The Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

The Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity – October 20, 2024

Psalm 119; Isaiah 25:6-9; Ephesians 6:10-17

St. John 4:46-54

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The nobleman in our text today went on a journey in three parts.[1] First was his trip from Capernaum to Cana to meet with our Lord. Second, he journeyed back to Capernaum after hearing of the promise that his son lives. Finally, there is the reunion in Capernaum. This three-fold journey will serve as the basis for our understanding of this text.

Although we don’t know for sure where Biblical Cana is located, Scripture indicates that it is about a day’s walk from Capernaum. The nobleman was desperate enough to leave his dying son behind and make a two-day trip to and from Cana to entreat Jesus. We know that this man had heard the Word of God sometime prior to making this trip. Perhaps he had been at the wedding in Cana and knew of Jesus from the miracle performed there. Perhaps he had even returned to Capernaum with Jesus after the wedding, hearing Him teach along the way.[2]

What we know for certain is that this nobleman had faith at the beginning of our text. If he didn’t, he would not have risked leaving his dying son in the care of servants. What kind of faith did he have? We can answer this in two ways.

The tiniest drop of faith is all sufficient for the salvation of man. The newly baptized child has the same faith as Elijah, the great prophet of God who was carried into heaven without experiencing death.[3] The young man newly converted to faith in Christ has the same faith as St. Paul, who endured scorn, beatings, prison, and martyrdom on behalf of Christ.[4] The lonely widow weeping over the death of her son has the same faith as Blessed Luther, risking his life to proclaim the purity of the Gospel against the Pope and his minions. This saving faith is one and the same. There is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”[5] It is not the work of man but the free gift of God, wrought in you by the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the Gospel – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

At the same time, this faith necessarily needs to grow and be strengthened.[6] It is one thing to possess something. It is something entirely different to care for it, use it, and benefit from it. This faith is exercised in three ways – meditation on the Word of God, prayer, and affliction.[7]

Meditation on the Word of God is best illustrated by a cow chewing her cud. She eats of the grass, chews and swallows into her first stomach, but only a small portion of her nutrition is gained. The grass is brought back into her mouth to be chewed a second time and swallowed again. More nutrition is gained. This continues over and over again until the full measure of nutrition is gained from the mouthful of grass. In this way, we are to chew the cud of the Word of God. The first eating of the grass is hearing and reading the Word of God. Each subsequent chewing is revisiting this Word in contemplation – reading the Word again and again and filling your mind with it. For the cow, there is an end to this process. For the Christian, it is a life-long endeavor.

Prayer exercises faith in taking the spiritual nutrition gained from the Word of God and turning it into action, into words given back to God. The Word of God forms our own words, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit of God gives form to our prayers.[8] Not only is prayer an act of turning our hearts and minds toward God and expecting all good things from Him, but it also trains our flesh to do the same. By turning to God in prayer, we train our flesh for all future times when we find ourselves needing Him. It trains us to turn to Him always; to expect all good things from Him always; and to trust whatever He delivers to us to be for our benefit.

Finally, there is affliction or suffering. Our Lord promised that all who follow Him would suffer in this world. In a sense, our suffering is doubled because we know that we deserve it. When we suffer in this world, we know that it is on account of our sin. We also know that we deserve this suffering because of our sin; even as the beloved children of God. In fact, because we are beloved children of God, we hate our sin and wish to be free from it. We desire that God would purge our bodies and souls of sin, of the love of sinning, and of sin’s effects. And we endure this suffering because we know that God chastens those whom He loves.[9] We know that the suffering of this present age is nothing compared to the joys of the world to come.[10] A wise man loves the rebuke of his Father because he knows by it, he will be wiser still.[11]

As the nobleman journeys to Cana, his faith is weak. He insists that Christ come to his son. He trusts enough to know that Christ’s presence is the one thing his son needs but his faith is weak because it believes that his son will not be healed without the physical presence of Jesus. This is why our Lord rebukes him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”[12] The nobleman wants a display of the power of God in signs and wonders. He is already suffering the sickness of his son and now he wants a great miracle of God in grand visible gestures.

