Tag Archives: church

March 14, 2019 · 4:03 pm

Holy Connections

The Hub, Feb. 14, 2019

As I enter my new call as your Associate Pastor, I’ve been thinking a great deal about connectedness. With Pastor Anne, Council and the Call Committee, I’ve actively considered how my past ministry relates to and will benefit our current shared ministry. I’ve been reunited with old friends at Christ Lutheran. I’m meeting new ones, and I am finding people who know other people I also know from past work and friendships. Soon, our Germanna Conference Dean, the Rev. Michael Church, will come to preside at my installation. Episcopal, Lutheran as well as other ecumenical and secular friends and neighbors will be invited to join us. It reminds me of how connected we remain in this world; bound up by God’s creation and love. We are part of something God is doing much bigger than ourselves!

And so, how appropriate it is that we kick off this new email communication with you during this time of growth and change. For those who are here weekly or only as able, for those near and far, Pastor Anne and I hope the email’s weekly contents will bless you not just with news but also faith formation; something to think about as individuals and in family settings. In the end, Connections might be just one more small thing to help bind us together with God as our hub. As the Psalmist reminds us, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).

Originally published in the Hub, a weekly email of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.  

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

© 2019 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 28, 2019 · 10:31 pm

Farewell Sermon at Messiah Lutheran Church in Mechanicsville, VA

Farewell Sermon, Pastor Lou Florio
Messiah Lutheran, Mechanicsville, VA
Feast of the Conversion of Paul
Close of the Week of Prayer of Christian Unity
January 25, 2019

Year C Readings:
Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 67; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 21:10-19

conversionSo here we are…Many miles and more than eleven years have passed since I first came to Messiah as your pastor. What an adventure it has been! We’ve made a lot of progress, and yes, we have taken a wrong turn a time or two as well. Yet with God’s grace and guidance, holding onto each other’s hands and caring for one another’s hearts, we’ve made it to this day. It proves a surprising day where God is doing something wondrous and new, and yet it is as God always does on every day, whether we are aware of it or not…even when it seems sad or hard. God is always doing something wondrous and new.

Still, it appears to be a pretty big if not dangerous turn in the road ahead, doesn’t it? What will happen to Kristine and me as we enter a new congregation with new challenges and new people? … And challenges and people often go together, don’t they?… And what about Messiah, who will be sent to walk with you into a future the prophet’s promise will be one filled with hope? Well, if I know anything of God after my 55+ years traveling on this globe, I know this. The journey will not always be easy…in fact it will often prove extremely hard…but God’s loving grace will always be there to carry us forward. In good times and bad, God will send us to the people that need our help and encouragement. God will also send us the people we need.

Amidst this certainty, how much like Paul we can still prove to be…so often blind to the plans of God…frequently resisting them even as we think we are doing the right thing. And then suddenly, in profound moments of grace, we catch a glimpse of Jesus. Perhaps through the circumstances or people sent our way…maybe it’s a still, small voice speaking to our heart…but we ultimately hear Jesus challenge and encourage us. Amidst our fears or missteps, he tells us, “get up and enter the [future], and you will be told what you are to do.” You see, Jesus, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, is in that future already waiting to welcome us. Through our faith and baptism, he has claimed us. He upholds us. It is he who ultimately guides us as a shepherd, and it is he who wills to see us travel together home.

Like Paul, we might have to repent of some of our ways, and maybe we will need an Ananias or two to help us keep straight. And for all of us, wherever we are on this journey, we are invited as children to continually grow in our knowledge and awareness of Christ. It is together through this relationship called “church,” we hear the word of God and share the Lord’s Supper. We together proclaim the Gospel and serve the Christ in others. We grow in this communion of love; in oneness with Christ, his angels and all the saints. And yes, this wondrous new reality includes those of all traditions in his universal church.

On this pilgrimage of sorts, we discover that we are men and women, children who belong to the Way. Claimed in our baptism and continually formed and transformed by the Holy Spirit, we go forward into a certain future…one of hope…despite the fact we do not know the way on our own. And so with Simon Peter, we might meekly, longingly and perhaps even sadly in desperation say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life.” Yet we can trust with Paul, even in our weakness, that we have been chosen and called to be instruments of Christ’s love. We have something to offer no matter how messed up, weak or small we think we are. Our ultimate victory is assured.

And thus, it is no surprise to me as to how many more scales came from my own eyes as we entered the Way more deeply together. I saw Jesus in how a previously wounded congregation united in love. It was willing to do anything it could to not only reconcile but also to welcome the stranger. As these people came into our lives, they were often helped with housing and food. Several were moved from homelessness to the working world. Others were embraced when the world and even their own families had thrown them aside as if they had no value. Some stayed as our brothers and sisters here at Messiah. Some went on with our blessing. And although disagreements and even sin could arise, we loved one another and forgave one another time and time again.

