Lent Midweek 4

Lent Midweek 4 – April 2, 2025

Psalm 122; Ezekiel 36:23a, 23c-28

St. John 9:1-38

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

When the disciples as Jesus, ‘Who sinned? This man or his parents that he was born blind?” they are asking Him to explain the Law. It is as though they were asking, “Teacher, what does the bible say about this man’s condition? Is it the result of his sin or his parents’ sin?” Their question is understandable. In the 5^th chapter of St. John’s gospel, they saw Christ heal a paralytic who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda. When the miracle was complete, Christ said, “Go and sin no more.”[1] It was a natural conclusion for the disciples that this man’s blindness is also related to sin.

Christ’s response to the disciples tells us that the disciples are on the right track but have made a slight error. The man’s blindness is related to sin, but not to sins committed by this man nor his parents. This blindness is related to original sin, the sinful condition of man, the opposition to faith.

In fact, this miracle stands in the middle of the long-standing debate between Christ and the Pharisees over who Christ is. The miracle then stands as a testament to the work of God, namely, the recreation of man in the image and righteousness of Christ.

The Holy Spirit, working through St. John, has already set this Gospel in the context of creation when the first chapter begins with a summary of creation focused on Christ. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”[2] This Word is the light of the world, something Christ applies to Himself in our text.[3]

The theme of light and darkness, also present at creation, serves for the distinction between the absence and the presence of God. The wicked “do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness.”[4] “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”[5] “In that day, [the day of the Lord], the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.”[6] “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”[7]

This light and darkness is manifest in sight and blindness. Those who see rightly, see by the light of Christ. Their eyes are open to the glory of God, manifest in the person of Jesus Christ. This Word of God is the light to our feet and the lamp to our path.[8] Darkness is blindness, a complete lack of sight, not to mention seeing rightly. It is a confusion of vision. Our first parents’ eyes were open to their nakedness and sin at the same time that they were closed to the righteousness of God. In seeing, they became blind. Christ will say the same of the Pharisees who condemn the man born blind when they refuse to acknowledge that He is the Son of God.[9]

As Christ goes to heal the man, there is no discussion of what the blind man desires nor what he would have the Christ do. Our Lord simply spits on the ground, makes clay, anoints the man’s eyes, and tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Our Lord’s conduct in this miracle is very revealing. This man was born blind, born dead in trespass and sin. Being dead in sin, he could not plea for his salvation. He could not make a decision to be relieved from sin. The Lord is the first and only actor in the man’s salvation.

And how does He do it? He mixes water and clay, the very elements of the first creation, then speaks to the man. In the beginning, God formed Adam out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.[10] Our Lord is signifying that He has done much more than heal this man’s malformed body. He has called this man to faith, bestowed faith upon him. He has recreated this man in the righteousness of Christ. The miracle comes to fruition when the man washes himself in the waters of Siloam. This washing signifies Holy Baptism, when the man made of dirt is washed clean of his sins.

The event which follow the miracle are also very instructive for the life of the Christian. We see that the man does not immediately comprehend everything that has happened to him. His faith is not entirely formed. His sins are forgiven but he does not understand the source of that forgiveness, not entirely. We could liken this to the faith of a child but a better comparison would be the faith of the saints of the Old Testament. They looked to God for salvation but until the time of Moses, they did not have His name. Even then, they had a title for God, “I AM,” but they did not know His personal name.

Over time, more was revealed of precisely how God would save them from their sins. They looked forward to the birth of the Christ, the very Son of God, but they did not know His personal name. He would be Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.[11] It was not until a lowly virgin gave birth to the Son of God that the world would know the Christ, that we would know Jesus, the name at which every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.[12] This revelation of the name of Christ is the light to lighten all the nations of the earth.[13] In the name of Christ, man is reborn through the waters of Holy Baptism, born from above, born a child of the Heavenly Father.

Just as it took time for this revelation to come to the people of God in the Old Testament, so too it took time for the man born blind to see Who it was that restored his sight. Even then, it is not until Christ reveals Himself to the man that he fully understands what has happened. And immediately, the man confesses “I believe!” and bows before Christ in worship.

