shock and despair. Despite his tears and pain, he worshipped God anyway. He strove to trust, and he recognized evil does not come from God, a God who we learn from Jesus is only love. No, God is our Comforter, and God will be made manifest to us in times like these. “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high” (Job 16:19).
I don’t know answers to the pains of this world – perhaps only hints at best – but I know our Redeemer is alive and lives for us. We are told this by God repeatedly. And I know as the Body of Christ, called, claimed, and baptized, we must remind ourselves and others amidst our pain that God is with us always. We can show this through words and deeds as we seek to share hope with the hopeless – even as we might struggle with hope ourselves.
Facing the calamities of his own time, a prophet once said on God’s behalf, “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isa. 46:9). Age to age, God remains the same, and it is this same God who loves us now. And so, with Job, I place my “hand over my mouth.” I will try to wait, watch, listen, and trust. I will seek love my neighbor as myself. Death has already lost, and in Christ, we have already won. Hallelujah, God is good. God is ours. And may we never forget, we remain God’s forever. This truth can give us courage.
Originally submitted for publishing in the November newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
Most everyone in the United States recognizes St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) as a day for fun and wearing green. The genesis of our modern celebration comes from the many past Irish immigrants to the United States. We can trace the celebration’s origins back to New York in 1762 when Irish soldiers serving in the British military marched through the city to commemorate the “holy day,” giving rise to one of the most famous parades in the world.[i] Yet at its heart, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious feast day on the liturgical calendar. In Ireland, families traditionally go to church and have festive dinners. Although to be frank, the American style of celebration (too often centered on drinking beer to excess) has begun to impact Ireland over the last decades.
However, St. Patrick’s Day is not the only big day during this coming week. Just two days later (March 19), we mark the religious Feast of St. Joseph. Like the story of St. Patrick’s Day, Italian immigrants maintained and expanded upon traditions from home, as did Czechs, Poles, and many others who are inspired by St. Joseph. In many Italian communities, St. Joseph’s Day is HUGE. Reasons for this affection vary. There are indeed mythic if not superstitious stories of people saved from famine, shipwreck, or other calamity when they asked for St. Joseph’s blessing. Although we Lutherans reject the petitioning saints[ii] for aid since the Reformation, Lutherans still have Joseph on our liturgical calendars on March 19. The Church gives God thanks for Joseph’s loving life and witness of faith, and since at least the 9th Century, Joseph has been honored with the titles of Guardian, Educator, or Adoptive Father of our Lord.
With the feasts close association to the Italian community, how do people traditionally celebrate? Well, some cities offer special worship, festivals, or parades. Italians in New Orleans will have their parade on March 25th this year. Bostonians, near where I grew up, wait until July for their major festival. With St. Joseph’s Day falling on a Sunday in 2023, some will celebrate on the following Monday.
As they celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, people often wear red in the United States. I’ve not been able to determine why. I suspect it might be related to Joseph’s being a patron of workers in Catholicism. Workers movements often wear red, and as a carpenter (or builder) himself[iii], St, Joseph has been historically held up in opposition to Communism. In 1955, an additional feast day was declared by Pope Pius XII and is celebrated on May 1, International Workers’ Day (or May Day), rebranded as the separate Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.[iv]
Yet in light of his role in the Holy Family, people often seek to celebrate “family” as they remember St. Joseph. As they gather, families might create large St. Joseph Tables (or St. Joseph Altars) with three tiers of food, three representing the Trinity. These are sometimes created in a cross shape. People place flowers, limes, wine, fava beans, cakes, breads, cookies, and other meatless dishes (due to the feast day falling during Lent), as well as zeppole, an Italian pastry consisting of a deep-fried dough ball of varying size. Zeppole is often topped with powdered sugar or filled with custard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry cream, or a butter-and-honey mixture. In lieu of zeppole, a treat popular in Naples, Sicilians tend to prefer Sfingi, donuts that are often made from a dough of flour, sugar, eggs, and ricotta and rolled in sugar.
