Where's St. Francis?

The new Lutheran Service Book (LSB), our excellent new Missouri Synod hymnal, contains a much larger calendar of commemorations of saints' days than our previous hymnals.

However, one of my colleagues of Swedish descent notes the complete lack of Scandinavian saints - even though there were many heroic Christians, some Lutheran and others pre-reformation, that have shaped the piety of Lutheran countries and churches for centuries and are firmly part of the Lutheran heretage and tradition. These saints were omitted without explanation in spite of the fact that he had specifically submitted the names of these non-Germans to the Commission on Worship (COW) for consideration.

More puzzling to me is the omission of St. Francis of Assisi. Where is St. Francis? He is explicitly mentioned in the Book of Concord where he is called a "holy father." He is traditionally credited with the spiritual exercise of the Stations of the Cross - which adorned the walls of most, if not all, early Lutheran churches. In fact, St. Francis and the order he founded, the Franciscans, were in many ways forerunners of the Reformation, serving as a thorn in the side of the corrupt medieval papacy (going so far as to call the papacy "antichrist" a century before Luther) by spurning wealth and piously serving their neighbors in need instead.

Ironically, LSB commemorates St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) on her feast day of November 19 - a "nun in the Order of St. Francis" (Treasury of Daily Prayer p. 929) whose Franciscan ideals led her to found a hospital with her dowry money before her death at age 25 - while LSB says nothing about the founder of the order and the "holy father" who inspired her saintly life.

Maybe modern Lutherans are just embarrassed by St. Francis. I don't have a citation, but I remember an issue of Good News magazine that took a piece of art out of context and claimed that St. Francis (again, a "holy father" if the Lutheran confessions are to be believed) "turned his back on the Bible." I know of no historical work that makes any such claim. Certainly the Lutheran confessions never say any such thing. St. Francis was a man of poverty, piety, and prayer. He was gentle. He had a gift of unique rapport with animals. He is also reputed to have received the stigmata - a physical manifestation of the wounds of Jesus. His eccentricity was always a bit of an embarrassment to church bureaucrats.

Maybe all of these things conspire to deny St. Francis any liturgical recognition in Missouri Synod churches - or maybe it was just an oversight. But whatever the reason, I think Lutherans would do well to honor this holy father, this beggar for Christ, this preacher of peace and harmony, this embarrassment to corrupt popes and bishops - when his feast day rolls around next year, God willing, October 4. It may even be worth penciling this commemoration into your LSB and your TDP.

The Hollywood family has iconography of this holy father adorning our walls. Our brother and friend St. Francis fits in well in our home where the cats outnumber the humans, and where he serves us well in reminding us that gentleness and compassion are virtues, even in these last days where wealth and braggadocio are lauded.

The Pink Taliban

The militant homosexual movement is not content with all sorts of special legal protections denied to heterosexuals, recognition of their civil unions across the country, and a cultural full-court press to exalt their lifestyle in Hollywood and in corporate America, they are now fomenting hatred against churches.

See here and here for a couple reports about the recent incident of invasion and blasphemy during services at a church in Lansing, Michigan.

There is also a movement of hatred on the rise against not only Christians, but all conservative religious movements, in California, where the voters amended the state constitution to define marriage to be limited to a one man one woman arrangement. Mormon temples and Christian churches are being targeted, and the ridiculous propagandistic TV ad aired for California voters does not bode well for those who adhere to Scripture, common sense, and natural biology on this issue.

I suspect these kinds of tactics will increase. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Neanderthal Nanny State Bans Latin

Amid charges of "elitism" and being "discriminatory", various British local governments have not only banned "sexist" words like "man-made" and "forefathers", but also "elitist" words like "et cetera" and "per" (as in miles-per-hour), ad lib, and bona fide (which would make Popeye's Chicken an "elitist" organization).

Read the nonsense here.

Well, I have two words for these knuckle-dragging, stupidity-encouraging, linguistic barbarian-bureaucrats who are really the self-appointed elite in a lowest common denominator sort of way:

BVBVLVM STERCVS

As the Rev. David Juhl would say at this point: sic satis superque.

Parrot Saves Girl's Life

Animals never cease to amaze me. Parrots are particularly fascinating, because they can vocalize. They are not always simply mimicking, as this fascinating account demonstrates. This is yet another little glimpse into our once-and-future Paradise, in which man exercised godly dominion over the other creatures, and where the animals served mankind without fear.

Does contraception enable abortion?

We Lutherans have a strong sense of "evangelical freedom." If something is not specifically proscribed by Scripture, we are hesitant to condemn any practice for fear of turning Gospel into Law.

We should, however, be careful not to abuse our liberty in the Gospel, nor overlook the unintended consequences that stem from our actions - especially those actions motivated by self-centeredness. Contraception is one such example. A couple generations ago, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) held the position that contraception ("birth control") was a sin. A lot of people are shocked to learn this these days, and would chafe bitterly if their pastors were to teach this "Catholic" dogma today.

Beginning in the twentieth century, we Lutherans loosened the reins on "family planning" as long as no abortion of fertilized eggs are involved (and there is quite a bit of controversy regarding various methods of contraception that many argue are actually abortive - I am far from an expert on these matters, and invite those wiser than I to comment). In so doing, we have adopted a "pro-choice" position that the size of one's family is not for God to providentially decide based on His will and His kingdom, but is rather a matter of our personal "choice" - to be made in accordance with our own lifestyle considerations and desire for a certain target financial status.

But even if we concede the point that contraception is, in and of itself, a matter of "evangelical freedom", there has been a tragic unintended consequence that has enabled abortion to become not only socially acceptable, but the "law of the land" in the United States. Our own selfishness in limiting the size of our families has diminished the voice of Christians at the polls and attenuated the voice of the Church in the secular culture.

Please read Greg Laughlin's cogent remarks at the blog "Lutherans and Contraception."

I.O.U.S.A.

I.O.U.S.A. is a documentary that enjoyed limited release in theaters (and is soon-to-be released on DVD) that takes the at-times abstract concepts of economics and makes them understandable - specifically, the ramifications of the U.S. economy at the precipice of disaster due to the national debt, personal debt, the trade deficit, and the looming demographic tsunami of retiring baby-boomers.

The above video is a "short" (30 minute) version of the documentary.

You can't afford to "ostrich-head" this matter away. If you have a family, you really should have a look.

St. Martin of Tours, Armistice, Veterans Day

An outstanding post here from "Past Elder" regarding November 11 - a day in which the commemorations for Church and state intersect in a providential way. Outstanding prose (as always) from the PE!

Today's collect from the Treasury of Daily Prayer is the same collect Past Elder reproduces at the end of his fine post:

Lord God of hosts, who clothed Your servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice, and set him as a bishop in Your Church to be a defender of the catholic faith: Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that at the last we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.

Of salt losing its savor

You might want to have a look at this very thoughtful and provocative article by Jennie Chancey of Ladies Against Feminism. She addresses the ever-changing relationship between Christianity and the secular culture - in particular as to how Christian women relate to the feminist culture in light of this year's political turmoil.

As conservatives and Republicans re-evaluate their respective movement and party, Christians too may wish to take a step back and consider what kind of witness they are called to give "before kings and princes."

Mrs. Chancey is the co-author, along with Mrs. Stacy McDonald, of the book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God.