A wonderful thing happened on this walk with Jesus and one another. We were blessed even as we sought to bless others. I, for one, had the opportunity to grow in my understanding of Jesus and the power of his love. Yet we also made new friends. Yes, this includes many of those we helped, but we also found that God sent us still others to serve beside us. Our brothers and sisters at All Souls Episcopal come to mind first and foremost. (I lovingly call them my “Episco-peeps.”) Who would have thought God would do so much through our two little, sometimes struggling congregations just by the opening of our hearts, our buildings and our missions to one another? Jesus has been most certainly doing something unique in and through these two bonded congregations. I dare say he won’t stop now if you dare to continue to listen and walk with him. Whatever happens, whatever Jesus has in mind for your relationship, I echo Christ’s own command and urge you to love one another. That love has made a profound difference in the world already, and your relationship proves to be a living parable of communion for others.

And although they were often secular in nature, our cooperation with many other community organizations proved important too. It also meant since we were there, Jesus was there. This led to some discovering Jesus and his Church in a positive way perhaps for the first time, or at least becoming more aware of them. Still others were affirmed in their already existing faith. Serving humanitarian needs or even the needs of our animal friends, the world was made a better place, and that’s partly through the new relationships forged.

I remember one woman who had visited us several times after we warmly and sincerely welcomed her and her dog at our pet blessing and craft fair. Before that, she had become disaffected (if not wounded) on her journey with Christ’s church. One Sunday after several months of visiting here and there, she stopped coming without saying a word. Yet a few years later, she visited us for Christmas Eve, and she told me that she had moved to the mountains and joined a Lutheran congregation there. She said, “Your congregation is why I became Lutheran.” I stopped to consider her statement, as I have done many times since. Through the very little that we had done…the authentic welcome of a women and her dog in Christ’s name…with no ulterior motive…the Spirit had been at work for a life-changing purpose.

How many other little moments of blessing went unseen nor fully understood? I imagine many. I could go on and on with stories of “Jesus sightings,” acts of quiet yet profound generosity, offerings of forgiveness and love. Unfortunately, there’s not enough time. The blessings are too many and the time much too short. It is now time for me and Kristine to leave. And this makes us truly sad.

Yet, I have also learned on my journey that partings, although sad, can indeed prove part of God’s plan for the desert to bloom. As I left the brothers of Taizé, I cried, but I knew a little bit of their hearts would remain with me, and mine with theirs…that the promise of the communion of saints would prove true. Indeed, I give God thanks for them each day when I think of them. What a surprising joy it was to have them with us last April for our young adult event! It was as if we had never parted, and I now wonder if our paths will cross again. Later as I left the Native American youth I loved so deeply and sought to serve as a missionary in South Dakota, I pondered (and continue to ponder) how they made my life better and informed my faith and service here at Messiah. I still sense that I remain in communion with them, and when we are in touch through the internet, our hearts are found to remain connected; never truly parted. We remain better for our relationship. And as I went on from internship in Maryland, and hospice chaplaincy, and now move on from being your pastor, I trust I will remain connected to you and the many others who have walked with me in beauty and love. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the faith, hope and loved shared, Kristine and I will remain in communion with you all forever. Our lives have been transformed, and we can’t go back.

This has been a sacred journey, but it isn’t over yet. The Way is with us, and it lies before us. The Way calls us to remain one in faith and mission until the day of his glorious return. Through my time with you, my eyes have been opened wider; my life changed more for the good. I will glorify our God more often and more clearly because of you. And despite all this good, I still must leave you. God is calling me to share what I have received here with others. I know not why yet, but someday God will make it clear to me. I also trust that God will use what we have shared to move you and others forward in proclaiming our faith, that Jesus is the Son of God. This makes my heart glad even as we have shed tears at this parting. As Martin Luther said, “This is not the end, but it is the road.” It is the road made for us; the one we must travel. (I just wish there weren’t so many bumps!)

Walk on my brothers and sisters. Do not be afraid. Wherever God will lead us through our comings and goings, it remains true that we who are loved by Christ never walk alone. And although separated by miles, or years, or even by suffering and death, the Way carries us together toward one certain destination, a new heaven and new earth…a new home with the Triune God and all the angels and saints forever.

So, “Come, Lord Jesus! Come!” We long for you to lead us home, wherever the Way might take us. Amen.

©The Rev. Louis Florio, January 27, 2019

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August 31, 2018 · 4:54 pm

Be Christ

Messiah Lutheran Church

‘To be in Christ’ is synonymous with ‘to be in the church-community.’
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian and martyr

As we approach our 50th anniversary, Messiah members have begun to actively reconsider what it means to be “church” together.