Why so many pastries? There’s an old legend that while exiled in Egypt, Joseph supported his family by selling…pancakes! (This was not necessarily our modern dish but suggests a Middle Eastern bread-like meal like pancakes.) Indeed, March 19th serves as Father’s Day in Italy. Originating in Tuscany and Umbria, Frittelle di San Giuseppe, a fried rice “pancake” (more like a small American doughnut), is now often served throughout the nation. If you are afraid to make such traditional Italian pastries and treats yourself, they are usually available on St. Joseph’s Day at local Italian deli-bakeries. Just ask. If that’s not for you, why not just have a pancake supper with your family?
Embodying sacred stories in celebration help create wonderful memories, but they also can plant seeds of faith. Thus, many Italians prepare special Lenten dishes that include breadcrumbs. The crumbs are meant to remind us of the Joseph’s vocation as a carpenter. You can also find artisan breads of varied shapes: a Latin cross (to remember Christ’s sacrifice), a baby (to honor Joseph’s role in the Holy Family), St. Joseph’s staff (legend has it that St. Joseph’s staff blossomed into a lily, a symbol both of life and death), a purse (a reminder to give alms), a sheaf of wheat (reminding us of John 12:24-26 but turned upside down serves as St. Joseph’s Beard), and many more.[v]
Due to the Joseph-related stories involving famine in Sicily, food proves a large part of the festival. Yet it isn’t a day for self-indulgence, hospitality is the goal along with providing food to any hungry neighbors. Making donations to help meet the needs of others is a common, important family or congregational activity. You might run across congregations inviting you to come help fill “St. Joseph Bags” for the hungry. People might give extra alms. So, perhaps you might like to make a special donation to a food bank, pantry, or other service organization this year? Donating to enCircle (formally Lutheran Family Services of Virginia) might be a worthy charity as they do so much work supporting families and foster care children.
Whatever you do to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day, or any holiday, I encourage you to seek activities that nurture relationship, teach and affirm our faith, and serve our neighbor. If you have some fun as well, that’s ok too.
[ii] Lutherans do have feast days to remember the life and Christian witness of remarkable people, but they serve as models for us, “that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling.” We do not “pray to saints” (ask for their intercession), as “we have an Advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1). Learn more by reading Article XXI, Of the Worship of the Saints, in the Augsburg Confession: https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-worship-of-saints/ You might also like to read Article II, Of the Mass, in the Smalcald Articles: https://bookofconcord.org/smalcald-articles/ii/of-the-mass/
[iii] Although commonly called a carpenter, it might not be that simple. “The word the Gospels use is téktōn, a common term used for artisans, craftsmen, and woodworkers (so, yes, it can translate as “carpenter”), but also, interestingly, it can refer to stonemasons, builders, construction workers, or even to those who excel in their trade and are able to teach others (as in the Italian maestro).” See Esparaza, D. (February 8, 2019). Aletia. Were Jesus and Joseph Really Carpenters as downloaded on March 14, 2023 from https://aleteia.org/2019/02/08/were-jesus-and-joseph-really-carpenters/
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Originally published in the March 14, 2023 weekly newsletter, the Hub, of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA, it was expanded upon for this post.
There’s an old prayer attributed to St. Patrick. As with many of Martin Luther’s own hymns, the style mimics that of the culture around him. It echoes druidic incantations of the day for protection on a journey. Invoking the Trinity and reflecting the many signs of blessing that can help us greet any new day with confidence, his long prayer ends with these words:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
The prayer is known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. Translated into English verse by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889, it inspired the hymn “I bind unto Myself Today” found in our worship book (ELW #450).
St. Patrick had quite a challenging life. Although some details might be more mythic than truth due to his living so long ago (5th Century AD), it is generally accepted that he was born the son of a decurion (Senator and tax collector) in a Roman city of Britain. His grandfather, Potitus, is reported to have been a priest from Bonaven Tabernia, but it appears Patrick did not actively practice the Christian faith as a youth.
According to the Confession of St. Patrick, he was kidnapped when young and enslaved by Irish pirates. Escaping after six years as a slave in Ireland (perhaps with signs of divine intervention depending on the story), he made it back home. Patrick went on to become an active Christian and eventually a priest. That might have been enough of a story on its own, but one day, he had a vision. He wrote, “I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: ‘The Voice of the Irish’. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: ‘We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.’” Despite his past enslavement, Patrick ended up returning to Ireland as a missionary and bishop.
