Gnesio

Here is a hymn for today from German pastor and hymn writer Karl J. Spitta, who was born on this day in 1801 in Hanover (d. September 28 1859).

How blessèd, from the bonds of sin
And earthly fetters free,
In singleness of heart and aim,
Thy servant, Lord, to be;
The hardest toil to undertake
With joy at Thy command,
The meanest office to receive
With meekness at Thy hand.

With willing heart and longing eyes
To watch before Thy gate,
Ready to run the weary race,
To bear the heavy weight;
No voice of thunder to expect,
But follow calm and still;
For love can easily divine
The One Belovèd’s will.

Thus may I serve Thee, gracious Lord;
Thus ever Thine alone,
My soul and body given to Thee,
The purchase Thou hast won;
Through evil or through good report
Still keeping by Thy side;
And by my life or by my death
Let Christ be magnified.

How happily the working days
In this dear service fly,
How rapidly the closing hour,
The time of rest, draws nigh,
When all the faithful gather home,
A joyful company;
And ever where the Master is
Shall His blest servants be.

Here is the text of the papal encyclical Militantis Ecclesiae, issued on this day in 1897 by Leo XIII, which described Protestantism as the “Lutheran rebellion, whose evil virus goes wandering about in almost all nations.”

MILITANTIS ECCLESIAE
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON ST. PETER CANISIUS

AUGUST 1, 1897

To the Archbishops and Bishops of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

1. The interest as well as the honor of the church militant demands that We celebrate frequently with solemn ceremonies the memory of those whose eminent virtue and piety have elevated them to a glorious rank in the church triumphant. These public honors recall their holiness, and this ever-salutary recollection is particularly beneficial in periods of hostility to virtue and faith. This year, by the favor of divine providence, We are permitted to celebrate the third centenary of the death of the great Saint Peter Canisius. Our only desire is to see good men inspired by the same qualities which this man devoted with so much success to the service of Christian society.

2. There exist, in effect, certain analogies between our age and the period in which Canisius lived: a period when the spirit of revolution and looseness of doctrine resulted in a great loss of faith and decline in morals. To deliver youth especially from this double scourge was the goal of this man who, after Boniface, is the second apostle of Germany. He achieved this purpose principally by establishing schools and publishing good books as well as by effective sermons and penetrating debates.

3. Following his example, many of you have energetically used these same weapons against your educated enemies by continually studying all the finest sciences and enthusiastically cultivating the liberal arts in order to defend the honor of religion. You were sustained in this by the desire and approval of the popes whose constant preoccupation has always been to preserve the ancient majesty of the arts and to promote the constant progress of culture. You are aware that Our greatest desire has been to see to the proper education of youth. We have everywhere made all possible provisions to ensure it.

4. We now gladly take advantage of this occasion to present the vigorous leader Peter Canisius as a model to all who fight for Christ in the Church’s army. By realizing that they must ally the weapons of knowledge with the weapons of justice, they will be able to defend the faith more vigorously and effectively.

5. We will easily understand how great was the task undertaken by this strong defender of the Catholic faith in the interest of the Church and of society if We consider the situation in Germany at the beginning of the Lutheran revolt. Moral standards had changed and as they continued to worsen, it was easy to fall into error – but this very error hastened the final collapse of morals. The number of those leaving the Catholic faith gradually increased. Soon the poison spread to most of the provinces and infected all classes. Many considered the cause of religion in that realm to be desperate and doubted that any remedy remained to be tried. Indeed it is clear that all would have been lost if God had not intervened with powerful aid.

6. In Germany there still were men of solid faith, remarkable for their knowledge and love of the faith. There were still the leaders of the house of Bavaria and Austria and, at their head, the King of the Romans, Ferdinand I. These men were resolved to preserve and to defend the Catholic faith with all their might. But the greatest new help which God sent to Germany in this period was the Society of Loyola which was formed during this troubled period. Peter Canisius was the first German to enter this society.

7. This is not the place to recall in detail the life of this man, so eminent in sanctity, the zeal with which he labored to restore harmony and union to his country torn by dissension and revolt, the ardor of his public debates with the teachers of error, his inspiring sermons, the persecutions he suffered, the many countries he travelled through, and the difficult missions he undertook in the interest of the faith. However, to return to the weapons of knowledge which we have mentioned: how constantly, readily, wisely, and fitly he employed them! Upon his return from Messana where he went as a teacher of rhetoric, he committed himself to the teaching of the sacred sciences in the academies of Cologne, Ingolstadt, and Vienna. Here he followed the royal road of the most approved learned men of the Christian school and revealed to the Germans the treasures of scholastic philosophy. As this philosophy was shunned at that time by the enemies of the faith because it was a great support of Catholic truth, he had it taught publicly in the schools and colleges of the Society of Jesus for whose establishment he had worked so hard.

8. He did not hesitate to descend from the heights of wisdom to the basics of writing. He undertook the instruction of children and even composed elementary writing books and grammars for their use. Indeed just as he often came back from preaching to the courts of kings to address the people, so, after learned writings on dogma or morals, he used to compose pamphlets destined either to strengthen the faith of the people or to arouse and nourish their piety. He had wonderful success in preventing the inexperienced from getting caught in the nets of error. The Summa which he published for this purpose is a compact and tightly-knit work, written in beautiful Latin and not unworthy of the Fathers of the Church. This remarkable work was enthusiastically received by learned men in almost all the countries of Europe. Less voluminous but no less useful were the two famous catechisms which this blessed man wrote for less cultivated minds: one for the religious instruction of children, the other for young men already involved in the study of the arts. These two works had such a great success among Catholics immediately upon publication that almost all professors charged with teaching the basics of the faith had them in hand. They were used not only in the schools as a spiritual milk for the children, but they were also explained publicly in the churches to the benefit of all. Thus, during three centuries Canisius has been regarded as the teacher of Catholics in Germany. In popular speech “knowing Canisius” was synonymous with “preserving the Christian faith.”

9. These details from the life of this great saint indicate clearly enough to all good people the way which they must follow. We know that your nation is particularly famous for the wise and fruitful way in which you dedicate your talent and activity to promoting the greatness of your country and ensuring both public and individual prosperity. But, above all, the wise and virtuous among you should make vigorous efforts for the faith, and they should dedicate all their insight and expressive energy to its glory and defense. For the same purpose they should understand and utilize at once every advance made in the arts and sciences.

10. If there ever existed a period which demanded abundant science and knowledge to defend the Catholic faith, it is assuredly ours in which the rapid progress in all branches of study often furnishes the enemies of the Christian faith with an occasion for attacking it. We must therefore commit the same forces to repel their attack. We must occupy the position first and snatch from their hands the weapons with which they are trying to destroy all links between God and man.

11. Catholics, thus fortified and fittingly instructed, will clearly be able to show that the faith, far from being hostile to human culture, constitutes in fact its apex and summit; that even on points where there is seeming opposition or contradiction, it can be so closely harmonized with philosophy that each enlightens the other; that nature is not the enemy but the companion and helper of religion; finall
y that the inspiration of religion not only enriches all types of knowledge but also gives literature and the other arts new strength and new life. The splendor and dignity which the sacred sciences draw from the profane sciences derive from the fact that human nature is more affected by teaching which is pleasingly presented. For this reason among nations with a more refined civilization, hardly any confidence is placed in a coarse wisdom, and learned men especially leave aside all that is not imprinted with a certain beauty and charm. “We are indebted to the wise men” no less than “the ignorant,” so we should stand in the battle line with the wise and if the ignorant falter, we should lift them up and strengthen them.

12. This area of activity in the Church has indeed been very wide. As soon as the long slaughter ceased and the Church regained its strength, wise men devoted their talent and their learning to glorifying the faith which had been sealed in the blood of its heroes. First the Fathers worked together at this task with their mighty strength. And in general their learned speech was worthy of the attention of the Greeks and the Romans.

13. Aroused by their teaching and their eloquence, many dedicated all their zeal to sacred studies and amassed such a rich patrimony of Christian wisdom that in every age Catholics have been able to draw weapons from it to destroy ancient errors or to annihilate new myths invented by heresy. No age has dissipated these treasures amassed by learned man, not even the age which was exposed to the ravages of the barbarians, when all lovely things were uncared for and forgotten. Consequently if the ancient wonders produced by human mind and hand, if the things which were once held in great esteem by the Greeks and the Romans have not entirely perished, it must be attributed entirely to the zeal and effort of the Church.

14. Even though the study of the arts and learning sheds so much glory on religion, those who dedicate themselves to these studies should use all their intellectual power and all their efforts to ensure that their knowledge not be selfish and sterile. Learned men should direct their studies to the profit of the Christian community and dedicate their own free time to common pursuits so that their knowledge may not seem an enterprise undertaken haphazardly but one which has practical application. Now such an obligation is especially clear in the instruction of youth, a work which is so important that it requires the greatest part of one’s cares and effort.

15. That is why We strongly encourage you to keep the schools in the fullness of the faith or to restore this fullness if necessary, and to bestow your cares on old as well as new schools, not only on primary schools but also on secondary schools and on colleges. As for the rest of the Catholics in your country, they should strive to preserve safe and intact the rights of the parents and those of the Church in the teaching of youth.

16. These are the things to ensure on this point. First, Catholics should not choose mixed schools but have their own schools especially for children. They should choose excellent and reputable teachers for them. For an education in which religion is altered or non-existent is a very dangerous education. We often see both cases occurring in mixed schools. No one should be ready to believe that instruction and piety can be separated with impunity. In effect, if it is true that We cannot exempt ourselves from the duty of religion at any period of life, in private or public affairs, so much the less should this duty be omitted at any age which is thoughtless, in which the spirit is ardent and exposed to so many inducements to evil.

17. To organize teaching in such a way as to remove it from all contact with religion is therefore to corrupt the very seeds of beauty and honor in the soul. It is to prepare, not defenders of the nation, but a plague and a scourge for the human race. Once God is suppressed, what can keep young people dutiful or recall them when they have strayed from the path of virtue and fall into the abyss of vice?

18. Secondly, it is necessary to teach religion to children, but not only at specified times. All their teaching should occur in an atmosphere of Christian piety. If it is otherwise, if this sacred inspiration does not penetrate the spirits of the teachers and of the students, the instruction will produce only little fruit and will often even have seriously harmful consequences. Every discipline has its own dangers and the young people will not know how to avoid them unless certain divine restraints are imposed on their intelligence and their heart. So We must beware that the essential thing, the practice of justice and piety, not be relegated to second place; that youth, restricted to those things alone which are visible, not crush the strength of virtue; that while the teachers carefully spell out the basics and the intricacies of some tiring discipline, they have no concern for the true wisdom whose “beginning is the fear of the Lord” and whose precepts should govern the whole of life. The knowledge of many subjects should always go hand in hand with the care of the spirit. Religion should give shape and direction to all branches of knowledge. Its majesty and sweetness should strike home and inspire the souls of the young.

19. Since the intention of the Church has always been that all types of studies be concerned with the religious formation of youth, it, is necessary that this part of teaching not only have its own place – and a principal place at that – but also that nobody should exercise such a serious office without having been judged suitable and authorized to perform it by the Church.

20. But it is not only in the education of children that religion claims her rights. There was a time when the government of every university (especially the University of Paris) subordinated all branches of study to theology to the extent that nobody was considered to have reached the heights of knowledge unless he had obtained a doctorate in theology. The restorer of the Augustan age, Leo X and after him the other popes, wanted the Roman Athenaeum and the other universities to be like strong fortresses at a period when impious wars raged against the church. Here, under the guidance and the inspiration of Christian wisdom, youth would receive its education. This system of studies which put God and religion in first place produced excellent results. Certainly it ensured that the youth thus educated remained more faithful to their duties. These happy results will be repeated among you if you strive energetically to have the rights of religion respected in your secondary schools, gymnasia, Iycaea, and academies.

21. But never forget that disunity of spirit and lack of harmony in action render vain the best intentions and useless all efforts. What can the divided forces of people accomplish against the united attack of our enemies? What good is individual bravery if there is no common tactic?

22. That is why We exhort you to abandon all stubborn controversy, every partisan contention, for these are causes of disunity. Thus everyone should act in harmony to define the Church. They should concentrate their forces and direct them toward the same goal, with the same intention “concerned with preserving unity of spirit in the bond of peace.”[1]

23. The memory of a great saint has persuaded Us to give this advice. May his illustrious example remain fixed in your minds and arouse the love of wisdom which he himself possessed. May this same wisdom always work for the salvation of man and for the defense of the Church’s authority.

24. We are confident, venerable brothers, since this matter is your special concern, that you will find among learned men many helpers to share in the glory of this work. Those to whom Providence has given the noble duty of educating youth will be of most assistance on account of the nature of their work.

25. If they remember
the saying of the ancients, that knowledge merits the name of cleverness rather than wisdom when it is separated from justice, or better yet if they meditate on the words of Scripture: “They are vain, those men in whom there is no knowledge of God,”[2] they will learn to use the weapons of knowledge less for their personal gain than for the general good. They can expect their efforts to produce the same fruits as Peter Canisius long ago obtained in his colleges and institutions: obedient young people who are eager to learn and are vigorous who detest the example of the impious, and are equally attracted to knowledge and virtue. When their piety has grown deep, there will practically be no need to fear that their souls will be affected by error or turned away from virtue. It is on them that the Church, on them that society base their fondest hope. They will be the eminent citizens of the future on whose wisdom, prudence, and knowledge will depend both the salvation of the social order and the tranquility of domestic life.

26. In conclusion, let Us offer Our prayers to God who is the Lord of Knowledge and to his Virgin Mother, called the Seat of Wisdom through the intercession of Peter Canisius who served the Church so well by his teaching. May He see fit to answer Our prayers for the growth of the Church and the good of youth. Filled with this hope, We impart to each one of you, venerable brothers, to your clergy and to all your people our apostolic blessing as a pledge of heavenly favors and a testimony of Our paternal good wishes.

