The Lutheran Review

Make of My Soul

I intended to post a poem by John Donne, called “Batter my Heart.”  But then across the page of the book I was using I spotted a .poem by William Noe field.  Field has been connected with Seton hall University since the age of 12.  He is currently the university’s archivist.

Make of my soul, O Lord
A cloak to wrap thy body crucified.
Make of my mortal frame
A temple for Thy dwelling place.
Make of my mind a lantern
For the wisdom of Thy Faith.
Make of my hand a gauntlet
To wield the shining sword of Truth.
Make of my heart a torch
To light the way to Thee.

St. Michael and All Angels Day

Michaelmas

Michaelmas or St. Michael and all Angels Day originated in the fifth century when a small basilica was dedicated near Rome the day became especially popular in northern Europe and England where it marked the beginning of the last part of the Pentecost season.  In England, Michaelmas still marks the beginning of the fall term in the law courts and the fall academic terms at oxford and Cambridge.

Luther’s associate and author of the Augsburg Confession, Philip Melanchthon, wrote a hymn for the Day.  LSB 522 is the only hymnal in which I found “Lord God, to Thee We Give All Praise.”

Martin Luther preached a sermon for the day in 1532.  His text was Matthew 18:1-10 which ends with, “take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”

Jesus words are tantamount to his saying, “I commend little children to you to you, do not provoke them but rear them well, for God is much concerned about them.  ... One should see to it that youth are carefully reared, not only that nothing is done to offend them, but that they are kept from all evil and diligently guides to be discipline in conduct.  So, if a child curses or lets go with profanity, we must admonish him earnestly saying to him ‘You ought to be deeply ashamed of yourself; never do it again; for there stands your angel, who sees and hears and is startled at such cursing and is very depressed by it!  When your angel, who stands before the face of God is startled and depressed, do you not believe that God will see this and be pained and angry?’

Therefore, let us learn that father, mother, and teachers do God the greatest possible service when they properly train and teach young people.”

 

Sunrise, Sunset

Psalm 19: 5 & 6

In verses 4b-6 of Psalm 19 the psalmist declares that the Lord “has set a tent for the sun” in the heavens from which the sun, “comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber and like a strong man, runs its course with joy.”

The last sentence in the song of Deborah, Judges 5:31 states, “But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”

Scripture states right off the bat in Genesis that “God made the two great lights-the greater light to rule the day…”  In psalm 19, though the sun may leave his tent like a bridegroom in the morning or a strong man out for his daily run, as great and strong as the sun may be, it is still one of the created things of God who joins its voice to “declare the glory of God.”

That the heavenly bodies were created to serve God’s purpose and to glorify their Creator, stands in contrast to the other religions of the area.  In the Egyptian Hymn of Aten, who is equated with the sun-god Re, Aten is a living god.  “You appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, o living Aten, you who was the first to live...You are fair, great, dazzling, high above every land; your rays encompass the lands to the very limit of all you have made.”

The biblical writers don’t share the view that the sun, moon and stars are gods in themselves, but rather creations of God for His purpose and glory.  Their other purpose is to serve humanity as we go about our business of serving God.  However, they do not mind using the imagery of their neighbors.  Thus the sun, like a bridegroom, emerges from his wedding tent every day.  It rises at one end of the heavens, makes its circuit through the sky and lights up and heats up everything.

Thus the writer’s faith in the one and only Creator of the universe guards him against pagan superstition.  Thus God’s creation works in perfect harmony with its Creator just as the word of the Lord is perfect and refreshes the soul making us wise, giving reason to rejoice and enlightening the eyes of our hearts even as the sun lights our way during the day. (Psalm 19: 7 & 8)

 

 

 

The Voice of Creation

Psalm 19, a Psalm about Speech

Psalm 19 concludes with words that pastors sometime pray prior to preaching.

V.14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

It isn’t only the words of the preacher about which the Psalm speaks.  The heavens have their language too.  “The heavens declare the glory of God…Day to day pours out speech.” (Vs. 1 & 2)  We humans, limited to verbal words as we are, may not understand the language of the heavens but the creation certainly speaks to us.  St. Paul writes in Romans 1:20 (God’s) “eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in things that have been made.”

In urban areas we have a difficult hearing and seeing the voice of creation.  But I do remember the wonder of the Northern Lights (we didn’t call them Aura Borealis) on the farm in Wisconsin.  The stars stood out like crystal gems set into the black canopy of the sky.  We did not know what they might be saying to God, but we understood with the ears of our hearts that they were declaring the glory of God as the skyscape proclaimed His handiwork.

 These occupiers of the nighttime were quiet extroverts who never stopped talking.  But the Psalmist assures them and us that “There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.” (v.3)  In verse 4 the psalmist says that their words go forth to the ends of the world.