Fellow members of Messiah caught glimpses of our congregation’s own story in the book and movie, All Saints. Here, a radical, trust-centered hospitality and unlikely cooperation led to a struggling, small church’s vibrant renewal. This fostered great conversation and some new ideas for ministry. How have partnerships with others blessed us to be a blessing? Amidst difficulties, where have we seen God’s hand at work?

Your council will soon begin prayerful discernment as our budget and active ministry with All Souls Episcopal faces a challenging transition. What new opportunities and relationships await us? Are we willing to bend with the Holy Spirit’s guidance into uncharted territory?

Our theology on tap events have brought together people from several denominations as well as seekers for discussions on faith. Some who have been wounded by Church in the past overheard us and offered that our gatherings have given them “something to reconsider” when it comes to being “church.” We must continue to wrestle with faith questions openly; trusting Jesus will answer us and that others will hear the Good News though such public, vulnerable yet joyful witness.

And as someone reflected upon our 50th anniversary drone photo, they thought our “50” formation also looked like the word “SO.” This raised the question, “So what’s next for us?” That’s a wonderful, hopeful question for any believer to ask each day. Where is God asking us to help sow his love and mercy? Where will we discover new life?

No human knows all the answers regarding our future, but as Vicar Ginny noted in her farewell during worship (as others have): “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. I can feel His mighty power and His grace. I can hear the brush of angels’ wings. I see glory on each face. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.”

As the song suggests, Christ reveals himself to us through holy community. We can touch the hem of his garment and almost see his face. Only together can we come into the fullness of this new, promised life with the Risen Christ.

Not everyone will always have the heart to notice, understand or appreciate such authentic community. It is difficult and takes our time, attention and lots of grace. We often fail. Yet, God is doing something miraculous and beautiful each day in and through our lives together. We are growing; together with God and in love of our neighbor.

It is approaching harvest time. In the name of Jesus Christ and your brothers and sisters of the Church, reconsider your place. Wherever you’ve been, whatever you’ve done or left undone, I invite you to walk with Jesus and us anew.

Be still and know. Be active to serve and grow.  Be in Christ together.

Originally published in Messiah Lutheran’s newsletter, The Messenger (September 2018 edition).  

© 2018 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 24, 2015 · 9:02 am

The Christmas rush isn’t all bad

race_of_the_santas_breckenridge_1

“Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright,” so the song goes. Unfortunately, our Advent and Christmas can seem anything but calm. As I write this, it is mid-November, and yet, our congregation’s planning teams have already been working on our Christmas together for weeks. Christmas music has started to play in stores and in some cases on the radio. One of my neighbors has already set up their Christmas tree even though Advent doesn’t begin for almost two weeks!

Our society seems impatient to experience Christmas joy and peace. Perhaps this is because there is too little joy and peace in our world. At this time of year, it gets busier at our congregation and busier in our homes. Light dims and darkness grows. Unexpected bills happen. Sickness and death comes. After Paris, Beirut, Kenya, and on and on, terrorism and war frighten us. We hope for an ideal Christmas because our lives in a fallen world are always less than perfect. Too little is calm, and our future may seem dark to us. We often hunger for a reprieve from our pain and busy, unpredictable life.

Jesus came into a time of trouble not so unlike our own. People were lucky to reach their teens. Thirty was considered old. Israel was an occupied country with isolated rebels and thieves (especially in Judea) seeking to defeat the Roman Empire and perhaps get a little economic advantage and power for themselves at the same time. For their part, the Romans wished to assert their power at all costs. Their vassal king, Herod the Great, was known to be tyrannical if not a bit mentally unstable. It would be he who ordered all babies and toddlers in Bethlehem murdered over fear that the recently born Jesus would usurp his throne. Life was hard and often unfair.

Despite these threats, Jesus came as a most vulnerable babe. He was a child of scandal, for his neighbors had heard of Mary’s pregnancy prior to her marriage with Joseph. Many in that day were poor like Jesus’ own family, and they often lived and died by the discretion and generosity of others with higher stature. Jesus didn’t come into the world to avoid our pain. Instead, he embraced and crushed it forever. As one liturgical communion prayer reminds us, “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.”

Most certainly, we can be encouraged that Jesus shared in our weakness and sorrows in order to share with us his victory over sin, suffering, death and the Devil. Against all odds, peace forcefully broke into our world to live among us and die among us through Jesus. For a moment, all was calm and all was bright because God was finally with us in the flesh. It was time for all creation to pause, worship and give thanks.

A mere 33 years later, all too soon, Jesus died, rose and ascended into heaven. We were warned life would not be easy in his absence, but it wouldn’t remain hard for ever. Similar to our wait for Christmas morning, creation “waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.” It might prove a bumpy, fearful ride at times until then, but there can be joy on our journey. For Christmas day has come, and Easter is on its way. And all the while, we’re not alone. We are the church together: enlivened by God’s Spirit, sharing both our pain and joys with one another; offering pardon to those still in darkness. We are rushing not toward our death but toward a certain future filled with hope.