The journey of the now seeing man is analogous to the life of the Christian, especially in enduring affliction. From the time of his healing to his confession of Christ, he is bombarded by interrogations, first by his neighbors and then twice by the Pharisees. Each time he speaks, his confession of the miracle he has received becomes clearer, more specific. In the history of the church, it was always times of persecution and controversy that led to a greater understanding of God’s Word. The creeds were written against heretics. The Reformation occurred to correct the errors of the medieval Roman church and under constant threat of death. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

So too, as we face physical pain, sadness at the loss or suffering of loved ones, and persecution in our jobs, communities, and families, we find opportunity for faith to grow. The affliction of this man was so that the works of God would be revealed, made manifest in him.[14] Pain and suffering are real but Christ is the greater reality, the light no darkness can comprehend, let alone overcome.

In Holy Baptism, we are not just made new creations set loose to wander in the world. We are created new in Christ. We are grafted into His Body, the Church, wherein we find our home. We are made new as the Old Adam is drowned and washed away. He is our light and our sight. Being made new in Him, we have new sight to see and receive the mighty blessings of God, even if our eyes of flesh see only the pain and suffering of this world. You have been given the new eyes of faith, that with the man born blind, you might confess, “Lord, I believe.” In that confession, you have more than anything in this world can give you. You have the Christ. You have the mercy, grace, and love of God, who is the light of the world. You have the name of Jesus, who is present with you always, to light even the darkest of places.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 5:14.

[2] St. John 1:1.

[3] St. John 1:4-5; 9:5.

[4] Psalm 82:5.

[5] Isaiah 5:20.

[6] Isaiah 29:18.

[7] 1 John 1:5.

[8] Psalm 119:105.

[9] St. John 9:41.

[10] Genesis 2:7.

[11] Isaiah 9:6.

[12] Philippians 2:10.

[13] St. Luke 2:32.

[14] St. John 9:3.

Laetare (Lent 4)

 Laetare (Lent 4) – March 30, 2025

Psalm 122; Exodus 16:2-21; Galatians 4:22-5:1a

St. John 6:1-15

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

The doctrine of Providence refers to the fact that God not only created everything in the universe but continues to provide for it and sustain it. If God ceased providing for even a small corner of creation, it would cease to exist. St. Paul writes to the Colossians, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible…and in Him all things consist.”[1] This sustaining action of God, and this alone, insures the continued existence of the world. When Scripture says that God rested on the seventh day, it means that He rested from creating new things.[2] He did not rest the way that you and I typically think of resting. He did not take a day long nap and avoid all activity. He continued to support and provide for creation even on His day of rest.

God provides for creation through means which He has established since the foundation of the world. Through the seed that falls to the earth, God provides nutrition for man and beast. In turn, the cow who is nourished by the plant provides meat for man. Through mothers, God provides milk for children. Through parents, God provides His word and instruction for children. We give thanks to God for the specific means through which He provides but we must always remember that it is God who is behind these provisions. It is God who give nutrients to the seed, the cow, and man. It is God who His Word to mothers and fathers. It is even God who gives authority to governments and rulers for the punishment of the wicked and promotion of the good.

God’s Providence is an extremely comforting doctrine. It means that you do not need to worry yourself over how you will dress, or what you will eat, or what you will drink. Consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. They do not have retirement accounts or work 9 to 5 yet the Lord provides for them. So much more will He care for His beloved children.[3]

After the children of Israel had been delivered from slavery in Egypt and after they had been delivered from the smiting hand of Pharaoh at the Red Sea, they found themselves hungry and in the desert. Rather than turning to the One who provides in repentant prayer, they began to complain against Moses and Aaron. The people went so far as to complain against these ministers given to them by God that they wished they had never left Egypt. They longed for the meat pots and bread of slavery under the tyrannical Pharaoh.

These same people had seen the miracles of God against Pharaoh and how the Lord had preserved them from the same destruction, and yet for the sake of their bellies, they desired to return to their bondage. They preferred the convenience of life under the yoke of sin. It is easier to be a slave to sin than to be free under the Lord God. It is also easier to blame Moses and Aaron for having delivered them than to seek the Word of God, repent, and endure the oppression of the world for the sake of salvation.