Obama to "Rule" says spokesman...

Someone's going to have to fill me in on all the new protocol. My ancestors haven't been ruled in seven generations. Do we bow first, then scrape? Or does the scraping precede the bowing?

Oh, so much to learn now that our country has finally "grown up."

Fr. Hollywood Recommends...

...the movie Maxed Out, a 2006 documentary that exposes the effects of debt, both personal and national. It is particularly riveting given the recent events regarding the collapse of banks as a result of risky loan practices and sub-prime mortgage lending.

Young people especially need to be taught the danger inherent in getting into credit card debt.

In fact, you can watch this movie online on demand if you have Netflix.

The movie is both enlightening and disturbing. You will see meet some of our old friends in Congress, lobbyists for the banking industry, collection agents and owners of collection agencies, pawn brokers, families and individuals who have been destroyed by debt, as well as the nationally-known talk radio host Dave Ramsey, an advocate of taking personal responsibility, of getting out of debt, and avoiding bankruptcy.

Maxed Out received very high ratings from IMDb, and has been screened nationally by Americans for Fairness in Lending.

While I have to admit, I don't think government regulation is the answer, it is apparent that there are immoral predatory practices going on in which banks engage in policies that obviously sell Americans into a form of indentured servitude. We Americans need to wise up and save instead of going into debt. This will only happen if we start living beneath our means and stop filling our lives with junk that we charge to the credit card.

Please watch this movie, and if you know of any college students, have them watch it as well. The credit trap is not all that different than becoming hooked on crack or meth - with the exception that it is a legal addiction and the dealers and pushers are respected members of society.

This movie is a real eye opener.

Sermon: Trinity 25

8 November 2008 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Luke 17:20-30 (Ex 32:1-20; 1 Thess 4:13-18)

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

There is an old saying: “Seeing is believing.” But just because a saying is old doesn’t make it true. In fact, the Scriptures define belief differently, as recorded in Hebrews, wherein belief is described not as seeing, but rather as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

In other words, if you can see it, it isn’t faith. Faith is, in that sense, blind. To live guided by faith is a little like flying a plane based only on the instrument panel. It takes faith in one’s gauges and equipment to be able to rely on something other than one’s own eyes.

Jesus tells us about this kind of unseen belief when he proclaims: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation… for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” This is at the same time the most frustrating and the most comforting thing about the Christian faith!

It frustrates us not to see God’s Kingdom with our eyes. Like the “certain Greeks” in John 12, we “wish to see Jesus.” But instead, our eyes see bread and wine. We want to see the Glorious Zion, but instead our eyes see ordinary towns and cities. We want to see angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, but instead we see each other in this church.

We want so desperately for God’s Kingdom to be visible among us that we will even create idols. The children of Israel made a golden calf, and we Americans have our own false christs promising heaven on earth right up to election day. We Christians especially ought to know better than to put our trust in princes or to believe that any politician of any party represents the Kingdom of God. For our Lord Himself said: “My kingdom is not of this world.”

Furthermore, we want to be heroes in this kingdom, but instead we are seen as anything but heroic. We want the world to admire us, but instead we see the world scorn and ridicule us. We want the Kingdom of God to have earthly power, but time and again we see the Church marginalized and weak. And yet, our Blessed Lord assures us that the kingdom is within us.

And as frustrating as that is, what did our Lord just say? Did He say: “The kingdom might be within you?” Did He say: “The Kingdom is somewhere else?” Did He say: “Keep working, and maybe some day you will earn a place in My kingdom?” No, He tells us the kingdom is within us. And what comfort this is, dear brothers and sisters! For in spite of the contrary appearance, in spite of its being hidden, the kingdom is here!

The water has long since evaporated from your head, but your invisible baptism still remains. The cross you trace over your head and heart may be an invisible cross, but nevertheless, you were marked by the very cross of Christ when you were baptized into the death and resurrection of our Lord. And though you see only bread and wine, the Word of God tells us of the unseen reality that He is here with us, at Supper with us, becoming part of us in body and soul in His body and blood. And best of all, in yourself, you see a sinner, but the underlying unseen reality, known only by the eyes of faith, is that you are a saint!

And so when someone claims the kingdom of God can be found in a golden calf in the Sinai Peninsula, or in a brass bull on Wall Street, or on the set of a TV preacher or wonder-worker, or in the person of a politician, or in our own deluded claim to righteousness by our own works – we should follow our Lord’s instruction “Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.”

When the time comes for the Kingdom of God to be revealed in all its visible glory, everyone will know. When the veil is removed and we see plainly into the Kingdom of Heaven, there will be no charlatan claiming to be the Christ nor anyone claiming to bring about a political heaven on earth. Our Lord’s coming in glory will be unmistakable and visible, just as our Lord says: “they shall look on Him whom they pierced.” There will come a time when the kingdom will be seen with the eyes rather than by faith.

And that day will come upon us suddenly. Even in the days of Noah, life went on as normal right up until the floodwaters rose and millions of lives were extinguished by the righteous wrath of God. The calls to repentance went unheeded. The Kingdom of God was not a priority. Rather, the visible world of eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, buying and selling took precedence over the unseen kingdom of God, over repentance, over the worship of Him who could not be seen. And the Lord’s judgment came upon them suddenly.

Our blessed Lord is warning us not to make the same mistake.

We are told all of these things because, as St. Paul intimates to us: “I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren.” This teaching, of the kingdom we perceive by faith and not by sight, is the most comforting of all in dealing with death. Even as we see ourselves and our loved ones inch toward the grave, even as we see their lifeless bodies placed into a tomb, even as we see an empty chair at the table year after year – our faith sees something else!

And this is how it is that we can, in the words of the Apostle, not suffer the same “sorrow as others who have no hope.” We of the unseen kingdom have unseen hope! We have the Word – though He remains veiled from our eyes. We have the promise, though it is yet to come. We have the faith, though it not rooted in the materialistic mantra of “seeing is believing.”

No, indeed, we live in a different kind of kingdom, grounded in the faith and sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ, even as St. Paul continues: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” We have not only our risen Lord’s promise to return, we have the inspired Word of God in Scripture, written by St. Paul, articulating the Lord’s visible kingdom coming “from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Indeed, we will be vindicated in our faith – not by our own deeds, but in the coming kingdom of our Lord. We will see the kingdom which is hidden to us now – not on our timetable, but on the Lord’s. And instead of seeing the Lord veiled in the sacramental forms of bread and wine, we will indeed see Him in His might and glory, face to face.

And so we have no need of worthless idols, nor of the temptation to speculate about the day and hour of His return, nor of trying to make the kingdom of this world some kind of heaven on earth. For instead of the idol, we will see the true Icon in the flesh, we will know for sure when that day and hour comes, whether we are alive or dead, and the kingdom will come to our world, not by sinners clawing their way to God, but by God descending to us redeemed sinners “with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”

And whether this happens today, a year from now, a century from now, or a million years from now, let us rejoice in this now-unseen kingdom within us, for we will “always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sermon: Funeral of Jack Woolen

7 November 2008 at Mothe Funeral Home, Harvey, LA

Text: Matt 5:1-12 (Rev 7:9-17)

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

Audrey, Chris, Ellen, family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and friends. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Having to say goodbye to someone so dear and so beloved is not something that comes easy. And yet, to us Christians, our sadness is tempered with joy – because it is bound up in hope. As St. Paul points out, we do not grieve as others who have no hope. For we have hope in the form of the promise of God Himself, the Word made flesh, the only man in human history to prove Himself by walking out of His own grave by His own power.

