Trinity 6 Sermon

 In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit +

    Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.  With those words our Lord set up what Peter would be doing.  And that phrase catching men is interesting.  We must be caught, rescued, pulled in – because apart from Christ Jesus we are trapped, trapped in sin and fear.  And there's a method, a pattern to how we are caught by Christ Jesus.  It is “Law and Gospel” - the Law shows us our sin, and the Gospel shows us Jesus our Savior who says, “Do not be afraid.”  Now, there is a problem with all this right off the bat.  As sinful people, we don't understand the point of God's Law.  When God speaks His law, it’s primary function isn’t to give us guidelines for life.  The law’s main purpose isn’t to tell us how to all get along and play nicely.  The law kills, the law shows us our sin, the law shows us that we have not been the people we were created to be.  But the temptation for us Christians is to forget this, and instead to look at God’s commands simply as a checklist of things to get done or as a yardstick to compare ourselves to our neighbor with.

    Jesus today shows us how to apply the law rightly.  This is part of the sermon on the mount, and Jesus is teaching those who thought that they were good people, people who slowly but surely began to trust in their own righteousness rather than the mercy and love of God.  So Jesus quickly and bluntly destroys all pride and arrogance.  Jesus looks at one commandment, the 5th Commandment, and shows them and us how we break it all the time in thought, in word, in deed.  Let us hear again His Word.

    You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.”  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.  I’m guessing that not many of you here today live in the fear that someday the cops will break down your door and arrest you for the murders you committed in your past.  Does that mean you get off scot free as regards the 5th Commandment?  Does that mean you get to stick your thumb in the pie of morality and say “What a good boy am I?”  Jesus says no.  When you are reading the bible and you hear Jesus say, “But I say to you” you need to pay attention, because then Jesus is going to point out something important.  The 5th commandment isn’t just about putting a dagger in someone’s heart or bashing their brains in, it’s about your thoughts and attitude.  Everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.  Your thoughts matter.  When God says that we are not to murder folks, that isn’t just about playing nicely, it speaks to our thoughts.  So often we rage and roar at our brother, our neighbor.  How is our anger showing love and compassion for our neighbor as we ought?  Does your anger help you love them, or are you withholding love and service because of that anger?  Doesn't that withholding harm them?

    But Jesus warns not only against sins in thoughts here, but also our words.  Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council.  Words have power, words have definite power to harm, to injure, to kill.  We know this, we’ve been insulted before, we’ve all crept out of a room in shame, someone’s harmful words echoing in our ears.  Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.  We all know that’s a lie – maybe that’s why we repeat it so often, so that we can pretend that we don’t feel the pain, so that we can pretend that we don’t cause pain with our words.  But we do.  Jesus simply points that out here.

    And finally, Jesus also says and whoever says “you fool” will be liable to the hell of fire.  Now this is an interesting example.  The word here is an ancient Hebrew swear word, a base insult, and when this was said in anger, it generally would be accompanied by a crude and obscene gesture.  So what Jesus is talking about here is letting anger be shown in action.  He’s talking about the equivalent of flipping someone the bird or shaking your fist in anger – those moments where our anger is so strong that it even boils over into our gestures and actions.  Where it affects our deeds.  And we might try to whitewash our actions – so I got a little hot, at least I didn’t beat the guy up.  Well, that’s good.  Jesus says gritting your teeth and clenching your fist at him is worthy of hell, I hate to think what striking a person in anger is worthy of, to say nothing of actually seriously injuring him. 

    And so, with these few verses, you have Jesus pointing out very simply how we break the 5th commandment all the time in thought, word, and deed.  This is why we say “I have sinned in thought, word, and deed” in our confession – it’s to remind us that our lives are filled with sin, filled with ways in which we don’t think, speak, or do as we ought.  And this is just one commandment.  Actually, in the next few verses after our Gospel Jesus deals with the 6th Commandment.  We could sit here and look at any of the 10 we heard in the Old Testament and look at them this way. But this is sufficient for today.  The Law of God, when used properly, will always show us our sin, will show us that we are worthy of punishment.

