Archive for the ‘Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lectionary Year C’ Category
Above: All Saints
Image in the Public Domain
The Communion of Saints
NOVEMBER 1, 2023
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21
Psalm 34:1-10
Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27 (22:1-5) (LBW) or Revelation 7:2-17 (LW)
Matthew 5:1-12
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Almighty God, whose people are knit together
in one holy Church, the body of Christ our Lord:
Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints
in lives of faith and commitment,
and to know the inexpressible joys
you have prepared for those who love you;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 36
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O almighty God, by whom we are graciously knit together
as one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
grant us to follow your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living
that we may come to those unspeakable joys
which you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love you;
through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 116
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The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), 862
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Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.
—The Westminster Larger Catechism (1647)
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I am a ritualistic Episcopalian and a student of history. Therefore, ecclesiastical history appeals to me. The study of lives of the sains–glorified, canonized, beatified, declared venerable, or none of these–is a spiritually profitable venture. Reading about how members of the family of Christ have lived their baptismal vows in a variety of cultures, places, and centuries can help one live one’s baptismal vows. I find that my ongoing study of lives of the saints frequently makes me feel spiritually inadequate.
Notice the quote from the Episcopal catechism, O reader. The communion of saints includes
those whom we love and whose whom we hurt.
Our spiritual kinfolk include those whom we do not recognize as being so. Therefore, we hurt them. We may even feel justified in doing this to them.
Who are your “secret” (to you) kinfolk in Christ, O reader? Who are mine?
May we all, by grace, grow into our spiritual vocations of glorifying God, and fully enjoying God forever. May we do this together. And may we cease to hurt one another.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 21, 2022 COMMON ERA
PROPER 16: THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR C
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRUNO ZEMBOL, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIAR AND MARTYR, 1942
THE FEAST OF SAINTS CAMERIUS, CISELLUS, AND LUXURIUS OF SARDINIA, MARTYRS, 303
THE FEAST OF SAINT MAXIMILLIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR, CIRCA 353; AND SAINTS BONOSUS AND MAXIMIANUS THE SOLDIER, MARTYRS, 362
THE FEAST OF SAINT VICTOIRE RASOAMANARIVO, MALAGASY ROMAN CATHOLIC LAYWOMAN
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: Thanksgiving Day–The Dance, by Winslow Homer
Image in the Public Domain
Gratitude
NOVEMBER 23, 2023
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Since antiquity and in cultures from many parts of the Earth harvest festivals have been occasions of thanksgiving. In the United States of America, where the first national observance of Thanksgiving occurred in 1863, the November date has related to the harvest feast in Plymouth in 1621. Prior to 1863 some U.S. states had an annual thanksgiving holiday, and there was a movement for the national holiday. Liturgically the occasion has remained tied to harvest festivals, although the meaning of the holiday has been broader since 1863. The Episcopal Church has observed its first Book of Common Prayer in 1789. Nationwide Thanksgiving Day has become part of U.S. civil religion and an element of commercialism, which might actually be the primary sect of civil religion in the United States. The Almighty Dollar attracts many devotees.
Too easily and often this holiday deteriorates into an occasion to gather with relatives while trying (often in vain) to avoid shouting matches about politics and/or religion, or to watch television, or to be in some other awkward situation. The holiday means little to me; I find it inherently awkward. This state of affairs is the result of my youth, when my family and I, without relatives nearby, witnessed many of our neighbors hold family reunions on the holiday. Thanksgiving Day, therefore, reminds me of my lifelong relative isolation.
Nevertheless, I cannot argue with the existence of occasions to focus on gratitude to God. The Bible teaches us in both Testaments that we depend entirely on God, depend on each other, are responsible to and for each other, and have no right to exploit each other. The key word is mutuality, not individualism. I embrace the focus on this ethos.
A spiritual practice I find helpful is to thank God throughout each day, from the time I awake to the time I go to bed. Doing so helps one recognize how fortunate one is. The electrical service is reliable. The breeze is pleasant. The sunset is beautiful. Reading is a great pleasure. The list is so long that one can never reach the end of it, but reaching the end of that list is not the goal anyway. No, the goal is to be thankful and to live thankfully.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE HOLY CROSS
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Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season,
and for the labors of those who harvest them.
Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty,
for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need,
to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Deuteronomy 8:1-3, 6-10 (17-20)
Psalm 65 or Psalm 65:9-14
James 1:17-18, 21-27
Matthew 6:25-33
—Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 701
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Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day.