Given in Rome at St. Peter’s the first day of August, 1897, the twentieth year of Our Pontificate.

ENDNOTES
# 1. Eph 4.3.
# 2. Wis 13.1

by Ty Andor

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)

As a people called out of the kingdom of the world into the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ, all that we are and do is to revolve around this as the defining characteristic of our existence: we are brought into the life of God by the blood of Christ, and so are called to live according to his will and purpose.

But building your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ does not necessarily come naturally. There is no reliable 12-step program for ensuring God is the defining center, the source and goal of your life; and most of the time it happens in rather subtle ways that we begin to neglect things like studying scripture, regular prayer, attending worship, etc. The rootedness of our lives in the Word and presence of God is pushed to the periphery, while more mundane concerns and tasks and interests overtake the center stage.

We shouldn’t expect such a revolution into the newness of life to be easy or overnight kind of change, wherever we feel we are with respect to God. And to be sure we are still in the fight, we need to ask ourselves the hard, self-reflective questions. To what extent are we truly converted into the newness of life? Is our faith a peripheral idea in the consciousness, or does it actually form the habitual center of our personal energy? Have we learned to recognize God at work in our daily lives and callings, as the one who has given to us all we are and have; who has put us in relationship with our families and friends, and given us daily work in which to help shape the world for the good? Have we learned where to look for strength and guidance in all things relative to this age and the next; to immerse ourselves in the bread from heaven of the Holy Scriptures, to express our needs and desires to God in prayer, whatever the time or place, and expect the abundance of his grace? Are we disciplined enough in our hearts to crave that which does not pass away, get consumed by moth and rust, and degrade this earthly life; but builds up our lives and the lives of others into the spiritual house that is the church of God? 

God means to be all of these things for you, as he wills to work every good thing for your benefit, that you may walk in the newness of life bestowed upon you in Christ, and the same strength that has overcome sin and death, the powers of the world  and the grave.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

God bless you and keep you, in Christ.

by Donavon Riley

He who has ears, let him hear. She who has ears, let her hear: Jesus alone sows the good seed. Jesus alone is the good seed. The world for all of its optimism in the future of human progress, for all of its faith in the potential for change that exists just around the next
corner – for all of its investment in the future, the world is nothing more than a field which must wait for its sower, its Creator, to
plant, to water, to raise up, and to give growth.

Those who are planted are the sons and daughters of his kingdom. These are his brothers and sisters, the fruit of his harvest. And because he plants, waters and gives growth, he does not want your dirty rags – your works, your words, your thoughts, or any other thing you can imagine. He has sown you and gathers you from amongst thorns, thistles and weeds to be his own. That is why he gathers you up each morning, and brings you into a place of safety and calm each Sunday morning, so that he might delight in you and that you might receive comfort from him, especially when the enemy sows evil amongst you.

The evil one, the devil, attempts to sow his seeds as well, turning men and women in on themselves; turning them back on their own
thoughts of progress, of moral improvement, of proving their worth to God by way of some scheme, project or plan to do right by God. But in the end you will be judged by these same schemes, projects and plans and by them you shall receive the reward you so richly deserve – for the man and woman who seeks to gain their future by doing right by God will be cast away from him into the fire. At the close of the age, Jesus declares, the angels shall at last come to reap a harvest; the weeds will be cast into the fire to be burned and the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

You are the seeds he is sowing. You are the field in which the evil one plays and plants his seeds. You are being gathered. But how are
you to know who is who, and for what purpose you are being sown when so many enemies abound (Ps. 3:6)? There is no shortage of wicked schemes to defend against and adversaries to drive away. We are hemmed in, pinched at, and put upon. Limits rise up around us, and even within us, so fast and so often it becomes impossible to keep track of who is doing what to whom and for what reason. From the day you are born until the last moment you draw breath the evil one, that old devil, is working on you. As he did in the garden so too does he whisper (and oftentimes roar) to your Old Adams and the Old Eves, insisting that you know what is best for you, what will fulfill your wants, and what you must be like to please yourself, others and God. But, in truth, you are so bound up in your own imagination that it is really about trying to figure out and fulfill what other people want from you and what God likes best about you. It is the pious lie, the grand deception, the work of the one who wants to stand in the place of Christ so that he and she can become both sower and Saviour, no longer a creature but a Creator, and if all goes well not just a creator but THE Creator. But regardless of your noble goals and high ideals the world you would like and the God you get are closed off from one another as far as east is from west.

And in between…

Enemies abound. From the plucking of forbidden fruit to Jacob’s deceit. From the first stones of Babel to Dinah’s rape. From David’s
betrayal to Job’s distress. Our history is marked by the dull thud of Cain’s ax driving Abel lifeless body to the ground. His creatures, his
beloved creation, fighting to the death for a place in the sun, where the stronger triumph and right is a light unto the ways of power. In
truth you can hear in this the battle between belief and unbelief, God’s word and our rebellion against him. In fact, the history of the
world is marked by the sound of Cain’s ax finally becoming dynamite.

And having become dynamite phosphorous, and having become phosphorous hydrogen bombs, and from that it’s the end of the world as we know it! It’s the end of history. The end of the terse age-old story of Cain and Abel repeated ad nauseum. But in the midst of this doomsday narrative full of sound and fury, angels and devils, weeping and gnashing of teeth the LORD has set a table.

Why?

Perhaps a last meal for the highly moral and religious who can escape all the ugliness of reaping and judging and consuming fire. But why would he do this? Why set a table for you now when so much is at stake? Why now when your enemies look to be closing in from every corner? Who is this God? Is this the one who sows? Is this your Saviour? Is this your mighty Protector in whom you are to trust for
everything?

The drama between Cain and God still erupts daily to take captive house and home. Spilling over into the family, spreading out over
neighborhoods, into our cities and finally to all nations, creeping and crawling through the most elemental relationships of human life.
And what does the LORD your God do? Does he set a mighty wall around your house? Does he dig a deep un-crossable moat around his field? Does he bless you with a bigger ax or better yet, a bigger gun? He is a jealous and vengeful God after all, declaring to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you…”

He has to do something… Doesn’t he?

He has to do something to keep you safe so that you might grow and increase! He has to do something so that swords are turned into
plowshares and your enemies are put to flight on hobbled legs the Lord your God has broken! Doesn’t he?

Yes, the prophet proclaims, “He prepares a table before me against my enemies.” He prepares a table before you so you will eat and drink and in this way defeat your enemies. But instead of eating and drinking would you not rather wage war? Would you not rather crush your enemies? But what if victory could be assured by doing nothing else but sitting at a table, eating and drinking to your heart’s content while your enemies are returned to the dust from which they came? By these words, “You prepare a table before me against my enemies,” the LORD overwhelms you completely with the boundless security of his word so that through his word you are flooded by rich comfort for your heart. He washes you in joy and comfort in spite of your best intentions. In spite of your moral dilemmas. In spite of your fears and resentments that are constantly surging upward and outward to determine who you are and who your God will be. In spite of what you want and what you like. Even in spite of God’s wrath and judgment against you. Through the comfort of his word you are encouraged and you are unbeatable. Because of Christ Jesus the enemy will not overcome you or succeed against you. Because the LORD sows his seed amongst you – His good word, Jesus Christ – the more your enemies rage and rave against you the less you need to worry. Instead, you can rest happy, secure, and cheerful because you are given this word, His word.

Only his good word – the word of our good LORD – only he can give strength, and comfort in the presence of your enemies. Only this word can put you at ease as night and day without ceasing the Old Adams rage and the Old Eves rave against you. Only the word of the LORD could gather such a harvest and set such a table before you, giving you all that you need to live from day to day; food, drink, joy,
pleasures, and music. All this is sown through the word of your good LORD. Because in Scripture, eating and drinking means believing and clinging firmly to the word of God – Jesus Christ. From him comes peace, joy, comfort, and strength. From him you have gained the
victory over the devil, the world, the flesh, sin, conscience, and death. All because you have eaten and drunk – believing and clinging
to the word of God alone.

Common sense re
volts against this of course. A reasonable man knows better. An intelligent woman would not be so naïve as to think that enemies could be defeated by stuffing your belly with bread and getting drunk on wine. The world is governed by power not bread, by political order not wine. Words are not what is needed, but military potential and political intelligence. The church, if it is to be relevant, thrive, and serve the greater good needs to get beyond the routine business of baptizing, marrying and burying!

And as for the rest? Do not fear the floodgates of violence bursting open upon you. If you just do your best, God will do the rest – or so
the old serpent would have you believe. Of course, that is why everything having to do with God’s word finally happens in a way that
more often than not confuses, confronts and contends against you. You see nothing but the valley of the shadow of death stretching under your feet, but you hear that every treasure of paradise is set before you. You have yet to see stones turned into bread; only unrelenting hunger, distress, anxiety, and trouble. But you hear his dear word in the Sacraments instructing, restoring, and comforting you through his body and his blood. You see believers inwardly tortured by the venomous fiery arrows of the devil (Eph 6:16) and outwardly imposed upon by heartache, harassment, lies, blasphemy, damnation and even murder. But you hear yourself called as sheep, innocent defenseless lambs which neither will nor can do anyone any harm. Not only is the good seed sown amongst you, but as he gathers you together from his rich harvest he also acts as your shepherd, carrying you on his shoulders past the enemy and his children, through the close of the age, through angels that reap and cast into fire, through weeping and gnashing of teeth to set you at the Father’s table in the kingdom of heaven forever.

This is his unbreakable promise to you and upon this promise the world will not stand. Therefore it cannot and does not want you any more than it wants him. But they will not overcome you! They will not overcome you because they cannot overcome him who carries you! They, like you, will not overcome sin, death, and the power of the devil with an ax or by putting your best foot forward. But the LORD your God will overcome all of them as he has overcome you – by the good seed, the word of his mouth, Christ Jesus. With his word he will comfort you and put the devil and every enemy of his word to flight. As the psalmist himself declares, The LORD is your shepherd, you shall not want.

This is your ax – your weapon. This is the victory that trumpets “Hallelujah” until the judgment day! The more the devil and the world
attack and torture you the sweeter the song. The more you are set upon by enemies who set their will against God and take counsel against his word, his beloved Son, his beloved sons and daughters the more comforting the voice of the singer, “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us; we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us…” The more you can
delight that it is the LORD who carries you on the wings of his will and counsel, that it is he alone who is your armor and weapon, your
refuge and fortress, your strong arm and salvation in the coming battle… And now, as for you. Instead of going out dressed to do
battle you can go about your business looking as if you were on your way to dinner. And this, in the words of the catechism, is most
certainly true!

The good LORD anoints your head and fills your cup to overflowing so that you may drink, and be happy, and get drunk! He has prepared a table for you! This table is to be your armor, this is your helmet and sword, and with these – a table and a cup – you will defeat all your enemies. All of this is done because he has sown a good seed amongst you, his word Jesus Christ. Through his word the good LORD, your shepherd, feeds and strengthens you so that you might laugh at all your enemies and sing with the psalmist: I am not afraid! I will not fear a hundred enemies! I will not fear a thousand times one thousand who set themselves against me round about (Ps. 3:6)! I will fear no evil for thou art with me!

Instead, I will get drunk! Intoxicated by hope and joy. Unlike Noah who enjoyed the fruit of the vine a little too much you will get
drunk, as the apostle Paul writes, “on the power of God” (Rom. 1:16). And what is this power? Jesus Christ himself. Jesus Christ murdered, mocked and alone. Jesus Christ crucified. Jesus Christ, given to you as the good seed. And with this seed you have been given the Sabbath bread. And with the Sabbath bread you have been given fellowship with your neighbor who is seated at the table with you. And now the time has arrived… The feast of Jesus Christ is set before you – his word of promise. Jesus Christ who pours himself out for you. It is he whom insists that though the sins of the world, your own, were laid upon him when he went in the tomb his victory was assured. And when the Father raised him from the dead he had no more sins upon him. No more death in him. No devil over him. And so today he comes to get you. To bestow his full inheritance and estate on you, all the nations of the earth and even heaven itself, that you might be his own and live under him in his kingdom. This is the blessed drunkenness you enjoy through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). This is your armor and weapon with which the LORD your God equips you against the devil and the world. He puts Jesus Christ himself into your mouth and puts the Holy Spirit – who is courage and wisdom and might – into your heart. Such joy is heard in
peace and prosperity to be sure but even more so when you yourself suffer and finally die. As Paul wrote, “We also rejoice in our
sufferings” (Rom. 5:3). But who can rejoice when suffering comes?

Again, the suffering you see and the joy you hear more often than not appear to contradict each other so that when suffering comes upon you, not only the devil and the world set themselves at your doorstep waiting to gain entry but another enemy crawls into your house, onto your bed, and worms its way into your conscience. As the old comic strip character Pogo said, “we have met the enemy, and he is us!” To not take full joy and confidence in God or on account of his word to take no pleasure and enjoy no patience in distress and affliction is the same as calling God a liar. Not confident in his promises to you, you wither under the guilt. Not trusting his word, you complain about the injustice; complaining that you ought not to be despairing so soon, that you ought not to have to be weak and fainthearted so often, that you ought not to have to be distressed: distressed so much that surely it must be the case that God has abandoned you to your enemies or worse, to yourself. He has abandoned you so that not even scraps from God’s table will satisfy you. But who shall separate you from the love God? Who will pluck up his seeds? Who will ruin the leaven so that their will be no bread? What can possibly upset the table he has set before you? Who can silence his word? He who did not spare his only Son but gave him up for you all will he not also give you all things with Him? Will tribulation, distress, or persecution, poverty, guns or bombs separate you from him?

