Trinity XIII- Faith and Love

 On the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Epistle from Galatians 3:16-22 and the Gospel from Luke 10:23-37 seem to be talking about very different aspects of religious teaching and experience. The Epistle highlights the importance of faith over the value of specific commands of the Law. The Gospel emphasizes the great commandments of the Law and the importance of loving actions toward God and neighbor. For many believers, the difficulty has been how to fit the two emphases together. Do we start with faith or with love?

In abstraction, love is paramount. God is love, and His dealings with human beings begin with His love. Human beings are called to respond to divine love. Because God first loves us, we are to love Him and our neighbors. This is beautiful, and it sounds simple, but in reality, loving God and our neighbors is not easy. It is complicated by the fact that human nature is fallen and corrupt. On our own, we are sinners who have lost the capacity to love as we should. 

This human condition means that love is not our first step. Our response to divine love must begin with repenting our lack of love followed by faith in God's love revealed in Jesus Christ. Without such faith, we are not really open to love. God's loving grace must first begin to transform us by creating faith in Him. Christian Faith then opens our hearts to love God in return. And as we begin to love God, we also begin to love our neighbors created by God. As Galatians 5:6 indicates, the core of the Christian life is "faith which worketh by love."

The Transfiguration of Christ- 6 August- Luke 9:28-36

The feast of the Transfiguration is based on a mysterious event from the Gospels (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, Luke  9:28-36). This event 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).

Despite its clear biblical basis, this commemoration has not always received very much emphasis. It was only a few years before the Reformation that the Latin church began to observe the Transfiguration as a universal feast on August 6. In liturgical simplifications after the Reformation, the Feast of the Transfiguration was removed from many calendars, including the calendar of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. It was restored but only as a minor commemoration or "black-letter day" in the 1662 BCP. The celebration was restored more fully and provided with "propers" as a feast of our Lord in the 1928 BCP. Some recent Anglican calendars have adopted the Lutheran custom of observing the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. 

The Transfiguration of Christ is significant whenever we observe it. It shows that Christ's Gospel continues the Law and the Prophets. It illustrates that Christ's authority remains after Moses and Elijah have faded from view. It manifests our Lord's great inner glory and approval by God the Father. It is also a reminder that the Son of Man must suffer before His glory is more fully revealed (Matthew 17:12).

Trinity X- Luke 19:41-47- Weeping over the City

The traditional Gospel for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity comes from Luke 19:41-47. This passage is right after Luke’s account of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and it emphasizes our Lord’s concern for the city and its people. St. Luke 19:41 says, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it…”

It may be hard for us to grasp Jerusalem’s importance in first-century Jewish life and consciousness. It was more significant to Jews than modern London (or Canterbury), Washington, Ottawa, Canberra, Paris, or Berlin are to their nations. A first-century Jew could not ignore Jerusalem. It was the center of Jewish political, economic, educational, and religious life. It was the place of pilgrimage and the center of religious worship. Even daily prayers in homes or synagogues were said facing toward Jerusalem.

Jesus spent a lot of time in Jerusalem, and He acknowledged its importance. So His comments in our Gospel are especially notable. His sadness over the city has great significance, not only about ancient Jerusalem itself, but also about those aspects of human life that Jerusalem represented.

One aspect of Jerusalem that Jesus Christ wept over was political and economic corruption. Several groups competed for power, wealth, and influence. Some wanted to cooperate with Rome; some wanted reform; some wanted political or religious revolution. These groups would keep bickering and struggling. Thirty years later, politics led the city to rebel against Rome, and Jerusalem and its people were devastated by pagan Roman might.

A second aspect was Jerusalem’s role as the intellectual and educational center for all Jews. Most of the educated people of Jerusalem were convinced that they already knew what they needed to know. They scorned and rejected Jesus as a teacher from a backward area who threatened stability. They rejected His spiritual approach. Over the coming decades, these educated people would become more and more politicized, and many would join the doomed rebellion against Rome.

A third characteristic of the city was Jerusalem's role as the heart of the Jewish religion. The city was the place where the whole Jewish people focused their relationship with God. The people usually honored the religious establishment, but many religious leaders lacked living faith. As long as the forms continued, such leaders thought all was well. For them, Jesus was a troublesome outsider to be neutralized. Then the official religious leaders could continue their domination until they too were swept up in the rebellion which destroyed the city, the Temple, and their power.

