30 December 2009

Thoughts from the Road

This is written via the wonder of wi-fi at the La Quinta by Shiloh's restaurant in Tulsa.

So, an article at CNN reports on a study that concludes that today, in movies, Sex does not sell. This group looked at the movie grosses for the past nine years and found out. . . nudity and graphic scenes do nothing to help a movie.

While this is an interesting topic in and of itself, the study was started when a young acting student found that she was uncomfortable with the sexual nature of the scenes she was asked to do in class (and we all know, sex sells. . .) - so she investigated, and found that it didn't.

Also of note was this comment by a professor - Rather, Detweiler said, he has seen among his students that the new form of rebellion against the older generation includes "not doing drugs, not sleeping around and not getting divorced." That might explain the popularity of some of the Jane Austen films and movies like the "Twilight" series, he said. "Those stories are really about sexual separation," he said. "They are all about wooing, not winning."

This is something that I think the more liturgically minded among us have known - but the younger generations today dislike the emptiness and shallow desire for pleasure that their parents dove into (being the spoiled brats of the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations). We see this liturgically - and apparently it also applies to movies.

Just some food for thought - sort of hopeful I suppose.

24 December 2009

Caesar Passes a Healthcare Bill that Includes Funding for Abortion: On the Night Before Christmas


The healthcare bill of the United States of America will apparently include taxpayer funding for abortion. Even more demonic is that this is passed on the day of Christmas Eve, the eve of the Nativity of our Lord. These events certain press us to study the doctrine of the two kingdoms and to apply law and gospel accordingly. May we not be guilty of what some accused Lutherans of during World War II. While we live in the end times (Hebrews 1), we are called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and help and befriend our neighbor in every bodily need.

17 December 2009

Thumbs



Our Lord Jesus Christ was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary. He was conceived in her and was carried by her til the day of His birth. He was made man, and man has thumbs, two of them. The pic above is the left thumb (and hand) of my unborn child, taken today. It is of great joy that we can see such things, and know that it was our Lord and God who came down and looked just like this in His mother. Small, humbling Himself to be helpless, a pound or so at 5 months since He was conceived in her womb, with thumbs that would eventually break bread that was His very Body and later hold fast to His cross, and then be still in death, only to break bread again on the day of His rising.

Our Lord and God Christ is Wonderful, that is His Name (Isaiah 9:6). The wonder of a thumb up made me rejoice in this all the more today, that He came like this for us all, even for the child with a thumb up today.

And it made me a bit sad too, that there are those who would tear apart a child the size of my own, a child the size that our Lord Christ was. Some do it for expediency, some do it because they are forced to by evil men, some do it because they are evil and some/most commit the act for money. The thumbs of these children are sent off with the medical waste to be burned; what sadness.

But Christ is all joy, the Word made flesh will one day make all of that come to an end when He comes to judge the earth. Rachel weeps even now, but she will be comforted when our Lord God comes with all His might to put a stop all the evil of men and gather together the sheep of His right hand; His right hand with a thumb on it, just like yours, just like my child's.

All joy that He came to be with us, in the womb of His mother, like us. He, flesh and blood, like us, ascended to His Father's right hand preparing the way for us, and for all who believe. And we will see Him, flesh and blood, and on the day of his coming, we will be like Him.

Lord Jesus, do not tarry. Come quickly.

14 December 2009

Pre-baptismal Catechesis: How much is necessary?

This is a question addressed to fellow pastors: how much catechesis would you require before baptizing an adult who hasn't been attending a Lutheran church, didn't grow up in a Christian home, and wants to be baptized without any prior instruction?