Luther comments in his Preface to the Psalms, the psalm “speaks of how the gospel would spread to the entire world, as far as the heavens extend.  Day and night it would be spread, not only in Hebrew but in all languages…this psalm belongs in the third commandment, for it proclaims the true Sabbath in God’s word is taught and believed.”

In the light of the beginning of the Psalm we do well to remember the Sabbath and to pray, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

 

     

 

Failing Retirement

 

This morning I was tagging along with daughter, Sarah, as she bought an automobile.  While Sarah test drove a car I rode along in the back seat.  The salesman turned and asked what I did for a living.  I gave my standard answer, “I’m a pastor failing retirement.” 

I’m not the only failure in this aspect of life.  My friend Bob Reinhardt is five years older than I am, has taken training as an intentional interim pastor.  Bob and I worked together as partner pastors in Marshfield, Wisconsin in the 1980’s.  He now lives with his wife, JoAnn, in Evansville, Indiana.  His latest venture is working with a church that is truly going to be a challenge.

I also recommend checking out Wheatridge.org.  You can read the work of three other pastors failing retirement.  All of them make Bob Reinhardt and I seem like spring chickens.

Charlie Mueller offers worthwhile analysis in his “Just Watching” column. Many of us remember when Charlie Mueller was active in youth ministry.  Now he has shifted to proffering his wisdom and observations of the church.  He has, in some way, picked up the mantle that O.P. Kretzmann bore in a previous generation.

  Walt Schoedel writes “Engaging the Aging,” a most worthwhile source to developing meaningful older adult ministry.  Too many of our older adult groups in the church are stuck in what appealed to my parents’ generation.  For instance, mom and dad loved going to the Senior Center.  However, neither of my brothers and sister-in-laws is interested in those activities.

Finally, Herbert Brokering offers hymns, poems and devotions on a regular basis.  I first encountered Herb Brokering at Reformation/ Renaissance the churches in Albert Lea, MN sponsored one year in the 1970’s when I served at Zion Lutheran church.  He and Roland Bainton were the highlights of the day.  Since then, Herbert Brokering has been on my “must have” reading material.

What is my recommendation for retirement?  As long as one is able, be a complete failure or seek something new in which to excel. 

Thank you God for helping me be a failure.   

 

[ 'Wit wonders']

[‘Wit wonders’]

A God and yet a man,

A maid and yet a mother:

Wit wonders what wit can

Conceive this or the other.

 

A God and can he die?

A dead man, can he live?

What wit can well reply?

What reason reason give?

 

God, Truth itself, doth teach it.

Man’s wit sinks too far under

By reason’s power to reach it:

Believe and leave to wonder.

                                                                                                                         Anonymous

 

Reading what we want to see

 

Before I posted my blog on Sunday evening I checked our kitchen calendar.  The September photo is of a golden/red sunrise over the Ozarks.  For Sept. 2 0 I read, “Fall begins at sunset.”  Therefore when I posted my blog at 7:10 I entitled it “When Fall was 10 minutes old” or something like that.

The next morning I had an appointment with my surgeon.  While waiting in the room I noticed the wall calendar said “Fall Begins” on the 22^nd.  That set me to wondering.  Then last night I looked at the kitchen calendar, more closely.  Well, now it read, “Eid al Sitr begins at sundown.”

What in the world is Eid al Sitr?  A little internet searching informed me that it marks the end of Ramadan.  It’s the time for celebrating the month long breaking of the fast among Muslims.  World leaders sent messages of good will.  Banks stocked up on cash in expectation of the spending spree.

It was one more reminder that we live in a pluralistic society and I tend to still be ignorant of the changing society.  That fact came home to me in July when I drove through Barron Wisconsin (pop. 3200) the county seat of Barron County.  Along Highway 8 was a sign pointing toward a Hindu worship center.

While I was musing about the changes in our culture I also missed St. Matthew’s Day on Monday.  In the Gospel of Matthew we learn that Jesus was born into a multicultural society and heritage.  His genealogy includes, Ruth, the Moabite, who would have worshipped Chemosh before marrying one of the sons of Elimelech and Naomi.  Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba was of the old Hittite people.  Matthew also records the visitation of the Magi, pagan magicians, from the East.  Of course we can hardly forget Matthew himself.  He was a Jew.  However, being a collector of taxes he was regarded as a traitor to the people.  One wonders about the dynamic among the 12 with Matthew who was guilty of treason and the super patriot Simon, the zealot, in the mix.

On my way to the doctor’s office on Monday I heard an interview with Harvey Cox, retired Harvard theologian, who said that trying to convert people to the Christian faith in our society really didn’t make sense.  In another interview, on the way home, Karen Armstrong, a one-time catholic nun now turned Muslim, thought that all religions had their unique strengths and weaknesses, but otherwise it really didn’t matter what you believed.