We cannot know all the struggles of faith and other tribulations Patrick faced during his lifetime, but his words and example can be instructive for us. Whatever our situation, trust Christ is with you. Whatever your call, know that Christ desires to be reflected in your work. In all our relationships, seek to love others, including our enemies. In striving to do this, even imperfectly, our own lives can become a song which glorifies God. With Patrick, and his predecessor, St. Paul, we can trust through the gift of faith, “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Walking among others, remember, Christ will be there too.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Originally published in the March 2023 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
As Lent approaches once again, I recall my return to the Church during a similar Lent about thirty years ago. As I have already mentioned in worship, life had banged me up pretty well. Growing up, I faced many challenges, and as a young police officer, I was often subjected to violence, loss, and death. Indeed, I escaped near death experiences several times. Like many young adults, I had also made some bad choices, but I had likewise allowed myself to drift aimlessly from the faith community. I was easily distracted from faith matters by what seemed more accessible and important – things of this world. My faith, for the most part, had become just words.
My heart was sick although I did not realize it. When things seemed the worst, memories of what I had learned in campus ministry, youth groups, and even long-ago Sunday school classrooms spoke to me. These memories of relationship and seeds planted called me back. I was able to contact some of these past people who had befriended me on my earlier faith journey, and they became touchstones to help me find my way back to Christ. A lot of life has happened since, and it hasn’t often been easy. Yet with God’s help and the help of others, my “face has been set like flint” (Isa. 50:7) toward something greater than myself, a God who loves me.
Perhaps I experienced a synthesizing of faith more than a conversion, as I was baptized and grew up in the Church, but something significant and life-changing happened on the evening of March 7, 1992. (Ash Wednesday was March 4th that year.) I decided whatever the implications, I would commit to follow wherever Jesus led. Lent was a perfect time of year for this new start. As a community and individuals, we join Jesus as he sets his face toward Jerusalem, and we are asked to turn to the Lord and live. In worship, we often hear of prophets speaking of a God who, although wounded by our indifference if not antipathy, only has love for us. We learn of Jesus who seeing the marginalized and lost, rather than judging them, befriends them as his own and heals them. Through scripture and song, we discover a God who gives all out of love for us. By his death, with Christ’s last breath, we experience this. Jesus doesn’t curse us, but instead asks, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24).
Lent is not meant to be a burden. It isn’t about feeling sorry for ourselves or judging ourselves harshly. It serves like a voice in the wilderness where God uses the Church community to call us home. Years can take us far away, but no matter how far we have strayed from our path following Jesus, somewhere in the depths of our heart, the Spirit is calling. Do we notice this quiet whisper of our name? This Lent, I hope each of us experience or rediscover the deepest meaning of Lent. God loves us and wants us to come home. God wants us to love like Jesus loves us – with more than words.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Originally published in the February 2023 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
When I served as a volunteer with the Ecumenical Community of Taizé in the mid-1990s, it was an exciting time. The Berlin Wall had just come down, and the Eastern Bloc nations had recently transitioned from tyranny toward freedom. With this change, Christianity in the east of Europe and into Russia experienced what one might call a little springtime – a true rebirth of faith.
So, almost naturally, many Eastern Europeans decided to visit the community on pilgrimage. Since the end of World War 2, it had become a yearly event for the hillside that was home to the monks of Taizé living in the province of Burgundy to flower with multicolored tents helping to welcome young Christians from across the denominations and continents. The village could swell from 200-plus people in the winter to several thousand each week from Easter through summer. Now, the brothers welcomed Eastern Europeans among their many guests.
Indeed, the ecumenically minded Pope John XXIII loved the community and what the Spirit was doing there so much, he once greeted Brother Roger, the Prior, shouting, “Ah, Taizé, that little springtime!” Spending a week with the monks (fifty percent Protestant and fifty percent Roman Catholic), helping with their daily work welcoming and supporting visitors and local ministries, participating in small group discussions over scripture guided by the brothers, and praying their beautiful chants in community three times a day was more than just busy work or a distraction. Over time, people often heard God’s call in their lives better, including the call to love one another in community.
