Beloved, your God comes, and He is not silent. He speaks to you by His Son: in the flesh. For Jesus enters this city and comes to this house, and He is passing through this place on His way, even now, with His Word. How shall you abide with Him? What shall you do?
Hear and heed His Word. Give ear to His instruction. Repent of your sin.
Cease to do evil, learn to do good, and walk in the ways of the Lord; lest you perish with your possessions and not live to see the glory of God.
The fact is that worldly wealth and spiritual stature often do not coincide or run together.
For those who are rich in this world and small toward God, shall not see His salvation. But those who are small in this world, and yet rich toward God, they shall be saved.
So then, in what ways are you rich? What sort of wealth do you possess? What is your strong suit? What are your treasures and talents? And what do you do with those riches?
By the same token, in what ways are you small? Where and how are you little and weak? Where do you struggle to get by and make ends meet? How do you compensate and cope?
From what you have heard, you know that you need to see Jesus, and you want to be able to see who He is. Rightly so, for He is your Savior and your God. He comes to deliver you from sin and death and every evil, and to bring you into heaven, to the bosom of Abraham in the house of His God and Father.
But you are unable to see Jesus because of the crowds, both inside and out: that is, the noisy throngs of people round about you, and the competing thoughts and feelings always running amok in your heart and in your head. Such things crowd out the sight and sound of Jesus.
Run, then, to the tree, in order to see Him and know Him.
For it is to the tree of the Cross that Jesus is making His way, and by the tree of the Cross that He passes through death into life. So, too, it is by the Cross that you see Him as He is; for God is glorified in Him, in His Passion, in His voluntary suffering and sacrificial death.
Not by your own cross, but by the Cross of Christ do you see Him. Not your tree, but His.
You shall not climb up and ascend to Him by your own sacrifice and suffering, but He descends and comes down from heaven to you, in order to sacrifice Himself for you and for all. He comes down, in order to be lifted up in death upon the Cross, and to raise you up in and with Himself in His Resurrection from the dead.
You, therefore, come down from the heights of your own efforts, so to be raised up with Him in His righteousness. Come down from your precarious perch, for He has come down to abide with you, a sinner though you are, in order to bear your sin and be your Savior.
So does salvation come to this house, and to you.
Receive Him gladly, for He comes to you by grace, with mercy and compassion for you, with free and full forgiveness for all of your sins.
By His sacrifice of Atonement for you, offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him. How so? Bear the Cross of Christ in your life, in faith toward God and in love toward your neighbor.
Be rich toward God in fear, love and trust, but small before Him in the humility of repentance. Likewise, be small in your own eyes and in your estimation of yourself, but be rich in your love for one another.
So is God glorified in you, and you in Him, according to His grace toward you in Christ.
So may He count you worthy of your calling and fulfill every desire for goodness in you.
And so may you reprove the ruthless and seek justice for the oppressed, for the wee little men, women and children, the least, the last, and the lost. Be not proud, but defend the widows and the orphans, speak up for the silent unborn, and visit the sick and the dying. Share the tribulations of your neighbor. Help to bear his or her burdens in love.
And in the midst of suffering and sorrow, take up the Cup of Salvation, and call on the Name of the Lord. Thus may you and your neighbor wash your robes and make them white in the Blood of the Lamb. For, see, He has come with salvation to abide with you here in this house of His. He has sought you out to save you, and He has made His House your home.
In the Name + of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
31 October 2010
11 October 2010
The High and Holy Calling of Marriage
From the beginning, when God created man in His Image—male and female, the woman for the man—the divine institution and sacred estate of marriage has been an icon of Christ and His Bride, the Church. All manner of attacks against marriage, therefore, whether outright adultery or otherwise, are implicit attacks against Christ and His Gospel. By the same token, Luther’s defense and praise of holy marriage is really a confession of faith in Christ Jesus, the heavenly Bridegroom. Building on the teaching of vocation and office in his explanations of the Fourth and Fifth Commandments, Luther’s catechesis on the Sixth Commandment addresses not only the faithfulness and love of husband and wife for each other, but the high and holy esteem with which all people ought to regard marriage. The following excerpts are from his Large Catechism (McCain edition); the numbers in parentheses indicate the paragraphs of the LC.
