A year ago, little Frederick was here visiting us for a few days. He was about 14 months old at the time. He graciously brought along his mommy and his daddy and most of his siblings. Fredo was still nursing a bit now and then. When he sat at the table to eat with the big people, he needed help with his spoon. He could feed himself, but not enough to really fill his belly to a comfortable level.
Also a year ago this week, my friend Nathan proposed to my daughter Katie who (wisely) accepted. As we discussed wedding plans, the subject came up of the wedding cake, and that the bride and groom feed each other bites of the cake.
These two experiences were fresh in my mind when I was at Mass the following Wednesday evening. That night, I was captivated by the picture of what was going on at the altar rail. It's not like anything happened that hadn't happened before. It's not like anything new was going on. But I just noticed it in a new way. The pastor was feeding people. The pastor put the host into the mouth of the communicants. The pastor put the chalice to their lips and ever-so-carefully tipped it. He fed us.
It really must look pretty goofy to outsiders. A bunch of people, kneeling together, mouths open for someone else to feed them. They're not feeding themselves. They weren't taking the host into their own hands and feeding themselves (although that happens in some congregations). They weren't taking the cup into their own hands and drinking it themselves (although that too happens in some congregations). We were all there, waiting, being fed. I imagined helpless little baby robins in their nest, mouths open, waiting for mom and dad to return and place the nourishment into their little beaks, since they can't do it for themselves.
Y'know, people are rarely fed by someone else. We feed ourselves. That's the way it is! Who gets fed? Babies are fed; they cannot feed themselves. Those who are too sick or disabled (whether by age or disease or accident) are fed by a care-taker instead of feeding themselves. Normally, there's only one other situation where we don't feed ourselves. Lovers will sometimes feed each other. But that kind of behavior is generally recognized as intimate enough that it's not usually flaunted in front of other people (except at the wedding reception). Feeding your sweetie might happen at a private picnic. If it's done in public, though, there's no surprise if other people nearby are rolling their eyes, thinking that the star-struck lovey-dovey stuff will wear off sooner or later.
I suppose there have been some rare occasions where I was out to dinner, and maybe a girlfriend wanted to try a bite of what I'd gotten, and I wanted to try a bite of her dinner or dessert. Even then, though, you usually pass the fork to the other person. If it's soup, you might hold the spoon for the other person. But things like that are not the norm. We're tough; we're too busy and too capable to condescend to be fed by someone else. When we feed another person or are fed by another person, it's almost always because of one person being utterly dependent on the other, or because of the depth of intimacy in the love-relationship.
Maybe at the altar rail, I'm the decrepit one, too helpless to feed myself. Maybe at the altar rail, I'm the dearly beloved of my Jesus, and am fed by Him because of His great love for me. It doesn't really matter which it is -- or that it might be both. Looking at the pastor that night, with the paten of hosts and with the chalice, feeding all those people, just doing the same ol' thing he does every Sunday and every Wednesday, well, it sure makes a person realize who's the Giver and who's the receiver.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Hoover Savvy
This week I picked up my vacuum cleaner from the repair shop again. This is the sixth time it's been repaired under warranty since I bought it 10 months ago. When I first bought it, I read the owners manual. It said that replacing belts was unnecessary: the belts are long-lasting (2-3 years) and must be replaced only by authorized repairmen. They're not cheap either (if you're paying for them). Well, this is the second new belt in ten months. Two belts in ten months? Or a new belt once every few years? Hmmm, I think there's a clash on how to reckon time here. You think it's my fault because I was taught the New Math back in my elementary school days?
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Sun Dogs
I had one of those "homeschool mommy" attacks on Sunday morning, where you get all aflutter over a teachable moment and just gotta find somebody to bubble at! I was out jogging (yes, I know it was cold!) and saw the most awesome sun dogs. I have tried to show them to my youngest on previous occasions, but I've never been convinced that she's actually seen them. Between her poor vision and her lack of understanding, it seems that she's always just "agreed" that "yeah, Mom, that's pretty neat." But Sunday morning, those sundogs were so huge, and there were no clouds smudging up the sky -- there was no way to miss those sun dogs! The dogs were massive and spreading their rainbows out. The right one had rays pouring off it to span an arc of about 50-60 degrees, and the left one covered about 30 degrees of an arc around the sun.
These are rare enough that I went in and interrupted Sunday school to show the kids. I feel a little guilty over that: sun dogs shouldn't be trumping the study of God's word. But gosh, how often do kids (especially kids who live in town and thus have an obstructed view of the sky) get to see uncommon sights in the heavens?
The parhelions were so glorious the other day that I couldn't help but remember the Shakespearean lines in Henry VI, recounting the story of the Battle of Mortimer's Cross which occurred in 1461 at Herefordshire, during the War of the Roses. It's easy to see why the Yorkists might consider such a sight to be a "sign from God."
These are rare enough that I went in and interrupted Sunday school to show the kids. I feel a little guilty over that: sun dogs shouldn't be trumping the study of God's word. But gosh, how often do kids (especially kids who live in town and thus have an obstructed view of the sky) get to see uncommon sights in the heavens?