    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.  I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.  No, Jesus doesn’t do away with the law, in spite of what some Christians want to say.  The fact that there’s a Jesus doesn’t mean now we do whatever we want.  The fact that Jesus loves the woman at the well doesn’t mean adultery is okay, the fact that Jesus loves Peter doesn’t mean that blasphemy is okay.  Jesus doesn’t do away with the law.  There still is right and wrong, and we in the Church must be bold and blunt in saying what is right and what is wrong.  We are to be on the guard against sin at all times – Jesus reminds us of this – the law is not abolished.

    But my friends, it is fulfilled.  Christ Jesus has fulfilled the law in thought, word, and deed.  He is the One who does precisely what He is supposed to.  Christ Jesus, True God and True Man lived and lives perfectly and without sin.  God has seen to it that Man does fulfill the law in the Person of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  There it is.  The simple fact that we can talk about Jesus, the fact that the Son decides to become Man shows us that His every thought is focused on fulfilling the Will of God.  But Jesus’ fulfillment is not just one of thought, but also word.  Jesus is the one who truly loves His neighbor in His Words.  He is the One who speaks to Lazarus, Lazarus, come forth.  He is the One who says to love your enemies.  He is the One who cries out upon the Cross “Father, forgive them.”  With His every Word Christ Jesus, the True Word of God fulfills the Law, says what is right and God pleasing.  And Jesus is the One who does what is right – He feeds the hungry, He heals the ill – and of course the great example.  He goes to the Cross not for His own benefit, not for His own good, but for your benefit.  There upon the Cross Christ Jesus fulfills the law for you.  He takes your sin upon Himself and He fulfills the Law – there upon the Cross He suffers the punishment of the law.  The Law is fulfilled when Christ becomes guilty in your place and dies.

    And as that happens, Christ becomes your righteousness.  Christ Jesus gives to you His own holiness and righteousness and says, “See, this is yours now, it belongs to you.”  Now, when God sees you He no longer sees a law breaker – That's what God sees upon the Cross – the One who knew no sin become sin for us.  And so God calls you to Faith, puts into your minds and thoughts Christ Jesus and Him alone, teaches you to cling to the Cross and Christ’s righteousness alone.  And How does God do this, how does God build up this faith in you?  By Word and Deed, or, as we normally say, by Word and Sacrament.  This is why we have the Gospel preached, dear friends – to create and sustain faith.  That your hearts and minds would be on Christ Jesus our Lord.  By His Word God grasps a hold of your sinful minds and turns them towards Him, brings you to look at the Cross.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit, coming through the Word, keeping you in the One true faith.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit in His gift of Baptism.  Did you hear how Paul talks about Baptism what it does?  It buries you to sin, it unites you to Christ, it sets you free, it gives you new life in Christ.  Baptism is God at work, God doing stuff for you.  God attaches His Word to a few drops of water and works faith and forgiveness in you.  To sustain and renew that faith, Christ calls you to His Table to feed you with His Body and Blood – see what Christ does for you – see how tireless He is in bringing you the forgiveness that He won upon the Cross.  He gives you His own Body which was broken upon the tree for you, His own Blood shed when the spear tore His side.  Here, at this altar, God connects you to Calvary; you are partakers in Christ’s death so that you will be partakers also of His resurrection.  This is what God does to give you forgiveness, to keep you in the One true faith.  His righteousness for you far surpasses any human righteousness indeed!

