“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)
On January 1, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Name of Jesus as recorded in Luke 2:15-21. On the eighth day after our Lord’s birth, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple as prescribed by Mosaic Law. There, he would be circumcised, a sign that he belonged to the ancient covenant between God and Abraham. Circumcision was an initiation for males into the Jewish tribes, but more importantly, into all of God’s plans and promises. The Jewish people had been chosen and set apart to glorify God and bless the world. It was also at this time that Jesus formally received the name the angel had given him. In ancient Hebrew, his name was Joshua. In the Greek of the New Testament, his name is translated as Jesus. In any language, his name means “God is salvation.” Through the Jewish people, the world’s hope had become manifest.
Perhaps it is appropriate to hear and remember his name in its many forms. Jésus (French), Jesús (Spanish), Jézus (Hungarian), Yexus (Hmong Daw), İsa (Azerbaijani), Tsisa (Cherokee), and many more variations exist in the more than 6,500 languages of our world. For “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law” – all peoples of the Earth – “so that we might receive adoption as children” (Galatians 4:4-5). God’s plan was never to limit love to the Jewish people but to spread love throughout the earth and into our individual hearts.
No matter our genetic heritage, whatever our family name, through our faith and baptism, we are claimed and gifted with a new name; that of “Christian.” The ancient name Christian means “Christ bearer.” Much like our siblings of the Jewish faith, we are grafted into their ancient, shared call, and wrapped in God’s promises and glory. As we start this new year, our lectionary reminds us that we “are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God” (Galatians 4:4-7). We are now part of God’s family – never forgotten, never alone. We are allowed to know and claim God as Abba, Father.
What wonderous news to begin our year with! God calls our individual names in love. God’s word shapes us into community. Together with all God’s peoples, we share a sacred purpose – God’s purpose. This means that in good times or times of suffering, every moment of our life matters to God, and Christ will somehow be made known. For wherever this year leads us, Jesus walks with us. He will never forget our names, those whom he lived, suffered, and died for. He will never reject us and will always speak love to us.
Like you, I cannot tell what the future will bring in detail, but I know this, Jesus is Lord. Nothing can truly harm us, not even death. He has called us by name. So let us lift up our heads and look for God’s presence. God is here and now. God is waiting to welcome us into the future. God is our salvation. For we have been declared and made God’s own, and he will never forget our names. In fact, God love us so much that God has inscribed our names in the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16). Our names remain before God’s eyes and in God’s heart forever.
Happy New Year, dear Church! I look forward to what God will do.
Originally published in the January 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.
One of my favorite Christmas stories comes from World War 1. As the troops on opposing sides prepared their trenches for a meager Christmas, the story goes, the Germans put up Christmas trees and began to sing “Silent Night.” Amidst all that suffering, death and decay, a little light broke in at least for a time. The British troops facing them began to respond with well wishes and songs of their own. Eventually someone (no one is sure who) decided to take the very real risk of reaching out across No Man’s Land. An informal, unapproved, and joyful truce began that lasted several days until the powers that be regained control.
As we enter Advent and Christmas, we once again do so amidst travail and trouble. There’s darkness seemingly surrounding us and perhaps enemies of all kinds – economic, political, health and family issues of all kinds. And yet, the world needs someone to step out and declare the new reality of Jesus’ birth once again. There’s a risk to it, I suppose. Some might think we are frivolous or blind. “Don’t you see what’s going on around us?” “Why, yes, I do,” I would reply, “Jesus has brought light into the world, and the powers of darkness are on the run.” I think that’s worthy of celebration. It might warrant putting down our weapons of harsh words and judgement of our neighbor to take part in God’s songs of reconciliation and peace. God wants us to enter the No Man’s Land before us to declare that Jesus has been born for us and for all. We need not fight anymore. We need not listen to our fears. Love has spoken the final word. His name is Jesus.