Such then was the city over which Jesus wept. He wept because He loved His people, and He still honored the values which Jerusalem symbolized. He wept because of the corruption, spiritual blindness, and sin that endangered the city- physically, culturally, and spiritually.

Of course, this Gospel selection is about first-century Jerusalem, but it is also about us, and sadly it seems to have many applications to present-day Western societies. Like first-century Jerusalem, our societies do not know the things that bring true peace. Even many who profess Christ do not follow Him, and the problem is more than personal weakness and individual sins. Our political, intellectual, and religious institutions are permeated by many types of moral and spiritual corruption. So-called Christendom does have a great heritage, but so did ancient Jerusalem. The issue is whether we (both individually and corporately) will heed Christ and His values or continue on the route to destruction.

On the positive side, Jesus Christ offers us a different way. He offers true peace, peace with God. He offers new life through divine grace and living faith. The question that faces supposed Christians is whether we really accept Him and His peace or we refuse Him and continue on the way to destruction.

Trinity IX- Luke 15:11-32- Divine Mercy

The traditional Gospel for this Sunday from St. Luke 15:11-32 is well known. In fact, it might be so well known that we overlook its depth of meaning. It has often been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the prodigal or wasteful son is certainly important, but we should notice that there are three central characters in the story: 1) the ungrateful and wasteful son who repents and returns home, 2)  the legalistic and resentful older brother who is jealous and hurt, and 3) the merciful, gracious, and forgiving father who celebrates the prodigal's return and admonishes the older son.

Focusing on any of the three characters can provide much food for thought. All human beings share characteristics of the prodigal or wasteful son and of the older self-righteous and resentful son. Like both sons, we need changes in our thoughts and in our behavior. 

Nevertheless, the central character in the parable is the forgiving father. This father exemplifies the qualities of God the Father. He cares for both sons and wants what is best for them. He respects their freedom and allows them to develop in their individual ways. He gives them guidance and sustenance, and He is saddened when they misunderstand Him, make mistakes, and stray in their different ways. Nevertheless, His love endures and is ready to express itself anew if His children repent and return in humility. In His graciousness, He is ready to rejoice and have a feast when penitents return. We all have such a loving, gracious, and forgiving heavenly Father; so let us arise and go to Him in humility.

Trinity VIII- Romans 8:12-17

 In different ways, both the Epistle and the Gospel for Eighth Sunday after Trinity are warnings about spiritual life. The Gospel points to the dangers of bad spiritual leaders, and the Epistle points to the spiritual struggles of individual souls. This time, my focus is on the Epistle from Romans 8:12- 17. In these few verses, St. Paul contrasts the fleshly life with the true spiritual life. By the "flesh," the Apostle is not referring to the mere fact of human physical existence. Here "flesh" is referring to the fallenness and weakness of the human condition. And by spiritual, Paul is not exalting some vague notion of an immaterial aspect of existence. Rather, the Apostle is encouraging a life inspired by and empowered by the Holy Spirit, a life directed toward God the Father, and a life lived in unity with God the Son, Jesus Christ. Such a Christian life includes a renunciation of worldliness and a readiness to accept the cross of Christ.

In this life, every Christian faces an ongoing struggle between the fallen nature and the higher self dedicated to God. Every aspect of life, from our basic physical needs to our highest religious ideals is subject to temptation and distortion. Of course, physical things such as food, creature comforts, and sexual impulses are common fleshly temptations, but so are pride in our moral standing and dependence on the goodness of our own religious practices. To use Paul's term, we must always be ready to "mortify" our dependence on even our best characteristics. In all areas of earthly life, we need to be healed by divine grace and accept divine guidance. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we need to be unified with Christ and His cross more and more deeply

Trinity VI- Matthew 5: 20-26

 The Gospel from St. Matthew 5:20-26 addresses the issue of the Old Testament and divine Law. Christ teaches that His work is inseparable from God's revelation in the Hebrew Scriptures. These verses may be viewed as a comment on an earlier verse. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." These words of our Lord proclaim the enduring value of the old covenant. Christ does not destroy the Old Testament; He fulfills it. He fulfills it by obeying it perfectly and by applying it in a deeper way. He emphasizes the principles and attitudes underlying the specific commandments.

