Sexagesima

Sexagesima – February 23, 2025

Psalm 44; Isaiah 55:10-13; 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9

St. Luke 8:4-15

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

A seed is a wonderful thing. On its own, it shows no signs of life. It is not a stone. It is not a plant. It doesn’t grow or multiply. It can’t move. By itself, it is not alive. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.”[1] An acorn looks like little more than a stone wearing a fancy hat. But within that acorn is the beginning of a mighty oak tree. The same is true of all seeds. They contain the power of life itself. When placed in warm, moist ground, this dormant potential is released, and the seed springs to life, becoming a plant with leaf, blossom, and fruit. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”[2]

Our Lord compares the Word of God to a seed. In a certain sense, on its own, the Word of God is inert. Whether ink on a page or sounds issuing from the lips of man, it shows no signs of life. It is living and active, but again, on its own, it can’t do much. When it finds the warm, moist soil of the heart of man, it springs forth with great life, imbuing the heart with faith, producing the wondrous works of God. It is instructive and informative and stimulates acts of piety. It takes water, bread, and wine and makes them the Holy Sacraments, delivering life and salvation. The Word of God is living and active, but it must be planted home in the hearts of man.[3]

It may be surprising to you to hear the Word of God talked about in this way. But it is important because we must understand that the Word of God is not God’s telos, His end goal. The Word of God is the means by which God effects His goal – the salvation of man. This is why we call the Word one of the means of grace. It is the means by which the Holy Spirit delivers God’s grace into the hearts of man.

This is one of the errors of those churches rightly called “Fundamentalists.” They do not recognize the Word of God as a means of grace but rather as one of the end goals of God. For them, Christ spoke the words of Scripture for the purpose of creating Scripture. Yet the bible itself says that these things were written that you might believe and by believing would have life, that is salvation, in the name of Christ.[4] As a means of grace, the purpose of the Word of God is to be planted in the soil of your soul, both bringing you life and salvation and transforming you into a son or daughter of God.

The heart, or soul, of man is soil in which the Word of God springs to life. In the parable, our Lord describes four types of soil into which the seed fell. It is important to note that in this parable, our Lord is not describing the unbelieving world. All these categories apply to those who hear the Word of God in one way or another. It does not apply to heathens. It applies to those who hear the Word. Of these hearers, there are four types.

First, there is the wayside. Although these may hear the Word with their ears or read a few words on a page, the seed of the Word finds no purchase in the soil of their hearts. It remains on the surface and is easily snatched away by Satan and his demons. This is the ‘spiritual but not religious’ crowd. This is those who press “like” on a pretty picture with a few words of Scripture on Facebook while scheduling their next tarot reading. They may even memorize a few verses of Scripture, especially those that fit with their own musings on the divine or internet assembled philosophy.

Second, there is the rocky soil. These receive the Word with joy. For a time, they are elated by the Words of Scripture and often dive into the life of the Church with both feet. They join various groups within the congregation right away and attend every bible study and event that is offered. But at the first sign of temptation, they fall away. The first time they have a late Saturday night and find waking up on Sunday difficult, they miss the Divine Service. Once becomes twice, twice becomes four times. Soon, the joy they had is shifted to a new and exciting adventure. Maybe a new job. Maybe a new hobby. Maybe a great difficulty arises, a health concern or marriage troubles, and rather than turning to the source of life they have found in the Word of God, they turn to doctors and therapists, neglecting the soil of their souls.

Third, our Lord describes the thorny soil. These hear the Word of God, and it begins to sprout and bring forth good fruit. They receive the Word of God with sincerity. They believe for a time. But then the cares of this life, riches, and pleasure steal their attention away from the Word of God. Finances become more important than faith. The world becomes a business venture where the measure of a man is not his relationship with God but his success in property, investments, profits, or collecting things.

To the thorny soil also belongs those who become caught up in pleasure, who don’t mind taking a month off of church to go on vacation without finding a church to attend near the lake. Here also belongs those who hear God’s law but value their own pleasure more highly. “God wants me to be happy, doesn’t He? So God wants me to divorce my wife and marry my mistress.” Such thoughts make light not only the Law of God but also His Gospel. Such thoughts turn God’s grace into something cheap that can so easily be applied that no matter what you do or how you live, it doesn’t matter because God forgives. So eat, drink, and be merry. Such an attitude chokes out the Word of God and withers what fruit had begun within the soul.

