Introduction to the Church Year

An Introduction to the Church Year

If you’re new to the Lutheran tradition—or to any church that follows the historic liturgical year—you might wonder why the calendar feels so different from the one hanging on your wall at home.

The Church Year is not just a schedule, it’s a story. And even more—it’s your story in Christ.

Instead of structuring our spiritual lives around deadlines, sports seasons, school calendars, or holidays created by marketing teams, the Church Year invites us to structure our lives around the life of Jesus. Every season helps us remember, celebrate, and enter more deeply into what Christ has done for us and what He is doing in us.

It’s a way of saying, week after week: “My life is hidden with Christ.” (Col. 3:3)

Let’s walk through these seasons together.

Advent — Anticipating the Coming Christ

Advent is the beginning of the Church Year—a season of waiting, longing, and expectation. It stands in quiet contrast to the frenzy of December. Here we slow down and learn to pray: “Come, Lord Jesus.”

We remember His first coming in Bethlehem.
We recognize His coming to us now through His Word and Sacraments.
We anticipate His final coming to make all things new.

Advent trains our hearts in holy longing—teaching us to desire Christ above all.

Christmas — Celebrating God Coming in the Flesh

At Christmas, the waiting gives way to wonder. For twelve days, the Church celebrates what Christians call the Incarnation—God taking on human flesh. Not a myth. Not a metaphor. God actually came among us. Christmas tells us that God is not distant, but near. Not abstract or cold, but embodied and compassionate.

This season invites us to marvel at the humility, tenderness, and glory of Jesus—God with us.

Epiphany — Christ Revealed as Savior of the World

After Christmas comes Epiphany, a season of light. The word epiphany means “revelation,” and this season focuses on moments when Jesus’s identity shines clearly—His baptism, His miracles, His teaching, His call to the nations.

If Christmas tells us who He is, Epiphany shows us what He came to do: bring salvation to the whole world. It’s a season that expands our vision and enlarges our love.

Lent — Preparing for Holy Week

Lent is a season of repentance, reflection, and returning to the Lord. It’s not about earning God’s favor—Christ already won that for us. Lent simply helps us see how much we need Him and invite the Spirit to cleanse our hearts from the sin and distractions that keep us at arms distance. During these forty days, we echo the ancient prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

This season trains us in humility, honesty, and hope as we prepare for the central story of our faith.

Holy Week — The Heart of the Christian Story

Holy Week brings us to the center of it all.

• Palm Sunday — Jesus enters Jerusalem as King.

• Maundy Thursday — He gives us His body and blood in the Supper.

• Good Friday — He dies for the sins of the world.

• Holy Saturday — He rests in the tomb.

• Easter Sunday — He rises in victory.

This is the week that changed the world—and changes us. Holy Week invites us into the depth of Christ’s love, the weight of His sacrifice, and the joy of His resurrection.

Pentecost — The Spirit Sends Us Into the World

Fifty days after Easter, we celebrate Pentecost—the moment when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and the Church was filled with power.

Pentecost reminds us that:

• The Christian life is Spirit-enabled.

• The Church has the glorious tasks of sharing Jesus with the world.

• Christ continues His work through us.

What begins at Pentecost continues today in every congregation—including ours—as the Spirit forms Christ in us and sends us out as His witnesses.

Why the Church Year Matters

For many who are new to this tradition, the Church Year becomes one of the most meaningful discoveries of their Christian life. It gives:

Beauty

Each season paints a different facet of the gospel—light, joy, repentance, hope, victory.

Stability

In a chaotic world, you’re rooted in something older, deeper, and steadier than culture’s constant changes.

Formation

The Church Year shapes your heart over time, teaching you to live your days in step with Christ.

Joy

You don’t just learn about Jesus—you journey with Him.

Walking through the Church Year is like walking through the gospel again and again until it becomes part of you.

Your Invitation to Enter the Church Year

The Church Year isn’t just an idea or a history lesson—it’s a lived journey of formation, worship, and joy. It’s a way of letting the life of Christ shape the rhythm of your life… week by week, season by season, promise by promise.

And you’re invited to step into it with us.

At Trinity San Antonio, we walk this sacred path together—waiting in Advent, rejoicing at Christmas, beholding Christ in Epiphany, slowing down in Lent, standing in awe during Holy Week, and living in the Spirit’s power throughout Pentecost. Every Sunday is a doorway deeper into the story of Jesus and into the life God is forming in us.

If you’re longing for a church family, curious about historic Christian worship, or simply ready for something deeper and more rooted—come join us.

Visit us this Sunday at 10:30am and begin the journey. We’d love to walk it with you.

~ Pastor Matthew Ballmann

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Silver Candlesticks

As the brother and sister were about to rise from the table, there came a knock at the door.

“Come in,” said the Bishop.

The door opened. A singular and violent group made its appearance on the threshold. Three men were holding a fourth man by the collar. The three men were gendarmes; the other was Jean Valjean.
A brigadier of gendarmes, who seemed to be in command of the group, was standing near the door. He entered and advanced to the Bishop, making a military salute.

“Monseigneur—” said he.

At this word, Jean Valjean, who was dejected and seemed overwhelmed, raised his head with an air of stupefaction.

“Monseigneur!” he murmured. “So he is not the cure?”

“Silence!” said the gendarme. “He is Monseigneur the Bishop.”

In the meantime, Monseigneur Bienvenu had advanced as quickly as his great age permitted.

“Ah! here you are!” he exclaimed, looking at Jean Valjean. “I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?”

Jean Valjean opened his eyes wide, and stared at the venerable Bishop with an expression which no human tongue can render any account of.

“Monseigneur,” said the brigadier of gendarmes, “so what this man said is true, then? We came across him. He was walking like a man who is running away. We stopped him to look into the matter. He had this silver—”

“And he told you,” interposed the Bishop with a smile, “that it had been given to him by a kind old fellow of a priest with whom he had passed the night? I see how the matter stands. And you have brought him back here? It is a mistake.”

“In that case,” replied the brigadier, “we can let him go?”

“Certainly,” replied the Bishop.

The gendarmes released Jean Valjean, who recoiled.

“Is it true that I am to be released?” he said, in an almost inarticulate voice, and as though he were talking in his sleep.

“Yes, thou art released; dost thou not understand?” said one of the gendarmes.

“My friend,” resumed the Bishop, “before you go, here are your candlesticks. Take them.”  He stepped to the chimney-piece, took the two silver candlesticks, and brought them to Jean Valjean. The two women looked on without uttering a word, without a gesture, without a look which could disconcert the Bishop.

Jean Valjean was trembling in every limb. He took the two candlesticks mechanically, and with a bewildered air.

“Now,” said the Bishop, “go in peace. By the way, when you return, my friend, it is not necessary to pass through the garden. You can always enter and depart through the street door. It is never fastened with anything but a latch, either by day or by night.”

Then, turning to the gendarmes:—

“You may retire, gentlemen.”

The gendarmes retired.

Jean Valjean was like a man on the point of fainting.

The Bishop drew near to him, and said in a low voice:—

“Do not forget, never forget, that you have promised to use this money in becoming an honest man.”

Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of ever having promised anything, remained speechless. The Bishop had emphasized the words when he uttered them. He resumed with solemnity:—

“Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.”

The Table of Mercy: A Theological Reflection on Jean Valjean’s Conversion

This scene from Les Misérables is one of the most powerful moments in all of literature. Jean Valjean, guilty and desperate, is dragged back into the Bishop’s house — not unlike sinners dragged before the judgment seat of God. The evidence of his crime is literally in his hands. Yet the Bishop does not condemn. Instead, he does something shocking: he confirms Valjean’s story, adds the silver candlesticks, and speaks words that change Valjean’s destiny.

Here is grace enacted in liturgical form. The table where Valjean had eaten the night before becomes a place of absolution. The Bishop’s generosity is not merely about utensils; it is a proclamation of the gospel. “You no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you… and I give it to God.” In that moment, the Bishop mirrors the action of Christ, who “redeemed us not with silver or gold, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.” (Small Catechism, Explanation of Apostles’ Creed

Like the Eucharist, this moment is both gift and commissioning. Valjean receives unmerited grace — his crime forgiven, his hands filled — but he is also charged to live differently. The candlesticks become sacramental: signs of a new identity, of a life set apart for God. They will sit on Valjean’s mantel for the rest of his life, reminding him of the night grace found him and changed him.