It is this resurrection that assures us that our sadness is only sadness for us. For there is no reason to be sad for Jack.

Jack went to be with our Blessed Lord and His saints on an ancient Christian festival known as All Saints Day. And those assigned readings from Scripture are what I read to you today, dear brothers and sisters.

There are tears on this side of the grave. In fact, Scripture calls this life a “valley of tears.” We must endure pain, suffering, and death. We are subject to sin and the devil, racked with disappointment and fear of the unknown. We see a falling world around us. But Jack is in the presence of the saints in a world that is not falling apart. And as our epistle reading proclaims: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” That is a promise to the saints in eternity, and it is a promise for us as we make our way home as well.

We Christians are in many ways like foreigners living in a strange land. We are surrounded by people who know nothing of the faith, or who mock the Church and those who believe in Christ. It is as though we speak a different language and even appear strange to those around us. But one day our sojourn will end, and we will again return from our exile. Jack was given the privilege to return to Paradise on All Saints Day.

Part of what makes today such a day of mourning is that Jack is so beloved. As a devoted husband and a man who stepped into the role of father to two children, and as a grandfather and uncle for whom there was no sacrifice too great for his family, we are left with a void. Until we join Jack, there will be something missing. In fact, the loving husband gives us a little peek of our Lord Jesus, who is the faithful spouse of His bride, the Church. And to our faithful Bridegroom Jesus, no sacrifice, not even the sacrifice of life itself was too dear a price for his beloved. And as an adoptive father who gave so much to his beloved children, we see a little glimpse into the Fatherhood of God, who takes care of us, His adopted children – even when we rebel, even when so much is required of our fathers, even when fatherhood makes one weary, in good times and bad. A faithful earthly father is a reflection, even if a flawed one, of our Faithful Heavenly Father.

Even as Jack’s witness in the form of his life points us to God – especially to our Lord Jesus – the Christian life to which Jack held fast is a paradox. The more we study and hear God’s Word, the more we realize how unworthy we are.

The greatest thing a Christian can do is to admit that there is nothing he can do to save himself, to make himself close to God, to assure that he is one of the saints. The more one prays and wears the covers of his Bible to shreds, the more the Christian understands that he too is wearing out, and that his good works and faithfulness ultimately count for nothing before God. And it is at this point that we understand that we are not made citizens of heaven by good deeds any more than we become American or Canadian or German by earning our citizenship. We are born into the kingdom of God, by being born again, by water and the Word. We are made disciples by baptism, and kept in the faith by the power of the Gospel.

Jack’s childhood church was called “Gospel Hall” – calling to mind the Gospel, that is, the Good News that we are saved from the power of sin, death, and the devil by God’s free gift in Jesus Christ. And though Jack had no local congregation to call home, he held fast to God’s Word as a fellow exile and sojourner, praying and hearing God speak in the Scriptures.

I was not Jack’s pastor, but I am Audrey’s. And our Lord Himself assures us that marriage is a union of flesh in which two become one. In giving pastoral care to Audrey, I gave pastoral care indirectly to Jack. But today, Jack’s Pastor, Jack’s Shepherd is the Good Shepherd Himself. And Jack hears the voice of his Shepherd who says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And for us on this day, we hear our Blessed Lord say to us: “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.”

And for all of us, we hear these beautiful and rock-solid promises of Jesus: “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

And John’s revelation gives us a picture of that kingdom of heaven, which we cannot see through the veil, but of which Jack sees in glory: saints “of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” For “these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

This, dear friends, is the comfort our Lord speaks to us in our sorrow. For our mourning is bittersweet. It has a sure hope in the resurrection, in the forgiveness of sins, in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

And it is our Lord Himself who bids us, encourages us, comforts us, and promises us:

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blah, blah, blah!

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Our President?

Now that the American people have voted for the electors who will in all likelihood elect Sen. Barack Obama to be the President of the United States, I know there are many conservatives who are uncomfortable with calling him "our" president.

I agree.

President Obama will not be "my" president. In fact, whoever would have won would not have been "my" president. This "my president" talk reveals an inner desire to be lorded over by a king, a little imperialist inside nearly every American just trying to get out.

Even the Church has that kind of talk in the liturgy (see The Litany, LSB 289, the petition that reads: "To direct and defend our president/king/queen and all in authority; to bless and protect our magistrates and all our people."

I suspect the translators of this litany simply "plugged and chugged" the word "president" alongside "king" and "queen" (which, no doubt, was the original wording of Luther's translation of the litany into English).

Now, I'm not opposed to praying for the head of state, in fact, we should be praying for him all the time. And in these United States, that head of state would be the President of the United States. I will have no qualms about praying for President Obama - but he isn't "my" president. Even if my candidate had won, I would not consider him to be "my" president.

A president is one who presides over something. President Bush doesn't preside over me. He presides over the executive branch of the federal government. He presides over federal employees within that sector. He is "their" president. In fact, to the members of the U.S. Senate (which is obviously not in the executive branch), their president is not George Bush, but rather Dick Cheney (who is the President of the Senate, and who is addressed as "Mr. President" when he wields the gavel)! The President of the United States is not the President of the Senate (rather the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate).

Remember, the founders gave us a republican form of government. These men are not gods. They are executives who oversee a department. Bill Gates is not "my" CEO. The pope is not "my" bishop. Drew Brees is not "my" quarterback. None of these men are part of my chain of command.

We are citizens, not subjects. Neither President Bush nor President-Elect Obama are kings. They are not "our" lords, but if they are "our" anything, they are "our" employees. But that's not the implication when we refer to these men as "our" presidents. The implication is that they are exalted, something other than simply men with the job to preside over a group of people in the government. That's all they are supposed to be. It perverts the Constitution to turn the presidency into some kind of cult, or to treat his office as though he were the king of the world or the master of the universe.

This is why the founders chose such unlofty, functional titles for these men, and why we not only resist speaking of the President of the United States as "your excellency" and such, but also prohibit all American citizens from holding royal titles, such as "Sir" or "Lord."

Similarly, we do not have a commander-in-chief. When I say "we" I mean we civilians. If you are in the U.S. military, George W. Bush is "your" commander-in-chief. Civilians are not part of that chain of command. The President of the United States gives orders to everyone in the military forces from the Secretary of Defense and the generals and admirals all the way down the chain to the private soldiers, seamen, and airmen, but not to civilians - at least not as long as the Constitution has anything to say about it.

In a republic, we civilians and citizens don't have a commander-in-chief. I do think government workers at every level of government need to be reminded of this fact from time to time. They all seem to get too big for their britches. I think it is also one of the results of having a standing army - something foreign to the Constitution and the founders. It has led to a militarization of the way we speak about American political life, in the same way that policy is largely spoken of in military terms: "the war on drugs, the war on poverty," etc.