Finally, there is the good soil. These hear the Word with a noble and good heart. They keep and cherish the Word of God, finding in it the consolation of their souls. These turn to the Word of God in good times and in bad. These constantly examine the soil of their hearts and make sure that it continues to be a fertile ground for God’s Word, removing the weeds and stones that inevitably crop up. These pray that God’s Word would transform what stones and weeds are to be found that they would remain steadfast in the Word. They bear fruit in due season and endure the trials and temptations of the world with patience and endurance, knowing that the telos, the end goal, of this Word is their salvation.

Having heard descriptions of the various soils, lest you either despair or become prideful of the condition of your own soul, you must recognize that these soils do not primarily describe different people. They describe the condition of every soul at different times of life. You have all experienced seasons of life in which your soul matched each of the types of soil. If you haven’t, I can promise you that you will. The heart of man is fickle. There are the good seasons, when the soil of your heart is rich, warm, and moist, when the Word of God brings joy and gladness. At these times, your mind is filled with the things of God, and you turn to Him no matter the circumstance you find yourself in. Thanks be to God for these seasons. They are truly blessed times.

But the Old Adam, the sin clinging to our flesh, is very persuasive. Even the best fields will occasionally sprout thorns or turn up rocks. They must be constantly tended. If not cared for, they will quickly become wild and house all manner of thorns and crows, becoming unfit for fruitful plants. The same is true of your soul. Sin lies at the door and its desire is for you.[5] Satan stalks as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.[6]

For this reason, the soil of man must be cultivated and cared for. This begins with examination. Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or slothful? Have you grieved any person by word or deed? Have you stolen, neglected, or wasted anything?[7] Consider your life according to the Ten Commandments. Have you been reading the Word of God? Have you prayed recently? Have you confessed to God your sins and begged His forgiveness? Are you certain you have been forgiven? Are you confident that the blood of Christ was shed not just for the whole world but for you? Have you helped your neighbor in need so that others would recognize your good efforts or in thanksgiving to the God who has given you more than you need so that you might help others?

Such examination is not for the purpose of making you feel bad. It is about being honest about the condition of your soul. Perhaps you find yourself among the rocky soil, in danger of providing shallow roots for the Word of God and fleeing from it at the first sign of temptation. It is good for you to recognize that! If you recognize that about yourself, then you know how to go about amending the soil of your soul. Devote yourself to the Word of God and the things of God, begging Him that He will sift you and remove the stones from your heart. Come to Private Confession & Absolution that you might hear the Word of God applied to you and no one else. Allow the servant of God to apply the healing balm of God’s Word directly to the wounds of your soul.

It won’t happen immediately. God sometimes takes His time, but even that is for your benefit. He allows you to struggle with sin so that you would remember it is not you who creates or sustains the good soil of faith, but it is Him, and Him alone. St. Paul struggled his entire life with a thorn in the flesh, likely a besetting sin.[8] He prayed that God would remove that thorn and yet God allowed St. Paul to struggle with it. Such suffering produces “perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”[9]

The life of the Christian is hard. Christ has promised that those who would follow Him will bear the cross of suffering, persecution, temptation, and sin.[10] Yet this yoke is easy and the burden is light.[11] It is light and easy because we do not bear it alone. We bear it with the Word of God, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and with the knowledge that freedom from the burdens of the world is already ours.[12] If Christ is for us, who can stand against us?[13] These words have been given to you that you would know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.[14] Take these words and plant them deeply in the soil of your heart, that they might burst forth with life and salvation.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 12:24.

[2] St. John 12:24. This paragraph is a summary of Pius Parsch, The Church’s Year of Grace, Volume 2 (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1953), 38.

[3] Hebrews 4:12.

[4] St. John 20:31.

[5] Genesis 4:7.

[6] 1 Peter 5:8.

[7] Small Catechism V.6.

[8] 2 Corinthians 12:7.