This is our story too. We come to the Lord’s Table weary, guilty, and sometimes even resistant. But God does not send us away empty-handed. He places in our hands something far more precious than silver — the very body and blood of His Son. He tells us, “You are forgiven. You are free. You no longer belong to the darkness but to Me.”

And then He sends us out: forgiven people sent to live as forgiven people. The Eucharist is never just a private meal; it is a commissioning feast. We are sent into the world to live differently — to be candles of mercy and light in the darkness, just as Valjean was called to be after that night.

The Bishop’s radical generosity points us to the heart of God: a love that risks scandal, a mercy that restores dignity, and a grace that transforms the sinner into a saint.

Assassination in America

Brothers and Sisters,

The past week have been a storm of emotions — waves of deep sadness, grief, fear, and anger crashing over us one after another. The only moment in my living memory of such grief is 9/11, when we felt that terrible wound — not only an attack on lives, but on the very idea of America itself. 

Perhaps that is why the assassination of Charlie cuts so deeply. It feels like more than the loss of an innocent man. It feels like an assault on what we hold most dear: the freedom to speak, the right to hold convictions, the God-given dignity of every person, and the very Christian faith that grounds our lives.

Political and cultural voices are abuzz, analyzing the event, debating its causes, naming culprits, and speculating about what might come next. The air is thick with blame, anger, fear, and - grievously - even moments of glee.

But what about us?
What are we to do with our own hearts and tears in this moment?
What are we to do as families gathered around our tables?
What are we to do as the Church of Jesus Christ, called to be salt and light in such a dark hour?

One picture I often share with our children to help them consider their response to life's storms is the image of waves, boats, and anchors, each representing three kinds of people.

The waves are the ones who create chaos. They are restless and unrestrained, moved by impulse rather than wisdom. They crash, churn, and break apart whatever lies in their path. Its rather easy to be a wave.

The boats are those who are at the mercy of the waves. They are carried wherever the current takes them, reacting to every gust of wind and swell of emotion. When the waves rage, they rage. When the waves panic, they panic.   

The anchors, however, are different. They do not become waves, and they do not drift like boats. They dig deep. They hold fast. They know storms will come, waves will crash, and boats will be tossed — but they themselves need not be moved. 

In the days and months ahead, many words will be spoken about Charlie. But what we witnessed in his life was clear: he was neither a wave nor a boat — he was an anchor. And he could be an anchor because, first and foremost, Jesus Christ had saved him. Charlie sought to trust his Savior in everything, and that deep faith gave him the moral clarity and courage of conviction by which he lived. 

Now the challenge before us is this: to refuse to be waves, to refuse to be boats, and to take up the calling to be anchors. Our world is desperate for anchors — men and women who will stand firm in Christ when the storm rages.

So back to the question: What do we do with ourselves? What do we do as families? What do we do as the Church?

1. Be Anchored in Christ

Our Lord told us that those who follow Him would be hated, mocked, persecuted, and even put to death for His name’s sake — so we should not be surprised. But He also promised, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Take comfort in His goodness, mercy, and forgiveness toward you. Before anger, bitterness, and the noise of political rhetoric on social media shape your heart, let God’s Word shape your mind (Romans 12:2). Bring your grief and fear to Him in prayer, and ask Him to fill you with His grace, wisdom, and courage.

2. Treasure Your Family

Hug your spouse. Hold your children. Call your parents. Embrace your friends. Life is a precious and fragile gift. Give thanks for the people God has entrusted to you. Love them faithfully, sacrificially, and joyfully. The single greatest way we push back against the darkness is by building homes that honor and serve Jesus Christ. 

3. Boldly Stand on Truth

The church father Tertullian once said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” When believers witness others living and speaking the truth — and dying for that truth — it strengthens the entire Body of Christ to stand firm. I am personally emboldened by my brother’s courageous witness in the face of evil. This is our calling as well: to shine as light in the darkness, no matter the cost. And we do this not only as individuals but as a community. Trinity, though we may feel small or insignificant, are a phalanx in the Lord’s army — standing shoulder to shoulder, shield to shield, engaged in a very real and high-stakes spiritual battle. We follow in our Master's train. 

If you don’t have a place to worship this Sunday, I would like to personally invite you to join us at Trinity San Antonio this Sunday at 10:30am.

4. Pray for Our Nation

Our nation is deeply broken — and no system, politician, judge, or president can fix it. Those are only mirrors reflecting the soul of the people. And what we see right now is a divided soul. The only hope for America is not a new policy but a new heart — hearts transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. Let us pray earnestly for revival, asking God to begin His work in our own hearts and to sweep across this land with repentance, healing, and faith.

5. Talk with Someone.

I realize this is impacting everyone differently. Some wonder why there is so much emotion, while others are shattered. If you are finding yourself closer to the latter response, I encourage you to grab coffee with someone at church or a close friend and talk about it. Talk about what you are feeling, what you are thinking, and how it's impacting you. This is how normal humans process such tragic events. Tears are okay, emotions are normal, questions are healthy. As always, I am available to visit on the phone or in-person, as are both of our elders.

I'll leave you with a quote from our beloved J.R.R. Tolkien from his Fellowship of the Ring:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” 

May our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen us to be faithful followers in these days we have been given. 

If you don’t have a church home, you are invited to join us this Sunday at 10:30am! You can learn more on our website: www.trinitysa.org

Grace and peace,

Pastor Matthew Ballmann

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

Rembrandt’s masterpiece, The Return of the Prodigal Son, captures one of the most profound parables of Jesus (Luke 15:11-32). The painting’s use of light, shadow, and expressive figures draws the viewer into the depth of God’s mercy and the nature of repentance, forgiveness, and grace.

1. The Father’s Embrace: A Picture of Divine Mercy

The central focus of the painting is the father, who bends over his kneeling son with hands placed gently on his shoulders. One hand appears strong and masculine, the other softer and feminine—a visual reminder that God’s love is both just and tender. The father’s face is filled with compassion, embodying the very heart of God, who is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Psalm 103:8).

The father’s embrace in the painting reflects how God welcomes sinners, not with condemnation, but with open arms. This moment visually preaches the truth of Romans 5:8: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. The Prodigal Son: The Posture of Repentance

The son kneels in rags, his head shaved, symbolizing humility and surrender. His tattered clothing contrasts with the father’s rich robes, emphasizing the contrast between sin’s consequences and the covering of grace. His return is not triumphant but broken, mirroring Psalm 51:17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Rembrandt captures the reality that repentance is not about earning forgiveness but about returning home to the Father’s love. The son does not plead his case; he simply leans into the embrace, illustrating Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

3. The Elder Brother: The Danger of Self-Righteousness

Standing in the shadows, the elder brother watches with a posture of disapproval. Unlike the father’s warmth, he appears stiff and cold. His fine clothing suggests he has everything yet lacks the heart of the father. He embodies the Pharisaical mindset—externally obedient but internally distant from grace.

The elder brother’s presence in the painting challenges us: Do we begrudge God’s mercy toward others? Do we serve God out of duty rather than love? His stance warns of the spiritual pride that blinds us to our own need for grace (Luke 18:9-14).

4. Light and Shadow: The Drama of Redemption

Rembrandt’s use of light and darkness is intentional. The light shines upon the father and son, drawing attention to the mercy of God. The elder brother and onlookers stand in the shadows, highlighting their spiritual blindness. This echoes John 1:5: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Conclusion: The Call to Enter the Father’s Joy

Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son invites us into the drama of redemption. Are we the prodigal, needing to come home? Are we the elder brother, standing at a distance from grace? Ultimately, the painting calls us to experience the joy of the Father, who delights in restoring His children (Luke 15:7).

No matter how lost we may be, the Father’s embrace is always waiting. Will we enter into His love?

What Is Keeping You from Being Content?

What Is Keeping You from Being Content?

Contentment is one of the greatest challenges in life. In a world that constantly tells us we need more—more money, more success, more possessions—it’s easy to feel like we’re always lacking something. But Scripture teaches us that true contentment is not found in what we have but in who we trust.