No! The LORD has searched you and known you. He knows when you sit down and when you rise up. He discerns your thoughts and searches out your paths and your lying down. He is acquainted with all your ways. Even before a word is on your tongue the LORD knows it. He sets himself around you, behind and before you. He lays his hand upon you in order that he might deliver you from this body of death. All the days of your life he will make goodness and mercy to follow you and you will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

But where is the house of the LORD? How will you find it? God’s house is where he himself dwells. And he dwells where his w
ord Jesus Christ is, be it in a field, in church, or on the sea. On the other hand where Christ Jesus is not preached there the devil dwells. Though it
be a church of gold blessed by all the bishops on earth. Thus, whether you climb up into the heavens or descend into the darkness of the
grave Christ Jesus goes before you and his right hand holds you with an unbreakable grip. Even if the darkness covers you and the light
about you becomes as night. The darkness is nothing to him who has overcome death and the grave for you. He who has sown you in the darkness of your mother’s womb. He is your Shepherd!

The GOOD Shepherd, Christ Jesus, the GOOD Lord, the GOOD man who will not suffer you to want. You will remain in his house all the days of your life. Therefore, be assured and comforted. I neither sleep nor rest, declares the LORD. I will set a table before you against your enemies. So that you may be my own and be ever with me. And through me receive every kind of blessing and fruit. Endure to the end. Christ Jesus, the GOOD seed, your only Shepherd and Savior gives this to you.

Amen.

    HATTIESBURG, Miss. (ELCA) — Prayer, worship and fun were prominent
as more than 200 delegates of the youth organization of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in convention July 26-30 at the
University of Southern Mississippi (USM). “Open Eyes, Open Mind, Open
Heart” was the theme as leaders of the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO)
engaged in the business of their organization and in leadership
development.
    The LYO is an organization of nearly 100,000 high-school age members
of ELCA congregations across the United States and Caribbean. Nathaniel
Viets-VanLear, LYO president, Chicago, chaired the convention. Delegates
elected Nicolette Faison, Elmont, N.Y., to succeed Viets-VanLear.
    The LYO meets in convention every three years, and in 2006 it asked
the LYO board to “develop a process to explore, study and critically
examine the identity, purpose, core values and structure of the LYO,
bringing a report and recommendation to the 2009 LYO Convention.”
    Delegates received a committee report and established a
restructuring committee “to complete this process by developing and
assisting in the implementation of all recommended and approved changes.”
The process will include drafting reports on mission and purpose in 2009
and on ministries and structures in 2010.
    The convention asked the restructuring committee to reconsider a
recommendation limiting those elected to the LYO board to people entering
the 10th and 11th grades.  Delegates said 14 year olds should be
eligible, as well as others entering 9th and 12th grades.
    In another resolution, the convention asked that the committee
become a standing committee of the LYO and “remain intact throughout the
restructuring of LYO to evaluate changes as they happen.”
    Delegates adopted other resolutions to limit the use of disposable
water bottles, promote service opportunities among youth across the
church, support a peaceful end to the violent acts in Darfur, “raise
awareness and to advocate for the issues of poverty in the United
States,” and urge ELCA congregations to provide safe places where young
people can engage in open conversations about unhealthy behaviors.
    The convention “implored” youth across the ELCA to involve
themselves in synod assemblies. Congregations of the ELCA are organized
into 65 synods, which meet in assemblies annually.
    Delegates passed a resolution supporting adoption of a proposed
social statement on human sexuality that the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
will consider when it meets Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis.
    The convention urged ELCA congregations to consider including a
statement in their mission statement or other church documents to welcome
all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or “questioning” people.
    As part of its leadership development program, an afternoon of the
convention was devoted to delegates understanding Hattiesburg’s
contribution to the U.S. civil rights movement.
    Hattiesburg hosted the largest “Freedom School” in Mississippi in
the summer of 1964.  More than 3,000 volunteers served 650 to 675
students in communicating the racial injustices of the time when the
civil rights movement was in its infancy.
    A sample of the 831 photographs Herbert E. Randall Jr. took in 1964
was set up on easels around the convention hall. Delegates heard from
several scholars of 45 years earlier, including Clarence Magee, president
of the NAACP chapter in Forest County, Miss.
    Some of the delegates took a bus tour of Freedom School sites in the
area. Others learned and wrote freedom songs, and watched documentaries
on the civil rights movement and the murder of Emmett Till. Till was an
African American teenager murdered in Mississippi in 1955, after
reportedly whistling at a white woman.  His murder is considered a
leading event in the civil rights movement.
    Delegates also learned U.S. history and the significance of debate
in the civil rights movement.
    In another element of leadership development, delegates attended
workshops about the ELCA strategy on HIV and AIDS, the ELCA Book of Faith
initiative, biblical storytelling, the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Israel
and Palestine, Lutherans in the South, conflict resolution, disaster
response and preparedness, deaconesses, and welcoming people of all
sexual orientations and gender identities.
—
    Information about the Lutheran Youth Organization is at
http://www.ELCA.org/lyo on the ELCA Web site.

(via ELCA News Service)

An update from the Reporter on new LCMS missionaries.

by Katie Kuekes
 
Although A.J. Davis will be the first Synod missionary to serve in Presov, Slovakia, he doesn’t view that assignment to unfamiliar territory and people mission-orient-1.gifas intimidating, but rather as a continuation of mission history that goes back to the early church.
 
A member of Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Colleyville, Texas, Davis was one 28 new LCMS missionaries at Concordia University Chicago (CUC), in River Forest, Ill., May 31-June 10 for an annual training and orientation session led by LCMS World Mission staff. In Slovakia, Davis will teach English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL).
 
Davis described all the new missionaries at LCMS World Mission’s 2009 missionary orientation and training as “like-minded, … a good bunch of people who are willing to go into different cultures. … We’re disciples. It’s a humbling experience to know that as those in missionary service, we join in an ancient tradition of Christians.”
 
The 28 new missionaries in training for international work join 12 others that LCMS World Mission already has placed for the first time — totaling 40 new Synod missionaries in service since last year’s orientation.

Three new national missionaries also have been placed and begun serving in Boston, Chicago, and Newark, N.J.
 
Among the missionary group at CUC were 12 EFL teachers and “relationship builders,” two deaconess interns, two communications specialists, four career-missionary families, and a vicar. Their assignments are literally across the globe, to every area served by LCMS World Mission.
 
Regional directors, LCMS World Mission staff based in St. Louis, pastors, and others led the orientation and training, which included workshops on raising support, spiritual warfare in the field, and connecting and building meaningful relationships.
 
During an “urban plunge,” groups of trainees entered several Chicago ethnic neighborhoods with a list of tasks to complete — to become more comfortable interacting with people from unfamiliar cultural and language backgrounds.
 
New missionaries also shared thoughts about their upcoming service.
 
Peter Pfaff, who was born in South Korea to missionary parents, and who just graduated from Concordia University Texas, at Austin, will go to Japan tmiss-orient-group.gifo teach EFL through LCMS World Mission’s Volunteer Youth Ministry program. He said he is excited at the prospect of learning the Japanese language.
 
“After years of taking biblical Greek and Hebrew,” Pfaff said, “it will be nice to actually speak what I learn.”
 
Rev. David Mahsman, a new career missionary from St. Louis, has worked with LCMS World Mission since 2005 as assistant to the executive director. Along with his wife, Lois, Mahsman will be based in Frankfurt, Germany, serving with LCMS World Mission’s Eurasia team as the director of special assignments.
 
He said he considers his assignment as part of “a full circle — that the faith came to North America from Europe, and now we need to take the faith back because today’s Europeans have drifted away from it. Whatever I can do to restore the Gospel to the land of most of our ancestors is a positive and godly thing.”
 
For more information about service opportunities through LCMS World Mission and to view photos from this year’s orientation at Concordia University Chicago, visit LCMS World Mission’s Web site at www.lcmsworldmission.org.
 
To download the new missionaries’ prayer cards, go to www.lcmsworldmission.org/prayercards.

Katie Kuekes, a participant in LCMS World Mission’s new missionary orientation and training this year, is preparing for first-time missionary service as the communication specialist for Eurasia.

Here is a poem for today from Nahum Tate, Irish poet and hymnist, who died on this day in 1715.

Whilst Shepherds watch’d their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The Angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
Fear not, said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind,
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.
To you in David’s town this day
Is born of David’s line
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign.
The heavenly Babe you there shall find,
To human view display’d,
All meanly wrapt in swaddling bands
And in a manger laid.
Thus spake the Seraph, and forthwith
Appeared a heavenly throng
Of Angels praising God, and thus
Address’d their joyful song:
All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace,
Good-will henceforth from Heav’n to men
Begin and never cease.
Hallelujah.

On this day in 1540, Robert Barnes was burned at the stake for his adherence to the teachings of Martin Luther.

Here is a note of commemoration from Paul T. McCain’s blog:

Today we commemorate Robert Barnes, Confessor and Martyr. Here is a brief bio from The LCMS Commission on Worship:

Remembered as a devoted disciple of Martin Luther, Robert Barnes is considered to be among the first Lutheran martyrs. Born in 1495, Barnes became the prior of the Augustinian monastery at Cambridge, England. Converted to Lutheran teaching, he shared his insights with many English scholars through writings and personal contacts. During a time of exile to Germany he became a friend of Luther and later wrote a Latin summary of the main doctrines of the Augsburg Confession titled “Sententiae.” Upon his return to England, Barnes shared his Lutheran doctrines and views in person with King Henry VIII and initially had a positive reception. In 1529 Barnes was named royal chaplain. The changing political and ecclesiastical climate in his native country, however, claimed him as a victim; he was burned at the stake in Smithfield in 1540. His final confession of faith was published by Luther, who called his friend Barnes “our good, pious table companion and guest of our home, this holy martyr, Saint Robertus.” See more details about Barnes below the hymn.

Despised and scorned, they sojourned here;
But now, how glorious they appear!
Those martyrs stand,
A priestly band,
God’s throne forever near.
On earth they wept through bitte years;
Now God has wiped away their tears,
Transformed their strife
To heav’nly life,
And freed them from their fears.
They now enjoy the Sabbath rest,
The heavenly banquet of the blest;
The Lamb, their Lord,
At festive board,
Himself is host and guest. — LSB 676:2

From Wikipedia:

Barnes was born about 1495, was educated at Cambridge, where he was a member, and afterwards prior of the convent of Austin Friars, and graduated DD. in 1523.

He was apparently one of the Cambridge men who gathered at the White Horse Tavern for Bible-reading and theological discussion early in the third decade of the 16th century. At the Christmas Midnight Mass at St Edward’s Church in 1525, Barnes gave an openly evangelical sermon proclaiming the gospel and accusing the Church of its heresies, now sometimes considered to be the first sermon of the English Reformation. ^[1] As a result, in 1526 he was brought before the vice-chancellor for preaching a heterodox sermon, and was subsequently examined by Wolsey and four other bishops. He was condemned to abjure or be burnt; and preferring the former alternative, was committed to the Fleet prison and afterwards to the Austin Friars in London.

He escaped to Antwerp in 1528, and also visited Wittenberg, where he made Martin Luther’s acquaintance. He also came across Stephen Vaughan, an agent of Thomas Cromwell and an advanced reformer, who recommended him to Cromwell: “Look well,” he wrote, “upon Dr Barnes’ book. It is such a piece of work as I have not yet seen any like it. I think he shall seal it with his blood” (Letters and Papers of Henry VIII).

In 1531 Barnes returned to England, and became one of the chief intermediaries between the English government and Lutheran Germany. In 1535 he was sent to Germany, in the hope of inducing Lutheran divines to approve of Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and four years later he was employed in negotiations connected with Anne of Cleves’s marriage. The policy was Cromwell’s, but Henry VIII had already in 1538 refused to adopt Lutheran theology, and the statute of Six Articles (1539), followed by the king’s disgust with Anne of Cleves (1540), brought the agents of that policy to ruin.

An attack upon Bishop Gardiner by Barnes in a sermon at St Paul’s Cross was the signal for a bitter struggle between the Protestant and reactionary parties in Henry’s council, which raged during the spring of 1540. Barnes was forced to apologize and recant; and Gardiner delivered a series of sermons at St Paul’s Cross to counteract Barnes’ invective. But a month or so later Cromwell was made earl of Essex, Gardiner’s friend, Bishop Sampson, was sent to the Tower, and Barnes reverted to Lutheranism. It was a delusive victory. In July, Cromwell was attainted, Anne of Cleves was divorced and Barnes was burnt (30 July, 1540).

Barnes was one of six executed on the same day: two, William Jerome and Thomas Gerrard, were, like himself, burnt for heresy under the Six Articles; three, Thomas Abel, Richard Fetherstone and Edward Powell, were hanged for treason in denying the royal supremacy. Both Lutherans and Catholics on the continent were shocked. Luther published Barnes’ confession with a preface of his own as Bekenntnis des Glaubens (1540).

Here is a hymn for today from poet and hymnist Simon Dach, who was born on this day in 1605 at Memel, Prussia (d. April 15 1659).

Through Jesus’ blood and merit
I am at peace with God;
What, then, can daunt my spirit,
However dark my road?
My courage shall not fail me,
For God is on my side;
Though hell itself assail me,
Its rage I may deride.

There’s naught that me can sever
From the great love of God;
No want, no pain, whatever,
No famine, peril, flood.
Though thousand foes surround me,
For slaughter mark Thy sheep,
They never shall confound me,
The victory I shall reap.

Yea, neither life’s temptation
Nor death’s so trying hour,
Nor angels of high station,
Nor any other power,
Nor things that now are present,
Nor things that are to come,
Nor height, however pleasant,
Nor depths of deepest gloom.

