February 26, 2023 · 7:46 pm

Seeing things in a new way

Raphael’s Transfiguration (1516-1520), Oil tempera on wood. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

This sermon was preached at Christ Lutheran Church (Fredericksburg, VA) on Transfiguration Sunday, February, 19, 2023.You can also find a recording of this post at my 2 Penny Blog Podcast.

Some of you might have read the story by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry called The Little Prince.[i] If you haven’t, you might have at least heard of the title. After eighty years in print, it is still considered a masterpiece for its exploration of the themes of loneliness and love, loss and friendship. It is said to reflect the ever-changing nature of life, and thus it resonates with many.

The narrator begins weaving this tale by pointing out something important. Grown-ups often struggle to identify important things as they truly are (or perhaps can be) even when the truth lies right in front of them. As the story unfolds, we learn of a young prince visiting various planets in space, including Earth. It is a fanciful story in many ways, perhaps seeming obtuse to some, but there is much wisdom to be found.

On one stop of the recorded adventures, the Little Prince visits a small world with a great king…at least he tries to be great. The King is the first grownup the little prince meets, and the King exemplifies the often-foolish desire of grownups to be obeyed. This need in the King is so great that he will revise his orders endlessly just so that it seems like he is always being obeyed by everyone and everything. In trying to prove his authority and benevolence, the King offers the Little Prince the role of Minister of Justice, but the Little Prince rightly notes that there’s no one else on the empty planet to judge. And here, unwittingly, and ironically, the King speaks a great truth. He says, “It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.”[ii]

Sadly, the King does not judge himself rightly at all. He’s delusional in his feelings of import and power. And yet, there’s a little bit of the King in all of us as humans. We can become puffed up, lording over others, as Paul warns against in his letter to the church in Corinth.

Yet perhaps more often for many of us, we can also tend to underestimate our significance… a significance that is based on God’s great love for us. Each one of us with all our liabilities…with all the sin we struggle with…is invited to be part of the coming Kingdom…not just that, but heirs to Christ himself. That is partly why chrismation – the mark of the sign of Christ’s cross (traditionally using olive oil) – is used as part of the baptismal ritual. You are being anointed and dedicated to a special purpose, as the pastor proclaims, “Child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with cross of Christ forever.” You might look the same. You might feel the same…but what the Church is trying to tell you in the name of Jesus is that you are not the same. You are part of God’s plan in a special, more intimate way now. In fact, God promises to be with you through the power of the Holy Spirit every step of your way.

Yet, we aren’t the first ones to ever underestimate ourselves. The early Church did too. When Matthew shared this story of the Transfiguration in his Gospel, it was likely sometime between 80-90 AD. Think about what was going on by then. The first Christians who were Jews initially expected to continue worshipping in the Synagogue if not the Temple. After all, Jesus came to fulfil the law and prophets, not destroy them. Yet against expectations, even though Jesus shared warnings, they found themselves thrown out of synagogue communities and often persecuted.

As for the Kingdom of Judah and its capital Jerusalem, the Romans had grown tired of its rebellious ways. The Romans had crushed the nation, destroyed the Temple, and carted off its treasures in 70 AD. A great diaspora began as Jews were forced to leave their homeland and only a few remained. By the time of Mark’s Gospel, faithful people were asking, “What was God doing?” If not doing, what was God allowing? Many felt confused if not powerless.

Yes, it seemed an apocalyptic time. You know what I mean, “Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!”[iii] Ok, that’s a quote from Ghost Busters, but hopefully you are starting to catch my drift…Things were profoundly wrong, and many Christians were afraid and doubting. It seemed like the end of the world.

Rome was a threat. Jews who did not believe that Jesus was “bringing about the transition from the broken present age to the [Kingdom] of God” were a threat. Christians were even fighting one another over what should be done with the new gentile believers among them. How Jewish should the Church remain? My goodness, even the Temple, the sign of God’s presence among God’s chosen people was no more. It was not just the Temple rocked off its foundations by this, the Jewish people and the Church were too.

Here, Professor Ronald Allen (of the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis) rightly points out, that Matthew writes the First Gospel “in part, because some in the congregation are losing confidence in the coming of the Realm. Some are drifting away. Matthew shapes the narrative of the first gospel to encourage them to remain faithful even in the midst of the fractiousness of their moment in history.”[iv] Matthew, for his part, “wants the community to interpret their struggles beyond and within the congregation as suffering on behalf of the” coming Kingdom. God will use, repurpose, and redeem their suffering![v] As Professor Allen also writes, “At the transfiguration, God gives the Matthean church a vision of the future: Jesus as he will be on the day God resurrects him and as he will be when he returns to complete the work of replacing the old world with the new.”[vi] That’s right…this will happen at the End of Time when Jesus comes again.

And for the modern Church…the afflicted Church amidst growing doubt…with people losing heart if not faith and sometimes wondering away…with threats from powers of this world all around us…this is where we also find ourselves. We are in “the in-between time” – Jesus risen and ascended, but not yet returned…the Kingdom broken into our world, but not in its fullness. Suffering happens. Death still happens. We are here awaiting the day when all tears will be wiped away.

Facing this reality, like the Matthean Church, we might ask God, “What are you thinking?” We might wonder even if being a Christian is worth it. Following Jesus can be scary. Yet in response, we hear God’s words speaking directly to us just as they did to the earliest, persecuted, suffering, doubting, struggling-with-sin Church that came before us, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”…Trust in him.