In practical terms, when the prayers in the liturgy refer to "our president," I usually change them to "the president," or simply pray for the President of the United States by name. However, when we use the litany, I simply read the words as they appear on the page, as inaccurate as they are, lest anyone be scandalized or read a partisan political motive into it (which is not the case at all). But like Galileo who whispered under his breath "and yet it moves," I'm thinking something other than the exact words that I read on the page.

If you want a commander-in-chief, join the military. If you want the President of the United States to be "your" president, get a job in the executive branch of the federal government. And if you can't bring yourself to call Obama "your" president, that's just fine. You don't have a president. You have a King. His name is Jesus.

Presidents are not messiahs.

One More Day!

I can't wait for this election to be over.

Elections in Louisiana are especially savage. The ads are unbelievable - with both sides calling the other side immoral, criminal, and without any sense of right and wrong. If it were only mud they were slinging!

I'm tired of all of it, and am glad we only go through this ritual once in a while. If only elections were held every 25 years! I was speaking to a fellow Lutheran pastor the other day, and he was emphatic that he can't wait for it to be over as well, as his Bible class simply devolves into a discussion of partisan politics.

This year, more than ever, we have had threats of bloodshed and riots if one side loses. We've also seen widely reported hate-crime accusation (later proven to be a hoax) trying to link one side to an act of politically-motivated violence. We've heard charges and countercharges. I have never seen so much disinformation in my e-mail inbox. People are eager to believe any scrap of ill-repute, any bit of dirt, no matter how ridiculous or obviously untrue - if it can be used to destroy and trash the reputation of the person on the other side. They're usually laden with misspelled words, capital letters, and different colors - followed by ten or twelve exclamation points:

"DID YOU NO THAT [candidate x] IS A [whatever]?!!!!!!!!! Please forward this to everone in your address book!!!!!!!!"

This year in particular, flame has been stoked by a double dose of gasoline based on race and sex in addition to the usual sense of urgency that "our" guy/gal win - or else.

The Christian responses to the current slate have been illuminating.

I have heard some say that abstaining from voting is a sin. I have heard others say that voting for one political party is a sin, while other Christians claim that voting for the opposite party is a sin. The specter of legalized abortion looms large, as some argue that this issue makes the role of the voter easy: you don't need to "worry your pretty little head" about anything complicated like economics, national security, the Constitution, the relationship between the state and federal governments, fiscal policy, taxation, or foreign policy (as well as issues important to Louisiana, such as the critical life-and-death issues as coastland restoration, hurricane preparedness, and levee rebuilding projects). Instead, you just look for the Republican label and/or a promise to be against abortion - then cast your vote accordingly. Bada-bing, bada-boom.

Of course, there is much more to being pro-life than simply being anti-abortion. There are ethical questions about genetic experimentation, stem cell research, euthanasia, the care of the elderly, questions about captial punishment and its implementation, matters of war and when it is just, the teaching and distribution of birth control in public schools, etc.

And there are indeed nine other commandments besides the fifth. Furthermore, there are "pro-lifers" who are okay with abortion (infanticide) if the mother was raped, or if the poor child is the product of incest. There are some "pro-lifers" who are okay with using dead babies for parts to experiment on under the guise of "stem-cell research." There are some pro-abortion folks who are against "partial birth abortion" and some who believe the parents of minor girls seeking abortion should be notified. Some would restrict abortion to the first trimester. And there are people on both sides who rightly understand that this is not a federal issue at all, and the entire issue ought to be returned to the states individually, as the Constitution makes no provision to empower Congress authority over abortion or the Supreme Court the power to legislate from the bench.

So, I do believe Christians indeed need to "worry their pretty little heads" about much more than the promise of a candidate to be against abortion - even when pro-life issues are at the top of one's list - as they should be. The question is a lot more nuanced than just the label "pro-life." And we ought to have a healthy skepticism of even those who claim the label in the heat of an election. Do their past statements and voting records match the rhetoric?

There is also the consideration that Roe v. Wade can indeed be abolished by Congress without the Supreme Court's (and therefore the Executive Branch's) help. Bills to carry this out have been languishing in committee since 2005, even when the Republican Party controlled both houses and the presidency (with only five sponsors). Of course, infanticide and other forms of legal murder will continue as long as we live in a culture of death. Politics has its place in the culture and in the drafting of pro-life laws, but I fear that too many Christians see government as a be all and end all in the promotion of God's Kingdom and a culture of life. We are warned about putting our trust in princes.

There is also the problem that many of my northern friends don't understand why every Christian just doesn't vote a straight Republican ticket. They seem utterly incredulous when I explain that in Dixie, we sometimes have the choice between a pro-life (and/or conservative) Democrat and a pro-abortion (and/or liberal) Republican. Other times, there is no Republican (or pro-life Democrat) to vote for. By way of example, our most beloved arch-conservative law-and-order Jefferson Parish Sheriff, the late Harry Lee, was a lifelong Democrat. You would be hard pressed to find any Republicans to vote against him, let alone run against him. If I remember right, he had a picture of himself with President Reagan hanging in his office. You would be hard pressed to find such things in other regions of the country.

In my congressional district, in tomorrow's election, we can choose between the moderately pro-life Democrat Bill Jefferson, and his challenger, fellow Democrat Helena Moreno. The Right to Life organization reports that Moreno did not return the questionnaire on abortion. Her website is silent on the issue. When I called her campaign office to ask her position on abortion, one of her workers said that she wasn't sure, but offered that Moreno's opponent (Bill Jefferson) was "pro-life." Helena Moreno seems to be ducking the issue, though she simultaneously seems to be courting conservative votes.

So, even though both candidates are Democrat, the easy choice seems to be to vote for Jefferson. That is, until you consider that he is under federal indictment for having $90,000 in bribe cash in his freezer when the FBI raided his home (not to mention a recent money laundering case that involved Jefferson as well as a now-jailed former state senator, who, by the way was also pro-life). Several members of Jefferson's family are now in prison as a result of this same case. "Dollar" Bill has also been stripped of all of his seniority and committee leadership in Congress, and is, to say the least, damaged goods.

The "single issue" issue isn't so single after all.

So, some would tell me to vote for "Dollar Bill" (in spite of the mountain of corruption) as the "lesser of two evils" because he is pro-life. Some would call it a sin to vote for any Democrat - even one who is considered by many to be a fiscal conservative like Moreno (although the only two candidates on the ballot in the general election in our district are both Democrats). Some would say it is a sin not to vote for either one (especially because the polls are very close, and not voting for either one would be "wasting my vote"). So, no matter what I do, I'm sinning in someone's book. In some people's minds, just being over 18 and alive in Louisiana's Congressional District 2 is a sin - no matter if you vote for one, the other, or if you abstain.

It's not so easy.

Then there's the U.S. Senate catfight between Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu (pro-abortion Democrat) and Republican challenger State Treasurer John Kennedy (pro-life Republican). This one looks like a slam dunk, right? But both candidates have some really shady issues dogging them, and, to complicate matters, several prominent Republicans are crossing party lines and endorsing Landrieu.

A few years ago, a lot of conservative and Christian Louisianians voted for Democrat Edwin Edwards for governor (knowing he was crooked - as today he has another few years to serve of his ten-year sentence for corruption) over conservative pro-life Republican David Duke - who perhaps would have been a slam-dunk for conservative Christians were it not for that matter of less importance than abortion that he was a former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan - which became a bit of a monkey wrench for "single issue voters" who want to bury their heads in the sand on every issue other than abortion.

