An Open Letter to My Grandchildren - December Newsletter

A Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness…

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ @Emmaus -

An Open Letter to my Grandchildren.

Dear Miranda, Oliver, Eowyn and all future progeny with which I have been gifted by the LORD -

Grace, Mercy and Peace from our Heavenly Father, our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ and Their Holy Spirit. Amen.

I write this particular letter to some of you with my life’s end being not too far over the horizon, and to others, well it comes from beyond the grave, from my eternal Home - Heaven.

Some of you I knew well, some not as much as I would have liked to and others not at all. No matter which group you find yourself in - whether you remember me or not or didn’t even meet me [and only know of some resemblance you have to me, because a great-grandparent of yours sees that uncanny similarity in the crinkled photo you’ve been shown of me from many decades ago] know this…

I prayed for you.

No, not everyday. Anyone who tells you that, well he or she is not being as honest with you as you might think, or like. But I did, and stil do, pray for you. For some of you, you might wonder how that’s even possible, since some, if not many, of you weren’t even born yet. Ha! Even your grandparents weren't born yet! Well, let’s just say, I prayed for the possibility of you.

That is one reason I write to you today. The second? I guess this time of year always has me looking back at the Decembers of my youth and younger years and it usually involves two things - my faith and my family.

Family - going to Mamaw Smith’s appartement on CHRISTmas Eve and marveling at the delicious smells emanating from her tiny kitchen; receiving the ubiquitous argyle socks of blue, black and brown; coming home after midnight to get in bed for a restless sleep for what seemed a year until CHRISTmas morning; relatives from out of town; sitting around my parents large, kitchen table visiting, drinking coffee, having a slice of pumpkin pie [made by my Aunt Barbara, of course!]; laughter - lots of belly-busting, tears inducing laughter; CHRISTmas morning, around the tree, opening gifts, spying my Papaw Smith just sitting there watching and smiling, while I naively wondered how he could possibly be that happy just looking on; heading to Meema and Peepa’s house later in the morning, opening more gifts, eating lunch around their modest, yellow, formica table with the leaves in and the mismatched chairs [burnt-orange kitchen, green lawn, brown organ bench and a blue, fuzzy, makeup chair that swiveled and was desperately fought for by my brother and me; heading home in the snow to explore the new toys and await the family’s arrival for supper, games and eggnog; having my own children - Jason and Bonnie-Joy - and discovering the source of Papaw’s smile and enjoyment of just watching my kids on CHRISTmas morning.

Faith - getting out of school and the bus rides to Saint Paul’s to practice for the Lutheran Memorial School Children’s CHRISTmas Service [not program - thank you Mrs. Brutcher!]; being in awe of that sanctuary’s immense space, large altar, and a pulpit with a roof; practicing songs and hymns and recitations of Holy Scripture prophesying the birth of the Christ-child;  after that Service, receiving those glorious, soft, sugar sprinkled candies that were a once a year treat; CHRISTmas Eve Service at Emmaus; the two trees - one decorated with white and gold Chrismons, the other with red ribbons and apples; as I grew older the single tree with Chrismons beside the pulpit; the banner with a profile of Baby Jesus in the manger and the legs of the manger outlined in such a way making a cross visible; the white candles in the chimneys in front of the windows all around the church; the entire Advent wreath in all of its glowing glory, one purple taper half spent, a second slightly less so, a rose candle a little taller still and another purple more stately than the rest in its height; the large Christ-candle in the middle with its Chi-Rho and manger on the front, and that we had the exact same candle at home in our advent wreath - a gift to our family from Nancy and Larry Hoffschneider [my 7th and 8th grade teachers, respectively]; my Mom and Aunt Barbara playing pre-service music on the organ; listening to [and later as an adult singing in] the choir; sitting on the “wrong side” of the church [we were always northsiders on Sundays!]; sitting next to my Papaw Smith [a treat since he lived in El Paso]; closing out the service with the singing of Silent Night in the glow of all of the handheld candles and the church lights out, one obligatory verse in German, a nod to our Lutheran heritage; even as a teenager, getting teary-eyed in that moment thinking of how much GOD loves me, to send His Son - Jesus to save me, it waasn’t lost on me, at a very young age, the reason Jesus was in the stable that first CHRISTmas night.