God’s asking us to see what we are going through in a new way…to see ourselves in a new way…not with arrogance, but with spiritual maturity, bravery, and humility. It is much like what the Fox in the Little Prince tries to teach, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”[vii] It is the truth of the Gospel, such as when Thomas learns that he must stop doubting and believe as his hands touch Jesus’ wounded side, or when Paul boldly proclaims we must live by faith and not be sight. This is an eternal truth being revealed to us, that something more is going on in us, through us, and around us – thanks be to God – than we often comprehend.

We cannot always recognize God at work, that’s why Luther often calls God our “Hidden God.” We cannot often fully understand what’s really happening…how everything will work for our good…that’s why we are not ourselves called God. Yet, God promises to be with us, and to use us, and to free us. That, my friends, is God’s will…that will which Jesus taught us to pray for.

And so, there are powerful, transforming implications of the Transfiguration playing out every time we seek to love another in Christ’s name, or forgive, or when we ask to be forgiven, or when we must sacrifice or even suffer in faith. It is like that painting from Raphael of the Transfiguration.[viii] I shared it before our Monday Night Bible Study on our social media. In the painting, we see Jesus in his glory up above in the top panel, but juxtaposed to this, connected to this directly underneath, we see Matthew pointing to a scene of the Church. And there, we see disciples healing a demon possessed boy. The boy’s healing helps testify to Christ’s power displayed in the Transfiguration but also alive in and at work through Christ’s Church…in you and me…just waiting to be lived out if we only can hold on in faith.

With our adult eyes, surrounded by what we might be tempted to call reality, we might struggle to see things as they truly are and can be…see them as Jesus does. We have been chosen. We have been called for a time like this. Just as Jesus’ friends were told that they could not stay on the mountain top, we, too, have work to do. We must go down into those valleys because of the Shadow of Death that’s there.

I know it is easier up on the mountain – those times we see God more clearly, sense joy and love more fully, maybe even experience God’s peace. I’d love to keep the pain of life away, but that isn’t why Jesus came, nor is it why we were created and called. It is in following Jesus that Christ becomes our life, and we begin to share concretely in his glory. Often, this includes our own crosses.

Therefore, we must understand that nothing should stop us from following Jesus…not our stupid most embarrassing sins, nor “torments brought on by memories of a recent or distant past.”[ix] Much like low self-esteem or low confidence may cause us to hide ourselves away from social situations, cause us to stop trying new things, or avoid things that we find challenging[x]…a lack of faith can do the same.

Yet remember, we are promised that “the Holy Spirit comes to help us in our weakness.” No life that God created and called is meaningless no matter our education, abilities, our age, or station. For with every relationship…in every person we meet…others who suffer and doubt like we do…our lives and love might become a lifeline to hope…to Jesus himself…and that’s a miracle.

What miracles will you see this week? Child of God…not “Grownup of God”…Child of God…you are certainly going to be provided opportunities to see yourself and this world in new ways. Facing the enormity of the Little Prince’s grief at the loss of just one rose that he loved, feeling his own limitations, the narrator says, “It is such a secret place, the land of tears.”[xi] Through the Transfiguration, Jesus seeks to remind us that this land of tears, as secret and beyond comprehension as it might seem, is meant to become a sacred place…and will…as we watch, as we wait, as we seek to love and serve one another and our Lord.

Oh, yes, Jesus is coming back, but Child of God, don’t you see? Don’t you hear? Jesus is not missing in action…he’s alive through the faith, hope, and love that we dare to try to share as Church despite any odds. Children of God, let us judge ourselves rightly. There’s important work for all of us to do in Christ’s name. Wherever and whenever we find ourselves, no matter how bad things get, Christ is there too. As Jesus declared in the Beatitudes, we are blessed. Amen.

[i] The following edition was used as a resource for this sermon: Saint-Exupery, A. (2021 electronic edition; first edition 1943). Woods, K., translator. Italy: M.E. editions.

[ii] Ibid., p. 50-51

[iii] Ghost Busters (1984). Written by Aykroyd, D, Ramis, H., and Moranis, R.

[iv] Allen, R.J. (February 19, 2023). Commentary of Matthew 17:1-9. Downloaded from https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/transfiguration-of-our-lord/commentary-on-matthew-171-9-6 on February 16, 2023.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Saint-Exupery, A. (2021), p.  85.

[viii] See this painting with citation at the head of this article.

[ix] Br. Roger of Taizé. (May 1995). Choose to Love. As downloaded at https://christian.net/pub/resources/text/taize/lt96gb.html

[x] National Health Services (u.d.). Raising Low Self-Esteem. United Kingdom: Crown. As downloaded at https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/raise-low-self-esteem/

[xi] Saint-Exupery, A. (2021), p.  35.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) translation.

© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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February 24, 2023 · 12:30 pm

Lutherans fast? Sometimes…

Christ in the Desert,
by Ivan Kramskoi, oil on canvas, 1872.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many people ask pastors about fasting as Lent begins. For Lutherans, it is commended, but it is in no way a mandate. Why do some choose to fast during Lent? We do so because of Christ’s own example during his forty days in the wilderness, but it is also recommended to us in both the Hebrew and Christian scriptures as a helpful spiritual discipline – not just during Lent but at any time of the year. It can also serve as a sort of penance.[i] The Augsburg Confession states, “Fasting in itself is not rejected, but what is rejected is making a necessary service of fasts on prescribed days and with specified foods, for this confuses consciences. . . . Such outward forms of service do not make us righteous before God . . . therefore it is not a sin to omit them.”[ii]

Primarily, fasting often involves a restriction on when, how much, or what type of food (for example, choosing fish or vegetarian dishes over meat) one might eat. We should not fast from food if it puts our health at risk. You might like to speak with your doctor as to what might work for your circumstances, and please stop fasting if you begin to feel unwell. Yet in modern times, many people fast from activities or things such as social media, enjoyable hobbies, or drinking alcohol. If choosing to fast, you might like to choose something meaningful to you, so that when you feel the pangs of any absence or sacrifice, you might draw your thoughts to God and Christ’s own sacrifice for our sake. Prayer, meditation, and Bible study are helpful during a fast, as they can make the experience all the more meaningful as God’s Spirit seeks to speak to us. Through fasting, we wish to open and refocus our hearts toward God with the Spirit’s help.