    And so know what happens in this life.  You are going to be attacked by sin, by temptations, by anger and disdain.  And your own sinful flesh will be tempted to downplay God's Law and to justify yourself and your own sinful actions.  Jesus will have none of that.  His Holy Spirit will use the law rightly upon you, to show you to depth of your sin and bring you to repentance.  But then the Spirit will show you Jesus, that His love for you is deeper than your sin, and that His righteous life, suffering, and death has covered and removed all your sin, and that in Christ your righteousness abounds because it is Christ's righteousness.  You are caught up in Christ's righteousness now and for all eternity.  Your sins are strong, but Christ is even stronger for you. Amen.  In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

   

Trinity 5 Sermon

 

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

There's a beautiful little transition in our lectionary – the set of readings that we go through in the Church year. Last week we heard Jesus say, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” And then this week we get the calling of the first disciples. In the Old Testament lesson we even get Elijah the great prophet calling forth Elisha to be the next prophet. So the theme of the day would appear to be making disciples. Now, normally what I do when this week comes around is I spend a lot of time looking at the disciple – at Peter. However, rather than pondering Peter and His reactions (which often are like ours), let's ponder this – everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Let's look specifically at Jesus in this text and see what we learn about Him.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on [Jesus] to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and He saw two fishing boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, He asked him to put out a little from the land. Alright, so what do you make of Jesus here? What's He like? Well, we come across Jesus in the middle of a sermon, and there's a problem – people are pressing in, it's getting crowd. The simple, practical reality is that it's getting hard for people to hear. Now, I know this might be hard for you people of Trinity to believe, but 2000 years ago people would have been fighting to sit up front – well, to stand up front. It was a crowd milling around, jostling – and when you have a crowd pressing, it's just harder to hear. So, Jesus is preaching, and He wants to be heard, so He hops in a boat – Jesus turns that shoreline and crowd into a natural amphitheater so that everyone can hear.

What is Jesus like? Well, He wants people to hear the Word of God and believe. That's His focus, that's His priority. Jesus isn't hopping in the boat because He loves boat rides. He isn't hopping in that boat because He likes annoying Peter and giving Him more work. The focus is upon giving the Word of God to those that hear. Do you see how Jesus accommodates the crowd that has gathered – He acts in such a way so that they all would hear and believe. Or in other words, Jesus loves His neighbors – He thinks about the good of that crowd. Fair enough.

But what of loving Peter? Poor, tired Peter. And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let your nets down for a catch.” Yes, Jesus had focused on the crowd, but now His attention shifts to Simon Peter, to one person. Even as Jesus had focused on the crowd, He also sees the individual. And there's Peter, tired, worn, frustrated – we toiled all night and took nothing! There's a frustrated cry, if ever there was one. And what comes next – the miraculous catch of fish. Do you see what Jesus is doing here? He is tending to Peter, He is providing for Peter. Jesus provides for Peter in a way that Peter cannot expect, isn't aware of, and possibly doesn't think is a good idea. Yet that doesn't stop Jesus – the fact that Peter doesn't understand (yet) doesn't stop Jesus. Jesus just remains patient and kind, directing, instructing, tending to Peter.

Then, of course, comes the miraculous catch. The boat is swamped, Simon Peter's co-workers begin to rush out to help pull in the catch – there's going to be an abundance, there's frantic energy, but in the middle of this Peter stops – But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' Peter is terrified – He has just seen the finger of God at work, worked by this man Jesus whom Peter had been perhaps a little short with. This is the sort of situation that would get people killed in the Old Testament even accidentally – therefore leave me, go away Jesus, this isn't safe for me. And now our Lord's reaction – Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. So what is Jesus like? Well, He remains calm, and Jesus is comforting, but Jesus doesn't placate Peter. He doesn't follow Peter's requests to leave – instead Jesus knows what He is going to do, and even what He is going to have Peter do. All throughout this Jesus remains focused on the task – the task will be the catching of men – the task will be delivering the good news of the salvation that Jesus Himself will win with His death and resurrection unto the world. And Jesus will spread this Gospel not just by using Peter's boat, but by using Peter himself, his own life, and through Peter Jesus will have His Gospel preached throughout Judea, even to Rome, and through the Epistles that Peter wrote, even unto us this very day.