Nor any creature ever
Shall from the love of God
This wretched sinner sever;
For in my Savior’s blood
This love its fountain taketh;
He hears my faithful prayer
And nevermore forsaketh
His own dear child and heir.

(Thanks to Amberg for posting it at Lutheran Hymn Revival)

Here is a the handout from Bob and Cathy Mattson, for the Ninth Sunday in Pentecost.

Pentecost 9 (.doc)
Pentecost 9 (.pdf)

09_pentecost 9th Sunday

Here is a hymn for today from Johann Mentzer, who was born on this day in 1658 near Rothenburg, Silesia (d. February 24 1743).

O that I had a thousand voices
And with a thousand tongues could tell
Of Him in Whom the earth rejoices
Who all things wisely does and well!
My grateful heart would then be free
To tell what God has done for me.

Ye forest leaves, so green and tender,
That dance for joy in summer air;
Ye meadow grasses, bright and slender,
Ye flowers, so wondrous sweet and fair,
That live to show His praise alone,
Help me to make His glory known.

Ye creatures that have breath and motion,
That fill with life, earth, sea and sky,
O join me in my heart’s devotion,
As I exalt the Lord most high:
My utmost powers can ne’er aright
Declare the wonders of His might.

O Father, deign Thou, I beseech Thee,
To listen to my earthly lays;
A nobler strain in Heav’n shall reach Thee
When I with angels hymn Thy praise,
And learn amid their choirs to sing
Loud hallelujahs to my King.

On this day in 1516 Martin Luther preached for the first time about indulgences.

The topic has by no means lapsed in relevance for Christians today, as they have regained relevance under the current pope. The following statement on indulgences was presented by John Paul II at a general audience in 1999:

GENERAL AUDIENCE

Wednesday, 29 September 1999

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. In close connection with the sacrament of Penance, our reflection today turns to a theme particularly related to the celebration of the Jubilee:  I am referring to the gift of indulgences, which are offered in particular abundance during the Jubilee Year, as indicated in the Bull Incarnationis mysterium and the attached decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

It is a sensitive subject, which has suffered historical misunderstandings that have had a negative impact on communion between Christians. In the present ecumenical context, the Church is aware of the need for this ancient practice to be properly understood and accepted as a significant expression of God’s mercy. Experience shows, in fact, that indulgences are sometimes received with superficial attitudes that ultimately frustrate God’s gift and cast a shadow on the very truths and values taught by the Church.

2. The starting-point for understanding indulgences is the abundance of God’s mercy revealed in the Cross of Christ. The crucified Jesus is the great “indulgence” that the Father has offered humanity through the forgiveness of sins and the possibility of living as children (cf. Jn 1: 12-13) in the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 4: 6; Rom 5: 5; 8: 15-16).

However, in the logic of the covenant, which is the heart of the whole economy of salvation, this gift does not reach us without our acceptance and response.

In the light of this principle, it is not difficult to understand how reconciliation with God, although based on a free and abundant offer of mercy, at the same time implies an arduous process which involves the individual’s personal effort and the Church’s sacramental work. For the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism, this process is centred on the sacrament of Penance, but it continues after the sacramental celebration. The person must be gradually “healed” of the negative effects which sin has caused in him (what the theological tradition calls the “punishments” and “remains” of sin).

3. At first sight, to speak of punishment after sacramental forgiveness might seem inconsistent. The Old Testament, however, shows us how normal it is to undergo reparative punishment after forgiveness. God, after describing himself as “a God merciful and gracious … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin”, adds:  “yet not without punishing” (Ex 34: 6-7). In the Second Book of Samuel, King David’s humble confession after his grave sin obtains God’s forgiveness (cf. 2 Sm 12: 13), but not the prevention of the foretold chastisement (cf. ibid., 12: 11; 16: 21). God’s fatherly love does not rule out punishment, even if the latter must always be understood as part of a merciful justice that re-establishes the violated order for the sake of man’s own good (cf. Heb 12: 4-11).

In this context temporal punishment expresses the condition of suffering of those who, although reconciled with God, are still marked by those “remains” of sin which do not leave them totally open to grace. Precisely for the sake of complete healing, the sinner is called to undertake a journey of conversion towards the fullness of love.

In this process God’s mercy comes to his aid in special ways. The temporal punishment itself serves as “medicine” to the extent that the person allows it to challenge him to undertake his own profound conversion. This is the meaning of the “satisfaction” required in the sacrament of Penance.

4. The meaning of indulgences must be seen against this background of man’s total renewal by the grace of Christ the Redeemer through the Church’s ministry. They began historically with the ancient Church’s awareness of being able to express the mercy of God by mitigating the canonical penances imposed for the sacramental remission of sins. The mitigation was offset, however, by personal and community obligations as a substitute for the punishment’s “medicinal” purpose.

We can now understand how an indulgence is “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints” (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, Normae de Indulgentiis, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1999, p. 21; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1471).

The Church has a treasury, then, which is “dispensed” as it were through indulgences. This “distribution” should not be understood as a sort of automatic transfer, as if we were speaking of “things”. It is instead the expression of the Church’s full confidence of being heard by the Father when – in view of Christ’s merits and, by his gift, those of Our Lady and the saints – she asks him to mitigate or cancel the painful aspect of punishment by fostering its medicinal aspect through other channels of grace. In the unfathomable mystery of divine wisdom, this gift of intercession can also benefit the faithful departed, who receive its fruits in a way appropriate to their condition.

5. We can see, then, how indulgences, far from being a sort of “discount” on the duty of conversion, are instead an aid to its prompt, generous and radical fulfilment. This is required to such an extent that the spiritual condition for receiving a plenary indulgence is the exclusion “of all attachment to sin, even venial sin” (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, p. 25).

Therefore, it would be a mistake to think that we can receive this gift by simply performing certain outward acts. On the contrary, they are required as the expression and support of our progress in conversion. They particularly show our faith in God’s mercy and in the marvellous reality of communion, which Christ has achieved by indissolubly uniting the Church to himself as his Body and Bride.

To the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors the Holy Father said:

I am happy to greet the Capuchin Friars taking part in the Capuchin Heritage Programme:  may this be a time of deep spiritual renewal for you! I also welcome the Maori Veterans from New Zealand.

Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those from England, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Canada and the United States of America, I invoke the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all.

(via vatican.va)

On this day in 1968 Pope Paul VI published his encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life), affirming traditional Roman Catholic teachings on abortion, contraception, and other issues pertaining to the sacredness of human life. You can read the letter below, reprinted from the Vatican website archive, or for a bit lighter exposition of the issues watch "The Miracle of Birth" from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

ENCYCLICAL LETTER
HUMANAE VITAE
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
PAUL VI
TO HIS VENERABLE BROTHERS
THE PATRIARCHS, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS
AND OTHER LOCAL ORDINARIES
IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE,
TO THE CLERGY AND FAITHFUL OF THE WHOLE CATHOLIC WORLD, AND TO ALL MEN OF GOOD WILL,
ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH
 

I.
PROBLEM AND COMPETENCY
OF THE MAGISTERIUM

New Questions

Interpreting the Moral Law

Special Studies

The Magisterium's Reply

II.
DOCTRINAL PRINCIPLES

God's Loving Design

Married Love

Responsible Parenthood

10. Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in the matter of responsible parenthood, which today, rightly enough, is much insisted upon, but which at the same time should be rightly understood. Thus, we do well to consider responsible parenthood in the light of its varied legitimate and interrelated aspects.

With regard to the biological processes, responsible parenthood means an awareness of, and respect for, their proper functions. In the procreative faculty the human mind discerns biological laws that apply to the human person. (9)

With regard to man's innate drives and emotions, responsible parenthood means that man's reason and will must exert control over them.

With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.

Responsible parenthood, as we use the term here, has one further essential aspect of paramount importance. It concerns the obj
ective moral order which was established by God, and of which a right conscience is the true interpreter. In a word, the exercise of responsible parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priorities, recognize their own duties toward God, themselves, their families and human society.

From this it follows that they are not free to act as they choose in the service of transmitting life, as if it were wholly up to them to decide what is the right course to follow. On the contrary, they are bound to ensure that what they do corresponds to the will of God the Creator. The very nature of marriage and its use makes His will clear, while the constant teaching of the Church spells it out. (10)

Observing the Natural Law

Union and Procreation

12. This particular doctrine, often expounded by the magisterium of the Church, is based on the inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act.

The reason is that the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new life—and this as a result of laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman. And if each of these essential qualities, the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is called. We believe that our contemporaries are particularly capable of seeing that this teaching is in harmony with human reason.

Faithfulness to God's Design

Unlawful Birth Control Methods

Lawful Therapeutic Means

15. On the other hand, the Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever. (19)

Recourse to Infertile Periods

16. Now as We noted earlier (no. 3), some people today raise the objection against this particular doctrine of the Church concerning the moral laws governing marriage, that human intelligence has both the right and responsibility to co
ntrol those forces of irrational nature which come within its ambit and to direct them toward ends beneficial to man. Others ask on the same point whether it is not reasonable in so many cases to use artificial birth control if by so doing the harmony and peace of a family are better served and more suitable conditions are provided for the education of children already born. To this question We must give a clear reply. The Church is the first to praise and commend the application of human intelligence to an activity in which a rational creature such as man is so closely associated with his Creator. But she affirms that this must be done within the limits of the order of reality established by God.

If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have just explained. (20)

Neither the Church nor her doctrine is inconsistent when she considers it lawful for married people to take advantage of the infertile period but condemns as always unlawful the use of means which directly prevent conception, even when the reasons given for the later practice may appear to be upright and serious. In reality, these two cases are completely different. In the former the married couple rightly use a faculty provided them by nature. In the later they obstruct the natural development of the generative process. It cannot be denied that in each case the married couple, for acceptable reasons, are both perfectly clear in their intention to avoid children and wish to make sure that none will result. But it is equally true that it is exclusively in the former case that husband and wife are ready to abstain from intercourse during the fertile period as often as for reasonable motives the birth of another child is not desirable. And when the infertile period recurs, they use their married intimacy to express their mutual love and safeguard their fidelity toward one another. In doing this they certainly give proof of a true and authentic love.

Consequences of Artificial Methods

Limits to Man's Power

Concern of the Church

III.
PASTORAL DIRECTIVES

19. Our words would not be an adequate expression of the thought and solicitude of the Church, Mother and Teacher of all peoples, if, after having recalled men to the observance and respect of the divine law regarding matrimony, they did not also support mankind in the honest regulation of birth amid the difficult conditions which today afflict families and peoples. The Church, in fact, cannot act differently toward men than did the Redeemer. She knows their weaknesses, she has compassion on the multitude, she welcomes sinners. But at the same time she cannot do otherwise than teach the law. For it is in fact the law of human life restored to its native truth and guided by the Spirit of God. (24) Observing the Divine Law.

ce="Times New Roman">20. The teaching of the Church regarding the proper regulation of birth is a promulgation of the law of God Himself. And yet there is no doubt that to many it will appear not merely difficult but even impossible to observe. Now it is true that like all good things which are outstanding for their nobility and for the benefits which they confer on men, so this law demands from individual men and women, from families and from human society, a resolute purpose and great endurance. Indeed it cannot be observed unless God comes to their help with the grace by which the goodwill of men is sustained and strengthened. But to those who consider this matter diligently it will indeed be evident that this endurance enhances man's dignity and confers benefits on human society.

Value of Self-Discipline

Promotion of Chastity

22. We take this opportunity to address those who are engaged in education and all those whose right and duty it is to provide for the common good of human society. We would call their attention to the need to create an atmosphere favorable to the growth of chastity so that true liberty may prevail over license and the norms of the moral law may be fully safeguarded.

Everything therefore in the modern means of social communication which arouses men's baser passions and encourages low moral standards, as well as every obscenity in the written word and every form of indecency on the stage and screen, should be condemned publicly and unanimously by all those who have at heart the advance of civilization and the safeguarding of the outstanding values of the human spirit. It is quite absurd to defend this kind of depravity in the name of art or culture (25) or by pleading the liberty which may be allowed in this field by the public authorities.

Appeal to Public Authorities

Seeking True Solutions

We are fully aware of the difficulties confronting the public authorities in this matter, especially in the developing countries. In fact, We had in mind the justifiable anxieties which weigh upon them when We published Our encyclical letter Populorum Progressio. But now We join Our voice to that of Our predecessor John XXIII of venerable memory, and We make Our own his words: "No statement of the problem and no solution to it is acceptable which does violence to man's essential dignity; those who propose such solutions base them on an utterly materialistic conception of man himself and his life. The only possible solution to this question is one which envisages the social and economic progress both of individuals and of the whole of human society, and which respects and promotes true human values." (26) No one can, without being grossly unfair, make divine Providence responsible for what clearly seems to be the result of misguided governmental policies, of an insufficient sense of social justice, of a selfish accumulation of material goods, and finally of a culpable failure to undertake those initiatives and responsibilities which would raise the standard of living of peoples and their children. (27) If only all governments which were able would do what some are already doing so nobly, and bestir themselves to renew their efforts and their undertakings! There must be no relaxation in the programs of mutual aid between all the branches of the great human family. Here We believe an almost limitless field lies open for the activities of the great international institutions.