And that’s the point of this letter - Jesus. All of the waxing poetic and fond memories above - both family and faith - is about the love of my GOD for me and is tarnished without Him. For in each reflection, on both lists, is a blessing from my heavenly Father - ALL from GOD above, ALL because He loves me.

Lest we forget, and many in my time have, you cannot spell CHRISTmas without the word “Christ.” Yes, all sorts of people manage to do all of the family stuff without Him and may even seem happy. But there is no true happiness without Christ. I cannot adequately explain how that is, I wish I could. It must be experienced by you. You must give your heart over to GOD to truly understand this. But I promise you, once you do, you will have instantaneous understanding and appreciation for what I write to you today.

My prayers have been, and continue to be, for you to be faithful. My reasoning is for your welfare, both on earth and for all eternity. But if I’m honest, there’s another reason too - I miss you and want to see [or in some cases meet] you. Know that I love you and continue to pray for you.

Oh, you should see what CHRISTmas in Heaven is like! The sounds, the smells, the sights are just too marvelous to describe! Nothing on earth compares! Remember, Jesus came on CHRISTmas to live and die for you! I must be off, He is going to begin reading His story of when He was born! My Dad is saving me a seat! Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Love,

Papaw

It is a privilege to be your pastor.

‘Living Out Christ-Centered Lives’ -

Pastor Ray

“Behold! The Lamb of GOD Who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1.29

Satan - Redefining Christ

We begin the penitential season of Advent on Sunday December 2nd, a journey of reflection regarding the cost of our sin - the incarnation of Christ. And Satan is at work, as usual.

Coming to a clothing rack near you is a line of baby/children’s clothing developed by Celine Dion and the company Nununu [forming celinununu]. Its aim? To make gender neutral clothing for the parents who want their child to decide his/her own gender, and begin a “new world order.”

The TV ad that accompanies this line of clothing [see here https://youtu.be/GYYKbM6rmxE ] is diabolical. It begins with Celine riding in a limo, dressed in white, opining in regard to children, their future and how dare we thrust gender upon them. She then changes into black, and goes into a hospital nursery carrying a bag. As she enters, it’s notable the wall on one side of the door reflects the universal symbol for boys/men and the otherside the reciprocating girl’s/women's symbol [like the ones found on public restroom doors]. Stepping in, she finds what one would expect, bassinets filled with babies in pink and blue, mobiles hanging above, with a lullaby gently playing.  Celine reaches into her black “doctor's” bag [complete with white hospital cross on the side - as if she's ‘healing’ these babies of some dreaded disease] and pulls out a handful of black, sparkly, magic dust that she blows on to the children, transforming their clothing. They go from pink and blue, to white and black. Some have the little white crosses on their clothing, others black stars and still others “NEW ORDER” emblazoned on their onesies. The symbols on the walls have changed to one white hospital cross on either side, as well as the mobiles. Celine stands between the crosses smiling. The remainder of the commercial is [Celine being arrested for breaking in] inconsequential and is only about Celine's celebrity.

So what's the big deal? Plenty. Let's start with the gender issue.

First of all, GOD created males and females [Genesis 5.2]. There is no ambiguity in GOD'S creation. It's only after the fall into sin that we get the mutations of GOD'S creation [the abnormalities in body and mind].

For what purpose were they created? To love Him and one another [Luke 10.27].

What mandate were they given, once created? To fill the earth with their progeny [Genesis 1.28]. This can only happen through male and female copulation.

The idea of healthy [non-abnormality] babies being born without gender is ludicrous to the extreme [and let's be honest from the get go, this commercial and clothing line is NOT aimed at the small number of the abnormal, but at EVERY child being born]. Gender is not chosen. It is given in the womb - in the dna. That's the science folks. It cannot be argued. Any challenge to what GOD has ordained is sinful - case closed.

So what about all of the symbolism?

