THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION
This article
was first printed in this newsletter twenty years ago (December 1995) and
reprinted ten years ago (December 2005).
The apostle speaks in Ephesians 3 of the
Incarnation as mystery, the mystery hidden for ages and generations, that is,
the mystery of Christ, This apostolic word, mysterion, ought not to be
glossed over or missed. But I suspect
that this is precisely what is happening in all too many of our churches these
days, where we see the great lengths to which people will go to try to get the
attention of the people. Churches have
been confusing the appeal of the Gospel with the advertising methods by which
merchants would bring us into their stores.
The gimmickry and tomfoolery parading in our many of our chancels these
days ranges from clowns in church to rock 'n' roll bands, as attempts are made
to package the message of the Gospel in Madison Avenue wrapping, constrained
even to provide trademarks for the flashy titles under which new‑and‑improved
Bible‑study courses are marketed.
Testimonials of excited customers bear jubilant witness, crying,
"It works, it works, it really works!" ‑‑ all in an effort to bring
us into their "store" where we will then purchase their materials in
order that we may supposedly get closer to Jesus.
Permit me to
suggest an alternative: let us leave the commercialism to our merchants, and
let us not be bothered when we find it in the marketplace. After all, that is where it belongs (yes,
even at Christmastide). But let us leave
the "packaging" of the mystery of the Incarnation to God. And then what we shall find is a complete
absence and exclusion of laughable attention‑getting techniques, but rather,
the mystery of the Incarnate God, in as little‑expected a place as Bethlehem , in a poor
stable and lowly manger, wrapped in swaddling‑clothes. When we behold how mysterious and wondrous
this is, that God Himself should so come to us, in these most meager of circumstances,
and bearing human flesh in his own Person, then perhaps we will begin to
understand why Madison Avenue does not belong here, and why it is far more
appropriate for the children of God to apprehend this mystery as did the
shepherds and wise men, on bended knee.
And then perhaps we will remember to treat the sacred mystery with a
greater reverence, being struck with the true wonder of it, when we realize
that God's gift, in God's chosen wrapping of human flesh and swaddling clothes,
is God Himself, for us men and for our salvation. And then we will begin to ponder aright, in
holy awe, the mystery of the Gospel, by which we thus begin to penetrate that
perennial, compelling question: What Child is this, who, laid to rest on Mary's
lap, is sleeping?
+ Pastor Eckardt
Advent for
the church is a time of penitential preparation for the coming of Christ
(that’s why the color is violet). It’s
helpful to remember this as we also prepare our households for Christmas. Unlike the commercial and secular world, the
Church’s celebration of Christmas begins with
Christmas, and runs the twelve days of Christmas, until Epiphany. The finest way to prepare for the coming of
Christ is by contrition and confession.
Decorating During
Advent
As is our custom, we decorate the church little by little
during Advent, until finally all is complete for Christmas. The
day on which volunteers are needed help put up the tree is Saturday, December 5th,
beginning at 9 am. Please help!
Epiphany Day Seminar and Celebration: Wednesday,
January 6th, 2016
A day of reflection is planned for Epiphany Day, which is a
Wednesday this year. Although it is a weekday, it is our appointed day when a
good group normally comes for worship, so the following schedule is proposed:
1:00 p.m. Opening mid-day prayer service
1:30 p.m. Seminar (day of reflection):
The sixteenth
retreat in the Theological Reflection series is entitled,
“PONDERING THE VISIT OF THE ISE
MEN”
At this retreat, we’ll take an in-depth look at St. Matthew
2.
4:00 p.m. break for dinner
7:00 p.m. Epiphany Mass
7:45 p.m. Wine and Cheese reception
Mark your calendar!
First Tuesday Meetings Dec. 1
On Tuesday, December 2nd, Altar Guild meets as
usual at 6 pm, and Elders at 7:15 pm.
Between them we will hold vespers at 6:45 pm. All members are invited to attend.
Special
Advent Masses on Wednesdays in December
During Advent, our Wednesday masses have appointed Gospels
from the pre-nativity narratives in the first chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel.
On Wednesday, December 2nd, the Gospel is St. Luke
1:1-25, the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist.
On Wednesday, December 9th, the Gospel is St.
Luke 1:26-35, the annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On Wednesday, December 16th, the Gospel is St.
Luke 1:39-56, Mary’s Magnificat.
Members are invited to make an extra effort to attend these
services as part of your Advent preparation for the coming of Christmas.
December
Birthdays
12/11 Kris Harden
12/13 Michael Eckardt
12/13 Lynn Woller
12/20 Peter Eckardt
12/20 Rachel Rowe
December
Anniversaries
12/13 Jim and Carol Watson
December
Ushers
Allan Kraklow, Steve
Kraklow, Tom Wells.
Shut
ins
Mary Hamilton at home; Anna Baker
at home; Emmy Wear at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield.
The Lighter Side
While I
was working as a store Santa, a boy asked me for an electric train set. “If you
get your train,” I told him, “your dad is going to want to play with it too. Is
that all right?”
The boy
became very quiet. So, moving the conversation along,
I asked, “What else would you like Santa
to bring you?”
He promptly
replied, “Another train.”