Certainly, some kinds of fasting might help us curb unhelpful behaviors or improve our health. Yet, never think we earn more of God’s love in the process. We cannot earn such a gift already freely offered us by Jesus. In speaking about fasting, Martin Luther argued:

“The Scriptures present to us two kinds of true fasting: one, by which we try to bring the flesh into subjection to the spirit, of which St. Paul speaks in 2 Cor 6:5: ‘In labors, in watchings, in fastings.’ The other is that which we must bear patiently, and yet receive willingly because of our need and poverty, of which St. Paul speaks in 1 Cor 4:11: ‘Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst,’ and Christ in Mt 9:15: ‘When the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast.’ This kind of fasting Christ teaches us here while in the wilderness alone without anything to eat, and while he suffers his penury without murmuring. The first kind of fasting, one can end whenever he wills, and can satisfy it by food; but the other kind we must observe and bear until God himself changes it and satisfies us. Hence it is much more precious than the first, because it moves in greater faith.”[iii]

Can’t fast for forty days? Well, try it for a week or on the occasional day during Lent. Whatever you choose to do or don’t do, offer it up in love to the glory of God. Prayerfully and expectantly watch and wait for the Spirit to help and guide you.

Want to read Martin Luther’s sermon? Visit this link: Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent; Matthew 4:1-11

[i] Penance is an outward expression of one’s desire to repent, to turn our hearts back to God and make amends for our wrongs toward our neighbors.

[ii] See https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/#article26.33

[iii] Excerpted from Volume II:133-147 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1906 in English by Lutherans in All Lands Press (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 11. Original sermon title: “The fast and temptation of Christ.” Downloaded at liturgies.net/Lent/Sermons/lutherlent1.htm on February 23, 2023.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) translation.

© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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February 3, 2023 · 12:48 pm

Burn brightly

St. Blaise (1740), Maria-Trost Church, Berg bei Rohrbach

Today, not on our Lutheran calendar but celebrated by many other Christians, is yet another feast day connected to spring and growing light, the Feast of Saint Blaise (pronounced blayz).

Blaise is considered to be an historic figure, but there has grown a great deal of myth around his life. A physician and bishop of Sebastea in historical Armenia, he died as a martyr on February 3 sometime around 316 AD. He is remembered for many miraculous (if perhaps mythic) healing stories to include saving a child from chocking on a chicken bone while on his way to his own judgement and death. He is said to have died by beheading.

And so being the day after Candlemas and with his being associated with stories about the throat, some early Christians through to this day often have their own throats blessed, sometimes while two candles blessed on Candlemas are layed in a crosslike shape upon their throat. Indeed in the Middle Ages, Blaise was considered one of “the Fourteen Holy Helpers” who during the time of the plague became popular for intercession for everything from a headache to an unexpected death.

Photo credit: Figurines of the Fourteen Holy Helpers by an unknown artist, Chapel on the Michaelsberg, Untergrombach, Germany, by H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

These kind of practices – and the sometimes mythic aspect of these fourteen saints themselves – often caused them to diminish in stature following the Protestant Reformation. Our Augsburg Confession, Article XX1 teaches us: “Of the Worship of Saints they teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country. For both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor.” We remember and give thanks for the example of all the saints whether on a list for recognition or not, including Blaise, but even as we might venerate and honor them, we seek to reject superstition and, as Lutherans, we do not invoke them.

For his part, Martin Luther, seeing many abuses and evidence of magical thinking and idolotry in some cases, argued, “No one can deny that by such saint worship we have now come to the point where we have actually made utter idols of the Mother of God and the saints, and that because of the service we have rendered and the works we have performed in their honor we have sought comfort more with them than with Christ Himself. Thereby faith in Christ has been destroyed. [E 28:415; quoted in MartinLuther, What Luther Says, Vol. III, ed. Ewald Martin Plass (St Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), 1254; cf. LW 36:299-300]. There is no explicit biblical citation supporting invocation of the saints (so Christians might disagree), but a larger concern for Martin and the earliest Reformers remained our human tendency for magical thinking.

Many great saints and martyrs have long been forgotten by the world, but they are never forgotten by God. Not everyone makes a liturgical list. Some through no fault of their own have become wrapped in myth. Yet, through the gift of faith, the legacy of any saint can instruct or inspire us in some way. They can serve as great examples for us. So, rest in peace, Blaise. Your efforts still burn brightly…not because of what you did or failed to do, but because the light of Christ chose to shine brightly through you love.

Through remembering the saints and martyrs, Jesus reminds us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” With God’s help, may our lives burn brightly, too.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) translation.

© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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February 1, 2023 · 6:00 pm

What does Lent mean?

Photo by Francisco Gonzalez on Unsplash. Used by permission.

You can find a recording of this post at my 2 Penny Blog Podcast.

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.

© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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January 10, 2023 · 5:21 pm

Jesus was baptized for you

You can find a recording of this sermon on my blog’s companion podcast located here.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today’s sermon is a little different. You see, I have been reminiscing a bit more than usual through the holidays and with the New Year. I think that’s not uncommon at such times. Then, the Facebook memories function went ahead and reminded me of a momentous day in my life. It is hard for me to believe, but as I reflected upon today’s text about Christ’s baptism, I remembered my own…60 years ago, this coming December 2023. Wow, it blows my mind that so much time has passed, and yet it remains one of the most profound and sometimes underappreciated events of my life in my busyness. Hopefully, your baptism is recognized for its profound and lasting impact, but I must confess that I sometimes don’t stop to remember the power of my own.

Now, I am not trying to suggest you remember the day in detail. Afterall, I certainly don’t. I was only 11 days old. Yet I do know the stories and people involved thanks to my family. For one thing, with baptism, I officially received my “Christian name.” That’s commonly called being “christened.” In Martin Luther’s time, one practice was to be named after the “saint of the day” on the liturgical calendar. So, Martin, born on November 10, is named after St. Martin of Tours, the saint remembered on Luther’s baptism day of November 11. As is a tradition among some Italian families, my dad was named after his maternal grandfather, Luigi Marini, and Luigi after his maternal grandfather before that. The name was ultimately in honor of a popularly venerated saint, Aloysius of Gonzaga (in Latin). He is more commonly called Luigi of Gonzaga in Italian. Born in the US, my dad’s name was Americanized, so you narrowly escaped having a Pastor Luigi standing before you today. Yet with my name, in my baptism, I was encouraged to represent myself well. For though it and my life, I represent the legeacy of my genetic family, my Christian family today and throoughout time, and Christ’s own name. I come to bear the name of Jesus Christ. That’s no small thing.

He Qi, “Baptism of Jesus.”

And thus, as I was baptized, I was also gifted two wonderful, loving godparents, ultimately what we often call sponsors today…to be with me at my baptism, to speak for me, and there, promise to love, help, and guide me (the best that they could) into a life of faith. (In the old days, there might even be an expectation of adoption if the parents died, but that’s not the case today.) Arthur Coughlin, my godfather, was a dear friend of my dad’s. He ultimately co-owned one of the most successful sporting goods stores in the Boston area, Holovak and Coughlin. Yet what he was most known for was his deep religious faith that one could see evident in the way he walked through daily life, in his long-lasting friendships, and perhaps most especially from his generosity. He and his business donated lots of money and time to those in need. And, he was among one of the first people to sense a special call by God in my life. I remember clearly the exact moment he asked me about this at my eldest sister’s wedding…He had seen me help at the service, and refelcting upon what he knew of me and my life, he asked, “Have you ever considered being a priest?” An important seed was planted. (And as Pastor Anne can tell you as a member of the Virginia Synod vocations team, that’s a thing we look for – not just an interior sense of call, but that someone sees something at work in you.) Meanwhile, my godmother, Anna Kendrick, was my mother’s cousin. She was never married but worked all her adult life with an accounting firm. Yet what stood out to me most, once again, was her love, grace, and piety. She humbly and efficiently cared for and loved her widowed mother, who was declining with an early onset of dementia. All the while Anna kept working, sacrificing, and keeping the extended family going. Through both people, I was gifted with their prayers, a willingness to love and support me, but perhaps most wonderfully, a witness to faith that went beyond words. They helped preach those sermons I could see.

So, now you know that I was baptized as an infant, and that leads to a third, likely most significant impact leading to many other countless ramifications…many I won’t likely ever recognize in this life…In baptism, I became a child of God in a special way. Through the Water (a sign) and the Word (the promise of God), my intimacy with God changed. Did you catch that nuance? All members of humanity are at some level created in love by God and loved by God as children. And explicitly according to scripture, Jesus came to call all people into relationship. Yet, we also know that there are some who respond to God’s call through faith more than others; while some not at all. Thus among the faithful, we hopefully seek to listen to and follow Jesus Christ. And one of his most important commands was made to his new Church as he prepared to ascend to heaven. As recorded (in Matthew 28:18-20), “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In Mark 16, he goes so far to declare one who believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16a). And so today, the Sunday following Epiphany, as the Church sets out into another new year, we annually remember Jesus’ own example. We stop and ask, “Why is baptism so important that Jesus, born without sin, be baptized? Why should we be baptized? So, let’s gather at the river for a moment and take a closer look.  

As we heard during Advent and hopefully over the years, John was the greatest of all prophets according to Jesus. He had the special job of preparing the way. He called people into repentance, and he baptized them as a symbol of their new start. Yet he wasn’t the first to baptize. Baptism was already a ritual of the Hebrews. Each synagogue had ritual baths for people and items to help them fulfill Levitical and rabbinic laws and teachings. The Mikvah, or bath, was used and is still used by our Jewish siblings, for full immersion in water of people and things for ritual purification…the restoration to a condition of “ritual purity” in specific circumstances. I’ve read it was not called baptism per se, but it is like baptism. Also in John’s time, the Essenes, a mystic Jewish sect, lived out in the wilderness as they sought to separate themselves from the sin of the world. They shared a communal life. They committed to practice piety toward God and righteousness toward their neighbor. Many of the Essene groups appear to have even been celibate. They lived a spartan life, as John did, as a sign of their heart’s desire to repent. And as new members joined their community, they were invited to be immersed…to be baptized. Yes, John’s activity was firmly rooted in what came before and other practices around him…and yet…and yet…he pointed to something new. He pointed to Jesus and a new baptism. “I baptize you with water for repentance,” he cried, “but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” And so, Jesus did come, and John resisted baptizing one he knew to be the Son of God, one without sin. “I need to be baptized by you,” John argued.

