The Lutheran Review

Richard W. Hillert

2010-03-10T08:39:57-06:00

Richard W. Hillert, 1923-2010

If you, like me, are waiting for the Easter Vigil Service or for the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord on April 4, then part of your anticipation is to once more sing Worthy is the Lamb, better known as “This is the Feast of Victory.” Richard Hillert, who died at his home in Melrose Park, IL, wrote that favorite song of praise now contained in at least 30 worship books. I think one of the reasons that the services in Lutheran Worship, 1982, and Lutheran Book of worship, 1978, were readily accepted by many was Hillert’s Setting One of the Divine Service which he wrote. “This is the Feast,” was intended as an alternative hymn of praise, but is used more frequently, because it is a joyous hymn of praise.

Hillert was born on March 14, 1923 near Granton, WI. Granton is a small town about 20 miles from Marshfield where I serve in the 1980’s. I didn’t know Hillert was from Granton until I started to also serve the congregation as vacancy pastor. My wife’s teaching job was at Granton, where she also assistant girls basketball coach, though she never played basketball. Granton has always been a place we remember.

Hillert attended Concordia College (now university), at River Forest, IL. After graduation, he taught at Bethlehem Lutheran church, St. Louis and then was teacher and music director at Trinity, Wausau, WI. In 1959 he began teaching at his alma mater where he continued until he retired in 1993.

He wrote numerous hymn tunes and settings for hymns. Among those is the setting for Martin Franzmann’s hymn “Thy Strong Word.” It was the processional hymn at my graduation from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1967. He also wrote the setting for the 15^th century Christmas hymn, “Let our Gladness have no end. And the 14^th century hymn “Now Sing, We Now Rejoice.” He has a part in six songs in Evangelical Worship (ELCA) and eight Lutheran Service Book (LCMS).

Carl Schalk who met Hillert as a student and served with him in Wausau and River Forest said of him, “I think he was the most significant Lutheran church music composer of our generation. He was certainly one of the most important.”

His funeral was at 7 p.m., March 1 at grace Lutheran Church, River Forest.

What We do know enough to Say

2010-03-09T07:54:24-06:00

When Pontius Pilate’s military men,

armed with short sword and dagger

Sliced the flesh of the Galileans,

As in the temple they slit the throats of the sacrificial lambs,

Were these greater sinners than the other Romans and Galileans?

Jesus says: NO!

Was it God’s will that the blood of the sheep

Of His pasture mingle with the blood

Of the sheep of the pasture?

We don’t know enough to say.

When the eighteen lay crushed

amid the rubble of Siloam‘s tower,

Were these greater offenders than all the other Judeans?

Jesus says: NO!

Was it God’s will that Leeann Williamson should be run over while

Biking to work at the Albert Lea Hospital?

Was it God’s will that Marilyn Bertelson and Karen Menssen die of Leukemia?

Was it God’s will that these three thirty-something children of God

Leave nine of God‘s children motherless?

We don’t know enough to say.

Were these three greater debtors to God

than all the other residents of Albert Lea?

Jesus says: NO!

Was it God’s will that I cooperated with a tendency

in our family to diabetes and heart disease?

Was it God’s will that after walking a mile

To the hospital in Albert Lea,

That I rewarded myself with a donut?

We don’t know enough to say.

When I sinned against my pancreas and heart

Did this make me a greater sinner

Than all the rest?

Jesus says: NO!

The most uncomforting comfort

We can give

Is to say: “It was God’s will.”

We do know enough to say:

“It was the will of the Lord to crush him,”

And, “the will of the Lord shall proper in his hand.”

Jesus knew enough to say:

“Not as I will, but as you will.”

And, “This is the will of my Father, that

Everyone who looks on the son

And believes in him should have eternal life,

And I will raise him up on the last day.”

We do know enough to say: “It was God’s will.”

Jesus says: YES!

We all say: YES!

We do know enough to say:

“The Lord knows the way of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:6a)

Comics with a Message

2010-03-08T16:26:31-06:00

The Lutheran Review

Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs

2010-03-07T18:26:34-06:00

In the year 202/3 the Roman emperor Septimus Severus forbade citizens to convert to Christianity or Judaism. Perpetua, a noble woman with a new born son and Felicitas, her slave, who was also pregnant, were preparing for their baptism. They lived in Carthage; North Africa in what is now Tunisia. The two women and other companions were imprisoned and sentenced to death. Perpetua’s father was not a Christian and during his visits with her in begged her to renounce her Christian faith in order to spare her life and spare the family scorn. However, she responded, “We know that we are not placed in our own power but in that of God.”

