From: "Todd A. Peperkorn (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: HP: Misericordias Help #1 Date: Thursday, November 01, 2001 12:55 PM + + + + + Misericordias Domini - The Mercy of the Lord The Collect refers specifically to the humiliation and it as our hope and our resurrection. It also refers to believers as "faithful ones" and "partakers." It is especially beautiful. But strangely, it seems to me, lacking in Easter language about the Son of God. I am probably missing something here. Figuring it out might well be the catylyst for a sermon. The Epistle, 1 Pet 2:21-25, is a wonderful Hymnic Theology of the Cross. The Lord Himself is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Anyway, the Gospel: Consider: No comic book super hero follows a sheep motif. There is no "Sheepman" busting up bad guys. Neither do I know of any sports team that chooses a sheep as its mascot. Why? Because we don't aspire to be sheep. We are not impressed by them. We want to be Siberian tigers, beautiful and ferocious, or the like. We want to be sleek and strong, powerful and inspiring, physically impressive. We like to think that we have a nice fuzzy belly, that we are nice, and soft and understanding, but we want everyone to know that if we really wanted to we could rip him to shreds. Power, beauty, prestige - these are the things we respect and admire. And what animals in the Scripture make it as mascots? Roaring lions serpents both Biblical metaphors (or actual physical embodiment in the one case) for the devil. Christ does not fit our definition of a hero. Our heroes are almost invariably, even though oft reluctantly, violent. Think of Superman, Batman, and Spiderman. Think of Rambo, Tom Clancy's characters, or even Perry Mason. At best it is "harmless" violence. Punches are thrown, people fall, maybe there is a bit of blood, but nobody dies. (Lex Luthor and the Joker need to live to make another week's comic.) At worst, they die and they deserved it and we are glad. So into this context of glamorized and sought after violence (which is really no different than the ancient world) enters Our Lord. He suffers violence. He submits to it. He is weak, suffering, dying on the cross. Superman might be willing to lay down his life for Lois Lane, but he always gets out of it in the end. There is always a happy ending, and always a fistfight. But not so Our Lord. There is no ram in the thicket for Him. He lays down His life. He dies. And so it is that the Father loves Him. He love Him because He lays down His life and takes it up again, that is, because He is the Christ, He fulfills the will of the Holy Trinity, He wins salvation for sinful men and makes them His again. Ah, there is strength and character like Superman has never known! There is a mascot worth aspiring to - a sheep in fold of the Good Shepherd, of the Shepherd who behaves in the strangest, most unshepherdly of ways - not by shearing and slaughtering these sheep as we expect - but by living and dying for them, by serving them, by laying down His life and taking it up again to make them His sheep for all eternity. Now think again on 1 Peter 2:21-25. It is the song of loving mercy. It is the Misercordia Domini! The symbol for this day, often called "Good Shepherd Sunday" might well be a shepherd bearing a lamb on his shoulders, but I'd prefer a crucifix, a symbol of the laying down where by we are shepherded into the gates of heaven and the wolf that seeks us is defeated. For it is not scratching behind our ears and whispering sweet nothings that has made this Man born of Mary, begotten of the Father from all eternity our Shepherd, but His death and resurrection. Happy Preaching. Rev'd David H. Petersen, Pastor herskind@skyenet.net Redeemer Lutheran Church Fort Wayne, Indiana + Historic Preaching + The Historic Preaching list is devoted to preaching on the Propers of the Historic Lectionary as found in The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) and Service Book and Hymnal (SBH). Subscribe? Send ANY message to: Unsubscribe? Send ANY message to: Respond? Click 'Reply' or write to For further information about this list, contact the list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski or visit our website: + + + + + +