Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Michaelmas at Chapel Sts Timothy&Titus
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Bach's Life "A practicing Lutheran, he exuded a Joy of Living"
Found this two part documentary on You Tube. Love the concluding remarks of part II.
Matt H.
The Bible of J.S. Bach
This piece tells the story of Bach's Bible ending up in the possession of a Missouri Synod Family in Michigan, and then in the Library of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kindness Again
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"
Monday, September 21, 2009
Kindness
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.
Henry James
Ink Hitting the Page Today
I'm told the ink is hitting the page today for the LCMS Father's book, "At Home in the House of My Fathers."
Matt H
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Apartment near Mt Calvary in Detroit
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Pooh Abandoned in Apartment
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Need in the City
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Abandoned Apartment Kelly Rd Detroit
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Revs. Essenburg & Harrison in Detroit
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Mercy in City (Detroit MI)
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Thursday, September 17, 2009
Kindness
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.
Heschel
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Joy of Life, by Matthew Harrison
The joy over the gift of life shines brightest against the darkness of deadly evil.
In October of 1939, Adolf Hitler signed a brief directive empowering his personal physician and another henchman the power ‘extending to specified doctors that those who, according to human judgment, are incurably ill may be granted, after a critical examination of the state of their health, a ‘mercy death.’” Families began to complain about obituaries of their institutionalized loved ones, appearing suddenly in the newspapers. Because of the protest of the staff of churchly institutions, the SS began transporting the mentally ill or disabled to state institutions first, before euthanization (murder). A few courageous churchmen protested, including Lutheran Friedrich von Bodelschwingh (1877-1946; a close associate of Herman Sasse) of the Bethel Institute. He repeatedly scrambled to find homes for children (often Jewish children) slated for “elimination.” Roman Catholic Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen (1876-1946) preached publicly denouncing the murders, which were now being extended to the aged infirm.
“Do you or I have the right to live only as long was we are productive? …Then someone has only to order a secret decree that the measures tried out on the mentally ill be extended to the other ‘nonproductive’ people, that it can be used on those incurably ill with lung disease, on those weakened by aging, on those disabled at work, on severely wounded soldiers. Then not a one of us is sure anymore of his life… Woe to humanity, woe to our German people, when the sacred commandment “Thou shalt not kill” is not only violated, but when this violation is tolerated and carried out without punishment.”
The British dropped leaflets of Galen’s sermon over the towns and villages. Hitler’s murderous secret was secret no more. Under public pressure, twenty-one days after the bishop’s sermon, the madman ordered the carnage cease. The records showed 70,273 patients murdered, though the real count was probably much higher (This and the following on Ernst Wilm from Victoria Barnett, For the Soul of the People: Protestant Protest Against Hitler (1992), pp. 117 ff.)
Lutheran Pastor Ernst Wilm (1901-1989; a former vicar of von Bodelschwingh at Bethel), had also dared to protest publicly. He rejoiced that the killing had apparently ended, and thanked God for it in his New Year’s Eve sermon 1942. But the rumors commenced again later that month. So did Wilm. He recounted:
I was arrested on January 23, 1942 and interrogated, basically, only because of this story about the killings of patients. They asked me about little things: why I didn’t say ‘Heil Hitler’ when I cam to the confirmation class. It was ludicrous. And they said, ‘You’re stabbing the army in the back with such stories.” I replied, “You’re stabbing the army in the back when you murder children and sick people behind the backs of the men and fathers who are out there.” I came to the police prison in Bielefeld and sat there until May. Then came the command, signed by Heydrich and with that, I came to Dachau and served my time there.”
Wilm was sentenced to the infamous concentration camp in May 1942. The number 30,156 was tattooed on his forearm. He was released only to be conscripted, and was soon captured by the Russians. It’s a miracle he survived. “Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:4)
The Nazis called “the weak and the needy,” “lives unworthy of living.” The secret of living a good news life in a bad news world, is knowing that every human being is created in God’s own image and valuable. The secret to a joyous and meaningful life is the realization that because Jesus himself took on human flesh, from conception, because Jesus valued every human life (especially those “worthless” in the eyes of the world) each and every life is temporally and eternal precious. This is so no matter how young, old, or imperfect. The secret to a joyous life worth living, is acting on behalf of those who cannot act for themselves.
Joy over life verily leaps off the pages of holy writ. It bubbles from the mouth of Jesus. It animates his every action. There is – in addition to specific pervasive and persuasive texts (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6; Exodus 21:22-25) - an ethic of the inherent value of every human life conceived, no matter its form or malformity. Simply put, for Jesus there is no “life unworthy of life.” In fact, the Christ turns the human value system completely on its head (I Corinthians 1:25,27), to the great delight and joy of the “least.”
