Observing Lent

The first day of Lent  in western Christianity is always on a Wednesday, 46 days before Easter Sunday. The name Lent is from an Anglo-Saxon word, but the season is older than the word. This season of preparation before the Crucifixion and Resurrection has a long history among Christians. It began in the early church with two basic purposes: 1) instruction and preparation for those about to be baptized, and 2) a time for repentance and renewal for those already baptized. 

Historically, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and some others have retained the basics of the church calendar, including Lent. This season has been seen as a useful tradition to encourage repentance, voluntary devotion, and preparation for Easter. At the same time, Anglicans have stressed some Christian freedom with regard to human works and traditions. While the Prayer Book provides general rules about observing Lent, Lenten devotions must not become legalistic. Practices such as fasting, alms-giving, Bible studies, or special prayers can help our spiritual growth, but they do not earn righteousness before God. In other words, human traditions about Lent or other devotions can be useful, but in themselves, such practices do not make people virtuous.

Although Christian devotions and disciplines can be good, our attitudes and beliefs are more important. Only Jesus Christ can set us right with God. Lent, like every other observance, is meant to call us to repentance and to faith in Christ.  So any special devotions during this season should point us to the work of Jesus Christ. The real purpose of our Lenten practices is always to recall us to faith in the central truths of the Gospel.

Sunday before Lent or Quinquagesima- I Corinthians 13

For this Sunday before Lent traditionally called Quinquagesima (from the Latin, "fifty"), I would briefly focus on the Epistle from I Corinthians 13 and its significance in approaching Lent.  This chapter is the Apostle Paul's great exhortation about true Christian love, and it can be applied in all kinds of contexts. It certainly has a special application at this time in the church year.

As we look to the beginning of Lent on Wednesday, we should keep charity or love (agape) foremost. During this season, most Christians rightly stress the need for greater dedication and special acts of devotion. There is much useful talk about disciplines such as prayer, fasting, Scriptural reading, acts of mercy, special offerings, and so forth. We need to do such things for our spiritual discipline and well-being. Yet, we must also be careful lest we pursue discipline devoid of true charity or love.  Any externally good actions without Christ-like faith, hope, and love prove spiritually worthless.  So we must remain open to the grace of God which is the true source of love for God and our neighbor.

Second Sunday before Lent or Sexagesima

The Second Sunday before Lent, traditionally called Sexagesima (from the Latin- "sixtieth") continues to look toward Lent. It should lead us to prepare for greater efforts in Christian faith and practice. But although we should always strive to do more, the Collect for this Sunday 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.

Martin Luther- 18 February

 On the 18th day of February 1546, Martin Luther died professing the faith he proclaimed. Luther was an Augustinian friar, a priest, a doctor of theology, a professor of Bible studies, and the great reformer of the Western Church. Although he had his human flaws, Luther was a bold and intelligent Christian preacher and teacher. He emphasized Scripture, the Creeds, Christ as Savior, divine grace, justification by faith, and the importance of the sacraments. 

In addition, despite the negative opinions of Henry VIII and some others in Anglican history, Luther's thought and reforms have greatly influenced Anglicanism from the sixteenth century to the present. Both the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles reflect his influence in theology and practice. So today, we offer a prayer of thanks for Luther and his work on behalf of the Gospel and church reform.

Septuagesima- Matthew 20

The Gospel for Septuagesima, the first Sunday of Pre-Lent, is the Parable of the Workers from St. Matthew 20.  In this story, our Lord warns us that the kingdom of heaven is not centered on our human efforts or accomplishments. Almighty God is sovereign and exalted above human understanding. He is free to do as He chooses, and He is gracious beyond measure. Any reward human beings receive from God is really a gift that is not earned, and He is free to bestow His gifts as He pleases. He does not owe us anything, not even an accounting of what He gives us or our fellow laborers.

This teaching has a special application as we enter into the seasons of Pre-Lent and then Lent. Certainly, these church seasons call us to emphasize spiritual training and special self-discipline. We are asked to strive and work harder in divine service. Yet, even while we are expected to work, we must keep in mind that our human efforts can not really merit anything from God. Our efforts must be done with a humble attitude. God is in charge, and we must always respond to His gracious offers with thankful humility.

Epiphany V- Matthew 13:24-30

 The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany does not occur every year in the traditional BCP calendar, and even this year it is the last Sunday before Pre-Lent begins. The Gospel for this Sunday (Matthew 13:24-30) is the parable of the tares or weeds. Although the Epiphany Season emphasizes the spread of goodness and light, this passage serves as a reminder that the spread of goodness is not always upward and onward. There are also problems and setbacks. While goodness grows, evil also grows beside it. The church in the world is God's field, but all is not as it should be. God's spiritual enemy has scattered bad seeds in the field. 

In the parable of the tares, our Lord reminds us that life in the world, including life in the church on earth, is a mixture. Certainly, the church at all levels needs individual and community discipline. Sometimes, certain obvious sinners should be excluded from the church. Yet, there will always remain problems and corruption in this world, even in the Christian church. Until the final harvest, weeds will keep growing beside the good grain in God's field. As we recognize that reality, we should also seek divine grace to grow in goodness ourselves and to encourage the growth of goodness around us.