This is a critical passage. This is a major event. At some level, our baptism is meant to be a physical sign of a new covenant, a loving promise more than a contract, in a long line of increasingly intimate covenants. God has reached out over and over again to humanity, whereby now, we can be marked by the cross of Christ and sealed by his Holy Spirit through baptism forever. Indeed, God’s promise made to us at baptism is more important than any of those we make near a font, pool, or river. Using baptism, God is fulfilling an ancient promise made for the final age. It is found through the words of the prophets, such as Ezekiel (36:26), “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” John knew that his baptism was for repentance, a symbol. With Christ, access to something new came…baptism of fire and Spirit.

No, our Christian baptism isn’t just a bath. It is not just about ritual purification or blessing. It isn’t just a symbol of new birth or entrance into a community. It is these things, BUT it is more than those things. Baptism as understood by the majority of Christians across the world…the vast majority today and throughout time…has been recognized as transforming. Baptism changes us. The Spirit claims us…grabs hold of us in love, and never wants to let us go. Throughout one’s life, the Spirit is at work. Sometimes easily seen, that work can be subtle as well. Luther used to say God seemed often hidden, yet God never stops working to call us more deeply into relationship…to make us holy…to save us. In baptism (as with the Lord’s Supper), we are promised that God touches us with grace in a most intense way. It is a means of grace…a way of grace to strengthen us on our way. It saves us as we become part of God’s most intimate family, the church. It saves us as the Spirit tries to protect, bless, and guide us each day. It will help save us as we appear before the throne of God to face judgement, not because we did something to earn salvation, but because in baptism, God has gifted us something which enfolds us more fully into Jesus’ own saving ministry… his own life, death, and resurrection. (See Romans 6:3-11 for example.)

In the early Church, baptism was thought so important, converts in biblical times would be baptized by household – fathers, mothers, grandparents, children, servants and yes, even slaves. As the church formalized, baptism became part of the worshipping community’s activities, often celebrated at the high feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, commonly called Easter. Throughout Lent if not longer, adult converts would be called catechumens and be prepared to receive the sacrament…to try to teach them about a mystery that no one can ever know enough about…a love so vast that no human mind or words can ever capture it. And so, because we can never know or do enough, there also remained the practice to baptizing infants among the faithful. For whom can ever know enough to earn God’s grace…do enough…no one can but Jesus is worthy. Thus, two or three (or more) gathered in Jesus’ name gathered (and continue to gather) at a river, pool, or font…turn to God and ask in faith for the Holy Spirit to be present in that infant’s life…not just that day…but forever. And it is Jesus himself who says that God will surely answer such prayers.

Yes, some who are baptized can wonder away. Not all the slaves baptized likely had any heart of faith. Even adults can think they are ready to commit to Christ but fall into grave sin after baptism. Yet the Church says, echoing promises of scripture, even then…even if you were to give up on God…God will not give up on you. God will never give up on you. I see that in my own life looking back. Despite my good start, the world was hard. You’ve heard some stories before today, and we don’t need to revisit them now. Just know that I wondered far. Trusting in God’s grace, I confess openly that I deeply hurt myself and others. Yet I can look back on my life and now see people, places, and events…even an interior stirring (or burning of the heart as Wesley and other saints have spoken about)…calling me back by name…inviting me into a living forgiveness… allowing me a new start each day…calling you, too.  

In Jesus’ baptism, we hear an affirmation of his sonship. We learn that the Spirit will affirm him, drive him forward, and sustain him. Jesus humbled himself. As Paul writes, he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. (See Phil. 2) Thus, his baptism teaches us of our own. As Professor John Yieh proclaims, “For Jesus and for Matthew, the righteousness of God is a gift from God that requires believers’ commitment to hunger and thirst for it (5:6, 10), to practice (5:20), to seek (6:33), and to bear its fruit (3:8; 21:43). In other words, Jesus is showing his followers how they should take seriously the ritual of baptism, the life of repentance, and the pursuit of righteousness as he did through his humble baptism by John in the Jordan, and in his whole life” (Workingpreacher.org, January 8, 2023).

As this new year begins, no matter what we have done or failed to do, no matter what questions we still have about our worthiness or purpose…in baptism, God has declared us loved and God’s own. Don’t give up, but seize the day…seize the gift being offered you…no matter how hard. For, God is not done with you yet. Or as Martin Luther puts it, even more forcefully: God, who cannot lie, has bound himself in a covenant with [us], not to count [our] sin against me, but to slay it, and blot it out’” forever. (Treatise on Baptism).

Whatever comes, seek to remember your baptism, for God remembers you. God has chosen to love us forever…And if you haven’t been baptized? In the name of Jesus Christ, we invite you to do so. For God loves you, too, child of God, and is calling you by name. Amen.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) translation.

© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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December 29, 2022 · 8:00 am

God has you covered

Photo by Liv Bruce on Unsplash

You can listen to the podcast version of this post at 2 Penny Blog on Anchor.fm.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35 and 37)

With the new year, people tend to wonder about what the future will bring. “Will the economy improve? Will I remain healthy? What might go wrong?” In the face of many uncertainties, we tend to set goals about more exercise, more Bible reading, more self-improvement across the board. We want to control our future – at least in some small way. Surveying history, we know one thing if nothing else. We are in for surprises, and we can only control so much. So, isn’t it wonderful that we have a God who holds us and carries us through our uncertainty? A God who loves us controls what we cannot.

