WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.300
Grace mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus

2
00:00:04.300 --> 00:00:04.600
Christ.

3
00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:05.700
Amen.

4
00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:06.900
Please be seated.

5
00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:17.300
In the long tradition of the western church, the third week in Advent

6
00:00:17.300 --> 00:00:21.000
includes what are called Ember days.

7
00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:27.300
The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of this week are set aside for

8
00:00:27.300 --> 00:00:30.200
special prayer and fasting

9
00:00:31.400 --> 00:00:35.100
and for ordination of the clergy.

10
00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:40.900
A most fitting occasion to ponder in the seminary community.

11
00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:48.700
One prayer for this Ember Wednesday of Advent 3 asks for God's grace

12
00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:53.400
be given to those who are in or entering the office of the ministry.

13
00:00:54.800 --> 00:01:01.600
And ask God to fill them with the truth of his doctrine and clothe them

14
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:02.800
with holy life.

15
00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.400
The goal of this petition is that they may faithfully serve before him

16
00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:11.600
to the glory of his great name.

17
00:01:12.800 --> 00:01:15.300
And for the benefit of his holy church.

18
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:20.100
May our Advent King

19
00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.900
grant this for all who already serve and for those of you preparing to

20
00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:29.000
serve in his church.

21
00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:34.800
30 years ago today

22
00:01:36.600 --> 00:01:39.600
our Advent King took a young man

23
00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:43.600
and put him under orders to serve in his church.

24
00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:50.000
That young man had learned much in the truth of our Lord's doctrine,

25
00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:52.700
from this very Seminary, of course.

26
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:55.500
And he may have done

27
00:01:55.500 --> 00:01:59.200
all right with the whole holiness of living thing,

28
00:02:00.900 --> 00:02:02.400
for a 26 year old that is.

29
00:02:04.300 --> 00:02:06.200
But he was also a bit of a young punk and a

30
00:02:07.300 --> 00:02:08.300
spitfire.

31
00:02:09.699 --> 00:02:15.300
He could not wait to put all that good knowledge to use teach that

32
00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:16.600
good theology.

33
00:02:17.600 --> 00:02:19.400
As though it had never been taught before.

34
00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:22.800
See a problem and fix it.

35
00:02:23.900 --> 00:02:28.300
As though everyone in a church wants problems fixed.

36
00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:33.600
Organize and administer a congregation to run efficiently.

37
00:02:35.100 --> 00:02:38.100
As though anyone wants that.

38
00:02:41.100 --> 00:02:46.300
So this young man progressed through his time of service under orders.

39
00:02:48.200 --> 00:02:50.600
That's what ordination is all about after all.

40
00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:56.400
Serving under the orders of him who sent you.

41
00:02:58.200 --> 00:03:05.200
Our Advent King sends ministers to do his bidding not their own.

42
00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:13.100
And through the past 30 years this young man had to learn many things and

43
00:03:13.100 --> 00:03:15.300
grow in many ways. Chief among them

44
00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:17.700
it was not at all about him.

45
00:03:17.700 --> 00:03:21.300
It's always about the Lord.

46
00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:25.700
Proverbs 19:21 comes to mind.

47
00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.200
Many are the plans in the mind of a man.

48
00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:34.500
But it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

49
00:03:37.900 --> 00:03:43.300
Well he always enjoyed the joys of parish life to be sure but he also

50
00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:44.100
grew most from the

51
00:03:45.200 --> 00:03:47.900
sorrows and the crosses.

52
00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:53.300
And as a steward of the mysteries of God this young man learned to

53
00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:55.300
treasure with Saint Paul wrote.

54
00:03:55.300 --> 00:04:00.400
It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

55
00:04:02.500 --> 00:04:08.000
Not able to leap tall steeples in a single bound not successful,

56
00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:14.900
whatever that might mean not always well-loved or even liked but

57
00:04:14.900 --> 00:04:15.500
faithful to

58
00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:19.100
Jesus.

59
00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:22.700
Faithful to his orders

60
00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.000
to proclaim the forgiveness of sins

61
00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:29.600
and give out the gifts of his sacraments.

