Of The Reading Of Books. . .

books i have read, am reading, will read:

1. Christ The Lord: The Road To Cana - just finished this second novel by ANNE RICE (she re-converted recently to Christianity. she's a roman catholic), and as in her first novel about our Lord's life (CHRIST THE LORD: OUT OF EGYPT), ann rice manages to hypnotize you with the loveliness, the richness, the density of her prose. this beautifully written second novel about our Lord picks up shortly before his baptism in the jordan, where he meets his hermetic cousin, john, and ends with the miracle at cana. what happens in between is a fascinating insight into the Lord's joys, sorrows, travails, trials and temptations (i love the way anne rice narrated a particular temptation. she handled it masterfully and with a lot of care and love. beautifully done). if you haven't read the first novel, don't worry, for the two novels stand perfectly well by themselves. 

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - i am re-reading this novel because i think this is, of all the harry potter novels, the most insightful and incisive novel into the human psyche. the novel portrays our hero, harry, as being very human indeed, not only subject to the same frustrations and disappointments we "muggles" have to endure, but also subject to the same foibles, failings and flaws we "muggles" are subject to everyday. the novel shows us how the very best of us can be, at times, petty, selfish, self-centered, foolish, proud.

3. Flowers For Algernon - now this novel, well, actually this started out as a short story, and actually won the HUGO and (i think) the NEBULA awards for science fiction, which i read when i was still in college (and i also saw the movie they made of this novel -- did it have the same title, or was the movie renamed CHARLY? i think the movie's title was CHARLY), is, if i remember correctly, a critique into the way science inadvertently sets itself up as God, and fails miserably in the end. the theme runs along the same lines as the themes of FRANKENSTEIN and JURASSIC PARK.

4. The Dark Knight - starring christian bale and (the late)heath ledger. this is heat ledger's definitive work, and i think the movie where he shows his true genius as an actor. he played the part of the Joker brilliantly. it is indeed very sad that he died. the world of the performing arts is certainly darker without this star. The Dark Knight is a movie of ironies, where white (harvey dent) becomes black (two face), and gray (bruce wayne) takes on an even grayer shade (who else?). the thing i find fascinating here is that it is the Joker's insights into human nature that are more realistic. the only problem being that the Joker is also nihilistic. and yet he does not die, or rather, the batman (right, you begin to wonder: who's crazier, him or the Joker) doesn't end his life (but comes close to it, as the passengers of the two ferries come close to blowing each other up, but don't -- speak of microcosms, huh!). all in all, this is a film wonderfully produced, and we are all, somehow, diminished, by ledger's death (there are some speculations that heath ledger got so into his character, which was very very sinister and devilish, that somehow, he couldn't get out of character and so he killed himself. please. not that again. D&D, backmasking, and now this. come on. the devil doesn't need to help us along the road to perdition. we are quite capable of going there by ourselves if left to our own devices).

Easter, The Resurrection of Our Lord

Isaiah 25:6-9

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Mark 16:1-8

 

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back---it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

 

Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Romans 1:7)

The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! This is the traditional greeting of all the historic churches. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, during the time of Easter. It is joyful news, a greeting filled with happiness and triumph. The Lord, by his death, has conquered the power of death and rendered death powerless. Nothing therefore can hold him in the grave. The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! I say this is joyful news because for us who have put our faith in Christ, we hope that one day, at Christ’s return, that we too shall be raised from the dead as he was raised. And yet, for the women in our Gospel lesson for today, the news that the Lord had risen did not give them joy. Rather, it made them afraid. “And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Well, can we blame them? The last verse is not exactly a happy verse. And, as if it weren’t enough, the footnote in our bibles say that the oldest manuscripts. the Codex Sinaiticus and the  Codex Vaticanus, do not contain verses 9-16. And so, if we read Mark 16 only up to verse 8, the message seems indeed to be sad. And that, sadly, is how the women felt on that day. They were afraid. They were sad.

MALADY

And that is my point. So often, when we read Mark 16 up to verse 8, we at once conclude that the passage is a sad passage, because the passage ends in fear and sadness. And this is because of sin. Our human nature insists on seeing only the bad thing to the exclusion of the good thing. William Shakespeare put it aptly: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” Because of our sinful nature, we remember the evil things, the evil ways, the evil nature of a person. The good he has done gets buried with him into oblivion. Look at the two friends on their way to Emmaus. They were also wrapped in sadness. They were disappointed at Jesus, because they had hoped that Jesus would be the one to save them, but he died. The women were afraid. The two friends on their way to Emmaus were disappointed. Elsewhere in scripture, we read that the disciples also were afraid. Because they were sinful. Because they refused to believe.

