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.

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity – September 22, 2024

Psalm 119; Proverbs 25:6-14; Ephesians 4:1-6

St. Luke 14:1-11

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

When Christ our Lord went to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees for dinner on the Sabbath, he posed a question to the lawyers and Pharisees. He asked, “It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He is not asking them to compare the Third and Fifth commandments. This is not a question of whether it is more important to love God or love your neighbor. Rather, our Lord is asking these experts in the Word of God which is more important, the moral or ceremonial law?

When we consider the Law of God, we are right to distinguish the laws given by God to man into three categories: the civil, moral, and ceremonial laws. This division of the law is given by God, Himself when He says, “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded…”[1]

The civil law is a particularization of the moral law, given by God, to produce a certain kind of outward behavior by which the civil society might be best governed among the people of Israel, the Old Testament nation of the Hebrew people.[2] That is to say, the civil law takes the precepts of the moral law and makes them fit the particular nation of God’s people in the Old Testament.

The moral law is written in the hearts of man from the moment of creation.[3] It is the eternal will of God and it is summarized most clearly in the Ten Commandments. Our Lord summarizes the moral law even further when asked about the greatest commandment in the Law, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[4]

The ceremonial law is a particularization of the moral law regarding the worship of the Triune God. Put another way, the ceremonial law is God’s description of how man is to keep the First, Second, and Third Commandments. However, the final purpose, or the goal of the ceremonial law is in three parts: 1) to be a reminder of sin;[5] 2) a shadow of what is to come, that is, Christ Himself;[6] and 3) to guard our consciences until the coming of Christ.[7]

Everything about the ceremonial law was given so show our need for a savior and to tell us about Him. Therefore, once the Christ came, once the Son of God took on flesh and dwelt among His people, once He bore the sins of the world upon His shoulders and died to atone for them, the ceremonial law was fulfilled and no longer had a purpose. God showed the end of the ceremonial law to His people by tearing the temple curtain in half from top to bottom at the death of Jesus.[8]

Our Lord’s question to the Pharisees is the same as asking, “Which takes priority: the eternal will of God, rooted in the love of God and love toward neighbor or the temporary law given to point to the Savior who is sitting in your midst?” The silence of the lawyers and Pharisees is deafening. When phrased this way, the answer to our Lord’s question is obvious. It was probably obvious to you from the moment it was read because you’ve read your bibles and listened to sermons on this text before. But, if you allow your conscience to be silent and content not to meditate on the meaning of the question, then you do not know the Scriptures nor the power therein and your silence is as deafening as that of the Pharisees.[9] “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things.”[10]

By asking the Pharisees what seems like a simple question, our Lord is asking if they are babes requiring spiritual milk or if they are mature and prepared for spiritual meat.[11] The same Word of God is spiritual milk for the unlearned and hearty meat for the mature. These Pharisees, who thought themselves mature, are not willing to speak up, to engage with Christ. They are also not willing to put their supposed mature faith to practice as they would’ve done nothing for the dropsical man. Their faith is sluggish and immature and yet they would claim to be the teachers of Israel. In this way, our Lord is mocking the Pharisees that they would see their error, repent, and begin anew to receive the Word of God.

The same is true of us. Our Lord’s words seem simple, but they hold a deeper challenge to our spirituality and our understanding of the Word of God. Upon hearing such a question that seems simple, your soul ought to begin to wonder, “Why is our Lord asking this question?” “Is He referencing the Old Testament?” “To whom is He speaking and what do I have in common with them?” Such questions will foster the faith given to you by the Holy Spirit into a more mature understanding of God’s Word. And, guided by the light of the Holy Spirit, you will find yourself growing in wisdom and understanding.[12]

And should you take an honest assessment of yourself and find that you are the immature and in need of spiritual milk, then you have the example of the man with dropsy. He was likely a fellow Pharisee, though we don’t know for sure. He may have been a servant or even someone passing by on the street. The only person recorded as speaking in our reading is Christ but the man with dropsy is the only person who was not expected to speak. He stood silent before the dinner party and silent before Christ. Our Lord knew his needs without him saying a word. He came into the presence of Jesus and our Lord healed him with three straight forward actions: He took him, and healed him, and let him go.[13]

So too, Christ has had mercy on us all. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again and ascended into heaven. Such a simple, straightforward miracle for the recovery of your soul from hell. There is an infinite depth of understanding to be had in these words, but the simple truth is easy to grasp for all the immature requiring spiritual milk.