[9] Romans 5:3-5.

[10] St. Matthew 16:24.

[11] St. Matthew 11:30.

[12] St. John 8:36.

[13] Romans 8:31.

[14] St. Luke 8:10.

Septuagesima

Septuagesima – February 16, 2025

Psalm 18; Exodus 17:1-7; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:4

St. Matthew 20:1-16

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

Christ calls you into the vineyard of His Church purely by grace. Notice that in the parable, none of the workers presents a resume or shows he is physically prepared to work in the vineyard. Likewise, the landowner does not evaluate the workers based on their skill or ability to work in the vineyard. He goes out early in the morning and calls workers into His vineyard. This is a call by grace; grace that is undeserved and unmerited. The call is the activity of the Lord alone. Even the acceptance of the workers is by grace. He does not invite them or open the door so that the workers can choose to pass through. He calls them and tells them to go into the vineyard. This is most apparent in the calling of the final group of workers. The landowner literally commands them to work in the vineyard rather than offering a job contract.

The calling of the workers is the calling of people into the Church. It is how Christians are made. They hear the Word of the Lord and are called, gathered, enlightened, sanctified, and kept in the Holy Christian Church by that Word. The Holy Spirit works on the heart of man to turn it from a stony heart, set against God, to a heart of flesh, warmed by the love of God. This call is not deserved by anyone. The greatest philanthropist in the world is not called into the vineyard by his works of love toward his fellow man. He isn’t even prepared to receive the love of God by his acts of charity toward man. The heart of man is set against God by his conception. It is the miraculous call of God alone that brings man into the Church.

This call comes at different times and in different circumstances to different men. The landowner goes out five times to call workers into His vineyard. Each time, He finds different workers who, for one reason or another, did not receive the earlier calls. Perhaps they were standing there from the wee hours of the morning, heard the earlier calls and rejected them. Perhaps they slept in.

From this, we see that Christians receive the call of faith at different stages in life. Some are born into Christian families and raised in the faith. Their entire life is one spent working in the vineyard. Others come at midday, perhaps being converted to the faith as teenagers or young adults. Then there are those who are called near life’s end. They have spent the days of their lives idly standing in the marketplace, consumed by the cares of this life. But in the eleventh hour, the Lord called them by His Word to join the workers in the vineyard.

We can also see these different stages of life simultaneously. There are those of you who have labored in the vineyard seventy, eighty, ninety or more years. You are among the first called to work the vineyard and have born the burden and the heat of the day. There are those of you in middle age, who were called at the third, sixth, or ninth hour. And then there are the little ones, the children, who by comparison were called late in the day. You, little ones, have been called at the eleventh hour and are the newest workers called into the vineyard. No matter the time spent in the vineyard or the circumstances, the call was by grace and received through faith.

Those called into the vineyard are called to work in the vineyard. They are laborers. What then, is the work that you have been called to do as one called into the vineyard of Christ’s Church? The first work is to hear and receive the Word of God. This is not a work given only to the “professional” theologians but to every Christian. Every Christian is called to give a defense for the hope that resides in him.[1] As such, it is necessary that Christians not only force their eyes to glide over words on a page of the bible but to ponder those words in your heart. As you read or hear the words of Scripture, you need to consider their meaning. Think about what the words mean in their immediate context and how they interact with the rest of the Scriptures.[2]

Don’t just sit and passively listen to sermons. Hear the words and consider them in your heart. Perhaps you didn’t understand something. Ask your pastor for clarification later on. Perhaps your pastor misspoke. Gently show him where he was wrong from the Scriptures or give him the chance to correct a poor choice of words. Maybe he needs to repent.[3] Perhaps he has given an example within the sermon that doesn’t exactly fit your circumstance. Think about how what he said might apply to you and if you are struggling to see how it fits, talk to him. Ask him.

Attend bible study and do not focus on the warmth of your coffee or the taste of the sugary treat. Consider the words, the topic at hand. What do these words mean? What do they mean for you? How do they impact your faith and life? This type of active listening is, in fact, an encounter and interaction with God through His Word. It takes practice and it takes effort. But in this effort, you will be greatly rewarded. You will be rewarded with the wage promised at the beginning of the day, the day of your call to faith wherein eternal life was promised to you.