Paul, writing from prison, declared:
“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)

So, what is keeping you from being content?

1. Comparison – When we constantly compare our lives to others, we lose sight of the blessings God has already given us. “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." (1 Timothy 6:8)

2. Fear and Worry – Anxiety about the future can rob us of joy today. But Jesus reminds us, “Do not be anxious about your life... your heavenly Father knows that you need them all." (Matthew 6:25-32)

3. Lack of Trust in God’s Provision – We sometimes struggle to believe that God will provide for our needs. Yet Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’"

4. Discomfort - Our natural reaction is to allow our contentment and joy to be dictated by our external circumstances. The voice in our head sounds something like this, “if I didn’t have this struggle then I could be happy.” The lie we believe is that the challenge is keeping us from the joy Christ wants to give us. But the truth is just the opposite. Christ wants us to experience His peace exactly in the struggles.

5. Possessions - We fall into the trap of thinking that if we could just have that house, or live in that location, or get those new shoes, then we would be happy and content. What are you believing is the possession that will finally bring you contentment in life?

Contentment is not about settling for less; it’s about trusting that in Christ, we already have everything we need. True peace comes when we rest in the sufficiency of Christ, knowing that He is our greatest treasure.

What is keeping you from being content today?

Let go of the things that steal your joy and rest in the unshakable promises of God in Christ Jesus.

In Christ,

Pr. Matthew+

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

“Flevit super illam” by Enrique Simonet (1866–1927) on Luke 13:31-35

Jesus weeps

Jesus comes near and he beholds the city

And looks on us with tears in his eyes,

And wells of mercy, streams of love and pity

Flow from the fountain whence all things arise.

He loved us into life and longs to gather

And meet with his beloved face to face

How often has he called, a careful mother,

And wept for our refusals of his grace,

Wept for a world that, weary with its weeping,

Benumbed and stumbling, turns the other way,

Fatigued compassion is already sleeping

Whilst her worst nightmares stalk the light of day.

But we might waken yet, and face those fears,

If we could see ourselves through Jesus’ tears.

Malcolm Guite’s website.

Searching for and Maintaining Peace

The following are excerpts from “Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart” by Father Jasques Philippe (pgs 27-34)

The Troubles of Life and the Fear of Being Without

Our great drama is this: Man does not have confidence in God. Hence he looks in every possible place to extricate himself by his own resources and renders himself terribly unhappy in the process rather than abandon himself into the tender and saving hands of his Father in heaven. Yet, how unjustified this lack of confidence is! Isn't it absurd that a child would thus doubt his Father, when this Father is the best and most powerful Who could exist, when He is the Father in heaven? In spite of that, it is in this absurdity that we most frequently live. 

How many young people, for example, hesitate to give their lives entirely to God because they do not have confidence that God is capable of making them completely happy. And they seek to assure their own happiness by themselves and they make themselves sad and unhappy in the process. 

This is precisely the great victory of the Father of Life, of the Accuser: succeeding in putting into the heart of a child of God distrust vis-a-vis his Father!

It is, however, marked by this distrust that we come into this world. This is the original sin. And all our spiritual life consists precisely in a long process of reeducation, with a view to regaining that lost confidence, by the grace of the Holy Spirit Who makes us say anew to God: Abba, Father!

But it is true that this "return to confidence" is very difficult for us, long and painful. 

There are two principal obstacles.

Our difficulty in believing in providence. 

The first obstacle is that, as long as we have not experienced concretely the fidelity of Divine Providence to provide for our essential needs, we have difficulty believing in it and we abandon it. We have hard heads, the words of Jesus do not suffice for us, we want to see at least a little in order to believe!  

It is important to know one thing: We cannot experience this support from God unless we leave him the necessary space in which He can express Himself. As long as a person who must jump with a parachute does not jump out in the voice, he cannot feel that the cords of the parachute will support him, because the parachute has not yet had the chance to open. One must first jump and it is only later that one feels carried. And so it is in the spiritual life: "God gives in the measure that we expect of Him," says Saint John of the Cross. This is where the problem lies. Many do not believe in Providence because they've never experienced it, but they've never experienced it because they've never jumped into the voice and taken the leap of faith. They never give it the possibility to intervene. 

The Fear of Suffering 

The other great obstacle to abandoning oneself to Divine Providence is the presence of suffering, in our own lives as in the world around us. Even for those who abandon themselves to him, God permits suffering; He leaves them wanting of certain things, in a manner sometimes painful. ...the Lord can leave us wanting relative to certain things (sometimes judged indispensable in the eyes of the world),  but He never leaves us deprived of what is essential: His presence, His peace and all that is necessary for the complete fulfillment of our lives, according to His plan for us. If He permits suffering, then it is our strenth to believe, as Therese of Lisieux says, that "God does not permit unnecessary suffering." 

In the domain of our personal lives, as in that of the history of the world, we must be convinced, if we want to go to the limits of our Christian faith, that God is sufficiently good and powerful to use whatever evil there may be, as well as any suffering however absurd and unnecessary it may appear to be, in our favor. We cannot have any mathematical or philosophical certitude of this; it can only be an act of faith. But it is precisely to this act of faith that we are invited by the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus, understood and received as the definitive victory of God over evil. 

Evil is a mystery, a scandal and it will always be so. It is necessary to what one can to eliminate it, to relive suffering, but it always remains present in our personal lives, as well as the world. There are inevitable circumstances where we cannot understand the "why" of God's activity because it is no longer the wisdom of man, a wisdom within our capacity to understand and explain by human intelligence. Rather it is divine Wisdom, mysterious and incomprehensible, that thus intervenes. 

The wisdom of man can only produce works on a human level. Only the Wisdom of God can realize things divine, and it is to divine heights that it destines us. 

This is consequently what must be our strength when faced with the question of evil: not a philosophical response, but the confidence of a child in God, in His Love and in His wisdom. 

To Grow in Confidence: A Child’s Prayer

And how does one grow in this total confidence in God; how can we maintain and nourish it in ourselves? Certainly not only by intellectual speculation and theological considerations. They will never withstand the moments of trail. But by a contemplative gaze on Jesus.

To contemplate Jesus Who gives His life for us, nourishes us with "too great a love" that He expresses on the cross; that is what really inspires confidence. Would not the supreme proof of love - Greater love than this no man has than to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13) - untiringly contemplated and captured in a gaze of love and faith, fortify our hearts little by little in an unshakable confidence? What can one fear from a God Who manifested His love in so evident a manner? How could He not be for us, completely, entirely and absolutely in our favor; how could He not do all things for us, this God, friend of humankind, Who did not spare His only Son for us, even through we were sinners? And if God is for us, who could be against us (Romans 8:32)? If God is for us, what evil could possibly harm us? Thus we see the absolute necessity of contemplation for growing in confidence. 

Jesus Our Good Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

Liturgy of Holy Communion (Part 1) - The Preface

Introduction

The Eucharistic prayer opens with a three-part dialogue that has been recited in the Church since at least the third century. This dialogue is first reported in the Eucharistic prayer of St. Hippolytus (c. A.D. 215). Now, eighteen centuries later, we continue to say the same words, uniting us with the Christians of the early Church.

The Lord’s Presence 

The opening exchange (“The Lord be with you… and also with you/spirit.”) we have heard before. It is used in the introductory rite of the start of the Divine Service just before the reading of the Scriptures. Greetings like this were used through Scripture to address those whom God called to an important but daunting missions. Isaac (Gn 26:3, 24) and Jacob (Gn 28:13-15); Moses (Ex 3:12) and Joshua (Josh 1:5, 9); Gideon (Jgs 6:12), King David (2 Sam 7:3), and the prophet Jeremiah (Her 1:6-8), and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 1:28). All of theme heard this message at pivotal moments in their lives. They needed the Lord to be with them as they set out on their charge. 

Here, the greeting is fittingly repeated as we embark upon the most sacred part of the service: the eucharistic prayer. Both the pastor and the people need the Lord to be with them as they prepare to enter the mystery of Holy Communion. 

Question: Why is it important that we are reminded of God’s presence with us?  