"Among us there is such a shameful mess and the very dregs of all vice and lewdness. Therefore, this commandment is directed against all kinds of unchastity, whatever it may be called. Not only is the outward act of adultery forbidden, but also every kind of cause, motive, and means of adultery. Then the heart, the lips, and the whole body may be chaste and offer no opportunity, help, or persuasion toward inchastity. Not only this, but we must also resist temptation, offer protection, and rescue honor wherever there is danger and need. We must give help and counsel, so as to maintain our neighbor’s honor" (202–204).
"But this commandment is aimed directly at the state of marriage and gives us an opportunity to speak about it. First, understand and mark well how gloriously God honors and praises this estate. For by His commandment He both approves and guards it. He has approved it above in the Fourth Commandment. But here He has hedged it about and protected it. Therefore, He also wishes us to honor it and to maintain and govern it as a divine and blessed estate because, in the first place, He has instituted it before all others" (206–207).
"I have always taught that this estate should not be despised nor held in disrepute, as is done by the blind world and our false Church leaders. Marriage should be regarded as it is in God’s Word, where it is adorned and sanctified. It is not only placed on an equality with other estates, but it comes first and surpasses them all—emperor, princes, bishops, or whoever they please. For both Church and civil estates must humble themselves and be found in this estate" (209).
"In the second place, you must know also that marriage is not only an honorable but also a necessary state. In general and in all conditions it is solemnly commanded by God that men and women, who were created for marriage, shall be found in this estate. Yet there are some exceptions (although few) whom God has especially set apart. They are not fit for the married estate. Or there are individuals whom He has released by a high, supernatural gift so that they can maintain chastity without this estate" (211).
"Now, I speak of this in order that the young may be guided so that they desire the married estate and know that it is a blessed estate and pleases God. For in this way, over time we might cause married life to be restored to honor. There might be less of the filthy, loose, disorderly ends that now run riot the world over in open prostitution and other shameful vices arising from disregard for married life. Therefore, it is the duty of parents and the government to see to it that our youth are brought up with discipline and respectability. When they have become mature, parents and government should provide for them to marry in the fear of God and honorably. God would not fail to add His blessing and grace, so that people would have joy and happiness from marriage" (217–218).
"Let me now say in conclusion what this commandment demands: Everyone should live chaste in thought, word, and deed in his condition—that is, especially in the estate of marriage. But also everyone should love and value the spouse God gave to him. For where marital chastity is to be maintained, man and wife must by all means live together in love and harmony. Then one may cherish the other from the heart and with complete faithfulness" (219). (Concordia, CPH, 2006)
(This was prepared as a contribution to Women United for the Book of Concord, a website hosted by my adult adopted daughter, Myrtle, and our mutual good friend, Brigitte Mueller. Their goal is simply to promote the reading and learning of the Lutheran Confessions. They have directed their efforts and encouragements especially toward other women, that the hands which rock the cradle might also be encouraged and equipped to hand over the good confession of Christ to their sons and daughters.)
10 October 2010
10 x 10 = 100 favorite songs by ten of my favorite HR/HM bands
I recently posted a dozen hard rock / heavy metal benchmarks which have been standards defining those genres for me and my own listening pleasure. Included in that list were Led Zeppelin and Bon Jovi, my favorite songs of which, respectively, I have also recently posted.
1. Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne)
2. Iron Man (Black Sabbath)
3. One (Metallica)
4. Photograph (Def Leppard)
5. Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)
6. Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden)
7. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) (AC/DC)
8. Dance the Night Away (Van Halen)
9. I Don’t Know (Ozzy Osbourne)
10. Enter Sandman (Metallica)
11. Back in Black (AC/DC)
12. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (Judas Priest)
13. Phantom of the Opera (Iron Maiden)