What do you see when you see Jesus here? You see your Lord and Savior who is determined to make disciples, who is determined to see that the Gospel is proclaimed. Yes, Jesus overcomes lack and bad days at work; yes, Jesus provides abundantly – but that's all just a matter of course. That's just evidence that He is in fact God made Man, the Messiah. The point for Jesus is always winning salvation for you and seeing that salvation delivered unto you. Or in other words, you see Jesus's steadfast love, His forever-enduring mercy being acted out here.

Now to ponder. We see who Jesus is – what stops us from seeing this Jesus always? What tries to get in our way, what tries to obscure Jesus from us, from hearing and remembering and speaking that Good News that He has spoken to us? Well, what was hindering Peter – what was getting between Peter and hearing Jesus – because Peter's right in the middle of the miracle here, and he doesn't see right away. Peter is frustrated, for work, for life in the world hasn't gone well. It's been hard and not all it's cracked up to be, and the simple tasks of life distract him and keep him away from Jesus – at least until Jesus literally pulls Peter back onto his boat. Isn't this the same way things go today – isn't this the same sort of trial you see and live all the time? The week goes on, things go poorly, there's even just general busy-ness – and in the midst of that, Jesus and His preaching get pushed off to the side, maybe not utterly forgotten but just overlooked, not applied to the moment? And understand that Satan would have Jesus be pushed ever more and more to the side, and further and further away – yet what has Jesus done? He's pulled you back into the boat – literally, look up – you're sitting in the part of the church building called “the nave” - the boat, the ark. Jesus pulls you away from the busy-ness of your life and brings you His Word again.

And then there's the work that Jesus sets Peter to. It's a normal, typical thing Peter is asked to do – to fish. He is a fisherman. Perhaps the time is strange, but the action wouldn't be. And Peter laments and whines – as frankly we so often do when we are called upon to live our own vocations that God has placed us into. The Catechism instructs that we are to consider our place in life; dimes to donuts you complained or lamented something normal and typical to your life this past week. And yet, what does Jesus do – He blesses Peter. He blesses you. He provides for Peter; He provides for you. Simply, straightforwardly, in and through the vocations that He has given you. Even this miracle is accomplished in a typical fashion – you fish, I'll bless you via fishing. Whereas we can disdain the simple things of our lives, our normal callings – Jesus doesn't. Jesus knows that your vocations, your callings, your stations in life, these are all gifts to you where by He provides for your needs and also gives you opportunities to serve God in God pleasing ways. Our flesh would forget this fact, but Jesus doesn't, and even when you're grumbly He still uses your vocations for your good and for the good of the neighbor.

And then there's the end – Jesus will not depart from Peter. Jesus won't leave Peter alone. When Peter is aware of his own sinfulness, when Peter becomes aware that he is not worthy to receive such great and marvelous things from God, Peter becomes fearful. And Jesus forgives him. Away with that fear – “Do not be afraid” is a word of forgiveness. Yes, your sins are great, Peter – but so is My forgiveness and salvation. No, Peter, you are not worthy of these things, but Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, and He chooses to be with you and bless you because of His love for you. Likewise, fear can drive you – fear of your sin, fear of death. And these are fearful things – but they don't stop Jesus from being Jesus for you. Instead, even to this day, here in this place Jesus declares your sin forgiven, declares peace unto you, gives Himself to be with you in His holy Supper. The sins, the fears that would keep you from this place and from the presence of Jesus – Jesus forgives those.