These kinds of strange political situations (such as conservative Democrats, liberal Republicans, two Democrats on the ballot, Republicans endorsing Democrats, Democrats endorsing Republicans, and Democrats and Republicans trading the pinstripe suits for striped pajamas) are rare in the North, but are rather common in the South - especially in Louisiana (and are to some extent part of the long-term fallout of the political corruption our state had to endure during Reconstruction - thanks a lot, Yankee Republicans!) . If you want a "plug and chug, no thinking" approach to voting, move to someplace cold. If you look out your window and see palm trees and/or a grown man in a pirate outfit or last year's Mardi Gras beads dangling from a tree, or you can hear a band playing accordions and washboards and singing in unintelligible French - you will not have such simple choices.

And in some respects, that's a good thing.

Lousianians learn in a hurry not to put their trust in princes, to be healthily skeptical of politicians (regardless of their party label), to think about all the issues, and to know when it is appropriate not to vote for any of them, to hit the drive-thru daiquiri shop instead of the voting booth. You learn to appreciate the Times-Picayune's equal opportunity bashing of the candidates, and to have less patience with the mainstream media - be it the commie C** or the fascist F** News Networks - all shills, the lot of them. We have local talk radio that will heap scorn on both Republicans and Democrats rather than serve as propagandistic mouthpieces of either the Evil Party or the Stupid Party (and I'll let you, the reader, decide which is which).

Being from Lousiana, and having had my fill of the year of campaigns and nonsense, I also have a genuine desire to declare the first Wednesday in November to be a holiday. I want a parade, and we can all dress up like Guy Fawkes and wave "Don't Tread On Me" banners in between catching stuffed animals (and no elephants and donkeys either!) from the guy dressed up like a pirate. That fellow makes more sense to me than most of the dopes, shills, and criminals we have in Baton Rouge and in Washington.

This too shall pass - though as usual, like a kidney stone.

Sermon: All Saints

2 November 2008 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Matt 5:1-12 (Deut 33:1-3, Rev 7:9-17)

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

The following list of qualities hardly sounds like something an army would be interested in. Can you just imagine a recruitment ad for the U.S. Marines that begins: “We’re looking for a few good men who are: poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted.”

Are these the qualities you want in a president? Is this what you expect in an NFL quarterback? Are these the characteristics people desire in a CEO of a corporation, or in a Hollywood lead-man or starlet?

Of course, if you’re like me, you are far more inspired by the likes of the boisterous George S. Patton or the brassiness of Margaret Thatcher. You’re much more likely to be drawn to a smirking Angelina Jolie raiding a tomb or a squinting Clint Eastwood firing a big gun at a bad guy while making wisecracks than to be inspired by someone who is unarmed, humble, always being beaten down, someone who doesn’t raise his or her voice and fist in rage against “the man.”

And yet, how does Holy Scripture describe our Lord Jesus Christ? What words accurately capture His Person and serve as the hallmark of His ministry: “poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker, and persecuted.”

Not that our Lord never had a snappy comeback (there were plenty of those against the Pharisees). And there was that incident of chasing moneychangers out of the Temple that would rival anything Indiana Jones could do with a bullwhip. But overwhelmingly, our Lord’s words and work are characterized by patience, gentleness, kindness, and forbearance. Even when being attacked, he turns the other cheek, goes to the slaughter like a gentle sacrificial Lamb, and does not return evil for evil. Instead of revenge, our Lord exudes mercy. Instead of demanding respect, He humbles Himself as a slave and empties Himself to death on the cross. Nor does come down from the cross to save Himself.

This is a very different kind of Hero that we Christians have. This is a very different kind of King we serve. This is a very different kind of God we worship.

And our King commands His subjects to “go and do likewise,” to “take up [our] cross and follow [Him].” We are indeed to walk in His path of poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst for righteousness, mercy, purity in heart, peacemaking, and yes, even persecution.

And yet, this army Jesus raises, this corps He recruits to join His war against sin, death, and the devil, is made up of this kind of paradoxical warrior. Just as He is a different kind of King, His Kingdom is armed by a different kind of soldier. God’s Kingdom is the opposite of the Kingdoms of this world, for in God’s Kingdom, right makes might. The power of the Kingdom of God is not in our arms, our well-laid strategies, or our love of a cause. It is only in the Lord’s blood-stained arms, His plan from the beginning of time to defeat the foe, and His divine love for those whom He created. It is indeed the Gospel that is the “power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.”

And notice what our Lord promises to His rag-tag army of the meek and persecuted, His war-wearied veterans of the cross. The very reward He earned in His struggle against the devil is also our reward. Ours is the kingdom of heaven, we are comforted, we are the inheritors of the entire earth, we are the ones who are filled with abundance, we are the ones who are shown mercy, we shall see God face to face, for we are indeed the very sons of God. And our Lord concludes with the same words be began with: the kingdom of heaven is ours. And when (not if, but when) we are reviled, persecuted, and slandered for His sake, we share in the very same reward as the prophets of the Lord.

For in our meekness and persecution, we are strong, and have dominion.

We, the Christian Church, the vast army of saints, are the single most formidable force on earth. We are not an army of one, but an army of “the One.” We share in His victory over all evil. And this is why the Lord declares His army of all saints to be “blessed.” We are blessed because we have been blessed. We have been given all that we have by the grace our Lord, by the patience of our Champion, by the courage of our General, by the sacrifice of our Priest, and by the dominion of our King.

And it is by revelation of our Prophet-King that we see into the future, as “soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest.” We witness this vast triumphant army, comprised “of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” We behold the “host arrayed in white.” We look upon those “despised and scorned [who] sojourned here, but now how glorious they appear!” And “Oh, what their joy and their glory must be, those endless Sabbaths the blessed ones see.”

The Feast of All Saints is not only a quaint remembrance of history that we celebrate every first Sunday in November. The Feast of All Saints is an eternal feast of thanksgiving and communion, and it is more than mere history. The “Church of God, elect and glorious,” is, like her Lord, eternal. For all the saints of every time and place, each one of us sinner-saints still here in time, join the triumph, the eternal celebration of victory over the grave. In this glimpse of heaven, the time for mourning fallen comrades is over – for our brothers and sisters in arms enjoy eternal life. In this unveiling of eternity, we learn that this is no place for tears – for “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” – as indeed, “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

And like all true warriors, these who have “washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb” seek nothing but peace. The Lord in His mercy lets us peek into eternity. And it is here we see all the saints enjoying the spoils of victory. The war is over. The foe has been slain. In the words of the Psalmist: “Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.”

And this is how it is that we, who are still in the Church Militant, can miraculously and joyfully join the Church Triumphant and “lift up one voice, let heaven rejoice in our Redeemer’s song”, for:

In New Jerusalem joy shall be found,
Blessings of peace shall forever abound;
Wish and fulfillment are not severed there,
Nor the things prayed for come short of the prayer.

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pray for Oppressed Christians in Russia

On this most holy Feast of All Saints, please pray for oppressed Christians in Russia (including the conservative, confessional, and traditional Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia, which has been in Russia since the 1500s and is currently in fellowship with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod) which seem to be enjoying a new round of repression, following a generation of militant Atheism under the Communist state. The evil empire may have fallen in 1991, but the much older Evil Empire, mortally wounded by our Blessed Lord, is making a last ditch grab for the Bride of Christ.

