St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Christmas 1)

Today is the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. John is certainly an important New Testament person and writer. He was the son of the fisherman Zebedee and the younger brother of the Apostle James. John, his brother James, and Simon Peter were often together and seem to have been the disciples closest to our Lord. In fact, John himself is usually identified as the beloved disciple to whom our Lord, while on the cross, entrusted His mother.

John may have been the youngest of the Twelve, and as hinted in today’s gospel, despite hardships, imprisonment, exile, and threats to his life, John was the only Apostle to survive to a truly old age and die a natural death. Because he lived so long, John provided the strongest human connection between the first and second-century churches. He also wrote the Gospel and three epistles that bear his name and probably also the Revelation or the Apocalypse.

St. John clearly deserves to be remembered and honored. But why today? Why is his day placed so close to Christmas Day? The Church seems to have had three reasons for this choice. First, in the early centuries of the Church, several commemorations that stressed something about the foundations of the Christian faith were placed on the calendar right after the celebration of Christ’s Birth. Secondly, having several important Christian celebrations during the pagan winter festivals of late December gave believers a positive distraction from surrounding pagan celebrations.

The third and most important reason for remembering St. John on the third day of Christmas is that John’s writings contain several themes associated with Christmas: light, life, love, truth, and the glory of the eternal Word, God the Son, revealed in human flesh. The Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke tell us some details about Christ’s Birth. The Gospel of St. John and his letters emphasize the doctrinal meaning of the Nativity. Thanks be to God for the apostle John and even more importantly, thanks for the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Christmas- Luke 2: 10

In our Christmas festivities, let us pause to meditate on the meaning of our celebration. To do that, let us focus on the announcement of the angel to the shepherds. St. Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

The angel’s message “I bring you good tidings” is a translation of two Greek words which could also be translated as “I announce good news to you” or “I proclaim the gospel to you.” So the announcement of Christ’s Birth is the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel. His Nativity is an integral part of the whole story, the entire Christian message. This joy or inner happiness of this birth cannot be isolated from all that Christ means.

Christmas continues to bring us a similar message. The deliverer or redeemer that we have longed for still comes through the work of the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament. This is really good news- tidings of great joy. However, the joy is not to be confused with external worldly happiness. Whether we have a great external celebration with lots of people, gifts, and food or we just have a simple and small observance, let us focus on what God does- how He sends His Son, the eternal Word, to become flesh and dwell among us to save us. Thanks be to God for His greatest gift- Jesus!

Feast of St. Luke- October 18- Colossians 4; 2 Timothy 4

This year the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist falls on a Sunday. This is a major feast on traditional calendars, and it is particularly meaningful to me since I have been served in two congregations named St. Luke's.

Luke was a Gentile Christian, maybe from Antioch in Syria. He was a friend of St. Paul, and he was a physician (Colossians 4:14). In the Book of Acts, he was with Paul at Philippi in Macedonia, and a few years later went with Paul to Jerusalem. When Paul was arrested by the Romans, Luke remained near him in Palestine and later went with him to Rome. He was a faithful companion who stayed with Paul when other friends went in different directions (2 Timothy 4:11).

Luke wrote a large portion of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He was probably the only Gentile Christian among the New Testament writers. Luke seems to have been well-educated. He had a classic Greek style and seemed to be a reasonable thinker who made special efforts to learn and organize historical truth.

The character of Luke may be reflected by some of the emphases of his Gospel. The Gospel according to Luke has been called the Gospel of Mercy. Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion and patience with sinners and those who are suffering. He shows concern for Samaritans, lepers, tax collectors, soldiers, public sinners, uneducated shepherds, and the poor. 

Today we remember and give thanks for St. Luke, and we hope to follow some of his good qualities. Like him, may we be characterized by dedication to truth, loyalty to Christian friends, and compassion for all, especially for the weak, the poor, and the sick.

Three Days (Tridium) and Lutheran Doctrine

The Three Days from the evening of Holy Thursday to Easter morning commemorate and celebrate events at the heart of the Christian message. The readings and liturgies also embody themes at the heart of Lutheran doctrine. From the meaning of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper to the centrality of the Cross and Resurrection, the commemorations of these days bring an intense focus that reminds us of Christ's work for our salvation. This focus is important for sincere Christians of any tradition. For Lutherans in particular, this focus brings home the reality that our theology is truly evangelical, that is, gospel-based. Thanks be to God the Father, and praise to our risen Lord Jesus Christ!

Transfiguration of Christ - Last Sunday after Epiphany (year C)- Luke 9

The feast of the Transfiguration commemorates an important and mysterious event from the Gospels (e.g., Luke 9:28- 36). Nevertheless, the Transfiguration has not always received very much emphasis. Although observed in the Eastern church since the fourth century, it was slow to spread in the Western church and did not become a universal feast observed on August 6 until 1457.

After the Reformation, the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6 was discontinued by the majority of Lutherans. However, the Lutheran reformers Johannes Bugenhagen and Viet Dietrich began celebrating the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. These Lutheran reformers viewed the Transfiguration as an epiphany or a manifestation of Christ's identity similar in some respects to the coming of the Magi and Christ's Baptism. It was also an appropriate reminder of our Lord's glory before the penitential season of Lent.