With all the saints before us, we can pray with confidence as we face any darkness, “Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come.” We don’t know the time, but we can trust Christ is already on his way. And when he comes, all will be calm and bright forevermore. For this time, Christ will be here to stay, and despite whatever might go on around us until then, I for one can’t wait. If that’s our future, let time fly.

 

Originally published in Messiah Lutheran’s newsletter, The Messenger (December 2015 – January 2016).

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

© 2015 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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April 6, 2015 · 10:45 pm

A Resurrected People

“I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:7)

Recently, I finally broke down and bought a smart phone. After eight years with my old phone, it was sadly necessary and overdue. One of its many features is the ability to play a musical alarm. Recalling my past joyful experiences with the Community of Taizé as well as the many prayers shared between All Souls Episcopal and Messiah Lutheran, I immediately thought to make a Taizé chant my alarm tone. Of all the many choices available, I selected Psalite Deo (Praise God), based on Psalm 118. [Listen below]

What a blessing it has proven to have my first conscious thoughts each day be of God’s love and the great things done and being done in my life. “This is the day the Lord has made” with all its opportunities. “Sing a new song to the Lord for all the wonders God has done.” It is another day for me to give thanks and praise with all the earth. “Sing out for joy!” No matter what happens in this day, “I shall not die but live!” “For God’s love endures forever.” “Alleluia! Alleluia!”

With such affirmations thrust upon my mind and heart, my day begins somehow differently than before. I recognize once again that God is always doing something new in my life. No matter the adversity laying before me in wait, I need not be afraid. It is truly time for me to awake from my slumber and witness to the new, joyful reality of the Risen Christ in my life.

In our Lenten class on grief, I mentioned that life can often seem like a number of “little deaths” with its many trials and losses. Yet as we might rightly grieve, we should never forget that through Jesus we have access to an abundant life. Our “little deaths” will be used by God to show love for us. Blessing will surely come, and so, we can live in hope. We are called as a resurrected people where we trust God is doing new and wonderful things in and through our lives. We need not get stuck in our doubts and darkness. We can instead embrace the resurrection dawning in our lives.

“In my distress, I called to the Lord. God heard my voice and set me free. God is my strength. God is my song.” How shall I proclaim this Good News? How can I not? It is humbling to think that our extraordinary God is breaking into our ordinary lives in such a joyful, intimate way.

Yes, we have access to God through the Risen Christ. The tomb is empty. Let us not linger there, but instead run and tell all we know through word and deed. Jesus is Risen! He is risen indeed! A new song and new life lie before us.

In thanksgiving, I want to live for him and those he entrusts to our care. I intend to lift my voice to the Lord for he is surely good, for his steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 118). I pray your life will join mine and the lives of all the saints in singing praises to God forever.

Happy and blessed Easter to you all!

Pastor Lou

Posted again (after an earlier, recent post on Psalm 118), here is Psalite Deo the Ecumenical Community of Taizé

This post originally appeared as a pastoral letter in Messiah Lutheran‘s newsletter, The Messenger (April 2015).

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

© 2015 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 11, 2015 · 4:07 pm

Kayla Mueller: child of God, child of Love

kayla

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Kayla Mueller, an American hostage of ISIS, has been in the news a lot since her death was announced. Her Christian faith and love, inspirational to her friends and family over the years, is now being recognized by the wider world. In confirming her death Tuesday, the Mueller family quoted an earlier letter the young woman penned to her father on his birthday in 2011.

“I find God in the suffering eyes reflected in mine. If this is how you are revealed to me, this is how I will forever seek you,” Kayla reflected. “I will always seek God. Some people find God in church. Some people find God in nature. Some people find God in love; I find God in suffering. I’ve known for some time what my life’s work is, using my hands as tools to relieve suffering.”

In her final letter, she wrote “If you could say I have ‘suffered’ at all throughout this whole experience it is only in knowing how much suffering I have put you all through; I will never ask you to forgive me as I do not deserve forgiveness. I remember mom always telling me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c literally there was no else…. + by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall. I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it. I pray each each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness + surrender to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one another…”

A friend, the Rev. Kathleen Day, recently commented, “They tried to silence her. They locked her up. They kept us silent out of fear. But now she is free. She said she found freedom even in captivity. Her light shines. And we thank you for shining your light, not on Kayla, but shine your light on the suffering that Kayla saw.”

As humans, our political solutions to the world’s problems may differ. People may disagree over faith issues. Yet, I think we all could learn something important from Kayla.

Our lives need to be shaped by the love of Christ, who humbled himself to serve us and set us free to love.

Certainly, God will present us with different calls and spiritual gifts. (Charisms some call this.) We will find Christ reaching out to each of us differently through ordinary people, places, situations, and for some perhaps a more direct, mystical call. It might prove hard to see the Christ in others, and at times, ourselves. Still, we are all created and called to share in the same purpose: making God’s love manifest in the world.