62
00:04:33.200 --> 00:04:36.200
And 30 years later that former young man

63
00:04:37.200 --> 00:04:39.000
now speaks before you.

64
00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:48.100
So what does any of this have to do with the angel Gabriel announcing

65
00:04:48.100 --> 00:04:54.200
to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive and bear a son. Give birth to

66
00:04:54.200 --> 00:04:54.700
the son of God.

67
00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.900
As we look to the fourth Sunday in Advent

68
00:05:02.900 --> 00:05:03.700
focus on

69
00:05:04.700 --> 00:05:08.900
and ponder Mary's ultimate response.

70
00:05:10.300 --> 00:05:17.100
I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your Word.

71
00:05:19.700 --> 00:05:25.100
This is the perfect model for all those already ordained

72
00:05:26.100 --> 00:05:28.400
and those to be ordained.

73
00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.400
It's also perfect for all Christians in all vocations.

74
00:05:32.400 --> 00:05:36.600
Let it be to me according to your Word.

75
00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:45.000
You see Mary was given the most unique mission conceived in her virgin womb

76
00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:50.900
bear a son name him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.

77
00:05:52.400 --> 00:05:54.400
And this will be no ordinary child.

78
00:05:56.400 --> 00:05:58.100
But the Son of the most high.

79
00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:06.800
Sitting on David's throne forever no end to his kingdom. True God

80
00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:11.500
begotten of the Father from eternity and also true man born of the

81
00:06:11.500 --> 00:06:12.200
Virgin Mary.

82
00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.400
At first Mary was well a bit befuddled.

83
00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.500
How will this be since I'm a virgin?

84
00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:28.300
But it was not at all about Mary.

85
00:06:29.400 --> 00:06:31.700
It's always about the Lord.

86
00:06:33.300 --> 00:06:38.200
The Holy Spirit, God himself would take care of everything.

87
00:06:40.700 --> 00:06:45.300
He rather likes staying in charge of the goings-on in his church,

88
00:06:45.300 --> 00:06:52.200
especially those things that accomplish and deliver his cross won

89
00:06:52.200 --> 00:06:54.300
salvation. Nothing

90
00:06:55.200 --> 00:06:57.200
is impossible for him.

91
00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:01.600
God's word,

92
00:07:02.900 --> 00:07:04.400
Jesus in the flesh.

93
00:07:05.900 --> 00:07:11.300
Is always the focal point and the driving force.

94
00:07:12.900 --> 00:07:18.100
And all Christians, especially those ordained in those to be ordained.

95
00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:25.200
Do well to spend their whole lives at going Mary.

96
00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.500
Let it be to me according to your word.

97
00:07:33.200 --> 00:07:35.000
You see that word,

98
00:07:36.200 --> 00:07:39.700
Jesus himself the coming one.

99
00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:46.700
He's the one who confronts you with your weaknesses and your sins of

100
00:07:46.700 --> 00:07:47.800
self-reliance.

101
00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:53.300
It's that word who prompts you to repent and plead for mercy.

102
00:07:54.700 --> 00:07:58.400
It's that word who came to take on human flesh.

103
00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:06.800
Live a perfect life go to a cross for you and for your rescue from sin

104
00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:07.400
and death.

105
00:08:07.400 --> 00:08:10.700
It's that word who rose again from the dead.

106
00:08:11.900 --> 00:08:16.500
To give you his own life now and forever.

107
00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:22.800
It's that Word who comes to you gathered in this Chapel to deliver his

108
00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.800
very forgiveness, life and salvation

109
00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:29.200
under the bread and wine.

110
00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:35.100
Lord let it be to me according to your Word.

111
00:08:36.400 --> 00:08:39.299
That's what brings glory to his name.

112
00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:43.400
That's what most benefits his

113
00:08:43.400 --> 00:08:43.799
Holy church.

114
00:08:45.400 --> 00:08:50.200
Amen. And the peace of God, which goes beyond all understanding will

115
00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.600
guard your hearts and minds in Christ

116
00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:53.600
Jesus our Lord.

117
00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:55.000
Amen.