Good Friday- John 18-19

The traditional Books of Common Prayer provide rich resources for Good (or Holy) Friday.  There are Morning and Evening Prayer, the Ante-Communion service of the Word, and the Litany. Of course, there are numerous Scripture readings, especially the Passion of our Lord according to John 18 and 19. 

Besides Scripture, some other resources have been particularly striking. For Anglicans, there are three traditional collects (here in the 1928 American form):

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold  this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever,  one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the  whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

O  Merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest  nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; Have mercy upon all who know thee not as thou art revealed in the Gospel of thy Son. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy fold, that they may be made one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy  Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Litany is always striking on solemn occasions, and the following words of the Litany apply with great strength on Good Friday:

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us. (1928 BCP, The Litany, p. 55)

Whatever forms we use, let us focus on what our Lord Jesus Christ does to redeem us!

Thursday before Easter, commonly called Maundy Thursday- I Corinthians 11

 The Thursday before Easter has several associations in the New Testament and has had other associations in church history. For most Christians, the central point is the institution of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, or Eucharist. The Epistle from I Corinthians 11: 23-26 highlights the basic acts and meaning of this event. By sharing in this Holy Sacrament, we show forth the Lord's death till He comes again, and we share in His body and His blood given to save us. We commune with Christ and with fellow believers.

The 1928 Book of Common Prayer added a collect of the day based on phrases from Scripture and other parts of the Prayer Book:

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood; Mercifully grant that we may thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth us a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

This prayer is both a succinct reminder of the important nature of Holy Communion and a prayerful request that we may approach and receive the Sacrament with appropriate attitudes. This central act of Christian worship is more than a dead memory of a night long ago. It is a living participation in the Body and Blood of Christ (I Corinthians 10:16-17), and it is a foretaste of eternal life in His heavenly kingdom. We should be thoughtful and seek to appreciate the Sacrament with our best human understanding. Nevertheless, we should always be aware that these "holy mysteries" transcend particular human thoughts and theologies. Whatever our theories, it is the Lord Jesus who still comes to be with us and to offer us His grace. He does so in these mysteries that He established. He is the Savior who gave Himself for us long ago and who will come again in glory  Thanks be to God!

Wednesday before Easter- Hebrews 9:20

On this Wednesday in Holy Week, the collect in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer helps focus our thoughts as Holy Week progresses and enters a more serious phase. Although relatively new in the Prayer Book, this short prayer is based upon one from the medieval Sarum (Salisbury) liturgy.

Assist us mercifully with thy help, O Lord God of our salvation; that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts, whereby thou hast given unto us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The mighty acts upon which we mediate this week are obviously very serious and somber, but the collect also speaks of joy. The joyful aspect is rooted in God's redemptive work during the first Holy Week. As the Epistle from Hebrews emphasizes, Christ's work is both great and unique: "so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of man" (Hebrews 9:20). Let us meditate prayerfully on Christ's one offering of Himself for us. In the words of Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Despite the sadness of  our Lord's rejection, betrayal, torture, and death, let us also remain aware of  the spiritual joy offered through Christ's saving work.

Tuesday before Easter- Isaiah 50; Mark 15

For the Tuesday before Easter (Tuesday in Holy Week), the Book of Common Prayer continues the Passion Gospel from Mark 15:1-39. It also provides a reading from Isaiah 50: 5-11 as a liturgical epistle. This Suffering Servant passage continues the theme of the way of the cross, and its wording is reflected in the 1928 collect of the day: "O Lord God, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, gave his back to the smiters and hid not his face from shame..."

Holy Week is a special reminder that earthly life will always involve suffering. The pertinent question is not whether we human beings suffer but rather how we suffer. Do we merely try to avoid as much suffering as possible? Do we respond as pagan stoics? Or do we complain loudly when we suffer? For Christians, none of these responses is sufficient. Rather we look to our Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, our sufferings do not really compare to those of the holy and innocent Son of God. But we should seek divine grace to accept earthly suffering as a way to draw closer to Jesus Christ.  As we contemplate Christ's way of the cross, may we draw closer to Him and see all our human problems as opportunities to grow in grace!

