Hymn of the Day for Fifth Sunday in Lent

"My Song Is Love Unknown" - Lutheran Service Book 430 from Cheryl on Vimeo.

Ashless Wednesday

Last night was our first Ash Wednesday at our new church. Even though it was Ash Wednesday, we didn't have imposition of ashes. When I discovered our new church doesn't "do" ashes, I was disappointed. For years, both as a Lutheran and previously as a Roman Catholic, I have associated the beginning of the season of Lent with the receiving of ashes on my forehead. Last night as we drove to church I decided I better let Evan know there wouldn't be ashes. I was surprised at how disappointed he was--so much so that he cried a little. To comfort him I tried to help him to see that the ashes are only a symbol--a meaningful one, for sure, but still just a symbol. I contrasted the imposition of ashes with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, pointing out that the sacraments are not symbols but are means by which God gives to us His grace and forgiveness. We need them--our spiritual life depends on them. But we don't need the ashes. God does not work through the ashes. We will not be deprived of what is truly needful if we don't get them. Maybe all of this seems terribly elementary, but I think it helped Evan to see the difference between something that is a symbol and something that is not, and to realize that the symbol might be a nice tool to aid our remembrance and our reflection, but it is not essential to our salvation and therefore not necessary to our worship life.

Guess what? I don't think any of us missed the ashes last night. The service was so beautiful and rich in God's word and sacraments, and the theme of Ash Wednesday so powerfully communicated in the liturgy, that the message came through unequivocally without them: "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4) If our new church ever decides to include imposition of ashes, or if we ever attend a church in the future where we have the opportunity to partake in this outward acknowledgement of our sinful, mortal flesh, I will probably participate. But I don't need ashes on my forehead to tell me what I already know: I am a poor, miserable sinner who, like Adam, was formed from dust and will return to dust. What I absolutely do need, to redeem me from that awful truth, is the salvation and forgiveness of sins that come through Holy Baptism and Communion, which are not mere symbols but conduits of the Father's love and grace.

To read one Lutheran pastor's thoughts about why his confessional, liturgical church has made an intentional decision against the imposition of ashes in its Ash Wednesday service, click here.

Palm Sunday

A sequence from our Palm Sunday service that features the children's choir singing a setting of the Verse of the Day by Bruce Backer and continues with the organ introduction to the hymn, "No Tramp of Soldiers' Marching Feet" played by the Cantor (who also composed said introduction). I love the contrast between the childen's sweet voices singing "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" and the first stunning, unsettling note from the organ. For me, it starkly conveys the turning of our eyes from the celebration of Jesus' triumphant, palm-laden entrance into Jerusalem to the ominous and grim contemplation of His journey to the Cross. The hour has come.

Palm Sunday 2011 from Cheryl on Vimeo.

Peter Denies Jesus

Today at our 11:15 service the adult choir presented the Heinrich Schutz St. Matthew Passion in its entirety. Here is an excerpt that dramatizes Peter's threefold denial of Jesus. It features Phillip Magness as narrator, Trevor Magness as Peter, Elaine Gavin and Bethany Novak as the maids, and Erich Keller as Judas. The text is found below the video.

St. Matthew Passion - Heinrich Schutz from Cheryl on Vimeo.

Narrator: And then they came forward and spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and others slapped him in the face as they said to him:

Chorus: "Can you tell us, can you tell us, O Christ, who was it? Who slapped your face?"

Narrator: Now Peter sat outside the palace, and a maid came up to him and said:

1st Maid: "And you! You were also with Jesus of Galilee!"

Narrator: He denied it in front of them and said:

Peter: "I, I don't know what you're saying!"

Narrator: Then he went outside the door where another maid saw him and said to the others:

2nd Maid: "This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth!"

Narrator: And he denied it again, and he swore:

Peter: "I do not know the man!"

Narrator: And a little while later, some of the bystanders came and said to Peter:

Chorus: "Truly you are also one of his disciples. Your way of speaking betrays you."

Narrator: Then he began to curse and swear:

Peter: "I do not know that man!"

Narrator: And at once a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus spoken to him: ""Before the rooster crows, three times you will have denied me." And he went out and wept bitterly. When morning came, all the high priests and the elders of the people considered the case of Jesus, that they might kill him. And they bound him, and led him away, and took him to the governor, Pontius Pilate. When Judas had seen the results of his betrayal and that Jesus was condemned to die, then he repented, and took the thirty pieces of silver to the high priests and elders and said:

Judas: "I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood."

Narrator: And they said:

Chorus: "What is that to us now? You did it!"

Narrator: He threw down the silver in the temple and went out and hanged himself. But the high priests took the silver pieces and said:

Chorus: "We cannot put them in the treasury of the temple. They are the price of blood."

Joy in Suffering

The theme of the Lenten midweek services at my church this year is "Journey into Joy." It is drawn from LCMS President Rev. Matt Harrison's Little Book on Joy and incorporates prayers written by Rev. Harrison. Last night one of the readings was 1 Samuel 2: 1-10, the Song of Hannah, prayed in joy and thanksgiving by Hannah for the gift of a child, Samuel, whom she had vowed to offer back to the service of the Lord if she were so blessed. Here is an excerpt:

"The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor." - 1 Samuel 2: 6-8

Hannah kept her vow. When Samuel was weaned she took him to the temple. How hard that must have been! I can't imagine her pain. And yet in her suffering there was great joy. My pastor noted that Hannah's words are a beautiful proclamation of Law and Gospel. God kills so that He can raise up to new life. He brings low so that He may exalt. It is in our suffering that our helplessness is most acutely felt. How much greater the joy, then, when the Father reaches down to pick us up and give us a seat at His royal table!

Here is the prayer by Rev. Harrison that followed the reading in our order of service last night:

"Like Hannah, I offer to You, O Lord, the favorite son of my soul--my pride, my bitterness toward others, my thankless joyless heart. Cause my enemies--sin, death, and the devil--to flee before You, that I may rejoice in Your salvation. Amen."

Church Supper

Each Wednesday during Lent my congregation holds a soup supper. Various groups of people--office staff, teachers, elders, etc.--take turns hosting. Tonight was the adult choir's turn, which meant that the four of us who are in the choir needed to be there to help. But even the one of us who is not in the choir did his part. His assignment? Take the water bottles out of their wrapping and "line them up neatly on the table." As you can see, he is very good at following instructions. Well done, Evan!