That is who your master is, O disciple. And know what Jesus is doing. In His forgiving of you, in His mercy, He is making you like Himself. His peace makes you to be full of peace, His mercy to you makes you to be full of mercy, His patience makes you to be patient – and indeed, we could go through all the fruit of the Spirit and see that these are all things Jesus gives to you and then works in you through the Holy Spirit. Yes, in this life you still struggle with sin and your flesh – yet Jesus still is working for you. And come the day when you die, when the scariest threat snaps shut – so be it. Christ the Crucified will be there, and He will give you new life, and you will be raised, and lo and behold you will be fully trained, fully like your teacher Jesus for all eternity. In the meantime, we live in Christ's word, over and against the tricks of Satan that would wrest you away from the Word of God. Jesus catches you, brings you back to Himself again and again – He will even open your lips so that He catches other people through you – and together we live in Christ's love even until He comes again and we see Him face to face freed from fear and sinning. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Trinity 4 Sermon

 

Trinity 4 – Luke 6:36-42 – July 1^st and 2^nd, 2023

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

So last week Jesus reminded us that “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This is vital for us to understand, that God rejoices over forgiveness. That God actually wants sinners, sinners like your neighbor and also sinners like you, forgiven. And today we get a text that explains precisely why God wants sinners forgiven, and that is this: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Thus far the text.

So what does this mean? What does it mean to be “merciful” here? The idea is that God likes mercy, that He seeks to show mercy. He takes pity upon people and has compassion upon them. It's not just that God is willing to let a grudge go if you ask Him nicely or kowtow before Him and appease Him – it is that when God sees the sad, messed up state of the world and the people therein, He wants to show mercy and compassion. Think about God coming upon Adam and Eve in the garden after they've sinned – God doesn't grab Adam by the scruff of the neck and start shaking – the LORD deals with them gently and calmly. Or in the rest of the Old Testament, God actually is quite gentle and delicate with people – the whole tabernacle set up was about how sinful people could safely be with God because God isn't really keen on wanton destruction. We think of the Old Testament as full of fire and brimstone, but it's not really. The only time that happens is after several warnings when people are basically literally begging for destruction and for the LORD to abandon them. Even Pharaoh got nine plagues before the tenth one hit. God isn't really out to just get people – He loves the world.

And then, you've got the New Testament. How often does Christ show compassion? How often is He gentle? He'll be patient with Pharisees even when they are messing with Him. About the only time we see Jesus angry is when people are messing with the temple, when they turn His house of prayer to a den of robbers. Even when being Crucified, Jesus calls out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Of course He does – that's what being merciful looks like. That's taking pity on people trapped in sin and death – that's what Jesus comes to rescue you from. First and foremost is this – God is merciful.

So understand what Satan is trying to do to you. Understand how the world and your sinful flesh will attack you. They want you, above all things, to forget that God is merciful. As soon as Adam and Eve sin, they hide – they forget God's mercy. They don't seek forgiveness (no one seeks God, not one) – but rather they run away from God and simply wait to die. That's Satan's plan, that's his desire – to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. That is our default as sinful human beings. And even though you know that God is merciful, the temptations are going to be bombarding you from without and from within to forget that God is merciful.

This is why we hear Jesus next say – Judge not, and you will not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. That's not the way the game is played today. Isn't the world full of snap judgments and calls for condemnation? Do you not realize what that is? It's not just politics, it's not just business as usual – it is a spiritual attack leveled upon you by the Devil to twist you away from God and His mercy. It is Satan trying to warp your mind to where you only critique and complain and condemn your neighbor and thus utterly forget and abandon God and His mercy. When you see your neighbor stuck in sin, you get driven to forsake mercy, abandon any efforts at helping, and rather to condemn, to pile on, to hurt and destroy. Do you see them just as an enemy to be defeated, or someone trapped in sin in dire need of rescue? And the thing is, that judgment, that loathing that you feel towards them... Satan will slowly twist it towards you where it becomes self-loathing followed with denial and bluster and pretend while life becomes more and more miserable. This is what we see all around, this is even what Satan is trying to do to you, to your own heart.