To Scientists

24. Our next appeal is to men of science. These can "considerably advance the welfare of marriage and the family and also peace of conscience, if by pooling their efforts they strive to elucidate more thoroughly the conditions favorable to a proper regulation of births." (28) It is supremely desirable, and this was also the mind of Pius XII, that medical science should by the study of natural rhythms succeed in determining a sufficiently secure basis for the chaste limitation of offspring. (29) In this way scientists, especially those who are Catholics, will by their research establish the truth of the Church's claim that "there can be no contradiction between two divine laws—that which governs the transmitting of life and that which governs the fostering of married love." (30)

To Christian Couples

Recourse to God

For this reason husbands and wives should take up the burden appointed to them, willingly, in the strength of faith and of that hope which "does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us ~}36 Then let them implore the help of God with unremitting prayer and, most of all, let them draw grace and charity from that unfailing fount which is the Eucharist. If, however, sin still exercises its hold over them, they are not to lose heart. Rather must they, humble and persevering, have recourse to the mercy of God, abundantly bestowed in the Sacrament of Penance. In this way, for sure, they will be able to reach that perfection of married life which the Apostle sets out in these words: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. . . Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church. . . This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church; however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." (37)

Family Apostolate

26. Among the fruits that ripen if the law of God be resolutely obeyed, the most precious is certainly this, that married couples themselves will often desire to communicate their own experience to others. Thus it comes about that in the fullness of the lay vocation will be included a novel and outstanding form of the apostolate by which, like ministering to like, married couples themselves by the leadership they offer will become apostles to other married couples. And surely among all the forms of the Christian apostolate it is hard to think of one more opportune for the present time. (38)

To Doctors and Nurses

To Priests

Christian Compassion

To Bishops

A Great Work

31. Venerable brothers, beloved sons, all men of good will, great indeed is the work of education, of progress and of charity to which We now summon all of you. And this We do relying on the unshakable teaching of the Church, which teaching Peter's successor together with his brothers in the Catholic episcopate faithfully guards and interprets. And We are convinced that this truly great work will bring blessings both on the world and on the Church. For man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit, unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. These laws must be wisely and lovingly observed. On this great work, on all of you and especially on married couples, We implore from the God of all holiness and pity an abundance of heavenly grace as a pledge of which We gladly bestow Our apostolic blessing.

Given at St. Peter's, Rome, on the 25th day of July, the feast of St. James the Apostle, in the year 1968, the sixth of Our pontificate.

PAUL VI

LATIN TEXT: Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 60 (1968), 481-503.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION: The Pope Speaks, 13 (Fall. 1969), 329-46.

REFERENCES:

(1) See Pius IX, encyc. letter Oui pluribus: Pii IX P.M. Acta, 1, pp. 9-10; St. Pius X encyc. letter Singulari quadam: AAS 4 (1912), 658; Pius XI, encyc.letter Casti connubii: AAS 22 (1930), 579-581; Pius XII, address Magnificate Dominum to the episcopate of the Catholic World: AAS 46 (1954), 671-672; John XXIII, encyc. letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 457.

(2) See Mt 28. 18-19.

(3) See Mt 7. 21.

(4) See Council of Trent Roman Catechism, Part II, ch. 8; Leo XIII, encyc.letter Arcanum: Acta Leonis XIII, 2 (1880), 26-29; Pius XI, encyc.letter Divini illius Magistri: AAS 22 (1930), 58-61; encyc. letter Casti connubii: AAS 22 (1930), 545-546; Pius XII, Address to Italian Medico-Biological Union of St. Luke: Discorsi e radiomessaggi di Pio XII, VI, 191-192; to Italian Association of Catholic Midwives: AAS 43 (1951), 835-854; to the association known as the Family Campaign, and other family associations: AAS 43 (1951), 857-859; to 7th congress of International Society of Hematology: AAS 50 (1958), 734-735 [TPS VI, 394-395]; John XXIII, encyc.letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 446-447 [TPS VII, 330-331]; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, nos. 47-52: AAS 58 (1966), 1067-1074 [TPS XI, 289-295]; Code of Canon Law, canons 1067, 1068 §1, canon 1076, §§1-2.

(5) See Paul VI, Address to Sacred College of Cardinals: AAS 56 (1964), 588 [TPS IX, 355-356]; to Commission for the Study of Problems of Population, Family and Birth: AAS 57 (1965), 388 [TPS X, 225]; to National Congress of the Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology: AAS 58 (1966), 1168 [TPS XI, 401-403].

(6) See 1 Jn 4. 8.

(7) Eph 3. 15.

(8) Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 50: AAS 58 (1966), 1070-1072 [TPS XI, 292-293].

(9) See St. Thomas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 94, art. 2.

(10) See Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, nos . 50- 5 1: AAS 58 ( 1 966) 1070-1073 [TPS XI, 292-293].

(11) See ibid., no. 49: AAS 58 (1966), 1070 [TPS XI, 291-292].

(12) See Pius XI. encyc. letter Casti connubi: AAS 22 (1930), 560; Pius XII, Address to Midwives: AAS 43 (1951), 843.

(13) See encyc. letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 447 [TPS VII, 331].

(14) See Council of Trent Roman Catechism, Part II, ch. 8; Pius XI, encyc. letter Casti connubii: AAS 22 (1930), 562-564; Pius XII, Address to Medico-Biological Union of St. Luke: Discorsi e radiomessaggi, VI, 191-192; Address to Midwives: AAS 43 (1951), 842-843; Address to Family Campaign and other family associations: AAS 43 (1951), 857-859; John XXIII, encyc. letter Pacem in terris: AAS 55 (1963), 259-260 [TPS IX, 15-16]; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 51: AAS 58 (1966), 1072 [TPS XI, 293].

(15) See Pius XI, encyc. letter Casti connubii: AAS 22 (1930), 565; Decree of the Holy Office, Feb. 22, 1940: AAS 32 (1940), 73; Pius XII, Address to Midwives: AAS 43

ont size="3" face="Times New Roman">(1951), 843-844; to the Society of Hematology: AAS 50 (1958), 734-735 [TPS VI, 394-395].

(16) See Council of Trent Roman Catechism, Part II, ch. 8; Pius XI, encyc. letter Casti connubii: AAS 22 (1930), 559-561; Pius XII, Address to Midwives: AAS 43 (1951), 843; to the Society of Hematology: AAS 50 (1958), 734-735 [TPS VI, 394-395]; John XXIII, encyc.letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 447 [TPS VII, 331].

(17) See Pius XII, Address to National Congress of Italian Society of the Union of Catholic Jurists: AAS 45 (1953), 798-799 [TPS I, 67-69].

(18) See Rom 3. 8.

(19) See Pius XII, Address to 26th Congress of Italian Association of Urology: AAS 45 (1953), 674-675; to Society of Hematology: AAS 50 (1958), 734-735 [TPS VI, 394-395].

(20) See Pius XII, Address to Midwives: AAS 43 (1951), 846.

(21) See Pius XII, Address to Association of Urology: AAS 45 (1953), 674-675; to leaders and members of Italian Association of Cornea Donors and Italian Association for the Blind: AAS 48 (1956), 461-462 [TPS III, 200-201].

(22) Lk 2. 34.

(23) See Paul Vl, encyc. letter Populorum progressio: AAS 59 (1967), 268 [TPS XII, 151].

(24) See Rom 8.

(25) See Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Media of Social Communication, nos. 6-7: AAS 56 (1964), 147 [TPS IX, 340-341].

(26) Encyc. letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), 447 [TPS VII, 331].

(27) See encyc. letter Populorum progressio, nos. 48-55: AAS 59 (1967), 281-284 [TPS XII, 160-162].

(28) Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 52: AAS 58 (1966), 1074 [TPS XI, 294].

(29) Address to Family Campaign and other family associations: AAS 43 (1951), 859.

(30) Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 51: AAS 58 (1966), 1072 [TPS XI, 293].

(31) See Mt 11. 30.

(32) See Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, no. 48: AAS 58 (1966), 1067-1069 [TPS XI,290-291]; Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 35: AAS 57 (1965), 40-41 [TPS X, 382-383].

(33) Mt 7. 14; see Heb 12. 11.

(34) See Ti 2. 12.

(35) See 1 Cor 7. 31.

(36) Rom 5. 5.

(37) Eph 5. 25, 28-29, 32-33.

(38) See Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, nos. 35, 41: AAS 57 (1965), 40-45 [TPS X, 382-383, 386-387; Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today, nos. 48-49: AAS 58 (1966),1067-1070 [TPS XI, 290-292]; Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, no. 11: AAS 58 (1966), 847-849 [TPS XI, 128-129].

(39) See Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 25: AAS 57 (1965), 29-31 [TPS X, 375-376].

(40) 1 Cor 1. 10.

(41) See Jn 3. 17.

(via vatican.va)

Here is a hymn for today from Albert Knapp, who was born on this day in 1798 at Tübingen, Württemberg (d. June 18, 1864).

O Father, Thou Who hast created all
In wisest love, we pray,
Look on this babe, who at Thy gracious call
Is entering on life’s way;
Bend o’er him in Thy tenderness,
Thine image on his soul impress;
O Father, hear!

O Son of God, who diedst for us, behold,
We bring our child to Thee;
Thou tender Shepherd, take him to Thy fold,
Thine own for aye to be;
Defend him through this earthly strife,
And lead him on the path of life,
O Son of God!

O Holy Ghost, who broodest o’er the wave,
Descend upon this child;
Give him undying life, his spirit lave
With waters undefiled;
Grant him, while yet a babe, to be
A child of God, a home for Thee,
O Holy Ghost!

O Triune God, what Thou command’st is done;
We speak, but Thine the might;
This child hath scarce yet seen our earthly sun,
Yet pour on him Thy light,
In faith and hope, in joy and love,
Thou Sun of all below, above,
O Triune God!

As the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has drifted away from the Christian and Lutheran traditions under the leadership of Mark Hanson, several people have attempted with open letters to persuade him and inform others of various tragic courses of action the denomination has taken in its brief history, with the hope that there might be some possibility of change. Letters have been written by Dennis Bielfeldt, Carl Braaten,  George Paul Mocko, Gerhard Forde and James Nestingen, and Paul Spring, (please share any others you know of in the comments), and here is the latest, from Paul R Hinlicky (via Lutheran Forum):

Dear  Bishop Hanson,

On July 1, 2009, you released a pastoral letter on the unity which we have in Christ Jesus even in the midst of severe and growing polarization in the ELCA. You noted that “we remain a church body that is not of one mind about these decisions [on the draft Social Statement and Recommendations for Ministry], and that these continuing differences have raised concerns among some about whether we are headed toward a church-dividing decision.” Towards the conclusion of your letter you summon “this church,” the ELCA, to maintain this unity: “Some may question why I am writing and wonder if this letter is advocating for a particular position on the questions before the churchwide assembly. It is not. Rather, it is an honest expression of my conviction that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s mission for the life of the world, and the members of this church deserve this witness from us: In Christ we are members of one body serving God’s mission for the life of the world.” You thus called us to faith in this unity of the ELCA.

I am glad that you have awakened to the imminent danger threatening the unity of “this church.” Since I am one of the ELCA’s Teaching Theologians who has in fact repeatedly warned of the danger of a “church-dividing decision,” and since I unhappily confess to reading your disavowal of partisanship on the matter before us with less than full confidence, I am responding publicly to the remarkable reasoning I find in your letter.

You write against “a fear that unity depends on the actions of church leaders or assemblies.” Against this fearful misapprehension, you urge that unity “comes to us because God gives it freely and undeservedly in Jesus Christ. Although everyone in leadership shares responsibility for stewarding our unity in Christ, it will not be won or lost at the churchwide assembly in a plenary session vote. Rather, it will be received as a gracious gift from God when the assembly is gathered each noon by the Word and Sacrament through which God gives us unity, making us one in Jesus Christ. We hold in common this confession that God makes us one in Jesus Christ, but it is not making this confession that makes us one. Rather, because God unites us to Jesus Christ in Baptism we are also united to each other in one body that transcends any other difference. Paul states this clearly. “For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).

It is remarkable that you draw this conclusion about the ELCA’s unity from the Letter to the Galatians which warns against receiving any other gospel (Galatians 1:6-9) and demands testing of doctrine and church practice by the rule of faith (Galatians 6:15-16). But what is even more remarkable is that you apply this gospel theology of our God-given unity in Christ through baptism into His death and resurrection, not to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church, but to an American Protestant denomination, the ELCA, on the cusp of a self-induced institutional catastrophe. This is an egregious category confusion. But it is far worse than a merely intellectual mistake.

You apply this wonderful gospel theology of new human unity given in Christ to a separated denomination’s institutional existence, on the occasion of a decision that may seal its sectarian stance and burn bridges to Christians through 2000 years of history, across the range of ecumenical relations opened up in the last generation since Vatican II, and indeed within the world-wide Lutheran communion.

This is a theological abuse of the holy sacrament. Your letter uses the right theology of holy baptism falsely, that is, to serve the institutional interests of a separated American denomination possibly about to make a sectarian decision, rather than to challenge that separated American denomination to deal with the real implications of its baptismal bonds to other Christians in the decision facing it.

If what I have just said is not clear to you, permit me to ask you in turn as bishop of my church: Why should I trade my baptismal unity in Christ with Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelicals, the consensus fidelium through the ages, and indeed the vast majority of member churches of the LWF in order to stay in an American Protestant denomination which increasingly asks me to support things I conscientiously judge to be heterodox, indeed, at variance with baptismal faith itself in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?

I said I was glad that you have awakened to your duty as bishop to minister to the unity of the church, and I mean it. Accordingly, permit me this counsel. The truly pastoral thing to do now would be to cease blaming the bearers of bad news for “this church’s” own failings of process and theology. The truly pastoral thing to do now would be to come out for the 2/3rds rule, as own your council of Bishops recommended by a vote of 44-15, or, even better, to advise the assembly that it has no right to change binding doctrine as specified in the ELCA Constitution Chapters Two and Three.

The truly pastoral thing to do now would be to urge that the draft Social Statement be sent back to the drawing board for failing to gain a theologically convincing Lutheran interpretation of the problems of human sexuality, and for failing to uphold the normative status of the confessional doctrine of marriage, to which the ELCA is committed by its Constitution and, apart from which commitment, has no claim on conscience for institutional loyalty. The truly pastoral thing to do now would to stop the torture that has sapped the strength and demoralized “this church” for so many years and support defeat of the draft Social Statement, the Four Recommendations and adoption of a 10-year moratorium on the issue.