And the Lord still provides. He gave word to Moses concerning the manna and the quail, the means by which the Lord would sustain His people until they came into the Land of Promise. The provision of the Lord should not be seen as excusing the sinful actions of the children of Israel. It is not as though He said, “Well, the people were just ‘hangry,’ so its not their fault if they complained against Moses and Aaron.” No. He provided the manna and quail that the people would know that He is their God, that they might look to Him to provide all good things for this body and life as well as their spiritual needs.

Even then, the people did not listen. Some became greedy, gathering more than they needed. They did not trust that what the Lord said He would provide would come to them. What was the result? The extra they had gathered rotted overnight, bred worms, and gave a horrible stench. This was a rebuke against their failure to trust that God would do just as He said He would.

Think now on the multitude that sought after Christ. This was almost certainly a mixed bag. Our text says the great multitude followed Christ because they saw the signs which He performed on those who were diseased.[4] Many of these were probably looking for a miracle of their own, or even just wanting to be entertained by this miracle-man from Nazareth. Some saw His miracles and sought His teaching that went along with the miraculous signs. It is not recorded that the multitude cried out for a miracle or that they complained against the disciples for food. You almost get the sense that the multitude was waiting patiently to see what the Christ would do.

It is He who first raises the question of feeding the multitude, already knowing what He would do about it. His disciples immediately begin planning, raising more obstacles than solutions. They, like their forefathers, did not think to petition the One through whom all things were made. They thought only of the cost, the supplies, and the difficulty of feeding so many.

Yet even for these, the Lord still provides. He provided fish and bread for 5,000 men, plus women and children, and for the disciples who did not trust the Lord to provide for the multitude. He gave in over-abundance such that twelve baskets were filled with the leftovers. From five loaves and two fish, Christ satisfied all those who had come to Him.

This morning, we take a momentary reprieve from the austerity of Lent. Today is called “Laetare” from “Laetare Jerusalem,” “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, All you who love her,” the antiphon to our Introit. We take a moment to rejoice in all that the Lord has provided for us. With the children of Israel and the multitude by the mountain, we rejoice and give thanks for our clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, land, animals, and all we have to support this body and life. We pause from the Lenten character of spiritual warfare to give thanks for the multiple blessings the Lord has given to us.

The rose color of the paraments is festive, removing the darker hues that form violet to give the joyous color of the Rose who bloomed in the womb of the Virgin. This Rose is the chief thing we give thanks for today. We remember and are satisfied that the Peace of Jerusalem was won for us in the death and resurrection of Christ. We remember the One who died that we might live. Liturgically, that is the point of having a day of rejoicing in the middle of Lent. We pause to rejoice in all the Lord provides us, chiefly that He provides us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, that we might be prepared for what comes next. Beginning next Sunday, we dive into the deepest portion of Lent, Passiontide, when our focus narrows to the events of that Holy Week when Christ conquered sin and death.

But for this day, for now, let us rejoice that we may nurse and be satisfied from the consoling breast of Jerusalem. How are we fed? What manna do we receive? Where are the bread and fish to be found? They come from the very breast of Christ. They come in His Holy Body and Precious Blood. The feast of the Holy Communion this day is provided for you from the breast of Christ, who nourishes His saints with His own body. He prepares us today to face death, with the knowledge that He has already conquered death. Although for our evil deeds we worthily deserve to be punished, we rejoice and are comforted that we have been mercifully relieved by Christ, our King.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Colossians 1:16-17.

[2] Genesis 2:2.

[3] St. Matthew 6:25-34.

[4] St. John 6:2.

The Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany

The Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany – January 8, 2023

Psalm 100; Isaiah 42:1-9; Romans 12:1-6a

St. Luke 2:42-52

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

On Christmas, we celebrate the Incarnation of our Lord and place a special emphasis on the humanity of Jesus. Last Friday, at the Epiphany of our Lord, we celebrated the revelation that this child in the manger is truly God. At the Epiphany, there is a special emphasis on the divinity of Jesus and His kingship over all creation. As the Sundays after the Epiphany progress, the Gospel readings will focus on the miracles of our Lord which reveal His divinity. Epiphany means “to reveal.”

It is then notable and quite interesting that we begin the Sundays after the Epiphany not with a miracle text, but with the only text God has delivered to us which describes our Lord’s boyhood. When Jesus was twelve years old, His family went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, as was their yearly custom. After the feast, His family departed Jerusalem to return to Nazareth. Since they’ve spent eleven years with Jesus in the family and have come to expect His perfect obedience, they didn’t even bother to check that He was numbered with His brothers. Joseph, Mary, and their relatives departed for Nazareth.