But he will not receive it. Our Lord offers a second, albeit subtle, rebuke. “God your way; your son lives.”[13] It is as though Jesus is saying, “My Word is enough for you and for your son. Your weak faith needs to be nourished and to grow. Let it be nourished on My Word alone. Go in the promise of this Word and your soul shall be healed.”

The nobleman must now make the journey back to his son. This journey is fraught with more anxiety than the first. He now has a clear Word of God, but he does not necessarily know the meaning. He is like Martha after Jesus said to her, “You brother will rise again.” She answers, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”[14] The nobleman must be meditating over and over again on this Word of Jesus. “When I get home, will my son have breath in his body? Or will he live in the life eternal?”

It is not until the nobleman is almost home that he receives an answer. His servants meet him outside his home and announce the healing of his son. They even repeat the words of Jesus, “Your son lives!”[15] The father recognized that his son had been healed at the very Word of Jesus the night before. He receives confirmation of his joy, and his faith is now praised in the eternal Scriptures.

As we near the end of the Church year and the celebration of Advent, our minds begin to turn toward the last things, toward the time when Christ will reveal Himself to the world for the final time. The three-fold journey of the nobleman can be seen as an allegory for our journey in the church.

The journey from Capernaum to Cana signifies our faith in its infancy. It is complete unto salvation, but it is unformed by meditation, prayer, and affliction. When we encounter suffering, the only outcome we can imagine from God is according to our wishes. It does not occur to us that God’s ways are not our ways. We know what we want from God, and we demand that He give it to us in grand and splendid ways.

Then, as we mature in the Word of God and begin to be formed by meditation, prayer, and affliction, we join the man on his journey home. We know and hear the Words and promises of God, but we do not have visual confirmation of them. Faith has grown and it continues to grow. This is the majority of our life on this side of glory. This knowledge of the Word of God, while it exercises our faith and results in its strengthening, also leads to more frustration and anxiety. This is because Satan wants nothing more than to drive the Words and promises of God from your heart. I’d say the nobleman was in greater danger of losing his faith on the journey home than the journey to Cana. And yet the nobleman endures. He endures because he holds to the Word of God and continues to contemplate it in his heart.

The joyous reunion at Capernaum is the consummation of our faith. It is the glorious revelation of our Lord in glory. It is that day when faith will no longer be necessary because the promises of God will be manifest before your very eyes.[16] It is the reunion with all the faithful in heaven and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.[17] In that day, there will be no tears, save tears of joy and rejoicing.[18] On that side of glory, you will look back at your time of affliction, your time of suffering, and realize that the joy and bliss of heaven was made yours at that very hour, before you ever set foot on the final leg of your journey home. It was in the Words and promises of God given to you from the very lips of Jesus. 

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] This outline of the text is loosely based on Fred H. Lindemann, The Sermon and The Propers, Volume 4 (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1962), 111-112.

[2] St. John 2:1-12.

[3] 2 Kings 2:11.

[4] 2 Corinthians 11:22-33.

[5] Ephesians 4:5-6.

[6] Hebrews 5:13-14; Proverbs 9.

[7] This is a reference to Martin Luther’s oratio, meditatio, and tentatio.

[8] Romans 8:26-27.

[9] Hebrews 12:6.

[10] Romans 8:18-19.

[11] Proverbs 9:8-9.

[12] St. John 4:48.

[13] St. John 4:50.

[14] St. John 11:23-24.

[15] St. John 4:51.

[16] Job 19:27.

[17] Revelation 19:6-9.

[18] Revelation 21:4.

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels – September 29, 2024

Psalm 103; Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3; Revelation 12:7-12

St. Matthew 18:1-18

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Every Sunday, we confess that God created all things visible and invisible. Those things invisible primarily refer to the angels. Angels are a creation of God, distinct from all other creation. Humans do not become angels when they die any more than humans become cats upon death. Angels are spirits, that is, without body.

Sometimes, angels appear to man. They can appear in the form of a human, as fire, wind, or simply a voice. They also take on the visage of terrifying beasts, with multiple heads, hundreds of eyes, wings, and engulfed in flames. They are always referred to with male pronouns in Scripture and are said to neither marry nor procreate.[1] From the beginning to the end of time, there is a fixed number of angels – no more and no less than were created by God.