Paul R. Hinlicky

N.B. This letter was sent on July 3. So far, no response has been received.

Lutherans For Life and LCMS World Relief and Human Care are encouraging Lutherans to join a free webcast discussion about the health care reform legislation under consideration by Congress, as it pertains to abortion.

During the 70-minute program, broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST July 23, congressmen and nationally-known leaders including Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, and Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life will discuss:

• mandated access to abortion services, even if a community doesn’t want a clinic.
• clauses that would require medical professionals to perform abortions, which circumvent the “conscience clause.”
• mandated tax-payer-funded abortions.
• future health care rationing.
• action steps you can take to make a difference.

To listen to the live webcast and submit questions, register at www.stoptheabortionmandate.com

(via the Reporter)

Here is a hymn for today from Caspar Füger, who died on this day in 1617 at Dresden, Germany (b. ca. 1561).

We Christians may rejoice today
When Christ was born to comfort and to save us.
Who thus believes no longer grieves,
For none are lost who grasp the hope He gave us.

Oh, wondrous joy that God most high
Should take our flesh and thus our race should honor!
A virgin mild hath borne this Child;
Such grace and glory God hath put upon her.

Sin brought us grief, but Christ relief,
When down to earth He came for our salvation.
Since God with us is dwelling thus,
Who dares to speak the Christian’s condemnation?

The hither throng with happy song
To Him Whose birth and death are our assurance;
Through Whom are we at last set free
From sins and burdens that surpassed endurance.

Yea, let us praise our God and raise
Loud hallelujahs to the skies above us.
The bliss bestowed today by God
To ceaseless thankfulness and joy should move us.

Here is a hymn for today, from Louis Fitzgerald Benson, who was born on this day in 1855 (d. 1930).

O Christ, who didst our tasks fulfill,
Didst share the hopes of youth,
Our Savior and our Brother still,
Now lead us into truth.

The call is Thine: be Thou the Way,
And Thine the hearts that guide;
Let wisdom broaden with the day,
Let human faith abide.

Who learns of Thee the truth shall find,
Who follows, wins the goal;
With reverence crown the earnest mind,
And speak within the soul.

Waken the purpose high which strives,
And, falling, stands again;
Confirm the will of eager lives
To quit themselves like men.

Thy life the bond of fellowship,
Thy love the law that rules,
Thy Name, proclaimed by every lip,
The Master of our schools.

Gary Jepsen, pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Puyallup, WA, has provided this short essay, “A Layman’s Guide to the Use of Reason: Insights into what Luther Saw as the Proper Role for Reason in Christian Deliberation,” to give the average person some tools for understanding the proper role for reason in the faith, life, and proclamation of the church.

Download (.pdf)

A Laymans Guide to Reason

(via WordAlone)

Episcopalians, Lutherans Taking Action on Sexuality Topics 09-154-MRC CHICAGO (ELCA) — The 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church took a series of actions on the topic of human sexuality July 8-17 in Anaheim, Calif. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will also make decisions on matters concerning the topic at its 2009 Churchwide Assembly Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis. The ELCA and Episcopal Church have been “full communion” partners since 2000. The relationship is based on a common confessing of the Christian faith. The denominations collaborate on various ministry initiatives, may provide for the interchangeability of ordained clergy and engage in worship together. On behalf of the ELCA, the Rev. Donald J. McCoid attended the convention. He said the actions of the Episcopal Church “do not parallel what will be before our churchwide assembly, although some of the concerns are similar.” “The Episcopal Church has a different process for considering human sexuality issues and policies,” said McCoid, executive director, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. During their convention, Episcopalians passed a resolution designed to open ordination to anyone in the denomination through a discernment process outlined in the church’s Constitution and Canons. The resolution also reaffirmed the Episcopal Church’s participation in the worldwide Anglican Communion, noting that members of the communion hold opposing views on matters related to human sexuality. In a separate action, the convention called for a collection of theological resources and liturgies for same-gender blessings. The convention authorized the denomination’s House of Bishops and Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to devise and oversee an “open process” that would invite Episcopalians to gather such resources, and it requested a progress report on this work to be delivered to the 2012 convention. The action states that Episcopal bishops, “particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church.” It also “honor(s) the theological diversity of this church in regard to matters of human sexuality.”

Voting members of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly are scheduled to consider two documents related to human sexuality. One is a proposed social statement on human sexuality, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.” Social statements are theological and teaching documents that form the basis for policy in the ELCA. The other document is a “Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies.” The recommendation asks the assembly to consider a process to change ministry policies to make it possible for Lutherans, who are in “publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships,” to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers. Both documents were mandated by previous churchwide assemblies. The assembly is the highest legislative authority of the ELCA. The theme of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is “God’s Work. Our Hands.”
 
- – - News about the 2009 Episcopal Church General Convention is available at http://ecusa.anglican.org/79425_ENG_HTM.htm on the Web. Information about the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the ELCA Web site. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog

(via ELCA News Service)

by Paul T. McCain / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Over the weekend a friend noted he is observing the anniversary of his ordination and said that he wishes he felt just as optimistic and idealistic as he did on the day he was ordained. I offered a couple of platitudes and words of encouragement, but felt I didn’t do the situation justice. I know I did not. Then today in the Treasury of Daily Prayer I noted that we are commemorating the prophet Elijah. And I immediately thought of my friend, who, like many pastors—no make that, most—no, scratch that—make that all pastors—feels discouraged, pessimistic, cynical and disheartened, from time to time. Pastors, you know what I’m talking about. But not only pastors, all Christians feel these things.

If anyone tells a pastor that he will simply always be the model of optimism, never down-in-the-dumps, and never feeling worn out, exhausted, and as if the whole world is against him, well, they obviously have never met our friend, Elijah. Here was a man who had a direct and personal encounter with the living God, receiving more personal attention from God, in a miraculous manner, than most any human being, before or since. He was a great worker of miracles. Surely, with such a calling, such an “ordination,” if you will, Elijah would never after be discouraged, disheartened or cast down in spirit. But, of course, he was.

Here was a man who was now in fear for his life, chased after by a wicked queen whom he had disrespected with his preaching. [God's Word has a way of doing that, you know, no matter how kindly we speak it]. He went up against angry prophets of Baal. He was stuck in the wilderness. He was on the point of starvation. So discouraged was Elijah that he basically said, “Lord, I give up. I’ve had it. There is no more point in going on. Nobody listens to me. Nobody listens to you. There are no more people left worth preaching to. Lord, just let me die. Please. Let me die.” Then Elijah gets angry, “Listen, Lord, I’ve done everything you’ve told me to do. I keep preaching to these ungrateful, unfaithful people. They don’t change. I’m sick and tired of them. I’m sick and tired of the mission and the ministry you’ve given me. What more do you want me to do? They don’t listen to me. They don’t listen to you. I’ve had it Lord!”

And it was at this very moment that Lord revealed Himself again to Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-12), through the still small voice which assured Elijah of several realities: (1) The Lord is in charge, not Elijah; (2) There are faithful men and women left; (3) Elijah’s job is not to “fix” everything, but to keep on being faithful to his calling: teach, preach and never give up! The Lord speaks to Elijah and comforts him. And he does the same for us all in the still small voice that we hear today when we receive the Word of Christ in the Gospel. It is not going to split mountains, we won’t be comforted that way. It’s not going to come in an “earthquake” experience. No, the Lord’s still small voice comes to us today, as it came to Elijah, assuring and comforting, strengthening and equipping. “Listen, Pastor, the ministry is mine, not your’s. I’ve given you a part of it, for a while. I’ve called you to this task. It is my Word you are preaching and teaching and speaking. You teach. You preach. You encourage. Then, leave results in my hand. You know what I’ve already told you in my Word. It never returns to me without having accomplished the task for which I have sent it, through you.”

I love the line where the Lord finds Elijah hiding out in the cave and says, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:13). Is perhaps the Lord asking you the same question? “What are you doing here?” Consider this. What are you doing focused on the negatives in your life? What are you doing fearful and trembling in a cave of your own choosing, perhaps your own making? The Lord let Elijah have a time out and then sent put Elijah back on his feet and sent him back out, assuring Elijah of his faithfulness and mercy. And the Lord does the same for you. He speaks to you still in the still small voice of the good news of Christ: “Remember, I’ve called you. I’ve put my name on you in Baptism. I’ve forgiven all your sins. Every single one. Even those you are ashamed to speak aloud. I know them. I forgive them.” The Lord feeds us, not with ravens, but with the feeding by which we receive the Bread of Life, the very same body and blood given and shed on the cross, is put into our mouths by our Lord. Good words put into our ears. Good water splashed on us. Good food given.

This message applies, of course, to all Christians when they face struggles and difficulties in life. But those who are not pastors, who are reading this, would you please make it a point of offering a word of encouragement to your pastor? Send him a hand written note. Tell him what his ministry means to you and your family. Assure your pastor you are praying for him, and then actually do it: pray for him. The Lord will use you to offer encouragement to your pastor.

Here is the handout, from Bob and Cathy Mattson, for the Eighth Sunday in Pentecost.

Eighth Sunday in Pentecost (.doc)
Eighth Sunday in Pentecost (.pdf)

09 Pentecost 8th Sunday

Here is a sermon for today from the French reformer John Calvin (1509-1564), who arrived in Geneva on this day in 1539. With the help of William Farel (1489-1565) Calvin transformed Geneva into a center of Reformed Christianity, and a theocracy.

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Gal. 4:21-26)

Freedom is such a desirable thing to every one of us, that without it our lives would be little more than a living death, or at the very least, perpetual misery. Indeed, so far as we are able, we flee subjection and constraint, and covet liberty, which, according to the old proverb, is a priceless treasure. If this is true of our earthly lives, then it applies even more to the eternal salvation of our souls. Yet how many there are who are still in bondage, as if they have a noose tied around their necks! Although they claim to love freedom, they live as though they were bound in slavery. This freedom is particularly evident when people are able to rejoice in the liberty purchased for them by the Lord Jesus Christ, which brings rest to their souls. In the gospel, God declares that he delights to adopt us as his children, and in doing so, he frees us from Satan’s snare and from the tyranny of sin. But there are very few who will accept this gift when it is presented to them, because of their cursed captivity to sin; they seem to prefer to be subject to their own carnal appetites, rather than to yield in obedience to God and walk in complete liberty. Paul, therefore, has good reason to scold the Galatians for living under the law, because they are rejecting the freedom and liberty that they should have enjoyed as children of God.

Now Paul gives us a symbol, a vivid picture illustrating that the very law itself reveals the poverty and misery of the human heart; yet the Galatians prefer to remain under it! For the house of Abraham is a clear symbol of the church of God. It tells us much about the state of the church. It is written that Abraham had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac (Gen. 16:1ff). Ishmael was born to Hagar, Abraham’s servant, who was given to him to be his wife. But there was a serious fault here, for it was not right for him to break faith with his lawful wife, Sarah. Now, what was the reason for this union between Abraham and Hagar? It was brought about because Sarah acted hastily and rashly, believing that God was too slow about fulfilling his promise to her to provide her with offspring. She thought that she was unable to conceive. But her understanding of God’s Word was poor, and she did not have the patience and contentment that faith demands. In short, this was a relationship to be condemned, an immoral union, though Abraham did not originally intend this at all. He had not been driven by wicked lust, he had simply desired to have seed through which would spring the salvation of the world. But how foolish such acts are, when we attempt this or that without being told to do so by the Word of God. When we are driven by our own rash desires, many sins occur. Thus, Ishmael was born to Hagar, the ‘bondmaid’, from an illicit relationship with which God was not pleased. Isaac was born to Sarah a long time after Ishmael, for Ishmael may have been sixteen years old when Isaac was born. Paul (following Moses’ account) tells us that Isaac was born according to promise and Ishmael according to the flesh. Now this does not mean that Abraham was not Isaac’s father, but rather that he was born through divine power; for Abraham was declining; indeed, he was half-dead and had no strength left in him! He was a hundred years old, and his wife was almost the same; she had been infertile throughout her life of roughly ninety years. The idea that she could conceive and give birth was seen as laughable when the angels brought her this message (Gen. 18:12). Therefore, Isaac was born according to promise, for God worked a miracle in order that he might send the Lord Jesus into this world; not following the laws of nature, but through the goodness of God alone and according to his perfect will.

Thus, in the house of Abraham, we have a figure of the church: two women, both of whom gave birth to a son. As for Hagar, Paul tells us that she represents Mount Sinai, where the law was given, and we are told that this was in Arabia, to show that it was not in the holy land chosen by God as an inheritance for his people. Sarah represents Jerusalem. Not, he says, the present city, for it has changed beyond recognition. Its inhabitants have separated themselves from the law and from pure doctrine. Now, when I say the law, I do not mean it in the way Paul refers to it in this letter — the law that engenders bondage — I mean the covenant that God made with his people through the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Jerusalem at the time of Paul had rejected Jesus Christ and, therefore, broken their covenant with God, Paul says that he must refer to it as Hagar and Sinai. For the Jews, he is saying, boast about their temple and sacrifices and the like, and that they are the chosen and elect people of God, yet they are banished and excluded from the holy land, as it were, and have a meaningless connection with the law. For if we were to see Jerusalem at the time of Paul, we would realise that it was comparable to Sinai. But there is another Jerusalem: ‘Jerusalem which is above’. This corresponds to the church through which we receive regeneration in God’s sight. The church, through the incorruptible seed of the gospel, engenders offspring who are freeborn. For she is ‘the mother of us all’. Then Paul quotes the words of Isaiah, ‘Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not’ (Isa. 54:1). Now, Isaiah is not referring to a particular woman here, but the church of God, using this image as a simile. For a time the church had been very dissolute and, therefore, Isaiah tells us it was as if she had been cast away. A kind of divorce had occurred between God and his people. But the prophet assures the church that he will multiply her one day, and that she would have more children than if she had always prospered and flourished. This happened when the gospel was proclaimed to the world. For the church not only comprises the children of Abraham, or one particular race; but through the holy seed of the gospel, she has brought forth an infinite number of children for God, of every nation and land, even those far-distant from our own. For God has displayed his might throughout the globe. This is the meaning of the passage that we have quoted.