Monday before Easter- Mark 14

This Monday before Easter (also known as the Monday in Holy Week) is an appropriate day to reflect on several matters. Since it is March 25 on the calendar, it is also the traditional date for the Annunciation of Christ's birth to the Virgin Mary. Because of Holy Week, most liturgical calendars postpone observing the Annunciation. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note how our Lord's Incarnation,  Passion, and Resurrection are related. This connection is beautifully expressed in the Collect for the Annunciation:

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts; that, as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought into the glory of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Prayer Book Gospel assigned for today is the Passion account from Mark 14. This Scripture includes Mark 14:3-9, the story about the woman who anointed Jesus with costly fragrance. In typical human disagreeableness, some people murmur. Instead of honoring Jesus or respecting the woman who honors Him, some of those present feel compelled to criticize the woman and by implication, Jesus who accepts her gift. They try to make their criticism seem justifiable by using high-sounding phrases. They resort to moralistic words about helping the poor to mask their unbelief.

Of course, these critics are not really as pious as they pretend. Their words betray a condescending attitude toward the woman and a lack of appreciation for Jesus. They don't care about the suffering that awaits Him. They are really hypocrites using pious words in order to hide their own lack of faith and love.

Unfortunately, many people in the world continue to behave this way. Many acts of devotion or worship can be criticized as impractical wastes of time, energy, or resources. In fact, all Holy Week devotions might be attacked this way. After all, instead of praying and reading Scripture, one could be engaged in some "productive" or charitable activity. For many people, almost any mundane activity seems more valuable and practical than devotional reading or prayer.

Yet, Christians must not ignore the spiritual life.We must not always focus on the practical, and we must not even elevate concern for the poor above our devotion to God. Believers are called to honor God and His Christ above all. Such devotion is the reason that the Church observes this special week. God deserves this honor and praise, and such activity is also good for our own souls. We should not ignore the poor or others in need, but we must put our devotion to God first. 

Lent VI, commonly called Palm Sunday- Matthew 21: 1-11; Matthew 27: 1-54

On this Sunday next before Easter, many Anglicans and other Christians read two gospel accounts-  Matthew 21: 1-11 (or Mark 11:1-11) and Matthew  27:1-54. Most contemporary Christians, even those who do not go in for historical church ceremonies,  know the Sunday before Easter as Palm Sunday.  And the Gospel account of people praising Jesus and waving or strewing palm branches is lovely and meaningful.  As believers, we certainly think that Jesus was/is the Christ and deserved/deserves to be honored as the great king humbly coming in peace. So reading the Palm Gospel is appropriate, and there is nothing inherently wrong with having a few leaves of palms or other leaves in the church in commemoration.

Unfortunately, there are problems associated with "Palm Sunday" from the first century onward. The crowd that praised Jesus did not really understand or appreciate Him. Five days later, some of the same people may have been yelling, "Crucify him." This sinful fickleness still applies to many people.

Furthermore, from about the 8th century, the medieval church got carried away with the ceremony of the Palms. It became more and more elaborate, and in the popular consciousness overshadowed the more ancient emphasis on the Passion Gospel. So it should not be surprising that in 1549 Archbishop Cranmer tried to shift the emphasis to the Passion of Christ. The ceremony of the Palms was abolished, and from 1549 through 1662, Anglican Prayer Books simply called the day "The Sunday next before Easter." Even under ritualist pressure, the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer remained subdued in calling the day "The Sunday next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday."

With the passage of time, we seem to see a repeat of medieval extravagance. Ceremonies, palm leaves, music, and processions have become more and more widespread and elaborate. And in many Anglican and other churches, these cute rites have come to overshadow the ancient and Reformation emphasis on Christ's Passion. While I do not advocate the abolition of the observance of Palm Sunday, I can see why Cranmer and other reformers did so. If we do wish to focus on Christ's triumphal entry, we should avoid too much pageantry, and we should relate this day to our Lord's Passion.

Thomas Cranmer- 21 March 1556

 On the twenty-first day of March in 1556, Thomas Cranmer died at the stake in Oxford, England. Despite his human weaknesses, he died as a martyr for his understanding of the Christian Faith. Although no one person founded Anglicanism, Cranmer left an enduring legacy in the Book of Common Prayer, the general content of the Thirty-Nine Articles, and four of the Anglican Homilies. Some details of his evolving personal theologies would not be acceptable to many later Anglicans; yet in his theological and liturgical writings, Cranmer did express the Anglican perennial respect for both Scripture and the ancient Church Fathers. He was also a master of the English language. Furthermore, he had a great personal influence on both Elizabeth I and his Elizabethan successor, Archbishop Matthew Parker. This all means that the Elizabethan Settlement and later Anglicanism owe much of their content to Cranmer.

