From: "Fr John W Fenton (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: HP: Feast of Sts Simon & Jude Date: Thursday, November 01, 2001 12:56 PM The Feast of St. Simon & St. Jude St. John 15.17-25 In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dearly Beloved: When Our Blessed Lord Jesus invites us to follow Him, He does not promise us a care-free, worry-free, trouble-free life. Instead, He promises us a cross. His cross. For that is where Our Lord is headed when He says, "Follow Me." He's going to the cross. And we get to follow-not to gawk, or merely to witness the event. But to partake in His suffering and death. For that is the way of Our Lord Jesus- through the suffering of the cross, and through death and the grave. That is the way Our Lord Jesus not only takes, but since He is the Way it is His way for us. And so suffering and cross-that is the way our life in God goes. And there is no way around this. So if anyone desires to follow Him, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Him. And whoever follows the Lord but does not take up His cross is not worthy of Him. Yet we need not be discouraged or fall into despair as we follow in Our Lord's way of suffering and cross. For since the sufferings of Christ abound in us, our consolation also abounds through Christ. And so we know that since you partake of His suffering and cross, you partake of His consolation. So do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. So how do you suffer and bear your cross? As a Christian. Which means that you bear all crosses, sicknesses and trials with patience and trust until Our Blessed Lord grants you deliverance, peace and health. And why do you have crosses and trials, sicknesses and afflictions, hardships and burdens, and a tormented mind or a troubled spirit or a hurting heart? Because a servant is not greater than his master. And a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Our teacher, our master, Our Lord and God is Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. If they persecuted Him, they will also persecute you. If they derided Him, they will also deride you. If they hated Him, they will also hate you. And who are they? Not simply those people out there, nor some invisible easy-to-blame fiend. They, who caused Our Lord to suffer and who drove Him to the cross-they are you since you are in the world and so have received the world's curse: sin, that adheres to your flesh and that continually oozes out of your mouth and hands; and death, that causes you to act in fear and to love the material but fading things of this world. You are in the world, so the world's sin is your own; and its judgment is yours. But by the waters of Holy Baptism, you are also not of the world. And because you are not of the world-because the Lord, in His mercy by His Baptism, chose you out of the world-therefore the world hates you. And so the devil tortures your mind and heart. And society entices you away from the church and urges you to believe in yourself. And your own sinful flesh drives you to do for yourself, to make your own way, and to be your own savior. And all this is your cross. Yet let us be absolutely clear. This cross that you bear-that is the cross Our Lord Jesus bore, the cross He endured, the cross He suffered, and the cross He conquered-all for your sake. Your cross He fully takes on and completely makes His own and utterly overcomes. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. Yet these trials and crosses, which are a testing by fire-they allow the genuineness of your faith to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And through Christ Jesus alone-Him, whom having not seen you love; Him, whom now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory-through Him alone you receive the end of your faith: the salvation of your souls. Therefore, do not lose heart. Even though you bear in your body the marks of Our Lord's cross; even though you suffer many things because of your baptism; even though the devil haunts you night and day; even though it seems as if you are always resisting, always struggling, always facing adversity; and even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is what Our Blessed Lord tells Saint Simon and Saint Jude-and all the disciples, and even you-on the night of His betrayal and death. Our Lord loves His own, and He loves us to the end. Therefore, He urges us not to give in to the false allurements and false teachings in this life. For they promise to ease your burden by turning you into yourself. And they seek to comfort you by luring you away from Christ Jesus and His holy Church. But you-be steadfast and immovable. For the crosses which you bear are only bearable because, however slight, they are a participation in the cross and suffering of Our Lord. And He alone gives the true strength and comfort given and shed for you on His cross-a lasting and enduring strength and comfort which is not ideally or conceptually, but really and truly planted so intimately and so sturdily within you whenever you eat His body and drink His blood. For how else can a Saint Simon or a Saint Jude preach the Gospel in the face of the evils of Persia and the threat of execution? And how else can you make it through one day or the next, following your Lord and carrying your cross-unless He, by His cross in His Sacrament, strengthens and preserves you in the true faith unto life everlasting? In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. 28 October 2001 Rev. Fr. John W. Fenton Zion Evangelical-Lutheran Church + Historic Preaching + The Historic Preaching list is devoted to preaching on the Propers of the Historic Lectionary as found in The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) and Service Book and Hymnal (SBH). Subscribe? Send ANY message to: Unsubscribe? Send ANY message to: Respond? Click 'Reply' or write to For further information about this list, contact the list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski or visit our website: + + + + + +