It took an entire day for them to notice that Jesus was not with them. When they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him, it took three more days for them to look in the Temple. At last, when they found Jesus, Mary rebuked Him for making Joseph and her anxious. Jesus responds, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”[1] After this, Jesus went down with them and was subject to Joseph and Mary, increasing in wisdom, stature, and favor in the eyes of God and men.

The first question you may have of this text is how could they forget Jesus for a full day? Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh. They have raised Him for the last twelve years and He is perfectly obedient. Joseph and Mary have left Jesus behind because they’ve grown complacent. Because He is perfectly obedient, they’ve come to expect that He can read their minds. When they forget to tell Him they are leaving town, they expect He will know anyway.

From this, we see that neither Joseph nor Mary is without sin, but Jesus is. Jesus does not sin if Joseph and Mary fail to communicate with Him. Even Mary’s attempt at rebuking Jesus makes it clear that the sin lies with her and Joseph. “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”[2] It is clear that she is at fault for not being a diligent parent and yet to admit as much would be embarrassing. She knows it would be a lie to say, “You hid from us” when the truth is they forgot Him. So she says the next best thing, “why have You done this to us? You made us so anxious.”

Upon further examination, we must learn from the sin of the parents and the sinlessness of our Lord. The sin of the parents is complacency. They have grown so comfortable with the obedience of their Son, they believe He no longer needs parents. They have abdicated their role to train up their Son—whether He is divine or not.

This is the temptation for anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time. It is tempting to become complacent with your faith. It is tempting to believe that you’ve already heard about that stuff and so you don’t need to come to church, or bible study, or read the bible at home, or review the catechism. In fact, there are many in our church body who believe that once you’ve been examined in a confirmation class, you no longer need to do memory work and there is no reason for the Pastor to examine what you know of the Scriptures.

This is complacency. All Christians must be on guard against such complacency because should you fall into this temptation, you won’t even notice that you have left Jesus behind. Joseph and Mary were blessed by God to have remembered after one day of journeying. If you fall into complacency, you have no promise that you will remember after one day or even before your death. The less you attend to your faith, the less you will want to.

On the other hand, the sin of Joseph and Mary speaks specifically to parents. Sending children to school—be it public, private, or otherwise—does not absolve you as being in charge of their education. We do not send children to school to be taught by experts. We send them to school to assist us in our duty to educate them. The same goes for teaching the faith. Catechesis classes at the Church are important but one hour a week at Church will do nothing to foster the faith of anyone. Daily prayer, daily bible reading, daily discussions concerning the Word of God are necessary for raising a child in the faith.

It is necessary that children be present at the Divine Service. Children’s Church is a terrible heresy of the North American church. By distracting children with food and games during the Divine Service is the same as telling them there is nothing here for them. How does a child learn? A child learns by imitation. Repetition is the mother of learning. The youngest among us is learning the faith right now. Sure, the infants in our congregation do not yet understand language, but they are learning the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and even tastes of the church. If we teach children that the church is a place to play and eat, then we can’t be surprised when they leave the church for more entertaining pastures.

We must now turn our attention to Jesus. Whether Joseph and Mary completely forgot to tell Jesus they were leaving or if they simply gave unclear direction, we do not know. We do know that without sin, Jesus remained in Jerusalem. He remained in Jerusalem and went straight to the Temple to learn. Do not misunderstand the text. He is not teaching in the Temple. He is sitting diligently at the feet of the teachers. He is listening to them and asking questions. Those standing around were amazed at what diligent of a student He was.

Imagine a student is perfectly attentive and perfectly obedient. Then imagine the teacher asking a question and this student doesn’t give an inappropriately academic answer, but gives a thorough answer displaying understanding of precisely what the teacher was teaching. This is the boy Jesus in the Temple.

From this, we must first understand that faith in Jesus Christ is not about academic knowledge. The avoidance of sin is not about academic knowledge. Keeping the righteousness of Christ is not about academic knowledge. It is about attentiveness to the Word of God. It is about diligently listening and taking to heart the things of God. It is about trusting the Word of God above your own thoughts and desires.