The second work in the vineyard is to attend to your vocations. Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, or employee? A neighbor, citizen, or leader? Attend to those vocations according to the Word of God. Being a Christian certainly means you have duties to your congregation. These duties begin with regularly attending the Divine Service and devoting yourself to the Word of God and prayer but also include supporting the work of the congregation through your time, talents, and treasure. This Wednesday, weather permitting, is an excellent opportunity to serve the congregation as we gather to clean the interior of the building. Serving the congregation might mean volunteering for leadership positions or being ready to take a meal to a brother or sister in need. It might also mean simply talking to them, showing interest in them as people.

Such work in the congregation might mean submitting to those already in leadership positions or even just those who have more experience in whatever need you are helping to meet. Sometimes it means venturing into something in which no one has experience. In any situation, setting about the work of the congregation requires communication and humility. Asserting your own way by right is not love, nor is assuming everyone thinks the same way as you. Communication is key. Humility is key.

Sometimes this humility means raising up and preparing others for the works that you once did. Each time workers were added to the vineyard, the amount of work for each worker was divided among a larger labor force. One worker took what he was doing and gave a portion of it to another. On the one hand, that meant less work for each individual. On the other hand, in giving some of that work to another, it means giving up a portion of control. The former cannot control every work of the latter. The foundation laid by the first is important and essential, but the efforts of the last are just as important. There comes a time when the work must be divided among the laborers and this requires communication and humility. It requires the first to be prepared to give authority to others and the last to humbly learn from his forebearers.

The third work of the vineyard is evangelism. In the parable, it is the landowner directly calling the workers into the vineyard. However, we also see that the landowner employs stewards, that is, He works through means. The Word of God is delivered to the world through the lips of Christians. It is the work of every Christian to be the light of the world, shining the love of God in the dark world, both in deed and in word.[4]

Experience shows that while pastors have been given to the public proclamation of the word, it is the lips of the laity that most often reaches the ears of the unbelieving world and draws men to the Church. How do you best accomplish this? Most important is to build relationships with people. Listen to them. Ask questions. When someone makes a comment like, “I have a relationship with God, I just don’t go to church,” ask them, “What do you mean by that?” or “Tell me more about that.” Give them the opportunity to clarify what they mean. Most often, they are simply repeating words or phrases they’ve heard without giving it much thought. Giving them the chance to really consider what they mean will often give you the opportunity to say, “This is what I believe about God and the Church.”

However you go about establishing such a relationship, it should always lead to a conversation about faith and where Christ has promised to be (in His Word and Sacraments). Someone might enjoy walking through those doors because you are a nice bunch of people but that should never be why they are here. If it is, then they are set up to be hypocrites – those who act like the faithful but will find themselves locked out of the wedding feast when Christ returns.[5] The reason to be here is because Christ has promised to be here, giving you His word of forgiveness and especially giving you Himself in the Holy Supper. To hear the Word of God and receive His Sacraments is and always will be the primary purpose of the Church because it is the definition of the Church.

When it comes time to distribute the wages, they are given out from last to first. If we understand the last to be those called into the church late in life, they truly have spent the least time working in the vineyard and likely have suffered the least for the name of Christ. Yet these are rewarded the same as the rest of the workers – eternal life with Christ. If we understand the last to be the children, who have also spent the least time working in the Church and likely suffered the least for the name of Christ, they too are rewarded with eternal life in Christ.

In fact, there are many things we can learn from the faith of those called at the eleventh hour, whoever they may be. Christ commends the faith of little children, saying, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”[6] Children trust that what you say is true. They are also curious, always asking, “Why?” This is to be commended. How shall they learn without someone to teach them?[7]

With age and experience, we tend to keep the questions but lose the trust. We assume that we always know better or even that every source of knowledge is questionable. We question the motives of everyone around us. Are there charlatans? Of course. We shouldn’t be naive. But we should put the best construction on everything, especially when dealing with brothers and sisters in the faith. If something sounds off, ask questions. “What do you mean by that?” “Tell me more about that.” Loves suffers long and is kind, not insisting on its own way but rejoicing in truth.[8]

This is doubly true when confronted with God’s Word. A child wants to know why something happens in Scripture because they are not as familiar with the whole bible. An adult often doesn’t like what they hear and wants to find a loophole. An adult asks ‘why’ hoping to find a way that it doesn’t apply to him.