The parhelions were so glorious the other day that I couldn't help but remember the Shakespearean lines in Henry VI, recounting the story of the Battle of Mortimer's Cross which occurred in 1461 at Herefordshire, during the War of the Roses. It's easy to see why the Yorkists might consider such a sight to be a "sign from God."
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
It's So Cold That ...
that the cat has been using the litter box instead of going outdoors.
And worse yet, so cold that the cat is actually playing with a ball of twine. Her lack of hunting possibilities is driving her nuts -- so insane that this aloof creature is actually willing to interact with us instead of with the mousies and gophers, actually willing to treat a piece of string as prey.
That's cold! The kids said that they'd never seen a real cat play with a real ball of yarn: that's just something you see in pictures or read about in books. And here she is -- desperate enough to chase something --ANYTHING-- that she'll be a stereotypical cat.
And worse yet, so cold that the cat is actually playing with a ball of twine. Her lack of hunting possibilities is driving her nuts -- so insane that this aloof creature is actually willing to interact with us instead of with the mousies and gophers, actually willing to treat a piece of string as prey.
That's cold! The kids said that they'd never seen a real cat play with a real ball of yarn: that's just something you see in pictures or read about in books. And here she is -- desperate enough to chase something --ANYTHING-- that she'll be a stereotypical cat.
Morning
Well, this will teach me to get up early and get going on the week's errands! I figured I'd leave bright and early, let the kids get up on their own, prepare and eat their breakfasts, do their chores, and get started on the schoolwork they can do without me. Then we'd have the whole afternoon for schoolwork that we have to do together. THREE of my stops on the errand-list were closed when I arrived, so that I had to go back later. So much for bright and early! LOL!
Monday, February 05, 2007
Real ID
The NY Times ran an article yesterday on the uniform national ID card. The thing I find most astonishing about this issue is the fight between the states and the feds. Both conservatives and liberals are backing states-rights. Both conservatives and liberals are, conversely, backing the federal push to standardize drivers licenses.
A Missouri Republican is working with two dozen other states to oppose the federal law. He said, "This is a frontal assault on our freedoms. One state standing alone is not enough. But we are already gaining strong momentum here." A Wisconsin Republican and top officials at the Department of Homeland Security said they were disturbed by the growing signs of a revolt. The Wisconsin Congressman said, "Certainly, it is a threat."
The government is fighting the government.
As we've been studying civics and political science recently, one of the main messages of the Uncle Eric books has been to watch the quest for power. It's not ultimately about what's "conservative" or "liberal," about what's Republican or Democrat, about what will be done with the political power once a person or group has gained it, but simply about the quest to obtain power and the desire to use it. This can be readily seen as both the liberals and the conservatives are in-fighting over this Real ID Act.
A Missouri Republican is working with two dozen other states to oppose the federal law. He said, "This is a frontal assault on our freedoms. One state standing alone is not enough. But we are already gaining strong momentum here." A Wisconsin Republican and top officials at the Department of Homeland Security said they were disturbed by the growing signs of a revolt. The Wisconsin Congressman said, "Certainly, it is a threat."
The government is fighting the government.
As we've been studying civics and political science recently, one of the main messages of the Uncle Eric books has been to watch the quest for power. It's not ultimately about what's "conservative" or "liberal," about what's Republican or Democrat, about what will be done with the political power once a person or group has gained it, but simply about the quest to obtain power and the desire to use it. This can be readily seen as both the liberals and the conservatives are in-fighting over this Real ID Act.
Still Cold
My husband is doing his work in the living room today. He has been complaining about the cold over at church. Okay, I can understand that. I don't like sitting in the cold constantly.
Today we are finally sending out our annual "Christmas" letter. (Oh, aren't we timely!!) I went over to church to use the copier, and it seemed mighty cold. I went to check the thermometer. The thermostat is set to keep the building in the low 50s midweek. The nave and the fellowship hall are about 51-54. But the pastor's study is 28 degrees. You know what? That's not exactly warm! No wonder Gary is sitting in the living room with his theology books and his laptop!
Today we are finally sending out our annual "Christmas" letter. (Oh, aren't we timely!!) I went over to church to use the copier, and it seemed mighty cold. I went to check the thermometer. The thermostat is set to keep the building in the low 50s midweek. The nave and the fellowship hall are about 51-54. But the pastor's study is 28 degrees. You know what? That's not exactly warm! No wonder Gary is sitting in the living room with his theology books and his laptop!
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Nursing Mother Threatened with Lawsuit
My friend Polly linked to a humorous and informative blog on nursing. (No, Heidi, not your kind of nursing. The "feeding babies" kind of nursing.) It's called the Lactivist. The eye-popping subject of the week was that the pork producers have gone after this mommy and her little blog. She used the phrase "The Other White Milk" on a t-shirt, and the trademark lawyers went ballistic. Good grief!
The Lactivist looks like a good site, even before the recent uproar. There are some cute slogans at her store. I think my favorite is "Breasts: Not Just For Selling Cars Anymore."
The Lactivist looks like a good site, even before the recent uproar. There are some cute slogans at her store. I think my favorite is "Breasts: Not Just For Selling Cars Anymore."
An Analogy
What happens when the government needs to collect more taxes? There are two economic opinions on how to achieve this.