Kristine and I wish you a joyous Christmas. We know that it has been a hard year (plus) for many of us, and there might be more challenges ahead. In such a context, the light of Christ might seem to come and go, but make no mistake. On that Christmas long ago, Jesus entered our world with all its troubles, and he is still here at work. A bright and constant dawn lies before us. As in the old Christmas hymn, Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing, let us sing with our lives, “We praise in songs of victory that Love, that Life, which cannot die, and sing with hearts uplifted high: ‘Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!’
Merry Christmas, dear Church. All is well, because we have Christ’s love, and we have this time to rightly celebrate. I pray it proves among your best Christmases ever.
Originally published in the December 2021 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The following sermon was offered at Christ Lutheran Church on November 14, 2021, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost. Due to the positive feedback and discussion, that followed, I am posting the text here. I have also embeded the worship service below. In the video, the sermon starts at approximately the 10:50 minute mark. Primary text: Mark 13:1-8.
Image by Justin on Unsplash. Used by permission.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
As our church year comes toward an end, our lectionary circles back to some topics and stories that come from the end of Jesus’ life – things we would often here in Lent just before the victory of Easter. Today, Jesus has entered Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, and he knows it will be for the last time. He fully understands that he is there to die. As Mark’s account starts out, Jesus was tempted three times by Satan, and here the cosmic battle will be settled once and for all. Jesus will tramp the devil under his foot, not by being a king in the earthly sense, but through his suffering, death on the cross, and ultimate resurrection.
Yet in the face of this tension, he’s teaching his disciples about what is to come – at some level, what to expect – but also why to maintain our hope. Through Jesus, God reveals what one scholar calls “a future toward an end.”[i] It is a linear faith in a way. Thanks to the teachings of Jesus and the scriptures, we know the starting point (the Fall) and on the other extreme we know the ending point (full restoration as Jesus comes again). “God is shaping a future toward an end,” yet there are not many timeline details.[ii] As Luther noted, our peace during this time of temptation and tribulation comes from a God who seems often hidden. We “are going uphill and downhill and uphill again. One moment it is night, the next day, and then it is soon night again.”[iii] Martin Luther did not know of such things, but what he is basically describing is that this unfolding of history can seem like a terrifying roller coaster ride.
While it is true that I jumped out of planes in the US Army, and I’ve rappelled from great heights and faced dangerous circumstances at times in my previous vocations, I’m not a big fan of roller coaster rides. There’s just something about them that bothers me – not so much the height, nor the twist and turns, nor even any light show modern coasters might offer us…mostly, I hate the feeling of lost control. We must depend on the architects, engineers, and maintenance people to keep us safe. We are just along for the ride.
That said, I will go on one when someone like a niece or nephew begs me too, but I will tell you my survival secret. I just try to keep my sight on one direction or point before me and quiet the voices within me through prayer. I know the goal, and I trust that I will make it. That’s not too unlike life. As children of God, it is helpful to keep our eyes on Jesus and the victory before us, and when the voices of doubt and darkness spring into our head, we must try to shout them down with God’s promises. “Get back Satan! We are loved. We are saved even as we are being saved.” God ishelping us no matter what we can see with our eyes, and we are already victorious through our faith and baptism. No matter what happens, good, bad or indifferent, all is well, because God will give us “the power to win through to the end.”[iv]
If we judge our situation purely by reason or experience, we will always be wrong. Jesus teaches that faith is the key to true understanding. So, when Jesus’ disciples begin to marvel at the architecture and enormity of the Temple, they were not wrong. It was truly something with some of its stones weighing tons and individual stones proving a larger in size than some homes of the day. They were right to be amazed! King Herod the Great had expanded the Second Temple into his own work of art and glory. It was meant to be a testimony not simply of the supremacy of the Hebrew God, not only speaking of the place of the Jewish nation in the world…It also screamed of his greatness. The Jewish Temple existed as a centerpiece of Jewish identity and meaning – politically, culturally, and religiously. All sacrifices to God were meant to be made there and nowhere else. It was the place where their all-powerful God was meant to reside literally and figuratively at the center of God’s chosen people.