14. Welcome to the Jungle (Guns N’ Roses)
15. Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath)
16. Rock of Ages (Def Leppard)
17. Bark at the Moon (Ozzy Osbourne)
18. Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions)
19. The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (Priest)
20. Master of Puppets (Metallica)
21. No One Like You (Scorpions)
22. 2 Minutes to Midnight (Iron Maiden)
23. Bringin’ on the Heartbreak (Def Leppard)
24. And the Cradle Will Rock . . . (Van Halen)
25. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Black Sabbath)
26. November Rain (Guns N’ Roses)
27. Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
28. War Pigs (Black Sabbath)
29. Diamonds and Rust (Judas Priest)
30. Can I Play with Madness (Iron Maiden)
31. Living After Midnight (Judas Priest)
32. You Really Got Me (Van Halen)
33. Diggin’ Me Down (Ozzy Osbourne)
34. Still Loving You (Scorpions)
35. Nothing Else Matters (Metallica)
36. Patience (Guns N’ Roses)
37. Pour Some Sugar on Me (Def Leppard)
38. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) (AC/DC)
39. You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
40. Diary of a Madman (Ozzy Osbourne)
41. (Oh) Pretty Woman (Van Halen)
42. Miss You in a Heartbeat (Def Leppard)
43. Hell Bent for Leather (Judas Priest)
44. Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden)
45. Breaking the Law (Judas Priest)
46. Rhythm of Love (Scorpions)
47. Changes (Black Sabbath)
48. Civil War (Guns N’ Roses)
49. Aces High (Iron Maiden)
50. Women (Def Leppard)
51. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC)
52. Let There Be Rock (AC/DC)
53. Dancing in the Street (Van Halen)
54. Fade to Black (Metallica)
55. Exciter (Judas Priest)
56. Foolin’ (Def Leppard)
57. Blackout (Scorpions)
58. No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne)
59. Creeping Death (Metallica)
60. Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses)
61. Heading Out to the Highway (Judas Priest)
62. Flight of Icarus (Iron Maiden)
63. Over the Mountain (Ozzy Osbourne)
64. Don’t Cry (Guns N’ Roses)
65. Jump (Van Halen)
66. Holiday (Scorpions)
67. Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath)
68. Let’s Get Rocked (Def Leppard)
69. Beyond the Realms of Death (Judas Priest)
70. Goodbye to Romance (Ozzy Osbourne)
71. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Guns N’ Roses)
72. After Forever (Black Sabbath)
73. Panama (Van Halen)
74. The Zoo (Scorpions)
75. Seek and Destroy (Metallica)
76. Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution (AC/DC)
77. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) (Def Leppard)
78. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica)
79. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Iron Maiden)
80. Symptom of the Universe (Black Sabbath)
81. Flying High Again (Ozzy Osbourne)
82. Beautiful Girls (Van Halen)
83. Think About You (Guns N’ Roses)
84. Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC)
85. Before the Dawn (Judas Priest)
86. The Unforgiven (Metallica)
87. Live and Let Die (Guns N’ Roses)
88. Big City Nights (Scorpions)
89. Why Can’t This Be Love (Van Halen)
90. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (Def Leppard)
91. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Iron Maiden)
92. Mama, I’m Coming Home (Ozzy Osbourne)
93. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen)
94. Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath)
95. Can’t Live Without You (Scorpions)
96. Ride On (AC/DC)
97. Wasted Years (Iron Maiden)
98. T.N.T. (AC/DC)
99. Hit the Lights (Metallica)
100. Bad Boys Running Wild (Scorpions)
So, in honor of the other ten, on this tenth day of the tenth month of 2010, I've compiled a list of 100 favorite songs, including my top ten favorites by each of those other ten HR/HM benchmarks.
2. Iron Man (Black Sabbath)
3. One (Metallica)
4. Photograph (Def Leppard)
5. Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)
6. Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden)
7. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) (AC/DC)
8. Dance the Night Away (Van Halen)
9. I Don’t Know (Ozzy Osbourne)
10. Enter Sandman (Metallica)
11. Back in Black (AC/DC)
12. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (Judas Priest)
13. Phantom of the Opera (Iron Maiden)
14. Welcome to the Jungle (Guns N’ Roses)
15. Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath)
16. Rock of Ages (Def Leppard)
17. Bark at the Moon (Ozzy Osbourne)
18. Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions)
19. The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (Priest)
20. Master of Puppets (Metallica)
21. No One Like You (Scorpions)
22. 2 Minutes to Midnight (Iron Maiden)
23. Bringin’ on the Heartbreak (Def Leppard)
24. And the Cradle Will Rock . . . (Van Halen)
25. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Black Sabbath)
26. November Rain (Guns N’ Roses)
27. Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
28. War Pigs (Black Sabbath)
29. Diamonds and Rust (Judas Priest)
30. Can I Play with Madness (Iron Maiden)
31. Living After Midnight (Judas Priest)
32. You Really Got Me (Van Halen)
33. Diggin’ Me Down (Ozzy Osbourne)
34. Still Loving You (Scorpions)
35. Nothing Else Matters (Metallica)
36. Patience (Guns N’ Roses)
37. Pour Some Sugar on Me (Def Leppard)
38. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) (AC/DC)
39. You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
40. Diary of a Madman (Ozzy Osbourne)
41. (Oh) Pretty Woman (Van Halen)
42. Miss You in a Heartbeat (Def Leppard)
43. Hell Bent for Leather (Judas Priest)
44. Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden)
45. Breaking the Law (Judas Priest)
46. Rhythm of Love (Scorpions)
47. Changes (Black Sabbath)
48. Civil War (Guns N’ Roses)
49. Aces High (Iron Maiden)
50. Women (Def Leppard)
51. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC)
52. Let There Be Rock (AC/DC)
53. Dancing in the Street (Van Halen)
54. Fade to Black (Metallica)
55. Exciter (Judas Priest)
56. Foolin’ (Def Leppard)
57. Blackout (Scorpions)
58. No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne)
59. Creeping Death (Metallica)
60. Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses)
61. Heading Out to the Highway (Judas Priest)
62. Flight of Icarus (Iron Maiden)
63. Over the Mountain (Ozzy Osbourne)
64. Don’t Cry (Guns N’ Roses)
65. Jump (Van Halen)
66. Holiday (Scorpions)
67. Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath)
68. Let’s Get Rocked (Def Leppard)
69. Beyond the Realms of Death (Judas Priest)
70. Goodbye to Romance (Ozzy Osbourne)
71. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Guns N’ Roses)
72. After Forever (Black Sabbath)
73. Panama (Van Halen)
74. The Zoo (Scorpions)
75. Seek and Destroy (Metallica)
76. Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution (AC/DC)
77. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) (Def Leppard)
78. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica)
79. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Iron Maiden)
80. Symptom of the Universe (Black Sabbath)
81. Flying High Again (Ozzy Osbourne)
82. Beautiful Girls (Van Halen)
83. Think About You (Guns N’ Roses)
84. Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC)
85. Before the Dawn (Judas Priest)
86. The Unforgiven (Metallica)
87. Live and Let Die (Guns N’ Roses)
88. Big City Nights (Scorpions)
89. Why Can’t This Be Love (Van Halen)
90. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (Def Leppard)
91. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Iron Maiden)
92. Mama, I’m Coming Home (Ozzy Osbourne)
93. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen)
94. Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath)
95. Can’t Live Without You (Scorpions)
96. Ride On (AC/DC)
97. Wasted Years (Iron Maiden)
98. T.N.T. (AC/DC)
99. Hit the Lights (Metallica)
100. Bad Boys Running Wild (Scorpions)
09 October 2010
U25
Acknowledging that U2 are an even more significant rock 'n' roll band than Bon Jovi, here are my twenty-five favorite U2 songs (in proximate order):
1. When Love Comes to Town (with B.B. King)
2. Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. With or Without You
4. Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
5. Beautiful Day
6. Pride (In the Name of Love)
7. All Because of You
8. Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own
9. Sunday, Bloody Sunday
10. Get On Your Boots
11. Vertigo
12. One
13. I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
14. All I Want Is You
15. New Year's Day
16. Where the Streets Have No Name
17. A Man and a Woman
18. Two Hearts Beat as One
19. Running to Stand Still
20. Mysterious Ways
21. Miracle Drug
22. Van Dieman's Land
23. Angel of Harlem
24. Desire
25. Bullet the Blue Sky
And my top five favorite U2 albums would be:
Rattle and Hum
The Joshua Tree
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
All that You Can't Leave Behind
War
08 October 2010
Bon Jovi: My Top 50 Favorite Songs
One month from now, on my birthday as it so happens, Bon Jovi will release a new Greatest Hits "Ultimate Collection" of their best or most popular songs. That collection will include four brand new songs, which makes it an even sweeter deal, but of course I don't know those new songs yet, so they don't count here. Anyway, having identified my favorite songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, it struck me that Bon Jovi has probably been the most significant rock and roll band since the end of that era. You may correct me if I'm wrong, though I might not agree with you.