The obvious answer is to raise taxes. After all, if you need to collect more taxes, then raise everybody's rates so that everybody will pay a little more. Then the government will reap a little more.
The bizarre answer is to lower taxes. Some people scoff at this. Obviously, they say, lowering taxes will put fewer coins into the government money-bags. Weird thing is, though, lowering taxes is the plan that actually works. Lower taxes and less government regulation stimulates the economy. As the economy grows healthier, businesses and individuals earn more. Even though people are paying a smaller percentage in taxes, they end up paying more in actual dollars. So the government has more to spend, while the tax payers also have more disposable income.
Conservatives have seen this happen in our own country, as well as in other countries, as well as throughout history. Some people believe in making a bee-line for more taxes. Other people believe that doing what's beneficial to the economy will circuitously result in more tax revenue for the government. Those who insist that they cannot let go of their "give us more money" mantra are the ones who actually diminish the money coming in to government coffers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some people believe that the way to get Christians to do more good works is to tell them directly to do more good works, which works they should do, and how they should do them. This seems like an obvious way to get people to do more good works.
Other people think the preaching should be directed instead toward the health of the Christian and strengthening his faith. There will be pruning and fertilizing (the call to repentance). There will be watering and sunshine (the forgiveness of sins in the preaching and sacraments). Then, bizarrely and circuitously and weirdly, the Christian (whose faith is vivified and whose sinful nature is crushed) will abundantly bear the fruit of good works, even when he's not intentionally trying to do so.
The obvious answer is to raise taxes. After all, if you need to collect more taxes, then raise everybody's rates so that everybody will pay a little more. Then the government will reap a little more.
The bizarre answer is to lower taxes. Some people scoff at this. Obviously, they say, lowering taxes will put fewer coins into the government money-bags. Weird thing is, though, lowering taxes is the plan that actually works. Lower taxes and less government regulation stimulates the economy. As the economy grows healthier, businesses and individuals earn more. Even though people are paying a smaller percentage in taxes, they end up paying more in actual dollars. So the government has more to spend, while the tax payers also have more disposable income.
Conservatives have seen this happen in our own country, as well as in other countries, as well as throughout history. Some people believe in making a bee-line for more taxes. Other people believe that doing what's beneficial to the economy will circuitously result in more tax revenue for the government. Those who insist that they cannot let go of their "give us more money" mantra are the ones who actually diminish the money coming in to government coffers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some people believe that the way to get Christians to do more good works is to tell them directly to do more good works, which works they should do, and how they should do them. This seems like an obvious way to get people to do more good works.
Other people think the preaching should be directed instead toward the health of the Christian and strengthening his faith. There will be pruning and fertilizing (the call to repentance). There will be watering and sunshine (the forgiveness of sins in the preaching and sacraments). Then, bizarrely and circuitously and weirdly, the Christian (whose faith is vivified and whose sinful nature is crushed) will abundantly bear the fruit of good works, even when he's not intentionally trying to do so.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Cold
I went to bed last night after the furnace had turned off, and it was 58 in the bedroom. A little cooler than normal, but not too bad. But when I got up in the morning, several hours after the furnace had kicked on, it was still only 61 on the main floor, and 63 in the basement. Usually it's 61-63 in the basement, and 67-68 upstairs. The wind was roaring! I mean that literally -- the sound of the wind around the house was enough to wake sleeping people. By mid-morning, when the wind had died down to simply "very windy," the furnace was finally able to make some headway against the cold.
I managed to force myself out in the sunshine to jog in spite of the cold. Enough layers of appropriate clothing can do wonders against the weather. I was thinking how wonderful ski masks are! It reminded me, though, of a news story we read in the kids' current events paper yesterday. (Okay, okay, so it's old news. We got behind on reading our school newspapers during surgery recuperation.) The Netherlands has outlawed the wearing of burqas and other headgear that conceals the face.
Last night at the guys' Belegarth practice, there was another group of medieval fighters using the same arena for practice. Instead of fighting with foam weaponry, these guys were fighting with wood swords. (Rumor has it that sometimes they use metal.) Because of their more dangerous weapons, they had fancier and stronger armor. I mean, these dudes were wearing cool regalia, with knight's helmets and everything. But these guys couldn't go out in public in Holland.
So if people can't wear ski-masks in the Netherlands anymore, what do they do when it gets cold? Maybe it doesn't get as wickedly cold there as it does here. But still, mightn't they need something to cover the face now and then to prevent frostbite? Or if not frostbite, simply something to make them more comfortable on chilly days? Makes me shiver just to think about being outside today for more than 5 minutes without a ski mask!
I'm regretting the lack of snow fencing again today. The county snow plows have been out on the roads repeatedly. The van was parked near the house, and I took it to town for less than an hour. When I came home, the driveway in front of the garage was already drifted about 8' wide and 2-3' deep. I shoveled it partway out, and parked the van back in that spot, to act as surrogate snow-fence. Hopefully that will help keep the drifts in front of the house instead of blocking the garage.
It's supposed to be just as cold tomorrow, but with an improvement in windiness level, we should go from windchills of -30 up to about -15. That's significant. When we were in town this afternoon, you could tell how much warmer it was there than in the country, where the wind just picks up awesome amounts of speed and then scrubs your face with sand-sized ice particles. Looking forward to highs of 10 and 15 later next week.