Lent V- Passion Sunday- Hebrews 9: 11-15

For Lent V. the theme of Christ's Passion is related to both the traditional Epistle (Hebrews 9:11-15) and Gospel (St. John 8:46-59). This time, let us focus on the selection from Hebrews. The Epistle from Hebrews 9 stresses the great and unique sacrifice of Christ. Jesus was and is the great high priest who offered Himself as a pure sacrifice for human sin. Other sacrifices were mere foreshadowings of His perfect sacrifice. Such sacrifices were of minimal and temporary symbolic value, but Jesus became the mediator of a new and everlasting covenant. By offering Himself, Jesus Christ purified believers, and thereby through Him, they/we are enabled to offer living works to God's praise and glory. And eventually, those who remain faithful will "receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

Lent IV- Galatians 4:21-31

 For this Sunday, our attention is drawn to the Epistle from Galatians 4:21-31. In this passage, the Apostle Paul uses a figurative approach to the Old Testament that was familiar in his day but may seem unusual in our time. Abraham's two wives, Hagar and Sarah, along with their sons, are seen as types or models of two different kinds of covenant relationship with God. Hagar and her son Ishmael represent the covenant based on law; Sarah and her son Isaac represent the new covenant based on grace and the promise in Christ. 

St. Paul opposes those who wish to turn the Christian message into some sort of legalistic code. He calls on believers to realize that they serve under a new and higher covenant with God. While the Law has good purposes in exposing sin and promoting goodness, Christ offers a more spiritual relationship with God. Christians have been set free from legalism to serve God as true spiritual sons and daughters.

Christians continue to need this reminder about our relationship with God. On one hand, we live in an age characterized by moral and spiritual lawlessness. In such a social context, people do need to be reminded of the Law and Commandments. Sin should be pointed out. Efforts do need to be made to limit its damage to society and to individuals. People should be called to repentance. In these ways, the Law continues to have useful purposes.

On the other hand, in terms of our covenant relationship with God, the Law is not supreme. And if we do not advance beyond the Law in our moral and religious lives, we are not free or spiritual. Only grace and promise received through faith in Jesus Christ can make us heirs of the higher and heavenly covenant. Law is only a general guide while the work of the Spirit goes further and frees us for true service as children of God.

This general truth has a special application as we look toward Good Friday and Easter. During Lent, Christians focus on preparations and spiritual discipline. Historically, the Church has encouraged certain practices to promote self-denial and deeper devotion. Many may have decided to give up certain things, to read more Scripture, to study a book, to engage in more personal or corporate devotions, to perform some new service for other people, etc. Such disciplines and rules can have useful purposes, but there is also the danger of falling into legalism. We should remain aware that even good and useful practices do not make us holy. We can not earn our way into being God's children. The higher purpose of all devotional practices is to encourage us to be more open to divine grace, the promises of the Gospel, and the workings of the Holy Spirit. May we always live as "children of promise" and "children of the free" (Gal. 3:28, 31)!

Lent III - Luke 11:24-26

 The Gospel for this Sunday refers to several themes related to Christ’s ministry and the kingdom of God. In the midst of all these themes, there are three verses about spiritual housekeeping that have sometimes been applied to Lent. These verses are Luke 11:24-26. “ When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.  And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

These verses are a brief parable about moral and spiritual cleansing and healing. In a way, the verses encourage moral and spiritual housekeeping, but they are also a warning about how people pursue such housekeeping. The ways a person cleans up his/her life and what one does afterward can be as important as the cleansing itself.

In this world, many human beings admit that they need to change. Many people know that there are bad or destructive forces and tendencies in their lives. They sense that bad habits, poor attitudes, mistaken loyalties, and various mental and spiritual weaknesses need to be cast out. For many, the approach of  Easter is a reminder to do some spiritual housekeeping. They may stress better moral and spiritual habits. Some may give up certain things. Some Christians emphasize penitential attitudes and a variety of devotions. Such external disciplines can be useful. However, Christians also need to move beyond mere external disciplines- even beyond good disciplines involving certain degrees of self-denial. 