Paul tells us that these things are ‘an allegory’. The first point we need to make here is that Paul did not wish to deny the literal meaning of Holy Scripture. There are some people who find a curious pleasure in seeking out strange interpretations of the Scriptures. By overlooking the literal interpretation, they undermine the whole. Hence, there are countless perversions and corruptions of the truth. False allegories abound today; they are adopted by multitudes, and yet are nothing more than Satanic inventions. Because such theories are accepted and applauded, the people remain bewitched by Satan. What fine expositors they make! Yet, how are they so successful? Well, if a doctrine is neither from heaven nor from earth, it
is easy for poor ignorant souls to remain in suspension between the two! Paul does not intend us to interpret Moses’ story of Isaac and Ishmael as a fanciful speculation — no, he is demonstrating that this historical account reveals the state of the church, though, in those days, the only church that God presided over was that of the house of Abraham. (Of course, there was Salem, whose king was Melchisedec, but this was not clearly understood at that point. Therefore, God chose to adopt a people through Abraham, and to reveal that he wished to be called upon by a people whom he had separated from the rest of mankind.) However, we must not read Moses’ account coldly, without looking any further, that is, without considering what happened to this family and applying it to the church.

Now, let us come to the central theme — the law. When Paul compares Hagar, Abraham’s servant, to Mount Sinai and the law which was given on that mountain, he is not referring to the substance of the law. For the law contains many promises of salvation which were fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ; Paul himself declares this in several other passages, as we have already seen. If we take and apply the law in its proper and legitimate usage, we will see it as an incorruptible, life-giving seed, through which God becomes our Father and sets us free. The law only engenders servitude with relation to external issues, as we have discussed before. Our forefathers of old, though they were children of God and heirs of the kingdom of heaven just like ourselves, were under tutors and governors. They were like little children, incomplete until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their ceremonies were like bridles or cords preventing those who observed them from enjoying the liberty that we have today through the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, when Paul speaks of the law creating servitude, he is speaking here of the way in which the Galatians misapplied the law, for he continues by saying that those who are under such servitude will eventually be banished and excluded from the family and inheritance of God. Thus, although our forefathers lived in servitude with regard to external things, yet they were free; for the Spirit gave them a faith that overcame their bondage, as it says in the eighth chapter to the Romans. Without faith, they would have been cut off from any hope of salvation. To sum up, Paul refers to the law here in this negative way because of the particular interpretation these hypocrites had made of it, corrupting it by reducing it to the observance of petty rules, and by making their observation meritorious. In doing so, they were binding people’s consciences so tightly that they were almost suffocated!

Now, Paul has adequately dealt with this subject on a previous occasion, but it would be helpful for us to remind ourselves of what he said. He drew a contrast between the law and the gospel; for those who seek justification through the law imagine that God is indebted to them if they fulfil their duty towards him. They have heard the promise that if a man keeps the law, he shall live (Lev. 18:5). They are rigorous in their law observance and even believe they have accomplished all that God requires and demands. Having such a promise before them, they await their reward, no longer believing that salvation is a free gift, but rather that they have deserved all that God has promised. Thus, eternal life becomes the expected recompense for all their meritorious deeds. So much for the law. As for the gospel, God becomes our Father when we are released from the curse of sin and Satan and, indeed, from the condemnation due to us through the law. For it is written that those who have not kept the law perfectly are accursed, as we have said before (Deut. 27:26). Thus, all are guilty; the whole world is plunged into despair without remedy, unless God withdraws the condemnation of poor sinners, and quashes the sentence he has pronounced upon them. We have now understood what Paul means when he refers here to the law. He is not saying that Moses’ teachings are insufficient for a person to become a child of God, or that there are no promises of eternal salvation for mankind in the law, but simply that before Christ came into this world there was not the full enjoyment of liberty that we have today. More than this, he is informing us of the abuses of the law by hypocrites who had misinterpreted its purpose. They imagined that they could please God and obtain his favour by its observance. But Paul tells us that we remain in slavery until we are delivered by another kind of seed, that is to say, the gospel.

Now, when Paul says that Hagar or Sinai corresponds to ‘Jerusalem which now is’, he means that city which had once been God’s sanctuary, and which, therefore, ought to have been the fountainhead of heavenly and pure doctrine. For both Isaiah and Micah tell us that ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem’ (Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2). But the Jews became defiled and added their own inventions and interpretations to the purity of true doctrine. They even rejected Jesus Christ, the fountain of life. Thus, Paul tells us that this Jerusalem is like Hagar the bondmaid and Mount Sinai, which can only bring about condemnation. This is worthy of note, because it shows us that God has never favoured a place so much that he could not punish the ingratitude of its inhabitants for their misuse of his benefits; mercies which he placed at their disposal. This is Jerusalem, known as the holy city of God, his royal palace, his habitation, the place of his residence — all of these descriptions are to be found in Holy Scripture, (Psa. 48:1-3, 132:13; Matt. 4:5, 27:53). Yet, Paul tells us that it has become like Sinai, an infertile mountain in a distant and desolate area outside the borders of the holy land, which God chose as the inheritance and resting place of his elect people.

Recognising that such a change had taken place in Jerusalem, the city once chosen by God and blessed with such excellent titles, what will happen to the people who reject the gospel today? Even if they have known great honour, God can easily bring them down to ignominy. Look what is said about the towns where Jesus preached the gospel, like Capernaum and the rest; they could boast of having been first to hear the message of salvation, or that Jesus Christ preached more there than in Jerusalem itself. But we are told that such towns would be ‘brought down to hell’ (Matt. 11:23). It was for their rebellion and stubborn persistence in evil; their refusal to accept the grace that was offered to them in the preaching of the gospel. We know what Jeremiah said about Shiloh (Jer. 7:12). You see, the Jews boasted that they had the city of Jerusalem with its temple and altar. But Jeremiah tells them to visit Shiloh — that place where the ark rested for so many years. People would come there from all parts to worship God and bring their sacrifices, but now what would they see there? A terrifying reminder of the vengeance of God because they had misused the good things that God had originally blessed them with.

Now, let us apply this for our own instruction, so that we learn to walk in fear and wisdom, for God has been gracious to us by dwelling amongst us and establishing his royal throne to reign over us. For our part, we ought to obey him, and shelter ourselves beneath his wings in sobriety and humility. If we were to think that he is under obligation to us, then we will be audacious, opinionated and proud towards him. We would abuse the gifts that he intended to be for our well-being, and such wickedness could not go unpunished. Thus, the example of Jerusalem warns us to yield peacefully in obedience to our God, and allow him to rule over us. We must be submissive in every way, and not puffed up with pride or presumption, now that he has poured out his spiritual blessings upon us. Indeed, this ought to make us confess our dependence upon him and to humble ourselves.

Incidentally, we can see how foolis
h the Papists are to want to associate God with Rome; for they say it is the ‘apostolic seat’. But their claims about Peter are nothing more than lies and fables. Whilst it is certain that Paul was held prisoner in Rome, and it may even be deduced that he died there, this is all that sets Rome apart. The gospel was attacked there, and that den of the devil was saturated with the blood of the martyrs, as if to provoke the wrath of God. It was here that men conspired to fight against the truth, and blot out, as far as they possibly could, the name and memory of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is all the dignity that Rome can claim! These people imagine that Rome has all the honourable titles that Jerusalem once had, though there is not a single syllable in the Scriptures to justify this. Nowhere do they tell us that God reigns there, or has chosen to dwell within its walls; nowhere is it referred to as ‘mother’, or as having a special honour — nothing like this at all! Paul does say that the faith of the Romans was known everywhere and that they had a good reputation (Rom. 1:8), but he is speaking of a mere handful of people. For those who ruled in Rome were certainly not Christians, yet there was a small group gathered together in hideouts, and these are the people that Paul praises and esteems. Therefore, we must never imagine that the whole of Rome belonged to the church of God! We saw what happened to Jerusalem — that she was compared to Hagar and Sinai, that is to say, that she had become a profane and polluted place. Her holiness had long been forgotten, because she had not continued in the pure doctrines of the gospel.

We can only conclude, therefore, that even those who are nearest to God, and who have enjoyed close communion with him, will be cast off like strangers if they do not persevere in holiness; for holiness is like a tie that keeps us closely bound to our God. We can see that the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ is rejected, trodden under foot, held in contempt and disdain in Rome today. Furthermore, gospel teachers are persecuted by fire and their blood is shed in that place. There is no true religion there at all now, for it is full of wickedness and corruption. If a man were to enter Rome and return with the fear of God, some good seed having been sown in his heart, it would be a miracle. It is clear that Rome is the very cavern of hell. May it please God that people would suffer broken necks rather than venture upon that city! For at this time, even the nation of France has been infected by her impiety. The majority of those in France have become nothing more than dogs and pigs, with no more true religion than brute beasts. All the more reason, therefore, for us to heed this warning and to walk in wisdom and the fear of God, being careful that we are not deprived of the privileges that we have received because of our ingratitude. May God never wreak his terrible vengeance upon us, and make us trophies of dishonour and shame. Such is Paul’s description of Jerusalem, which had formerly known such great honour.

Notice, furthermore, that under the figure of Abraham, God proclaims that he is the Father of all his own people. We have, therefore, been born of God in that we belong to his church. Yet it is not enough simply to claim that God is our Father, unless we have been truly regenerated through the incorruptible seed, which is alone the guarantee of life and eternal salvation. We may ask the question, how is it possible to be members of God’s family and yet be like illegitimate offspring? The answer is that, by our iniquity and wickedness, we have corrupted the Word of God, which is his seed. This is the way Peter describes it (1 Pet. 1:23). Yes, it is true that the Word, since it proceeds from God, is spotless in itself. It sparkles with purity, and contains all the treasures of the righteousness, goodness and mercy of God. This is the nature of the Word of God, but we have devalued it and altered it according to our own whims and fancies, and added our own impurity. So then, although we may regard ourselves as children of God, yet we are bastard children, as we shall see in greater detail this afternoon, by God’s good pleasure. For Paul proceeds to show that Ishmael, though the eldest son, was finally expelled from his own family. This occurred because he was illegitimate, being born to Hagar. Therefore, we are to learn that we must be born into God’s family through faith in the Word of God in its purity; God then enlightens our minds through the Holy Spirit, who reveals to us the will of God. For if we alter the Word of God beyond recognition, according to our own perceptions, though it may still be called the seed of God, it will not be so in truth, for it has been corrupted.

Thus, there are so many people around today who call themselves Christians but live under false pretences. For example, the Papists say that they believe in God and seek to adhere to the Holy Scriptures, but it is evident that they have twisted them. Instead of accepting the Holy Scriptures with all due reverence, they wrest them according to their own convenience, and even mock them and joke about them! As we have said on a previous occasion, they blasphemously treat the Scriptures like a wax nose that they can mould to whatever shape they wish! They have turned everything into confusion by their contrivances! Indeed, whatever the Papists call serving God has been hatched in their own minds. There is no question of ordering one’s life according  to what God has commanded and decreed. No, he is dethroned, and they usurp his lawful sovereignty and attribute such authority to themselves that they subjugate consciences and create whatever laws seem good to them. This sin is too great and too evil for words. How, then, do the Papists formulate their articles of faith? It must be according to what they have determined themselves, for there is certainly nothing in them that has been drawn from the Scriptures! Never mind what is written in the Holy Scriptures; they have conclusions of their own, which they regard as the very oracles of heaven, for they are swiftly received as commonly accepted facts. When they seek our approval of such nonsense, they say that, first and foremost, these are received doctrines: we must bow to their antiquity as if it makes them prescriptive for us, and thereupon they may just cite a few passages of Scripture which they have pulled out of context for good measure. But this is a mockery, for they have wilfully defiled the Word of God. Surely even little children, aware of such great and glaring ignorance, would spit in their faces!

Thus, the Papists are a good example of what Paul is illustrating here. In other words, there are many who boast that they are children of God, and servants of the church, who are really illegitimate. They are born of corrupt seed, for instead of adhering to pure doctrine which could bring the regeneration that leads to eternal life, they have added their own doctrines and thus violated the integrity of God’s Word. We are not stretching the point too far when we say that Paul’s argument is borne out by the Papists today. For what is our greatest quarrel with them at this point in time? It concerns free will, meritorious acts of service, satisfaction for sin, and the rest. The Papists say that we can obtain favour in the eyes of God by our own efforts, and that we do not need the aid and assistance of the Holy Spirit. Yes, they admit that there is some collaboration, and that God works within us up to a point; but they say that we are his helpers, and we would be most weak and useless if our virtue did not help us to gain God’s favour. They also say that the grace of God is of no effect unless we add to it something of our own doing. Thus, they are building a doctrine based upon merit; the only way you can reach the kingdom of heaven is by pleasing God. You need personal merit in order to pay for the sins you have committed. This is what the Papists spout forth! Furthermore, they conclude that it is a blasphemy to say t
hat it is impossible to keep the law of God perfectly. They claim that anybody, if he applies himself, can fully observe its requirements. Yes, it is easy to brag in this way whilst still living in darkness, for those who say these things are themselves wicked fornicators, drunkards, blasphemers, people given to all kinds of gross and sinful behaviour. We know just how holy these monks, hypocrites, crooks and vermin are!