But Pastor, isn't God the judge? Well, yes – but what sort of judge is He? Is God out to throw the book at everyone, or does He desire to write your name in the book of Life? Does He go over everything with a harsh, fine tooth comb, or does He rather desire to cover everything, all of your sin, with the blood of Christ Jesus shed upon the Cross? Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. That's how the LORD seeks to judge, that's the wisdom of His judgments. Yes, you sin – but I will be your God and I will rescue you from sin and I will forgive and restore and raise you to new life. Does your anger, does your disdain towards your neighbor, towards your self, point you to your Merciful God? No. For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

On the contrary, the righteousness of God, what God deems to be the good and right and proper thing to do is to throw everything under the cross of Christ Jesus and forgive. Forgive, and you will be forgiven: give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. The point is forgiveness. For you, for them, for all. If anyone knows not the the forgiveness of Christ Jesus, it's a tragedy. But Pastor, what about the For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Yeah, what about it? There's forgiveness in Christ, rich forgiveness. If you live in Christ, that's what you receive, that's what you give – forgiveness will dominate your life. If not – you're trapped in the rat race, the scrum, the cruel game out there in the world where it's nothing but anger, animosity, and condescension. Jesus isn't telling you to go out and give it to “those people” - He's telling you that judgment like that is dumb and to flee from it. The point of the Church actually, truly, really is forgiveness – even though Satan does His damnedest to make you forget forgiveness.

Which leads to our brief parable – Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? To forget that Jesus forgives is to be blind, and without forgiveness all you do is end up in the pit, end up in hell. That's just the reality. And if you blind yourself to forgiveness when dealing with your neighbor, you'll never lead them anywhere good, you'll just wreck the both of you. Rather – a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. That “fully trained” is an interesting idea – it's fully refreshed, fully restored, fully up to speed. This is what Christ Jesus does to you – He forgives you, He refreshes and restores and renews you with His forgiveness - for your good, yes, but also for your neighbor's good – so that you will be one who forgives them.

And this whole premise of forgiveness is wrapped up thusly – How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye?” You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. You can't forgive unless you've been forgiven. You can't deal with your neighbor rightly unless you deal with them as someone who is forgiven by Christ, as someone who lives in and from Christ's forgiveness. Otherwise instead of cleaning the neighbor's eye, it will just return to that old eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth fight and clamor.

So no – remember and know your own sinfulness. Know your own log. Know how great it is – and then know how Christ Jesus deals with that sin – by dying for it. By shedding His blood for it. By washing it way from you in the waters of Holy Baptism. That's who you are – a baptized child of God, forgiven and redeemed! You're one Christ Jesus has rescued from the hypocritical judgment games of the world – and the result of this is that you see clearly now. If the Holy Spirit reveals to you your neighbor's sin, that's not so that you can crush them, not so that you will know where to stick the knife in – no – the log is out of your eye and you can see so that you know where forgiveness needs to be applied, where forgiveness needs to be given.

This is what we pray for (as we've been instructed to) in the Lord's Prayer – forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Get rid of our logs, O Lord, that we may tend to our neighbor's speck! The two ideas are tied – you receive forgiveness so that you become an instrument of God where by your neighbor receives forgiveness as well. That's the chief, the highest form of love for the neighbor that God works and increases in you – that's the point. Of course it is – because that's who Jesus is. Jesus is determined to forgive you – He came not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him! Jesus came to rescue you – and He has in your Baptism, He does so again and again in the preaching of His Word, in His Supper. Over and over He wrests your eyes away from the stupid fights of the world and forgives your sins and pulls all the cruft and junk out of your eyes. Because He is merciful – because that's what He actually wants to do.

My dear friends in Christ, you are surrounded by such satanic and demonic hate and rage and twistedness – and your Lord knows that this is the case. This is why He forgives you again and again, to rescue you, to restore you, to prepare you to be His voice of forgiveness unto people who desperately need it. And He knows this is messy, so He will forgive you again and again here in His House. Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, and His mercy endureth forever. Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +