Advent

Over the years, I have written varied comments on Advent. There have been general posts on the background of the season and on particular days and scriptural passages. This time, I would like to focus on the general purpose of the season in Christian devotion.

Advent is above all a season of spiritual preparation as we contemplate the ways that Christ has come, keeps coming, and will finally come among His people. We should use Advent wisely to think about spiritual subjects such as sin, judgment, forgiveness, prophecies,  promises of redemption, and grace coming in the person of the Christ, the Anointed One of God.

As Christians, we need to be awake, watchful, and prayerful at all times. We should not allow moral failings, earthly worries, or spiritual lethargy to draw us away from spiritual readiness. Yet, given our fallen human nature, we do tend to become forgetful and lazy. So the Church has incorporated reminders in our worship. In general and personal confession, in corporate prayers, in sermons, in Holy Communion, and in private devotions, we are repeatedly called to wake up and persevere. And in two major seasons of the church year- Advent and Lent-, we have reminders to wake up, watch, and prepare for new encounters with God in Christ.

So Advent is intended to be a spiritual wake up call. It is not quite as somber as Lent, but neither is it a time for premature holiday celebration. As we meditate upon the Scriptures, we should not rush ahead to the Nativity stories. We should consider a variety of Old Testament passages about the fallen human condition and the need for redemption., about the longings and hopes of Israel, and about God's promises to save all penitent and faithful people. We should also consider the many passages in the New Testament which exhort us to be ready for Christ to come among us anew. During Advent as always, we are to await Him with vigilance and constant prayer. May we all think on such things in this season and be open to new manifestations of divine grace in our lives.

All Saints Day- 1 November- Jude 3-4

Since a period of renewal of faith in my mid-twenties, All Saints Day has been important to me. It is a time to emphasize the Christian heritage passed down through the centuries. During this week, we think of all those Christ would call "blessed"; we think of all those made saints or "holy ones" through the Holy Spirit in Holy Baptism.

Although it is not an official reading for All Saints Day, I always recall the third and fourth verses of the brief Epistle of Jude- " Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

From the times of the Apostles onward, false teachers have crept into the Church, seeking to corrupt the Christian message in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes. This infiltration has been especially strong in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. So more than ever we should heed St. Jude's exhortation to "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Of course, faith is an attitude, but it also has specific content. The Faith has been revealed and passed on once and for all. It is enduring and unchangeable in its basic essentials. Its doctrine is embodied in Scripture, clarified by the ancient Fathers, and summarized in the ancient catholic Creeds. The appropriate behavior that flows from this Faith is summarized in the Ten Commandments, the Two Great Commandments, in lists of the gifts of the Spirit, and in lists of Virtues. In worship, this Faith is expressed in historic liturgies, especially in Baptism and the Eucharist.

On this All Saints Day, let us honor all the saints by following their lead and contending for the Faith that they have passed on. In a fallen world, especially in a decadent age, there are many false teachers, and we need to make special efforts to retain and pass on our godly heritage.

The Three Days

The Three Days from the evening of Maundy or Holy Thursday to Easter morning commemorate events at the heart of the Christian message. They are also themes at the heart of Anglican Liturgy and 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 an Anglican, this focus should bring home the reality that our heritage is truly evangelical, that is, gospel-based. Thanks be to God the Father, and praise to our risen Lord Jesus Christ!

Christmas Day or the Nativity of our Lord

The greatest mysteries of the faith are often the hardest to write on. What can any mortal say that does justice to the awe-inspiring event of the Incarnation of God the Son? So in this post,  I will just do two simple things.

First, let me cite 4 verses from one of the Epistles for this day. Hebrews 1:1-4 says it wonderfully- 

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
These words point us to the meaning of the celebration.  They point to Christ's identity and His work for salvation. The whole revelation of God in Scripture finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

Secondly, I would highlight a phrase from A General Thanksgiving which was first included in the 1662 Prayer Book. May we all bless or thank God for His "inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ." Christmas has been observed in been many ways over the centuries, but giving thanks to God for sending His only begotten Son into this fallen world to save us is the real purpose for the celebration!

Third Sunday in Advent- I Corinthians 4: 1-5

For Advent III this year, my thoughts are drawn to the theme of ministry as expressed in the Collect and Epistle from 1 Corinthians 4: 1-5.: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Of course, all Christians are called to ministry or service for Christ, and all too often we forget this, at least in practical daily speech and behavior. Every human being is called to serve his/her Creator. Every person baptized has been set aside and transformed in the name of the Holy Trinity. Every person confirmed has been strengthened for ministry by the Holy Spirit.