Yes, God is filled with a steadfast love for you…for us and the world. Jesus said, “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12:7 NRSVue). As God’s chosen people, Isaiah tells us that the Lord called us from the womb, from the body of our mothers God already knew us by name (Isaiah 49:1 NRSVue). Paul assures us that long ago, even before God made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us. Before any human every took a breath, God decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before him covered with his love (Ephesians 1:4 NLT).

At the Virginia Military Institute, we used to call the months before us the Dark Ages. We would get up in the dark for breakfast, and we would end our duties in the dark. There would be few holidays but plenty of work to do. The darkness seemed to hide our future from us. Yet whatever our darkness or time of year, the light of Christ is still shining. Dark and uncertainty can never overcome it. We are loved, and although Christmas celebrations might be a memory, Jesus remains “God with Us.”

We are deeply loved. We are not alone. The darkness has no real power over us. Christ is the light. As we enter an uncertain new year, may the Spirit help us trust in the certain power of God’s love holding us and guiding us forward. We can pray with confidence like St. Augustine, “Let not my doubts and darkness speak to me. Let my heart always welcome your love.” For God already loves us, and whatever happens good or bad, always will.

Originally published in the January 2023 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) translation.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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December 6, 2022 · 1:30 am

Love to Tell the Story

“That there were shepherds, means that no one is to hear the Gospel for himself alone, but everyone is to tell it to others who are not acquainted with it. For he who believes for himself has enough and should endeavor to bring others to such faith and knowledge, so that one may be a shepherd of the other, to wait upon and lead him into the pasture of the Gospel in this world, during the nighttime of this earthly life.” – Martin Luther

J. Bannister, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During the season of Advent and Christmas, excitement builds as the story of Jesus is told. And, it needs to be told through sights and sounds! Martin Luther understood that no one can come to faith in Jesus until they hear about Jesus from the Church – you, me, and all who believe.

Among Luther’s own efforts, you will find the Christ Child or Christkindl. He promoted that Christ be adopted as the children’s gift-giver from December 6th through Christmas Eve. (This would incorporate practices related to St. Nicholas’ Day, St. Lucy’s Day, and other traditions.) The sprite-like child would not be seen by children, but Luther hoped practices related to the gifts’ arrival would help bring attention to the incarnation of Jesus.

The Christmas tree was encouraged by Luther, but once again, similar practices already existed. Saint Boniface (675-754), who Martin Luther admired, was a missionary in Germany. In an encounter with pagans, legends vary, but he was said to have struck down (perhaps miraculously) the Thunder Oak dedicated to Thor, often a place of sacrifice. (Some legends indicate it was a similar tree dedicated to Odin.) Boniface commended the people “gather about [a new tree], not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.” Luther might not have invented the Christmas tree, but he certainly promoted it’s use. In his own home, the candles lit were supposed to remind children of the stary night above Bethlehem. The angel on top reminds us of the first angels bringing us the Good News of Jesus.  

The Advent Wreath is sometimes attributed to Luther, although that is unlikely the case. It probably has deeper pagan roots. Scholars often give Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor, credit as the inventor of the modern wreath. Still, Advent wreaths were used in 16th century German, and Martin Luther encouraged families to observe Advent as a time for them to teach their children about the coming of Christ. The wreath is a handy tool at dinner or before bed for exactly that.

Among my favorite tales of Luther and Christmas is how he celebrated intergenerationally with his own children. His hymn, “From heaven to Earth I Come,” was designed to be sung with the adults playing angels coming down the stairs and the children playing shepherds singing in response.

Truly, there’s no limit to family practices rooted in your region, ethnicity, or family. Yet how do these practices witness to Jesus? How can you best share in the joy that is Jesus with others? Whatever your answers, Kristine and I pray that Jesus become more present in your life through the festive weeks ahead. We wish you all the merriest of Christmases!

Originally published in the December 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.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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November 14, 2022 · 4:50 pm

Thanksgiving Never Gets Old

Traditional ritual objects of Sukkot, the Feast of Booths (Image from ReformJudaism.org which retains all rights. Click the image to go to their post on this holiday.

In ancient, tribal Europe, there were times of thanksgiving offered the tribal god or gods much as indigenous populations in other lands did. Particularly at multiple times of harvest or hunting throughout the year, peoples on all the inhabited continents would give thanks through prayer, praise (often both in song and dance), and feasting. As tribes morphed into nations if not empires, days of thanksgiving were often held in a similar fashion. Indeed, many of the foods we associate with our Thanksgiving feasts in the US could be found at medieval European feasts of yore, but most every culture has celebratory foods to share. Yet most certainly as others have suggested, any annual day of thanksgiving as we know it here in the United States would not have been part of Martin Luther’s life.

Among the earliest of biblical, Jewish traditions, stemming from Mosaic law and still practiced in Jesus’ time and through today, the Israelites celebrate Sukkot, also known as the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. It is held each year with the fall harvest and traditionally lasts seven days. (This year, it was observed on October 9th through October 16th if using our modern calendar.) It is called Sukkot because households set up a simple, tent-like structure called a sukkah. In them, they recall the Exodus from Egypt. God provided for the Israelites and led them as they escaped just as God provides and leads them know. The structures remind Jewish people of the dwellings used by the tribes of Israel during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Throughout the week, meals are eaten in the structures and prayers offered. During some of the prayers, lulav (a closed frond of the date palm tree), hadass (a branch of the myrtle tree), and aravah (the leafy branch of the myrtle tree), the etrog (a yellow citrus fruit) might be held or waved. (Some suggest that Jesus’ being welcomed with palms as he entered Jerusalem for his sacrifice and death reflected this cultural practice, although the time of this was the festival of the Passover.)  

