Posts tagged “Jerusalem

Sermo Dei: Trinity 10

Posted on August 13th, 2012

“From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.” Thus the Apostles’ Creed summarizes the teaching of God’s Word on the end of days, the end of the world, the Day of Judgment. Be not deceived: The judgment of Jesus is coming. On that day, your deeds will be judged. The things done in darkness will be brought to light; there is nothing secret that will not be exposed. In today’s Gospel, as He approaches Jerusalem, Jesus anticipates the coming judgment on that city. In less than four decades, the city would be burned, the stones toppled, the temple looted and razed, blood running through the streets as water. Jesus’ prophecy came to pass in the year 70 when Titus conquered…

Where is Jerusalem?

Posted on February 24th, 2012

In the sermon on the Quinquagesima gospel of Jesus’ words, “We are going up to Jerusalem,” I indicated that all of us Christians are included in those words. A parishioner asked me about this Jerusalem: Where is it, how can I find it? Below was my answer to him: Dear ______, If you will, there are three “Jerusalems”: 1) The physical city that we can identify on a map and visit; 2) The church; and 3) The New Jerusalem, the heavenly city of which Rev. 21 speaks. When Jesus says, “We are going up to Jerusalem” in the Quinquagesima gospel, the immediate and primary meaning is that He is going to the city (1), the Twelve going with Him. What I was suggesting in…

Versus populum or ad orientam? Sasse on “St. Zwingli” and “liturgical arts and crafts”

Posted on October 22nd, 2009

Fr. Charles McClean gave me a copy of these excerpts from a letter of Hermann Sasse to Peter Brunner. I am not certain if he translated this or not, and will update this post when I find out. The best part is the second paragraph, so stick with it! “What concerns me and to speak frankly has saddened me is your proposal for a new form of the altar and a way of celebrating the Sacrament which would conform to this proposal. What has earlier been proposed in this connection I have taken with as little seriousness as the comical ideas and proposals which were made forty years ago in the Liturgical Movement, when the Benedictines demanded the restoration of the ancient Christian mensa…