Yet, from the days of Christ and the Apostles to the present, the ordained ministry has been set aside, dedicated, and given grace for special service. Ordained ministers fail in many ways. We do not always live as recipients of special graces and responsibilities. But ordained ministers have been, among other things, called and ordered as "stewards of the mysteries of God." These mysteries are the teachings of Christ's Gospel- from the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity to the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. And these mysteries become concrete and immediate for us in the sacred mysteries or sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

The clergy are called and ordained to honor, administer, and share these mysteries with the whole people of God and to proclaim them to all people near and far. So during this Advent, and especially on the approaching Ember Days, let us pray that all the ordained and all men considering or approaching ordination may be constantly renewed by divine grace so that they may be faithful stewards of God's mysteries.

Septuagesima- Salt of the Earth

This Sunday begins the old custom of a pre-Lenten season. From the sixth century until the 1960's, calendars in the Western Church called the third Sunday before Lent "Septuagesima," the Latin for "seventy."  The names of this Sunday and the following two seem to be based on a rough approximation of the number of days before Easter.

One New Testament lesson for Morning Prayer is St. Matthew 5:1-16. This selection contains the Beatitudes which can inspire extensive meditations. This time, I will briefly focus on St. Matthew 5:13:  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Christ's followers are called upon to have the character of salt in the world. Salt is a flavor, a nutrient, and a preservative. It is to be hoped that Christians can be all three in the world. We know better than to expect the whole world to be salt, but as Christ's followers, we should add to the quality of earthly life for those around us. And if we are not thinking and acting in ways that add something to life, we have lost our purpose, become useless and are ready to be discarded. May we look at ourselves and allow God's grace to make us saltier!

Easter Day, the Prayer Book Anthem

He is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. (Mark 16. 6; Luke 24. 34)

The significance of the Feast of the Resurrection is beautifully presented  in the scriptural Easter Anthem for Morning Prayer-

CHRIST our Passover is sacrificed for us: * therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; * but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor. v. 7.

 CHRIST being raised from the dead dieth no more; * death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: * but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, * but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. vi. 9.

 CHRIST is risen from the dead, * and become the first-fruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, * by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, * even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. xv. 20.

 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

(compiled by Archbishop Cranmer in 1549; inserted as an Easter invitatory in Morning Prayer in 1552.)

A Short Exposition of the Apostles' Creed

 A study group recently asked to review the Apostles' Creed, which is always a useful undertaking for Christians.  I reviewed several sources ancient and modern, especially Martin Luther's Small Catechism from 1529. We used the traditional English text of the Creed which says:

 I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholic (universal or Christian) Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Throughout the Scriptures, especially in the New Testament, there are summaries of things that God’s people should believe. In the Acts of the Apostles, there are several notable summaries of beliefs about Christ in sermons and at Baptisms. There are also passages such as I Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

During the second and third centuries, various local baptismal creeds developed. They were usually in three parts (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Although local versions were slightly different, they covered the same basic points. One of these summaries of basic Christian belief developed at Rome in Latin and became known as the Apostles' Creed. Although not literally composed by the Apostles in the first century, it summarizes their preaching and teaching contained in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles.

In the year 325, the bishops at the First Council of Nicea took a similar Eastern baptismal creed (maybe from Jerusalem) and added words to be clear about Christ’s divinity. In 381, the bishops at the Council of Constantinople added details about the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. With these modifications, the creed we know as the Nicene Creed developed. Later, the Western church added that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Son.” 

The Apostles' Creed like many Christian statements of faith and acts of worship has a three-part form, a Trinitarian structure. The first part of the Creed is about God the Father, the Creator. All of Scripture and much in nature teaches us about Him.  Luther’s Small Catechism applies this article nicely as follows, I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them; in addition thereto, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and homestead, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

God’s creation is basically good because He is good. One good part of His creation is freedom for higher creatures such as angels and human beings. Unfortunately, a heavenly creature, Lucifer or Satan, rebelled, was cast out of heaven, and pursued his rebellion on earth. And the first human creatures succumbed to temptation and also rebelled against the holy Creator. This Fall into sin disrupted the relationship between God and His creation but did not destroy the Creator’s love. So God reached out with a series of promises and demands called covenants. An important example was the covenant with Abraham and his descendants. The early covenants are recorded in the Scriptures we call the Old Testament, and they were designed to prepare human beings for the great new and final covenant through Jesus the Christ.

Although nature and Scripture teach us much about the Creator, this part of the Creed is short. It seems to assume that most human beings acknowledge a Creator and a moral law, and it moves quickly to the beliefs that are more uniquely Christian.