Yes, the Philistines had destroyed the previous Tent of Meeting and stolen the Ark of the Covenant when some priests had been unfaithful, but God gave it back. And when the people lost their way, had turned against God, the Babylonians did come in and destroy Solomon’s Temple, the First Temple that replaced the Tent of Meeting, and forced a 70-year exile of the Jewish people, but God had forgiven them. God brought them home after 70 years for a new Temple to be constructed and better days ahead. The idea of this third great Temple, the widely expanded and ornate Temple of Herod the Great, would ever be destroyed was unbelievable for most people. To destroy the Temple with its cultic and national significance, as a wonder of the world, seemed an utter impossibility. It would be an unbelievable threat to the truth of God’s promise that God would love and protect them forever.
And so, as the disciples cry out in wonder, “Look at that Temple!” Jesus deeply shocks them to their own foundations by saying, “It is not going to last. It will be destroyed.” Not only that, but he also uses this prophesy to open the door to a greater mystery yet. Jesus will die. In the eyes of the world, he will be destroyed, but he will rise again. His closest and oldest friends, his most intimate group of Apostles, have come far enough in faith not to doubt him even if this makes them fearful. When they have a chance to speak alone with him, Peter, James, John, and Andrew ask when this will be and what signs should they look for. They want to be ready. They hunger for some sense of control. In a sign of some mercy, Jesus tells them there are basically four signs: false messiahs; wars and rumors of wars; earthquakes and other disasters; and persecution.[v]
Notice, as with scripture itself, Jesus doesn’t provide details. It will all be revealed to his followers when the time is right, and as we are ready. Indeed, at some level, his prophesy came true by 70 AD. There were false prophets and calamities and persecution immediately following Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Church faced many growing pains and threats as did the Jewish people. And finally, the Roman Empire grew tired of the rebellious Jews in Judea, and the Romans destroyed everything. The great city of Jerusalem was sacked, the people scattered in an exile reaching into the twentieth Century after World War 2, and the Temple torn down. The riches that had been dedicated to our God of life and love would now be used to help build the famous Colosseum of Rome, a place of persecution, battle, and death. All that is really left of the Temple are some foundation stones, commonly called the Western Wall today.
As a result, many contemporaries, even Paul who died in about 67 AD, assumed Jesus would return and the dead would be resurrected soon and very soon. Still, time is relative when it comes to God. That day has not yet come to pass. Like the original believers, we are left to wait in hope…to hold on to our shared belief. God’s plan was and is yet unfolding, and nothing, not even death itself, will stop God’s love from coming to its full fruition.
This section of Mark’s Gospel is often called his “Little Apocalypse.” He briefly shares Christ’s teaching not just about the end of the Temple but seemingly also about the end of the world. The ending of the world is still going on all around us. We see those four signs! I think a theologian from Valparaiso University (a Lutheran school in Indiana) is correct when she asserts that we all experience our own “Little Apocalypses” throughout our life.[vi] We have days when we wonder, “How can I do this? What’s going to happen to me?” Or, as a pastoral care professor of mine used to remind us that we suffer a little bit of death every day.[vii]
“The Devil is in the details,” people say, and when it comes to the end of the world (or when and how our own life will play out), it is likely a blessing God doesn’t let us fully in on the details of what lies before us. It might distract us from the blessings of today or cause us unnecessary fear. Instead, Jesus provides us the key to it all in verse 7, “do not be alarmed; this must take place.” This must take place. We don’t fully know why. We cannot fully understand where and when or even how. Yet, we know this, we are and remain God’s beloved. This…God has promised us. We are only asked to trust the architect, builder, and maintainer of our lives.
I wish that I could tell you that we will experience no more suffering, loss, or failure ahead, but that would be a lie. It would be unbiblical. Even Jesus had to die, so why do we resist that we must too? All the powers of the world remain against him, and if we cling to him, they will resist us too. We are part of this cosmic battle being played out to its end,[viii] and we are gifted the power to choose whose side we want to be on. We can choose to trust Jesus or not.