Epiphany IV/ Presentation of Christ- Luke 2:22-40

Several different names can be applied to this coming Sunday. It is the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, but this year, Epiphany IV falls on 2 February. So the day is also the Feast commemorating the Presentation of Christ in the Temple on the fortieth day after His Birth. Another name is the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin because she also underwent certain rites at this time. In the Middle Ages, the day also became known as Candlemas because of the custom of blessing ecclesiastical candles on this date.

Luke 2:22-40 reminds us that the Holy Family chose to fulfill all righteousness; they followed the Law perfectly. In doing so, they pointed to the general human need for both purification and redemption. In the words of the Prayer Book Collect for the Day, the divine "Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto [God] with pure and clean hearts ... by Jesus Christ our Lord." Through Christ, may we all be purified and presented to God on a daily basis!

Epiphany III- John 2:1-11

 The Gospel for the Third Sunday after Epiphany(in the 1928 BCP) is the account of the miracle of the water turned into wine  (John 2:1-11). This story has several associations. One point is that Christ graced the wedding with His presence and blessing, and there are times when we do well to focus on that connection. However, the central point of the story in John's Gospel, especially at this time in the church year, lies elsewhere.

The key issue is Christ's action and His disciples' response to Him. The miracle is a sign of who Jesus is. He is God's anointed, and He is Lord over creation. He transforms the purification waters of the Mosaic covenant into the best wine of the new covenant. He manifests His glory, "and His disciples believed in Him" (John 2:11). 

Although the disciples are slow to grow in faith, here they make an appropriate response. They see that God is working through Jesus in a unique way. The disciples respond in faith to this epiphany or manifestation of divine glory. May we also respond to such signs by faith in Christ!

Prayers for Life

 On or around January 22, many US Christians offer prayers focused on the sanctity of life. We remember the sins against the unborn and the waste of human life. We pray for limitations on the taking of innocent life, and we pray for all the victims: innocent babes, distraught mothers-to-be, confused fathers-to-be, and societies with materialistic and selfish values.

Almighty God, by whose Providence new life is conceived, look with mercy upon all those who are with child and upon the babes within their wombs. Strengthen them during the months of waiting and growth, and bring them in safety through the time of birth. And grant that each child may increase in wisdom and stature, and grow in thy love and service until he or she comes to thy eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Epiphany II- Mark 1:1-11

Usually, the 1928 Book of Common Prayer uses the same sequence of propers as the 1662  BCP.  However, the medieval English Sarum liturgy which influenced Prayer Books omitted Christ's Baptism. In recognition of the ancient tradition connecting Christ's Baptism with Epiphany, the 1928 revisers placed a Gospel about the Baptism of our Lord (St. Mark 1:1-11) on this Sunday in the Epiphany season. This means that the sequence of readings for the Second through the Fourth Sundays after Epiphany are in a different order in the 1928 BCP. (The Sarum/1662 Gospel from Matthew 8:23 ff is omitted in the 1928 communion cycle although it and the synoptic parallels are read three times as daily office lessons.)

It is certainly appropriate that we should reflect upon our Lord's Baptism during Epiphany. Although Jesus of Nazareth did not need to be cleansed from any sin, He underwent this ritual of cleansing to give His followers an example and to dedicate Himself publicly to His mission. And as He did so, the Holy Spirit blessed Christ and His ministry while the heavenly Father proclaimed His approval of His only Son. 

Christ's Baptism is unique because Jesus Christ is unique. Yet, His Baptism does prefigure later Christian Baptism. Jesus provided a model for His followers. Every Christian Baptism is a uniting with Christ the only begotten Son, a blessing by the Holy Spirit, and an adoption as a child of God the Father.

What about the Thirty-Nine Articles?

Since the sixteenth century, Anglican Christianity has often struggled with its identity. Certain characteristics have been obvious, such as its liturgical worship rooted in the Books of Common Prayer, a deep respect for Scripture, and the continuation of the ministry of bishops, presbyters/priests, and deacons. 

One disputed question has been the position of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. At first, the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were intended to establish broad theological boundaries for the Elizabethan Church of England (1562, 1571). The Articles can be described as an attempt at theological inclusiveness, but they have often occasioned (and sometimes still cause) debate or dissension. Although the Thirty-Nine Articles are an inescapable fact of Anglican history and are still printed in most Books of Common Prayer, many Anglicans have debated their authority and their precise meaning. Some Anglicans and many non-Anglican observers have viewed them as a strict definition of Anglican doctrine; other Anglicans have ignored the Articles or dismissed them as practically irrelevant. The original intent of the Crown, Parliament, and Convocation of clergy seems to have been more moderate than either extreme. They generally viewed the Articles as broad and comprehensive boundaries for English Christianity.