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped [eskiptasen; “skipped!”] in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy [eskiptasen en agalliasei]. (Luke 41-44)
What a remarkable transaction! John the Baptizer “skips for joy” in vetero, over the greeting of “the mother of my Lord.” Two un-borns (the Lord himself, and his great forerunner) are each acknowledged as such in the womb! The word (used by Luke more than any other New Testament writer) expresses what is an “outburst of joy” (agallian). Luke is indeed the “Evangelist of joy,” and more. He’s the “Evangelist of the joy over life!” Allow me to briefly pass through only a portion of Luke’s gospel, looking through the lens of this “preferential option” for the least, Jesus’ joy over life.
A peasant, Elizabeth rejoiced over the unborn Lord (1:42). The unlikely mother of the Lord, Mary sang her “Magnificat.” “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior… he has exalted those of humble estate.” (1:46ff.) Elizabeth’s friends and family rejoiced with her over her newborn (1:58) Zechariah’s tongue was loosed in praise after the mute wrote, “His name is John.” “He spoke, blessing God… for he has visited and redeemed his people.” (I: 68) Praise and blessing are the sound joy makes!
At the birth of Christ the angel announced to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people” (2:10). The whole heavenly host rejoiced over the one who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:1,6). Feeble old Simeon beheld this very life, in his own arms, in the flesh and rejoiced! “Mine eyes have seen your salvation… Let your servant depart in peace.” (2:29) Peace is joy at rest.
Jesus (a quiet man, a carpenter from Nazareth) suddenly came preaching a message of joy, particularly for the outcast, the weak, the lame, for the “lives unworthy of life.” “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) He immediately set upon his path of caring for the sick and needy (Simon’s mother-in-law 4:38f., the sick and diseased 4:40f., the paralytic 4:25f., the leper 5:12f.).
Then Jesus began inviting the dregs of society to be his friends (like Levi, the tax collector; 5:27f.), and he still invites us to join the dregs! “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (5:32). Luke tells us he feasted and rejoiced with them all, and thereby honored life as a gift (5:34-36). Jesus, the very ambassador of life taught that any law which compromised and threatened life, had to fall (6:1ff.). “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” (5:9) He made the ambassadors of death furious over his joy for life and the least (6:11). The multitudes came to him, diseased, with unclean spirits and were healed. Life so pulsated in and pervaded his life that they merely touched him and he “healed them all” (6:19). Has there ever been such respect for life?
He expressed his attitude of joy over the oppressed, the least, the worst, the hungry, the sad, the sinner, in beatitude after beatitude. Only the merciless escaped his mercy. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” (6:21) He bid his disciples rejoice at being reviled for his name’s sake. And they did (I Peter 4:13; Acts 5:41; Acts 9:16). "Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (6:23). Even enemies have lives worth living! “Be Merciful to all, even enemies!” (6:31) Christ is God incarnate, Joy in the flesh, LIFE, sent to redeem life. His joy for life, over life, tells us who our God is. “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). The centurion’s daughter (7:8ff), the widow’s son (7:12ff), the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the poor all were healed and heard the gospel (7:21ff), again and again. The least are the greatest in the kingdom (7:46f.). Jesus ate and drank and enjoyed time with his band of misfits, “tax collectors and sinners” and even prostitutes (7:34; 7:49; 8:1ff.). The “good soil” are – according to Jesus - the refuse of the world, the despised of the world. The good news knows no genetic preference (8:9ff., 19). The Gerasene – after so much pain and suffering, joyless and “dead” while he lived in the cemetery, dragging his chains – was put at rest, “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind” (8:34). The poor woman whose livelihood had been exhausted by hemorrhage, was healed, finally healed body and soul, after twelve joyless years (8:41ff). Jabirus’ daughter was raised – life from death!
He preached that he would be killed but “on the third day be raised” (8:22). Because he would pass from death to life, he invited his followers on the path to joy, to deny themselves, and follow him. “Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (8:23). How did Jesus “lose” his life? By spending it for others, by sharing the burdens, suffering and joys and sorrows of others. Jesus healed the boy with epilepsy (8:39). In Jesus’ ethic of life, the least are the greatest, the despised the precious. “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great” (9:48). Jesus was “exuberant with joy,“ along with the returning seventy-two (10:17f.) over the good news preached and the needy healed. He “rejoiced exuberantly in the Holy Spirit,” joyously confessed it a marvel that such things had been revealed to “little children” but not the wise (10:21). In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that life is precious no matter whose (10:35f).
There is much, much, more in Luke’s gospel alone, including all the rejoicing over the prodigal, the lost coin, the great banquet… and finally, the greatest affirmation of human life in time for eternity, the resurrection of Jesus. After the Lord’s ascension “they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” (24:52-53) Acts continues the exuberant theme of joy over life (Acts 2:26, 46; 5:41; 8:8, 39; 11:23; 12:14; 10:21; Acts 13:52). ”In all things I [Paul] have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). Each and every one of these references is a testament etched in stone bearing witness: There is no “life unworthy of living”!
70,273 patients were murdered under Hitler. There have been some 50,000,000 abortions since Roe verses Wade was decided in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973. A large percentage of those aborted have been children suspected of deformity or disability. “They will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb” (Isaiah 13:18). I must confess, I find joy at his very point, to be most elusive. I am part of a culture, which condones the death of the innocent. In fact (unlike Hitler with the mentally ill and infirm) it quite openly and dramatically asserts there is “life unworthy of living.”
“Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.” (Psalm 51:14) James confessed, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). Isaiah points us on our path: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (Isaiah 1:17). There’s the secret.
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Lutheran Study Bible Endorsement by Matt Harrison
On April 2nd, 1875, Dr. C.F.W. Walther finished his forward to the CPH reprint of Das Weimarische Bibelwerk, that is, The Weimar Bible, which had been produced under the careful eye of Ernst Salamo Cyprian, 150 years earlier. CPH reprinted the “last edition of 1768, unchanged.” It is a massive book of some 2000 folio pages. Walther noted that while he did not assert that every single note on every passage of the bible concurred with the actual meaning given the text by the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, “we speak on the basis of many years of use of the work, together with a chorus of the most enlightened theologians of our church, that we are most certain that in this bible the reader will find the exposition of scripture completely in accord with the analogy of the faith (Romans 12:7), in the purely golden doctrine…”
I now have in my hands, what I believe will prove to be the greatest study bible ever produced in English, and that particularly for the reason Dr. Walther praised the Weimar Bible. The genuine Lutheran and biblical faith rings like a bell in all the notes, the charts, and the supplemental essays. Luther’s prefaces grace every book along with notes on the challenges and blessings for the reader. The notes are laced with devotional material and prayers (Small Catechism included). The ESV is a vast improvement over the NIV, particularly in the translation of verses having to do with the sacraments. TLSB recovers the cross-reference system used in the Luther Bible tradition). The chronological charts are some of the best I’ve ever seen in a bible. I love the running date at the top of each page, letting the reader know when in history the events on that page are occurring. The study notes, are all written by confessionally faithful Lutherans (laced with quotes from other faithful teachers), with clear emphasis on law and gospel, mission, and the Lutheran and Christian sola fide, sola gratia, sola scriptura.
The long list of contributors is a tribute to the grace of God in giving us so many faithful Lutheran leaders around the world, on every continent, from every tribe and language, so to speak. The bible makes full use of the gifted seminary scholars we have, and the Concordia Commentary Series. The notes are full of quotes by ancient church fathers, and Martin Luther, Martin Chemnitz and the Lutheran confessions.
Through Amos, the Lord said, “I will send a famine in the land – not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.” (8:11-12).
The Word of God! That is where the renewal of the church is always found! Always! Nowhere else! Every congregation would do well – as it orders these bibles for all its folks – to add an additional ten percent to send these bibles all over the world, to our Lutheran friends everywhere, partner church or not. Major donors should consider gifts to CPH to have the book translated into Spanish, Arabic, and perhaps French and Swahili.
I recall as a young seminarian when the Concordia Self Study Bible came out. There was some rumbling at the seminary about this or that. It’s notes were just tweaked by our scholars. The NIV was problematic, etc., etc. But when I got into the parish, I found laypeople who just wanted to learn the bible. They had all sorts of bibles that were either weak, or outright heretical (millennialism, etc.). But we had something that would uphold and encourage the faith. I used it diligently. My people have worn them out over the years. I did too. Now comes TLSB which is infinitely stronger, exponentially more thorough. Joy! St. Augustine said somewhere that the holy scriptures are like a river so shallow a child can wade across, and at the same time so deep that an elephant can drown. He was referring to a quote by Gregory the Great (Gregory the Great (540–604) said: “Scripture is like a river, broad and deep, shallow enough here for lambs to go wading, but deep enough there for the elephant to swim” (see “Morals in the Book of Job,” 1.1.4). That’s true also of TLSB.
Congratulations CPH, Bruce Kintz, Paul McCain, Ed Engelbrecht, the board and the entire staff. Congratulations faithful seminary professors, pastors and laypeople who contributed so generously and freely.
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16.
Lord have mercy. May we “tremble at your word,” may we read it as Gerhard said, as thought it were printed with ink made of the very blood of Jesus, our Savior.
In other words… get this bible.
Matthew C. Harrison
Pentecost 13, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
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