Individual angels are not omnipresent or present in all places. They are located in a particular space at any given time, but God has not revealed how they are present in space and time. We do not know how big or small they are. They are also spiritual beings. They do not have a physical body that is all their own. They can assume a physical body for a time, like the angels who visit with Abraham or who call Lot and his family out of Sodom.[2] Although this temporary body is physical (in that it can interact with the physical world), these angels are not “incarnate.” They did not take on a body of their own. It is a temporary “man suit.”

Angels are not omnipresent or present in all places, but because they are spiritual, they always see the face of our Father in heaven, even when they are ministering to man on earth.[3] This incomprehensible mystery speaks of their spiritual nature and the fact that God is near to all things, even if we cannot see Him at times.

There is also confusion over the duties of angels. The word “angel” means “messenger.” They are the messengers of God, heralds who bring His Word to man. We see this explicitly in the Angel Gabriel, who speaks to Daniel and then appears to Mary, telling her she will bear the Christ child.[4] However, this use of the term “angel” to mean “messenger” is also applied to human beings. John the Baptist is called an Angel.[5] In the Revelation to St. John, the pastors of the seven churches are called the angels of those churches.[6] All pastors are considered angels as they are the messengers, the ambassadors of Christ, sent to deliver His Word and His gifts to God’s people.[7]

Most importantly, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called the Angel of the Lord throughout the Old Testament.[8] This reflects that fact that Jesus Christ is the Word of God, he himself is the message and the messenger, bringing the Word and Will of God to man. When reading Scripture, you can be assured that the angel being discussed is Jesus if the angel accepts and receives the worship of man, beast, or any other created thing.[9]

Angels are the messengers of God and yet they have also been given other duties. The Revelation to St. John records how the prayers of the saints are carried to heaven by an angel. He offers the prayers with incense before the altar of God.[10] The Angels are also said to bear the soul of the beggar Lazarus into the bosom of Abraham.[11] The angels rejoice over one who repents and turns toward God.[12] They are superior to us in their delight in the Word of God and yet they joyfully submit themselves to us in love. They are our big brothers in creation, who guard and protect us from danger while ensuring our safety in the hand of the Father.

St. Paul tells us the Holy Angels are present in the Divine Service.[13] We join in their song, first in the Gloria, singing the words of the Holy Angels present at the birth of Christ.[14] Then, we gloriously join their singing in the heavenly temple during the Sanctus.[15] The Holy Angels are present with us and singing the glorious song of heaven in praise of the Most High God. Our time in the Divine Service is a glorious glimpse into heaven, when the veil between this world and the eternal world is thinnest. Heaven itself, as the dwelling place of Christ, comes down to this altar. The risen Christ, the Angel of the Lord, Messenger of the Father, is present for us in His Holy Body and Precious Blood, together with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Angels.

According to Psalm 34, they “encamp around them that fear the Lord.” The Holy Angels stand guard over the faithful children of God. Satan walks about as a roaring lion and the Holy Angels keep vigil lest our heels should strike a stone.[16] 

In the broadest sense, there are two kinds of angels. There are the Holy Angels, which attend to the Lord, herald his Word, guard the faithful, and bear our prayers and our departed souls to heaven.

Then there are the evil, fallen angels. Scripture calls these “demons.” They are the angels who fell like lightning from heaven, in service to Satan, the prince of demons. These too are spiritual beings, invisible unless they take on a form to be revealed to man. The pagan gods of old, the spirits contacted by mediums, ghosts, goblins, and all manner of “supernatural creatures” are manifestations of demons. They thirst for you soul, that it would spend eternity in torment and misery, as they themselves have been consigned to eternal hellfire. It is against Satan and his minions that the Holy Angels stand vigil on our behalf.