It is fashionable among Lutherans to always speak of how we are all children before God and therefore we require nothing but spiritual milk. Christ even says, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”[14] But these words are often misunderstood (at best) and abused (at worst). It would be false humility to make a show of being immature. It would be false humility to assert your rights as being more humble than someone else. It would be false humility to insist that no one is exalted. Such false humility is nothing but the height of sinful pride.

 Pride is the love of your own excellence, even if you’ve fallen in love with your excellence in false humility.^[15] “[True] humility is the virtue by which a man recognizes his own unworthiness because he really knows himself” and agrees with God’s assessment of man.^[16] It is so very easy for us to overlook our own pride because it brings results. Results make us feel better. Feeling better about ourselves causes us to love our own efforts, our own ideas, ourselves for our own excellence.

Pride is not the same as striving for excellence, or godly ambition. As a Christian, you are called to grow in wisdom and understanding of God’s Word. The entire life of the Christian is one of catechesis, growing in the Word of God. No one ever outgrows the Word of God. There is always more to learn and more to receive.

Striving for excellence is not the same as loving your excellence. Loving your excellence is thinking highly of yourself; striving for excellence for the sake of recognition from others; and seeking worldly gain solely based on how great you are. This is pride. This is sin.

Humility, on the other hand, is the basis of our salvation. The Son of God humbled Himself to be born of a virgin. He took on our flesh and made Himself unworthy of salvation by bearing the sin of the world. He who knew no sin became sin for you, so that you would become worthy of His salvation.^[17] It could even be said that Christ humbled Himself so that He could learn our suffering, and having learned our suffering, He might bear it to the cross and bring it to an end.

It is because the Son of God took on flesh for our salvation that humility is the fundamental Christian virtue. It is the basis of the Christian life – humility to confess, repent, learn, grow, and receive the gifts of God with a pure heart. The Christian must always strive toward humility because such an endeavor means you are striving to live as Christ.

There is a single road between sin and salvation. Each step toward salvation is a step away from sin and each step toward sin is a step away from salvation. Thanks be to God we are not left alone on this journey. Christ died for you that you would share in His life. The victory over sin and death is won for you. The gates of eternity stand open. The days of your life on this side of glory are perilous because they contain temptations to pride. Every day presents you with manifold opportunities to turn away from salvation and indulge in your pride, the love of your own excellence; to take the highest seat of honor and stick up your nose at those less fortunate than you.

Yet every day also presents you with the opportunity to repent. Every day offers you the opportunity to look at yourself and recognize yourself for who you are. You are a sinner. Sin lies at the door, waiting to devour you.^[18] You are unworthy of salvation because your heart is willing to turn from God and indulge your flesh.

You are also a child of God. You have been washed in the waters of Holy Baptism. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who forms your prayers to be acceptable to the Father.^[19] You have received the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Because you know the mercy and love of God, you have access to the Father. You may come to Him and beg forgiveness.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Deuteronomy 6:1.

[2] This definition comes from Martin Chemnitz, Loci Theologici, Chemnitz’s Works, Volume 8, translated by J. A. O. Preus (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2008), 619.

[3] Romans 2:15.

[4] St. Matthew 22:37-39.

[5] Hebrews 10:3.

[6] Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1; 8:5.

[7] Galatians 3:24.

[8] St. Luke 23:44-46; St. Matthew 27:51; St. Mark 15:38-39.

[9] St. Matthew 22:29; St. Mark 12:24.

[10] 1 Corinthians 2:14-15.

[11] Hebrews 5:12-14.

[12] Psalm 119:105; St. John 16:13-15.

[13] St. Luke 14:4.

[14] St. Luke 14:11.

[15] Bernard of Clairvaux, “On the Steps of Humility and Pride,” Bernard of Clairvaux: Selected Works, The Classics of Western Spirituality, translated by G.R. Evans (New York, NY: Paulist Press, 1987), IV.14 [112].

[16] Bernard of Clairvaux, “On Humility and Pride,” I.2 [103].

[17] 2 Corinthians 5:21.

[18] Genesis 4:7.

[19] Romans 8:26-27.