And this is why those called first are indignant with the landowner. They are offended that those called late in the day would be paid the same wage when they haven’t put in the same work. They resent the landowner’s call and the landowner Himself. They are not concerned with the Word of God but their own interpretation of it. If God acts contrary to what they think is right, it is God’s fault, not theirs. He is unfair for not conforming to their idea of fairness.

By man’s standards, God isn’t fair. And thank God He isn’t. If God was fair, then we would all be doomed. If God was fair, He would give us what we deserve – His wrath and displeasure, temporal death, and eternal damnation.[9] Yet God is merciful by not giving us what we deserve. He is gracious to give us something we don’t deserve. His call into the Church is by grace. We don’t deserve it, but He gives it to us. From those called in the early morning to those called at the last hour, we are saved by God’s grace, completely undeserved and unmerited.

For those who insist on being recognized for their long hours, days, weeks, or years of service to the Church, the Landowner gives them their denarius and sends them out of the vineyard. He gives them their earthly due – the praises and respect of man. But He casts them into the outer darkness. They have no home with Him now or in eternity. Their great works toward man are but filthy rags before God because they were done without faith, without thanks for the gracious call into the vineyard.[10] Despising the Church is despising God.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 1 Peter 3:15.

[2] Acts 17:11.

[3] St. Matthew 18:15; 1 Timothy 5:1-2.

[4] St. Matthew 5:14.

[5] St. Matthew 25:10-13.

[6] St. Matthew 18:3-5.

[7] Romans 10:14.

[8] 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

[9] Romans 6:21, 23.

[10] Isaiah 64:6.

The Transfiguration of our Lord

The Transfiguration of our Lord – February 9, 2025

Psalm 84; Exodus 24:29-35; 2 Peter 1:16-21

St. Matthew 17:1-9

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

Christ our Lord asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Speaking on behalf of the group, St. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then, after giving the keys to bind and loose the gates of heaven to the Church, Christ made His first prediction of His death and resurrection. St. Peter rebuked the Lord, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” In turn, Christ rebuked Peter with those terrible words, “Get behind Me, Satan!”[1]

Six days later, Christ took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain and was transfigured before them. The divinity of Christ shone through His humanity, giving Peter, James, and John a glimpse of His glory. At that time, Moses and Elijah appeared with Him and spoke to our Lord concerning His exodus from this world.[2] The topic of conversation was Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. It is called His “exodus” not just because it is His leaving the world (for a time), but in reference to the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Through Moses, the Hebrews were delivered from bondage under Pharaoh and led toward the land of promise. Through Christ, His people are delivered from bondage under sin and led toward the Promised Land of eternal life with Christ.

St. Peter, still trying to sort out the events from six days prior, says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”[3] And while he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed everyone on the mountain and the Father proclaimed from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Once again, St. Peter has received a rebuke. The disciples were greatly afraid at this voice and fell on their faces in an act of worship and repentance. Then Christ touched them and told them to rise, forgiving their sin. Coming down from the mountain, Christ admonished the disciples to tell no one what they had seen until after His resurrection.

Christ’s journey to the cross has now begun in earnest. His miracles have not ended, but they have slowed down. His focus is now on bearing the sins of the world to the cross. The revelation of Christ’s transfiguration is the beginning of preparing His disciples for His suffering and death.

Based on St. Peter’s great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Christ did not need to reveal His transfiguration to the disciples to prove His divinity. It is true that this text is an excellent proof of the same. It shows His two natures in one person. The human nature stands before the disciples and the divine nature shines through with the glory of the true, living God. However, that does not seem to be Christ’s primary purpose for revealing Himself in this way.