Read all about it here.

You can also read more about the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia (where many LCMS professors teach) here. You can also read more about Lutherans in Siberia here (whose bishop, Vsevolod Lytkin, is shown above at his consecration).

We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ even as we sing:

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For All The Saints, LSB 677: 2,5,7

Your (hard-earned) tax dollars at work

In light of the post-bailout CEO scramble for loot and plunder, that old commercial depicting what seems to be Donald Trump "dumpster diving" may not be that far off. Only I think the image of pigs at the trough might be a little more apropos. After you read this, make sure you thank your congressman and senators who likely voted to rob you so that their well-heeled cronies and benefactors could continue to belly-up and immerse their snouts in the trough. And, of course, capitalism is being blamed for what is really just a manifestation of the very opposite, a form of reverse-welfare for the mega-rich. Thanks, Democrats and Republicans! Thanks, McCain and Obama! Way to "reach across the aisle." Oink, oink!

Meanwhile, here's a little ditty from the Beatles' White Album that comes to mind:

Piggies

Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in.

Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in.

In their sties with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking.

Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon.


[Ed. Note: Apologies are due, of course, to real pigs for sullying their image by comparing them to shameless corporate stooges, lackeys, and parasites on dollar-destroying welfare - sorry piggies. No bacon burger for me... +HW]

Kind of like the "Ten Suggestions"

A little history lesson from the Wall Street Journal.

Pre-deortained?

Well, at least we can be sure that Spike Lee is no Arminian...

World's Largest Model RC Airplane

Worlds Largest Model RC Plane - Watch today’s top amazing videos here

Hurricane on the way. Is anyone still laughing?

An interesting article about from the Times of London about yet another economist (Nouriel Roubini) who used to be laughed at for suggesting the "blasphemy" that the fundamentals of the U.S. (and world) economy are in bad (if not moribund) shape - but who is now slowly being believed.

A big storm is coming, and we need to make preparations. It may be a category 1 or a category 5 - but a financial hurricane is coming.

People all over the U.S. were unbelievably critical of New Orleanians who did not evacuate for Hurricane Katrina, and then were indignant that their taxes went to bail those same people out who did not prepare when the storm was coming.

Well, America, a financial storm is headed our way. Let's see you put your money where your scorn is and don't get caught unawares by the rising waters of debt. The outer bands of this hurricane are already dumping on us. How bad it will get and exactly where the eyewall will hit are not known for sure. But now is the time to prepare. It's time to "financially evacuate" - or at least get your house in order so when the time comes, you will be ready.

The bottom line: now is the time to:

1) Pay off credit card debts, 2) Get adjustible-rate (and teaser-rate) mortgages refinanced into a fixed rate (if still possible, the window is closing), 3) Stop spending money on luxuries (be frugal), 4) Save!, 5) Be careful not to let savings go down the drain if the dollar tanks. In other words, convert savings and domestic investments (including your 401k) into a portfolio of precious metals and investments tied to strong foreign currencies.

The Euro Pacific Capital brokerage company (and others who likewise understand the coming storm) can help you with the fifth point. The president of Europac (Peter Schiff) has also written a couple books that can help you prepare: Crash Proof and the Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets. Both are full of practical advice, and though written for laymen, aren't dumbed down.

The author, Schiff, is another economist who was laughed at by the establishment media and apologists for the Administration and Congress for suggesting that something as unthinkable as the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddic Mac was going to happen, or that the housing boom was really a bubble, or that recession was looming. But there are no more chuckles these days when Schiff appears on financial news programs. We would be wise to listen to those who predicted the recent unprecedented events while there is still time to prepare. Maybe we Americans really need a dose of reality instead of the eternally rosy picture that is sometimes confused with patriotism.

Barack Obama will not fix this problem. John McCain will not fix this problem. Cutting interest rates will not fix this problem. Injecting large amounts of "liquidity" (read: printing more money) will not fix this problem. The bipartisan Obama-McCain bailout will not fix this problem. Cutting taxes without cutting spending will not fix this problem. In fact, all of the above will make the problem worse. It can't be fixed overnight, nor can it be fixed without a lot of pain.

But the good news is that it can (and likely will) be fixed. And the solution starts with us as individuals: living within our means, being producers and not just consumers. We need to do like our grandparents and work hard, save, don't use credit cards, delay gratification, get through the tough times, and be as financially secure as we can when the time to rebuild comes. If we do that, we will be a better, stronger country than before. The longer we put it off, the worse the coming crash and depression will be, and the longer it will take to recover.

And, if a miracle intervenes - or if the gloomy predictions of Roubini, Schiff, and others are wrong - and the hurricane drifts safely away from our shores and peters out in the middle of the ocean, you have lost nothing. In fact, by getting rid of debt, saving, and being more frugal, you will only elevate your standard of living, and in the long run, will contribute to the financial well-being of our country. If you love your country, making the sacrifice of frugality is a better way to show your patriotism than a bumper sticker or flag lapel pin.

Regardless of what happens, being prepared for "the big one" is good stewardship and will give you peace of mind if and when we do get pounded.

Sermon: Reformation Day (transferred)

26 October 2008 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: John 8:31-36 (Rom 3:19-28)

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Truth is powerful. It frees us from the slavery of sin. It liberates us from ignorance. It protects us from the malicious intentions of the devil, who is the father of lies.

The word “truth” appears in Scripture over 200 times. Telling the truth is one of the Ten Commandments. And our Lord often emphasized his own truthfulness by saying “Truly, truly I say to you” (literally: “Amen, Amen”). And our Lord Himself also says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” When Pontius Pilate looked the Truth in the face and asked “What is truth?” our Lord did not answer him – at least not in words. For some truths are indeed self-evident.

But truth is also dangerous. Evil cannot abide the truth, and is at war against the truth. For the truth is more than something that is factually correct or mathematically in balance. Truth is reality, and reality is this: Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, who has come into the world for one reason – to extinguish the father of lies forever. The Truth and the Lie have been locked in mortal combat for millennia, and will be until the last lie is hurled into the Lake of Fire along with Satan and his hordes.

Saints throughout history have incurred the wrath of Satan for speaking the truth.

A French girl named Joan was convicted of heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. In 1455, her conviction was overturned, and she was considered a martyr. Finally, in 1920, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church declared St. Joan of Arc to be a canonized saint.

Some truths whisper for centuries in order to finally be heard above the roaring lies of the devil.

Reformation Day commemorates a rather ordinary event in 1517 – a professor putting up a notice in Latin to other professors seeking academic debate. But this professor was also a priest, and the topic involved a controversial practice of the Church. Martin Luther told the truth about corruption in the Church of his day. And like any whistleblower working for powerful bosses, his life was never easy after that point.

The matter under consideration was important. It was the nature of the Gospel and God’s grace. Can the forgiveness of sins be sold as a commodity? Can it be earned by good works? How does faith fit into the picture? The Blessed Reformer told the truth by repeating the same truth that was said a thousand years earlier by St. Augustine. Dr. Luther not only stuck to the truth that St. Paul spoke anew to us in the Letter to the Romans, that we are indeed “justified freely by His grace,”, he also held to the truth of the ancient Roman Catholic confession, so beautifully articulated by St. Augustine, that we can’t buy or earn salvation – for it is a gift of God.