Felicity was 8m months pregnant at the time of her arrest. The law prohibited the execution of a pregnant woman. She feared that she could not be martyred with her friends, but would have to wait until after the baby was born and then shed her blood with criminals. Three days before the games were to begin the whole group of Christians made common prayer to the lord. Hardly had they completed their prayers when labor pains began. She suffered much and groaned during the time leading up to the delivery. One of her jailers said to here, “if you groan like that now, what will you do when you are handed over to the wild animals which you have braved by refusing to sacrifice (to Caesar as god)?” Felicity replied, “Now it is I who am suffering what I am suffering. But there another will be in me who will suffer for me, because it is for him that I shall be suffering.” Felicity delivered a daughter who was adopted by another Christian woman.

Both Perpetua and Felicity were eventually martyred on March 7 along with three others.
Tertullian, a contemporary church leader in North Africa, wrote of their deaths. We ought to read these recent accounts no less that the older ones, so that new virtues also may testify that one and same Holy Spirit is always operating even until now, with God the Father Omnipotent, and His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord to whom belongs the glory and infinite power, forever and ever. Amen.

(Material is drawn from Sundays and Seasons, Treasury of Daily Prayer and How to Read Church History)

God's Glory in His Mercy

2010-03-06T22:00:05-06:00

Having Mercy is the Lord’s Glory

Like moths that are drawn to the light bulb or burning candle, we are attracted to the brilliance and shining splendor of glory. But unless moth is driven away by the heat of the bulb or the flame, it will be burned to death. Moses begged God to show him his glory. (Exodus 33:18ff) The Lord tells Moses that he will make his goodness pass before him and will proclaim before him his name. Yahweh declares that he will also gracious to whom he would be gracious and show mercy to whom he will show mercy. “But,” he said, “You cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live.” God directed Moses to stand on a certain rock and while his glory passed by, Yahweh hid Moses in the cleft in the rock and covered him with his hand. Once he had passed by, he would allow Moses to see his back but not his face.

The Collect for the third Sunday in lent reminds us that there is another side to God’s glory. We pray, “O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy…” God could have allowed Moses to see his face on the mountain, but Moses would have been fried to a crisp. God didn’t have to show off his glory. Rather he showed mercy to Moses and allowed him to live.

God’s glory in his mercy is shown to us in Jesus Christ. The glory of his mercy is not shown into our eyes, but into our hearts. John writes at the beginning of his Gospel that with the coming of the Word into flesh we have the light that enlightens the world. “And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father full of Grace and truth.” Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:9, “for God…has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Thus we are able to say that God’s glory is always to have mercy. Therefore, we ask that God would also be gracious to those who have strayed back into the darkness of unbelief. We ask that God would bring them to repentance and steadfast faith, so that they might put their arms around and hold on for dear life to the unchangeable truth of God’s Word.

It’s worth noting that we do not pray for ourselves in the Collect for this Sunday. We pray for the straying. If we look at the Introit, psalm 1:5 & 5:4-8, we see that the end of those who stray from the Lord’s ways has negative consequences. They perish and cannot dwell with the Lord, nor stand before him. Rather their end is destruction. Knowing this we do well to pray with sincere hearts filled not only with love for God but love for our fellow human beings that they like ourselves. might enter the Lord’s house through the abundance of his steadfast love shown in Christ.

Lent Marches On

2010-03-05T09:21:20-06:00

In my time at Zion, Albert Lea, MN, the pastor’s office overlooked the church’s driveway. I was fascinating in how, week by week, the lengthening days changed my view of the cars arriving for the Lenten service. One Wednesday I became so enthralled, that I hadn’t donned my alb, cross and purple stole, when the bell began ringing. I managed to get vested and into the chancel without any undue delay. But I digress. At the start of lent all I could see were floating headlights approaching up the driveway. Eventually, there came the week that I the autos took on a shape. By late lent, I was able to identify both the make and occupants of those autos.

Once more the church is out of step with the world as it was at Advent/Christmas, when we proclaimed the coming of the Light into the world, even as the light of the world dimmed toward the winter equinox. Now the world marches on toward increasing light, even as the church marches into growing darkness. The church ignores the lengthening days. Never mind that daylight saving time begins on March 14. The church has a greater day in mind. We are not about saving time, but saving people and redeeming the time. The church ignores the coming of spring on March 20, for we are moving toward the day when we celebrate Jesus’ springing from the grave.

However, first we must move toward the darkness until we come to that Friday when the darkness of noon announces creation’s mourning over what the darkness of our sin has caused God to do to His own Son. By the time the sun emerged at 3 pm, Jesus had entered into the darkness of death. As the light from that Friday failed again, he was taken from the cross and the Light of the world will be buried in the darkness of a tomb.

It will not be until Sunday morning when, as the sun is about to arise in the east, that the Son, the Light, rises from the grave marking the day true salvation, the time of everlasting life.

Lent is the time when we look at the darkness within ourselves to see more clearly those things in our lives that put Jesus into the darkness. But we do not do so in abject hopelessness. We look not only at ourselves, but as the author of Hebrews encourages us, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed-that exhilarating finish in and with God-he could put up with anything along the way, cross, shame, whatever.” (Message)

A Poem for the Day of a Tired Brain

2010-03-04T08:08:25-06:00

The Benefits of Ignorance

Hal Sirowitz

If ignorance is bliss, Father said,

Shouldn’t you be looking blissful?