Whatever the case may be, I set about determining my favorite Bon Jovi songs. I found that narrowing it down to only ten or even twenty-five was too hard and not as much fun, so I settled on my top fifty favorite songs. And here they be:
1. Livin' On a Prayer
2. You Give Love A Bad Name
3. Wanted Dead Or Alive
4. Whole Lot of Leaving
5. Last Man Standing
6. Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore (with Leann Rimes)
7. Seat Next to You
8. Any Other Day
9. Have A Nice Day
10. I'll Be There For You
11. Never Say Goodbye
12. Everybody’s Broken
13. Complicated
14. One Step Closer
15. Lost Highway
16. Who Says You Can't Go Home (with Jennifer Nettles)
17. Bad Medicine
18. Runaway
19. Bang a Drum
20. Superman Tonight
21. We Got It Going On (with Big & Rich)
22. Thorn in My Side
23. Welcome to Wherever You Are
24. Blaze Of Glory
25. (You Want To) Make A Memory
26. We Weren't Born To Follow
27. Wild Is the Wind
28. Walk Like a Man
29. Summertime
30. Wildflower
31. Santa Fe
32. Lay Your Hands On Me
33. Keep The Faith
34. It's My Life
35. Live Before You Die
36. Open All Night
37. Story of My Life
38. Stick to Your Guns
39. Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
40. Say It Isn’t So
41. Everyday
42. Miracle
43. Fast Cars
44. Bed of Roses
45. Next 100 Years
46. Love’s the Only Rule
47. Born To Be My Baby
48. You Had Me from Hello
49. In And Out Of Love
50. Misunderstood
And my top favorite Bon Jovi albums, in approximate order of favoritude (which could easily be rearranged on any given day):
Lost Highway
Have a Nice Day
New Jersey
Slippery When Wet
The Circle
Blaze of Glory
Crush
Whatever the case may be, I set about determining my favorite Bon Jovi songs. I found that narrowing it down to only ten or even twenty-five was too hard and not as much fun, so I settled on my top fifty favorite songs. And here they be:
1. Livin' On a Prayer
2. You Give Love A Bad Name
3. Wanted Dead Or Alive
4. Whole Lot of Leaving
5. Last Man Standing
6. Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore (with Leann Rimes)
7. Seat Next to You
8. Any Other Day
9. Have A Nice Day
10. I'll Be There For You
11. Never Say Goodbye
12. Everybody’s Broken
13. Complicated
14. One Step Closer
15. Lost Highway
16. Who Says You Can't Go Home (with Jennifer Nettles)
17. Bad Medicine
18. Runaway
19. Bang a Drum
20. Superman Tonight
21. We Got It Going On (with Big & Rich)
22. Thorn in My Side
23. Welcome to Wherever You Are
24. Blaze Of Glory
25. (You Want To) Make A Memory
26. We Weren't Born To Follow
27. Wild Is the Wind
28. Walk Like a Man
29. Summertime
30. Wildflower
31. Santa Fe
32. Lay Your Hands On Me
33. Keep The Faith
34. It's My Life
35. Live Before You Die
36. Open All Night
37. Story of My Life
38. Stick to Your Guns
39. Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars
40. Say It Isn’t So
41. Everyday
42. Miracle
43. Fast Cars
44. Bed of Roses
45. Next 100 Years
46. Love’s the Only Rule
47. Born To Be My Baby
48. You Had Me from Hello
49. In And Out Of Love
50. Misunderstood
And my top favorite Bon Jovi albums, in approximate order of favoritude (which could easily be rearranged on any given day):
Lost Highway
Have a Nice Day
New Jersey
Slippery When Wet
The Circle
Blaze of Glory
Crush
05 October 2010
The Fatherhood of God
(I finally managed to gather up my notes from the CCA this past summer, and to put them in some semblance of order. With apologies for any lack of clarity or coherence, here they are.)
The Fatherhood of God is not simply an attribute of God, nor only a metaphor, nor even first of all an action or attitude of God, but His Fatherhood belongs to the essential identity of who and what God is; so also the Sonship of God. For the one true God is the Father from all eternity, as one and the same true God is the Son from all eternity. The relation of the Father and the Son within the Godhead, in the love of the Holy Spirit, comprises both the distinction and the unity and harmony of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
The Father is the Father of the Son, and the Son is the Son of the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, and this intra-Trinitarian relationship is the essential and eternal being of God. It is the “necessity” of His divine being, of who and what He is, and so also the fountain and source of His perfect freedom. God does not become a father because He creates and gives life, but He creates and gives life because He is the Father.
He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son, and it is from and with and in that Fatherhood of God that He freely and graciously chooses to become our Father in Christ. For no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. No one comes to the Father but by Him.
He who is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, has also become true Man, our brother in the flesh, conceived and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we might be “conceived” and “born again” by His Word and thereby receive the adoption of sons by His grace. What Christ is by nature, from all eternity, we become by such gracious adoption, unto the life everlasting.