Last week, I saw a man on television who claimed to be sent from Jesus while peddling his “miracle water.” Used appropriately, it was said to save you from poverty. Although claimed to be “free,” I discovered through research that it has somehow made him a very wealthy man. False prophets are among us still, and some people give them power over their lives. Of earthquakes, and famines and plagues, wars and rumors of war, oh, we have had our fill. Just watch or read the news if you dare. Yet, God isn’t done with us or the world yet. We don’t know why, but the end is still to come. With that end, a new heaven and earth will come too – a new beginning. More is in store than what we can see, understand, or even imagine.
A reading from The Word in Season (those little daily devotional guides available in our welcome area) gave me a lot to think about recently. On November 6, an entry really challenged me, as I faced the life and death struggle of yet another friend from COVID-19. The author pointed out that Jesus was indeed a master storyteller. As when he spoke about the lilies of the field, he was a great poet. “But when necessary, he was able to speak with simple directness, ‘Have faith in God.’” Have faith in God. There’s an urgency there and a call to utter dependence if not total surrender. Do we trust our God who is love or not? “‘Have faith in God,’ said Jesus, and live the love that can make the whole world whole.”[ix] That’s all we can ultimately do – trust while seeking to live in love. Other than that, strap in and hang on. With God in control, we are in for one awesome ride – one which can only end in joy and laughter over all we have been through together….all that God has gotten us through together. That is God’s promise to us. That is God’s plan, and we can trust it. Amen.
[i] Brobst-Renaud, A. (November 14, 2021). Working Preacher. Commentary on Mark 13:1-8.
[ii] Langknecht, H. (November 15, 2009). Working Preacher. Commentary on Mark 13:1-8.
[iii] Luther, M. Sermon on St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day,” EA6:294f.
[vii] His name was The Rev. Charles Brown, PhD, Union Theological Seminary.
[viii] We believe as Lutherans that the battle was won with Jesus’ cross and resurrection, but the powers of sin, death and the Devil fight on it their death throws until Jesus returns.
[ix]Word in Season (October, November, December 2021 edition). p. 39.
As noted above, our worship service can be found below. The sermon begins at about the 10:50 minute mark.
Indigenous and ancient peoples have always given thanks. In the northeast where the Pilgrims first met the Wampanoag (near where I grew up), the arguable “first Thanksgiving” was certainly not a new idea. The practice was deeply engrained in both the European and Native cultures. In fact, much like the Europeans, the Native peoples of what was eventually renamed New England already held several thanksgiving events throughout their year – both scheduled seasonally and at special times of celebration. Although today you will often hear of protests from the Native peoples in Massachusetts regarding the myths, particularly the cultural misunderstandings and stereotypical images, of that historic event and the very real, terrible offenses that came afterward, they never protest the concept of giving thanks. Christian or not, Native peoples know it is good to give thanks just as their ancestors did and they still do. It is an ancient practice all cultures have in common at some level. Thanks can be offered even as we acknowledge great sadness in our lives – even amidst tears for those who went before us and sad if not horific events that cannot be undone. Giving thanks seems to build our resilience as individuals, families, and peoples. Indeed, some studies even suggest thankful people are healthier and live longer, more satisfied lives! I suspect that the First Nations have survived in the face of many evils partly because they understand and value the sacred nature of giving thanks for their ancestors and today.
When the Ark of the Covenant was first brought into Jerusalem, King David initiated ongoing cultic prayers by commanding, “O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works” (1 Chronicles 16:7-9). The Psalms and New Testament scriptures echo this sentiment in many places for the community and individual. Paul sounds much like King David when he urges all Christians, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Still, it remains true that it can be easier giving thanks when times are good. So, it can be helpful for us to intentionally live into our thanksgiving even if we don’t much feel like it. Yes, we should be honest about our pain. We can and should confess the sins of our past. We might like to even remember past hard times or hurt visited upon us. Yet, we can still consider the signs of blessing that are there to be found behind, around, and before each and every one of us. How have such hard times made us stronger or more empathetic? What have we learned, and how can our past curse become blessing for ourselves and others? Do the experiences of our ancestors or our own experiences reveal something sacred in and through the pain? We can reminisce about the photos and relics of our past that remind us of the love we have experienced as a gift. We can make lists of or talk about signs of hope in our darkness trusting all the while that Jesus has promised healing and hope lie before us. We can celebrate our ancestors strengths even as we acknowledge their frail, misguided humanity. Such practices help open our eyes and our hearts to the truth that even when seemingly hidden, God is at work. God is at work for us.