I managed to force myself out in the sunshine to jog in spite of the cold. Enough layers of appropriate clothing can do wonders against the weather. I was thinking how wonderful ski masks are! It reminded me, though, of a news story we read in the kids' current events paper yesterday. (Okay, okay, so it's old news. We got behind on reading our school newspapers during surgery recuperation.) The Netherlands has outlawed the wearing of burqas and other headgear that conceals the face.
Last night at the guys' Belegarth practice, there was another group of medieval fighters using the same arena for practice. Instead of fighting with foam weaponry, these guys were fighting with wood swords. (Rumor has it that sometimes they use metal.) Because of their more dangerous weapons, they had fancier and stronger armor. I mean, these dudes were wearing cool regalia, with knight's helmets and everything. But these guys couldn't go out in public in Holland.
So if people can't wear ski-masks in the Netherlands anymore, what do they do when it gets cold? Maybe it doesn't get as wickedly cold there as it does here. But still, mightn't they need something to cover the face now and then to prevent frostbite? Or if not frostbite, simply something to make them more comfortable on chilly days? Makes me shiver just to think about being outside today for more than 5 minutes without a ski mask!
I'm regretting the lack of snow fencing again today. The county snow plows have been out on the roads repeatedly. The van was parked near the house, and I took it to town for less than an hour. When I came home, the driveway in front of the garage was already drifted about 8' wide and 2-3' deep. I shoveled it partway out, and parked the van back in that spot, to act as surrogate snow-fence. Hopefully that will help keep the drifts in front of the house instead of blocking the garage.
It's supposed to be just as cold tomorrow, but with an improvement in windiness level, we should go from windchills of -30 up to about -15. That's significant. When we were in town this afternoon, you could tell how much warmer it was there than in the country, where the wind just picks up awesome amounts of speed and then scrubs your face with sand-sized ice particles. Looking forward to highs of 10 and 15 later next week.
Friday, February 02, 2007
"As You Have Believed"
The stories in this week's Congregation at Prayer are on prayer. Yesterday at Matins, we were reading and discussing "The Centurion Prays to Jesus for His Servant" (Mt 8:5-13). Today's story is about the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mt 15:21-28).
Yesterday's story concluded with Jesus saying, "As you have believed, so let it be done for you." And today's with "Great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire."
Before yesterday, I'd always heard that line, "as you have believed, so let it be done for you," as a deal, a contract, a limitation. You believe a lot? All righty, then you get the blessing big-time. You struggle and have a weak faith? Well, I guess then Jesus will only give you a smidgeon of what you want. Good grief, how "theology of glory"ish can you get? How works-righteous can you get? But that's nevertheless what I heard at the end of the Rite of Corporate Confession (TLH pg 48 and LSB 291) and other times that verse was invoked by friends admonishing me for weak faith and saying that I just had to "believe more."
Yesterday at Matins, I asked about this. Pastor pointed out that Jesus said this to a man who "had great faith." Jesus did not say it as a threat or an admonishment. Same in today's story. Jesus exclaimed over the woman's great faith, and then said "let it be to you." There wasn't any IF about it! In fact, the story of the disciples' "small faith" or "no faith" (when the boat was sinking at the end of Mark 4) shows quite the opposite. Jesus' gifts to His people are not dependent on the extent of their faith: He stilled the wind and waves, and saved those disciples who were behaving quite faithlessly. You might even say that "God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayer, even to all evil people."
What a comfort!
Yesterday's story concluded with Jesus saying, "As you have believed, so let it be done for you." And today's with "Great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire."
Before yesterday, I'd always heard that line, "as you have believed, so let it be done for you," as a deal, a contract, a limitation. You believe a lot? All righty, then you get the blessing big-time. You struggle and have a weak faith? Well, I guess then Jesus will only give you a smidgeon of what you want. Good grief, how "theology of glory"ish can you get? How works-righteous can you get? But that's nevertheless what I heard at the end of the Rite of Corporate Confession (TLH pg 48 and LSB 291) and other times that verse was invoked by friends admonishing me for weak faith and saying that I just had to "believe more."
Yesterday at Matins, I asked about this. Pastor pointed out that Jesus said this to a man who "had great faith." Jesus did not say it as a threat or an admonishment. Same in today's story. Jesus exclaimed over the woman's great faith, and then said "let it be to you." There wasn't any IF about it! In fact, the story of the disciples' "small faith" or "no faith" (when the boat was sinking at the end of Mark 4) shows quite the opposite. Jesus' gifts to His people are not dependent on the extent of their faith: He stilled the wind and waves, and saved those disciples who were behaving quite faithlessly. You might even say that "God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayer, even to all evil people."