We receive the adoption of sons, so that God becomes our Father, and so that Christ the beloved Son become the firstborn of many brethren. Our adoption is therefore rooted in Christ, both in His eternal Sonship and in His Incarnation by the Blessed Virgin Mary. His Sonship becomes ours by His grace through the Gospel, through the catechesis of His Word, by the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of our sins in His Name, and by our Baptism into His Cross and Resurrection. Such is our new birth of water, Word and Spirit.
So do we pray, as Christ has taught us and invited us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven,” and so do we cry out to Him in faith, “Abba! Father!”
These gracious good gifts of God are the fulfillment of His creation of man in His own Image and Likeness, even as we are recreated and made brand new, conformed to the Image of His Son by the way of the Lord’s Incarnation, Cross and Resurrection for us.
Earthly fatherhood is likewise rooted in that divine work of creation by our Father in heaven, as being a husband is rooted in the divine work of redemption by our heavenly Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. The fact that man is made in the Image of God, both male and female, the woman for the man, and the wife given to her husband to be united to him as one flesh, reflects the loving unity of the three Persons within the one Godhead. It is the Father’s love for the Son, and the Son’s love for the Father, which moves God in His perfect freedom to create man and call Him to Himself, to be His holy Bride, the Church.
As husbands and wives are fruitful and multiply by the gracious Word and work of God, so do Christ and His Church give birth to the children of God by His Word and Holy Spirit. It is for these reasons that a man leaves his father and mother to be joined to his wife and cleave to her in love, and for these reasons that fathers give their daughters in marriage. Accordingly, the first and foremost thing that fathers are given to do for their children, is to love and serve and care for their wives.
So marriage and family are rooted in the gracious freedom and love of husbands and fathers, who receive their calling from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This grace of God, in turn, is the inheritance that husbands share with their wives and fathers bestow upon their children.
Thus does Christ, the eternal Son, become the “everlasting Father,” not in His divine personhood in relation to God the Father, but in His redemption and reconciliation of the Church to God. As the Image of the Father, He is also like His Father in begetting children by His Bride, the Church. He cares for them and provides for them, serves them and protects them, teaches them and feeds them, gives them His name and bestows all His gifts and benefits upon them. For He is the new and greater Adam, the Head of a new humanity, and He is the One in whom all the promises of God to Father Abraham are realized, as a blessing to all nations, to all who are the children of Abraham by faith.
In Christ, therefore, is found the freedom and responsibility of fatherhood — in contrast to the different character and quality of motherhood. Mothers become such by receiving what is given to them, but fathers are such by the choice of love; not the "choice" of conception of new life, which remains the prerogative and work of God, but the willing choice and commitment to love and care for those children who are thus conceived. In that respect, every father chooses to “adopt” his children, whether they are his biologically or not, as St. Joseph chose to adopt the Son of Mary, who is the very Son of God.
In fact, there are many different kinds and types of earthly “fatherhood,” both large and small, which are granted in various ways by the vocation of God through His Word, and which are governed by His Word.
“Call no man father,” Jesus says, “for One is your Father, even God.” But He does not thereby prohibit a man from being called a father, for it is by God the Father that every fatherhood on earth is called and named.
Thus do Christian men adopt and care for widows and orphans in their distress, and in this way they exemplify, express and extend the Fatherhood of God on earth as it is in heaven, especially in and through and with His Church. Men receive this calling from God, and they take it up in faith and love, by His Word and Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus.
What it means, therefore, to be a man, is to be a husband and a father after God’s own heart — whether in relation to one’s own earthly wife and biological children, or by way of adoption, or by caring for widows and orphans in their distress, or by caring for the Lord’s Church, the Bride of Christ and the Mother of God’s children, by the spiritual fatherhood of the pastoral office. What it means to be a man is found in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who is the perfect Image of the Father. What it means to be a man is defined and determined by His Word.
Fathers, name your children, then, as God the Father names you in Christ with His own name.
Love your wives, and love the Bride of Christ, and love the children entrusted to your care with the love that Christ has for you and for His Church. In such love, give and nurture life, guard and protect it. Feed and teach your children. Prepare them for marriage, or help them to discern the divine gift and calling of celibacy in service to the household and family of God. Teach your sons how to become men after God’s own heart, to become husbands and fathers like Christ. And likewise teach your daughters, by word and example, what a good and faithful man is like, and show them how a man is to care for a woman with gentle integrity and the strength of mercy and peace.