1. Celine goes from white to black - she approaches the hospital as an angel of mercy [2 Corinthians 11.14], but her true colors are revealed once inside.
2. She pulls from her ‘medicine’ bag a black, magic dust that ‘heals’ the children of their GOD given genders [Colossians 2.8; see also Holy Scripture reference above].
3. Suddenly the room changes. Crosses are everywhere, especially on the two walls mentioned above. This black angel - Satan - [Revelation 12.7ff] strikes his best Jesus Christ pose by situating himself [in Celine] between the two crosses [see Mount Calvary here; Luke 23.39ff] as the Savior of the world's children.
4. The clothing of the babies changes from pink and blue, to black and white. The gender choice, by virtue of the black magic, has been given to each baby and his/her future. Thus, what is rightfully and solely GOD’S work has been relegated to man. A clear desire of Eden’s original sin, in wanting to be like GOD [Genesis 3.4ff].
5. One thing Satan does get right here, albeit not what he intended, the choice between Christ and Satan is very black and white. Not a speck, nor a drop of grey can be found betwixt these. The line is razor sharp because the Gospel divides [Matthew 12.30].
6. Found on the clothing, the medicinal cross, once again mocking Christ [Galatians 6.7]. Also found marked on the clothing are black pentagrams, a symbol of satanism.
7. Although this may be a stretch, given everything else, it’s hard to locate coincidence. Nununu, in numerology, is 21/14/21/14/21/14. 21-14=7 or 777. This is a number associated with GOD. Obviously 666 is the number of Satan. Again, he mocks the LORD.

This was brought to my attention by way of an article on the ChurchPop website, dated 11.24.18 [see article here https://churchpop.com/2018/11/24/this-is-satanic-exorcist-says-of-celine-dions-gender-neutral-clothing-line/?fbclid=IwAR0r_1T15zBKeM3KhsrxHpMOzFBXZ4cdGHcRa2H4koa2XlcLLcLPvvcJINo ]. This was taken from a larger, more in depth, article found on the National Catholic Register website, dated 11.21.18 [see article here http://m.ncregister.com/blog/armstrong/exorcist-warns-about-celine-diones-occult-childrens-clothing ] In this later article the author, Patti Armstrong, talks with Monsignor John Esseff, a priest of 65 years, and an exorcist in the Scranton, Pennsylvania diocese for 40 years. He sees the demonic in this.

Armstrong quotes the Monsignor in regard to this ad, “The devil is going after children by confusing gender,” he said. “When a child is born, what is the first things we say about that child? It’s a boy, or it’s a girl. That is the most natural thing in the world to say. But to say that there is no difference is satanic.”

In this clothing line [and ad] we find Satan at his most deceitful and it comes as the Christian world prepares for the Christ Child to be born in Bethlehem. He wants distraction from this Holy event. So he prowls about [1 Peter 5.8] looking for a way into the hearts of all people. More pointedly, he desires the hearts of Christians who will dismiss this and other such warnings as overreaction and reading too much into things. The scary thing? That's exactly what Satan wants us to do.

Kyrie Eleison!

A November Afternoon Thought...

A Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness…

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ @Emmaus -

In 1989 the second [and not nearly as good] Ghostbusters movie came out. It had many of the same punchlines, gags and props. What was different was the enemy, the ghost to be busted. This time it was ‘pure and concentrated evil.’ This ‘evil’ preyed and grew on the hatefulness and generally bad attitude of New Yorkers [the location for the story].

It would seem that this evil had only increased in the past [gulp] 29 years! Drive to Buck’s, Adrian Orchard, Garfield Park, or Boyden’s and no doubt you’ve experienced the bad attitudes I am referencing. Whether it’s the 'me first' way of drivers [as if each driver was another Veruca Salt!], the bad mannered fellow shoppers in the grocery, the rude workers or [heaven forbid] a fellow parishioner on a Sunday - these stinky attitudes are EVERYWHERE!

Now, we could hope for such a simple solution that was proffered by the movie, and just join hands and arms, and SING our troubles away [the climax takes place on New Year’s Eve and the New Yorkers join in singing, ‘Auld Lang Syne’]. Fat chance that will happen!

So we must rely on our faith to see us through, and point us in the right direction. That direction is made clear to us by these words from St. Paul…

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5.1-2

In other words, be Christ to one another - loving GOD with all of your heart, soul and mind; and loving your neighbor as yourself - just like Jesus.

Martin Luther wrote in his book, ‘The Freedom of a Christian,’ [1520]...

“As our heavenly Father has in Christ freely come to our aid, we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one should become as it were a Christ to the other that we may be Christs to one another and Christ may be the same in all, that is, that we may be truly Christians…”

So, in this month of giving thanks, let us give thanks for the many opportunities we have to be Christ in another’s life, as we live out Christ-Centered Lives!

It is a privilege to be your pastor.

‘Living Out Christ-Centered Lives’ -

Pastor Ray

“Behold! The Lamb of GOD Who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1.29

For the Love of GOD!