It has been a long couple of years. As with many of you, I will miss people I’ve lost at my table and in my life. Yet how much poorer would my life be if their loving witness hadn’t touched me? There are things to be afraid of, but Jesus says, “Fear not. I am with you.” I fall short in many ways, but I can trust as scripture promises that I am forgiven through trusting in what Christ has done. Therefore, I am enough. Whatever our circumstance, we can strive to give thanks just because we can trust what Jesus promised remains true – this seeking to trust being a sign of the Spirit’s active presence in our lives as well. We can rejoice, Jesus says, “for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” Whoever you are, whatever has been done to you or left undone, or wherever you have fallen short, I wish you and all those you love a blessed Thanksgiving filled with such a love. There remain reasons to give thanks even amidst any tears, for even the sadest parts of our lives have meaning. They help make us who we are.
Adapted from an original pastoral letter published in the November 2021 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Photo by authorusing Iphone11 Promax. All rights reserved.
“Do not fear, for Ihave redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b
While taking Boomer for a walk yesterday, I caught sight of what appeared to be a red fireball in the sky. Only, it was not the sun or a meteor. It was the moon! I’ve seen reddish colored moons before, but I don’t recall ever seeing anything like this. The first thing that popped in my mind was a prophesy shared by Joel (2:31), “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord.” Yet in mere moments, I thought better of it. Fires in the west have caused a great plume of smoke to pass over our state, and refracted light likely caused the fiendish, end of times worthy glow. There was nothing to fear.
It is funny how quickly our minds can go to the most frightening or worst-case scenarios. Yet most often, our expectations prove wrong. Much like the Halloween costumes so popular this time of year, look under the mask or hood, and we find nothing threatening. We might even find a friend. I think Jesus would love us to approach all our troubles in a similar way. Even when we cannot figure out an answer on our own or trouble hangs around, Jesus has said in varied ways, “Let nothing trouble you. Trust in me.” Indeed, at just the name of Jesus, demons are said to flee. That might not prove so with all our earthly troubles – at least not right away. Sometimes, troubles of this life stick around with seeming finality. Still, Jesus says, whatever we hear or see, he will be with us, and we have nothing to ultimately fear even if we face death itself.
Martin Luther argued that our faith and baptism makes all the difference. It is like an eternal lifeline that nothing, not even our own sinfulness, can cut. “In this faith,” Luther says, “I stand and live. I eat and drink, sleep and wake, rule, serve, labor, act, and suffer, all in the faith that I am baptized.” And through our faith and baptism, the Spirit claims us and will never abandon us. Indeed, God will make good come from even the biggest bad because we are loved. How can a vine which is connected to the branch called Jesus not bear fruit? How can pure love ever let us go? That’s impossible! Luther ponders, “The life of such a person, whether great or small and no matter what it is called, is nothing but fruit and cannot be without fruit; for in Christ that person has been born into a new existence, in order to be constantly full of good fruit.”
With fall upon us, we are in a season of growing darkness. With the news, some might suggest our days are dark too. Yet, this is also the season where we harvest fruits of the earth. Jesus has saved us, and he will continue to save us. Our call is to trust that no matter how dark the days of our lives might grow the good fruit that we are shall never be cast aside. We belong to Jesus.