You should check to see if you have

the right kind of ignorance. If you’re

not getting the benefits that most people

get from acting stupid, then you should

go back to what you always were-

being too smart for your own good.

(Good Poems, Garrison Keillor)

How long is Forever?

2010-03-03T09:22:07-06:00

How Long is Forever?

How long is forever? The time it takes a line of traffic to start moving? An afternoon class with a boring teacher? The last five minutes of a tight ballgame?

Forever for the inhabitants of Jerusalem in late 500’s BC it was the burned timbers and scorched rocks of the ruins of the temple. A hundred years before, God’s anger had burned against Jerusalem and the temple as he used the Babylonians to punish and carry into exile unfaithful Israel. They were the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand, but they had turned aside to feed on weeds instead of the green pastures of his word and blessing. Their shepherds, the kings, prophets and priests, had become wolves devouring God’s sheep rather than caring and protecting.

The temple had been destroyed in 587BC. Seventy years later the remnants of the exiles began to trickle back to Jerusalem. What they saw was a city and temple completely destroyed.

The main body of the Introit for the Second Sunday in Lent laments the destruction. Perhaps even in Babylon psalm 74 was sung on the anniversary of the temple’s destruction. Verses 1-3 present a dramatic picture. The psalmist melds two contrasting images, that of the burning anger of God and sheep grazing in a pasture. “O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?”

An image that stays with me is a photograph I saw several years ago on the wall of a restaurant along I-80 in Iowa. In the foreground, a herd of dairy cows was peacefully grazing. But in the distant background a tornado funnel was sweeping toward them. That is the kind of image the psalmist juxtaposes in verse I of the psalm.

God had been furious with the people; but now it’s time for God to get over it. He challenges God to remember the covenant he had made with the congregation of Israel. “You said in the time of Moses, ‘You are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession....’ You scattered us in your burning anger, now gather us and care for us like the shepherd you claim to be. Remember Zion is your home too.” The psalmist invites God, “direct yourself to these perpetual ruins.” “Come on take a look at what the enemy has done. He ‘has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.’ If you want us to properly worship you, then help us rebuild the temple.”

Rebuilding the building was not the long term answer. The second temple would be totally rebuilt into a tine structure by Herod. But even that temple was completely destroyed by the Romans in 70AD.

Jesus applies the first verse of the introit to himself, “for the zeal of your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” (Ps. 69:9) He is also the temple that would be destroyed, but with a difference. He would raise it up again in three days. (John 2:13-22)

Even though the church building in which we worship may seem like it’s been there forever, it will not last forever. Forever, is found in the words of Hebrew 12:2, the Gradual verse for Lent, “O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” That is how long forever is.

George Herbert

2010-03-02T11:10:58-06:00

Among the great English writers and poets of the early seventh century, we remember George Herbert who died on March 1, 1633. He was born into an aristocratic family which was distinguished for service to the English crown. His early intent was to become a priest in the Anglican Church. He excelled in languages and music. However, his scholarship came to the attention of King James I, who appointed him to parliament for two years. After the king’s death he was once more interested in being ordained. In 1630 he was assigned a small parish. He was faithful to his flock, providing care and bringing them the sacraments when they were ill and providing food and clothing to those in need.

He also wrote a manual for ministers of small parishes called, “The Country Parson.”

In the chapter entitled, the Parson’s Knowledge, he writes, “But the chief and top of his knowledge consists in the book of books, the storehouse and magazine of life and comfort, Holy Scriptures. There he sucks and lives.” He adds in the next chapter, “The Country Parson hath read the Fathers also, and the Schoolmen, and the later Writers, or a good proportion of all, out of all which he hath compile a book, and body of Divinity, which is the storehouse of his Sermons, and which he preacheth all his Life; but diversely clothed, illustrated, and enlarged.” So he proceeds through the life and duties of the Country Pastor covering how to lead worship, administer the sacraments, pray and conduct himself in his life.

Herbert also wrote innumerable poems. His poems “The altar” and “Easter Wings” are written in the shape of an altar and wings respectively. For the sake of space I will only include his shortest poem.

Ana-{ Mary } gram

{Army}

How well her name an Army doth present,

In whom the Lord of Hosts did pitch his tent!

One of his hymns is in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (816). The first stanza follows.

Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life

1. Come, my way, my truth, my life:

Such a way as gives us breath;

such a truth as ends all strife;

such a life as killeth death.

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

2010-03-01T09:02:42-06:00

When I was growing up, our pastor, Walter Braem, picked the common doxology for the closing hymn nearly every Sunday. We got tired of singiing it. but the hymn has remained with me all these years. My mother was the organist. Until the mid fifties, she played a foot pumped reed organ. I guess this is coming to mind today on what would have been my mother's 98th birthday.