Catechize your children; pray and confess the Word of Christ with them. Lead them and guide them, again, by your words and by your own godly example. Discipline them in love, that they might learn the life of love. Do so with mercy, compassion, forgiveness and self-sacrifice, that they might learn to live by faith in the Gospel. Demonstrate the humility of repentance and the confidence of faith.
In all of this, the grace and strength of human fatherhood is the Fatherhood of God in Christ Jesus. He calls you and names you, sustains you and upholds you, by His own Fatherhood, which is steadfast and eternal in the relationship of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.
The Fatherhood of God is not simply an attribute of God, nor only a metaphor, nor even first of all an action or attitude of God, but His Fatherhood belongs to the essential identity of who and what God is; so also the Sonship of God. For the one true God is the Father from all eternity, as one and the same true God is the Son from all eternity. The relation of the Father and the Son within the Godhead, in the love of the Holy Spirit, comprises both the distinction and the unity and harmony of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
The Father is the Father of the Son, and the Son is the Son of the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, and this intra-Trinitarian relationship is the essential and eternal being of God. It is the “necessity” of His divine being, of who and what He is, and so also the fountain and source of His perfect freedom. God does not become a father because He creates and gives life, but He creates and gives life because He is the Father.
He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son, and it is from and with and in that Fatherhood of God that He freely and graciously chooses to become our Father in Christ. For no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. No one comes to the Father but by Him.
He who is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, has also become true Man, our brother in the flesh, conceived and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we might be “conceived” and “born again” by His Word and thereby receive the adoption of sons by His grace. What Christ is by nature, from all eternity, we become by such gracious adoption, unto the life everlasting.
We receive the adoption of sons, so that God becomes our Father, and so that Christ the beloved Son become the firstborn of many brethren. Our adoption is therefore rooted in Christ, both in His eternal Sonship and in His Incarnation by the Blessed Virgin Mary. His Sonship becomes ours by His grace through the Gospel, through the catechesis of His Word, by the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of our sins in His Name, and by our Baptism into His Cross and Resurrection. Such is our new birth of water, Word and Spirit.
So do we pray, as Christ has taught us and invited us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven,” and so do we cry out to Him in faith, “Abba! Father!”
These gracious good gifts of God are the fulfillment of His creation of man in His own Image and Likeness, even as we are recreated and made brand new, conformed to the Image of His Son by the way of the Lord’s Incarnation, Cross and Resurrection for us.
Earthly fatherhood is likewise rooted in that divine work of creation by our Father in heaven, as being a husband is rooted in the divine work of redemption by our heavenly Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. The fact that man is made in the Image of God, both male and female, the woman for the man, and the wife given to her husband to be united to him as one flesh, reflects the loving unity of the three Persons within the one Godhead. It is the Father’s love for the Son, and the Son’s love for the Father, which moves God in His perfect freedom to create man and call Him to Himself, to be His holy Bride, the Church.
As husbands and wives are fruitful and multiply by the gracious Word and work of God, so do Christ and His Church give birth to the children of God by His Word and Holy Spirit. It is for these reasons that a man leaves his father and mother to be joined to his wife and cleave to her in love, and for these reasons that fathers give their daughters in marriage. Accordingly, the first and foremost thing that fathers are given to do for their children, is to love and serve and care for their wives.
So marriage and family are rooted in the gracious freedom and love of husbands and fathers, who receive their calling from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This grace of God, in turn, is the inheritance that husbands share with their wives and fathers bestow upon their children.
Thus does Christ, the eternal Son, become the “everlasting Father,” not in His divine personhood in relation to God the Father, but in His redemption and reconciliation of the Church to God. As the Image of the Father, He is also like His Father in begetting children by His Bride, the Church. He cares for them and provides for them, serves them and protects them, teaches them and feeds them, gives them His name and bestows all His gifts and benefits upon them. For He is the new and greater Adam, the Head of a new humanity, and He is the One in whom all the promises of God to Father Abraham are realized, as a blessing to all nations, to all who are the children of Abraham by faith.
In Christ, therefore, is found the freedom and responsibility of fatherhood — in contrast to the different character and quality of motherhood. Mothers become such by receiving what is given to them, but fathers are such by the choice of love; not the "choice" of conception of new life, which remains the prerogative and work of God, but the willing choice and commitment to love and care for those children who are thus conceived. In that respect, every father chooses to “adopt” his children, whether they are his biologically or not, as St. Joseph chose to adopt the Son of Mary, who is the very Son of God.