Most simply, we are asked to love God and one another.

Through our faith and baptism, Christ declares us the children of God; a God who is only love. Our acts of love – no mater how small – will never be wasted. We and the love we seek to share remain God’s own forever. It changes our world a relationship at a time. God intends to use us all – liberal, conservative or anywhere in between.

Listen for Christ’s call in your life at all times and in ever place. Seek him even in the utmost darkness when God seems most silent and far way. Don’t fear mistakes or rejection, but instead love with abandon. For, God’s kingdom will surely come. It is already at work through remarkable people like Kayla and like you, children of Love created and sent to this time and place.

Some might argue, “…but I’m no saint.” Yet before we ever recognized it, the Love which is God knew us. Jesus promises to be with us always. The Spirit is sent to sustain us. Wherever we find ourselves, it is the right time and place for us to make Christ’s love known throughout the world. For, deny it as we may, we who believe in Jesus are his saints in communion with the Heavenly Host and one another. We are never alone, and our lives prove part of a sacred plan bigger than ourselves. Miracles will happen (both large and small) when we only seek to love.

So, seek Jesus in your life as Kayla tried to do – in nature, love, suffering, whatever. Keep your heart and mind open, for God can meet you anywhere and at any time. Don’t be afraid. We won’t all be called to martyrdom. (Yet, if we ever are, Jesus will help us find freedom even then.) We only need start with our small piece of the world. Our context is our mission field. Our gifts are Christ’s own.

Just try to love those Christ has entrusted to your care or sends to intersect your life. Seek and serve Jesus in others. He is there. Don’t fear mistakes but please reflect upon your actions as honestly and gently as possible. Speak with trusted friends and spiritual advisers to help you discern your course. Listen to those who oppose you with patience and a desire to learn. Be open to repentance if you ever sense you are wrong.

As scripture attests, you were created to be a child of Love. Do your best to love. Then, trust Christ has done or will do the rest. He’ll lead all his children home.

Sources:
http://www.azcentral.com/…/kayla-mueller-portrait…/23218063/

http://www.nytimes.com/…/document-kayla-muellers-letter-fro…

http://www.azcentral.com/…/12news-parents-receive…/23165397/

Picture: A photo of Kayla Mueller previously volunteering as a relief worker in India found on AZCentral.com

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

© 2015 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 10, 2013 · 3:16 pm

Star of Unity – Advent, Week 2

Nasa has released an image of the 'light echo' produced by the glare from a star that was, for one brief shining moment, the brightest in the night sky.

An image of a ‘light echo’ produced by the glare from a star that was, for one brief shining moment, the brightest star in the night sky – V838 Monocerotis (Source: Daily Mail)

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

Through the fall, the world suffered what seemed to be irreparable separation from God. Instead, the rest of scripture reveals God’s ultimate plan, the reconciliation and unity that occur through Jesus Christ.

In the Jewish scriptures, God promises time and again to use the Jewish people as a means to bless all nations. In the Gospels, we see Jesus preach, teach and do miracles in ways that heal the world and draw people together in his love. As the church begins, we learn from the Spirit that there is no longer gentile or Jew, male or female. Economic and political differences, ethnicity and language are moot points when it comes to the reach of God’s love.

In the end of time, all promises will be fulfilled. Jesus will come again as “the bright morning star” announcing:

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” (Rev. 22:17)

Until that day, we have been called together to be his one body, the church. On his behalf and with his authority, we have the honor and duty to share the water of life and invite all we meet, “Come, follow Jesus. Be one with us in his love.”

 

Discussion questions:

What gets in your way of a deeper relationship with Jesus? How do you live as one with his church? How can you invite others into such a relationship?

 

The above reflection was originally published in Messiah Lutheran Church and School’s worship bulletin for the Second Sunday of Advent, 2013. It is meant to complement Creative Communications’ Bright Star of Bethlehem series for Advent and Christmas.

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

© 2013 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 30, 2013 · 6:36 pm

Rediscovering the Spirit of Halloween

Luther Posting His 95 Theses

Luther Posting His 95 Theses

Each year, we hear debates among Christians regarding Halloween. With all its secular, commercial and bewitching components and hoopla, should Christians celebrate? I argue, “Yes!” If one considers the history of the day and its likely very intentional relationship to the start of the Protestant Reformation, it is impossible to deny the Christian faith’s connection to Halloween. We should celebrate with vigor, yet we should also understand its origins, purpose and potential.

Historically, the word Halloween is a contraction of All Hallows Eve. You might recall that hallow is an Old English word for “to be made holy” (as a verb) or saint (as a noun). Halloween is the evening before the Feast of All Hallows (or in modern English, Saints). Today, we know this religious celebration more commonly as All Saints Day, November 1st.