However, for us Christians Jesus’ word at the end of Matthew still stands, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  God therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” 

I haven’t heard any word from God abrogating those final words of Jesus.

The Gradual for St. Matthew’s day is from Psalm 119, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  That is still the best way to see our way through life to life.

  

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Fall was Ten Minutes Old

        September’s Apple

  Since part of my diabetic diet calls for a piece of fruit as my dessert at each meal, we go through a lot of fresh fruit at our house.  I was at the supermarket on Friday faced with the prospect of by some fruits.  I picked out some California pluots and then approached the apple display.  There I faced such an array of choices that I could hardly make up my mind.  So I let my stingy side make the choice for me and bought some Jonathon apples.

One of the traditions in regard to apples is that they are the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden.  However, the texts of Genesis 2 &3 never identify the fruit.  Another tradition was that the wood of the Tree of life was used to make the cross on which Jesus hung.  Nevertheless, though there is no biblical evidence for either of the traditions I am going to share with you a portion of a writing that does make use of both traditions.  I like what Vigan Guroian has to say in his book of meditations entitled, “Inheriting Paradise.”

“St. Ephrem the Syrian speculates that the tree in Eden ‘saw that Adam had stolen’ the fruit and ‘sank into the virgin ground/and was hidden/-but burst forth and reappeared on Golgotha.’  Thus the tree which God forbade Adam to eat grows for us to take.  What was a forbidden object of desire is now the satisfaction of all of our yearnings for life and love. 

            September’s apple blushes in the cool evening, no longer bespeaking shame or lust but Love in the garden of delight.

            The Word himself was the first Gardener.  In the beginning he planted a tree in the Garden of Eden that grew the fruit of immortal life.  But the serpent came into the garden and claimed the tree as his own, until the Word took our flesh and reclaimed it.  Nailed to that tree he made himself the antidote of sin and death.  They who nailed our Lord to the Cross did not know that it was his from the beginning, that the selfsame dead instrument of execution was and is forever more a living tree.”

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life…also on either side of the river, the tree of life with it s twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month.”  (Rev. 22:1 & 2)

     

 

Happy New Year

Rosh Ha-Shana

The internet newsweekly Religion and Ethics posted Psalm 27 from a new translation of the psalms by Pamela Greenberg.  The article noted that psalm 27 is used with many of the Jewish holydays.

Beginning at sunset this evening (Sept. 18) the Jewish community celebrates Rosh Ha-Shana until sunset on the 19th.

It’s usually noted as the Jewish New year.  Yet, it’s not that simple.  Rosh Ha-Shana marks the beginning of ten days of repentance that culminates in Yom Kippur on Sept. 28^th.  Those ten days are known as Days of Awe.  During this time Jews are instructed to scrupulously examine their deeds and misdeeds during the past year.  Chabad.Org describes this repentance as having two parts.  1. Bitter regret for the past.  2. Joyful resolution for the future.  100 times each day during the two days of Rosh Ha-Shana the piercing blast of the Shofar calls the people, as if to say (Maimonides) “Awake, o you sleepers, awake from your sleep!  O you slumberers awake, from your slumber! Search your deeds and turn in repentance.”   

Now we may want to find fault with the thought that they emphasize repentance and a determination to improve their conduct during the next year, while seemingly neglecting forgiveness.  Yet, I wonder if Christians emphasize the forgiveness we receive through Christ’s death and resurrection, but tend to neglect the part that includes delighting in God’s will and walking in His ways to the glory of His name because God, in Christ, has wiped the slate clean of sins.

 Rosh Ha-Shana occurs during the month (Tishei) when God, according to tradition, created the world.  Also, according to Jewish tradition, God decides who shall live and who shall die during the coming year.  Therefore, prayers are directed toward influencing God’s decisions “but penitence, prayer, and good deeds can annul the severity of the decree.”

On the other hand another prayer traditionally sung by the entire congregation ends, “Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deeds to plead our cause; save us with mercy and loving-kindness.”

To prevent Rosh-Ha-Shana from turning entirely morbid, the rabbis encouraged people to Observe the time in a spirit of optimism, confident that God will accept their repentance and extend their lives.  Honey is served at all meals into which apples are dipped.  A special prayer is then recited; “May it be your will, O Lord, Our God, to grant us a year that is good and is sweet.”

It seems to me that we could learn something from Rosh Ha-Shana about remembering just who it is who brings us to our new year.  How many of us will be found in church on December 31 or January 1?

(Some of the material has been taken from Rabbi Joseph Telushkin’s book, Jewish Literacy, William Morrow and Company, 1991)

    

Crying in Heaven

If Someone Cried in Heaven

If you cried in heaven, everyone

would laugh

for they would know you were just

kidding.

Catherine of Siena,  1347-1380