In fact, there are many different kinds and types of earthly “fatherhood,” both large and small, which are granted in various ways by the vocation of God through His Word, and which are governed by His Word.
“Call no man father,” Jesus says, “for One is your Father, even God.” But He does not thereby prohibit a man from being called a father, for it is by God the Father that every fatherhood on earth is called and named.
Thus do Christian men adopt and care for widows and orphans in their distress, and in this way they exemplify, express and extend the Fatherhood of God on earth as it is in heaven, especially in and through and with His Church. Men receive this calling from God, and they take it up in faith and love, by His Word and Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus.
What it means, therefore, to be a man, is to be a husband and a father after God’s own heart — whether in relation to one’s own earthly wife and biological children, or by way of adoption, or by caring for widows and orphans in their distress, or by caring for the Lord’s Church, the Bride of Christ and the Mother of God’s children, by the spiritual fatherhood of the pastoral office. What it means to be a man is found in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who is the perfect Image of the Father. What it means to be a man is defined and determined by His Word.
Fathers, name your children, then, as God the Father names you in Christ with His own name.
Love your wives, and love the Bride of Christ, and love the children entrusted to your care with the love that Christ has for you and for His Church. In such love, give and nurture life, guard and protect it. Feed and teach your children. Prepare them for marriage, or help them to discern the divine gift and calling of celibacy in service to the household and family of God. Teach your sons how to become men after God’s own heart, to become husbands and fathers like Christ. And likewise teach your daughters, by word and example, what a good and faithful man is like, and show them how a man is to care for a woman with gentle integrity and the strength of mercy and peace.
Catechize your children; pray and confess the Word of Christ with them. Lead them and guide them, again, by your words and by your own godly example. Discipline them in love, that they might learn the life of love. Do so with mercy, compassion, forgiveness and self-sacrifice, that they might learn to live by faith in the Gospel. Demonstrate the humility of repentance and the confidence of faith.
In all of this, the grace and strength of human fatherhood is the Fatherhood of God in Christ Jesus. He calls you and names you, sustains you and upholds you, by His own Fatherhood, which is steadfast and eternal in the relationship of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.
03 October 2010
Led Zeppelin: My Top 25 Favorite Songs
In his comments on a recent post, my son Zachary suggested that I should post my top 10 favorite songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, respectively. I've gone a little beyond that in identifying my top 25 songs in each case, but even that was a challenge. Rolling Stone recently published a special edition featuring its list of the 100 greatest songs by the Beatles. At least I narrowed things down more than that! So here's my top 25 favorite Led Zeppelin songs. A previous post featured my top 25 favorite songs by the Beatles. As always, comments and friendly debates are welcome.
1. Over the Hills and Far Away
2. Stairway to Heaven
3. Immigrant Song
4. Dazed and Confused
5. Tangerine
6. D'yer Ma'ker
7. The Battle of Evermore
8. Ramble On
9. Whole Lotta Love
10. Houses of the Holy
11. Fool in the Rain
12. Rock and Roll
13. Good Times, Bad Times
14. Communication Breakdown
15. Black Dog
16. Heartbreaker
17. All My Love
18. Gallows Pole
19. In the Evening
20. The Rain Song
21. Thank You
22. Livin' Lovin' Maid (She's Just a Woman)
23. Dancing Days
24. Kashmir
25. Hot Dog
The Beatles: My Top 25 Favorite Songs
In his comments on a recent post, my son Zachary suggested that I should post my top 10 favorite songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, respectively. I've gone a little beyond that in identifying my top 25 songs in each case, but even that was a challenge. Rolling Stone recently published a special edition featuring its list of the 100 greatest songs by the Beatles. At least I narrowed things down more than that! So here's my top 25 favorite songs by the Beatles. A subsequent post will feature my top 25 favorite Led Zeppelin songs. As always, comments and friendly debates are welcome.
1. Eleanor Rigby
2. Let It Be
3. Yesterday
4. A Day in the Life
5. All My Loving
6. Eight Days a Week
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Hey Jude
9. The Long and Winding Road
10. Revolution
11. Helter Skelter
12. Getting Better
13. In My Life
14. The Fool on the Hill
15. Back in the USSR
16. Paperback Writer
17. I'll Follow the Sun
18. Penny Lane
19. We Can Work It Out
20. Here Comes the Sun
21. Get Back
22. Good Day Sunshine
23. Ticket to Ride
24. Lady Madonna
25. Nowhere Man
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