What a comfort!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Plagiarism
I was talking to a good friend who's a college prof. He expressed frustration over the number of papers turned in that are plagiarized. I understand how easy it is for kids (or adults) to steal papers anymore, what with Internet accessibility to online encyclopedias, online articles, and even term papers available for the downloading. But don't they realize that (due to the same Internet accessibility) it's even easiER for the profs to catch them in their plagiarism than it is for them to hunt up an appropriate paper to steal in the first place? Don't they understand that writers have a "voice," and that turning in essays and term papers written by a variety of authors throws up red-flags for the teacher ... because it sounds like the student has multiple personalities and voices showing through in his writing style? What's even more stunning is that the plagiarist shows no remorse when he is caught -- just indignance. It's very disheartening to know that people like that are going out into the business world where they'll be inflicted upon employers and customers.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Ketchup
The things that go through a do-it-yourselfer's mind when she's in the kitchen....
There was all that hoopla in the 80s about the eeeeevil Pres Reagan wanting to classify ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch programs. Did he, or didn't he? Was it a misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion by the media that hated the President? Whatever it was with regard to politics, I thought something altogether different.
Anybody who's ever made ketchup realizes just how many (many many) tomatoes go into a batch of ketchup. It crossed my mind that people of Reagan's generation would know that. They had moms who made ketchup. They had moms who canned. They got sent out in the garden to fetch more produce for mom to put up. The young whipper-snapper reporters don't know where ketchup comes from. Yeah, sure, they know there's tomato in it. But do they really know?
I am fully aware that a tiny little ketchup packet on a hamburger does not constitute a "serving" of vegetables. But it seems to me that 1/3 cup of ketchup dipped up with fries at least provides some lycopene and vitamin C. If we can say that carrots cooked down to mush and tossed with butter and brown sugar is a vegetable; if we can call green-bean casserole a vegetable; if we can call jello salad or store-bought fruit-leather a fruit; then certainly we can call ketchup a vegetable.
In my house, a quart of spinach salad or a half-pound of steamed broccoli is what we call a "serving of vegetables." But if we're going to play the American Nutrition Game, then it just bugs me that people bash Reagan for calling ketchup a vegetable.
There was all that hoopla in the 80s about the eeeeevil Pres Reagan wanting to classify ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch programs. Did he, or didn't he? Was it a misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion by the media that hated the President? Whatever it was with regard to politics, I thought something altogether different.
Anybody who's ever made ketchup realizes just how many (many many) tomatoes go into a batch of ketchup. It crossed my mind that people of Reagan's generation would know that. They had moms who made ketchup. They had moms who canned. They got sent out in the garden to fetch more produce for mom to put up. The young whipper-snapper reporters don't know where ketchup comes from. Yeah, sure, they know there's tomato in it. But do they really know?
I am fully aware that a tiny little ketchup packet on a hamburger does not constitute a "serving" of vegetables. But it seems to me that 1/3 cup of ketchup dipped up with fries at least provides some lycopene and vitamin C. If we can say that carrots cooked down to mush and tossed with butter and brown sugar is a vegetable; if we can call green-bean casserole a vegetable; if we can call jello salad or store-bought fruit-leather a fruit; then certainly we can call ketchup a vegetable.
In my house, a quart of spinach salad or a half-pound of steamed broccoli is what we call a "serving of vegetables." But if we're going to play the American Nutrition Game, then it just bugs me that people bash Reagan for calling ketchup a vegetable.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Infant Communion Site
Our ISP quit hosting webpages and neglected to tell us of the address change of the new server. Apparently my husband's site for the extensive bibliography (pro and con) on infant communion had disappeared and we were unaware of it until recently. It can now be linked by clicking here or through the link in my sidebar. (If anyone else links to the site, you may want to change your template too.)
Brightest and Best
One of the legacies that [the Rev Dr] Steve Wiest handed down to us was how to see Protestant hymns through Lutheran eyes. Pr Wiest showed us how "Just As I Am" makes a good communion hymn as opposed to a commit-your-heart-to-Jesus hymn. One time when he was substitute preaching here in late Epiphany, he used the Thanksgiving hymn "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" as the hymn to accompany the Mt 13 story of "The Tares and the Wheat."
Yesterday morning we were singing "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning." Nothing wrong with it, but not exactly on my Top-Ten list of favorites. But then I thought of the connection that Pr Fabrizius has made between the manger and the tomb: both places where Jesus lay, wrapped in strips of cloth, on a stone slab. In addition to the manger, one can think of the tomb: "Angels adore Him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Savior of all." In stanza 3 of the hymn, where we sing about things that devoted hearts could offer to Jesus (along with adoration and prayers -- verse 4), we hear about "odors of Edom" and "myrrh from the forest" -- items the women probably brought to the tomb on Easter morning.
Those dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars!
Yesterday morning we were singing "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning." Nothing wrong with it, but not exactly on my Top-Ten list of favorites. But then I thought of the connection that Pr Fabrizius has made between the manger and the tomb: both places where Jesus lay, wrapped in strips of cloth, on a stone slab. In addition to the manger, one can think of the tomb: "Angels adore Him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Savior of all." In stanza 3 of the hymn, where we sing about things that devoted hearts could offer to Jesus (along with adoration and prayers -- verse 4), we hear about "odors of Edom" and "myrrh from the forest" -- items the women probably brought to the tomb on Easter morning.