When it come to love and GOD we know a few things…

GOD is love. 1 John 4.8

GOD loves us and gives His Son for us. John 3.16

GOD wants all to be saved. 1 Timothy 2.4

There are many more.

We know GOD loves unconditionally.

You may say, "Wait, He requires faith in Him to receive His love."

Yes, He requires faith...but not to love you. He does that with or without your faith in Him. Jesus says, "For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5.45

No, He loves everyone, regardless of their faith in Him. Jesus' cross shows that in crystal-clear vision.

But faith IS necessary, just not how you think.

Faith is necessary -  for YOU to love HIM.

To GOD be the glory. Amen.

September Thoughts

Taken from my monthly newsletter article I write for my parish...

A Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness…

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ @Emmaus -

September is one of my favorite months. Why? Because my favorite season begins in September - Autumn! The air turns cooler; the trees are adorned in their spectacular array of crimson, lemon-yellow, burnt-orange and brown; Jonathan apples are ready at Adrian Orchards; pumpkins reach their fruitful orangey ends; days grow shorter and shadows lengthen; sleeping with the windows open is a breath of fresh air  - I could go on and on and on.

You may say, “That’s all well and great, but honestly pastor, what does this have to do with GOD and church and sin and forgiveness?”

EVERYTHING!!!

GOD created all of this - for you! The spying of a harvest moon, the smell of nights around the bonfire, the good feeling of a hooded sweatshirt, the taste of s’mores, the wonderful sound of the crunch of leaves beneath our feet - all of this is for our great pleasure to enjoy as the children of GOD! Remember, this is First Article stuff here…

What does this mean? I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. [2nd Chief Part of the Small Catechism, The Apostles’ Creed, 1st Article]

However, as grand and glorious as this seems, it's all tainted by sin. The colors are muted, the smells are stale, the tastes are bland, the touch is rough, the sounds are dissonant - in this fallen world. We are “lost and condemned creatures.” [2nd Chief Part of the Small Catechism, The Apostles’ Creed, 2nd Article]

But the Father redeems His Church through the glory that is His Son Jesus Christ! Through His life lived perfectly for us, not deserving death, but nevertheless receiving it; His miraculous resurrection for us, our eyes, ears, hands, noses and tongues [along with the rest of our bodies!] have been redeemed! One day these will be perfected, when we reach Heaven.

But this happens only for those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

So how do we receive these good gifts of GOD? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Who calls you by name to follow Jesus…

What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. . [2nd Chief Part of the Small Catechism, The Apostles’ Creed, 3rd Article]

Remember what St. Pauls says in his first letter to the Corinthians…

“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” [12.3b]

So the Holy Spirit calls to us to follow Jesus, and when we do - we have EVERYTHING!!!

Isn’t that wonderful? Just imagine that first Fall in the new Heaven and the New Earth [Revelation 21.1], with our perfected bodies ready to take it all in - AHHHH! Thank you LORD!!!

It is a privilege to be your pastor.

‘Living Out Christ-Centered Lives’ -

Pastor Ray

John 1:29

"Time Stand Still..."

Riding home from church last night, the sun was still shining, however, just below the horizon. The faint remnants of a few wispy clouds brushed across the western sky, shades of pink and goldenrod reflected below, while the cornflower atmosphere above was starting to fade to black as it ran to the east.

I stared out the window reflecting on a day filled with the usual crests and troughs, some good some bad, some merely an annoyance. I gazed across fields and meadows at the splashes of colors in the dying day’s direction, watching some colors washing away, while others intensified…

Suddenly the reverie was broken by the greens and blacks of a fencerow overgrown with trees. The weight of the saturated air mixed with that earthy scent of dirt and leaves was strong and good. The rush of the foliage was quick as we drove within feet of the racing trees. Bits and pieces of the sky beyond made the silhouettes of this bramble look like an old flip-book with its herky-jerky motion.

Then as suddenly as this wall of branches and trunks and greenery had sprung up, it just as quickly vanished, leaving the now darkening horizon pop back into place, same clouds, same sinking sun, seemingly unchanged from the last time it was spied just a quarter mile back. Venus was a hand and a half above the line to the west. She was dazzlingly white as she streaked to the horizon, seeming to gain on the sun it painstakingly and futilely chased.

Another fence row charged up, as if a hunting animal was about to pounce on its prey, then without reason or understanding  deciding to run alongside for a while, pacing its next meal.