By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness,
give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Year A
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Psalm 65
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Luke 17:11-19
Year B
Joel 2:21-27
Psalm 126
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Matthew 6:25-33
Year C
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 100
Philippians 4:4-9
John 6:25-35
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 61
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Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Philippians 4:6-20 or 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Luke 17:11-19
—Lutheran Service Book (2006), xxiii
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Originally published at SUNDRY THOUGHTS
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Above: All Saints
Image in the Public Domain
The Communion of Saints
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The Episcopal Church has seven Principal Feasts: Easter Day, Ascension Day, the Day of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day, Christmas Day, and the Epiphany.
The Feast of All Saints, with the date of November 1, seems to have originated in Ireland in the 700s, then spread to England, then to Europe proper. November 1 became the date of the feast throughout Western Europe in 835. There had been a competing date (May 13) in Rome starting in 609 or 610. Anglican tradition retained the date of November 1, starting with The Book of Common Prayer (1549). Many North American Lutherans first observed All Saints’ Day with the Common Service Book (1917). The feast was already present in The Lutheran Hymnary (Norwegian-American, 1913). The Lutheran Hymnal (Missouri Synod, et al, 1941) also included the feast. O the less formal front, prayers for All Saints’ Day were present in the U.S. Presbyterian Book of Common Worship (Revised) (1932), the U.S. Methodist Book of Worship for Church and Home (1945), and their successors.
The Feast of All Saints reminds us that we, as Christians, belong to a large family stretching back to the time of Christ. If one follows the Lutheran custom of commemorating certain key figures from the Hebrew Bible, the family faith lineage predates the conception of Jesus of Nazareth.
At Christ Episcopal Church, Valdosta, Georgia, where I was a member from 1993 to 1996, I participated in a lectionary discussion group during the Sunday School hour. Icons decorated the walls of the room in which we met. The teacher of the class called the saints depicted “the family.”
“The family” surrounds us. It is so numerous that it is “a great cloud of witnesses,” to quote Hebrews 12:1. May we who follow Jesus do so consistently, by grace, and eventually join that great cloud.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PETER OF CHELCIC, BOHEMIAN HUSSITE REFORMER; AND GREGORY THE PATRIARCH, FOUNDER OF THE MORAVIAN CHURCH
THE FEAST OF GODFREY THRING, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JANE CREWDSON, ENGLISH QUAKER POET AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF NARAYAN SESHADRI OF JALNI, INDIAN PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELIST AND “APOSTLE TO THE MANGS”
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Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in the mystical body of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord:
Give us grace to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living,
that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Year A:
Revelation 7:9-17
1 John 3:1-3
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
Matthew 5:1-12
Year B:
Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9 or Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 24
Revelation 21:1-6a
John 11:32-44
Year B:
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23
Luke 6:20-31
—Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2006), 663; also Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 59
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Revelation 7:(2-8), 9-17
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
—Lutheran Service Book (2006), xxiii
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Originally published at SUNDRY THOUGHTS
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Above: Wittenberg in 1540
Image in the Public Domain
Schism and Reconciliation
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The Feast of the Reformation, celebrated first in the Brunswick church order (1528), composed by Johannes Bugenhagen (1485-1558), died out in the 1500s. Initially the dates of the commemoration varied according to various church orders, and not all Lutherans observed the festival. Original dates included November 10 (the eve of Martin Luther‘s birthday), February 18 (the anniversary of Luther’s death), and the Sunday after June 25, the date of the delivery of the Augsburg Confession. In 1667, after the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), Elector of Saxony John George II ordered the revival of the commemoration, with the date of October 31. Over time the commemoration spread, and commemorations frequently occurred on the Sunday closest to that date.
The feast used to function primarily as an occasion to express gratitude that one was not Roman Catholic. However, since 1980, the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute (of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement) and the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau have favored observing the feast as a time of reconciliation and of acknowledging the necessity of the Reformation while not celebrating the schism.
This perspective is consistent with the position of Professor Phillip Cary in his Great Courses series of The History of Christian Theology (2008), in which he argues that Protestantism and Roman Catholicism need each other.