During All Saints Day, many in the Western church remember with thanksgiving the saints who are now with God. (Orthodox Christians celebrate this feast the Sunday after Pentecost.) Originally, the feast seems to have been celebrated intermittently and not uniformly on May 13th. That’s when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome, a temple formerly dedicated to all gods, in about 609 CE. Thereafter, it became a church dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God and All Martyrs, those who died for their Christian faith. Since the Renaissance period, the building has served as a tomb rather than a church.

This ancient All Saints Day became a time to remember martyrs of the faith and later all canonized saints. During the reign of Pope Gregory III (731-741), the feast day was officially moved to November 1st. Some argue this was done to help combat and suppress the particular pagan Celtic practice of Samhain, a celebration on or about sunset 31 October to sunset 1 November.

Samhain and other similar pagan festivals marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was a time of growing darkness when the Celtic culture and many others – including many early superstitious Christians – believed the lines between our world and the place of the dead became blurred. Stories of hauntings and practicing divination were deeply associated with the pagan holiday.

As with Jewish custom, Christian worship practices recognize the next day begins at sundown. This allowed for a “vigil mass” or service to be held the evening before All Saints Day. This further helped coopt that evening of October 31st into a firmly Christian celebration.

Over the years, the Christian liturgical calendar continued to develop. A Commemoration of All Faithful Departed, not just martyrs or those declared to be saints through canonization, was officially added on November 2nd.[i] In Roman Catholic theology, the belief in purgatory (a place of purging sins to help make one worthy of heaven) had become accepted. This added religious feast day would serve to remember those faithful not yet in heaven and pray for their quick release from purgation. It was intimately associated with the practice of indulgences; pardons earned by works or paid for to free oneself or a loved one from purgatory more quickly.

With the many obvious medieval abuses of this teaching and his own spiritual awakening, Martin Luther began to wrestle with the contemporary practices of the Western church, especially indulgences. A biblical professor and Roman Catholic priest, he wrote 95 points (or theses) he wished to debate regarding how one is saved. Could one buy forgiveness paying for what was called an indulgence? Is it possible to earn your way into heaven or to prove yourself worthy of salvation? These were his ultimate questions.

From studying scripture, the answer had become obvious to Martin Luther. Faith comes down to trusting what Jesus did for us on the cross and through his resurrection. Jesus’ holy work was enough to cover all our sins – past, present and future – just as Jesus promised in scripture, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”[ii]

Although I personally have not yet found any writings explicitly connecting Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses on 31 October 1517  to Halloween, it seems exceedingly likely. Luther would expect large crowds to be present at church for the feast days ahead. Further, this educated man probably recognized the propriety of discerning about indulgences and purgatory as the Western church prepared to celebrate All Hallows Eve or Halloween, the Feast of All Saints, and the Commemoration of All the Faithfully Departed (now commonly known as All Souls Day). His 95 Theses specifically addressed beliefs, practices and excesses associated with these celebrations.

Understanding that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, Lutherans no longer recognize purgatory or All Souls Day, but Halloween as well as All Saints Day remain on many of our personal and religious calendars. (For Roman Catholics and some others, many still look at the three days of October 31st through November 2nd as intimately connected and call it “the triduum of Hallowmas.”)

As a Protestant Christian, Halloween need not be a time where we find ourselves over focusing on evil, commercialism, violence or anything else. It can become a time of worship and spiritual formation. Despite its origins and relationship with pagan practices, it can now serve as the perfect time to remember what ignited the Protestant Reformation and particularly the saving work of Jesus Christ. We can celebrate both the love and memories of the faithfully departed as well as share in family fun – yes, trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating or parties included. Like all things in life, our Halloween celebrations can be whatever we choose to make of them including something appropriate for all Christ’s sinner-saints[iii] still here on earth. How we celebrate can witness to our shared faith in Jesus and love for one another.

Some practices you might like to consider:

  • Visit grave sites of loved ones to place flowers, candles or luminaria (as allowed by regulation or law). Pray with thanksgiving for how God shared love with you through their lives.
  • In your faith community, share the names of those who have died over the last year perhaps ringing a bell for each one. You might allow for a special wreath where flowers can be added to symbolically represent those God used to shape your life and faith. Pray for all those who continue to mourn.

all saints sunday

  • Talk about your ancestors and family history together. Share stories of faith. How did your family communicate and pass down their faith in Jesus? Where do you see God’s steadfast love at work in the stories of the past or in your present lives?
  • Have a Reformation Day party or reenact Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses.
  • Instead of dressing up as a ghost or goblin, consider positive role models such as faith-filled saints of the past or inspiring heroes of the present.
  • Share in a bonfire and hymn sing with friends and family or attend a fall festival.
  • For something different, carve pumpkins with religious or Reformation themes.