Yet, how difficult it might prove to have Estonians, Ukrainians, and Russians arrive at the same time for a week’s visit among other guests. Bitterness still existed over mistreatment of the recently deceased Soviet imperial power. As much as the Estonians and Ukrainians were overjoyed and boisterous, the Russians appeared as a defeated people: quiet, suspicious, and tending to stay among themselves. (Certainly, religious, economic, and cultural differences with the Western Christians present didn’t help.)
Surprisingly, during the week, I witnessed firsthand what can happen when people get to know one another as individuals. In reflecting upon scripture and sharing one’s understanding, hopes and struggles, the Word went to work. Friendships formed. Attitudes changed. Forgiveness and grace were shared. It is no wonder the brothers had become known for their work – really Christ’s work – of reconciliation and trust. They had even worked secretly in support of Christian young people behind the Iron Curtain at times.
I remember one Ukrainian teacher who stood out from the crowd of pilgrims that week. He told me he made about $25 USD per month (about $50 today). He recalled the horrors and worry over Chernobyl. He remembered the fear that came with Soviet domination and its prescription against almost any signs of faith. And yet each day, I would see him rejoicing among new people, including Russian people. He gave away gifts – small flags of the now independent Ukraine as well as small sets of Ukrainian Easter Eggs. An ancient folk art, the eggs had moved in meaning as his country became Christian in the Middle Ages from representing the rebirth of the Earth each spring to the rebirth of humanity through Christ’s resurrection.
I still treasure that man’s joy, openness, and generosity. As the war in Ukraine continues, as political divisions and violence challenge us in the USA, as even within our church families we might encounter people tending to judge and withdraw rather than offer grace, I stare at his eggs gifted to me and many others that week now long ago. Through his past witness, hope comes back to me today. Without a doubt, I believe springtime will come again. Jesus will come again. Signs of spring can be found everywhere if we dare look through the eyes of faith and seek to love one another – even our enemies.
Originally published in The Hub, a weekly email of Christ Lutheran Church, May 17, 2022 edition. newsletter. Christ Lutheran Church is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
You can listen to a podcast version of this post on anchor.fm, season 1, episode 16.
As we move further into spring after Easter each year, we ponder the earliest stories of the Church. We see Peter grow from a struggling fisherman to a skillful shepherd. We meet Stephen, the first martyr, and encounter a new Apostle, at first a persecutor of the Church and now surprisingly called to serve the gentiles. His name will be changed from Saul to Paul; reflecting the change in his heart and understanding. We learn of resurrections of the dead such as Tabitha (raised through Peter’s faith) and Eutychus (raised through Paul’s faith). Such events don’t become a norm, but these miraculous healings, exorcisms, and resurrections serve as a sign of the truth to what God has done through his only Son, Jesus. In all these things, people will not only come to believe, but they will also continue to grow in belief as they maintain their walk with Jesus.
The liturgical season of Easter is only fifty days, lasting through Pentecost (on June 5th this year), but the impact of the resurrection is eternal. The story is not over, for it continues to be spoken by God in and through our lives. We find that we aren’t so different than those who came to believe so long ago. We face disease, war, poverty, and all kind of sin as they did. We struggle to believe at times just like them. And yet through it all, at any time, Jesus can appear to us. His words remembered can strengthen us. We encounter him in the Word heard preached and our participation in the Sacraments. We can meet the Risen Christ through those who need us, and those we need. Even in the face of those whom we don’t like, Jesus might be staring into our eyes asking forgiveness. Jesus is risen. His resurrection speaks to us of a present and future with him.
As school ends and summer begins, as Easter turns into the Season after Pentecost, we will be likely traveling more and having more opportunities for fun. Yet as you rightly enjoy these things, I encourage all of us to look for Jesus wherever we might be and whatever our circumstances. Remember the assembly and your call to service. Consider how work, sport, and all your activities, even rest, might serve the Risen Christ and proclaim his glory. Faith is not just for a season. It leads to life itself. Jesus is and remains risen so that people may experience abundant and eternal life in him.