I, as an Episcopalian, stand within the Middle Way–Anglicanism. I am convinced, in fact, that I am on this planet for, among other reasons, to be an Episcopalian; the affiliation fits me naturally. I even hang an Episcopal Church flag in my home. I, as an Episcopalian, am neither quite Protestant nor Roman Catholic; I borrow with reckless abandon from both sides–especially from Lutheranism in recent years. I affirm Single Predestination (Anglican and Lutheran theology), Transubstantiation, a 73-book canon of scripture, and the Assumption of Mary (Roman Catholic theology), and reject both the Immaculate Conception of Mary and the Virgin Birth of Jesus. My ever-shifting variety of Anglicanism is sui generis.
The scandal of schism, extant prior to 1517, but exasperated by the Protestant and English Reformations, grieves me. Most of the differences among denominations similar to each other are minor, so overcoming denominational inertia with mutual forbearance would increase the rate of ecclesiastical unity. Meanwhile, I, from my perch in The Episcopal Church, ponder whether organic union with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is feasible and wise. It is a question worth exploring. At least we are natural ecumenical partners. We already have joint congregations, after all. If there will be organic union, it will require mutual giving and taking on many issues, but we agree on most matters already.
Time will tell.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PETER OF CHELCIC, BOHEMIAN HUSSITE REFORMER; AND GREGORY THE PATRIARCH, FOUNDER OF THE MORAVIAN CHURCH
THE FEAST OF GODFREY THRING, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JANE CREWDSON, ENGLISH QUAKER POET AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF NARAYAN SESHADRI OF JALNI, INDIAN PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELIST AND “APOSTLE TO THE MANGS”
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Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people.
Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial,
defend them against all enemies of the gospel,
and bestow on the church your saving peace,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 46
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 58
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Revelation 14:6-7
Romans 3:19-28
John 8:31-36 or Matthew 11:12-19
—Lutheran Service Book (2006), xxiii
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Originally published at SUNDRY THOUGHTS
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Above: The Crucifixion and the Way of the Holy Cross, June 9, 1887
Image Source = Library of Congress
Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-pga-00312
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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The Feast of the Holy Cross commemorates two events–The discovery of the supposed true cross by St. Helena on September 14, 320, and the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, on that day in 335, on the anniversary of the dedication of the First Temple in Jerusalem. In the Eastern Orthodox Church the corresponding commemoration is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Feast of the Holy Cross has had an interesting history. It existed in Constantinople in the 600s and in Rome in the 800s. The feast did not transfer into Anglicanism initially. It did become a lesser feast–a black-letter day–in The Book of Common Prayer in 1561. In The Church of England The Alternative Service Book (1980) kept Holy Cross Day as a black-letter day, but Common Worship (2000) promoted the commemoration to a major feast–a red-letter day. The Episcopal Church dropped Holy Cross Day in 1789 but added it–as a red-letter day–during Prayer Book revision in the 1970s. The feast remained outside the mainstream of U.S. and Canadian Lutheranism until the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and its variant, Lutheran Worship (1982).
Without getting lost in the narrative weeds (especially in Numbers 21), one needs to know that God chastises Jews and Christians for their sins yet does not destroy them, except when He allegedly sends poisonous snakes to attack them. Then God provides a healing mechanism. We should look up toward God, not grumble in a lack of gratitude. Isaiah 45:21-25, set toward the end of the Babylonian Exile, argues that God is the master of history, and that the vindication of the former Kingdom of Judah will benefit Gentiles also, for Gentiles will receive invitations to worship the one true God. Many will accept, we read. In the Gospel of John the exaltation of Jesus is his crucifixion. That is counter-intuitive; it might even be shocking. If so, recall 1 Corinthians 1:23–Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. God frequently works in ways we do not understand. John 12 mentions some God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped YHWH. This reference picks up from Isaiah 45:21-25. It also fits well with the Pauline mission to Gentiles and emphasis on Christ crucified.
As for God sending poisonous snakes to bite grumbling Israelites, that does not fit into my concept of God. My God-concept encompasses both judgment and mercy, but not that kind of behavior.
The choice of the cross as the symbol of Christianity is wonderfully ironic. The cross, an instrument of judicial murder and the creation of fear meant to inspire cowering submission to Roman authority, has become a symbol of divine love, sacrifice, and victory. A symbol means what people agree it means; that is what makes it a symbol. Long after the demise of the Roman Empire, the cross remains a transformed symbol.
The Episcopal collect for Holy Cross Day invites us to take up a cross and follow Jesus. In Cotton Patch Gospel (1982), the play based on Clarence Jordan‘s The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John, Jesus, says that a person not willing to accept his or her lynching is unworthy of Him.