Originally published in the October 2021 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
“Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord, and I will heal them. (Isaiah 57:19)
As I write this, I am preparing to go to the hospital tomorrow morning bright and early for surgery. In the grand scheme of things, it should prove a minor surgery, but it has been on my mind, nonetheless. When I was younger, I perhaps did not give as much thought and care to my health and wellness as it deserved, but it seems a growing issue as I age. There’s an ache here or a pain there. Stress can be more present than in the days of my youth. Sleep can be a challenge – not enough time for sleep or at times (perhaps much worse or at least more frustrating) disrupted sleep. Then whether for annual visits, precaution, or due to illness, it seems like I am visiting with doctors more and more. It is a good thing that I like them!
I’ve learned from my chaplaincy work in hospitals, hospice, and among law enforcement, our health and wellness are never to be taken for granted. Instead, self-care is a complicated thing deserving our prayerful discernment, effort, and trust. Yes, you read that correctly. I wrote “prayerful discernment, effort, and trust,” for our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs are all intertwined with one another and our need for God’s grace.
Did you ever notice that when Jesus forgave sins, it often resulted in other manifestations of healing? People were restored to relationship or could once again walk. Scripture commands (in James 5:14-15), “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.” God desires that we look heavenward for help, guidance, and hope. Martin Luther even alluded to our sacraments as a kind of healing medicine at times. Yet Jesus never taught, and scripture never claimed, that the healing to be gifted would only be physical or provided in the way we would want or expect it. Instead, we are asked to trust that the loving God who created us cares for us still. Indeed, God’s loving grace desires to enfold us in a kind of eternal hug from cradle to grave and beyond.
No matter our situation or prospects in this world, Jesus offers us a peace that is not of this world and beyond our understanding. It is a gift that can help us enter with boldness into new challenges, the doctor’s office, surgery, or even hospice care. This does not mean there will never be tears or fear or other human emotions, but even when these human emotions rise (trying to help us process our situation) or amidst our limited wisdom seeking to find our way forward, we can try to remind ourselves of and trust in Jesus’ promise that we will never be alone. Indeed, it is Jesus who sends us family, friends, and trained professionals to help us on the way. How do I know? Well, all good things come from God, and near or far, God’s healing will always find us. Indeed, Jesus has declared that one day sickness and death will be no more, and we will be with him when that day comes.
Image: Picture by DarkoStjanovic on Pixaby. Used by permission.
Originally published in the July 2021 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this article are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
In springtime, I often come to think of Thérèse de Lisieux as I take my walks. Thérèse was known for seeing God in the little things, even spring flowers or butterflies. She would regularly stop to reflect upon their intricate beauty. In her own way, it was a source of what we might call meditation or mindfulness. By focusing on her experiences of the moment, she discovered a deeper sense of peace and beauty around her and ultimately at work in her. She recognized even as she battled chronic, often debilitating illness, that she had reason to hope. Even in her illness, she could serve and be faithful to God. Simplicity was her watchword, often called by her “the little way.” And she herself eventually became commonly known as “the Little Flower.” For as much as many would overlook God’s work in creation, contemporaries often overlooked the spiritual beauty found in her lifestyle and vision. Yet today, she is remembered in Roman Catholic and Protestant seminaries and congregations across the world.
Martin Luther once quipped, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” This is most certainly true! Yet, in this busy world, do we often stop to reflect on the gracious beauty at work in each of us and the world? Through our faith and baptism, God is still sharing the promises of the Gospel, and although not everyone will notice or believe it, all our lives make a difference. Indeed, Jesus died and rose from the dead for every one of us. As we are and for what we will become through grace, he sees value and beauty in each of us.
Much as Paul argued that each of us play a varied part in the body of Christ, Thérèse saw us as flowers in the garden. “I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. And so, it is in the world of souls, Our Lord’s living garden.”
Scripture reveals to us that God is our Master Gardner. God has planted us in the region of Fredericksburg to do some particular good, to add unique beauty, and to be individual and communal signs of life and hope. We bloom through worship, fellowship, and service. We are rooted in his love. Yet as summer travels begin again, local gatherings increase, and some might have to continue to stay away due to medical issues or other concerns, know that you are not forgotten. Indeed, you are missed. Come back to us when ready with new stories and love to share. For you make a difference to us, and together, we are most beautiful. I wish you a happy and meaningful summer ahead.