The beautiful thing about the truth is that, unlike the lie, you don’t have to invent it. And having told it, you don’t have to “manage” it. For once you know the truth, you can simply repeat it: one time, ten times, a thousand times. As Mark Twain once quipped: “If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”

By contrast, the lie requires an army of lies to back up the original lie. Eventually, the tangled web ensnares the liar, even as the devil’s lies brought about the wrath of the Son of God, who crushed Satan’s serpentine head from the cross. As we sing in a popular Easter hymn: “Let truth stamp out the lie.” The “stamping out” calls to mind God’s promise in the Garden of Eden that the “Seed of the woman” would vindicate mankind by crushing the serpent’s head. And though the Serpent indeed struck the heel of the Truth made flesh, and though telling the truth will always cause us to suffer the hatred of the devil, ultimately, truth always prevails. The lie cannot hold off the truth forever.

Reformation Day is a great celebration for us Lutherans. Our ancestors in the faith courageously spoke the truth to power. And as a result, many things changed. Even in churches that rejected most of Luther’s reforms, we saw a cleaning up of corruption. And in those churches that embraced Luther’s reforms, the Gospel rang out once again in the language of the people, the practice of selling the forgiveness of sins was rejected, and the preaching of the Gospel was restored to its ancient and rightful place as a means to God’s free grace.

In spite of all that we have to celebrate – including 500 years of magnificent Lutheran music and hymnody, rigorous theology, gospel-centered preaching, the retention of the reverence of the Mass and the confession that Jesus is physically present in His Supper, the upholding of the power of baptism, and a long line of heroes within our tradition, lay and clergy alike – our joy is tempered by sadness that Luther and his contemporaries left behind a shattered and splintered Church. The “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” is out of communion with itself, and has been so for centuries.

However, even as St. Joan of Arc waited 500 years for the Church to formally recognize her as a saint, even as truth cannot be suppressed forever, we have seen many of the breaches between the churches move toward healing – even if ever so slowly. Today, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church speaks respectfully of Martin Luther, even citing him favorably in some instances. In the 1960s, a good many of the Reforms instituted by those early Lutherans were also instituted in Rome. And today, Lutherans are far more likely to rejoice in their common heritage with Roman Catholics than in the dark and shameful earlier times of bigotry and blind hatred.

The best and greatest contribution we Lutherans can make to the Church at large is our stubborn clinging to the evangelical truth that “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,” that He is the Truth, the exclusive Truth, the only way to the Father. It is “by His stripes that we are healed.” We have no new truths to offer, just the same truths which were already ancient in Luther’s day: the truth of the Gospel, the Good News of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, the cross, the resurrection, and the free grace of God. We must hold fast to this truth come hell or high water, we must whisper it in private and shout it from the rooftops. We must be prepared to bear the cross of the scorn of a culture that will not listen to the truth. And we must cling to the promise of God that the Church, in her confession of this truth, will even withstand the gates of hell.

Words, in and of themselves, even if they are true, are just some ink on a paper or a vibration of air. Sometimes they are barely legible or can hardly be heard. However, the power of words is not in appearances, but in their veracity, their truthfulness. For there is power in truth. And “the” Truth, the Word made flesh, “by whom all things were made” – is a powerful Word, a “strong Word” that not only “cleaves the darkness” but also “bespeaks us righteous.”

God’s Word never returns void. God’s Word is a two-edged sword that delivers the mortal blow of Truth against Satan, the father of lies. For indeed, as Luther’s hymn – sung today even in churches that once declared him to be a heretic – truly confesses regarding our Lord’s victory over the devil, it is indeed the Truth of the Word of God that: “one little Word can fell him.” Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Back to the Future (or Who Will Reform the Reformers?)

"It's like rain on your wedding day..."

Isn't it ironic that in the week leading up to Reformation Day, I get an offer from CPH that serves as a reminder of why we had a Reformation in the first place? It's an ad for an "integrated resource kit" for Lent and Easter.

For $26.99 (not $27, mind you), I can purchase a "preparation kit" that includes "sermons, Bible Studies, [and] Children's Messages." So, a Missouri Synod pastor can buy what is essentially a turn-key kit that includes "nine sermon studies and sermons." Why agonize over biblical texts (especially in their original languages), prayerfully applying them to your specific flock, trusting in the Holy Spirit's guidance as you wrestle with the Scriptures - when instead, for $26.99 (not even $27...) you can just buy a one-size-fits-all kit and "plug and chug" - badda bing, badda boom! No fuss, no muss, leave the preaching to us.

Come on, guys! We're talking sermons. CPH is selling cookie-cutter sermons. I can buy a whole series of sermons for all of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. I find this so disturbing as to border on obscenity. Obviously, we could all just plagiarize off the internet anyway, but CPH is actually blessing such dishonesty and making money on the deal.

We Lutherans hold preaching in the highest regard. Sermons are actually a "means of grace," that is, they are efficacious unto the forgiveness of sins*. Sermons are essentially sacraments without a physical element (other than the vibrations of air that transmit the Word of God from the preacher to the hearer). So, CPH, along with the bobbleheads and NFL Bible covers, is selling the forgiveness of sins. "When the coin in the coffer rings, the balance sheet of CPH ka-chings!"

Any pastor who buys his sermons needs to be defrocked. This isn't a collection of sermons for study and reflection. These are not intended for personal meditation, or even homiletical analysis for preachers. This is a "kit" designed to take away the added labor we pastors have at certain times of the year. This is really bad.

I had a pastor long ago who actually bought his sermons from Creative Communications for the Parish - and preached them word-for-word. A parishioner found out about it, and actually had the pastor's text in his hands as the pastor preached it. The man bought canned sermons! This is utterly dishonest and shameful. If you can't preach, you have no business in the office of the ministry (German: Predigtamt: "preaching office").

This is yet another effect of our reckless move toward untrained ministers, the devaluation of ordination, and the lowering of the intellectual and academic bar for our pastors and those training for pastoral ministry. Preaching is increasingly taking a back seat to marketing and entertainment. And with the new Specific Ministry Program, we will literally have LCMS "instant vicars" in the pulpit never having taken a single course in homiletics.

Of course, we already have laymen who haven't taken a single seminary class in pulpits (and altars) - with the full blessing of pastors and district presidents. Hopefully, we won't start preparing airline pilots and brain surgeons the same way.

CPH is like the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities - reflecting the best of our synod and the worst of our synod. CPH hit home runs with Lutheran Service Book and its related materials for providing pastoral care. CPH has also recently published translations of outstanding devotional material by Bo Giertz. CPH is working to add many volumes to the American Edition of Luther's Works. And then there is the soon-to-be-released Treasury of Daily Prayer. All of these are top-notch works of Christian scholarship and piety.

But the bad news is that we, like the Church of Luther's day, are also a seller of trinkets and baubles, and now, merchants of the means of grace - spoon-feeding unqualified "pastors" with ready-to-go sermons and "bible studies" so they don't have to roll up their sleeves and do the heavy lifting.

Ecclesia semper reformanda est.