It is very rare that I share personal stories from the pulpit because you come here to hear the Word of God, but in this case, it is illustrative. Sometime in grade school, we were given an assignment over the weekend to write a story about our summer break. Because the assignment was to write a story, I returned on Monday morning with a fantastical story about falling into a hole in the street and discovering a cave full of treasure. The teacher was delighted but told me I misunderstood the assignment. She was looking for a story about something that really happened.

The point of this anecdote is that in misunderstanding the directions, I did not sin. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, can remain perfectly sinless and perfectly obedient while making a mistake. Mistakes of this nature are not due to sin, but to the imperfection of the world around Him. Thus, it would be entirely possible for Christ to have mis-measured a board in the shop with Joseph or answer a question of the teachers in the Temple incorrectly.

The difference between Jesus and you & me, is that we do not know what it is to make mistakes without sin. I miscut a board because I am in a hurry and didn’t carefully measure. You miss questions in Bible Study because you were busy talking to your neighbor or thinking about lunch. We make mistakes because we are imperfect. He made mistakes because we are imperfect.

This ought to bring you a degree of comfort. Jesus Christ, True Son of God and True Son of Mary, was capable of making mistakes without sinning. He is truly man and is displaying that God is not interested in all Christians having perfect academic records. The Father is interested in diligent study of His Word. Does that mean everyone must know Greek and Hebrew? No. God has given you other vocations. Does it mean that everyone ought to devote more time than you do to God’s Word? Absolutely. Diligent study of God’s Word simply means to read and reread the Word of God so that it becomes a part of you.

Our Lord’s subtle rebuke of Mary is astonishing. “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” It is as if He is calmly saying, “Why didn’t you start by looking in the Temple?” Where else would Jesus be? Joseph and Mary likely went to all of the places a human twelve year old would be found; a twelve year old driven by the passions of his flesh and the desires of a sinful heart. They remembered that Jesus is True Man but had somehow now forgotten that He is True God.

Why be anywhere else? Not all Christians are called by God to spend their days contemplating the Word of God from sunrise to sunset. You have families. You have homes. You have vocations every bit as pious and holy as the Office of the Holy Ministry to attend to.

At the same time, when there is the opportunity to come into the House of the Lord, the Christian heart rejoices. “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the House of the Lord!”[3] It is the complacent hearts of Joseph and Mary who would now say, “But how much do we have to go? Does Thursday count for Sunday?” To ask such a question is to ignore the Gospel. It is not an exercise of Christian freedom to seek the least number of services to attend in order to maintain membership. That is a sin. It is a sin against the Third Commandment and a sin against God’s Word.

Rather, find the joy in receiving God’s Word. Enjoying coming to Church doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other activities. It means you can enjoy those other activities because God has given them to you. The joy of the Divine Service and the Daily Offices comes not from getting what you want but from receiving what you need.

This is the final lesson to learn from the Boy Jesus. From beginning to end, Jesus displays humble submission in this text. While He is in the Temple, Jesus sits quietly and obediently learns from the teachers. He does not question their authority, even though He has been since before the world began. He does not demand the teachers act according to His expectations or even that they teach the topics He is most interested in. No. The Word through whom creation was made humbly obeys the authority of His teachers and diligently learns from them.

Then, when the Holy Family returns to Nazareth, Jesus is said to be subject to them. In spite of the sins of Joseph and Mary, Jesus is subject to them because they are His parents. God has set the world in order, and it is not always related to ability. God created Adam first and then Eve. Man is the head of woman not by ability but by Divine Order.

  What do I mean not by ability but by Divine Order? It is conceivable that a woman could craft better sermons and teach more effectively in the church than a man. Yet God has strictly forbidden this. Why? Because it is not given to woman to have authority over men. Man is to be the head of woman even as Christ is the head of the Church. If Jesus Christ can submit Himself to His parents, then all women are capable of submitting themselves to the authority of men.

And make no mistake—submission does not mean weakness nor slavery. Submission means recognizing the authority of another and placing yourself under that authority. The one who is in authority must also recognize his duty to lovingly serve and care for those under his authority. No Christian is to lord his authority over another, be it male or female. At the same time, having authority sometimes means rebuke, warning, and exhortation. Sometimes authority means simply to teach. In all cases, him with authority is called to lead by divine right, not by human order.