The second part of the Creed is about God the Son, Jesus Christ. Our beliefs about Jesus are what characterize us as Christians. This part of the Creed summarizes the Gospels and many other parts of the New Testament. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only and unique Son of God, of one essence with the Father; He was conceived by the Spirit of God and born of the Virgin Mary.  Thus, He is true man and true God. He came to earth to reveal God in the Incarnation, to redeem or save us from our sins, and to offer us eternal life in God's presence.

Among the many things that He did during His life on earth, the Creed stresses the central events which are His death on the Cross for our sins, and His resurrection to offer us new life. He was a real man who, at a particular moment in history (under the Roman governor Pilate), truly suffered, died, and descended to the dead. He freely gave Himself and paid the debt that a fallen humanity was incapable of paying.  Because He was an innocent man and true God, death could not hold Him, and He rose from the dead in bodily form. This is the source of Christian hope; without it, His story would be meaningless and our hope futile. He appeared forty days to His disciples, and then He ascended into to heaven to pray for us and to watch over us. And at the end of earthly history, He will come again to take up the role of judge of all.

The third part of the Creed is about God the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit. Not only did God create the universe and come to earth in the man Jesus, He has also continued to reach out and work in the world in invisible but powerful spiritual ways. As He works in the world, He sanctifies or makes holy. He works through each individual believer. There are several aspects of this spiritual work in individual lives.

It is the divine Spirit that reaches out through Baptism and proclamation of the Gospel to redeem fallen human beings. When the Spirit starts this process of redemption, it is called regeneration. When the individual responds by faith in Christ, we speak of justification, and when the Spirit helps one grow in holiness, we speak of sanctification.

As is shown in the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit also works in a special way through the fellowship or communion of believers, the Christian Church.  Although there are various human organizations involved, there is only one Church. Despite human failings, this Church is holy because it belongs to God. It is also catholic or universal. It extends across languages, races, cultures, political boundaries, and time. It holds to the same basic beliefs and moral standards everywhere- in this world and beyond. The Church is apostolic because it is based on the teaching and ministry of the Apostles. The Spirit makes the Church a communion of saints, a fellowship of those made holy by the grace of God in Christ.

The basic visible foundation of the Church is Christian Baptism. Wherever there are baptized persons who profess the faith into which they have been baptized, the Church exists. Into the Church and the lives of its members, the Holy Spirit brings blessings such as the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is related to Baptism, the proclamation of the Gospel, and in various ways to all the rites of the Church. The Holy Spirit will also be active in the future resurrection of the body for judgment and in eternal life for the faithful in God's presence. We end with “Amen,” which implies both "it is true" and “so be it”

A Short Exposition of the Apostles' Creed

A study group in our parish recently asked to review the Apostles' Creed. This is always a useful undertaking for Christians, and such a review is especially appropriate during Lent. 

In the traditional Prayer Book Catechism, we have the following credal affirmations.

Catechist. Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief.

Answer. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Comment:  Throughout the Scriptures, especially in the New Testament, there are summaries of things that God’s people should believe. In the Acts of the Apostles, there are several notable summaries of beliefs about Christ in sermons and at Baptisms. There are also passages such as I Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. “

During the second and third centuries, various local baptismal creeds developed. They were usually in three parts (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Although local versions were slightly different, they covered the same basic points. One of these summaries of basic Christian belief developed at Rome in Latin and became known as the Apostles' Creed. Although not literally composed by the Apostles in the first century, it summarizes their preaching and teaching contained in the book of Acts and the New Testament epistles.

In the year 325, the bishops at the First Council of Nicea took a similar Eastern baptismal creed (maybe from Jerusalem) and added words to be clear about Christ’s divinity. In 381, the bishops at the council of Constantinople added details about the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. With these modifications, the creed we know as the Nicene Creed developed. Later, the Western church added that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Son.”  From 1549, English Prayer Books omitted “holy” before “catholic” in the Nicene Creed (but not in the Apostles’ Creed). Some have suggested a printer’s error, but research also shows its omission in some medieval Latin texts.

Now let us notice the short summary in the next Catechism question.

  

Question. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief?

Answer. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me, and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me, and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth me, and all the people of God.

Comment: The Apostles' Creed like many Christian statements of faith and acts of worship has a three-part form, a Trinitarian structure. The first part of the Creed is about God the Father, the Creator. All of Scripture and much in nature teaches us about Him.  