What then of this war in heaven that St. John saw in his vision? “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”^[17]

St. John sees a war in heaven between the holy angels, led by St. Michael, and the demons, led by Satan. The result of the war is that Satan and the demons are cast out of heaven, down to the earth. Just before St. John sees the war, he sees a vision a woman who bears a male Child, who is to rule all nations, and a great red dragon who is prepared to swallow her Son. After her Son is caught up to God and His throne, the woman flees into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God.[18]

This is a vision of the Incarnation of our Lord, His death, resurrection, and ascension. The woman is in the first place, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but she symbolizes the Church. As such, once the Son of God and Son of Mary has ascended to the right hand of the Father, the Church flees into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God. This wilderness is the world in which we live. It is the world that is still affected by sin and ruled by Satan.

This vision of the Incarnation through ascension of our Lord sets the context for the vision of the war in heaven. This war between St. Michael and Satan is the result of the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the Old Testament, it seems that Satan had access to the throne room of God, where he would make accusations against the saints of God.[19] He would actively test God by accusing His saints, as we see in the Book of Job. But after the death and resurrection of Christ, Satan no longer has a place in heaven. He has been cast out of heaven, never again to make accusation against God’s holy ones before Him.

But we also hear of the danger of Satan’s new position. Like a terrified wolf backed into a corner, Satan is now trapped and sees his end drawing nigh. Both the wolf and Satan strike out with renewed ferocity, believing they can at least take some of you with them even if they are doomed to lose the war. The war is won in the death and resurrection of Christ but the battle is still being waged on earth. “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time!”[20]

St. Michael, the archangel, and all the holy angels wage a war invisible to our eyes yet more real than you can comprehend. Satan and the demons continue to lash out, trying to tempt and destroy the beloved of God. The torment of the evil angels is the purpose for God creating Hell. It was never intended for man. Yet Satan will fill it with the souls of man so that his torment is never without company.

Against this assault of the devil, the Holy Angels encamp around the faithful.^[21] They are servants of the Most High who guard and protect man. They fight not for their own salvation, but for the salvation of man. They long for the peace of the resurrection and joyously peer into the mysteries revealed to man in the Incarnation.[22] The Holy Angels delight in man and in the fruits of repentance. They rejoice in the works of God and praise Him both day and night, side by side with man.

The time of the war in heaven is now. It is the time of the Church, that time between the ascension of Christ and his return on the Last Day. There is no seven-year tribulation nor a 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. Now is the tribulation and now is the reign of Christ. He rules in his Church even as Satan brings tribulation to those saints. Now the war is fought, but it is already won. Your weapons in battle are the Word of God and the Blood of the Lamb.[23] The Word of God upon your lips, in your mind, and stored in your heart is the greatest weapon against the active assaults of Satan. Receiving the Holy Blood of Christ in the Eucharist revivifies your soul, such that you become like a fire-breathing lion against the hordes of hell, terrifying even Satan with your might because Christ dwells within you.

And those who overcome Satan and his temptations are those who do not love their own lives to the death, that is, those who know that man is eternal, that death is not the greatest evil.[24] If death is the greatest evil, then you must do everything imaginable to stay alive. But this is contrary to God’s Word. Death is not the greatest evil. Death is defeated in Christ.

The greatest evil is apostacy, losing faith and blasphemy against God. And the greatest punishment is not death but is eternal death, damnation, eternity in suffering with Satan and his angels. Those who overcome Satan do not love their earthly lives over their eternal lives. They do not love the earthly lives of their loved ones over their loved ones’ eternal lives. Those who overcome Satan are like the Holy Angels, beholding the face of our Father in Heaven at all times, and they do it by means of the Word of God and the Blood of the Lamb.

Come share in the victory meal. Defeat Satan by placing the Word of God on your hearts and minds and receiving the Blood of Christ. Sing with the Holy Angels the victory song of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 22:30.

[2] Genesis 18:1-15; 19:1-11.

[3] St. Matthew 18:10.

[4] Daniel 8:16; 9:21; St. Luke 1:26. See also St. Luke 1:19, St. Gabriel’s appearance to Zacharias.

[5] Malachi 3:1; St. Matthew 11:10; St. Mark 1:2.

[6] Revelation 1-3. See also Isaiah 33:7; Malachi 2:7.

[7] 2 Corinthians 5:20.