Those dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Podunkville
The line in the bank yesterday was long. I'm not used to being there on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, and the crowd there then always surprises me. While I was waiting, one of the clerks was cooing at a customer's baby, and chatting at length about planned Caesareans versus emergency Caesareans. Shortly thereafter, someone pulls up to the drive-up window and asks about ordering Girl Scout cookies from the daughter of one of the tellers. The cookie order was scribbled down, with name and cookie choices, and I was still standing in line.
I wasn't really irritated or anything. But thoughts were flitting through my mind that this isn't the way customers should be treated. The socializing and the non-work activities should take a backseat to waiting on the bank customers.
But then I realized something. People here know each other. They're interacting like people instead of like automatons who are cogs in the Human Resource Department. If I go to a different branch of our bank, I have to show ID and jump through all the banking hoops that most of the rest of y'all live with regularly. I don't have to do that at our bank.
For example, yesterday I needed to get into the safe deposit box to look at savings bonds. (By the way, for those of you who have to fill out college financial aid forms and need to find the value of savings bonds, the government's online Savings Bond Calculator makes a breeze of that job!) Did I have to show ID to get into my safe-deposit box? No. Did I even have to tell them my name? No. I just said that I needed to get into it, and the girl (the NEW girl who's hardly ever waited on me) went to fetch the box and the paperwork. The girls at the bank all know our names, where we live, that our kids are connected to us and not somebody else's kids, what my husband's job is, etc etc.
There's information galore available on protecting one's identity. But the bad guys can be sophisticated with their forged documents and their slick way with computers and ID numbes. But actually knowing people is safety in a whole different realm. There ain't nobody who could get by with going into my local bank and cashing one of my checks, taking money out of my savings account, or dipping into my safe-deposit box.
Lots of times, the label "Podunk" is used in a derogative manner. But to me, there's something dear about Podunkville. The guy that I used to sub paper-route for lived in the nearby big city of 60,000 people. He said that coming out here to do paper routes was like visiting Mayberry. Hooray for Mayberry!
I wasn't really irritated or anything. But thoughts were flitting through my mind that this isn't the way customers should be treated. The socializing and the non-work activities should take a backseat to waiting on the bank customers.
But then I realized something. People here know each other. They're interacting like people instead of like automatons who are cogs in the Human Resource Department. If I go to a different branch of our bank, I have to show ID and jump through all the banking hoops that most of the rest of y'all live with regularly. I don't have to do that at our bank.
For example, yesterday I needed to get into the safe deposit box to look at savings bonds. (By the way, for those of you who have to fill out college financial aid forms and need to find the value of savings bonds, the government's online Savings Bond Calculator makes a breeze of that job!) Did I have to show ID to get into my safe-deposit box? No. Did I even have to tell them my name? No. I just said that I needed to get into it, and the girl (the NEW girl who's hardly ever waited on me) went to fetch the box and the paperwork. The girls at the bank all know our names, where we live, that our kids are connected to us and not somebody else's kids, what my husband's job is, etc etc.
There's information galore available on protecting one's identity. But the bad guys can be sophisticated with their forged documents and their slick way with computers and ID numbes. But actually knowing people is safety in a whole different realm. There ain't nobody who could get by with going into my local bank and cashing one of my checks, taking money out of my savings account, or dipping into my safe-deposit box.
Lots of times, the label "Podunk" is used in a derogative manner. But to me, there's something dear about Podunkville. The guy that I used to sub paper-route for lived in the nearby big city of 60,000 people. He said that coming out here to do paper routes was like visiting Mayberry. Hooray for Mayberry!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Brownies
One of those church-dinner fundraisers is tonight. Because of a time-conflict with my part-time job, I didn't volunteer to work at the dinner, so they prevailed upon me to make cookies. I spent the whole morning and part of the afternoon making five large batches of bars. Sorting through recipes, I had the urge to make something peanut-buttery. But as I progressed through the batches (chocolate chip bars, lemon bars, caramel oatmeal bars, and pumpkin bars) I figured I needed to throw in some chocolate instead of making my last batch be peanut butter bars.
Still craving peanut butter, I decided to make the brownies for the sake of Necessary Chocolate. But instead of putting in all the butter called for in the recipe, I put in 2/3 of the butter, and for the rest of the butter I substituted peanut butter. It sounded like a good plan to me, but the rule-of-thumb is that you're not supposed to experiment with recipes when you're cooking for company.
When the cookies were cool, we trimmed the edges off. (Just for the sake of nice appearances for the cookies going to church! NOT because we wanted to taste them! No! Of course not!) Apparently, the peanut-butter substitution was an okie-dokey plan. Paul melted into the couch, enjoying them and "mmmmmmmm"-ing away. When Andrew found out that there was peanut butter in the brownies, his response was, "So THAT explains the total lusciousness!"
I might have to try this again.
Still craving peanut butter, I decided to make the brownies for the sake of Necessary Chocolate. But instead of putting in all the butter called for in the recipe, I put in 2/3 of the butter, and for the rest of the butter I substituted peanut butter. It sounded like a good plan to me, but the rule-of-thumb is that you're not supposed to experiment with recipes when you're cooking for company.
When the cookies were cool, we trimmed the edges off. (Just for the sake of nice appearances for the cookies going to church! NOT because we wanted to taste them! No! Of course not!) Apparently, the peanut-butter substitution was an okie-dokey plan. Paul melted into the couch, enjoying them and "mmmmmmmm"-ing away. When Andrew found out that there was peanut butter in the brownies, his response was, "So THAT explains the total lusciousness!"