We need not grieve like the rest of humanity over those who have died. Sin, death and the Devil no longer have a hold over us thanks be to Jesus Christ, so there is no cause to be afraid. As the children of God, we have a multitude of reasons to celebrate for all eternity. So, why not celebrate Halloween?

[i] Recognitions similar to All Souls Day seem to have been a practice from early Christianity, but they varied greatly in timing and scope. CatholicCulture.org reports this about the origin of All Souls Day: “Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo [c.962 – c.1048], fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. The practice spread to the rest of Christendom.” (Others claim the three day celebration stems from an order by Pope Gregory IV in the 8th century.) Indulgences are still attached to All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic Church. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/Hstmm5

[ii] John 8:36

[iii] Luther came to argue that Christians remain simultaneously sinners (still struggling with sin) yet saved (through faith in Jesus Christ). We should strive to follow Christ, but we must accept our constant need for grace. Jesus is the only source of our salvation, not our works.

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

© 2013 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.

The image “pumpkin of Luther posting his 95 Theses” used above with this post is believed not to be copyrighted. If I am in error, please contact me, and I will remove it or provide proper attribution as desired. Efforts were made to identify its source but unsuccessfully.

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September 18, 2013 · 5:16 pm

Needy? Our Cup Overflows

Messiah Lutheran.group shot

Messiah Lutheran Church Members & Friends,
8 September 2013

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. (2 Cor. 8:1-2)

Reading the above passage, I began to reflect upon our life together at Messiah Lutheran. Seeking assistance for a mission, Paul was encouraging the larger, more affluent congregation in Corinth to look toward the example of the struggling Christian community in Macedonia. I began to see a parallel. How has our little church faced with so many historic and current problems been used to encourage others?

Once a person mentioned to me in passing that it seemed our community is made of a “disproportionate number of people in need” and perhaps we would always remain small. This indeed might be true (only God knows the plans in store for us), yet I embrace that description. After all, Jesus came for the “least of these”: the hungry, the naked, the homeless and marginalized, even prisoners. Therefore at Messiah, we have intentionally forged strong relationships with those having intellectual, physical and mental disabilities. We have actively sought to support members of our community with food, clothing, and housing. Hospitality and authentic welcome are recognized marks of our ministry regardless of social, economic, political or other differences. Some of our members and neighbors have been helped to lift themselves out of domestic abuse, addiction, and even jail. We are truly trying to live as Christ’s disciples in mission, no longer Gentile or Jew, male or female, but all one in Christ. If two or three gather in his name, Christ is there, so our size doesn’t really matter either. Our congregation is exactly the kind of beloved community spoken about in scripture!

Despite our needs (or perhaps because of them), we have come together to rebuild and strengthen this congregation’s ministry, not perfectly but as best we can, and this has made a difference worth celebrating. Although we are still small and at times people might leave, worship attendance has increased over 35% since 2006. Giving has gone up about 10% per year no matter the ebb and flow of our national economy. We still struggle financially (sometimes wondering how we will pay our bills), but we have closed a $35,000 deficit while supporting others – fully funding our tithe to the greater church, ranking several years in the top 20 for donations to the Virginia Synod’s United Lutheran Appeal, starting new ministries in support of Lutheran Family Services, serving as a covenant congregation with Hanover Habitat, reinvigorating the shared, ecumenical food, clothing and benevolence ministry which is MCEF, and much, much more. Our outreach has dramatically increased and a number of long-time members have suggested our community is more spiritually oriented than ever before.

Thanks to the grace of God working through our lives together, we have all contributed to our “success.” A Thrivent loan officer remarked, “We have seen congregations ten times your size not do as much.” It is often why when I am at area events that people remark, “I hear things are going great at Messiah,” or “Your that church that is so active in the community.” In our welcoming of All Souls Episcopal to share our worship space, I have had three different Evangelical pastors comment at the great and unusual witness to Christian love being made manifest here. When we attended the Virginia Synod Assembly, other congregations have asked for appointments to discuss why and how things are “going so well” at Messiah for two years running. We are further affirmed as a community by the reality that 46% of our membership comes from outside of Mechanicsville. These people are willing to make drives of 30 minutes to an hour because they recognize that this community is indeed “different.”

Are we challenged as an institution in property and programs? Do we dine with people who are marginalized, hurting, sinful and alone? Do we struggle as individuals? You bet! We are real people with real problems, but we are a saved people all the more. Thanks be to Christ, we are the church! We seek to live as disciples more than as “members”; striving to concretely love God and neighbor. We are invited to walk on in a living hope of what is promised us in Christ’s victory, not based upon what we get or experience here and now.