Unfortunately, from New Testament times onward, some professing Christians have not respected the true value of the Hebrew covenant. That was true in ancient times and many times since then. Thus, Anglican Article of Religion VII defends the proper value of the Old Testament. The basic point is in these words- "The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man." 

This means that Christians must not dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant. The spiritual and moral implications of the Hebrew covenant are still a guide for Christians.  Law and Gospel are interwoven together in both Testaments. While some cultural and legal details do not apply to Christians, believers must still hear the Old Testament with respect. They should see how it honors God, how it points to Christ, and how it expects believers to be guided by God's moral Law.

We live in an age of relativism and disrespect for rules. Some so-called Christians deliberately reject eternal moral principles, and many do not appreciate the value of the Old Testament. While Christians live in a new covenant of grace, the Hebrew Scriptures are still a foundation. Even Hebrew rites that do not apply to Christians may teach us something about the work of Christ and the life of the believer.

So today's Gospel is a reminder that Christ does not destroy the Law and the Prophets. Christians are not bound by the minute details of Hebrew jurisprudence and ceremonial, and we are not saved by our good works. However, the spiritual and moral principles revealed by God in the Old Testament apply throughout human history. They apply in our time and in our lives. And we must beware lest we despise what God has revealed. The Law should always point us to the Gospel!

Trinity V- Luke 5: 1-11

The Gospel for this Sunday is Luke's account of the call of some of the apostles (Luke 5:1-11). It shows that the Galilean fishermen had a poor night of fishing and that Jesus guided them to a great catch. The example of Simon Peter is emphasized. As in several gospel episodes, Peter is very emotional. He is amazed and frightened because of Jesus' powerful miracle. Peter wants to run away, but Jesus uses this encounter to call Peter and others to follow Him. The great catch of fish becomes symbolic of the call to catch people for the kingdom of God. It becomes a moment of choice, a call for commitment, a challenge to have faith..

The miraculous catch of fish still applies to potential followers of Jesus. It shows us that Jesus Christ is the holy Lord of creation who still works in amazing and surprising ways. The miracle is a call for us to be disciples, and it points to Jesus' ministry of gathering people for the kingdom of God. Like Peter and the other fishermen, we have a vocation. We are called to follow Jesus in all things and to share in His mission of seeking people for God's kingdom. The specifics vary according to our personal gifts and circumstances, but all are asked to contribute to Christ's mission. We are asked to accept Christ's call and have faith in His redemptive mission for us and for others.

Anglicans and The Augsburg Confession of 1530

At best, most Anglicans are only vaguely aware of the Augsburg Confession. Yet, the principles of this Lutheran Confession are embedded in the Anglican tradition. On 25 June 1530, German Lutheran princes, civic leaders, and theologians presented their confession of the Evangelical faith to Emperor Charles V and to the Diet convened at Augsburg. (This year marks the 494th anniversary of that momentous event.) The Augsburg Confession is a clear and relatively concise statement of the theological principles of the conservative Reformation in Germany. Among other points, it demonstrates respect for church tradition while also affirming basic Reformation views on Scriptural authority, justification by faith, the nature of the Church, and the importance of the two Gospel Sacraments. Although certainly reflective of its historical context in Germany, the Augsburg Confession has abiding importance as a Christian affirmation.

Both directly and indirectly, the Augsburg Confession has influenced many other formularies and theologies. Christians as diverse as John Calvin and Pope Benedict XVI have expressed admiration for its broad Christian principles. Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers were under its direct influence. From the first Book of Common Prayer onward, traditional Anglican liturgies have reflected its principles. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion originated from attempts to adapt the principles of the Augsburg Confession to the English ecclesiastical, cultural, and political situation. The general content and even the exact wording of numerous Anglican Articles reflect familiarity with the Augsburg Confession and other Lutheran works. The theological value or meaning of the English adaptations may be debated, but the influence is clear.

So, Anglicans should be more aware of and appreciative of the Augsburg Confession. Although it is not an official Anglican standard, it has had a significant influence on Anglican history, liturgy, and doctrine. The broad principles of the Augsburg Confession are embedded in the Prayer Book and the Articles, and its Scriptural principles have perennial value for Anglicans and all Christians!