Originally published in the May 2022 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
What must it have been like for those first disciples? Facing defeat, struggling to accept that Jesus had been crucified, feeling exhausted, frightened and alone, they must have been devastated and in shock. Yet, the story doesn’t end there. Despite the threat of arrest or even attack, some came to the tomb to care for the body of Jesus. (In those days, families and friends directly cared for the burial of loved ones.)
Death could not stop their love for Jesus. And lo and behold, they were met by an angelic being who asked, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” On this Resurrection Morning, everything had changed. Sin and death had been defeated, and a new life was now possible thanks to Jesus. The Kingdom of Heaven had broken into the real world like a spring tulip or shaft of wheat might break through the ground. We still can only see the first signs, but once Jesus rose, there was no going back. “He *is* risen!” we shout. Jesus lives and remains lovingly at work in the world, even as he awaits the day when he comes again in glory.
So perhaps instead of focusing too much on what is bad with the world or our individual lives, we can use our time to look for Jesus among the living: as we seek to serve refugees, feed our hungry neighbors, care for the homeless, volunteer with friends at local nonprofits, watch and wait with others in medical centers or prisons, share in sabbath rest or fellowship together, even as we might pray for peace in our world. In all things, we can look for the Risen Christ and make him known. As Paul advised long ago in the face of persecution, “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (See Phil. 4:1-9)
No, Jesus is not among the dead. Nor is Jesus lounging in some remote heaven far above and away from us. Jesus might seem hidden at times, but he promises that he is with us always – in those we need and those who need us, and yes, in our hearts, too. Therefore, he’s ready to surprise us as he bursts into our lives, much as he busted out of that cave-like tomb. Like the first disciples, we will probably be surprised. Whatever is happening in your life – good, bad, or indifferent – rejoice and be glad, for Jesus has risen for you…is risen for you. Death cannot stop his love for us, and it never will. “Love is come again like wheat arising green.” (1)
Blessed Holy Week and Easter,
Pastor Lou
(1) Now the Green Blade Rises – Evangelical Worship, Hymn #379
Originally published in the April 2022 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
The audio version of this post can be listened to here.
In 2011, I remember when members of a former L’Arche community from Lynchburg, Virginia visited my past congregation, Messiah Lutheran (Mechanicsville), for the first time. Speaking of such communities, L’Arche USA explains, “The first L’Arche community was founded in 1964 in the small town of Trosly, France in response to the inhumane conditions of the large institutions where people with intellectual disabilities had been placed.” From that first community of four people living together as one, with one person more able and three persons having profound disabilities, has grown an international network of communities based on love and mutuality. All members give of themselves. All members receive gifts of God’s grace through others. My friends in L’Arche Metro Richmond testify, “L’Arche is global community of faith that celebrates the gifts of persons with developmental disabilities – gifts of welcome, wonderment, spontaneity, and directness. They touch hearts and call others to unity through simplicity and vulnerability.” Honest, trusting, loving relationship binds them and helps everyone grow.
In preparing our welcome, we had taken down the center altar rail where people normally communed. We knew a number of those visiting us had physical disabilities and some used wheelchairs, and this simple change would help with access. As soon as I had invited people forward to share in the meal, a young lady from L’Arche came running. She came right up to the altar itself and joined the assisting minister, acolyte, and me as we prepared to offer the Lord’s Supper. She came hungrily, joyfully holding out her hands in front of me with one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. She wasn’t concerned about propriety, yet she was reverent. She understood that this was a moment of sacred celebration – Christ with us. She felt loved and accepted, comfortable enough to charge up to the altar with great abandon as if she was sharing a meal in her own home at L’Arche. Even as a stranger to me, she absolutely belonged. There was something beautiful in that moment. There was something theologically and perhaps even scripturally poignant if not profound. Those so often seen among the least would once again be first. They would bless us with their joy and simplicity of trust that they were loved by Jesus, even as they were welcomed by Jesus through us.