Rather, He is strengthening the disciples’ hearts and minds for what is to come. “Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will scatter.”[4] The frailty of the human soul cannot bear the death of God, let alone the frailty of the disciples to lose their beloved Teacher. This will also be followed by their own persecutions and deaths. Christ reveals His divinity to bolster their faith in Him and to reveal what awaits them in glory. As St. John says, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”[5]

So too, if anyone desires to follow Christ, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Christ.[6] Bad things will happen to you in this life. People will be cruel. Your loved ones will get sick or hurt. You will struggle with finances. And unless Christ returns beforehand, you will die. This is the result of sin. And you, beloved of the Lord, will face this suffering in the knowledge that it isn’t according to God’s blessed creation of the world. In fact, you will face this suffering in the knowledge that it is your fault and the fault of your fellow man. You know that all suffering is the result of sin and sometimes, that knowledge makes the suffering worse.

St. Peter, though sometimes impulsive, was a good student of our Lord’s teachings. He understood the implications of what our Lord had told him regarding His suffering and death. Peter couldn’t bear the thought of his beloved Lord and Master suffering such an unjust death. He couldn’t bear the thought that the Man without sin would suffer the death of a disgusting criminal. He was dreadfully rebuked by Christ for rejecting the crucifixion. So then, on the Mount of Transfiguration, St. Peter tried a different tactic. “Why don’t we just stay here? Lord, I’ll build tents for You, Moses, and Elijah. James, John, and I can sleep on the ground. We can stay here on the mountain and enjoy your glory for all time. It is good for us all to be here, in Your presence, for all time.”

St. Peter is still trying to avoid the suffering of the cross. He is looking for an exit from the world like the one Elijah enjoyed. Elijah did not taste death. He was carried to heaven in his body on a flaming chariot.[7] He is still trying to spare Christ the shameful death of the cross while avoiding his own life of suffering and persecution in the world.

At the same time, don’t be too hard on St. Peter. The first words out of his mouth on the mountain are, “It is good Lord, for us to be here.” He is right. It is good to be in the presence of the glory of the Lord. It is good to be gathered with the saints, worshiping the Triune God. The Mount of Transfiguration is a foretaste of the eternal life that all Christians can expect at the completion of our journey on this side of glory. But before we can enjoy that reward, we have a journey to endure here. We have a life to live in this world, even if we are not of this world.[8]

Christ recognizes St. Peter’s struggle and it is precisely for this reason that He reveals His glory on the mountain. It is in recognition of your struggle against sin, your endurance of suffering in this world, that Christ caused His transfiguration to be written in the words of Holy Scripture. Bad things will happen to you in this life and some of it will be your fault. Some of it won’t. Some of it will be punishment for sin. Some of it will be by the hand of God, to prevent you from becoming too reliant on yourself.

The thundering voice of the Father causes the disciples to fall on their faces in repentance and reverence. They are humbled by the power and glory of the Almighty and reminded of their proper place. They are sinners who do not deserve the mercy of the Father nor the sacrifice that Christ will soon make. When the Father speaks, they do not presume to build tents but submit to whatever judgment His is about to pronounce. But what does the Father say? “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” He tells the disciples to listen to the words of Christ, to obey the Son of God.

What does Christ say to them? He forgives their sins by telling them to arise and then leads them back down the mountain. He leads them back from the mountain of God’s glory and into the world. Having been strengthened with the vision of Christ’s glory, the disciples are to return down the mountain to endure Christ’s death and resurrection. They are also called to do more. They are called to live in this world. They are called to be husbands, fathers, brothers, Christians, pastors, and especially evangelists, that is, those who proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ to the world.

In many ways, the Mount of Transfiguration is the pattern of the weekly life of the Christian. The height of the mountain, seeing the glory of Christ, is the Holy Communion. While Peter, James, and John only saw the glory of Christ shine through His human nature, you behold Christ’s humanity and divinity in the host and chalice. You receive the whole Christ by eating and drinking, being united to Him in the most intimate of ways.