Image: Picture by the author.
Originally published in the June 2021 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. Proverbs 16:9
What a time we have had! As I write this, we are quickly approaching the one-year anniversary of our first pandemic shutdown in Virginia which occurred on March 13, 2020. As we entered 2020, I suspect none of us knew what really lay ahead. Even as everything closed, our common expectations that these troubles would last two weeks, or perhaps a month, seemed reasonable. When it comes to days like these, the old saying might have been proven true, “Humans plan, and God laughs.”
Cliches and proverbs are many, but the truth remains. We are short-sighted, emotional beings. We might make plans, but we are not aware of all the variables nor fully in control. For most of us, we struggle with that reality. Yet, both good things and bad things always happen in our world, and none of them, good or bad, last forever. On the other hand, God’s love does last, and God truly has been guiding us through some perilous, curious times. Through it all, yes, there has been much to grieve, but there has been much to celebrate as well. Within our congregation and families, we have celebrated marriages and births, and many other celebrations marking life passages within the lives of those we love. Upon reflection, we discover that “time marches on,” but also God walks with us. God’s Spirit constantly seeks to comfort us and direct us. We are surrounded by love in creation and in our homes. Even when seemingly alone, we remain in communion that neither time nor distance can stop.
As the Orthodox Divine Liturgy begins, the deacon proclaims to the priest, “It is time [kairos] for the Lord to act.” Chronos (meaning time) is used for speaking about sequential time like weeks and months. Kairos (also meaning time) is used to indicate an opportune, beneficial time for action. And here in worship, no matter the day or season, good or bad, there is an expectation that all will be well. All is well. God is acting to save and bless. That’s just who God is.
I wish I could write that all our daily troubles are behind us. I continue to hope that we will be together soon although we cannot really know when or how that will be as I write. Yet at the same time, I understand and trust that God is with us. Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, who exists outside of time also is at work within it. And the Spirit, our Advocate who acts to guide, console, and pray for us, seeks to bring us a conviction of faith, a trust, in a God who loves us always.
Originally published in the March newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this article are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Read an article about what Valentine might have looked like here.
Much like Charlie Brown waiting to be noticed by the little red-haired girl, it seems we have come to overlook and ignore the very source of “Valentine’s Day.” Yes, the living, breathing follower of Christ who died as a martyr seems to have been forgotten. Even his title of “Saint” has most often disappeared from February 14th. Somehow, his historic contribution to our shared faith has been transfigured into candy sales, cards, and romantic movies. Good grief!
Valentine of Rome, known as Valentinus in Latin, was a well-known saint at one time with a popular devotion dating back to the late 3rd Century. There exist several Valentines on liturgical calendars, but much of the details of his life are lost to us. As questions exist about the veracity and scope of what we know, Roman Catholics took him off their liturgical calendar in 1969 as part of their process of liturgical renewal and modernization. Some other denominations – including the ELCA – followed suit. (He is still considered a saint, but he does not have a dedicated feast day celebrated at worship; excepting any local commemorations.)
Despite some doubts, a consensus about THE Valentine’s life exists. Some argue the famed Valentine was a Roman priest and physician or healer of some kind. He died during a general persecution of Christianity led by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus in about 269 AD. His day of martyrdom, February 14th, became his feast day. (The Church tends to recognize the day of death as a day of new birth in Christ, so the day of death most often becomes the feast day.) Other candidates include a bishop killed during a similar persecution under Emperor Aurelian in 273 and a person only known by this name martyred with other Christians in Africa during an unspecified date that same century. Both later Valentines allegedly also died on February 14th, and some argue the bishop may even be the priest (just two versions of the same life). Valentine was a common name back in those imperial days, and there are about one dozen other saints with that name, as well as a Pope (reigning for two months in 827 AD). So with limited documentation, one can understand the confusion.