As we prepare in 2022 to enter Christ Lutheran’s 75th anniversary year, I wonder what we can learn from that experience. What keeps us back from fully embracing the gift of community offered us? Where can we tear down barriers both concrete or symbolic that might otherwise serve to keep those who might be timid or afraid away? We have a great deal to celebrate in a community that has blessed us in so many ways, but how can we better share that blessing with others? With this anniversary, we aren’t just to look backward. We are invited to rush forward seeking Jesus! He is calling others who might not yet know him. He is waiting to come to others through our hands, feet, and hearts. Each one of us has a part to play if only we will risk showing up.
A 75th anniversary is traditionally understood to be appropriate for gifts of gold or even diamonds. Yet, our true treasure can only be found in Christ often as we share his love. That’s why we were created and called. It is our deepest, most meaningful significance. If you don’t sense that wonder or joy yet, do not be alarmed. Christ is still shining within you. He promises this, and his love has burned within you even before you knew him. Seek to listen to him instead of the darkness whispering within and around us. Jesus once told his disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” You are his child, not because of what you do or your strength of faith, but because he invites you. Come, taste and see!
Pastor Lou has been bleesed from being an active member of L’Arche Metro Richmond’s Community Life Group, an official project of L’Arche USA. If you would like to support them in their life together as they move toward full community status or you want more infromation, please visit: larchemetrorichmond.org
Originally published in the February 2022 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Recently in a Bible study, we examined Luke 4:21-30. A participant asked why this account of Jesus being rejected by his hometown neighbors differed from other Gospels – particularly the threat to push him over the side of a cliff. Where were his disciples?
In following up with that question, I used a book called “Synopsis of the Four Gospels” (K. Arland, Ed., 1985) which tries to line the stories up as they parallel. In doing so, you find some of the stories are seemingly out of sync chronologically or even in detail. For example, Jesus chasing the money changers out of the Temple courts happens very early in John (the start of Jesus’ ministry). In the other Gospels, it happens during Holy Week (at the end of Jesus’ ministry).
Why do they differ? Scholars wrestle with this as do everyday believers. Some suggest that these versions were inherited oral stories from the source before being written down. So, errors occurred. Others argue that the named persons wrote them, but they tell the story as they remember or in a way that makes the story flow. (Minds do play tricks on people when it comes to memories.) Still, others attribute it to who wrote them and when they were written. Not all the Gospel writers knew Jesus or walked with him.
The Gospels were likely written in this order: Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. The Gospel of Mark is thought to be written by a companion of Paul named John Mark or Marcus. Matthew’s Gospel was traditionally attributed to the Apostle. Some suggest there might have been an earlier edition lost to us in Aramaic. Luke was another companion of Paul, a doctor from Asia minor with Greek heritage. He also wrote the Book of Acts, and some scholars like to consider it as Luke-Acts, a kind of continuing story. John is commonly believed to be written by the Apostle. Tradition states that he cared for Mary, the Mother of God, after Christ’s death. Other texts are also attributed to him.
When you look at a parallel synopsis of the four Gospels, one thing becomes clear. The stories paralel in many places, but there are many differences as well – some important, some less so. In the case of Luke 4:21-30, they are synced in my resource with Matthew 13:53-58, Mark 6:1-6a, and John 7:15, 6:42, and 4:44. In Luke, the incident happens before the call of the disciples. In Matthew, Mark and John, an incredibly similar incident (or wording) happened after the call of the disciples.
The Gospel writers are indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit, but they aren’t puppets or zombies of the Holy Spirit. Like anyone else including your pastor, the testimony of the Gospel was transmitted through a human lens and can come out differently as best as one understands the stirring of the Spirit or within the limitations of the human mind and vocabulary. As I have argued before, it is like multiple witnesses in a court case. They might all tell the story differently, but they aren’t necessarily lying. In evaluating all the stories together, one might come closer to the truth of things.