And then, your sins being forgiven, you must descend the mountain. You must return to the world, not bound by a word of silence but a word of proclamation. You are to depart the Holy Communion having been strengthened in body and soul unto life everlasting. You have seen and received the glory of Christ. You know how your story ends.[9] It ends on the eternal Mount Zion, with Christ and all the saints of heaven.[10]

This frees you to be the husband, father, brother, and Christian that God has called you to be. It frees you to endure the cruelty, decay, and sin of this world. It frees you because nothing can take you from the hand of the Father.[11] Christ is before you, behind you, beside you, and in you. Do not become so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good, as St. Peter thought he might be. Rather, carry the light of the Transfigured Christ throughout all your days.[12]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 16:13-23.

[2] St. Luke 9:31.

[3] St. Matthew 17:4.

[4] Zechariah 13:7.

[5] 1 John 3:2-3.

[6] St. Matthew 16:24.

[7] 2 Kings 2:11.

[8] St. John 8:23; cf. St. John 18:36.

[9] Psalm 25.

[10] Psalm 74:2; Psalm 48:11; Hebrews 12:22.

[11] St. John 10:29.

[12] St. John 8:12; St. Matthew 5:14.

The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of Jesus

The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus – February 2, 2025

Psalm 48; Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18

St. Luke 2:22-32

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

Forty days after the birth of our Lord, Mary and Joseph bring Him to the Temple to be redeemed. At the same time, Mary presents a sacrifice for her purification. Both are according to the Laws of the Old Testament wherein the firstborn male of both humans and animals were to be given to the Lord and women who have given birth must be purified from the uncleanness inherent in giving birth.

In the case of some beasts, the firstborn could be redeemed with the sacrifice of a lamb in its place. In the case of the firstborn child, God commanded they always be redeemed. The redemption price of a son or daughter was a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering and either a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering.^[1] If a lamb was too expensive, two pigeons or two turtledoves would suffice.

To be redeemed means to be substituted. It means giving one thing in place of another so that you might receive back the first possession. Redemption is not quite the same as making a purchase. Giving the checker money in exchange for groceries isn’t the same as redemption because the groceries did not belong to you in the first place. Rather, if you’ve ever been to a wedding reception or banquet with a coat check, you have experienced redemption. You gave the clerk your coat in exchange for a ticket. At the end of the night, you redeemed your coat by giving the clerk your ticket. The coat is your property, and you willfully gave it to the clerk. You then “bought back” your coat at the price of the ticket. This is redemption.

The redemption of the firstborn is connected with the forgiveness of sins. God instituted the redemption of the firstborn in relation to the final plague of Egypt, wherein the firstborn sons of Egypt were killed by the Angel of the Lord but those of Israel were spared by the blood of a lamb placed on the doorposts. The boys of Israel were redeemed from the plague by the blood of a lamb. Their sins were passed over by the Angel, forgiven in the shedding of the blood of a lamb.

The purification of Mary is an acknowledgment of sin. Giving birth is a bloody business and coming into contact with blood makes one unclean in the Levitical law. This is because there is life in blood and if you are in contact with blood, it means that life has been poured out. Life being poured out is a sign of death and death is the wage of sin. Being truly a man, even the birth of our Lord was attended by the usual events of giving birth. Therefore, the Blessed Mother of Christ needed to be purified. She, too, required the forgiveness of sins.

If these rituals pertained to the forgiveness of sins, why did Christ, who is without sin, submit to them? Why did Christ need to be redeemed? There are at least two ways to answer this question. First, it is not Christ’s sins that need to be forgiven but ours. Much like His baptism in the Jordan River, Christ’s redemption at the Temple places Him into our redemption. Rather than forgiving His sins, it is placing our sins on Him. He is being “bought back” by the human race, that His holiness would be given to man and our sins would be given to Him.

Secondly, submitting to this ritual is part of Christ’s active obedience to the Law of God. When the Second Person of the Holy Trinity took on our flesh, He humbled Himself to be like us in every way but without sin. That means that He also humbled Himself to be placed under the same Law of God that had been placed on all mankind. He did not need to be redeemed from His sins, He didn’t have any, but He humbly submitted Himself to the same rigors and rituals that all mankind was expected to observe.

