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Article XXIV (XII): Of the Mass- Part 1
At the outset we must again make the preliminary statement that we 1] do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things. 2] The adversaries have a long declamation concerning the use of the Latin language in the Mass, in which they absurdly trifle as to how it profits [what a great merit is achieved by]…
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Article XXIII (XI): Of the Marriage of Priests- Part 2
Lastly, if they understand that celibacy is purity in the sense that it merits justification more than does marriage, we most emphatically contradict it. For we are justified neither on account of virginity nor on account of marriage, but freely for Christ’s sake, when we believe that for His sake 37] God is propitious to us. Here perhaps they will exclaim that, according to the manner of Jovinian, marriage is made equal to virginity. But, on account of such clamors we shall not reject the truth concerning the righteousness 38] of faith, which we have explained above. Nevertheless we do not make virginity and marriage equal. For just as one…
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On Becoming a Titus 2 Woman
By Holly Scheer Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 These words are serious. These words are weighted with the expectations of generations of past discussions, among women and men far wiser than I, talking about something we’re often lacking in our communities and lives. But I’m here to encourage you, as best I can, and hopefully provide some…
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This Mother’s Day I Need to Hear Jesus
By Anonymous Growing up I dreaded going to church on Mother’s Day. It was a day that I knew I would hear a sermon pontificating more on the faithfulness of mothers than the faithfulness of Christ. I was growing up with a mom who was physically, verbally and emotionally abusive. She did not love me unconditionally, and she continually refused to fulfill basic responsibilities like feeding her kids. The arbitrary blows from my mom were combined with the neglect of my workaholic father whose only intervention was to continually remind me that if I didn’t keep my mom happy I would face one of two outcomes as consequence for my…
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Snapshots of our Social Media Lives
By Elisabeth Horning We all want our lives to look perfect to the outside world. In the age of rampant social media, the pressure to look perfect and have a perfect home and weigh a certain amount is multiplied. In fact, it is multiplied so much so, we lose sight of who we are if we aren’t careful. It is all too easy to begin thinking we’re not good enough. One of my favorite social media platforms is Instagram. I’ve been an active member of the app since its inception, and I’ve watched it grow. The best part of Instagram? The filters. Anyone who has an account knows what I…
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7 Simple Ways to Serve Your Sunday School Teacher
By Pam Thompson I’ve been teaching Sunday School off and on (more on than off) since I was in high school. You could probably say I am a professional Sunday School teacher. I’ve taught classes that had only my own children enrolled other classes with as many as 15 eager (and not-so-eager) students. Teaching Sunday School is a labor of love, but there are some things that would make my job even better. Insist on respectful behavior. A Sunday School teacher may or may not have a teaching degree, but they do have authority over their students. Most Sunday School periods are as short as 40 minutes, which is not a lot…
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Whitewashed In Brokenness
By Kaitlin Jandereski A lot of normality goes on in this world. People wake up, fix their daily cup of joe and read their Treasury of Daily Prayer. Then they brush their teeth, comb their hair, clock in and end the day with tired feet. It’s all in the day-to-day grind. Except when it’s not. Except when something is off, when your stomach turns before you know why, when your day-to-day life isn’t like any other day anymore. I had a day like that and I think it’s important that we talk about it. *** On a winter eve, a friend of mine had asked me to come to his…
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Article XXIII (XI): Of the Marriage of Priests- Part 1
1] Despite the great infamy of their defiled celibacy, the adversaries have the presumption not only to defend the pontifical law by the wicked and false pretext of the divine name, but even to exhort the Emperor and princes, to the disgrace and infamy of the Roman Empire, not to tolerate the marriage of priests. For thus they speak. [Although the great, unheard-of lewdness, fornication, and adultery among priests, monks, etc., at the great abbeys, in other churches and cloisters, has become so notorious throughout the world that people sing and talk about it, still the adversaries who have presented the Confutation are so blind and without shame that they…
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Article XXII (X): Of Both Kinds In the Lord’s Supper
1] It cannot be doubted that it is godly and in accordance with the institution of Christ and the words of Paul to use both parts in the Lord’s Supper. For Christ instituted both parts, and instituted them not for a part of the Church, but for the entire Church. For not only the presbyters, but the entire Church uses the Sacrament by the authority of Christ, and not by human authority; and this, 2] we suppose, the adversaries acknowledge. Now, if Christ has instituted it for the entire Church, why is one kind denied to a part of the Church? Why is the use of the other kind prohibited?…
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Celebrating the Church Year In May
By Marie McNary Are you ready to start May celebrating our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? I sure am! This month as we study and learn more about the Church Year, I want to take us to the Treasury of Daily Prayer. This book is a daily devotional resource written around the Christian Church Year. (In case you missed it, this site just had a post walking you through the book. Dust off your copy (or head over to CPH and buy one or borrow a copy from your Church library) and get a great overview of each day we celebrate this month. May 1: St. Philip and St. James,…