Lifting Our Hearts

Next, the pastor says, “lift up your hearts” (Latin: literally, "Upwards hearts"). This prayer brings to mind the exhortation in Lamentations 3:41, “Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.” What does it mean to “lift up” our hearts? 

In the Bible, the heart is the hidden center of the person from which one’s thoughts, emotions and actions originate. All intentions and commitments flow from the human heart. Therefore when you are invited each week to “lift up your hearts,” we are being summoned to give our fullest attention to what is about to unfold. This is a wake up call to set aside all other concerns and focus our minds, wills, and emotions - our hearts - on the sublimity (grandeur, beauty, excellence) of what is happening in the Eucharistic prayer.  

This summons is reminiscent of St. Paul’s words to the Colossians 3:1-2, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Just as Paul called the Colossians to seek the “things above, where Christ is,” so are we bidden to direct our entire being towards the things of heaven, for that is where Christ is. And that is where we are going in the Eucharistic prayer. 

Our Fullest Attention

St. Cyprian (d. A.D. 258), a North African Church Father, explained how this prayer draws our attention away from worldly distractions and is meant to lead us to ponder the awe-inspiring action taking place in the Eucharist prayer: 

“Moreover, when we stand praying, beloved brethren, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, intent on our prayers. Let all carnal and worldly thoughts pass away, nor let the soul at that time think on anything but the object only of its prayer. For this reason also the priest, by way of preface before his prayer, prepares the minds of the brethren by saying, Lift up your hearts, that so upon the people's response, We lift them up unto the Lord, he may be reminded that he himself ought to think of nothing but the Lord.” 

Another Church Father, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, made a similar point and warned believers of the seriousness of this moment:

“Lift up your hearts: for in this sublime moment the heart should be lifted up to God, and not be allowed to descend to the earth and to earthly concerns. With all possible emphasis the priest exhorts all in that hour to dismiss all cares of this life, or household anxieties, and to have their heart in heaven with the merciful God. Then you answer, We lift them up unto the Lord: assenting to it, by your avowal. But let no one come here, who could say with his mouth, We lift up our hearts unto the Lord, but in his thoughts have his mind concerned with the cares of this life.”  

Cyril goes on to acknowledge that being attentive to the Lord is something we should do always, but is difficult because we are fallen and weak. Yet if there ever is a moment to concentrate most intently and give God our fullest attention, it is now at the Eucharist prayer: “We should, indeed think of God at all times, but this is impossible because of our human frailty; but in this holy time especially our hearts should be with God.” 

Question: Why can it be difficult for us to keep our minds and hearts focused on Christ? 

Giving Thanks to God

In the last exchange the pastor says, “let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” 

As we have already expressed after each Scripture reading (“Thanks be to God”), thanksgiving is a common biblical response to God’s goodness and to His saving works in our lives. In fact, thanksgiving is (should be) the most basic posture of God’s people towards Him. 

We are reminded to give thanks to the Lord and echo the similar exhortation found in the Psalms: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good…” (Psalm 136:1-3; see also Ps 107:8, 15, 21, 31). 

St. Paul similarly teaches that the Christian life should be marked by prayers of thanksgiving. We should be “abounding in thanksgiving” (Col 2:7), give thanks to God in all we do (Col 3:17) and “in all circumstances” (1 Thess 5:18, Phil 4:6), especially in worship. Read the following Scripture passages: 1 Cor 14:16-19; Eph 5:19-20; Col 3:16. Following this biblical tradition of offering prayers of thanksgiving, the congregation responding, “It is right to give Him thanks and praise.” 

Question: What is the point of agreeing with the prayer and saying “it is right”? How does giving thanks for all God has given and done for us change our attitude and outlook on life?

Seven reasons why the historic church use incense in worship

Why does the church use incense in places of worship?

1. Connection to Old Testament Worship
"Incense" is mentioned over 100 times in the Bible and was an integral part of worship in the Old Testament. The altar of incense in the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:1-10) and later in the Temple was used to burn incense regularly as an offering to God. Incense was an aromatic substance made of gums and spices to be burned. It was made according to a definite prescription of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense in equal proportions, and was tempered with salt (Exod.30:34-Exod. 30:35). It could not be made for ordinary purposes (Exod.30.34-Exod.30.38; Lev.10.1-Lev.10.7). The use of incense in Christian worship can be seen as a continuation of this ancient practice. 

2. A form of worship to Christ 
The three gifts given to Christ by the Magi was gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The second two were resins both commonly used as incense. The newborn King received His first worship from gentiles by the gifts of incense!  

2. It models the worship of Heaven
The prayers of the saints are depicted as rising before God along with the smoke of the incense.

Revelation 8:3-4, "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel."

3. Purification and Sanctification of a sacred space 
Incense is traditionally used to purify and sanctify the space in which it is burned. The sweet fragrance is a symbol of holiness and setting aside the space for God. 

4. Symbolism of our Prayers Rising to Heaven
Incense is often seen as a physical representation of prayers ascending to God. This is based on biblical imagery, particularly from Psalm 141:2, which says, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

5. The Presence of the Holy Spirit
The smoke of the incense symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Just as the smoke fills the space and is perceived by the senses, so the Holy Spirit fills the hearts and minds of the worshippers, permeating the entire environment.

6. The Presence of God
Throughout the OT the presence of God was made manifest in the form of a cloud of smoke. In 2 Chronicles 5:12-14 we have a description of when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Temple build by Solomon, "and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; 13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God."

7. Symbol of Sacrifice
Incense is also associated with sacrifice. Just as incense is consumed by fire, it represents the offering of oneself to God, symbolizing the worshippers' devotion and willingness to sacrifice for their faith.

The Two Comings of Christ - Cyril of Jerusalem

We preach not one advent only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the former gave a view of His patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom. For all things, for the most part, are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ…. In His former advent, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger; in His second, He covers Himself with light as with a garment. In His first coming, He endured the Cross, despising shame (Hebrews 12:2); in His second, He comes attended by a host of Angels, receiving glory. We rest not then upon His first advent only, but look also for His second. And as at His first coming we said, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord , so will we repeat the same at His second coming; that when with Angels we meet our Master, we may worship Him and say, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. The Savior comes, not to be judged again, but to judge them who judged Him; He who before held His peace when judged , shall remind the transgressors who did those daring deeds at the Cross, and shall say, These things have you done, and I kept silence. Then, He came because of a divine dispensation, teaching men with persuasion; but this time they will of necessity have Him for their King, even though they wish it not.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15

The Feast of All Saints

Today is the Feast of All Saints, a beautiful feast day where we lovingly remember martyrs and saints who faithfully served the Lord and are now in His glorious presence.

What is All Saints' Day?

Originally All Saints' Day was a day set aside to remember the martyrs of the early church, who had given their lives for their faith in Christ. Today we remember not only these martyrs, but all the faithful who have died in Christ, encompassing the faithful in the Bible, the early church, the more recent past, and even friends or family members who are now in heaven. What Memorial Day is to America, All Saints’ Day is to the Church, a day of remembrance and thankfulness.

Every Sunday we confess that we believe in “the communion of saints” which is to say a spiritual union of all of the members of the Church. This communion includes the living, the Church Militant, and those who have died in the faith of Christ—the Church Triumphant. We are knit together with the saints in the mystical body of Christ. Saint Paul says in his letter to the congregations in Corinthian, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Cor. 10:16-17).

What is a Saint?

All who are in Christ are saints (1 Cor. 1:2). The word “saint" is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo) whose basic meaning is “to set apart, " “sanctify,” or “make holy." This title doesn't just belong to a select few Christians but to each and every person who has been forgiven and made holy in Christ Jesus.

Why celebrate All Saints' Day?

All Saints' Day is a great opportunity to reflect on God's faithfulness, to thank Him for the example of faithful believers, and to be inspired by this example. This could be a great time to share with your kids about a faithful grandparent or mentor who God used to draw you closer to Him. You might want to read the story of a faithful saint from the Bible, or a biography of a missionary or early church figure. As we retell the story of the faithful Christians who have gone before, we give our children (and ourselves) a vision for what God could do through us, and our hearts are drawn in faith and praise to Him for His work throughout the ages in ordinary individuals just like us.

How can we celebrate All Saints' Day?