Our spiritual houses must not be left empty. They need to be filled with goodness. As numerous Scriptures remind us, our Lord should abide or dwell within us. In other words, a Christian life must include positive aspects as well as negative ones. We are called to do more than just cleanse our hearts, minds, and souls of evil. We are asked to allow God to dwell or reside within us, and the real purpose of all spiritual housekeeping is to make room for Him. It is to become more open to divine grace and love.

This point is always true. Of course, we could all use more self-discipline and more sincere self-denial, but those things are not sufficient. By God’s grace in Christ, our hearts, minds, and souls can be filled with good things such as faith, hope, and love. Our great need is for God to dwell within us and transform us for worship and service.

Lent I- Matthew 4

The Gospel this Sunday is the familiar story of Christ’s great fast and temptation from St. Mathew 4:1-11. After Jesus’ Baptism, He withdrew to the Judean wilderness for a period of devotion. At the close of His days of prayer and fasting, the Tempter sought to catch him in a moment of weakness. Satan used appealing lures and even tried to confuse matters by quoting Scripture.

Of course, Jesus of Nazareth rejected the temptations of the devil. He knew that it was wrong to serve Satan for any reason. Jesus chose to live on the earth in the ways His heavenly Father wished. He would not turn away from those principles despite attacks or misunderstandings. He would remain steadfast even when it meant rejection by the crowds and death on the Cross. In certain respects, the Temptation of Christ was unique. No one else has ever been so innocent and resisted temptation so completely. He defeated Satan's temptations on our behalf.

Yet, although Christ is unique, in certain respects, His temptations are similar to those of every other human being. So the story of His basic temptations applies to all of us. Temptations are rooted in the needs of human life. All human beings seek some degree of physical or material comfort. All human beings have some natural desire for approval from other people. All of us want some control over our surroundings.

The problem is that these natural needs and desires can draw us away from God and His intentions for human life. So we must be vigilant and disciplined. We must struggle to remain loyal to divine principles in all areas of life.  And we can only remain faithful through the grace and assistance of Jesus Christ each day. Through the Word, Sacrament, and prayer. He can strengthen us in our weaknesses and in our temptations. And although we stumble, He helps the faithful to repent, arise, and keep walking with Him by faith.

The First Day of Lent, commonly called Ash Wednesday- Matthew 6

The keys to observing Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are found in the Scripture lessons for the day. These lessons stress the spiritual aspects of fasting and repentance. The Gospel from St. Matthew 6 makes it clear that a disciple's attitude is key. Our Lord assumes that His followers will fast. However, they are not to be hypocritical or ostentatious. Therefore, as we think of this Lenten season, let us focus on devotion to almighty God. External acts of devotion can be useful, but the main point is laying up treasure in heaven through faith in Christ.

So as we begin Lent, let us focus on our devotion to God and our understanding of Christ’s journey toward the Cross. We do need some outward disciplines.. Increasing our prayer time and Bible study is important. Giving up or decreasing some food, drink, entertainment, or purchases can be useful reminders. Giving more money or time to charity is valuable. These and other practices can be expressions of faith and renewal. But the most important thing about Lent is our attitude. In all we think, say, and do, let us humbly repent, focus on our Lord Jesus Christ, and respond to Him with living faith.

Pre-Lent: Quinquagesima- Luke 18

This Sunday, Quinquagesima, is the fiftieth day before Easter and the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The Gospel from St. Luke 18 talks about Christ's Way of the Cross. It also shows us two kinds of blindness. The blind beggar by the Jericho road is blind physically. He has faith in Jesus and is healed quickly. The twelve closest disciples, however, have a problem with spiritual blindness. They think that Jesus is the Messiah, but they have not yet understood His way of being the Messiah. They have not yet come to see that He is the Suffering Servant who redeems others through His afflictions. It will take longer to cure them of their blindness. Only by following Him through the difficult days that lead to the Cross and Empty Tomb will they come to appreciate the true nature of His ministry.

As we approach the beginning of Lent, we can apply this Gospel to ourselves. Have we been spiritually blind? Have we seen the necessity of Christ's suffering and death for our redemption? And are we willing to follow Jesus Christ along the difficult Way of the Cross? Only God's grace working through the Word and the Holy Ghost can open our spiritual eyes to the redeeming work of Christ in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. 