With any such discrepancy, there is the possibility that a similar incident happened more than once, but with what we have, we cannot definitively know that. Some early Christians wanted to harmonize the stories similar to the way modern movies might, but as these texts were deemed sacred and inspired, the early Church rejected this. For two thousand years, the texts, apart from the unintentional errors of scribes, have not been changed. People went to great effort to copy them exactly. Most often, multiple versions of manuscripts written over years if not centuries apart coincide with little variation, but in some cases, as with the ending of Mark, earlier manuscripts differ significantly from later ones. Bible editors often highlight these differences with brackets or footnotes perhaps saying, “other ancient sources indicate (insert the difference).”
Amidst such differences, we accept them as they are, and we have to deal with the very real inconsistencies through faith and scholarship. In this coming Sunday’s Gospel passage, perhaps it is a different but similar incident or Luke inherited the story from Paul but erred in the chronology of it. We just cannot know. For those that argue such inconcitencies indicate the Bible is false, I think it important to recognize how liars normally behave. Conspirators often try to “get the story straight.” Here, the Christian community refused to do so fully aware of textual tensions and disagreements. Perhaps this actually is an argument for their veracity!
An error on the part of an Evangelist might seem heresy to a fundamentalist needing every word, phrase, and sentence to be true in isolation. Yet in our Lutheran tradition, I think we take a better approach – one Martin Luther introduced and popularized in the 1500s. We seek an exegesis of the text. We consider context and how scripture interacts with and interprets scripture. We look at varied manuscripts written over time with an eye for any differences. Here, we examine the testimony of scripture in light of proximity to the incident and firsthand accounts. Accounts written earlier might be more authoritative. We also consider the author’s social placement and characteristics. For example, Luke’s vocation as a Gentile doctor likely encouraged him to share stories mentioning women, gentiles, and physicality in more detail than other Gospel writers. We also evaluate language and phrases used. In ancient times, it was not consider deceitful to write in anothers name, particulalry one’s teacher or mentor. Who wrote the text and when can impact its accuracy. We draw from and compare archeology and outside contemporary texts, and we even consider sociological and literary approaches. In the end, Gospels are not meant to be histories. They are theological witnesses. The details do not matter as much as the ultimate truths they reveal.
Thus, a discrepancy need not indicate a falsehood nor even technically an error. The storyteller (witness) is telling the story through a lens reflecting their experience, interests, culture, or maybe what they deem most important to share. Memories might differ. Styles won’t be the same. Yet taken together, one might note how these accounts corroborate one another. And some scholars suspect they might at times even rely on one another as source material. For example, Luke and Matthew seem to echo Mark’s earlier account. Scripture might be inerrant in substance (ultimate truth) without being exactly the same in detail.
True, an interpreter can certainly err as well. Group think or assumptions might interefere with how we hear and understand the Word of God. Or, new discoveries can transform our understanding. Someone helped by the Spirit might even come up with brilliant new insights. Yet, this all reinforces the critical need to interpret scripture in community with others. Further, we should consider the voices and perspectives of past believers as well as the present Christian community. In the mind of Martin Luther, scripture trumped traditions, but he did not mean to say that past understandings don’t matter. We should evaluate them to benefit from the good and reject the bad. In the end, we might not be able to understand why things are the way they are in scripture at times. When this happens, we will have to rest in the tension that exists. Faithful people might need to disagree at times, humbly recognizing that we might be the one who is wrong. Still, we trust scripture to be a gift from God and normative lens for our Christian life above all others.
I hope this short essay helps Bible readers better understand what is going on with the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany’s (Revised Common Lectionary, Year C) Gospel text. It might also help as one seeks to address other texts encountered in the future. We should remain honest admiting that we can never know all we need to about the Bible, but we trust in the One who does. Our faith is ultimately in God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – not the Bible. And as an earlier believer once said, “God is still speaking.”
Reference:
Aland, K. (1985, Rev.). Synopsis of the Four Gospels, English Edition. “33. Jesus’ Preaching in Nazareth.” Swindon, United Kingdom: United Bible Societies, p. 31-33.
This blog post was expanded from an email written to members of a Christ Lutheran Bible study on January 26, 2022.
Husband, Pastor, Law Enforcement Chaplain, and member of the Clerical Errors (aka "The Three Priests"), I'm sharing my two cents with anyone who cares...
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