What about us? How do we feel during Easter? So many people are happy today. But they are not happy because the Lord has risen from the grave; they are happy because they are on vacation. But that kind of happiness lasts only as long as vacation lasts. When vacation is over, it is back to the daily grind of life. Then they become sad again; then tempers begin to flare again. So many times we look at worship as a chore, as something we have to do on Sunday. That is why, whenever we are kept up late Saturday night and we don’t get to worship on Sunday, we almost always say, “we’ll worship next Sunday.” Why? Because we look at worship as a chore, as something we have to do every Sunday, and not as a response to what God has done for us. Our worship revolves around our life, and not the other way around. Our life should revolve around our worship. That’s what happened to the women in our Gisple lesson, that’s what happened to the two friends on their way to Emmaus. That’s what happened to the disciples. Their worship revolved around their life.Wrong. Their life should have revolved around their worship. That is why they were all sad, and that is why we feel little happiness on Sunday: our worship revolves around our life. Our worship is just another part of our life; worship is just something we have to do, aside from cleaning the house, cooking, working, studying, looking after the children, etc. No! It should be the other way around! Our life should be just another part of our worship! OUR WORSHIP SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES; WHAT WE DO EVERYDAY: OUR STUDIES, OUR WORK, OUR CHORES OUR JOYS, OUR SADNESSES, SHOULD BE THE RESULT OF OUR WORSHIP. Why were the women sad? Because what they were going to do  on that morning was just another thing that they had to do, it was just another part of their life. But how would they have felt if it was the other way around? What if, for those women, life was just another part of their worship? Would they have felt differently? Would you feel differently if the activities of your lives were just part of your worship? Would your views on worship, on life, change? When something happens in our lives, we tend usually to say, “That’s life.” Have you ever heard anyone say, “That’s worship”? No one says that. Ever. And that is why we are not eager to worship; that is why we are not happy in our worship; that is why we feel bored with our worship. Because we look at worship as just something else we have to do in life. We never look at life as something else we have to do in worship. Because we are sinful.

GOSPEL

And yet, look at the passage again. Read verse six, the verse that is always overlooked because the women were wrapped up in fear and sadness, because we are wrapped up in fear and sadness: “And he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.’” The Good News, which we so often overlook because we treat worship as just another part of our life, is that the grave is empty! “HE HAS RISEN; HE IS NOT HERE!”

The Good News for us is that Jesus not only died for us, HE ALSO ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR US! The real message of Easter is not that life, as we understand it, goes on. That is not the message of Easter. The real message of Easter is that Jesus goes on in spite of the bitter realities of life. The real message of Easter is that Jesus lives, when he should be dead. The real message of Easter is that Jesus is not in the grave. Satan could not hold him prisoner in the grave; death could not hold him prisoner in the grave; sin could not hold him prisoner in the grave. The real message of Easter is that JESUS IS RISEN; HE IS NOT IN THE GRAVE. JESUS IS ALIVE! He is here with us, even as we gather around his Word and His Sacraments. He is here to bless us as we listen to his Word, as we partake of his true body and blood. He is here to give us the blessings of Easter: grace, forgiveness, life – through his Word and Sacraments.

Because Jesus is risen, everything is changed. All the things that we hold in the center of our lives have changed because Christ is risen from the dead. Before, the center of our lives were our selves. Before, our lives were the center. Now, all that has changed. Now, Jesus is the center of our beings, and not our selves; now, Jesus is the center of our lives, and not the other way around. And consequently, worship now becomes our center, worship now defines who we are and what we do. Now, because Jesus has risen from the dead, our life revolves around our worship. Our lives now do not determine our worship; now, it is our worship that determines our life.

People of God: He is not in the grave. People of God: THE LORD IS RISEN! This is most certainly true. This is most certainly for you.

May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. (Philippians 4:7)

God's Friday

1 Peter 2:23-24

 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

    Good Friday. This used to be called God’s Friday. The day God died. The day the Son of God died. The passage of time changed God’s Friday to Good Friday. But it could not have been good for God. Listen to the words of the Crucified: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?” Such words cannot be good for God. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Such words cannot be good for God. We see God’s Son, hanging on the cross, helpless, on this day called Good. Such a day cannot be good for God.