Just as mysteriously as it ran up, once again it disappeared without warning, and again the setting sun was visible. The clouds no longer reflected the heavenly glow. Now they were just shadows, painted across a fading light. Stars and planets began to wink in, above and further to the east.

Yet the sky seemed to stand still compared to the swift moving fencerows. As if it were mired in some heavenly quicksand.

It occured to me in that moment, this must be the grand difference between my waxing and waning years.

During my youth, time seemed to drag, as if it were trying to walk through some bog. It took supreme effort to plod through the stumps and weeds and water. Feet sank deeply into the bottom muck, threatening to pull my boots right off with each time-ridden step.

Now older, beginning the twilight years of my life, it seemed that life was moving at a breakneck pace. Children had grown and long since moved out. Grandchildren were beginning to appear. Though my younger years were filled with thrills and fun and laughs, they seem, from this backward glance, to have been shallow. Now that’s not to say in a negative, superficial way. No, these were important and noteworthy as well. But these later years seem to run deeper; the breaths are drawn in great, large, giant inhalations of air that are exhaled slowly and deliberately. What once was a dreaded abhorrence, is now a sought after desire. I want the slowness of my younger years, and yet, I possess the opposite. I blink and a year seemingly flies by.

We are an unsatisfied lot, we humans, we sinners. Nothing is ever good enough. No water slakes our thirst. No meal satisfies our bellies. No taste tickles our taste buds. We are forever complaining that things are too hot, too cold, too little, too much - the list is long and distinguished.

Thanks be to GOD we are saved from this insatiable life by the satible Jesus Christ, Who works to appease the Holy Father with His life lived satisfied, for us. We stand before GOD in our Oliverian clothes and echo, “more please.” Christ also asks for more, but not from the pot of stew simmering in the corner, but from GOD’S Cup of Wrath - meant for you and me. He stands resolute and stalwart in the faith and drinks it down during His life, upon the Cross and in the Tomb, so that by His suffering, pain and death, we might gain heaven itself.

In this life, I’m afraid I will always be unsatisfied to one degree or another. I pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, I can be more and more satiated by the unfaltering Word of GOD and His precious Sacraments - that bring His forgiveness, life and salvation. LORD help me...

"The Sky is Falling - No Really..."

I just finished reading a blog by Father John Hollowell [ http://on-this-rock.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-battle-of-our-age.html?m=1 ] in regard to how many things, and many people seem to be talking about the the End of the World. From my vantage point, I would agree.

Whether you call it the End Times,  Armageddon, The Final Judgment, or by its more academic and theological name - Eschatology - it seems the thoughts in our heads, that passes our lips and finds fertile soil in others’ ears is the idea that the world is breathing its last, dying gasps; that indeed, Christ is coming, and soon. Many think that He is in the advanced stages of planning His one last descent from Heaven into this world. He is mustering the Angels to send them flying to the four corners of the earth, scythes in hands, ready to separate, at long last, the wheat from the tares. The Angelic trumpeters and choirs are readying their lips and voices that have been hardly used since one cold night in Bethlehem. We seem to be on the brink of the End.

Why does this seem to be on everyone’s lips? Why does it seem that every blog, magazine clipping and journal article is concerned with the End?

The world, for one, seems to be coming unglued. Everywhere you turn there are those “wars and rumors of wars [Matthew 24.6ff].” The persecution of Christians seems to be on the rise. Natural disasters seem to have stepped up. It sure sounds like what the Bible talks about when it speaks of the 2nd Coming.

But it’s not just individual Christians, the Church Herself seems to be caught between the crosshairs in a way that it hasn’t for sometime - right here in the United States. Yes, the Church and her many denominations has been declining for decades in the U.S. However, people in our country are no longer willing to walk away from the Church and let Her be. Now it seems that it is Open Season on hunting the Church down and eradicating Her from every street corner, every neighborhood.

Yes, I do believe we are getting closer and closer to that D-Day, where the visions of Daniel and St. John the Apostle become the realities that is our lives.

But Jesus told us this was coming. St. Luke writes…

25“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21

The Disciples knew. We know. Jesus IS coming again. When He does we have nothing to fear for He tells us…

28Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21

We’ve NOTHING to fear when that Last Day comes. For we are found in Him. We are grafted into Him [Romans 11.11ff]. We abide in Him and He in us [John 15]. We are square with the Father through His Son, Jesus. No, we have nothing to fear. We must remain vigilant, prayerful, intentional, evangelical, ever watchful.