The significant difference is that all mankind fails in some aspect of the Law. St. James tells us that to fail in one tiny aspect of the Law is to fail in the whole Law, “Whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”[2] And even this tiniest of stumbles in the Law is worthy of eternal condemnation. And since the Law of God is eternal, it is necessary that the Law be kept perfectly. With man this is impossible. With God, nothing is impossible. Thus the necessity of the Law required that Christ not only submit Himself passively to death on the cross but that He actively keep the Law perfectly His entire life. Submitting to circumcision, the presentation, and the rest of the rituals commanded in the Law is Christ actively keeping the Law of God on our behalf.

When the rituals of the presentation and purification had been completed, an old priest approached the Holy Family and took the Christ child into his arms. Simeon did not need to be told who this child was. Like the magi, he immediately recognized his Lord. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had beheld the Christ, the Savior. Led by the same Spirit, he went up to the Temple and found the Lord’s Christ returning from fulfilling His obligation to the Law. Taking up the child in his arms, Simeon said,

“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,
According to Thy word.
For Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples.
A light to lighten the Gentiles,
And the glory of Thy people Israel.”[3]

Simeon’s prayer is a prayer for death. The Holy Spirit had promised that Simeon would not die until he had seen the Christ. Since he was now holding the Christ in his arms, Simeon told God that he was ready to die. There was nothing left in this world for him to do; nothing to experience, nothing to long for. He had all in all. He had the Lord’s Christ in his arms and there is nothing more needful.

We sing this song of Simeon every Sunday after receiving the Holy Communion and we ought to sing it with the same vigor and intention of Simeon. What you receive in your hand or on your tongue is the same Christ that Simeon held in his hands. It is the same body of Christ, the same God become man who would forgive all your sins. So too, we ought to recognize that having received the very Body and Blood of Christ, we, like Simeon, are prepared for death. We have all in all, the thing most needful, and there is nothing left for us to do, experience, or receive in this world.

That is a radical thought. You might piously share it, realizing that the forgiveness of sins is the most important thing in this life. But at the same time, none of us is longing for death. You want to see your granddaughter’s dance recital and your son’s basketball game. You don’t expect to die on your way home today and I’m sure that you aren’t hoping to die today.

On the one hand, those thoughts are bad or sinful in themselves. You want to make use of the blessings and gifts that God has given you. You ought to enjoy the many gifts God has given you in this world.

On the other hand, you ought to be prepared at all times for death. To live is Christ and to die is gain, St. Paul says to the Philippians.[4] To live in this world is to be the Body of Christ, to enjoy the things of this creation, and to be stewards of God’s good gifts. It is to bear the light of Christ to the nations and His glory to His people.

And yet to die is gain. It is gain because it means freedom from the sin which clings to the flesh and the joy of the nearer presence of Christ. We are sojourners in this world, it is not our home, our final destination. For the Christian, to die is great gain because it is one step closer to the resurrection of all flesh.

Therefore, every time we sing the Nunc Dimittis, you ought to realize that you are prepared to die. At any moment, should the good Lord call you home, you are prepared. Your sins are forgiven, and Christ is prepared to receive you into His open arms. Will your loved ones mourn your death? Absolutely. Death is separation and separation is painful. But when a Christian dies, the Christians who mourn him do not do so without hope. We mourn the pain of separation and the loss of the presence of our loved one, but we also rejoice that they have conquered this world of sin. The victory of Christ on the cross has been made complete for our loved one and we now look forward to the reunion in the resurrection.

The Nunc Dimittis is a hymn of supreme confidence that the Body of Christ is the one thing most needful. It is a hymn of confidence that what Christ says is true and He has said that the death of a Christian is little more than sleep. Sing it boldly and confidently, believing that the words are true.

Should you find yourself doubting, fearing death, then turn toward the promises of Christ. One difference between us and Simeon is that he only had the word of promise from the Holy Spirit that he would see the Christ. You have so much more. You have the Word of God, like Simeon, but you also have Holy Baptism. You have the Holy Communion. You have the Word of Absolution spoken by your pastor with his hands placed on your head. You have God’s Word and His Word tied to physical means that the promises of Christ are true. Make use of these means of grace for the strengthening of your faith and the emboldening of your confidence that you are prepared to die.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Leviticus 12:6-8.

[2] James 2:10.

[3] St. Luke 2:29-32, The Nunc Dimittis.

[4] Philippians 1:21.