Here are a few ideas to choose from for celebrating this day with your family:

1) Attend a service at a church that celebrates the Feast of All Saints. At Trinity this Sunday we will celebrate this joyous occasion.

2) Read and discuss a passage of Scripture that talks about the saints throughout time, such as: Revelation 7:2-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12.

3) Read a biography about a famous Christian from history. Here are a few of our favorites:

Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard Hannula

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie DePaola

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul Maier

The Simonetta Carr biographies

Missionary biographies

4) Share about the life of a faithful Christian you knew personally who is now in heaven, and take a moment to thank God as a family for this saint.

5) Host a party where the kids dress up like their favorite saint and tell their stories.

6) Visit the resting place of a love one who died in Christ and give thanks to God for their life. This is a good time to teach your children about the hope of the resurrection!

7) Pray with your family the Collect for All Saints (we will also pray this on Sunday)

Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Let's take some time this November 1st to thank God for the faithful that make up the body of Christ; in heaven and on earth, famous or little known, and to be encouraged to trust in His faithfulness to help us and our children run the race He has for us!

A few hymns for this day:

Notable Lutheran Artist

There have been several famous Lutheran artists throughout history. Here are four notable ones:

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553): Lucas Cranach was a German painter and printmaker who was a close associate of Martin Luther. He is known for his portraits of Luther and other figures of the Protestant Reformation. He also created numerous religious paintings and woodcuts with Lutheran themes. Here is a introduction to his life and work.

Martin and Katarina Luther, portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Altarpiece in the Weimar parish church St. Peter and Paul

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Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528): Albrecht Dürer was a renowned German painter, printmaker, and mathematician. While he was not exclusively a Lutheran artist, he lived during the time of the Reformation and produced works that reflected his Lutheran faith. Learn more about him and his work here.

The Resurrection, from "The Large Passion"

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Bach, a famous composer and musician, was a devout Lutheran. Much of his music, including his choral and organ compositions, was composed for Lutheran church services. Listen to Bach’s beautiful setting of the Lutheran Mass here.

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Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840): Friedrich was a German Romantic landscape painter, and his works often contain religious and spiritual themes. He was influenced by Lutheran pietism and his faith is evident in many of his paintings.

The Wanderer

Cross and Cathedral in the Mountains, 1812

Albrecht Durer and the Reformation of the Church

The follow article written by Pr. Matthew Ballmann was first published in the Lutheran Ambassador in 2015. I am republishing on this 506th anniversary of the Reformation.

As we celebrate the 498th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation and remember the individuals used by God to bring it about, we also do well to remember the individuals who were impacted by and served as key supporters of it. The German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer was such a man. While some in the American church may know Dürer or his art, chances are he is nothing more than a strange name you just read for the first time. Allow me the privilege to introduce you to this incredibly gifted man who was a key recipient and supporter of the Reformation. 

Albrecht Durer, The Man

Albrecht Dürer was born in 1471 to Albrecht and Barbara Dürer. He was the eldest son and third of eighteen children, fifteen of which would die at a young age. His father was a Hungarian immigrant who moved to the city of Nuremberg, Germany where he worked as a goldsmith. When Durer the Younger was only thirteen, he became an apprentice to his father in Nuremberg to learn how to be a goldsmith. After only two years of apprenticing, and to the displeasure but support of his father, Albrecht left to do what he really wanted to do - paint. 

After leaving his father’s tutelage he went on to apprentice for three years under the painter and printmaker Michael Wolgemut (1434-1519) also in Nuremberg. Wolgemut was the first German painter to design woodcuts as illustrations for the newly developed printed book. It was under Wolgemut that Durer learned the art of woodcut, a skill that would play a crucial role in his career and influence upon the world. After three years under Wolgemut, he went on for an additional two years as a journeyman in which he traveled to Basel, Switzerland. Upon his return to Nuremberg in 1494, Dürer married Agnes Frey in an arranged marriage. They would have no children together.

What was Durer’s relationship to the Protestant Reformation?

While we have no record of him formally renouncing Roman Catholicism, his Protestant sympathies are evident in much of his art and letters. He evidently had suffered some level of judgment for these sympathies when he wrote the following in 1524, “because of our Christian faith we have to stand in scorn and danger, for we are reviled and called heretics.” It was especially the teaching that began the Protestant Reformation, that is the forgiveness of sins by grace, through faith, in Christ, that so powerfully influenced Durer and his work. Interestingly, it was the preaching of Johan von Staupitz, Luther’s mentor and Vicar General of the German Congregation of Augustinians, that first moved Durer to embrace the rediscovered evangelical theology. 

It was not just Staupitz that influenced Durer, but Luther too had a significance influence on his thinking. When Friedrich the Wise sent Dürer one of Luther's books in 1520, Dürer wrote the following to the Elector's secretary, “I pray Your Honor to convey my humble gratitude to His Electoral grace, and beg him humbly that he will protect the praiseworthy Dr. Martin Luther for the sake of Christian truth. It matters more than all the riches and power of this world, for with time everything passes away; only the truth is eternal.” It was Luther who helped Dürer find release from his spiritual distress through the preaching of the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death and resurrection.  

Dürer spent the majority of his life living in Nuremburg creating and selling art. Whether it woodcuts, engravings, paintings, or drawings, his work captured the attention and imagination of his contemporary artist and culture at large. When Luther heard of his death 1528, he wrote, “It is natural and right to weep for so excellent a man.” Today Dürer remains among the most admired artists in the history of German art. 

Famous Works 

As many of the great artist of his day, Dürer had a wide spectrum of skills. He created alter pieces for churches, portraits of both religious and political leaders, and engravings and woodcuts for printed material. To get an idea of the volume he created, today we have about a hundred of his paintings, some one hundred engravings, and roughly two hundred woodcuts. In addition, we have over 1,200 drawings, sketches, and watercolors. From these he was most known and renowned for graphic works. These were created from woodcuts or engravings. Artists across Europe admired and copied Durer’s innovative and powerful prints, ranging from religious and mythological scenes, to maps and exotics animals. The vast majority of his works have biblical images as their objects.

Dürer's earliest major work, The Apocalypse, was a series of large prints illustrating the book of Revelation, with the Scripture on the reverse side. Dürer's large illustrations were detailed and full of energy. His Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse has never been surpassed. 

He followed The Apocalypse with a series of seventeen cuts entitled The Life of the Virgin and a large and small series on the Passion of Christ. These illustrations were designed to be used especially by teachers and clergy, but in a day before widespread literacy, could also be important devotional tools for Christian laymen. The Passion of Christ woodcuts are especially powerful in their communication of the suffering of our Savior. 

Other famous works include Knight, Death, and Devil in which he portrays a knight in battle armor, pike in hand, riding down a dangerous road located in a valley. On either side of the knight there are two hideous looking creatures. One is holding an hourglass in his hand representing the inevitability of death (common in many of Durer’s works) and the other creature, resembling a goat, is holding a pike in its hand as if looking for a chance to knock the knight off his horse. The valley of course represents the valley of the shadow of death and the trials of life. Off in the distance there is a large and magnificent castle, the destination of every Christian, heaven. 

Another of his most well known works is St. Jerome in His Study. Portraying an elderly Jerome sitting in a room with streams of sun rays coming through the windows. Besides the seated saint are books, timepieces, writings, and many other object, all of which carry some symbolic meaning. One such symbol in the room is a human skull, which was meant to serve as a reminder to Jerome of the inevitability of death (memento mori). If you follow Jerome’s line of eye site to the skull there stands a cross of the crucified Savior, reminding him that death has been defeated through Christ Jesus.  

Durer’s final great work, a painting, The Four Holy Men - Sts. John, Peter, Mark and Paul, was presented to the Nuremberg City Council as a gift. Below the painting Dürer attached a short message which spoke to the danger of the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching and at the same time affirmed the Protestant commitment to the authority of Scripture, “All worldly rulers in these dangerous times should give good heed that they receive not human misguidance for the Word of God, for God will have nothing added to His Word nor taken away from it. Hear therefore these four excellent men, Peter, John, Paul, and Mark and their warning." 