That is indeed a high standard.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 1, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, DISCIPLE OF JESUS
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Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross
that he might draw the whole world to himself:
Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption,
may take up our cross and follow him;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Isaiah 45:21-25
Psalm 98 or 8:1-4
Philippians 2:5-11 or Galatians 6:14-18
John 12:31-36a
—Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 581
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Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross
that he might draw the whole world to himself.
To those who look upon the cross, grant your wisdom, healing, and eternal life,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Numbers 21:4b-9
Psalm 98:1-4 or 78:1-2, 34-38
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
John 3:13-17
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 57
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Numbers 21:4-9
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 12:20-33
—Lutheran Service Book (2006), xxiii
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Originally published at SUNDRY THOUGHTS
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Above: Statue of Liberty, 1894
Photographer = John S. Johnston
Image Source = Library of Congress
Reproduction Number = LC-USZ62-40098
God and Country–God First and Foremost
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Patriotism is a virtue, but jingoism and blind obedience to civil authority are vices. Nationalism can be a virtue, but it can also be a vice. To worship one’s nation-state is to commit idolatry, for one should worship God alone.
The way denominations handle the relationship to civil government can be interesting. According to the North American Lutheran service books I have consulted, neither July 1 (Canada Day) nor July 4 is on the ecclesiastical calendar, but there are propers for a national holiday of those sorts. Given the historical Lutheran theology of obedience to civil government, the lack of feast days for Canada Day and Independence Day (U.S.A.) surprises me. Perhaps it should not surprise me, though, given the free church (versus state church) experience of Lutherans in North America since the first Lutheran immigrants arrived, during the colonial period. (I, an Episcopalian, have read more U.S. Lutheran church history than many U.S. Lutherans.) The Anglican Church of Canada, a counterpart of The Church of England, a state church, has no official commemoration of Canada Day on its liturgical calendar, but The Book of Alternative Services (1985) contains prayers for the nation, the sovereign, the royal family, and the Commonwealth. (God save the Queen!) The Episcopal Church, another counterpart of The Church of England, has an ecclesiastical commemoration for Independence Day, but that feast (except for an attempt to add it in 1786) dates to 1928.
My context is the United States of America, a country in which all of us are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Even the indigenous peoples descend from immigrants. My context is the United States of America, a country in which xenophobia and nativism have a long and inglorious legacy, and constitute elements of current events. My country is one dissidents from the British Empire founded yet in which, in current, increasingly mainstream political discourse, or what passes for political discourse, dissent is allegedly disloyal and treasonous. My country is one with a glorious constitution that builds dissent into the electoral system, but a country in which, in July 2018 (as I write this post), support for those who espouse authoritarian ideas and tactics is growing stronger. my country is one founded on noble ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence (1776), but one in which denying inalienable rights to one portion or another of the population is a tradition (often wrapped sacrilegiously in the cloak of the moral and the sacred) older than the republic.
Patriotism entails recognizing both the good and the bad. It involves affirming the positive and seeking to correct the negative. I am blessed to be a citizen of the United States of America. The reality of my birth here provides me with advantages many people in much of the rest of the world lack. My patriotism excludes the false idea of American Exceptionalism and embraces globalism. My knowledge of the past tells me that we in the United States have never been cut off from the world, for events and trade patterns in the rest of the world have always affected us. My patriotism, rooted in idealism (including anti-colonialism), seeks no form of empire or hegemony, but rather warm, respectful relations with democratic, pluralistic allies and insistence on essential points, such as human rights. My patriotism eschews the false, self-justifying mockery of patriotism that Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) correctly labeled as
the last refuge of a scoundrel.
(Johnson, that moralist, word expert, and curmudgeon, has never ceased to be relevant.) Some of those who are officially enemies of the state are actually staunch patriots. To quote Voltaire (1694-1778),
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
I seek, however, to avoid becoming too temporally bound in this post. For occasional temporally specific critiques, consult my political statements at SUNDRY THOUGHTS, my original weblog, from which I spun off this weblog.
As much as I love my country, I do not worship it or wrap the Stars and Stripes around a cross. No, God is bigger than that. A U.S. flag properly has no place in a church; I support the separation of church and state as being in the best interests of the church. The church should retain its prophetic (in the highest sense of that word) power to confront civil authority when necessary and to affirm justice when it is present. No person should assume that God is on the side of his or her country, but all should hope that the country is more on God’s side than not.