From 1917 onwards, many English Lutheran service books in North America included an observance of the Transfiguration, and in the common Eucharistic lectionaries from the 1970s onward, a Transfiguration gospel has been used on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany in all three years.

As an Epiphany story, the Transfiguration provides one of the most distinctive and dramatic manifestations of Jesus' divinity. In the synoptic Gospels, our Lord takes Peter, John, and James up onto a mountain where He has a shining appearance during prayer. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus, and a divine voice proclaims, "This is my beloved Son; hear him" (Luke 9:35 KJV).

This event says three things about Jesus: 1) the Law and the Prophets witness to Him as He continues their work, 2) His earthly ministry will culminate in His dying at Jerusalem, and 3) He is the unique, glorious, and beloved Son of the heavenly Father who transcends all previous revelations of divine grace.

First Sunday after Epiphany- Mark 1:4-11- Baptism of our Lord

By placing a Gospel about the Baptism of our Lord (St. Mark 1:4-11) on this first Sunday in the Epiphany season, the framers of the lectionary paid homage to ancient associations of Epiphany. When the feast of Epiphany began among the eastern churches during the third century, the chief epiphany or manifestation of Christ that they had in mind was His Baptism which marked the beginning of His public ministry. A secondary association of the day was Christ's Birth, but associations with His infancy became central as Epiphany spread among the western churches during the fourth century.

Commemorating our Lord's Baptism on this particular Sunday is certainly appropriate. We should reflect upon this important Gospel event. Although Jesus of Nazareth did not need to be cleansed from any sin, He underwent this ritual of cleansing to express solidarity with humanity, to give His followers an example, and to dedicate Himself publicly to His mission. And as He did so, the Holy Spirit blessed Christ's human nature while the heavenly Father proclaimed His approval of His only Son (notice the Trinitarian symbolism). This Baptism is distinctive because Jesus Christ is unique, but it pointed ahead to a new use of washing among His followers (Matthew 28).
Every Christian Baptism is an outpouring of divine grace. It is a uniting with Christ, a blessing by the Holy Spirit, and an adoption as a child of God the Father.  May we always remain aware that we have been baptized, and thus we have been claimed by God and offered His saving grace.

Epiphany- January 6- Matthew 2

Epiphany has long been one of my favorite Christian festivals. The name Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning “showing forth,” “manifestation,” or “appearance.” After Good Friday-Easter and Pentecost, Epiphany on January 6 is the oldest Christian holy day. At first in the Greek Church, Epiphany combined the observance of several manifestations of Christ, including His Birth.

 Eventually, different epiphanies of our Lord were observed on different days. In the Western tradition to which Lutheran calendars and liturgies belong, January 6 focused on the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or non-Jewish people represented by the Wise Men (St. Matthew 2:1-12). The First Sunday after Epiphany has often been associated with Christ’s Baptism, and the Second Sunday after Epiphany with His first miracle at the wedding in Cana. Depending on the dates of Lent and Easter, the Epiphany season may have between 4 and 9 Sundays.

Unfortunately, many American congregations seem to neglect Epiphany. Since it only falls on Sunday occasionally, Epiphany tends to be observed on the second Sunday of Christmas or skipped over in favor of observing Christ's Baptism. However, Epiphany is important on its own. It reminds us of Christ's mission to all peoples, of His guiding light, and of growth in faith. And since the secular holiday is over, paying greater attention to Epiphany could be one way for Christians to counteract some of the worldly Yuletide. It is a great time for serious reflection on the Incarnation and the manifestation of the Christ Child for our salvation.

The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus- January 1

The first of January has been associated with several liturgical observances over the history of the Church. Although the association began earlier in places, from the ninth century onward, the Roman rite commemorated the Circumcision on this eighth day of Christmas. At the Reformation, Lutheran calendars continued this emphasis. (By the way, January 1 was not observed as New Year's Day  in parts of Germany until 1582 and in the English-speaking world until the 18th century.) Stressing Christ's circumcision fits in with the reality of the Incarnation. Jesus of Nazareth, God the Son, was a real Jewish male who humbled Himself, continued the covenant with Abraham, and came to fulfill all righteousness.

There is also another emphasis for this day- the name of Jesus. In recent decades, some revised calendars have changed the title of the observance, but the theme of the name has long been in the traditional Gospel and Epistle. In Luke 2:21, we read that at the circumcision the child "was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb." In the Epistle from Philippians 2:9, we read, "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." Of course, Jesus, or its equivalent in ancient languages was a common Jewish name, meaning "The LORD saves."

In the particular case of this holy Child, the common name takes on special significance. For this Child named Jesus is the Lord Himself come to save His people. And Christ's work accomplishing the heavenly Father's plan for human salvation is what gives Him a name above every name. What better way for us to begin the New Year than by praising Jesus' holy name and giving thanks for the salvation that has come in the Christ Child!