While there is an extraordinary number other powerful pieces we could consider, suffice it to say that Albrecht Durer was a man who was an extremely gifted artist, believed in the good news of forgiveness of sins through Christ by grace through faith, and used his gifts for the proclamation of God’s Word and the glory of God. 

For more on Durer’s life and work. And here.

A Holy Week Reading Plan

A nice devotional practice for Holy Week is reading the events of Holy Week on the days they occurred. The following is a chronological reading suggested by esv.org with minor tweaks.

Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-11, 17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-18, 20-36.

Holy Monday: Matthew 21:18-19, 12-13; Mark 11:12-17, 19; Luke 19:45-46

Holy Tuesday: Matthew 21:20-25:46; Mark 11:20-21; 11:27-12:44; 13:1-37; Luke 20:1-21:4; 21:4-36

Holy Wednesday: Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2

Maundy Thursday: Matthew 26:17-46; Mark 14:12-26, 32-42; Luke 22:7-46; John 13:1-17:26; 1 Cor 11:23-25

Good Friday: Matthew 26:47-27:61; Mark 15:43-15:47; Luke 22:47-23:54; John 18:2-24; 18:28-19:42

Holy Saturday: Matthew 27:62-66; Luke 23:56

Easter: Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-21:25; 1 Cor 15:5

Teach Advent to Your Family

Easy Ways to SLOW DOWn and Teach Your Family About Advent

Well it’s not even Thanksgiving and Hobby Lobby is already clearancing their Christmas decorations. Believe it or not, next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent (it completely caught me by surprise this year). It’s so easy to race through the “holidays” from one plan to the next. This is the wisdom of the church year in giving us space to focus on one season at a time. Twice in the church year a massive holy day is preceded by a season of preparation. Many of us are used to giving something up for Lent (to prepare our hearts for Easter). But it can be so difficult to wait in the season of Advent. We want carols, lights, hot cocoa, and presents! These are all wonderful joys; but if there’s one thing you do this Advent season I want to encourage you to slow down, to wait in the longing for Christmas. This is the very reason for Advent. And for your kids (and mine!) that can’t wait for Christmas day and celebration and presents there are ideas below to help them (and you!) to slow down and anticipate the coming of Jesus. There’s several ideas below but I want to encourage you towards simplicity. Pick one or two that jump out. Go for quality over quantity. We’ll republish this blog next year and you can try out the others.

Attend aDvent Services

Okay I’m goin to cheat a little right off the bat and suggest you do this in addition to 1 or 2 other ideas. The Christian life is life in the local church. If you’re not already part of a congregation I want to cordially invite you to join us a Trinity San Antonio. We have a few Advent services this year. As well as our usual Sunday service, which we’d love to have you at! There’s tons of options below or you can read through them here.

• Thanksgiving leftover potluck and wreath making: Bring your Thanksgiving leftovers and make an Advent wreath with provided real greenery. Sunday, November 27th; after service; at the Woehler Family Center.

• Advent Midweek Service with Meal and Crafts: Join us in a brief worship service and a shared meal. Crafts for the whole family too! Wednesday, November 30th; 5:30PM; at the Woehler Family Center.

• Saint Nicholas Party: Food and bonfire as we honor the spirit of generosity modeled by the historical Saint Nicholas of Myra. Wednesday, December 7th; 5:30PM; at Pastor Matthew Ballmann’s home.

• Las Posadas: This has become a highlight for the whole year for my family. We’ll recreate the story of Joseph and Mary going inn to inn trying to find a place to stay. There’s songs, Mexican hot chocolate, a Mariachi band, piñatas, costumes, and of course buñuelos! Wednesday, December 14th; 6:00PM, outside the Woehler Family Center.

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service: Worship and anticipate the arrival of Christ ending in a beautiful candlelight moment. Saturday, December 24th; 4:00PM, at the Woehler Family Center.

• Christmas Day Service: This year Christmas is on a Sunday! What better day to gather for the Divine Service than Christmas. Please join us at 10:30AM on December 25th at the Woehler Family Center.

PRactice Generosity

There’s no better season to give to others than Christmas, when God gave us His Son. The best thing about this idea is it can be as simple or complex at you like. You could:

• Tell your kids to secretly give their family and friends gifts. Kids get a big kick out of the anonymity and it keeps the focus off ourselves.

• Spend some time at a local retirement community. Often the elderly unfortunately get too few visitors and this can be difficult season for many to be alone. Kids are also a great addition to a visit and it can be a great opportunity for conversation.

• Put together bundles for the homeless. Buy some warm clothes, socks, toothbrushes, and other essential items. Pack them up in bundles and put them in your car. When you see someone in need give the bundle! Or make a trip to a local shelter to deliver several.

• Invite someone over for dinner. Those of us with families can take for granted our daily opportunity for community (or chaos). Invite a neighbor, a single friend, a military member you know over. They may not have a place to celebration traditions and opening your home can be a great way to share.

Read an Advent Devotional

Reading a daily Advent devotional at the dinner table is a super easy way to reorient ourselves around Jesus. There’s no shortage of good ones out there. For younger kids I’d recommend Counting to Christmas. We have copies of this at church on Sundays, our gift to you! Still doable with younger kids but one for older kids, or you and your spouse, is God Is in the Manger. This book features reflections from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that you can read in a few minutes.

This can be combined with the classic Advent Candles and wreath. Kids love to light and snuff the candles each night to countdown the days to Christmas.

You could also read from the Lectionary (remember we’re going to Series A this Advent). Here’s a handy link. Consider reading the passages multiple times each week.

While not a devotional this is a great season to learn about the historical Saint Nicholas. This is a beautiful book to read to your family.

Make an Advent Craft

Here’s a few ideas:

• Buy (or make!) an Advent Calendar to countdown the days to Christmas

• Make some Advent “stained glass” (these are paper crafts also some coloring sheets are there).

• Come to the wreath making after Service on November 27th! Or grab some greenery and make your own.

• Make your favorite Christmas cookies and combine with the idea about generosity and share with someone.

• If your feeling ambitious you could make red and white striped candy canes. You can talk about how they look like a shepherd’s crook (like the shepherds who witnessed the birth of our Good Shepherd or it’s a J for Jesus!), the red for the blood Jesus spilled to make us white as snow.

Listen to Advent Music

Just wait. You can wait to play your favorite Christmas music. I know it’s hard (okay even I cheat). But there are tons of wonderful Advent songs that have us sit in anticipation and longing. Maybe you can even make it practical but talking about patience with the kids. Here’s a playlist to get you started.

Add to Your Homeschool or Supplement School

If you homeschool your kids, add Advent and Saint Nicholas to your classes. Read Advent scriptures. And definitely make sure to include color pages and other fun worksheets. There’s plenty of resources out there even for Lent specifically. Definitely check out: https://www.lutheranhomeschool.com/. We also love the site https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ (note you do need a free account). You can search for Advent or Saint Nicholas and filter to free (just make sure to review the content before handing to your kiddos). And bust out those purple crayons since that’s the Advent liturgical color.

If you don’t homeschool I encourage you to supplement your kid’s classroom learning. Any of the above can be added as “homework” or done as a mini class after school around the diner table.

More Ideas

If you’re still hungry for more recommendations, check out our previous years’ blogs here and here.

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Whatever you do, or don’t, make it intentional and talk about it! Even one little activity with some good conversation will go a long way to bring your children, and your family, into preparation for the majesty of Christmas. Blessings on your Advent season!

About the Author

David Hein is a member of Trinity San Antonio with his wife Mindi and three boys: Kirk, Wesley, and Caleb. He is a first year seminarian at Lutheran Brethren Seminary. The picture below is the closest they’ve gotten to one with everyone’s eyes open.

Lenten Worship as a "Bright Sadness" - A reflection from Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann

In his short book, "Great Lent: Journey to Pascha, Alexander Schmemann reminds us of the purpose of the season of Lent,

"The purpose of Lent is to force on us a few formal obligations, but to "soften" our heart so that it may open itself to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden "thirst and hunger" for communion with God."

He goes on to describe this 40 day season as one of "bright sadness." Sadness in that everyone walking into a Lenten service will notice that the particular ethos of the Scriptures, songs, addition to specific prayers, or absence of specific prayers (for example the Gloria Patri and Allululias) all carry a quiet sadness and focus on Christ's suffering. And yet, there is a brightness in that it all is in preparation for the coming resurrection celebration on Easter. All the services during this Lenten season are shaped by this bright sadness.