As for ourselves, we would say that we are born slaves of sin and under the tyrannical rule of Satan. We are held so tightly in his grip that we cannot even have one righteous thought about doing good. Our nature tends wholly towards evil, just like a donkey carrying its yoke and burden, yet our sin proceeds entirely from our own wills. We are born in sin and, therefore, can do nothing else; we continually offend God until he sets us free by his Holy Spirit and grants us his liberty. Furthermore, we believe that it is impossible to keep the law of God, but that the law simply reveals our duty; it is for each one to read his condemnation therein. We must come before God in silence, as evildoers, in order to obtain grace for the offences that we have committed. We come clothed in shame, confessing that we are lost, that God might save us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. In short, we say that it is completely beyond our powers to acquit ourselves in the eyes of God. But he comes to our aid; he does not scrutinise us or enter into account with us. When we have offended him, there is no satisfaction for sin other than the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only way we can be cleansed is to wash ourselves in his blood.

We see, therefore, the practical application of Paul’s teaching when we consider the points of conflict between the Papists and ourselves. Though they associate with the name of God, and falsely claim to honour it, and though they say they are his children because they accept the Holy Scriptures, yet they demonstrate that their mother is Hagar and Sinai, and that they are still in bondage. They still have the yoke around their necks, and refuse to come to God to accept the liberty that he offers. They would rather usurp that which God has reserved for himself alone by justifying themselves through their own merits and by seeking to fulfil the law. They are children of the bondwoman, therefore, and must remain slaves; their end is to be cast out forever. As for us, we will see the implications of this teaching later on, but, briefly, it concerns the fact that our only means of deliverance is through the gospel. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself declares in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel that it is his role to set us free, and that this privilege was given to him by God the Father, to deliver us from all condemnation. We must, therefore, come to the Lord Jesus Christ and find all that we need in him, for it is through him that we are freed from the yoke of the law. This yoke is too heavy for us to bear: not only does it weigh us down, it actually plunges us into the pit of hell. Thus, we obtain this deliverance only through the seed which brings regeneration and complete liberty. We become children of God, and not only are we known as such in the eyes of the world, but before angels. We will finally reach the inheritance that has been obtained for us at so great a cost, and which we could never have possessed by our own merits. It can only be obtained through the One to whom it all belongs, having conferred the inheritance on us through the gospel which we hear each day.

Now, let us fall down before the majesty of our great God, acknowledging our sins, and praying that he would help us to feel them more than ever before. Then we may grow and mature more and more through genuine repentance, so that, in coming to him, we may do so in all humility and without hypocrisy. We must be ashamed of our sin to the point that we seek no other remedy than the Lord Jesus Christ. Since our great God has received us and sealed us with the grace of his adoption in our hearts by his Holy Spirit, may we maintain the purity of the gospel, adding nothing of our own invention. May nothing be corrupted by our own notions, but may the Holy Spirit keep us obedient in the faith. In this way, as he has begun to show us his favour, we for our part will aim unswervingly for perfection. Thus, we all say, Almighty God and heavenly Father, etc.

(via http://www.reformedsermonarchives.com)

On this day in 1933 a Concordat between the German government and Roman Catholic Church was concluded. Cardinal Faulhaber, who helped to negotiate the Concordat with Adolf Hitler, assessed its importance in a sermon delivered in 1937:

At a time when the heads of the major nations in the world faced the new Germany with cool reserve and considerable suspicion, the Catholic Church, the greatest moral power on earth, through the Concordat expressed its confidence in the new German government.

The following translation of the Concordat includes the Secret Supplement, “omitted on Catholic sites because it shows that by 1933 the Vatican knew that Hitler was going to re-arm in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, and wanted to help him keep it secret. (In fact, the Secret Supplement of the Austrian concordat  indicates that already by 1931 the Vatican was planning for this eventuality. Perhaps even hoping for this eventuality, since Pius IX “supported any policy or any man who would oppose and fight Soviet Russia”.[3]

Concordat between the Holy See and the German Reich
[with Supplementary Protocol and Secret Supplement]
July 20, 1933

[Concordat]

His Holiness Pope Pius XI and the President of the German Reich, moved by a common desire to consolidate and promote the friendly relations existing between the Holy See and the German Reich, wish to permanently regulate the relations between the Catholic Church and the state for the whole territory of the German Reich in a way acceptable to both parties. They have decided to conclude a solemn agreement, which will supplement the Concordats already concluded with individual German states (Länder) [4], and will ensure for the remaining states (Länder) fundamentally uniform treatment of their respective problems.

For this purpose His Holiness Pope Pius XI has appointed as his Plenipotentiary His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, his Secretary of State and the President of the German Reich has appointed as Plenipotentiary the Vice-Chancellor of the German Reich, Herr Franz von Papen, who, having exchanged their respective mandates and found them to be in good and proper form, have agreed to the following Articles:

Article 1

The German Reich guarantees freedom of profession and public practice of the Catholic religion.

It acknowledges the right of the Catholic Church, within the framework of the laws valid for all, to manage and regulate its own affairs independently, and, within the framework of its own competence, to issue binding laws and ordinances for its members.

Article 2

The concordats concluded with Bavaria (1924), Prussia (1929) and Baden (1932) remain in force, and the rights and privileges of the Catholic Church recognized in these are preserved unchanged within the territories of the states concerned. For the remaining states (Länder), the agreements reached in the present concordat come into force in their entirety. These last are also binding for the three states (Länder) named above, in so far as they affect matters not regulated by the states’ (Länder) concordats or in so far as they supplement the earlier settlements.

In the future concordats with the states (Länder) will be concluded only with the agreement of the government of the Reich.

Article 3

In order to foster good relations between the Holy See and the German Reich, an apostolic nuncio will reside in the capital of the German Reich and an ambassador of the German Reich at the Holy See.

Article 4

The Holy See enjoys full freedom in its relations and correspondence with the bishops, clergy and other members of the Catholic Church in Germany. The same applies to the bishops and other diocesan officials in their dealings with the faithful in all matters belonging to their pastoral office.

Instructions, ordinances, pastoral letters, official diocesan gazettes, and other decrees concerning the spiritual direction of the faithful issued by the Church authorities within the framework of their competence (Art. 1, Sect. 2) may be published without hindrance and brought to the notice of the faithful in the customary form.

Article 5

In the exercise of their clerical activities the clergy enjoy the protection of the state in the same way as state officials. The state will proceed, in accordance with the general provisions of civil law, against any insult to their person or to their clerical capacity, as well as against any interference with the duties of their office and, if necessary, will provide official protection.

Article 6

The clergy and members of religious orders are freed from any obligation to take public office and such obligations as, according to the dictates of Canon Law, are incompatible with the status of a member of the clergy or religious order respectively. This applies particularly to the office of a lay judge, juror, member of a tax committee or of a fiscal tribunal.

Article 7

For the acceptance of employment or appointment as state official, or to any public corporation dependent on the state, clergymen require, the nihil obstat [5] of their diocesan ordinary, as well as of the ordinary of the place where the public corporation is situated. The nihil obstat may be withdrawn at any time for important reasons of ecclesiastical interests.

Article 8

The official income of the clergy is immune from distraint [6] to the same extent as is the official salary of the Reich and state officials.

Article 9

The clergy cannot be required by judicial and other authorities to give information about matters which have been entrusted to them in the course of administering pastoral care, and which therefore fall under the obligation of pastoral secrecy.

Article 10

The wearing of clerical dress or of a religious habit by lay people, or by members of the clergy or religious orders by whom this use is forbidden by a definitive and legally valid directive of the competent ecclesiastical authority and officially communicated to the state authority, is liable to the same penalty by the state as the misuse of the military uniform.

Article 11

The present organisation and boundaries of dioceses of the Catholic Church in the German Reich remain in force. Any creation or rearrangement of a bishopric or ecclesiastical province, or other changes in the boundaries of dioceses that seem advisable in the future, so far as they involve changes within the boundaries of a German state (Land), remain subject to the agreement of the state (Land) governments concerned. Rearrangements and alterations which extend beyond the boundaries of a German state require the agreement of the Reich Government, which shall be left to secure the consent of the appropriate state (Land) government. The same applies to creations or rearrangements of Church provinces involving several German states (Länder). The foregoing conditions do not apply to changes in ecclesiastical boundaries made merely in the interests of local pastoral care.

In the case of any (territorial) re-organisation within the German Reich, the Reich Government will commun
icate with the Holy See with a view to rearrangement of the organisation and boundaries of dioceses.

Article 12

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 11, ecclesiastical offices may be freely created and changed, unless state funds are drawn upon. The involvement of the state in the creation and alteration of parishes shall be carried out according to standard procedures that are agreed to by the diocesan bishops, and for which the Reich Government will endeavour to secure the most uniform treatment possible from the state (Länder) governments.

Article 13

Catholic parishes, parish and diocesan societies, episcopal sees, bishoprics and chapters, religious orders and congregations, as well as institutions, foundations and property which are under the administration of Church agencies, shall retain or acquire respectively, legal competence in the civil domain according to the general provisions of civil law. They shall remain corporations under public law to the extent that they have been so far; the others may be granted similar rights within the framework of the laws valid for all.

Article 14

As a matter of principle the Church retains the right to appoint freely to all Church offices and benefices without the involvement of the state or of civil groups, in so far as other provisions have not been made in previous concordats mentioned in Article 2.

Concerning the appointment of bishops’ sees, the regulation made for appointment of the two suffragan [7] bishoprics of Rottenburg and Mainz, as well as for the bishopric of Meissen, is to be duly applied to the metropolitan see of the Upper Rhine Ecclesiastical Province of Freiburg. The same holds for the two first named suffragan bishops with regard to appointments to the cathedral chapter, and for the administration of the right of patronage [8].

Furthermore, there is agreement on the following points:

1. Catholic clerics who hold an ecclesiastical office in Germany or who exercise pastoral or educational functions must:

(a) be German citizens,
(b) have earned a secondary-school graduation certificate which permits study at an institution of higher learning,
(c) have studied philosophy and theology for at least three years at a German state university, a German ecclesiastical college, or a papal college in Rome.

2. The bull nominating archbishops, bishops, coadjutors cum jure successionis [9] or a praelatus nullius [10] will not be issued until the name of the appointee has been submitted to the Reich governor in the relevant state (Land), and until it has been ascertained that there are no objections of a general political nature. In the case of an agreement between Church and state, Paragraph 1, sections (a) (b) and (c) may be disregarded or set aside.

No right of the State to assert a veto is to be based on this Article.

Article 15

Religious orders and congregations are not subject to any special restrictions on the part of the state in relation to their foundation, establishment, number and – subject to Paragraph 2 of this Article – the selection of their members, their pastoral activities in care, education, care of the sick and charitable work, the management of their own affairs and the administration of their property. Superiors of religious orders whose headquarters are within Germany must be German citizens. Superiors of provincials and orders whose headquarters lie outside the territory of the German Reich, have the right to visit those of their establishments that lie within Germany.

The Holy See will take pains to ensure that for conventual establishments within the German Reich the provincial organization is set up so that, as far as possible, German establishments do not fall under the jurisdiction of foreign provincial superiors. Exceptions can be permitted with the agreement of the Reich Government, especially in cases where the small number of houses makes a German province impracticable, or where special grounds exist for the retention of an historic and firmly established provincial organisation.

Article 16

Before bishops take possession of their dioceses they are to take an oath of loyalty either to the Reich governor of the state (Land) concerned or to the President of the Reich respectively, according to the following formula:

“Before God and on the Holy Gospels I swear and promise, as becomes a bishop, loyalty to the German Reich and to the State (Land) of . . . I swear and promise to honour the legally constituted government and to cause the clergy of my diocese to honour it. With dutiful concern for the welfare and the interests of the German state, in the performance of the ecclesiastical office entrusted to me, I will endeavour to prevent everything injurious which might threaten it.”

Article 17

The property rights and other rights to assets of corporations under public law, of the institutions, foundations and associations of the Catholic Church are guaranteed according to requirements of the general law of the land.

No building dedicated to religious services may be destroyed for any reason whatsoever without the previous consent of the proper Church authorities.

Article 18

In the case of the abrogation of state obligations to the Church, whether based on law, agreement or special charter, before working out the principles according to which the abrogation is to be carried out, in a timely manner an amicable agreement is to be effected between the Holy See and the Reich.

Legitimate traditional rights are to be considered as titles in law. An abrogation must bestow upon those entitled to abrogation proper compensation for the loss of the customary state benefits.

Article 19

Catholic theological faculties in state universities are to be maintained. Their relation to Church authorities will be governed by the relevant concordats and by their supplementary protocols with stated regulations, having due regard for the relevant Church decrees. [11] The Reich Government will endeavour to secure for all of these Catholic faculties in Germany uniformity of treatment.

Article 20

Where other agreements do not exist, the Church has the right to establish theological and philosophical colleges for the training of its clergy, which are to be wholly dependent on the Church authorities if no state subsidies are sought.

The establishment, management and administration of theological seminaries and hostels for seminarians is, within the framework of the laws valid for all, the exclusive prerogative of the Church authorities.

Article 21

Catholic religious education in elementary, vocational, secondary schools and institutions of higher learning is a regular school subject, and is to be taught in accordance with the principles of the Catholic Church. In religious education, special emphasis will be given to inculcating a patriotic, civic and social sense of duty in the spirit of the Christian faith and the moral code, just as happens in all other subjects. The curriculum and the selection of textbooks for religious education will be arranged in agreement with the Church authorities. The opportunity will be given to the Church authorities to check, with the agreement of the school authorities, whether the pupils receive religious education in accordance with the teachings and specifications of the Church.

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