In the end, we are ultimately a family of faith not defined by geography, finances, numbers or programs, and especially not our aging building. Instead, love, abundant joy and generosity – a response to what God has already offered us – describes us well. We are being recognized locally and beyond because as Jesus has promised, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As we continue to celebrate our 45 years in ministry, I want to say that I am always proud and grateful to serve you as well as alongside you in mission. If you are a visitor or have been away, I invite you to come join our celebration; not an event but our shared life in Christ Jesus.

Peace,
Pastor Lou

Everyone makes a difference at
Messiah Lutheran!

To see pictures from our God’s Work – Our Hands Day, click here.  

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

© 2013 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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April 24, 2013 · 5:56 pm

Time to Live

ascension

The Ascension of Jesus

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. (Galatians 6: 9-10)

I am tired: tired of wars and rumors of war; tired of terrorism; tired of illness and trials; tired of death.[i] I know I am not alone. Our nation and world has experienced much too much suffering these last few weeks. Just watching the news was emotionally draining, and many still feel alone and isolated. Others grieve or remain afraid.

Yet if we overly focus on this very real suffering and evil, is it any wonder we grow tired? It seems too much for us, because it is! We are not God, able to work healing, life-giving miracles at our whim. As frail, fallible humans, we are not able to stand alone. So what can we do?

At such difficult times, I don’t give up. I find comfort, strength and motivation in a promise – something not yet a reality, but definitely coming. We are told there will be a day with no more death, mourning, crying or pain. All will be made new.[ii]

Oh, that day’s not here yet, but Christ’s ascension into heaven[iii] foreshadows his certain return.[iv] Although Jesus isn’t with us in body, it is Jesus himself who promises us, “I am with you always.”[v] Granted much stands against us, yet our God is for us and standing with us. We are already conquerors sharing in Christ’s victory over sin, death and the Devil no matter how we might feel about it.[vi]

This promise is our inheritance and claims us as Christ’s people – a people of living faith, hope and love.[vii] It turns our eyes to look beyond our own suffering and fears toward how we are called to help answer such pain and injustice in the world.[viii] Indeed, in Jesus’ physical absence, we serve as his body.[ix] Our feet are those which bring his good news to dark places.[x] Our hands are those that bring his healing.[xi] Our shared ministries are used to create miracles and give life in his name.[xii]

This is no time to run and hide. It isn’t time to be caught asleep or medicating ourselves with escapist, self-indulgence. Instead, Jesus invites us to truly live saying, “Don’t be afraid. Follow me.” Jesus is coming, and we have much left to do in preparation.

No, we still aren’t God, but we are God’s people. At home or away, at work, school or vacation, even in places of emergency, we remain his church – together with Jesus and never alone. When people look to the hills for help[xiii], it might just be us whom Jesus has sent to be his living answer to their cries for help.

So, let us rest when needed, mourn if we must, support one another, pray and wait with patience, but never give up. There will be a day when there will be no more broken hearts. Until then, Jesus asks us as his body to surrender our hearts to his own – trusting in his promises; fulfilling his Father’s will; freed to love God and our neighbor as his Spirit leads us with all that we are, wherever we might be, whatever might happen. In the face of death, it is time to live.

Just as Jesus came when the time was right[xiv], he sends us now to a world in need of his love – a world where we will meet the Risen Christ on our way already waiting to sustain us with his joy and peace.

At a time of terror or indeed any time, it proves a blessing to take up our cross and seek to do what is right. All will be well, for we always belong to Christ.[xv] Jesus never grows tired, and he will never give up on us.

As I posted this pastoral letter, I recalled this song by Stephen Curtis Chapman. Inspired by the Book of Acts, it often comforted me as a police officer and since. I believe it echoes the above message shared with my community:

[i] Read Jesus’ teaching on such signs in Matthew 24.

[ii] For example, see Revelation 21:1-8.

[iii] Read about Jesus’ physical ascension into heaven here.

[iv] Read for example Matthew 24:30-31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Although some biblical scholars argue these passages are metaphorical or symbolic of his return, orthodox Christians maintain Jesus will somehow return to earth for the final resurrection and judgment – whether we understand the details of how or not.

[vi] Read Romans 8.

[viii] See for example, Micah 6:8.

[ix] Church is not a physical building or meeting place, but believers united together in and with Christ, the Head of the Body. We are the church. Sometimes called the catholic (with the small “c” meaning universal) church, we extend beyond time and place. Some passages to explore: Romans 12:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26; Ephesians 1:18-23; Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 5:25-32; Colossians 1:17-20; Colossians 3:14-16; and 1 Peter 2:9-10.

[xi] Consider these passages in the context of your own life: 1 John 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12; James 4:8

[xii] See for example, John 12:26.

[xv] “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian of Norwich

The above pastoral letter is adapted from one originally published in Messiah Lutheran Church and School’s newsletter, The Messenger (May 2013 edition). To view the entire issue of The Messenger or to see the full calendar of events, visit: http://www.mlcas.org

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this article are from the Today’s New International Version translation.

© 2013 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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