[8] For example, see Genesis 16:7; 22:11; 32:24; Hosea 12:3; etc.

[9] Compare Revelation 22:8-9.

[10] Revelation 5:8-12.

[11] St. Luke 16:22.

[12] St. Luke 15:10.

[13] 1 Corinthians 11:10.

[14] St. Luke 2:8-14.

[15] Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8.

[16] 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 91:11-12.

[17] Revelation 12:7-9.

[18] Revelation 12:1-6.

[19] Job 1:6-12.

[20] Revelation 12:12.

[21] Psalm 34:7.

[22] 1 Peter 1:10-12.

[23] Revelation 12:11.

[24] Revelation 12:11.

The Holy Matrimony of Mason Allen Daughters & Ashley Mae Ledbetter

The Holy Matrimony of Mason Daughters & Ashley Ledbetter – September 28, 2024

Psalm 127; Genesis 2:7, 18-24; Ephesians 5:1-2, 22-33

St. Matthew 19:4-6

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, performed His first miracle at a wedding in Cana, when He turned six large pots of water into wine. In so doing, He marked this institution as especially pleasing to God and dear to His heart.[1] Holy Matrimony is pleasing to God because it is man fulfilling to his utmost, his role in creation. God did not declare creation to be very good until He had created woman out of man and joined the two in Holy Matrimony.[2] The institution of marriage in the Garden of Eden is the final act of creation and it is the location of God’s first words of blessing to man, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”[3]

As the crown of creation, man and woman are to live as husband and wife primarily for two purposes. First, to fulfill this blessing and command of God, “Be fruitful and multiply.” God gave the entire world to Adam and Eve that they would multiply and subdue it, that is take care of all creation. The household is the foundation of society and the source of children. ‘Children are an heritage from the Lord,’ the psalmist says.^[4] Man does not create children. No effort of man creates life. The creation of new life is within the power of God alone and he has ordained that new life would spring forth from the union of man and wife.

When the two come together, they produce one new flesh. This is the unique blessing of marriage. Through man and wife, children are created; and through children, fathers and mothers are created. Therefore, the Christian marriage must be open to children. No effort of man may be made to stop the will of God in creating children. Such actions would be sinful, contrary to the Word and will of God.

According to creation, the second purpose of marriage is companionship. God declared that it was not good for man to be alone and that he required a helpmeet, a companion, someone who would be comparable to him. A parade of all the animals in the world could not fulfill this need for companionship. It required woman. It required that God make woman out of man’s side. In a sense, man is truly missing a part of himself until he is joined in holy matrimony to woman.

This purpose of marriage, this companionship, is a lifelong commitment to one another. Mason and Ashely will today vow before God, all of you, and each other, that they will take one another to have and hold for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish till death parts them. Man is not free to cut the bonds of marriage. These two will be joined in one flesh. A new creation will be made this day that did not exist before. To separate this union is an act of violence.

It is also central to understand that man did not remain in bliss. Eve gave into the temptations of Satan, ate of the forbidden fruit, gave it to Adam, and he also ate. This sin, this breaking of God’s law, plunged all of creation into sin, corruption, and decay. It introduced death into the world. It also robbed Adam and Eve, and by consequence all men and women, of the original righteousness in which God created them. Now, every thought, word, and deed of man is corrupted by sin, including the institution of Holy Matrimony.

In the fallen state of the world, Holy Matrimony takes on a new purpose. It is for the avoidance of sin. Man is no longer perfectly in control of his faculties, meaning that selfishness, pride, anger, and especially lust now lurk within man’s soul. The estate of Marriage continues to be given to man as the God given outlet for lust and as a special protection against other sins. It is more difficult to be selfish when you have a wife, and doubly so should your marriage be blessed with children…or at least it ought to be. In Holy Marriage, being joined in one flesh means that you now live life for another. You have another person, or eventually persons, for whom to live and care.