   Ecce homo! Behold the man! See the Son of God, bruised, wounded from head to toe, spat upon, vilified, humiliated. Poor, broken, pathetic. Such a thing cannot be good for God. And the silence. O! The silence of the Son of God! He cannot even raise his hand in vengeance, but more gracious than this: HE WILL NOT RAISE HIS VOICE IN AGONY, IN PAIN, IN COMPLAINT. He will not cry to heaven. He will not appeal to the Father on his sapphire throne. He will not call down the legions of angels waiting for his single cry of pain. He will not unleash divine judgment which is his prerogative by Divine right. He is not only powerless before Pilate, before his enemies. He is also mute. Such a thing cannot be good for God.

   BUT GOOD FRIDAY IS GOOD – FOR US! Because of Good Friday, we are healed! Because of Good Friday, our sins are forgiven! The cross is ugly to look at. Such an evil death. A death you cannot wish, even for your enemies. But the gift of that ugly, evil death is life – FOR US! By his stripes you are healed. By his death you are born again into fellowship with God.

   As we gather under the cross of Christ on this day called Good, we remember the almost unbearable weight of our sin, and the payment for that sin: the death of God’s only begotten Son. And yet, by his death, we are healed. His death brings us forgiveness, and newness of life. Changed forever. We have been changed forever by that lonely, evil death on the cross. We continue with our lives, but our lives are now changed! We continue to sin, but that has changed too. We still die, but even death has been changed by that life, given unto death for the forgiveness of our sin! We have been changed by that sinless life. We have been changed by that perfect death. We have been changed. We have been changed from poor, sinful beings to children of the Almighty, who can, with boldness, come into his majestic presence as dear children can barge into the presence of their dear father, and ask for forgiveness, renewal, life! We have been changed from lost and condemned persons into God’s own nation, his own royal priesthood, his own chosen people. We have been changed from being slaves of hell to citizens of heaven, children and heirs of the kingdom of the Almighty. All of this because of the ugly, evil death of God’s beloved Son. And this is why this sad and evil day is called "Good" Friday--not good for Jesus---but certainly good for us. For by his wounds you have been healed. By his death, you have life. Eternal life. This is most certainly true. This is most certainly good. This is most certainly for you.

More Picturess From The Farm

and here are yet more pictures from our farm.

New KiDS In Town

A few days ago, three of the goats at our farm gave birth, and they're the new KiDS in town. also included is a picture of my wife, Kitty. more pictures next post.

Against The Dying Of The Light

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

         

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

And you, my father, there on that sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Dylan Thomas

Seditious Misgivings

The Prayer of Jabez

Many people have made much of the prayer of Jabez, especially the Reformed and Born Again Christians. I have to confess, though, that from the get-go, I was leery of this booklet, and that I quickly scanned it, and confirmed my fear. Here, then, is the particular passage:

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.”

My thoughts:

> “Name it and claim it,” huh? Yes, I can see how the prosperity theologians would have a field day with this passage.
> It seems to me that we human beings quickly, naturally, think of God’s blessings as PHYSICAL, and not SPIRITUAL also. For instance, we are so quick to ask God to give us food, clothing, shelter, and other physical, earthly blessings, which God himself commands us to do; but the thing is, we so often neglect to ask God for SPIRITUAL blessings: love for all men, but especially for those of the household of faith, patience in the midst of trials, hope in the midst of despair, eagerness to hear his Word, longing to receive his Sacraments, a generous heart ready to help those in need, compassion for God’s people, steadfastness in the one true faith, boldness in our confession of the Way, the Truth and the Life.
> The passage indeed says that “God granted what he asked,” but Wilkinson immediately reasons that this is because “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.” Hm. I remember the phrase, “Facientibus quod in se est, Deus non denegat gratiam.” To those who do the good that is in them, God cannot deny grace. It is the Roman Catholic teaching on justification. The passage did not say “because Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, God granted what he asked.” The passage says, “God granted what he asked.” Period. I think the reason God granted Jabez his petition was because God is gracious, and not because Jabez was a good man. For if God grants our petitions because of who we are, then the thief on the cross, yes! we also, would be in dire straits. We would be hopeless.
> This passage, though, is a great opportunity to clearly distinguish between Law and Gospel. God grants our petitions not because we are good, but because God is good. Once more, listen to the dear Dr. Luther as he explains this in his Catechism:

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.

All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.

This is most certainly true. (italics mine)