That said, the days ahead for Christians and the Bride of Christ - the Church. We must be prepared for battle, and St. Paul eloquently tells us…

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. [Ephesians 6.10-20].

These wonderful Gifts of the Holy Spirit will see us through to the Last Day. But we must put them on in order to be prepared for the battle. We must be in Christ - prayer, devotion, reading, attending church - these are how we put on the Armor of Christ.

Is This Really Happening?

I was flipping through open windows on my tablet to close them out, when I happened upon an open Google Docs screen and it’s pristine black page [colors are inverted for my eye issues], begging to have something written on it. So I write what’s on my heart this evening...

That heart breaks and hurts for the Church of GOD. The Bride of Christ is bruised and battered, bleeding and broken. Not from ravagers without the Church, which would be expected, but from the beloved within, from those entrusted to Her keeping by the Groom - Jesus Christ.

Satan is always looking for a way to seperate us from GOD; always feeling along the edges of our lives to find purchase in our souls; constantly seeking to find that ever so tiny crack that he can exploit - not unlike hoarfrost that invades fissures in rock to split it wide open, the devil unwaveringly seeks to cause such division between us and GOD.

Of late, he has succeeded.

We as Lutherans understand all faithful believers - regardless of denomination - to be a part of the Invisible Church[1]. So it is for our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Catholic Church that I weep today. Satan has found his foothold, he has wormed his way into the Catholic Church and has pushed aside the very Word of GOD. His clandestine and deceitful ways have been at work for decades and are beginning to show their polluted and rotten fruit in the Mother Church.

I speak of the rampant homosexuality of a  segment [size unknown] of the priesthood in the Catholic Church. What once was thought to be the sin of sexual immorality has become acceptable, and increasingly more in vogue.

The story of Fr. Paul Kalchik [see https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/persecution-father-paul-kalchik-white-martyr/ ] is unfathomable fifty years ago, but today? Today a story regarding a priest who is more or less defrocked for taking a stand against homosexuality in the Church, seems to fit quite nicely on the front page next to stories about bakers being sued and major retailers opening up women’s restrooms to men self-identifying as women.

And Satan smiles and laughs at this twist of events within the Church. He continues to coax and prod at the Church teasing out this heresy, much like the affectionate Uncle Screwtape would advise. Only this is not fiction - it’s reality - and it would seem that it’s not some isolated parish or diocese, but a fast growing cancer throughout the Church, reaching to its highest levels. It is this fact that sees faithful parish priests ostracized for speaking the truth and sent packing to far-flung parishes in places like Brazil, Indiana, or sent to the theological equivalent of gulags like the St. Luke Institute for “reconditioning therapy.”

So where do we go from here? We pray. Yes, even us Lutherans need to pray for the Catholic Church, Her laity and clergy. We pray for these heterodoxical ways to be obliterated and stricken from the face of the earth. We beg for the safe return of the Bride. We beg forgiveness for allowing this to happen, for turning a blind eye toward these sins, for covering up this abomination for decades allowing the rape and molestation of the youth of our parishes. We pray for the return to the priesthood of Levi, a true, genuine and faithful priesthood that worships and reverently speaks the Name of the LORD of hosts [Malachi 2], forsaking our evil ways.

However, it takes more than prayer. It takes the faithful priesthood to take action. To preach, as brave and courageous Fr. Kalchik has done, even if it means martyrdom - white or red. The good and faithful priests must use their pulpits, their Bible studies, their newsletters and writings, and whatever tool is in their arsenal to bring this abomination to the surface, for all to see.

It also takes a faithful laity. One that supports the faithful priests in all of their endeavors to shine the Light of Heaven upon this black, slimy concoction of poison the Devil has sold the Church as Eucharistic wine. The laity must not back down at the shouting and pomposity of these false teachers we call bishops and cardinals [Cardinal Cupich], who will undoubtedly wave their holy orders about and try to intimidate both laity and priesthood into hellish and dastardly submission to this abominable sin.

For the Church, the Bride of Christ Herself, is at stake - and we must do everything possible to save Her from these ravenous wolves, these lions prowling around St. Peter's Basilica, and elsewhere in Christendom, seeking the Bride to devour.

[1] Question 169 of Luther’s Small Catechism.