However, Satan is crafty. He is cunning. He sees Holy Marriage and hates it. He hates any gift God gives to man and will always seek to corrupt it. For this reason, it will be necessary for you two to always be on guard. Mason, she is your most treasured possession. She is to be your wife, a gift greater than anything else creation has to offer you. You are to ensure she has a home, food, and a joyful life. Recognize her as the precious gift of God that she is. Recognize that focusing on your own wants and needs will always open the door to the temptation to resentment, frustration, and anger. Recognize also that the world will present temptations to neglect her or worse, to find fulfillment anywhere but in the precious treasure of the helpmeet given to you by God Almighty.

Ashley, he is your most precious possession. He is worthy of your time, attention, and submission. He is your head and provider. You are to trust him, provide him a home full of peace and rest. Look to him to provide for your needs. Recognize him as the precious gift of God that he is. Close your eyes to the attentions of other men and remember that he is always worth more time and attention than anything else in the world. You are a precious vessel that has been given to him to cherish. Support him, care for him, trust him, and show him honor by receiving all the good gifts he has to give to you.

To this point, I’ve really only described the purposes and blessings of marriage according to creation. These are incredibly important, especially in our day and age when the world wants to deny creation. From our constant engagement in digital media – streaming services, the internet, social media, etc. – to the denial of creation as fundamental to reality. Our world wants to define creation according to our desires and feelings rather than being that which God has ordered and continues to govern.

But there is a fourth, and perhaps the greatest, purpose of marriage. The union of man and wife in Holy Matrimony is the image of Christ’s relationship to the church. Holy Marriage is dear to the heart of God because it is the image of God’s own sacrifice and love for the church. Adam and Eve plunged the world into sin when they submitted to temptation in the garden. And just as all mankind fell in one man’s fall, so too is all mankind redeemed in the Blood of Jesus.

In prophecy, in parable, and in doctrine, our Lord loves to compare His love for the church to weddings. The Son of God took on human flesh that He would die for us. His death is the ultimate fulfilling of the call for husbands to love their wives even that a man would die for her. Jesus Christ joined Himself to His bride in our flesh when He was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He then died the death that man had earned for himself because of His great love for us.

In the same way, we are called to submit to Christ as our head. He is the God of all creation. Christ is King. And we, while still mired in the filth of our sins, have been called by Him to be washed in His blood, made clean and spotless, washed of water by the Word of God, that we might be presented to Him glorious, holy, and without blemish.

We gather today to witness the joining of Mason and Ashley in Holy Matrimony, but we are called to see this union as the earthly image of Christ being joined to His holy Bride, the Church. We are here to worship the Triune God who has cleansed of our sins.

It is for this reason, that Mason and Ashley, you are called to keep your marriage holy and undefiled. On your own, you can’t do this. I promise you, you will sin against one another, against yourselves, and against others. Satan is cunning and he will lead you astray. Remember that you have been washed in the waters of Holy Baptism. Remember that you have been saved by the Blood of the Lamb. Continue to be steadfast in your faith.

Mason, it is your job as the head of the household to bring your wife to church. It is your responsibility to continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God and His Word. Christ willingly endured mocking, torture, and crucifixion because he loves his bride. You are called to do the same. Swallow your pride and love your wife. Be bold in providing for her and protecting her from the dangers of the world. Ensure she remains steadfast in the Word of God and that she raises your children in the faith.

Ashley, it is your job to support Mason in his faith and to encourage him. It is also your responsibility to come to church and encourage Mason to do the same. Remember that he is your beloved. The church lovingly submits to Christ her head but is unafraid to cry out in lament. We look to Christ for every good thing. Even when it seems he is not listening, we trust that he is caring for us, giving us what we need. When Mason needs correction, do it lovingly and in private, that his reputation would not be harmed before others. Should God bless you with children, raise them in the faith. Ensure Mason is teaching them the catechism and reading to them from the bible.

Read the bible together, every day. Pray together, every day. The most powerful words either of you can speak are “I forgive you. I love you.” Do not forget to say them! And, Lord willing many years from now, you two will join with the heavenly choirs of angels and all the host of heaven in the Marriage Feast of the Lamb; when all who trust in Christ will join together in the worship of our Lord forever. Love one another as Christ has loved the Church. Hold fast to one another. May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 2:1-12.

[2] Genesis 1:31.

[3] Genesis 1:28.

[4] Psalm 127.