The Birth of Our Lord

From the Martyrology:

In the year from the creation of the world, when in the beginning God created heaven and earth, five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine; from the flood two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven; from the birth of Abraham, two thousand and fifteen; from Moses and the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, one thousand five hundred and ten; from the anointing of King David, one thousand and thirty-two; in the sixty-fifth week, according to the prophecy of Daniel; in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; in the year seven hundred and fifty-two from the founding of the city of Rome; in the forty-second year of the empire of Octavian Augustus, when the whole world was at peace, in the sixth age of the world, Jesus Christ, eternal God, and Son of the eternal Father, desirous to sanctify the world by His most merciful coming, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost, and nine months having elapsed since His conception, is born in Bethlehem of Juda, having become Man of the Virgin Mary.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.

Christmas and the Freedom from Religion Foundation

It seems strange to me that groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation go all out to remove all traces of something that they insist does not exist in the first place.

Andrew Seidel, the group’s constitutional consultant, states that “It’s a group endorsing religion over a public right of way” in Pitman, NJ. The sign says "Keep Christ in Christmas."

The stated reason for wanting the sign removed from over a county road is the concept of the separation of church and state. According to my reading of the Constitution, there is no defined division between the church and the state. There is only the declaration that the government "shall pass no law effecting the establishment of religion (no official state church).

Based upon the following quote, action taken against organized religion seems to be unnecessary and a waste of effort:

“At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds,” said Seidel.

The Festival of All Saints

From the Roman Martyrology:

The Festival of All Saints, which Pope Boniface IV, after the dedication of the Pantheon, ordained to be kept generally and solemnly every year, in the city of Rome, in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and of the holy martyrs. It was afterwards decreed by Pope Gregory IV that this feast, which was then celebrated in many dioceses, but at different times, should be on this day kept by the whole Church in honor of all saints.

It could only happen in California!

Host Bible Study Fined: Oh, California. Apparently group Bible studies are so dangerous they cannot take place without a permit.

A southern California couple has been fined $300 dollars for holding Christian Bible study sessions in their home, and could face another $500 for each additional gathering. City officials in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. say Chuck and Stephanie Fromm are in violation of municipal code 9-3.301, which prohibits “religious, fraternal or non-profit” organizations in residential neighborhoods without a permit.

You can read the full story on Glenn Beck's site The Blaze!

The Exaltation of the holy Cross - September 14

History states that Chosroes, king of Persia, carried away the relic of the True Cross to Persia; but Heraclius, ascending the throne of Judea, defeated Chosroes and himself carried the holy Cross to the Basilica on Calvary. A.D. 629. (From a 1957 edition of the Roman Missal.)

The Introit: Gal. 6:14 & Ps. 66:2.

The Collect: O God, who didst will that Thy Son should suffer for us upon the Tree of the Cross, that Thou mighest drive far from us the power of the enemy, grant unto us, Thy servants, that as we have known on earth the mysteries of our redemption, so may be accounted worthy to receive the fruits thereof in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, etc. Amen.

The Epistle: Phil. 2:5-11.
The Gradual: Phil. 2:8,9.
The Gospel: John 12:31-36.

Office Hymn: TLH 168, SBH 75.

Saint Laurance Martyr

From the Roman Martyrology: The Tenth Day of August.

At Rome, on the Tiburtine Way, the birthday of the blessed archdeacon Lawrence, a martyr during the persecution of Valerian. After much suffering from imprisonment, from scourging with whips set with iron or lead, from hot metal plates, he at last completed his martyrdom by being slowly consumed on an iron instrument made in the form of a gridiron. His body was buried by blessed Hippolytus and the priest Justin in the cemetery of Cyriaca, in the Agro Verano....

From holy Card of Saint Laurence:

Saint Laurence was one of the seven deacons who served the Church in Rome in the second half of the third century. Three days after the martyrdom of Pope St. Sixtus whom he had served faithfully, Laurence was apprehended by the Roman prefect who demanded from him the treasures of the Church. Laurence gathered the poor of Rome and presented them as the Riches of the Church. This so infuriated the prefect that he ordered that Laurence be roasted alive on a gridiron. In the midst of his torture he cheerfully admonished: "Let my body be turned, one side is broiled enough."

Few martyrs have been venerated so intensely or universally as Saint Laurence whose Feast occurs on August 10. He is the patron of cooks.

From the Anglican Missal:

O Lord, who knowest us to be sore beset by reason of our sins: mercifully grant that, like as thou didst enable thy blessed servant Lawrence to overcome the fires of his torments; so may we by thy grace assuage the flames of our temptations. Through.....

Why the Long Silence?

In my July post I said that I would be more active in posting; but you may have noticed an extended period of nothing being posted.

My computer died shortly after my last post. I finally managed to get everything transfered to a new computer; but it took a while to restore E-mail addresses, stored mail and browser bookmarks.

A word to the wise - do not forget to make backups of all files. Had I done so, I would have had an easier time getting back up and working.

The Long Silence is Ended....

After four months of writer's block (my story, and I'm sticking to it), I intend to post on a more regular basis. I seem to have been lost in the doldrums; but I did continued to follow my usual blogs. Something must have given my Muse a good swift kick to get me back at it.

I invite my Rev. Fathers and Brother to cross-post on Writ-in-Red and/or suggest topics that might be considered on this blog. Feedback is always a stimulant to discussion.

I must confess that it has been 46 years since I began my study of theology, liturgics and rubrics. This is when Concordia Senior College was still a viable part of the LCMS system. It has been 39 years since I received my diploma from the St. Louis Seminary. I know that was a difficult time for St. Louis; but the synod/church has survived. Therefore, I am "Old School."

If you will, help me to understand and discuss the "New School" views, this could lead to interesting discussions.

Pax et Gaudiam.

Seeing is not always believing.

As if the themes and variations in write your own liturgies are not enough to give you pause, the things you see posted on parish signboards sometimes bring you to a full stop.

When walking past the nearby LCMS parish, I could not believe what I read on their sign. It seemed so out of place, and a bit less than Lutheran.

This is what was on that sign:

"Saint Valentine suffered and died for your Christian Marriage."

February 14th -St. Valentine, Priest and Martyr.

Omer Englebert, in The Lives of the Saints, has this small note:

"In medieval days it was believed that birds began to pair on February 14th, whence the origin of the custom of sending 'Valentines'."