"This lenten "atmosphere," this unique "state of mind," is brought about mainly by means of worship, by the various changes introduced during that season into the liturgical life." He then describes the powerful influences these atmospheres begin to make upon us:

“But then we begin to realize that this very length and monotony are needed if we are to experience the secret and at first unnoticeable "action" of the service in us. Little by little we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that this sadness is indeed "bright," that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us. It is as if we were reaching a place to which the noises and the fuss of life, of the street, of all that which usually fills our days and even nights, have no access—a place where they have no power. All that which seemed so tremendously important to us as to fill our mind, that state of anxiety which has virtually become our second nature, disappear somewhere and we begin to feel free, light and happy. It is not the noisy and superficial happiness which comes and goes twenty times a day and is so fragile and fugitive; it is a deep happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul having, in the words of Dostoevsky, touched "another world." And that which it has touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust. We understand then why the services had to be long and seemingly monotonous. We understand that it is simply impossible to pass from our normal state of mind made up almost entirely of fuss, rush, and care, into this new one without first "quieting down," without restoring in ourselves a measure of inner stability. This is why those who think of church services only in terms of "obligations," who always inquire about the required minimum ("How often must we go to church?" "How often must we pray?") can never under- stand the true nature of worship which is to take us into a different world—that of God's Presence!—but to take us there slowly because our fallen nature has lost the ability to accede there naturally.

Thus, as we experience this mysterious liberation, as we become "light and peaceful," the monotony and the sadness of the service acquire a new significance, they are transfigured. An inner beauty illumines them like an early ray of the sun which, while it is still dark in the valley, begins to lighten up the top of the mountain. This light and secret joy come from the long alleluias, from the entire "tonality" of lenten worship. What at first appeared as monotony now is revealed as peace; what sounded like sadness is now experienced as the very first movements of the soul recovering its lost depth. This is what the first verse of the lenten alleluia proclaims every morning: "My soul has desired Thee in the night, O God, before dawn, for Thy judgments are a light upon the earth!"

"Sad brightness": the sadness of my exile, of the waste I have made of my life; the brightness of God's presence and forgiveness, the joy of the recovered desire for God, the peace of the recovered home. Such is the climate of lenten worship; such is its first and general impact on my soul.”

Teach Ash Wednesday to Your Family

Easy Ways to Teach Your Family About Ash Wednesday (And maybe Lent…)

Perhaps you’re like me staring at three unruly boys and wondering how do I teach these lovable miscreants about Ash Wednesday? No matter the number, age, and gender of your children it’s a simple fact us parents are long on aspiration and short on time. So this sleepless parent thought he’d share his findings on some easy ways to teach your whole family about Ash Wednesday (and a little bit of Lent too). Before we dive in, let me offer a piece of advice: make a plan, keep it simple, and participate in Church. If you don’t have a church home I cordially invite you to join us at Trinity at 10:30 AM on Sundays.

Review the Previous Blog Posts

If you haven’t already, read the two great blog posts Pastor Matthew has put together here and here summarizing Ash Wednesday and Lent, respectively. If you’re old hat to the church year or brand new it will help to brush up on the basics for your young, inquiring minds.

Attend an Ash Wednesday Service

One of the best ways we can catechize our children is faithful attendance to church. Ash Wednesday is an especially great one for kids because of the tactile imposition of the ashes. Kids love stuff and textures. The feel of the gritty yet smooth ash on their foreheads is something you can discuss with them to hype the anticipation. Plus you can talk about how we sacrifice a Wednesday evening to gain an encounter with Christ. Lent is all about sacrifice that allows space or resources for God’s work. What better way to start the season than gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Sacrifice and Serve as Family

If you know one thing about Lent it’s the tradition of giving something up: coffee, rich food, social media, Netflix or other streaming services. Too often though we can treat this as our second chance at New Year’s resolutions. It’s certainly good to intentionally work on self improvement; but it falls short of the fuller vision for Lent. Fasting and self-denial are meant to create space for almsgiving (generosity). Maybe your family goes out to eat or orders in once a week; choose to forgo that luxury and instead donate the money to a food bank. Perhaps family movie night is sacrificed for a night of prayer. Consider skipping a kid’s event (sports, drama, etc.) to go serve as a family. There’s endless options; but definitely talk about it as a family and discuss the why.

With older kids consider an actual fast day (Friday is a great choice in remembrance of Good Friday). You could cut out meat, eat simply (bread and water), or consider a full day without a meal (I find sundown Thursday to sundown Friday works well). Again don’t just focus on the sacrifice use the extra time or money purposefully.

Read or Memorize Psalm 23

David’s most famous Psalm is also a great one for Ash Wednesday. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil” (verse 4). We are reminded that the LORD truly is our Shepherd who guides our lives, gives us rest, saves us, and one day we will dwell not in the sadness and pain of death (from dust to dust) but we will dwell in the “house of the LORD”. It’s also a great Psalm for kids to read (short, not too difficult) and a must memorize passage of Scripture.

Again with older kids I’d commend following the lectionary as a family. The Ash Wednesday passages are the same regardless of year: Joel 2:12-19, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10, and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21. Throughout Lent there are additional readings provided by the historic church. Our church is in Series C of the Three-Year cycle (easy link here). Typically you’ll read the week’s passages twice with the Old Testament reading on Monday and Thursday, Epistle on Tuesday and Friday, Gospel on Wednesday and Saturday; but there is complete freedom in what works for your family.

Make a Lenten Chain

You’ve likely heard of (or eaten) Advent calendars. Those 24 or 25 boxes of chocolates that count from December 1 to Christmas. There’s a beautiful practice for Lent that’s similar. You make a series of paper loops like the image on the right. Each day you’ll tear one off to count down to Easter. There’s an easy link here. You could also go a step farther and write things to pray for. Or perhaps use this Lenten Guide for activities you can add to each loop. Better yet, have your kids come up with their own! Another fun “craft” is making pretzels. They are somewhat bland which is good for Lent and the shape looks like arms folded in prayer.

Listen to Lenten Music

Kids love music. Find or create a playlist of Lenten specific hymns. Sing them as a family. Here’s two to get you started: one and two.

Add to Your Homeschool or Supplement School

If you homeschool your kids, add Ash Wednesday and Lent to your history units. Read Lenten scripture. And definitely make sure to include color pages and other fun worksheets. There’s plenty of resources out there even for Lent specifically. Definitely check out: https://www.lutheranhomeschool.com/. We also love the site https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ (note you do need a free account). You can search for Ash Wednesday or Lent and filter to free (just make sure to review the content before handing to your kiddos). Or here’s a direct link to some coloring pages. And bust out those purple crayons since that’s the Lenten liturgical color.

If you don’t homeschool I encourage you to supplement your kid’s classroom learning. Any of the above can be added as “homework” or done as a mini class after school around the diner table.

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Whatever you do, or don’t, make it intentional and talk about it! Even one little activity with some good conversation will go a long way to bring your children, and your family, into preparation for the glory of Easter. Blessings on your Lenten season!

About the Author

David Hein is a member of Trinity San Antonio with his wife Mindi and three boys: Kirk, Wesley, and Caleb.

How’s Your Thanks Giving Going?

How’s your thanks giving going?  No, not your preparation for the holiday.  I mean your practice of being (or not being) a thankful person. In Ephesians 5:20 we read,  

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Our extended family has formed a tradition during November where every family member (almost 40 of us ages 3 -96) posts a picture, on an assigned day, of one thing that they are thankful for.  So far this year, the items have included animals, books, food, driveways, furniture and trees.  What a great thing to pause for a moment and thank God for the simple good things that God brings into our lives.

But our thanksgiving is to go much deeper than just an appreciation for the simple good things that God brings into our lives.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ~ 1 Timothy 5:18 

We’re encouraged to be thankful not just for those things that we enjoy but for those difficult and trying things that are a part of our lives as well.  Things that, right now, may be bringing pain, frustration, sadness or confusion. Have you ever stopped to ask why are we to be thankful in all things? 