Finally, all nations and states will pass away, as many have done. Yet God will remain forever. As St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) taught, that which is temporary (even if long-lasting from human perspective) can be worthy of love, but only so much. To give too much love to that which is temporary is to commit idolatry. And, in Augustinian theology, what is sin but disordered love? So yes, may we love our countries with the highest variety of patriotism, but may we love God more, for God is forever.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 23, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN, FOUNDER OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HOLY SAVIOR; AND HER DAUGHTER, SAINT CATHERINE OF SWEDEN, SUPERIOR OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HOLY SAVIOR
THE FEAST OF ADELAIDE TEAGUE CASE, PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
THE FEAST OF SAINTS PHILIP EVANS AND JOHN LLOYD, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS
THE FEAST OF THEODOR LILEY CLEMENS, ENGLISH MORAVIAN MINISTER, MISSIONARY, AND COMPOSER
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Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us,
and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn:
Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Deuteronomy 10:17-21
Psalm 145 or 145:1-9
Hebrews 11:8-16
Matthew 5:43-48
—Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), 453
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Lord of all the worlds, guide this nation by your Spirit to go forward in justice and freedom.
Give to all our people the blessings of well-being and harmony,
but above all things give us faith in you, that our nation may bring to your name and blessings to all peoples,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:4-14
Psalm 20
Romans 13:1-10
Mark 12:13-17
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 63
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Almighty God, you rule all the peoples of the earth.
Inspire the minds of all women and men to whom you have committed
the responsibility of government and leadership in the nations of the world.
Give to them the vision of truth and justice,
that by their counsel all nations and peoples may work together.
Give to the people of our country zeal for justice and strength of forbearance,
that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will.
Forgive our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to see and love the truth.
We pray all these things through Jesus Christ. Amen.
–Andy Langford in The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992)
Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 17-21
Psalm 72
Galatians 5:13-26
John 8:31-36
—The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992)
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Almighty God, you have given us this good land as our heritage.
Make us always remember your generosity and constantly do your will.
Bless our land with honest industry, sound learning, and an honorable way of life.
Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.
Make us who come many nations with many different languages a united people.
Defend our liberties and give those whom we have entrusted
with the authority of government the spirit of wisdom,
that there might be justice and peace in the land.
When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful,
and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail.
We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Book of Common Worship (1993), 816
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Above: Icon of the Apocalypse of John
Image in the Public Domain
God is the Ruler Yet
NOVEMBER 21-23, 2022
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The Collect:
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you is unending joy.
We worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory.
Abide with us, reign in us, and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 53
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The Assigned Readings:
Jeremiah 46:18-28 (Monday)
Isaiah 33:17-22 (Tuesday)
Isaiah 60:8-16 (Wednesday)
Psalm 24 (All Days)
Revelation 21:5-27 (Monday)
Revelation 22:8-21 (Tuesday)
Luke 1:1-4 (Wednesday)
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Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
“Who is this King of glory?”
“The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.”
Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
“Who is this King of glory?”
“The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.”
–Psalm 24:7-10, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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Here are some thoughts for the time between Proper 29 (Christ the King Sunday) and the First Sunday of Advent.
God wins in the end. Conquerors fall to other conquerors, who fall to other conquerors. The faithful who persevere will receive their reward. Some of them will live long enough to witness the triumph of God in the flesh. The story of Jesus of Nazareth, attested to by eyewitnesses, contains suffering, death, and resurrection. The victory of God in that case is one of love and power, not the smiting of enemies, for whom Christ interceded (Luke 23:34).
The Book of Revelation tells of divine creative destruction from Chapters 4 to 20. Then, in Revelation 21 and 22, God inaugurates the new order. There is smiting of enemies here, for the deliverance of the oppressed is frequently bad news for unrepentant oppressors. The new, divine world order, however, contains no oppression.
That divine order has not become reality yet, of course. Nevertheless, as the Reverend Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858-1901) wrote:
This is my Father’s world,
O let my ne’er forget
That though the wrong
Seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
The battle is not done;
Jesus who died
Shall be satisfied,
And earth and heaven be one.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 7, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF FREDERICK LUCIAN HOSMER, U.S. UNITARIAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ANTHONY MARY GIANELLI, FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARIES OF SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI AND THE SISTERS OF MARY DELL’ORTO
THE FEAST OF CHARLES AUGUSTUS BRIGGS, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR THEN EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND PRIEST
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/god-is-the-ruler-yet/
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Above: Jehoiakim
Image in the Public Domain
Good and Bad Shepherds
NOVEMBER 18 and 19, 2022
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The Collect:
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you is unending joy.
We worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory.
Abide with us, reign in us, and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 53
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The Assigned Readings:
Zechariah 11:1-17 (Friday)
Jeremiah 22:18-30 (Saturday)
Psalm 46 (Both Days)
1 Peter 1:3-9 (Friday)
Luke 18:15-17 (Saturday)
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God is our refuge and our strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
Though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
–Psalm 46:1-4, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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The reading from Second Zechariah is an allegory of a selfish and foolish shepherd who, instead of protecting the sheep of his flock, sells them to their slaughterer for the sum of thirty shekels of silver. The identification of the shepherd (code for political leader) is open-ended, and the price for which he sells the sheep of his flock to their doom is the same amount Judas Iscariot went on to receive for betraying Jesus in Matthew 26:14-16. One might surmise correctly that many members of Matthew’s audience, being Jews familiar with their scriptural heritage, would have recognized the echo of Zechariah 11.
Perhaps Second Zechariah was thinking of monarchs such as Jehoiakim (reigned 608-598 B.C.E.), of whom one can read in Jeremiah 22:13-19, 2 Kings 23:36-24:7, and 2 Chronicles 36:5-8, and of his son, Jeconiah/Jehoiachin (reigned 597 B.C.E.), of whom one can read in Jeremiah 22:20-30, 2 Kings 24:8-17, and 2 Chronicles 36:9-10. Jehoiachin was the penultimate King of Judah, and, by the time of his deposition by a foreign potentate, the realm Kingdom of Judah was obviously independent in name only.
Of Jehoiakim, father of Jehoiachin, Jeremiah 22 says in part:
Woe to him who builds his house on wrong,
his terraces on injustice;
Who works his neighbor without pay,
and gives him no wages.
Who says, “I will build myself a spacious house,
with airy rooms,”
Who cuts out windows for it,
panels it with cedar,
and paints it with vermillion.
–Verses 13-14, The New American Bible (1991)
Such shepherds abound, unfortunately. I refer not to those who strive to do the right thing for their populations yet fail to accomplish their goals, but to those to operate not out of any sense of seeking the common good but out of greed, self-aggrandisement, and indifference toward justice, especially that of the economic variety.
Among the most familiar images of Jesus in the Gospels is that of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21), who not only watches his flock attentively but lays down his life for it. The Good Shepherd is the polar opposite of the shepherd in Zechariah 11. The Good Shepherd is Jesus in 1 Peter 1 and the figure who points to powerless children as spiritual models in Luke 18. The Good Shepherd is one consistent with the description of God in Psalm 46.
To be a sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd is wonderful indeed.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 7, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF FREDERICK LUCIAN HOSMER, U.S. UNITARIAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ANTHONY MARY GIANELLI, FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARIES OF SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI AND THE SISTERS OF MARY DELL’ORTO
THE FEAST OF CHARLES AUGUSTUS BRIGGS, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR THEN EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND PRIEST
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/good-and-bad-shepherds/
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Above: The Death of Ahab, by Gustave Dore
Image in the Public Domain
Three Kings and Two Deaths
NOVEMBER 17, 2022
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The Collect:
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you is unending joy.
We worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory.
Abide with us, reign in us, and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 53
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The Assigned Readings:
2 Chronicles 18:12-22
Psalm 46
Hebrews 9:23-28
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God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
–Psalm 46:1, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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The account from 2 Chronicles 18, quite similar to one in 1 Kings 22, agrees with that sentiment and emphasizes the impropriety of a military alliance with an evil ally–in this case, King Ahab of Israel (reigned 873-852 B.C.E.). King Jehoshaphat of Judah (reigned 870-846 B.C.E.) enters into a military alliance with Ahab against Aram, a shared enemy. Only Micaiah, one prophet in a particular group of prophets, says that the planned attack at Ramoth-gilead is a bad idea. He resists pressure to claim otherwise. Micaiah is, of course, correct. Ahab dies. Jehoshaphat survives, to hear from one Jehu son of Hanani of God’s displeasure over the alliance:
For this, wrath is upon you from the LORD. However, there is good in you, for you have purged the land of the sacred posts and have dedicated yourself to worship God.