Mythic stories have been shared about the primary Valentine’s marrying people in secret, sharing a card with his jailer’s daughter signed “your Valentine,” healing a judges blind daughter (inspiring the judge to convert to Christianity), and other such things, but they do not seem strongly supported by evidence. Valentine’s life and death probably had little to do with romance, but more likely a love for God and neighbor; a love that always heals and brings new life. Valentine appears to have been beheaded for his faith, and his flower crowned skull is now venerated in a Roman Catholic cathedral. That is not a very romantic ending, but it did inspire many others toward faith in Jesus.
So, how might we best put the saint back into the day? Perhaps, we could strive to serve our neighbors somehow? How could we help heal others – in mind, body, or spirit? Families might seek to take the focus from romantic love and refocus on the mutual love that builds others up. It has become the practice of some to draw names and seek to do something nice for the person chosen. We might take some time to tell one another how we see God at work in them. We could do something nice for those in the healing profession or serving as first responders. We could even pray for the Church, especially the persecuted Church. No, I am not suggesting we need to avoid fancy dinners and chocolates entirely, but maybe there could be more to the day than some would have us believe.
Originally published in The Hub, a weekly email of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
I recently read an article that indicated more than half the population has experienced sleep disruption due to the pandemic, protest violence, economic fears and more. And this finding came before the recent events at the Capitol! Most certainly, we tend to be a stressed, fearful and tired people these days. (And if statistics prove true, I suppose I do not really need to tell you that.)
So, where can we find rest? How is hope and peace possible during these times? I often start with a promise made by Jesus, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come (Matthew 24:6).” To some, this might sound like a threat, but with open hearts, we hear these words with joy. Whatever happens today or tomorrow, the end will come. Nothing including our pain will last forever. We are due for an end with no ending; an eternal joy made complete. For the end Jesus speaks of is a new heaven, new earth, and our eternal, perfect life with him.
It won’t be easy as we wait for that day. I can’t tell you exactly what tomorrow will bring, but I know Jesus is already there in the future waiting to welcome us. And so, when I get anxious or afraid, that is who I turn to through scripture, songs of faith, and prayer. When I do so, I taste peace. I feel like I can stare down death in its face. It must be a bit like the Transfiguration experience of long ago. To be honest, I don’t want to leave those moments where grace breaks through. I want to escape the world and all its difficulties; to stay. Yet I know like the first Apostles, I cannot stay up on that mountain. I have work to do down below. The days of lasting peace are yet to come.
Through such spiritual disciplines, I can draw strength for my day from the Water of Life. I am reminded that I am not alone in any pain or my work, and my hope will not disappoint. Indeed, it helps change how I see my place in the world, as I find hope blooming like spring. I remain in communion with others of the Church. Despite all the rumors and threats always around us, we are never alone in seeking to watch, and wait, and love. Creation itself “waits with eager longing” (Romans 8:19-23).
As humans, we might wish to keep the pain of life far away, but what kind of life would that be? Jesus’ current work is in the valley. For now, anyway, that is perhaps where we might just need to be – with him – in order to serve and grow. And no matter our situation, others stuck in the valley need our loving witness, support, and prayer as well.
When a child, I used to pray for God to keep me as I slept. I trusted then that Jesus heard such prayers. Despite the angry adult voices and threats around us, he still does. God is only love, and it is God that loves us in our worry, sadness or joy. So sleep well, dear Church. Try to close your eyes and rest easy in the arms of Christ, even if you can only muster it for a few moments. For I find wisdom in what Victor Hugo is reported to have once observed:
“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”
This pastoral letter was originally published in Christ Lutheran Church’s February 2021 newsletter.
Husband, Pastor, Law Enforcement Chaplain, and member of the Clerical Errors (aka "The Three Priests"), I'm sharing my two cents with anyone who cares...
You can also find me on social media as Loudluthrn (Lou-d-Luthrn or Lou the Lutheran). It is a moniker given me while attending a Presbyterian Seminary, but I'm a loud and proud Lutheran too (just not too loud and proud, mind you).
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