* "The proclamation of the Gospel produces faith in those who accept it" (Ap 24:32), "God the Holy Spirit, however, does not effect conversion without means; he employs to this end the preaching and the hearing of God's Word" (FC Ep 2:4), "the power and the operation of the Holy Spirit, who through the Word preached and heard illuminates and converts hearts so that men believe" (FC SD 2:55),

Boiling the Frog (or Countdown to Women Pastors in the LCMS)

An LCMS deaconess (and LCMS pastor's wife) who serves as a DCE (Director of Christian Education) in Florida, has served as a chaplain for many years at Baptist Health in Miami. She has just gotten certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains, which, in her own words, will "enable [her] to do the work of mercy providing pastoral care and spiritual support to those that God puts under [her] care."

Did you all catch that business about "pastoral care."

Is it just me, or did all you other frogs just feel the water warm up a little bit? I guess this isn't our Grandmothers' Church anymore either.

You can read the "official" district article here.

Socialism for the Rich

Sermon: Trinity 22

19 October 2008 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Matt 18:21-35 (Mic 6:6-8)

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. What a disturbing story our Lord tells! Can you imagine a more despicable character than this “unforgiving servant”? This parable reads like a Stephen King short story, a horrific tale of evil with a twist in the plot. At first, the parable sounds like a Hallmark card, like a beautiful story of redemption. Our main character, a slave, is so far in debt that he could never pay his way out. He is to be sold. His family is to be broken up. He pleads with his master for patience. He begs for more time to pay his debt.

And then a beautiful thing happens. The master, “moved with compassion,” not only grants the request for patience, but goes a step further and cancels the begging servant’s debt. His wife and children will remain with him. He no longer has this burden looming over him. Can you just imagine the exhilaration this servant must feel to have such a load lifted from his shoulders? Like Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, he must feel like a new man. Surely, he is filled with gratitude that will bubble over into every facet of his life from this life-changing day forward.

And so what happens?

The servant finds a fellow servant who owes him a tiny sum. One can only imagine that the result is going to be that the servant will forgive the debt as he has been forgiven as a debtor. Here is his opportunity to display the same nobility and grace as his master.

But here is the twisted twist in the plot. To paraphrase Avril Lavigne – “so much for our happy ending.”

Instead, our main character grabs the one who owes him a small debt by the throat and threatens him. He then has him sent to debtor’s prison.

This matter comes to the attention of the master – who is less than impressed. His gracious offer of full forgiveness is revoked (more accurately, the master realizes that the wicked servant has rejected the master’s grace). And it is this servant who is sent to prison, suffering the same fate he wished upon his fellow servant and debtor.

At the end of this short thriller we don’t hear the voice of Rod Serling narrating the moral of the story, but rather our Lord Jesus, who explains: “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Our Lord isn’t just telling a story for the sake of entertainment. Rather He is teaching us about God’s kingdom. Perhaps more specifically, He is teaching us about ourselves. For Jesus isn’t telling this story to the Godless Romans nor to the self-righteous Pharisees. To the contrary, He tells this story in response to a question about forgiveness asked by St. Peter, the one whom Jesus would call “the Rock” because of His steadfast confession of Jesus’s divinity. This is the same Peter who has written two of the books of the New Testament, who was the first leader of the Christian Church, the first Bishop of Rome who was martyred by crucifixion for the sake of the Gospel. It is to the Apostle Peter that Jesus gives this warning not to take the grace of God for granted, never to lose sight of our own debts that have been cancelled by our master. We, the redeemed of God, must never become too conceited to forgive those who trespass against us.

For that, indeed, is how we are. This terrible character from Jesus’s parable is not some nightmarish lunatic fringe from the recesses of a horror-writer’s imagination – it is a sadly accurate picture of all of us!

We are all too quick to take grace for granted and too slow to forgive. We are all too eager for others to overlook our faults and foibles, while demanding an accounting for every slight against us, real or perceived. We have been so corrupted by sin that we resist applying this description of hypocrisy and wickedness to ourselves – but deep down inside, we all know it’s absolutely true.

“We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.”

Nor do we heed the prophetic Word revealed to Micah: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; / And what does the LORD require of you / But to do justly, / To love mercy, / And to walk humbly with your God?” The Lord doesn’t want our sacrifices. For the Lord Himself has provided the “all availing sacrifice.” That’s the point. We are the recipients of the grace of that sacrifice of “His only begotten Son on the cross,” the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” We have no reason to boast, no claim to credit. We are nothing more than unworthy servants of our master, men who have been released of all of our debts – not because we have deserved it, but rather because our Master is merciful.

And so what does the Lord require of us? Mercy. Just and humble mercy. Our Lord has forgiven us our own debts of tens of thousands of talents, a sum of sins and offenses that would have landed us in hell many times over but for the grace and mercy of God. But what do we do? We demand settlement of a few hundred denarii in spite of the mercy shown to us.

Is it any wonder why we repeat again and again in our liturgy and in our prayers: “Lord, have mercy”?

It should cut us to the quick, brothers and sisters, that we are the “unforgiving servants” in the Lord’s parable. And it should drive us to the cross, to the blood of Christ, to our Redeemer-Master Himself. We must repent of our callous, unloving hypocrisy. We must plead with our Master to give us the gift of being able to forgive our brother seventy times seven times, and to do so from our hearts. And even that forgiving heart is something we can only have purely by God’s grace and mercy.

We have been forgiven! We have been forgiven of everything! The gates of heaven are open wide to us. What could we possibly to with the meager debts that are owed to us even if we were genuinely wronged? Surely, to a billionaire, an IOU for a penny is not worth the effort to enforce.

This is our Lord’s lesson in this parable, dear friends. And it is an important lesson. And if we harden our hearts to it, we are doing nothing but resisting the Lord’s grace, and defying him to condemn us.

You have been baptized, redeemed, and sanctified. You have been forgiven all your sins. You have been privileged to be here today to hear the Word of God, the Gospel of our Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. You are heirs of eternal life. What a source of joy! And what a way to live out this joy given to us by Christ Jesus than by sharing that joy with others by forgiving them of their sins against us. That, dear brothers and sisters, fellow redeemed people in Christ, is the true joy of the Christian life, a joy that will be with us, the forgiven who have been taught to forgive, both now and unto eternity! Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"You can't save free markets by Socialism."

A sobering report on Afghanistan

The presidential campaigns of both major parties are talking about increasing American involvement in Afghanistan, especially in the form of a "surge" of military personnel.

Of course, it may just be the usual pre-election "American can-do" patriotic muscle-flexing and poll-driven red-white-and-blue saber-rattling. But before the U.S. government decides to get into Afghanistan deeper (we're already in pretty deep as it is), whoever wins this election needs to consider the very real unintended consequences of American involvement so far (especially regarding the populist spread of the Taliban) as well as the military complexities of trying to escalate guerrilla war in this mountainous country that brought the USSR to its knees.

It is especially of concern now given the current economic crisis. There is no doubt that some in Washington see the solution to a sagging economy as going into a wartime production mode (based on the myth that World War II solved the Great Depression). My concern is that the federal government might see Afghan escalation as a "solution" to the malaise on Wall Street as well as a way of avoiding the impression of military "weakness" and the appearance of "palling around" with terrorists.

Read it here.