Trinity IV- Luke 6:37

This Sunday's Gospel from St. Luke 6 is from the Sermon on the Plain, a section similar to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew. The selection contains many significant sayings of our Lord. One of them is very famous- “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged” (Luke 6:37).

These apparently simple words of Scripture have not always been easy to understand or to apply. On the one hand, we recognize that human beings often misjudge others.  We jump to false conclusions in many cases. We can be harsh about others when we are guilty of similar or worse thoughts, words, or deeds. And even the best human judgments about another person are limited and fall short in some respects. So we must not presume to be totally righteous. We need to keep humble and open minds about other people and their standing before God.

On the other hand, in practical terms, we know that no human being could survive in daily life without making certain judgments about health and safety. And even in moral and spiritual matters, people must make some daily judgments. Both individuals and societies have to make decisions to protect themselves from unwise and bad behaviors. This reality is recognized by Jesus Himself in another passage. In John 7:24, He says, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” 

Thus, our verse about not judging should be understood wisely and sensibly. Christians must not judge hastily or unfairly. We must not judge harshly or unmercifully. And we must not presume that even our best human judgments always live up to divine standards. However, we must value divine law and promote high moral and spiritual standards. We must humbly ask divine help to follow righteousness ourselves and encourage others to do so as well. We seek to be merciful, fair, and reasonable in our opinions about human beings and their behaviors. And we try to treat others as we wish to be treated.

Trinity III- Luke 15:1-10

 The Gospel from St. Luke 15:1- 10 contains two brief but well-known two brief parables: the lost sheep and the lost coin.  The parables illustrate the importance and power of divine grace. Human beings tend to be very concerned about what they lose. Thus, a shepherd who loses one sheep out of a hundred and a housewife who loses one coin out of ten will make great efforts to recover what has been lost. And when they do recover the lost item, they rejoice greatly. Christ's parables present the divine attitude toward sinners as being similar to people who find lost items. Our heavenly Lord is concerned over the loss of any soul, no matter how insignificant that person might seem to the world. He keeps searching for the lost, and He and all of heaven rejoice over every soul recovered.

These parables apply to us. We all belong to God, but at various times in different ways, we get lost and God seeks to find us. Each of us has great value to God, and He seeks us out. He offers us His amazing grace in Word and Sacrament; He takes the initiative even when we are unaware. If we have already been found by Him, we should be grateful to Him and live accordingly. If we are still wandering like lost sheep, we should be aware of God's desire to find us and accept His mercy. In either case, human beings should be more aware of and more appreciative of divine mercy and grace.

Anglicans as Reformed

Many Anglicans say that Anglicanism is "reformed"  Christianity. That is an interesting description, and over the centuries, Anglicans with diverse views might accept it. Almost all Anglicans have been "reformed" in a general way. They have emphasized Scriptural authority, have accepted vernacular liturgy, and have had married clergy. They have also rejected papal infallibility and direct papal jurisdiction. Nevertheless, many Anglicans have acknowledged that they are reformed in some sense without being very clear about what being reformed means. 

So, how should contemporary Anglicans view being "reformed"? Anglicans need to understand being reformed in light of their heritage. Like most Anglicans since the Elizabethan Settlement (roughly 1559-1571), contemporary Anglicans should acknowledge the value and the positive insights of the Reformation. While Anglicans value ancient catholic tradition, they reject Roman authority and emphasize Scriptural authority. This Scriptural emphasis of historic Anglicanism has deep theological implications.

In a practical, sometimes fuzzy, Anglo-Saxon way, Anglicans acknowledge the Reformation "solas": sola Scriptura, sola gratia, and sola fide. Furthermore, Anglicans cannot honestly deny that Reformation figures such as Luther, Bullinger, Bucer, Calvin, and Melanchthon influenced the theology and practice of the Anglican Reformers and many Anglicans down through the last five centuries. The Books of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles are Reformed documents. So being Reformed or Protestant is an inherent characteristic of Anglican belief and practice. No amount of revisionism by either high church or progressive partisans changes the historical facts.

