December 24, 2021 — Christmas Eve

Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright, Round yon virgin Mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace!

On this date, December 24, 1818 the Christmas carol “Silent Night” written by composer Franz Xaver Gruber was first sung at St. Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf , Austria.   A young priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before.  He had already written the lyrics of the song “Stille Nacht” in 1816.  Before Christmas Eve, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the church service. Both performed the carol during the mass on the night of December 24.

On Christmas Eve, as the services are concluding, the congregation will light small hand-held candles and the lights are lowered in the Nave.  The congregation begins to sing Silent Night as I read the beginning of the Gospel of St. John.  It is a stunning moment – a time everyone should experience.  It is a liminal moment – a moment when time seems to stop and G-d’s Kairos time takes over – and the entire congregation feels as if we are surrounded by the Holy Spirit.  If you have never experienced this moment, I encourage you to find a Lutheran Church near you, for I am sure most congregations have a similar moment during their Christmas Eve services.  After all, Christmas is about the coming of Christ almost 2000 years ago – a moment in time that changed the world – though the world did not yet know it.  And Christmas is about reliving that moment on the 25^th of December, but not leaving Christ until Easter comes along. 

The challenge for you and me is to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every day – and any effort we put forth each day, to spend time remembering the love of G-d found in Jesus, is a good start.

Pastor Dave 

December 23, 2021 — Leviticus 11:1-8 – “Bring Home the Bacon”

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. “‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.” Leviticus 11:1-8 

“Bring home the bacon:”In 1104, a tradition was born in the ancient town of Dunmow in Essex. One day, a couple begged for a blessing of their union a year and a day after their marriage. The Prior of the Augustinian monastery was so struck by their devotion to each other that he gave them a “flitch”, which is a side of bacon. The 900-year-old ‘Dunmow Flitch’ still takes place today, once every four years, with couples trying to persuade a jury that they have “not wisht themselves unmarried again”. The successful pairs get to “bring home the bacon.” This “Flitch” became so well known around the country, and was mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” written at the end of the 14th century. Specifically, in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” comes the line: “But never for us the flitch of bacon though, that some may win in Essex at Dunmow.” 

Bacon is good. I can only say that I do not know anyone who does not like bacon. Yet, the biblical mandate was not to eat anything that either or both chewed the cud or had a divided hoof. In fact, they were not only to eat them, but some of these animals were even forbidden to be touched. There were various reasons they avoided such animals — the pig was one who had a divided hoof. One of the disgraces that comes to the “Prodigal Son” is that he has to feed swine — and laments for their pods to eat, he is so hungry — thus his life has come to such a low point.

I would love to win a side of bacon —and yet to “feed on the Word of G-d” is often just as satisfying. Take time every day to feed upon the words of Jesus and come to services to take Jesus into your very soul through Holy Communion.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, help us to remember that you call us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” As such we look to feast on your words and your body and blood in communion as often as possible. Amen.

Pastor Dave