That Our Names Are Written in the Heavens

Posted: November 25, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Etcetera, The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Seventy

In the tenth chapter of St Luke’s Gospel we read about Jesus’ appointment of 70  other men after the calling of the twelve Apostles.  These 70 others also served in an apostolic manner.  Their names appear throughout the New Testament, and they are commemorated annually on their feast days.  In this chapter, Jesus sends them on a mission to every town which he would soon enter (St Luke 10: 1 – 12).  We read this:

The seventy returned with joy saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”  And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and every power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.  Nevertheless, in this do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you.  But, rejoice that your names are written in the heavens (St Luke 10: 19 – 20).

It appears that we are to learn that we are not to rejoice in spiritual authority or any other gift, or gifts, given to us by God.  Rather, we are to rejoice in the gift of the grace and salvation of relationship with God — that we are enrolled in the census of the Kingdom of Heaven as its citizens.

After being given this information and instruction, our Lord himself rejoices,

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and knowledgable and revealed them to children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will (St Luke 10: 21).

“…And revealed them to children (nepiois)…”  The matters of the Kingdom of Heaven and the relationship with God were and are given to nepiois — infants or children who exist in innocence.  Regarding the necessity of being childlike we read this from St Mark’s Gospel:

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.  But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it (St Mark 10: 13 – 15).

In this innocence and faithfulness we are to conduct ourselves by faith.  For our names to continue to exist in the heavens we must persevere in the faith.  We are to “…with fear and trembling work out your salvation.  For God is the one who works in you; to will and to work in behalf of his good pleasure” (Phil 2: 12b – 13).  Then we find this in the third chapter of Revelation of John in the message to the church in Sardis (whose works had, to the most part, become dead and displeasing to the Lord):

But you have a few names in Sardis who have not soiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.  Thus, the one who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and his name shall never be wiped away from the Book of Life.  And I shall confess his name before my Father and before his angels.  The one who has an ear is to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 3: 4 – 6).

One who persevered and conquered is St Clement of Rome.  He was the fourth bishop of Rome, and St Paul mentions him in his letter to the Philippians:

And I also ask you, who are a loyal coworker, help these women [Euodia and Syntyche] for they have labored together with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, of whom their names [are] in the Book of Life (Phil 4: 3).

St Clement Bishop of Rome

St Clement’s feast day occurs every November 25.  Clement was raised in luxury and received a fine education.  He became dissatisfied with his life offered by Rome and left the city.  He travelled extensively, and while in Alexandria Clement met St Barnabas (one of the Seventy) and received the truth of the Gospel.  He then travelled to Palestine and was baptized by St Peter himself.  His work as bishop of Rome was very fruitful, but displeasing to the emperor Trajan.  He was exiled to the Crimea.  His work and miracles continued among his fellow prisoners.  His continued faithfulness led to his martyrdom.  He was throw into the sea with an anchor tied to his neck.  St Clement conquered — he was victorious — and his name abides in the Book of Life.  He is numbered among the Apostolic Fathers, that is, those who immediately followed in the footsteps of the Apostles.  Two letters written by him to the Corinthians exist.  St Clement offers this instruction to the Corinthians of the late first century and to us:

Let us approach him in holiness of soul, raising pure and undefiled hands to him, loving our gracious and merciful Father, who has made us the portion of his choice for himself (1 Clement XXIX. 1).

Let’s recall the words of St John in the Apocalypse: “Thus, the one who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and his name shall never be wiped away from the Book of Life.”

The following is a corresponding sermon:

In Christ who empowers us to overcome,

Fr Irenaeus

Guitar Review: Rainsong Black Ice Jumbo (BI-JM1000N2)

Posted: November 21, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Black Ice Jumbo

This review of Rainsong’s Black Ice series jumbo guitar is my fifth review of a Rainsong guitar.  I now own three Rainsong guitars — all jumbo bodied models.  The purchase of the Black Ice jumbo took place in May, 2023, and was my retirement gift to myself after working 38 years as a clinic pharmacist (good bye corporate, allopathic medicine!).

Rainsong has four series of guitars.  Two series have a spruce sound board fused to the carbon fiber top (essentially two sound boards fused together).  The two series with this spruce fusion are the Nashville and Vintage series.  The two series with all carbon fiber construction are the Concert and Black Ice varieties.  Concerning the Black Ice series, Rainsong offers this comment:

When players picture a Rainsong, they’re often thinking about the Black Ice series.  Not only are they breathtaking to view, but every soundboard is individually conceived with its own unique appearance and signature tone.

When I tell my guitar playing friends I have become a fan, advocate, and devotee of Rainsong guitars (and carbon fiber guitars in general) I encounter raised eyebrows and the comment of “really?”  Yes, really.  The vast majority are curious and ask more questions.  Some — a minority who are guitar luddites  — just shake their heads in disbelief.  These “Doubting Thomases” need to know that any and all carbon fiber guitars stand within the “tradition” of the acoustic guitar.  Any tradition must be living to be valid — otherwise tradition becomes a dead “traditionalism.”  That is, there must be a “creative faithfulness” to the established, ongoing tradition.  Hence, each new generation must both live within the established tradition, and express the tradition with a new, excited, and winsome voice.  To hear and to play any carbon fiber changes minds (a recent tryout of a used Composite Acoustic proved to be very pleasing), and proves they stand solidly within the acoustic guitar family.

Nashville jumbo

Additionally, carbon fiber constructions offers advantages over the wooden acoustic guitar.  First, these guitars are structurally solid and extremely stable.  You have no worries about changes in humidity, seasonal temperature shifts, or stress of string tension on any part of the guitar.  They are not indestructible, but the  material advantages of carbon fiber are superior to wood in every aspect.  The second advantage of carbon fiber is that there is no worry about diminishing supplies of tone woods, and no stress upon tone wood species and ecosystems.

Tone.  What about tone?  Rainsong guitars sound like an acoustic guitar should sound.  There is nothing “artificial” or “industrial” about a carbon fiber guitar’s tone.  Added to this, these guitars are not clones:  they all have different characteristics and tonal qualities.  I will give a subjective comparison of the Black Ice jumbo and my Nashville jumbo (N-JM1100N2).  Both are light weight and both yield great volume, sustain, and tonal nuances.  However, the Black Ice jumbo has a more “muscular” voice than the Nashville, and offers slightly more volume more readily than the Nashville model.  For amplification, it comes with an L. R. Baggs Stage Pro Element which consists of volume, notch, phase, bass, mid, and treble controls.  The Black Ice jumbo’s Stage Pro Element also has an on board tuner.  As with its Nashville sister it is very playable (as are all Rainsongs).

Rainsong guitars are very well made, and will easily last a player’s lifetime and the lifetime of his / her children and grandchildren.  But purchasing one has become an issue for someone who wants to try one out in a the brick-and-mortar shop.  Earlier in 2023, Rainsong changed its method of sales.  Soon, a Rainsong guitar must exclusively be purchased from the company directly.  Distributing shops still carry remaining inventory, and usually at a discounted price, but this will end in the near future.  I have contacted Rainsong’s Woodinville, Washington office, and production is ongoing.  Further, you can order any model in stock, or order your custom made model with a 30-day trial period (rainsong.com).

I would encourage you to consider these fantastic acoustic guitars.  Such a musical expedition will be worth your time and money.

Keep on playing,

Fr Irenaeus

All Will Be Revealed

Posted: November 3, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Etcetera, The Eucharist and Living the Eucharist | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A somewhat alarming passage is found in St Luke’s Gospel:

No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light.  Take heed then, how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away (St Luke 8: 16 – 18).

Elsewhere, in St Matthew’s Gospel we read again of light: 

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it give light to all in the house.  Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (St Matthew 5:  14 – 16).

These verses from St Matthews Gospel informs us that we are the light of the world, as is Christ the Light of the world.  As he is in us and we in him — so are both true.  We are to manifest his light by our good works so that God will be glorified by those who observe them.  So we are to live as Christians.

But the alarm given to us is found in St Luke’s words.  For nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light.  All will be revealed for all is known by God.  Our Lord also tells us that what is said in secret will be shouted from the rooftops.

The text also holds this:

Take heed then, how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

How we hear what we hear refers to how we hear the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Do we hear, but do not put into practice?  Do we know, but not stubbornly not act accordingly?  St James gives these words to us:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he looks like.  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing (St James 1: 22 – 25).

St James instructs us to do the will of Christ — to act positively upon God’s words, and put into practice those works that show Christ’s light — and our light — to the world.  But what about those temptations to ignore, disobey, and then enter into sin?

I will give my illustration of “The Bubble.”  This illustration is about the control of our thoughts, especially thoughts that would bring us into error and sin if acted upon.  Thoughts are extremely import because thoughts determine outcomes.  Thus, they determine reality.  Let’s say there is a pond with over hanging trees.  Every autumn the leaves fall from the numerous branches and settle to the pond’s bottom.  There the leaves decay.  This process will often release a bubble of gas which rises to the surface.  Such a bubble is a thought that could lead to temptation, or some random memory which, if acted upon would lead us into sin.  At this point of awareness there is no error, no sin.  But, when the “bubble” rises to our consciousness we have two options:  we can allow the “bubble” with its stench to reside on the surface of our consciousness and interact with it.  When acted upon, the thought draws us into sin. Or, we can pop the “bubble” and be victorious and advance in our faith.

We will all stand before Christ in judgment in the Last Day.  What we have done — good and ill — will be revealed.  In our time in this life we must act by faith in holy ways that correspond to the will of Christ.  Acting faithfully in this manner will bring us  welcome into his Kingdom.  This battle between our Lord’s will and our own carnal will takes place in the mind.  We read this exerpt from the Prayer of the Hours:  “…Set aright our minds; cleanse our thoughts.”  This petition sums things up quite well — yes the battle is in the mind.

Jesus Christ conquers

Let me inform you of a particular challenge for me.  I can be quite impatient in a check out line in any retail setting, especially with someone who is young.  If this impatience is expressed to the employee I have sinned.  Therefore, I must determine in advance how I will interact with this person.  Will I bless this person who bears the image of God, or will I be an ass?  I must choose to be a blessing for her or him, and I generally utter these words from Psalm 38 (37): 22:  “Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation”.  If the “bubble” of impatience arises to the surface of my consciousness I must pop it and be victorious according to our Lord’s will.  I, too, must rejoice in this encounter.  I must pray for this person, and give thanks for this person and this interaction (see 1Thes 5: 16 – 18).

So, determine in advance what you will do, or not do, in any given situation and with any inappropriate, tempting thought.  Determine not to say, speak, or do evil.  Be determined to bless with word and action, and what is illumined will bring glory to God and not shame to our souls.

In Christ,

Fr Irenaeus