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34

In this verse (and because we may be thickheaded, it’s repeated 6 more times in the Old Testament) God gives us 3 deeper reasons to be thankful.

1. Give thanks because God is good.

This phrase is contained in several places in scripture and while what follows may mention some of God’s good benefits to us, it starts with the simple but profound encouragement to be thankful for God’s character of goodness.  He is by nature good.  Give thanks for that!  Everything that he does is good, not just the benefits that we appreciate.  Be thankful that His only motivation toward us is goodness and faithful love.  God never does anything “bad’ to us.  He may discipline us for bad things that we have done or may allow us to endure the negative consequences of our actions but even those are things are ultimately “good” for us too.  

There’s a lot more that we could say about this but let me just make a few observations about God and his goodness

• God is the source of all good in the world.

James 1:17,  “Every good and perfect endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Psalm 145:9 “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

• God does only good things for His people

Ps 84:11, “No good thing does God withhold for those who walk uprightly.”

• In everything God works for good toward those who love Him.

Romans 8:28,  “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

• He gives good things to those who ask Him.

Matt 7:11,  “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

• His discipline is a manifestation of His love and is for our good

Hebrews 12:10  “For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.”

In His goodness, God is merciful toward those in distress, He offers grace to toward those who deserve only punishment and He is patient toward those who continue to sin. 

But there’s a bit more to this verse that adds weight to our confidence in God’s goodness.  Here’s 2 more reasons to be thankful. 

2. Give thanks because God is always good.

The Hebrew word used here is “hesedh“, a steadfast and faithful love; lovingkindness that is loyal and full of mercy.  

3. Give thanks because God’s love endures forever.

He is eternal and His love will always be present for us and always endure.  It does not change.

Understanding and embracing the truth of God’s goodness will bring great comfort to all areas of our life.  

Ps 73:25-26, “Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever,”

Since God Himself is the ultimate good that we seek, let me suggest 2 applications. 

1. Let the truth that God is good be the lens that you look through to help you understand, accept and respond rightly to any current hard circumstances that you are walking though right now.

2. Let God’s goodness be an attribute that you imitate. Be like God and strive to do good to all men.

Galatians 6:10, So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to whose who are of the household of faith. 

About the Author:

Rollie and his wife Sandi are children of God, parents of three adult children, and members of Trinity San Antonio Church.

Why you should consider making the sign of the cross on yourself

The Sign of the Cross

Growing up I always thought someone making the sign of the cross on themselves was a pointless and superstitious gesture that just made the people doing it look silly. For real.

I’ve since changed my mind.

I have now come to believe it a very powerful reminder to myself that I have been saved by Christ’s finished work on Calvary and a bold statement to those around me of my faith and hope. And while certainly not required, I would humbly suggest it is a practice that Christians of all traditions would greatly benefit from in practicing.

Here is a brief introduction into this very ancient Christian gesture:

What is the sign of the cross?  

The sign of the cross is an ancient Christian practice of marking the shape of the cross of Christ upon one’s self or upon another person or object.

What does crossing myself with the cross mean?

The sign of the cross is a physical gesture that signifies a spiritual reality. In the same way that in placing our right hand over your heart and reciting the pledge of allegiance declares a statement of belief, hope, and solidarity, so in like manner, crossing oneself with the sign of the cross is a distinctively Christian gesture that is a statement of belief and hope. This simple act reminds us that:

1. We have been bought and purchased by the finished work of Christ on the cross (“sign of the cross”).

2. We have been marked with the name of the Triune God in our baptisms (all Christians baptisms are in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

3. We continue to look and trust in Christ at all times and situations.

4. We boldly and unashamedly declare to the world that we are Christ-followers.  

Do I have to do it? 

Not at all! It is a matter of Christian freedom and completely optional. You may or may not feel comfortable doing it yourself, or you may not do it as often as your neighbor. That’s okay. But when the sign of the cross is made, whether by pastor or people, let this be the proclamation: Christ has died for your sins upon the cross; in Baptism he shares that cross with you; because you share in His cross, you are a child of God and are precious in His sight.

What did the early Church say about it? 

The early Church Fathers attested to the use of the sign of the cross. Here are a few comments from the first several hundred years of the church. 

Tertullian (250 A.D.) described the commonness of the sign of the cross: “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (De corona, 30). And in another place he said, “We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross.”

Athanasius of Alexandria (269–373 A.D.) said, “By the signing of the holy and life-giving cross, devils and various scourges are driven away. For it is without price and without cost and praises him who can say it. The holy fathers have, by their words, transmitted to us, and even to the unbelieving heretics, how the two raised fingers and the single hand reveal Christ our God in His dual nature but single substance. The right hand proclaims His immeasurable strength, His sitting on the right hand of the Father, and His coming down unto us from Heaven. Again, by the movement of the hands to our right the enemies of God will be driven out, as the Lord triumphs over the Devil with His inconquerable power, rendering him dismal and weak.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (386 A.D.) in his Catechetical Lectures stated, “Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are traveling, and when we are at rest” (Catecheses, 13).  

How do I make the sign of the cross on myself? 

Touch your head at the naming of the Father; then bring your hand to the middle of your chest (over your heart) at the naming of the Son. At the naming of the Holy Spirit, touch your right shoulder and then your left shoulder. The Eastern tradition of the Christian church goes right to left, while the Western tradition is left to right. Either is good!  

When is it appropriate to make the sign of the cross? 

Anytime throughout the day you feel led to or whenever you desire to be reminded of God’s presence with you and your reliance upon Him. You may do it before an especially important meeting, when you are being tempted by sin, as you drive, when you pray, before and/or after meals, and when you wake up and when you go to bed.   

During the worship service it is especially appropriate to cross oneself at (1) the beginning of the service during the Invocation (In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit), (2) after the Declaration of Grace; (3) during the Creed when we declare our belief in the resurrection (“Resurrection of the body”), (4) after receiving the Holy Eucharist, (5) upon receiving the closing benediction when the pastor makes the sign of the cross upon the congregation.  

A final word

If you have never made the sign of the cross, it will feel a little awkward when you first start. That’s okay. Once you have done it a few weeks it becomes quite natural and second nature. A good way to ease into it is crossing yourself at the beginning and end of your personal prayers and go from there. It is also a wonderful way to disciple your children at meals and when putting them to bed.

May the Lord’s grace and peace be upon you!

The Feast of Epiphany

Epipha-what?

Epiphany, January 6, is the official end of the 12 days of Christmas. Many Christians celebrate this day by remembering the journey of the Magi who found their way to Jesus by following a bright heavenly body, usually represented by a star. 

Epiphany means "revealing" or "manifestation" and historically was one of the three great feasts of the Church (Epiphany, Easter, and Pentacost). Originally, Epiphany (Jan 6th) was what Christmas (Dec 25th) is for us today, the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Today we retain both celebrations, with Christmas focusing on the birth of Jesus, and Epiphany focusing on the work of Jesus as the Light of the world. As with Christmas which is celebrated on a single day but also has a "season" following it (12 Days of Christmas), so Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and has a season following it that runs until Lent begins, usually 5-9 weeks depending upon where Easter falls.

The major texts we tend to meditate upon during this season are the visitation of the magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the first miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. All of these events reveal who Jesus is as King of Kings, Son of God, and all-powerful. Each year as we read these events from Scripture, we are invited to experience anew the epiphany of Christ’ identity.

2 Timothy 1:9-10, “Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”

Epiphany is a time of great celebration and rejoicing. During Advent we spent four weeks waiting and anticipating the coming King, Christmas we celebrated his arrival and birth, and Epiphany we continue that rejoicing as we see Him manifest Himself as God and Savior.

Here are a few ways you can celebrate Epiphany with your family:

1) Chalk your Front Door with an Epiphany house blessing.

2. Have your kids make King crowns from craft paper

3) Bake a Kings Cake (Many bake a small figurine/toy baby into the cake to be discovered just as the magi discovered Jesus)

4. Save one Christmas gift for each child to be opened on Epiphany.

5. Break out the telescope for stargazing or visit an observatory.

6. Listen to some Epiphany music.

Prayer for Epiphany 
O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A blessed Epiphany to you and your family!