I might have to try this again.
Bach for Book Lovers
With all the people who live here, a lot of different music gets played and a lot of different noise is made. I'm getting old enough and my senses are overloaded enough that I often crave quiet. Even when I'd like music in the background, it's just one more noise that I can do without. So yesterday, when I noticed something playing that was absolutely beautiful, and yet didn't overwhelm, didn't distract the attention, didn't demand thought, I had to go find out what was in the boombox. Turned out it was Bach for Book Lovers: A Soothing Companion for Reading. The subtitle is well put! My daughter tells me there are other CDs in this series, but I can't imagine any of them to be gentler and more soothing -- and yet cheery -- than this. This is so good that I'm even considering spending money to buy one of these when she moves out of the house and takes her stuff with her.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sermon on Good Works
Some people listen to their Walkmans or their iPods when they exercise. Me? I'm weird. Sometimes I drag along my clunky old tape-recorder with me when I jog, and listen to a tape of a Bible class or the Divine Service that was recorded for the shut-ins. So this morning, I grabbed the tape on the top of my stack, popped it into the tape-recorder, and headed out the door in my tennies. Serendipitously, the sermon happened to be on Matthew 25:31-46, the passage assigned to the Second-Last Sunday of the Church Year.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Jesus said to His disciples:
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Have you ever thought about the question, "Why am I a Christian?"
The answer to that question for every Christian rests in what Jesus has done for you. "I am a Christian," we confess, "because God visited me in my sinful condition. I was naked, and I was sick, and I was in a prisonhouse of my own making from sins from which I could not free myself, in bondage to death and the devil. And it was the Lord Jesus who visited me, who bound up my wounds, who set me free, who released the shackles of Satan and everlasting death. And He clothed my nakedness with a robe of righteousness." And He did so by a word: "Son, Daughter, I forgive you all your sins. Do not be afraid. Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
"I am a Christian," we confess, "because God's only Son came to me, in my sin and in my weakness, and suffered and died for me. He is my life. He is my salvation."
As Jesus said elsewhere, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them" [in all of their sin and all of their weakness, and that's why I died for them], "and they follow Me, and I give them" [I give them -- it's a gift -- I give them] "eternal life." That's what faith is. That's why you and I are Christians -- because Jesus, God's only Son, in love, has visited us. By that word of forgiveness -- that sweet word of forgiveness -- in the waters of Baptism, in the daily hearing of the Gospel, in the Word of Absolution, in the testament of His body and blood -- that sweet word of forgiveness is what draws us to Him. And it is by that sweet word of forgiveness that we follow Him, wherever our life takes us. This is the meaning of St Paul's word in Romans: "A man is justified by faith," [faith in whom? faith in Christ] "apart from the works of the law."
Then why is it that in the Gospel for this Sunday, on the day of judgment, Jesus mentions works? You heard the words: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." If it is true that a sinner is justified by faith in Jesus, apart from the deeds of the law, then why, why in this parable of the Judgment, does Jesus mention works?
It is for this reason: faith in Jesus is never alone. Faith in Jesus is always active in love: in love for the neighbor, in love for the enemy, in love for the unlovely spouse, in love for children who rebel and turn away from parents and despise their birthright, in love for the stranger, for the naked, for the sick, for the imprisoned. Faith is never alone. Faith in the Lord Jesus' love is always active in love to the neighbor, to the enemy. In this parable that Jesus teaches on the last judgment, He tells us something very profound and it's paradoxical. When you look at your neighbor, when you look at your spouse, when you look at your children, when you look at your enemy, you and I (according to the Gospel of Jesus) are called by faith in that Gospel to see in that neighbor, to see in that enemy, to see in that family member, Jesus Himself. That's a paradox. That is a profound mystery. Because when we look at our neighbor, we see a sinner. When we look at our spouse, we see a sinner. When we look at our children and our enemies, we see sinners. And yet faith in the Gospel of Jesus calls us to see behind that sinner Jesus Himself, our Lord. That's a paradox. That's a mystery.
Why does Jesus speak this way? Because faith that trusts in Him is active in love for those whom He has placed in our path, that you and I -- by faith in the Gospel -- might be to our neighbor (who doesn't deserve God's love) what Jesus is to us. For we were the naked ones. We were the sick ones. We were the imprisoned ones in sin and death from which we couldn't free ourselves. But Jesus visited us. And He loved us in place of Himself. And He laid down His life for our salvation. And it is because we believe this Gospel that faith manifests itself in love toward the unlovely, toward those who do not deserve it.
But such faith never trusts in the works of love that flow from it, as is evidenced in this Gospel. "Lord, when did we see You naked or sick or in prison? When did we come and visit You and clothe You?" That's because faith never trusts in its own works, but solely in the work of Christ.