The Articles themselves reflect diverse influences- patristic Catholicism, Renaissance Christian Humanism, the Lutheran Reformation, the Swiss Reformation, and English ecclesiastical traditions. They exclude certain medieval and Counter-Reformation "Catholic" views, "Zwinglian" and Anabaptist sacramental views, and strict congregational or presbyterian ecclesiology. With these exclusions, they remain susceptible to varied interpretations. During the Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Caroline periods, the Articles were often interpreted from either "Calvinist" or "Arminian" perspectives, but they were also open to other quietly held interpretations. 

In conclusion, neither Anglicans nor other Christians can ignore the historical fact that the Thirty-Nine Articles are associated with Anglican heritage and identity. The Articles express some basic Anglican theological tendencies. They emphasize the authority of Scripture, affirm core teachings of the ancient Christian faith and the Creeds, assert the value of the Sacraments, and support three orders of ministry. They are also moderately "reformed" or "Protestant." Nevertheless, the Articles are open to different interpretations on many issues. They are not a statement of systematic theology. They are neither strictly Lutheran, Calvinist, Tridentine, nor liberal. Their teachings are affirmations of some basic Christian principles from a moderate Reformation perspective.

Epiphany I- Luke 2: 41-52

 On the First Sunday after Epiphany, traditional Books of Common Prayer from 1549 through 1928 focus on the visit of the twelve-year-old Jesus to the Temple. The epiphany or manifestation of the youthful Jesus in St. Luke 2:41-52 shows forth both His true humanity and His divine Sonship. In this contexr.  Luke 2:52 concludes, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

As a youth and throughout His life on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ embodied both unique and ordinary characteristics. He had a unique relationship with God the heavenly Father, but He knew that He was called to live as a real (and ideal) human being. As Luke indicates, Jesus experienced normal but perfected human growth and development. 

This mystery of the Incarnation calls for our faithful response. As Christians, we affirm the manifestation of God in Christ. The eternal Word has become flesh and lived among us as true man. While we are far from His perfection, we are called to follow Him. We seek divine grace to follow Him and grow in wisdom and holiness. 

Epiphany- 6 January- Matthew 2

This day, 6 January, marks the traditional Feast of Epiphany. This celebration is the third oldest Christian observance after the three days from Good Frida to Easter and Pentecost.  The word Epiphany means "manifestation," and the feast and its season remind us of the various ways that God manifested Himself in Jesus Christ. In the Eastern Churches, where the feast originated in the third century, the emphasis has centered on the manifestation at the time of Christ's Baptism. Since the fourth century in the Western Churches, including the Anglican tradition, the emphasis has been on the manifestation of the Christ Child to the Magi or Wise Men.  

The Magi were Gentiles (non-Jews), and so this day and the following season are associated with the Christian mission to all the nations. God called the eastern Wise Men to come and adore the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Likewise, God calls each of us, regardless of our nation, ethnic group, language, etc., to come, worship, and follow Christ the newborn King. As Christmastide closes, let us continue to focus on the manifestation of the Incarnate Word in Jesus Christ. The light of God has shone in the Christ Child. We still seek His light, and we hope that His light will shine in our lives on those around us.

Christmas II

 The Second Sunday after Christmas does not occur every year, and some years such as this year, Christmas II is the Eve of Epiphany. So this Sunday has not developed a clear liturgical identity. Medieval service books and the 1549 Book of Common Prayer did not have any propers for the day. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer simply directed the continued use of the propers from the Circumcision of Christ. The 1928 American BCP, like some others of that decade, provided a collect and lessons. This lovely collect is from a medieval Christmas liturgy, and the lessons are from older services for the Eve of Epiphany. The Gospel from Matthew 2 looks to the return of the Holy Family to Nazareth. In any case, on this day, we continue to celebrate the Birth of our Lord and look forward to His manifestation to the Gentiles.

The Collect for Christmas II:

ALMIGHTY God, who hast poured upon us the new light of thine incarnate Word; Grant that the same light enkindled in our hearts may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

January 1- Octave of the Nativity- Luke 2:21

 Over the centuries, Christians have been uncomfortable with the celebrations of the new year on the first of January.  In order to avoid pagan associations, January 1 was not observed as New Year's Day in many parts of Europe between the fall of Rome and early modern times. On church calendars, this date has been associated with several liturgical observances over time. When Christ's Birth started being commemorated on 25 December, this eighth day of Christmas marked the end of Christmas week. There seems to have been an ancient Roman custom of emphasizing the role of Mary on this day, and in other parts of the Church, the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus were commemorated on this day. Since the 1970s, most Christians have focused on the Holy Name of Jesus. These associations are related to Luke 2:21 where we read. "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

Whatever Christian tradition we emphasize, the primary importance of the first of January is not some neo-pagan indulgence; it is a day to continue thinking about the Incarnation of the eternal divine Word as Mary's Son Jesus. This child born in Bethlehem is the Lord Himself, come to save His people. God's plan for human salvation is what gives this day and every day their true significance. So let us begin the New Year by praising God and giving thanks for the salvation that has come in the Christ Child!