If Jesus Christ, True Son of God and True Son of Mary, can submit to teachers in the Temple and sinful human parents, then all Christians can follow His example by submitting our wills to His. By such submission, we too will follow our Lord in growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with both God and man.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Luke 2:49.

[2] St. Luke 2:48.

[3] Psalm 122:1.

Wednesday Vespers following Gaudete (Advent 3)

Ember Wednesday – December 14, 2022

Psalm 19; Isaiah 2:2-5; Isaiah 7:10-15

St. Luke 1:26-38a

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

The Annunciation refers to the event recorded in today’s third reading: the Archangel Gabriel is sent from God to announce to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she has been chosen to be the Mother of God. We might choose to number three miracles in this event.^[1] First is the miracle of the Incarnation. “Incarnate” simply means “in flesh.” The Son of God, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, is sent by the Father, deposited by the Holy Spirit, and becomes man. God himself becomes a man to redeem mankind.

The Annunciation connects the two greatest feasts of the Church – Christmas and Easter. The Son of God took on flesh precisely so that he could die upon the cross. Christmas must happen first so that Good Friday and then Easter Sunday may follow. The Incarnation makes the Atonement possible. ‘To pay the debt of our sinful state, God, who is incapable of suffering, joined Himself to humanity, which can suffer. Thus, in keeping with the healing that we needed, one and the same mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, was able to die in one nature and unable to die in the other.’^[2] Christ our Lord was born in the city of little branches, Nazareth, that he would die upon the ultimate Tree of the Cross.

Far less grand than the Incarnation, is the miracle of the Virgin Birth. From the perspective of a created being, the Virgin Birth might seem like the greater miracle. For the Creator of the cosmos, such a miracle seems almost a parlor trick, but it is not without purpose.

In the first place, the Savior of Man required a pure vessel in which to be born. God is already without sin, but He must remain so after taking on the flesh of man. He must have been born the seed of a woman, without the help of man so that Original Sin would not stain His flesh.

In the second place, the virgin womb of Mary is to indicate the holiness of God’s dwelling place with man. The Church is to be the holy dwelling of God. It is to be unmarred by the stain of sin. This holy space is set apart from the temporal. It is not like other buildings for it is the house of God.[3] During the gathering of the saints in the Divine Service, heaven comes to earth, and we experience a glimpse of heaven. It is unstained by sin for it is holy.

At the same time, the Church militant—both the location and the people on this side of glory—exists in a sinful world. Outlets need replacing. Walls need paint touched up. Sinners fill the pews and pulpit. This is seen in that Mary herself is not without sin. Twelve years after the birth of Jesus, Mary would forget her Son in Jerusalem and then be surprised to find Him in the Temple. It is also seen in the attacks of the world, those who inevitably whispered of the young woman, betrothed to be married yet becoming great with child. The Church endures sin from without and within.

Yet the womb of Mary is preserved from such sin. The Holy Ghost overshadows Mary and delivers the Son of God to her holy womb. The Holy Body and Precious Blood of the same Savior who grew within the Virgin Mary now sits upon the altars of the faithful, untainted by sin, given to be eaten and drunk by all who would be called holy children of God.

Now the third miracle of the Annunciation might be considered the greatest of all. It is the faith of Mary. This young woman, in her early teens, barely even a woman, hears the words of St. Gabriel and receives them with humility. This humility, this faith, is not a quality of Mary’s own.

The text does not reveal the moment at which Christ is conceived nor when the Holy Ghost overshadowed the Virgin Mother, but it would seem to have occurred during this conversation with Gabriel. The angel appears and Mary is troubled. Gabriel consoles her by saying, “Fear not dear child, for you have found favor with God.”

Mary’s troubled conscience is the reaction of sinful man in the face of holiness and yet it is not the reaction of one who does not believe. Zechariah, met by the same angel, is troubled and fearful. Mary is only troubled. She trusts in the greeting of Gabriel and that the Lord is with her. Gabriel then speaks the absolution – a word of forgiveness that all the faithful, Mary and us included, require – and proceeds to announce the conception of the Savior.