Lutheran Influences in Anglicanism

Anglicanism in England and around the world has been influenced by many currents over the centuries. These influences include the ancient undivided Church, medieval and Renaissance Catholicism, several strains of Reformation Protestantism, and varied Christian influences over the centuries since the Restoration of 1660.  After years of considering church history, it seems to me that one of the most neglected influences on Anglican thought and practice is the Lutheran Reformation. Despite divergent Anglican views about the 16th-17th century reforms, history shows that there are clearly Lutheran influences upon the beliefs and practices of English Christianity.

In the early years of the English Reformation, numerous churchmen and civic leaders were influenced by Luther. Luther's example led to Bible translations by William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale. Lutheran liturgical reforms influenced Thomas Cranmer's revisions. Cranmer's first official English liturgical text was the Litany in 1544. This Litany closely followed Luther's revision of 1529.  Cranmer's later versions of the Anglican Daily Office and the Order for Holy Communion reflected several British and Continental influences, especially Lutheran ones. In addition, many daily and seasonal prayers were revised or rewritten under the influence of Reformation themes such as unearned grace and justifying faith. Although the Anglican Articles of Religion, drafted by Thomas Cranmer and later revised by Matthew Parker and Convocation, were not Lutheran (especially the disputed Article XXIX), this Anglican confession was heavily influenced by the Augsburg Confession and other Lutheran confessions. Besides Lutheran influences on Cranmer and other English Reformers, there were Lutheran tendencies in the personal ideas and practices of Elizabeth I as well as in the religious policies she supported.

Over time, direct Lutheran influence diminished in the sixteenth-century English Church, and many Anglicans were influenced by the Reformed tendencies. In addition, Anglicanism attempted to be a broad (dare we say "ecumenical"?) national body, and it was never strictly Lutheran. Nevertheless, interactions between the two traditions continued, especially during the Hanoverian monarchy. Furthermore, the Lutheran emphasis on Scripture and justification by grace through faith continued among Anglicans. Calvinist influence in England was not able to eradicate other Anglican perspectives. Many Anglicans, like Lutherans, always combined loyalty to Scriptural authority and justification by faith with continued respect for the ancient Creeds, a strong appreciation of the Sacraments, and support for liturgical worship.

To this day,  orthodox Anglicans place Scriptural authority first, emphasize grace and justification by faith, and view sanctification as a fruit of grace and faith. Although there are several other historical factors in Anglicanism, Lutheran influences are ingrained in Anglican doctrine and worship. Whether Anglicans should appreciate this Lutheran heritage can be debated, but the historic fact of Lutheran influence on Anglican doctrine and practice cannot be denied.

Pre-Lent: Sexagesima- Luke 8

The Second Sunday before Lent or Sexagesima (Latin- "sixtieth") continues to lead us to prepare for greater efforts in faith and action. But although we must strive for greater efforts, the Collect reminds us that we "put not our trust in any thing that we do." We depend upon God's power, His grace, in all things.

In the Epistle from II Corinthians 11:19-31, St. Paul responds to those Corinthians who do not appreciate his message and mission. They seem to be looking for a leader who is wise or strong in worldly terms. Rather than engage in a debate about his strengths, the apostle Paul ironically glories in his weaknesses. By doing so, he does two things. 1) He actually does point out some of the important ways in which he has served the Gospel. 2) He emphasizes the glory and grace of God. The Apostle teaches that believers are called to serve the Lord in, through, and despite their weaknesses, and then leave the rest to God.

The Gospel from St. Luke 8:4-15 is one of the accounts concerning the Parable of the Sower. This story occurs in three of the Gospels, This Parable is also special because in the text Christ Himself develops an allegorical interpretation. Sometimes, a distinction is made between parable and allegory. In such a distinction, a parable is a brief story that illustrates one key point while an allegorical interpretation develops more symbolic details.

Thus, one can say that the Parable of the Sower points out that the seed (the Word of God) is sown in different soils but still produces much fruit. The allegorical interpretation goes on to look at the different circumstances where the Word of God is received. Understandably. we often want to focus on what kind of soil we are or how we might become more receptive soil. From an individual perspective, our receptivity is something to consider. However, the point of the text does not seem to be primarily about our personal receptivity. In other words, the main point is Christ's ministry and about how His followers can assist in that ministry. The seed has to be sowed; the Word has to be spread. The great Sower and His helpers have a job to do, and they are to spread the Word regardless of the response it receives in diverse circumstances. Although every hearer will not produce good results, some will, and those will produce abundantly.