Pastor Presenting Sectional Paper at Symposium
I am pleased to announce that my sectional paper proposal
has been accepted and I will again be presenting, deo volente, at the Concordia Theological Seminary symposium in
January, this time on the topic "What is Truth?: a Look at the Fourth
Evangelist’s Use of the Term." Here's a synopsis: Among many other things
that distinguish the Gospel of John from the Synoptic Gospels is its manner of
employing the term ‘truth’ (aletheia),
not only in Jesus’ own discourse, but elsewhere in his own narrative, and even
in the famous retort of Pontius Pilate. This paper proposes that as part of the
Evangelist’s design to draw the reader/hearer to faith, he is employing the
term in a very precise and fascinating manner, worthy of special consideration.
-
Pastor
Gottesdienst volunteers
We plan to have the Christmas issue ready for mailing by
Wednesday, December 9th, so the Gottesdienst volunteers are being
requested for that day, at 1:00. If you would like to join us, please come. It
usually takes about an hour and a half, just up to our regular time for the
radio-recorded Bible class.
Letter to Thrivent
November 19, 2015
Thrivent
Financial
625
Fourth Ave. S.
Minneapolis,
MN
55415-1624
Dear
friends,
With
disappointment we are returning the “Action Team” card you sent us several
weeks ago, that we understand to be a $250 grant for out Oktoberfest event,
held last October.
Although
we applied for this grant, it has subsequently been called to our attention
that you have recently made an unfortunate change in your policy, a change we
cannot support. Specifically, your decision to cease providing support for
pro-life organizations is a matter of great concern. We regard as feeble your
attempt to hide behind the expediency of a statement purporting political
neutrality (“certain organizations are not eligible to receive outreach support
or funding. This includes, but is not limited to, organizations with a primary
purpose of providing services for or advocating positions either supporting or
opposing certain social, politically partisan, or health and human services
causes and issues, such as abortion, sexual orientation . . .”), and we are
saddened that you have opted not to take a stand for the lives of the most
innocent and helpless people on earth, namely the unborn. This is not a matter
of politics; it is a matter of life. You say that Thrivent is a “membership
organization of Christians” but we find this decision of yours highly
inconsistent with any reasonable Christian ethic, and urgently implore you to
reconsider the change you have made in your policy.
Most
sincerely in Christ,
Rev.
Burnell Eckardt
Pastor
In Our Prayers
In addition to our
shut-ins, our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on
the lists here following. Anyone wishing
to update the list by addition or subtraction, please inform the pastor.
in our parish:
Sandra Verplaetse
Emilie Ricknell
Linda Rowe
Ann Baker
Dale Baker
Sarah Corzine
Berniece Harris
and our shut-ins.
and also:
Anna Rutowicz [granddaughter of Harrises]
Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter]
Jill Matchett [at request of Diana Shreck]
Lorene Foglesong [at request of the Kraklows]
Cathy Van Wassenhove [re Sandra Verplaetse]
Shelly DeBord [at request of the Watsons]
Liam Hampton [at request of the Murphys]
Jackie Hampton [at request of the Murphys]
Maria Thorndike [at request of the Murphys]
Annie Eastman [at request of Svetlana Meaker]
Keith Ruggles [Barb Kraklow’s brother]
David Fowler [at request of the Murphys]
Robin Hampton [at request of the Watsons]
Melissa Hayword [at request of the Kemerlings]
Emily Corzine [Sarah’s sister]
Dennis Hoag [at request of Diana Shreck]
Nancy Popejoy [relative of Sharon Hartz]
Jeff Autery [friend of Chris Erickson, with cancer]
John Molburg [friend of Sandra Verplaetse]
Dave Colgron [friend of Tom Wells]
Michelle Campbell [Larry’s wife]
Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter]
Burnie Eckardt [recovering from surgery]
Denny Schoen [having tests]
in the military:
John Eckardt
Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells]
Thomas Kim [at request of the Shrecks]
Michael Creech [at request of the Murphys]
Katherine Creech [at request of the Murphys]
Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts]
Carter Wills [grandson of the Thompsons]
Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin]
Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden]
in trouble:
especially any unborn children in danger of abortion
those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment
in Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Laos, North Korea, France, Belgium, Mali, and
elsewhere.
and our own church
We
Mourn the Loss
We are saddened to have heard that Jan Schoen’s father
George Medernech passed away last month, but are confident that the family is
comforted to know he is safe in the arms of his Savior.
The
Bell Tolls
On the last Sunday of the year, we toll the bell at prayers
for each member of our parish who has died during the year. We remember this
year two members who have fallen asleep in Christ:
·
Carol Kegebein
·
Jean Russell
Christ
Masses
As usual, we will hold three Christ Masses this year: the
first will be on Christmas Eve at 7:00; the second will follow at Midnight; and
the third will be Christmas morning at 10:00. Each will have different propers,
hymn schedule, readings, and sermon. Attend as many as you wish.
Altar
Guild Notes
Advent begins November 29th. The four Advent
Sundays’ color is violet. If roses are obtained, they may be placed on
the Third Sunday in Advent, December 13th.
For midweek masses, color remains violet.
The three Christ Masses will be held as usual, 7 pm
Christmas Eve, 12 midnight, and 10 am Christmas Day. Color is white
for all three.
The Sunday after Christmas is white (December 27th).
We will observe Holy Innocents Day on Wednesday evening,
December 30th. Color is red.