This faith of young Mary is then displayed in feminine virtue. The chief biblical, feminine virtue is submission. Submission is not weakness nor frailty. Submission is the recognition that you are not in authority. You are not in control. Women are called to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ.[4]

At the same time, men must recognize our calling to be the head of woman. We are given authority in the household because God created Adam first, and then Eve. Eve was deceived first, and then Adam. Man is given authority for the sake of caring for and preserving the family—not to satisfy the desire for power.

Blessed Mary exhibits true humility when, barely more than a child, she submits to the words of St. Gabriel and proclaims, “Let it be to me according to Your Word.”[5] She is not accepting a tempting business proposal. She is submitting her will to the Will of God. We do not know if Mary was excited to be a mother in those moments. We don’t know if she was concerned what others might think. She didn’t know exactly what would happen either. She knew her son was to be the Son of God, the Savior who would reign forever.[6]

Faithful and humble Mary is strengthened by the Word of God, spoken to her by the messenger. The miracle of the Word of God turning the hearts of man from stone to flesh is the greatest miracle of the Annunciation. To emphasize this point, God chose a lowly handmaid to be the mother of God. A young woman, of David’s lineage but of humble birth, displays faith only possible by the gift of the Holy Spirit and this gift is delivered on the lips of an angel.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] The outline of the three miracles of the Annunciation comes from Martin Luther, The Christmas Book, trans. by Roland H. Bainton (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1948), 22-23. The original thoughts from St. Bernard come from a series of sermons found in Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “On the Missus Est,” Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Collection [8 Books] Aeterna Press, Kindle Edition, beginning on p. 1317.

[2] St. Leo the Great, The Feast of the Annunciation: In Mary’s Womb, God Becomes Man, available at http://www.lectionarycentral.com/stmaryannunc/Leo2.html. Also found in the Annunciation file.

[3] Psalm 122:1.

[4] Ephesians 5:22-24.

[5] St. Luke 1:38.

[6] St. Luke 1:31-32, 35.

Populus Zion (Advent 2)

Populus Zion (Advent 2) – December 4, 2022

Psalm 80; Song of Solomon 2:8b-14; Romans 15:4-13

St. Luke 21:25-36

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

Our Lord is coming, and he is coming soon. Today we heard of the cosmos groaning in anticipation of His return. The sun, moon, and stars will be darkened. The sea and the waves will roar. The powers of the heavens will be shaken. St. Paul likens the groaning of the earth to a woman in labor.[1] Her contractions are increasing in intensity and frequency. The pain is reaching its peak just before the child comes into the world. So too creation itself is groaning louder and louder. Pain and suffering are increasing until the day when the child of the Virgin returns.

When a person grows old, his feet shake. As the world grows old, the foundation pillars of the earth shake, and we experience earthquakes, upheavals of the earth. Everything will eventually come crashing down like poorly constructed buildings. Sometimes fluid builds up in our joints and we experience painful inflammation. So too do the seas and their waves roar and roll when the earth is nearing its end.^[2]

When God finished creating the entire cosmos, crowned by His beloved man, He declared everything to be “very good.”[3] God created the cosmos and everything in the world to love and serve Him by serving the rest of creation. The trees praise God by providing shade, beauty, and fruit. The soil praises God by being fertile and aromatic, giving nutrients to the plants which feed the rest of God’s creation.

In the fall of Adam, creation itself was rent from perfect service to the creator. Trees are now forced to shade the wicked as well as the righteous. Their fruit rots. Their branches fall in storms. The soil dries hard and must be forced into submission before it is willing to give up food. Because of the Fall, all of creation longs to serve the purpose for which it was made – to love and serve God by serving the rest of creation.

Creation grows weary in awaiting the return of Christ. So too, do the hearts of man grow weary. “Men’s hearts fail them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.”[4] We grow weary of hearing about wars and rumors of wars. We grow weary from earthquakes and roaring seas. We grow weary of plagues, pandemics, vaccines, and death. We grow weary and are tempted to focus our fear, love, and trust on the passing things of this world, on the creation which is dying.

Repent. Repent of idolatry. Repent of your misplaced fear, believing the wrath of God against creation is meant for you, His beloved. Fear causes us to shrink away from action. ‘Things are bad and might get worse if I do something, so it is best to do nothing.’ ‘If I keep quiet, maybe the persecution will pass me by.’ Repent and lift up your heads.[5]

When Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, the Apostles stood, staring into the heavens after him. Then two angels said to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”^[6] The Apostles were focused on counting the signs so they wouldn’t miss the return of Christ. Yet the Angels admonished them. The return of Christ will be sudden and a surprise, but no one will miss it. Every eye shall see, and every knee will bow at the return of Christ.