–2 Chronicles 19:2b-3, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
One can read of the reign of Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22:1-51 and 2 Chronicles 17:1-20:37.
Hebrews 9:23-28 concerns itself with the atoning qualities of the crucifixion of Jesus. I, as a student of Christian history, in particular of the development of doctrine and theology, know of three early theories of the Atonement. Two of these include the death of Christ. Penal Substitutionary Atonement does not satisfy me (forgive the double entendre), for it depicts a deity in which to stand in dread, not awe.
I will not be satisfied until people torture and kill my son,
that deity proclaims. The Classic Theory, or Christus Victor, however, places correct emphasis on the resurrection. Without the resurrection we have dead Jesus, who cannot save anyone.
Both Ahab and Jesus died. Ahab, who died foolishly (despite warning) and was idolatrous and evil (consult 1 Kings 16:29-22:40 and 2 Chronicles 18:1-34) had it coming. Jesus, however, was innocent of any offense before God. The death of Ahab brought to the throne of Israel his son, Ahaziah, who followed in his father’s ignominious footsteps (consult 1 Kings 22:52-54; 2 Kings 1:1-18). The death of Jesus, in contrast, played a role in the salvation of the human race from sin.
May we who follow Jesus respond to him, treating him as our savior, not merely another martyr to admire. Grace is free yet not cheap; ask Jesus. It demands much of us, such as that we not be as Kings Ahab and Ahaziah were.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 7, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF FREDERICK LUCIAN HOSMER, U.S. UNITARIAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ANTHONY MARY GIANELLI, FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARIES OF SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI AND THE SISTERS OF MARY DELL’ORTO
THE FEAST OF CHARLES AUGUSTUS BRIGGS, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR THEN EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND PRIEST
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/three-kings-and-two-deaths/
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Above: Icon of Ezekiel
Image in the Public Domain
Limitless Goodness
NOVEMBER 18, 2019
NOVEMBER 19, 2019
NOVEMBER 20, 2019
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The Collect:
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy.
Embrace us with your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may live through what is temporary without losing what is eternal,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 53
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The Assigned Readings:
Ezekiel 11:14-25 (Monday)
Ezekiel 39:21-40:4 (Tuesday)
Ezekiel 43:1-12 (Wednesday)
Psalm 141 (All Days)
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 (Monday)
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 (Tuesday)
Matthew 23:37-24:14 (Wednesday)
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But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD;
in you I take refuge;
do not strip me of my life.
–Psalm 141:8, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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The reading from Matthew is apocalyptic and Psalm 141 is also bleak. These texts come from difficult times. Oppressed people pray for God to destroy their enemies. The textual context in Matthew is the impending crucifixion of Jesus. From the perspective of the composition of the Gospel itself, however, there is wrestling with fading expectations of Christ’s imminent Second Coming. One also detects echoes of reality for Matthew’s audience, contending with persecution (or the threat thereof) and conflict with non-Christian Jews.
We read of mercy following judgment in Ezekiel 11, 39, 40, and 43. Punishment for societal sins will ensue, but so will restoration. In the end, God’s Presence returns to Jerusalem, which it departed in Chapters 10 and 11.
Those sins included not only idolatry but judicial corruption and economic injustice, which, of course, hurt the poor the most. Not seeking the common good violated the Law of Moses. Seeking the common good defined the assigned readings from Ephesians and 1 Corinthians.
“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor.
–1 Corinthians 10:23-24, The New American Bible (1991)
We also read, in the context of how we treat each other:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, for that Spirit is the seal with which you were marked for the day of final liberation.
–Ephesians 4:30, The Revised English Bible (1989)
Those are fine guiding principles. Some of the details in their vicinity in the texts might not apply to your circumstances, O reader, but such lists are not comprehensive and some examples are specific to cultures and settings. Timeless principles transcend circumstances and invite us to apply them when and where we are. May we live them in love of God and our fellow human beings, daring even to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-48). That is a difficult standard to meet, but it is possible via grace.
There must be no limit to your goodness, as your heavenly Father’s goodness knows no bounds.
–Matthew 5:48, The Revised English Bible (1989)
Amen.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 6, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF FRANKLIN CLARK FRY, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA AND THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
THE FEAST OF SAINT CLAUDE OF BESANCON, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, MONK, ABBOT, AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF HENRY JAMES BUCKOLL, AUTHOR AND TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM KETHE, PRESBYTERIAN HYMN WRITER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/limitless-goodness/
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ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS 
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