Although that the Festival of Booths did not continue in the Christian faith, the spirit of such thanksgiving certainly has. Consider the advice of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” In our Lutheran confessions, The Book of Concord, we read the words of Martin Luther echoing this sentiment: “Hence, since everything we possess, and everything in heaven and on earth besides, is daily given and sustained by God, it inevitably follows that we are in duty bound to love, praise, and thank Him without ceasing, and, in short, to devote all these things to his service.” We can only give God our praise, thanks, and honor.

Although our nation has one National Day of Thanksgiving each November, even in times of trial, we have cause to give thanks. God provides for us and loves us. With Martin Luther, we might pray, “God grant that we follow [Jesus’] Word to praise and thank our dear Lord for his precious blood, which he so freely offered for us. And may God keep us from the terrible vice of ingratitude and the forgetfulness of His blessings. Amen.” Everyday and every hour is the right time to seek to give God our thanksgiving.

Originally published in the November 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.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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October 19, 2022 · 7:25 pm

Through the Tumult

Art: Crossing the Red Sea, by Gitty Fuchs. Learn more or purchase at https://www.gittyfuchs.com/

This sermon was preached on the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (October 2, 2022) at Christ Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, VA. You can listen to this sermon at my podcast, 2 Penny Blog.

For unknown reasons, God chose Egypt to be a land intimately connected to our salvation history. For a few examples, consider that Egypt was the land that saved the family of Joseph from starvation. Years passed, and the extended family later grew into a numerous people who became viewed by a later Pharoah as a threat. As a result, they were enslaved. Out of Egypt, God would call what had become twelve disparate, squabbling tribes (descendants of Joseph and his eleven brothers) to become one people serving God but also intended to bless the world.

“Out of Egypt I called my son,” spoke Hosea for God. The people of Israel were the inheritors of God’s grace, God’s children. That’s how Hosea understood the story of the Exodus when he originally spoke the words that we heard quoted in Matthew’s Gospel. Yet, Egypt also becomes the place Jesus as a child would find safety with his family from Herod’s power. Jesus, God’s only true son, would be called later from Egypt to fulfill his purpose in a way Hosea likely could not have imagined.

You might also know that Mark the Evangelist would seek to build the Church in Egypt. He would become the first Bishop of Alexandria (Egypt). For a time, it was the most Christian nation in the world until Islam oppressed the church in that region and supplanted it. Yet no human, natural or supernatural powers can fully extinguish faith. Believers remain.

And perhaps most curious of all, one sees in today’s reading from the Book of Exodus how God used Egypt’s folly and sin to firmly establish God’s sovereignty before the people of Israel and all the earth. More than a mere rescue or miracle story, the story of the Red Sea’s parting is ultimately revealing God’s self and purpose.

This is an extremely ancient story. Although there is only one historic column found thus far in Egypt with hieroglyphics believed to be identifying the people of Israel, scant other physical or extrabiblical, written testimony of the escape from Egypt remains. This should be no surprise, as Egyptian pharaohs tended only to preserve the history that lifted them up as gods and declared their power as supreme. Defeats and struggles were to be forgotten, as these didn’t fit their agenda.

The location of Yam Suph, or technically “the Reed Sea,” might lead us to consider the crossing in the north. This is where marshy waters of the Red Sea basin historically existed. Yet, tradition only indicates the crossing was through what we know today as the Red Sea. It does not indicate exactly where the Israelites traveled. Some scientists have tried to explain the waters parting through the impacts of wind. Perhaps it was a miracle not so unlike the reverse storm surge seen with Hurricane Ian. In this historic case, what is called a wind setdown is suspected. With a wind setdown, strong winds — a little over 60 miles per hour — create a ‘push’ on coastal water which, in one location, creates a storm surge. But in the location from which the wind pushes — in this case, the east — the water moves away.”[i] Other ideas have been suggested.  

Yet when all is said and done, we have this inherited story lasting thousands of generations, a story that shapes the identity of the Jewish people and our own. For the events did not just happen for the sake of those present on that shore long ago. As noted elsewhere, “The story of the stunning triumph of Yahweh over the great power of Egypt is told in order to summon Israel to faith.”[ii] It is a faith we have inherited and share. Trapped before the waters, the people cry to God in fear. They also attack Moses three times. “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt…” (Exodus 14:11-12). And Moses replies three times, explicitly calling them to faith, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today…” (Exodus 14:13-14). Much as Joseph had a defender in God, Moses says the people who God chose to love will be defended. Moses shouts, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” This understanding is echoed later in the Psalms and elsewhere when God says, “Be still and know (trust) that I am God.”

With the greatest army of the earth at the time descending upon them…facing the most developed armaments of war, the chariot, with basically no weapons…the people of Israel are asked only to be still…to trust in God. Even in the face of defeat, they are conquerors. Some scholars suggest that it is unlikely Saint Paul would have understood Jesus in the same way if not for this incredible scene.[iii] In Romans 8 (verse 37), he would declare, “No, in all these things [all the sufferings and tribulations of our lives] we are more than victorious through him who loved us.” (Or many translations say, we are more than conquerors.) Even facing our greatest losses, challenges, or defeats, when pushed up against raging seas of despair, we are conquerors because of God’s great love for us. God will do what we cannot…always. God will save. We will survive the tumult because our ultimate destination is assured. This has been decreed by God since before the time of Israel…promised us…and as I often quote and Luther often said, “God does not lie.”