Place your fear, love, and trust in God alone. He bids you to lift up your heads on that last day, to see your King descending upon the clouds. The heavens and the earth, all of creation will be destroyed on that last day. They will be burned in fire and a new creation will arise.[7] God will bring forth a new creation, free from the corruption of sin and once again, declare it “very good.”

This idea of “new creation” has already come to you, beloved of the Lord.[8] In Holy Baptism, the Old Adam, the Old Creation, is drowned and dies. He is buried beneath the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his chariots. From this flood arises the New Man, the New Creation, a beloved child of God. This child has nothing to fear from falling stars, darkening suns or moons. This child of God sees the budding of the fig tree, that is, the signs of the end in creation, and lifts up her head toward Christ. Surely, heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God will by no means pass away.

The Word of God is the most precious gift given to man. The Holy Sacraments—Baptism, the Eucharist, and Absolution—are that precious gift wrapped in physical means. Why would you ever neglect this precious gift of God for a few extra minutes of sleep? For a few extra minutes of television? For an extra helping of jell-o salad?

And when you have conquered the Old Adam and brought yourself into the House of God, why would you ever spend that time distracted by other people; distracting others, especially children; or thinking of your tasks for later in the day? Rejoice that you have come into the House of God. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.[9] I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go unto the house of the Lord!’[10] Lord, I love the habitation of Your House, and the place where Your glory dwells![11]

Why is the Psalmist so glad to be in the House of the Lord? Because that is where he receives the Word of God. That is where he dwells with God. That is where he will be for eternity. Heaven and earth will surely pass away. Jell-o salad, sleepiness, coloring books, crackers, football, and housecleaning will pass away. The Word of the Lord endures forever. The Word of the Lord alone endures forever.[12] Only those who are sustained by that Word of the Lord will endure forever in bliss. All others will endure forever in hellish torment.

The enduring Word of God communicates with his people. He is not silent. This communication is driven by His mercy. The prophecies of Christ regarding the final judgment are a warning. They are a warning so that you might be prepared. They are a warning so that you would know to repent of your sins and seek the Lord where He may be found.

“Behold the days are coming” says the Lord. “[When] I will send you Elijah the prophet… [who] will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction”[13]. This Elijah, this prophet, is fulfilled in John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way of the Lord through the preaching of repentance.[14] This Office of Prophet is now filled by all men called into the Office of the Holy Ministry. Pastors are called:

To give knowledge of salvation to God’s people
By the remission of your sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high,

[Christ the Light of the World,] has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide your feet into the way of peace.^[15]

Because of the enduring Word of God and the proclamation of the Gospel, the return of Christ for the final judgment is no surprise. But the precise timing will be a surprise. The Father has reserved knowledge of the day and hour of Christ’s return for himself.[16] This is another mercy of God. If we knew when Christ planned to return, we would wait until the last moment to repent… and we would probably miss it. The nature of the heart of man is to find a loophole in the law and exploit it. This never works out well.

So, the Father keeps us from knowing the day and the hour. God desires that all men would be prepared through repentance and faith. He sends his messengers before to proclaim repentance and the forgiveness of sins so that we would always be prepared. Advent is to prepare us for the year when there is no Christmas; for that day and hour when Christ returns.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Romans 8:22. Cf. St. John 16:20-22.

[2] This paragraph is based on Johann Gerhard, Postilla, Vol 1, trans by Elmer M. Hohle (Malone, TX: The Center for the Study of Lutheran Orthodoxy, 2003), 15-16.

[3] Genesis 1:31.

[4] St. Luke 21:26.

[5] Psalm 24:7; St. Luke 21:28.

[6] Acts 1:11.

[7] Isaiah 65:17.

[8] 2 Corinthians 5:17.

[9] Psalm 84:10.

[10] Psalm 122:1.

[11] Psalm 26:8.

[12] St. Luke 21:33.

[13] Malachi 4:1, 5-6.

[14] St. Matthew 11:14.

[15] The Benedictus, Luke 1:77-79

[16] St. Matthew 24:36.