Now, when you hear me preach this way on this text, honesty compels your heart to confess, "Pastor, I do not love the way you describe. Does that mean I am not a Christian?" No. Rather, it gives testimony to the sin which still rages in your heart. For the Old Adam in you and in me is always a self-righteous, works-righteous brute. Never loving, except those who deserve it. Never forgiving, except those deemed worthy of forgiveness. This is also why we are Christians, for to be a Christian is to daily be in repentance, returning to the voice of our Shepherd, confessing our faithlessness, and therefore confessing our lovelessness, that we might receive anew the word of His love, which not only sets us free again and again and again, but which also brings forth the fruits of His love in our lives, for loveless and unworthy sinners, like those whom He has placed in our path. Christians are Christians because of what Jesus did. And by faith we return to Him, again and again and again, to receive His Word and Sacrament, that we might learn to love as He has loved us. So that, on the last day, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we might hear those words of eternal absolution: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit" [inheritance is always a gift] "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
In the name of Jesus.
Amen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Jesus said to His disciples:
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Have you ever thought about the question, "Why am I a Christian?"
The answer to that question for every Christian rests in what Jesus has done for you. "I am a Christian," we confess, "because God visited me in my sinful condition. I was naked, and I was sick, and I was in a prisonhouse of my own making from sins from which I could not free myself, in bondage to death and the devil. And it was the Lord Jesus who visited me, who bound up my wounds, who set me free, who released the shackles of Satan and everlasting death. And He clothed my nakedness with a robe of righteousness." And He did so by a word: "Son, Daughter, I forgive you all your sins. Do not be afraid. Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
"I am a Christian," we confess, "because God's only Son came to me, in my sin and in my weakness, and suffered and died for me. He is my life. He is my salvation."
As Jesus said elsewhere, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them" [in all of their sin and all of their weakness, and that's why I died for them], "and they follow Me, and I give them" [I give them -- it's a gift -- I give them] "eternal life." That's what faith is. That's why you and I are Christians -- because Jesus, God's only Son, in love, has visited us. By that word of forgiveness -- that sweet word of forgiveness -- in the waters of Baptism, in the daily hearing of the Gospel, in the Word of Absolution, in the testament of His body and blood -- that sweet word of forgiveness is what draws us to Him. And it is by that sweet word of forgiveness that we follow Him, wherever our life takes us. This is the meaning of St Paul's word in Romans: "A man is justified by faith," [faith in whom? faith in Christ] "apart from the works of the law."
Then why is it that in the Gospel for this Sunday, on the day of judgment, Jesus mentions works? You heard the words: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." If it is true that a sinner is justified by faith in Jesus, apart from the deeds of the law, then why, why in this parable of the Judgment, does Jesus mention works?
It is for this reason: faith in Jesus is never alone. Faith in Jesus is always active in love: in love for the neighbor, in love for the enemy, in love for the unlovely spouse, in love for children who rebel and turn away from parents and despise their birthright, in love for the stranger, for the naked, for the sick, for the imprisoned. Faith is never alone. Faith in the Lord Jesus' love is always active in love to the neighbor, to the enemy. In this parable that Jesus teaches on the last judgment, He tells us something very profound and it's paradoxical. When you look at your neighbor, when you look at your spouse, when you look at your children, when you look at your enemy, you and I (according to the Gospel of Jesus) are called by faith in that Gospel to see in that neighbor, to see in that enemy, to see in that family member, Jesus Himself. That's a paradox. That is a profound mystery. Because when we look at our neighbor, we see a sinner. When we look at our spouse, we see a sinner. When we look at our children and our enemies, we see sinners. And yet faith in the Gospel of Jesus calls us to see behind that sinner Jesus Himself, our Lord. That's a paradox. That's a mystery.
Why does Jesus speak this way? Because faith that trusts in Him is active in love for those whom He has placed in our path, that you and I -- by faith in the Gospel -- might be to our neighbor (who doesn't deserve God's love) what Jesus is to us. For we were the naked ones. We were the sick ones. We were the imprisoned ones in sin and death from which we couldn't free ourselves. But Jesus visited us. And He loved us in place of Himself. And He laid down His life for our salvation. And it is because we believe this Gospel that faith manifests itself in love toward the unlovely, toward those who do not deserve it.
But such faith never trusts in the works of love that flow from it, as is evidenced in this Gospel. "Lord, when did we see You naked or sick or in prison? When did we come and visit You and clothe You?" That's because faith never trusts in its own works, but solely in the work of Christ.
Now, when you hear me preach this way on this text, honesty compels your heart to confess, "Pastor, I do not love the way you describe. Does that mean I am not a Christian?" No. Rather, it gives testimony to the sin which still rages in your heart. For the Old Adam in you and in me is always a self-righteous, works-righteous brute. Never loving, except those who deserve it. Never forgiving, except those deemed worthy of forgiveness. This is also why we are Christians, for to be a Christian is to daily be in repentance, returning to the voice of our Shepherd, confessing our faithlessness, and therefore confessing our lovelessness, that we might receive anew the word of His love, which not only sets us free again and again and again, but which also brings forth the fruits of His love in our lives, for loveless and unworthy sinners, like those whom He has placed in our path. Christians are Christians because of what Jesus did. And by faith we return to Him, again and again and again, to receive His Word and Sacrament, that we might learn to love as He has loved us. So that, on the last day, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, we might hear those words of eternal absolution: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit" [inheritance is always a gift] "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
In the name of Jesus.
Amen.
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