Trinity II- Luke 14: 16-24

 The Epistle and Gospel lessons for this week bring up the theme of excuses. In daily life, human beings hear or give excuses on all sorts of subjects. We seem to live in an age of excuses. People make all sorts of excuses, great and small. We always seem to find extenuating circumstances for every major or minor failing.

Such human behavior has been around since the Garden of Eden, and we certainly see it in our Gospel from St. Luke 14:16ff. Using the comparison of an ordinary feast, our Lord Jesus Christ points to God's gracious invitation and the human tendency to make excuses. Although insulting to divine grace, such excuses really harm the one making the excuse, not the divine host. God asks for our fellowship but we make excuses, and so we deprive ourselves of His blessings. He can always find other guests who will be grateful.

Each day and each week, God invites us to spend time with Him. He asks us to read His Word and pray, publicly and privately. He offers to feed us in the Lord's Supper. And He hopes that we will accept His hospitality and fellowship with other guests. So we should avoid hesitations or excuses. Except when hindered by events beyond our control, we should accept God's invitation to prayer, worship, and fellowship. Rather than looking for excuses, let us accept the grace that God offers and respond in gratitude.

Trinity I- Luke 16:19-31

The  Gospel for this First Sunday after Trinity is from St. Luke 16:19-31, the parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus. The rich man indulged himself and ignored the misery of the beggar at his gate. Eventually, he ended up dead and in torment. By contrast, the poor beggar lived humbly and ended up in paradise. The tormented rich man sought relief for himself and a miraculous warning for his brothers, but he was told that these things were impossible. His brothers would have to heed the guidance already offered through Moses and the prophets.

This parable should serve as a warning to all those who refuse to be spiritually and morally sensitive. God's basic expectations about how to live are clear for all who pay attention. Many great prophets and teachers through the centuries have proclaimed divine expectations. From nature, reason, Scripture, and Christian teaching, human beings have a general awareness that they should honor God and be merciful to their neighbors. We cannot earn our way into paradise, but people are responsible for their moral and spiritual responses to God, and these responses determine our destinies.

Unfortunately, each of us has times when we are spiritually and morally insensitive. We do not always think, speak, or act in accordance with God's will. So we need God's grace and mercy to renew us constantly. May God's grace and guidance available to us through the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel, open our hearts and help us to live mercifully as our Lord has shown us.

Collect for Trinity

 ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

Trinity Sunday

 Trinity Sunday is unique on the Church calendar. Historically, its origins are late. It seems to have been observed first in the early 900s in what is now Belgium and to have spread rapidly in northwestern Europe, including England. The observance was not added to the Roman calendar until the 1300's. Another distinction of Trinity Sunday is that, unlike other major holy days, it focuses on a doctrine rather than an event.

Yet, observing Trinity Sunday on the Sunday after Pentecost is certainly appropriate because the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in power is a completion of the Trinitarian revelation. Talking about the Trinity is more than theology about the nature of God; it is a teaching that summarizes the whole Biblical message. This doctrine is a high mystery that transcends the limits of the natural human intellect. At the same time, the doctrine of the Trinity has practical applications to the life of every Christian.

There are several New Testament texts (such as Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:19, John 3: 5-16, Ephesians 2:18, 2 Corinthians 13: 14, 1 Peter 1:2) which express a Trinitarian understanding of God's revelation to humanity. However, the doctrine of the Trinity is subtle and nuanced, and some implications of this belief took time to develop among Christians. Notably, belief in the Holy Trinity was expressed in the ancient baptismal questions about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These questions and answers became the basis for creeds such as the Apostles' Creed.  Later,  baptismal creeds also became the basis for doctrinal summaries of the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed (Quicunque vult). 

Affirming the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity does not make believers philosophical theologians. Rather, Christians affirm or confess this basic doctrine for reasons of faith. The doctrine of the Trinity is a biblical Christian belief that is deeply rooted in the experience of redemption and in Christian worship and prayer. Besides summarizing basic beliefs about God's work to save human beings, the doctrine of the Trinity is also present whenever Christians pray. Regardless of which divine person we invoke in a particular prayer, Christians are always calling upon the Triune God. We look to God as our heavenly Father through the mediation of His Son Jesus Christ prompted by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost....