“CHRIST WITH YOU, IN YOU, FOR YOU”
Saint Matthew 11: 12-15
Festival of the Reformation (transferred): 25 October Anno Domini 2020
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
Before the good news of today’s appointed Introit, The Spirit gave David to write: “why dost thou preach my laws; and takest my covenant in thy mouth; whereas thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behind thee?” [Ps. 50. 16-17]
The Creator creating (ex nihilo) the create(d) is good news! “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them…” [SC 2.1]
This sinlessness and perfection did not last very long. Adam had God’s law but did not preach it. Eve did not obey it. They hated to be normed by God and cast His words behind them. They listened to the lie of the serpent. Thus, they had to be reformed. They were made again by God’s actions and efforts and doings! They were forgiven and given the promise of the coming Messiah. But it wasn’t all just language and words. There was blood. The blood of the animal(s) that was skinned by God to clothe their naked sinful flesh. This was a “type” of the ultimate juridical and forensic and imputed clothing of all of you in Christ’s skin—His flesh—His “robes” of righteousness! From the third book of Moses to the Gospel of John to our altar this day: “for the life of the flesh is in the blood;” [Lev. 17.11] “whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life;” [Jn. 6. 54] “Take eat The Body of Christ for you, take drink The Blood of Christ for you.”
There is only reformation by blood. It is only by the Blood of The Lamb of God that the sins of the world are taken away.
The reforming, in Grace and in sacrificial Love, of our first parents was not a one-time affair. Man sins daily and thus must be driven by The Law to repent in contrition daily; to receive the absolving forgiveness of The Word daily. Adam’s son Cain sinned. Cain shed Abel’s blood. That blood of the first shepherd cried out for vengeance against sin, death, and the power of the devil. That blood was a pool, a rivulet, a stream pointing to the blood from Calvary; from Jesus’ sacred wounds. That blood collected by “angels” and this day collected in a chalice by angels is poured into you. Deo Vindice. God justifies.
The blood that reforms—i.e. that justifies and redeems and restores—is also connected to The Water (and of course The Word) for it is all Christ Jesus The Word made flesh! After the total societal apostasy of the early world God sent the watery flood. The Wood of Christ’s cross—that is, the Ark, saved God’s 8 believing children. All that wrath against sin was nothing compared to the wrath that God poured out on His innocent and sinless only-begotten. The crimson flood of our trespasses was the deluge that Jesus bore on the tree. The precious and holy blood (and water) from His Sacred Heart is the reforming, redeeming, remedy for His brothers and sisters until He comes again in glory!
Supposedly Saint Augustine first said “Ecclesia semper reformanda est” (the Church must always be reformed). So true and so Scriptural. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And, “The blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin.” [1 Jn. 1. 9,7]
“And from the days of John the Baptist [Immanuel, The Incarnated One with us] until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force…” Yes. The pagan unbelievers (the world, Satan) are certainly in that group of the violent. But so too, and far, far, more so, are our own fallen “old Adam” natures (the sinful flesh). Rotting and diseased branches must be pruned, dented clay must be filled and molded out by Our Pierced Potter. He must continue to clothe, feed, and speak Peace to us.
Jesus is Reformation. Jesus’ Blood is Reformation. You believe, teach, and confess this by His Word—which is Reformation.
William Weinrich is correct when he says that the greatest joy, the true sign of sonship which we all have in our Holy + Washings, is to be placed by The Lord into the “cruciform” –the shape, life, and reality of The Cross; the Cross which we preach. These sufferings (sub cruce), which are not for sin or for working our own forgiveness, but rather for our strengthening, witness, and sanctification, unite us with He Who has reformed us by uniting us to Himself. “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed [reformed] to the image of His Son…” [Rom. 8.29] With Paul, we the reformed can boldly say: “from henceforth let no man trouble me; for we bear in our body the marks of The Lord Jesus.” [Gal. 6.17]
Elias is here today! Behold The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world—that reforms you again in His Blood! “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Israel is our Refuge;” our “Mighty Fortress.” Christ has kept and fulfilled His Laws. Christ has, and will again, now, place His covenant, His New Testament, in your mouths!
“And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, let them all be gone, they yet have nothing won; The Kingdom ours remaineth.” [# 262.4]
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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