“ADVENT MIDWEEK ONE 2024”
Midweek 1: December 5 Anno Domini 2024
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
It is Advent. You wait for Jesus. St. Joseph and The Virgin waited for His arrival as well. They had His name before He came—given by an angel (St. Gabriel). In that Name, for in that Person, all saving was bundled up; even as Mary would swaddle the infant in cloths.
Since Augsburg is a parish that prides itself on Holy Tradition, insofar as that tradition proclaims Christ Crucified for the forgiveness of sins, you are all aware of the three historic practices of Adventide. And no, not “hanging of the greens,” watching Linus on the first Charlie Brown Christmas recite St. Luke, and having an Advent wreath. Christians in hitherto times would always emphasize almsgiving, fasting, and prayer.
Almsgiving means giving alms. Alms are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is an act of charity.
In New Testament Scripture charity means love. True love is absent in the pagan. Sadly, true love is foreign to your “old Adam” as well. The sinful nature is selfish, inwardly centered, and either oblivious to the plight of others, or self-justifying.
Almsgiving is mentioned only a few times in the New Testament but the Church properly emphasizes it with fervor. The Greek word is “eleamosunain” and is translated in the KJV and NKJV as “alms” by Saint Luke in both his Evangel and the Acts of the Apostles. It is translated in Mathew’s Gospel as charitable giving (love giving). So poignant that this Greek word is related to eleison, which you all sung in the Kyrie a few moments ago: “Lord (Kyrie) have MERCY!”
You are to give alms: period. It is The Law of God: period. Why? Because Commandments four through ten, the second table, are condensed and summarized by The Savior as “love your neighbor as yourself.” You do love yourself—too much. But if you desire and work so hard, (you think it is your work, which of course is also sinful,) for food, shelter, and clothing, you too should provide it free and joyfully to the suffering, poor, destitute, and miserable ones.
You know yourselves better than I do. But God knows your stingy heart. And you know that God knows. Okay, that is The Law. You are caught, charged, convicted, and dead—of yourselves. But your Savior conquers your Scrooge.
But I have my own physical needs you protest; I do not have enough resources (money & goods) to help others; there are too many. Repent and give.
Oh sure, the Centurion Cornelius gave alms because he was wealthy. Yes, but “Dives,” the “rich man” in Christ’s parable was way wealthier and he gave nothing to Lazarus. When you provide aid to a poor “beggar,” which Luther says is all of us, you are giving to Jesus and His flock. Why did the rich man hoard his resources? Because he was not a believer. Why did Cornelius bestow alms? Because he was a follower of Messias.
You acknowledge, at least with your lips, that Christmas is the season of giving. And if Christmas then also Advent. Be like the poor woman who gave her last two mites and you store up in heaven the true gifts which will last you forever.
You know all this, and you do repent. Repent means turn—do good to all men and especially those who are of the household of faith.
There are no rules and regulations given as to the “how” and the “how much.” How can one, how can God, limit your freedom to do good? How can you “get-in-the-way” of The Holy Spirit within you constraining your charity? Pharisees lecture on “tithing” but Christians give “first fruits” from thankful hearts. Though Thanksgiving is a week past you are still thankful yourselves, are you not?
The Lord says in Matthew: “when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” [Mt. 6. 2-4]. Christ goes on in Luke to say: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” [Lk. 12. 32-33].
And there you have it dear brothers and sisters of The King; royal priests bestowed with all the treasure of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom! And because you have The Kingdom you have The King. The King blesses you when you give from Him to the miserable, including The Church, which is miserable in the eyes of the mammon-drenched world—filled with miserable people.
The Greek word that was mentioned meaning almsgiving, is defined in the Rieneker/Rogers ‘Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament’ as “acts of devotion and religious duty.” Forget the duty as that is a Law term and focus on the devotion.
It all comes freely from you because it first came to you the same way by God. “For God so loved the world, i.e., God loved the world precisely in this way, that He gave His only begotten Son.” Joy of joys, Advent Joy. You have been forgiven and thus you freely forgive others. You have been given everything by God and thus you freely give alms to others. Why do you give alms? Because an apple tree cannot but produce apples. The branches naturally flow with the same sap as the vine to whom they belong. Christ promises you this: “and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” [Luke 6. 38]. Not the Thanksgiving decoration, but you; you are the New Creation cornucopia. Jesus’ keeping of The Law; Jesus not just giving obedience where you rebel, but giving His very Body and Blood in His suffering and death for your greed and miserly motives. Your Gospel anthem is that old hymn: “We give Thee, (and our neighbor,) but Thine own, what—e’er the gift may be. All that we have is Thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee” [TLH # 441].
“Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” [Mt. 25. 40].
“Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them” [Mk. 14. 22].
In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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