On Fasting

Here's a little something I wrote up for our congregation. Rev. David Petersen's recent church newsletter article on the same topic helped me think through some of this (especially under point #1):

The Christian is invited to and expected to fast. Although Christians typically fast on certain days throughout the year--except during the Easter season--Lent is an especially appropriate season to practice fasting. Fasting is a bodily exercise of self-control and repentance, both themes of the Lenten season.

Christians do not fast just to “give something up.” Fasting is not a punishment or a kind of religious masochism. Instead, we fast for two general reasons: 1) to increase the joy of the festive seasons, such as Easter, and 2) to train our souls to be self-controlled.

Firstly, fasting enhances the rhythms of life. When you fast during solemn times, the joy of festivity is enhanced. Small servings of potatoes and vegetables during Lent makes the lamb and pies of Easter taste richer and sweeter. By engaging the body in the mood of the season, the experiences of restraint and of plenty are heightened. Fasting joins your body to what is happening with your spirit.

Secondly, fasting trains your soul. That isn’t a typo. It should not seem odd that bodily exercise ends up training your soul, for your soul is the center and source of your desires. When you intentionally deprive your soul of what it wants, it has to get by without. When you want supper but don’t eat it, not only your belly, but your soul also learns temperance and resiliency. Fasting trains not only your body, but also your self-control.

Why is that important? Your desires, uncontrolled, give in to temptation. They lead you into sin. Uncontrolled desires make idols of what your soul wants: desiring excess food is gluttony; desiring extravagant clothing or cars or décor is greed; desiring a man or woman outside of marriage is adultery. Desiring anything outside of God’s order makes you an idolater.

Fasting is like working out. It is spiritual exercise. As jogging or lifting weights conditions your body, fasting conditions your soul.

So how should you fast? Like exercise, start with a routine you can handle. If you have never fasted before, don’t try to give up food for a whole day. But, on the other hand, make it noticeable. Everyone should be able to give up dessert and second helpings. For moderate fasting, eat smaller portions at each meal. To step it up a bit, replace two meals each with a small snack, and, for the third meal, eat only about half of what you normally would.

Can’t do it every day? Fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, the days Christians traditionally fasted throughout the year.

Want to fast in a specific way to address your particular weaknesses and temptations? Think about what tempts you, and limit your exposure. If shopping is your weakness, no shopping sprees or comfort purchases during Lent. Too much time wasted on the internet, or visiting sites you shouldn’t be? Only use it at work or when someone else is with you. If you need encouragement, counsel, or more ideas talk with your pastor.

Fasting makes you more conscious of your desires. Even as you try to control them, they will seem enhanced, simply because you’re thinking about them. As you become more aware of temptations and sinful desires, confess them. Confess them in your prayers, confess them in preparation for the Divine Service, and confess them to your pastor. Then receive the absolution of Christ, and His life and Spirit to encourage and refresh you on your spiritual journey.

Note: Sundays are never fast days, so go ahead and enjoy the good gifts of creation to their fullest on these days! Also, expectant or nursing mothers, children, and the ill are never expected to fast from food, but to provide the nourishment their bodies need.

Can We Listen to Johnny Cash Read the Bible Stories?

This was the question from the four year old on the ride home tonight from some church folks place. We've got the Cash CD set, the Man in Black reading the New Testament - New King James Version.

It's great. We listened to tomorrow's Gospel, St. Matthew 4:1-11, the rest of chapter 4 and into the sermon on the mount a bit before we got home. Definitely worth the investment- check out Amazon.

Anyway, Happy Lent. The kid wants to listen to the Bible and even knows Johnny Cash.

FC X

As much as I say I don't like (long, drawn out discussions on) ethics, let me make another post on ethics (silent blogs worry me).

Consider this. That a right and proper approach to Lutheran ethics could flow very well and easily from the 10th Article of the Formula of Concord. What do I mean? Well, let us examine what the Formula teaches (feel free to contend with any of my summary points below).

1. There is a difference between what God has commanded and what is done for good order.
2. What God commands must always be followed - what God forbids must never be allowed.
3. For the sake of good order, we may go beyond Scripture, but when we do this we must never expect this to be binding like Scripture -- our actions and decisions are fundamentally temporary as opposed to the Word which endures forever.
4. So long as we do not contradict the Word, we are free.
5. This freedom includes setting additional standards which we will hold to for good order.
6. Our free actions are not to be frivolous or scandalous to the neighbor.
7. We do not yield to those who demand what God does not demand.

Is this not an ethical roadmap which could be applied to virtually any situation? First, consider what the Word says. Then consider good order and the benefit of the neighbor. Then consider whether or not false doctrine is encouraged. If all these ducks are in a row, then you have ethical behavior.

Thoughts, questions, comments?

Funeral Issue

A member of the congregation I serve, left the state this past summer for health reasons. Her doctors told her the climate in Indiana did not suite her medical condition. She left for better weather but found out soon after arriving in her new home that she could not out run her medical conditions. I received a phone call a few days ago from her daughter informing me that she has been placed into hospice care. I further inquired about funeral preparations and the pastoral care during this time. Her daughter told me that she is being visited by the local pastor who is providing the needed pastoral care and comfort at this time. As far as the funeral preparations, there are none. The rough plans as of right now are to have this woman cremated and “placed” with her husband, in yet another state. I was told that because this woman has just moved to New Mexico she has not had anytime to develop any relationships with her neighbors, and the drive back to Hamlet, Indiana would be understandably difficult for a funeral. I was then told there will be a simple “ceremony” at the placing of the urn.
This bothers me on several levels. The first is, I feel helpless as this woman’s Pastor. I feel helpless that I can not be there to care for her during this time. There is the cremation issu,e but that is a different post which has already been discussed. Furthermore there will be no funeral service to proclaim what this woman now has inherited. People will not be given a chance to hear the proclamation of Christ, His salvation, His forgiveness, and what He did for this woman in and through her life. I am not sure how the members and friends of this woman’s home congregation will feel about this missed chance of a funeral service. I then begin to think of ways to remedy this by providing a chance to have our “own” funeral for this woman. Alas I struggle with this idea. I do not want this service to be seen as a “mass for the dead” however, this woman is a member of this congregation. Why can’t we have a funeral mourning the death, and celebrating the life she now has received in Christ’s arms? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and Blessings,
Rev. Wright

Pastoral Meanderings: Scripture Does Not Speak of Christ

Pastoral Meanderings: Scripture Does Not Speak of Christ, They Speak Christ

Maybe the Hippies are Right

(As no one has posted in a while...)

This morning, while reading the new my wife exclaimed, "I am sick of hearing how everything we do hurts the planet! I am sick of hearing how everything we do increases global warming!" I didn't bother asking what new terror we unleash upon creation by our very existence - the specific details would just depress me.

Of course, the parallel to this in the 90s was how anything we ate would give us cancer. Too much milk - cancer. Too much fruit - cancer. Too much bread - cancer. And of course, it seems as though whatever diet we turn to now, even if people don't shout about it giving cancer, it still probably does this or that.

And of course, this can all play into the hippie/radical environmentalist view that humans are but a stain and a blight upon this world - that everything we do corrupts and destroys the earth. One could be even more radical and suggest that the earth itself is trying to kill us, by food, by disaster - to wipe us out and to leech back from our decaying bodies the nutrients we wrested from her.

You know. . . maybe the hippie are right.

Now, this isn't to say all the global warming stuff and the like is accurate (that is the arrogance of scientists who never look at historical patterns of weather in the past as recorded for us by people who lived through it) - but is it not true that as fallen, sinful folks we are wanton and wasteful and destructive according to our nature? Is it not true that since the Fall the earth does not yield her bounty gladly as she did in the garden, but that we must fight for our food? Is it not true that since the fall disaster and mischance happen more and more?

They are right to a certain extent - mankind and the earth are at war - and we do damage to each other all the time.

But our hope is not in fleeing to mother earth and defending her (no, this isn't an appeal to join Greenpeace) in some Chamberlinesque appease the earth move. No, this is why we look to Christ and await His second coming, when not only will be be resurrected into New Bodies free from sin, but even the earth will be made anew.

Whew -- at least the hippies aren't right about everything. . .

A Ponderance

(Note: Let this be a no-flame war post. Write your thoughts, don't attack another's. . . don't worry about responses and back and forth - please, just simply give your thoughts on this - cause I'd be interested to hear what people think. . . not how well they defend. If someone asks for specific clarification, by all means do so - but say your thoughts and let others ruminate upon them.)

I wonder - which is more important (no, this isn't meant to establish a false dichotomy, but rather establish priorities):

1. To reestablish the good and beneficial liturigical rites and customs of the past that have been lost due to carelessness.

2. To teach and explain the benefits of the liturigical rights and customs which we have received.

I find that a lot of the people who are liturigical like to talk about the first - I find I delight more in the second - in seeing the depth and beauty in what we have, rather than desiring a return to what was lost. It's not that I don't desire the first -- it just seems to take less precedence for me. Of course, one might easy say that in reestablishing older customs you are in fact teaching.

Like I said, neither of these are bad - but just. . . which one take priority? So, what think any of you, which is more important? 1 or 2? And why?

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.

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.

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.

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?

What I'm Listening to this Christmass

During the years I spent in Ukraine, in eastern Europe, there was no time more joyful than the Christmass season. My family and I fell in love with the eastern European carols that our Ukrainian friends sang at that special time of the year, with such devotion. These marvelous carols are largely unknown to Christians in the west, whose Christmass carol repertoire is based largely on what has been passed down to us from English and German sources. But this need not be!

Over the years, the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop (now known as the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle) has issued some marvelous Christmass CDs on which they sing - in English translation! - many of these beautiful eastern European carols. I highly recommend these recordings, not only because of the charming quality of the music and the theological dignity of the lyrics, but also because of the superb technical quality of the performance and the recording.

The commercial interests all around us have already begun their selling frenzy in earnest. But I am countering these secular intrusions into my own heart and mind by playing the three Schola Cantorum Christmass CDs that I own whenever I can: at home, at work, and in the car.

There is Great Rejoicing (1993) was the first album in this genre that the Schola Cantorum produced. It is good, but my personal favorite is Light from the East (1999), which includes several hymns from the Slovak Lutheran tradition (translated by Jaroslav Vajda and sung to settings by Carl Schalk). The third CD in my collection is God is With Us (1998), which includes more of the distinctly Ukrainian carols that we used to sing in Ukraine.

I suppose there is a certain sentimentalism attached to this music for me, not only because I lived for eight years in the part of the world whence these carols originated, but also because my maternal ancestors lived there in centuries past (Lutherans in the "Little Carpathian" region of western Slovakia, and Greek Catholics and Reformed in the [big] "Carpathian" region of eastern Slovakia). But those who have no personal history or family roots in eastern Europe would no doubt also enjoy these recordings, as they testify to the great wonder of God's incarnation for our salvation, and to the salvation that is ours through Christ, the Babe of Bethlehem.

Khrystos narodivsya!