God’s creation is basically good because He is good. One good part of His creation is freedom for higher creatures such as angels and human beings. Unfortunately, a heavenly creature, Lucifer or Satan, rebelled, was cast out of heaven and pursued his rebellion on earth. And the first human creatures succumbed to temptation and also rebelled against the holy Creator. This Fall into sin disrupted the relationship between God and His creation, but it did not destroy the Creator’s love. So God reached out with a series of promises and demands called covenants. An important example was the covenant with Abraham and his descendants. The early covenants are recorded in the Scriptures we call the Old Testament, and they were designed to prepare human beings for the great new and final covenant through Jesus Christ.

Although nature and Scripture teach us much about the Creator, this part of the Creed is short. It seems to assume that most human beings acknowledge a Creator and some kind of moral law, and it moves quickly to the beliefs that are more uniquely Christian.

The second part of the Creed is about God the Son, Jesus the Christ. Our beliefs about Jesus are what characterize us as Christians. This part of the Creed summarizes the Gospels and many other parts of the New Testament. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only and unique Son of God, of one essence with the Father; He was conceived by the Spirit of God and born of the Virgin Mary.  Thus, He is true man and true God. He came to earth to reveal God in the Incarnation, to redeem or save us from our sins, and to offer us eternal life in God's presence.

Among the many things that He did during His life on earth, the Creed stresses the central events which are His death on the Cross for our sins, and His resurrection to offer us new life. He was a real man who, at a particular moment in history (under the Roman governor Pilate), truly suffered, died, and descended to the dead. He freely gave Himself and paid the debt that a fallen humanity was incapable of paying.  Because He was both innocent man and true God, death could not hold Him, and He rose from the dead in bodily form. This is the source of Christian hope; without it, His story would be meaningless and our hope futile. After His resurrection, He appeared forty days to His disciples, and then He ascended into heaven to pray for us and to watch over us. And at the end of earthly history, He will come again to take up the role of judge of all.

The third part of the Creed is about God the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit. Not only did God create the universe and come to earth in the man Jesus, He continues to reach out and work in the world in invisible but powerful spiritual ways. As He works in the world, He sanctifies or makes holy. He works through each individual believer. There are several aspects of this spiritual work in individual lives.

It is the Spirit that reaches out through Baptism and proclamation of the Gospel to redeem fallen human beings. When the Spirit starts this process of redemption, it is called regeneration. When the individual responds by faith in Christ, we speak of justification, and when the Spirit helps one grow in holiness, we speak of sanctification.

As is shown in the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit also works in a special way through the fellowship or communion of believers, the Church.  There is only one Church. Despite human failings, this Church is holy because it belongs to God. It is also catholic or universal. It extends across languages, races, cultures, political boundaries, and time. It holds to the same basic beliefs and moral standards everywhere- in this world and beyond. The Church is apostolic because it is based on the teaching and ministry of the Apostles. The Spirit makes the Church a communion of saints, a fellowship of those made holy by the grace of God in Christ.

The basic visible foundation of the Church is Christian Baptism. Wherever there are baptized persons who profess the faith into which they have been baptized, the Church exists in a basic way. The Church also exists as an institution that continues through history. Into the Church and the lives of its members, the Holy Spirit brings blessings such as the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is related to Baptism, the proclamation of the Gospel, and in various ways to all the rites of the Church. The Holy Spirit will also be active in the future resurrection of the body for judgment and in eternal life in God's presence. We end with “Amen,” which implies both "it is true" and “so be it”

First Sunday in Lent

 In praying the Litany this week, I was struck by a relationship between the temptation Gospel in Matthew 4 and the phrase in the Great Litany on the temptations or "deceits of the world, the flesh and the devil." 
 The Gospel about Christ's Temptation can be viewed in terms of the three temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Although the devil is at work in all the temptations, Christ's first temptation to turn stones into bread is primarily a temptation of the flesh. The second temptation to jump from the Temple to impress people is a temptation of the world. And although the third temptation involves worldly power, it is even more directly about serving the devil.

So, whenever we call to mind our Baptisms or say prayers such as the Litany, there is a connection to our Lord's Temptation. He has overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil for us, and through His grace, we can grow in our resistance to such temptations. Lent is a season for us to increase our awareness and improve our discipline in this spiritual arena.

The Litany

Saying or singing a Litany has long been an important devotional practice. Litanies or responsive prayers go back to the early days of Christian worship. The earliest litanies were probably simple expansions of the Kyrie eleison. In Italy during the fifth and sixth centuries, more elaborate responsive and processional prayers developed. Such litanies continued to develop during the Middle Ages. As they became more elaborate over time, more and more of the intercessions were directed to the saints.

 
In 1529, Martin Luther revised a popular litany by removing the invocations of the saints and emphasizing the work of Christ. Influenced by Luther's model, Thomas Cranmer issued the first version of the English Litany in 1544 while Henry VIII still ruled. So the English Litany was the first official part of the English-language Liturgy. This Litany was later included in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. The rubrics directed that the English Litany be said on Wednesdays and Fridays as well as included on Sundays after Matins and before Holy Communion.

Most contemporary Anglicans spend less time in church than our sixteenth-century forebears. So we are not likely to see the whole Sunday array of services or find the Litany recited every Wednesday and Friday. However, the Litany is a very meaningful form of prayer, and its tone is particularly suitable for our Lenten devotions. It is appropriate to include it in private prayers and use it more frequently in Anglican parishes. For example, one might say the Litany at midday on Fridays in Lent.

First Day of Lent, commonly called Ash Wednesday

Today, we begin our disciplined season of preparation as we look to Good Friday and Easter. In my reflections this time, I have been drawn to the traditional words used on this day: "Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return."  These words are based on Genesis 3:19 where God speaks to Adam after the Fall.

As fallen descendants of Adam, we all hear these words addressed to us. Ash Wednesday is a special reminder of the life of penitence that we need to live daily. We have all rebelled against God and continue to sin against Him. In doing so, we have all turned from eternal life with God, and as a consequence, our bodies will eventually dissolve into dust and ashes. 

Yet, this message of judgment is not the last word. Despite our failings, God calls us to turn from sin, accept the grace of God in Christ, and seek to live the holy life that He offers. We are called to repentance and renewal daily throughout our earthly lives; Lent is just a special time set aside by the Church to emphasize this ongoing call to all who would follow Christ. And so let us pray without ceasing, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us sinners.

Christmas

The Feast of Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorates an event and also proclaims a key theological concept- the Incarnation. "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (St. John 1:14). Of course, we celebrate the birth of a great person in human history, but as Christians, we celebrate much more; we celebrate the transcendent and eternal God coming in human flesh. If we can focus on that reality, then we will raise the level of our own observances beyond a simple birthday party. We will move into the realm of mystery, awe, and thanksgiving. And if we really appreciate the mystery of the Incarnation,  maybe we will become better witnesses to a world in desperate need of God in Christ.

Second Sunday in Advent- Scripture

The Second Sunday in Advent has often been called "Bible Sunday," and the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for this Sunday all stress the importance of Holy Scripture. As Anglicans, we should always remember that God’s revelation is basic. All that is necessary for salvation is found in Scripture. Yet, Scripture is closely connected with Christ's Church. Scripture and the Church have always been intertwined. Scripture reveals divine truth. It is the foundation of faith. It guides and corrects the Church, but the Church also serves as God’s instrument to preserve and interpret Scripture.

Personal acceptance and applications of Scripture are necessary, and individual opinions about Scripture can be valuable, but corporate understandings of Scripture are a safeguard. While 1 Peter 2:9 assures us that all believers are priests in a general sense, 2 Peter 1:20 warns, “no prophecy of scripture is of a private interpretation.” Properly understanding Scripture depends upon the work of the Holy Spirit within the Body of Christ, the universal Church. Great thinkers and even pious believers can make mistakes about some biblical ideas and texts. Even large Christian organizations and denominations have erred on some points. At times in history, many Christians have accepted poor explanations on some points of faith or morals.

Yet, God's Word remains forever (1 Peter 1:25), and Christ promises that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His universal Church (Matt. 16:18). Divine truth and faithful believers will continue till the end. So we look to the understanding of Scripture that has survived in the Church through the centuries. We look to the catholic or universal faith of the ancient Church, “what has been believed everywhere, always, by all” (St. Vincent of Lerins). These are the beliefs reflected in the church fathers and summarized in the ancient creeds. They are found among the Reformers and in the Prayer Book Catechism. They are expressed in the historic liturgies. There may be differences about interpreting some details, but the core of Scripture is clear. And that core of Scripture centered on Christ the eternal Word of God calls for our faithful response. May Advent be a time for us to renew our commitment to an orthodox Christian understanding of Scripture!

Saint Nicholas of Myra

Of course, today, December 6, is the real feast of St. Nicholas, fouth-century bishop from Asia Minor (or modern Turkey). It is a good time to remind ourselves and others about the true Christian significance of this saint and of gift-giving. St. Nicholas focused on faith in Christ, not on commercialism. Let us do likewise in our Advent preparations.