Psalm 46 teaches us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (verses 1-3). The theological understanding behind these later words is the same reality of the Israelites cornered at the sea. It remains true for us as we are cornered by whatever threatens or demoralizes us. God is with us. God loves us. Watch, wait, and see for our deliverance – even when the face of death is near.

This is an amazing promise. It is perhaps even hard for us humans to believe, and yet stories like today’s challenge us to cling to God in faith like a life preserver.[iv] Be still before this awesome God who loves you…before this remarkable God who wills to save you. Trust, believe, and worship. Stop what you are doing, still your mind, “and acknowledge that God alone is the sovereign ruler of the universe and commit to following him”[v]…wherever God leads us.

Through our support and rescue, through the many Hurricane Ians, the wars like the one in Ukraine, the economic hardships of recent times…the daily loss and death before us…nothing will separate us from the love of God. Indeed, I don’t think my faith would be as strong if I had not come from a family with so many troubles, seen so much violence, or faced cancer. God will be glorified and his sovereignty be made known as he helps us through and saves us. Then as we praise and give God thanks (even when we can only do so with tears in our eyes), others will come to believe.

“Be still and remember who God is, be still and stop fearing, be still and see what God is doing, be still and acknowledge his greatness, be still and know God is with you…now spread the knowledge of who he is!”[vi] So counsels Christian blogger, Liz Auld. Be still doesn’t mean we no longer need to try. The Israelites still had to walk through those two imposing walls of water, didn’t they? It doesn’t mean things will be easy. It doesn’t release us from toil or tears. Again, the history of the Israelites exemplifies this. Yet, God’s faithfulness teaches us that we will be ok no matter what we face.

Do not fear. Stand firm. Trust and see. Everything that has already been done by God, has been done for you. Indeed, God gave his only Son to die for you. After so much effort, God won’t give up on you now, so don’t you give up. Keep walking in God’s love, for no empire, no principality, not even our own doubts or darkness will stop our God’s will to save us. Amen.

[i] Moony, C. (December 8, 2014). “No, really: There is a scientific explanation for the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus.” Washington Post. Washington, DC: Nash Holdings.

[ii] Keck, L.E. (2004). “Exodus 14:1-31.” The New Interpreter’s® Bible Commentary Volume I: Introduction to the Pentateuch, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, p. 796.

[iii] Ibid, p. 796

[iv] Image from Alcoholics Anonymous literature.

[v] Auld, L. (2 march 2021). “What does “Be still and know that I am God’ really mean?” Downloaded from https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-verse-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god.html on September 30, 2022.

[vi] Ibid

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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October 4, 2022 · 11:00 am

Being St. Francis of Assisi

Image: Panel from the Canticle of the Creation window by SM Ann Theresa Kelly at Villa Maria College Library, Buffalo, NY. Photo ©C. LaChiusa

When Jesus said, “I am the way,” he meant for us to follow his example, teachings and call. Yes, we have a shared mission through him but varied, distinctive calls. Much like our personalities or learning styles, spirituality differs between people. There’s no one way.

Today, October 4, the Church remembers the life and Christian witness of Francis of Assisi. And boy, was he different. Some compare him to a hippy. Others suggest he was a bit mad. For example, when his father tried to dissuade him from a life serving the poor, he demanded all the things he bought for Francis. Right in the middle of the public square, Francis undressed to return all his clothes to his father. Nothing would stop him from following Jesus.

The feast of Francis is celebrated on the day he died in 1226. Why? Well, as Christians, we believe that he entered into the Church Triumphant by the gracious virtue of his faith and baptism. As he led an exemplary life in many people’s minds, the Church assigned a feast day on our liturgical calendar a long time ago. With the Reformation, Lutherans continued to remember him. In fact, they celebrate him as a Reformer of the Church, just as we do Martin Luther. Francis was even said to have confronted the Pope for his lack of simplicty.

How did he start on his way? Legend has it that one day when he was praying before a crucifix, Francis heard a voice saying, “Francis, don’t you see that my house is being destroyed? Go, then, and rebuild it for me.” At first, he took the instructions literally. He began to reconstruct the nearby, dilapidated, little country church. Yet as he worked and prayed, he came to understand there was a greater need. Christ’s Church needed a renewal.

Francis abandoned his life as the son of a prosperous merchant. He came to ardently live for and serve the lonely, the poor, the sick (especially lepers), the forgotten, and the voiceless. By 1206, he was a street preacher and mendicant (one who lived off donations or the land, trusting in God’s grace to provide for him), and he traveled the region of Umbria extolling and teaching the people about God’s love. He gave up everything he knew and had, and he even dressed as the peasants in his region with a simple brown tunic tied by a rope. In time, others joined his work.

As he traveled and served, his spiritual understanding grew. Francis came to understand we are connected to one another but also the world. He loved all creatures, and according to many, he even preached to birds. Some of his writings praised all creatures as gifts, if not even our siblings. He allowed them in the church building, using them as part of the first ever Nativity scene to help teach about the birth of Jesus. Indeed, he saw God’s love at work in all things.

Reflecting this view, one of his greatest prayers is the Canticle of the Sun:

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name. Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness. Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful. Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance. Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure. Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong. Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned. Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them. Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.

With such a love for the natural world, Francis became intimately associated with animals and nature. Thus, many congregations celebrate pet blessings much as we did at the House on Sunday with our friends from Trinity and St. George’s Episcopal. Within the last several years, the ecumenical effort, the annual Season of Creation, also came to be. It begins on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Activities, prayer, and communal worship are offered encouraging us to embrace the world around us and care for creation each day of our lives.

Originally published in the Ocrtober 4, 2022 weekly news email of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia, The Hub.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

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