Weedon's Blog

Meet the Other Synod

2009-07-11T14:50:00.007-05:00

I've been pondering how to put this into words and fear I shall fail, but nothing tried, nothing gained. What I saw in San Antonio was "the other Synod." The one that tends to be ignored in the official press of our Church, and in the litter of blogdom. As a friend replied to an earlier post, some Districts won't even commend or mention HT because it's not an recognized service organization of Synod.

We major so much in all that's gone crazy - and I do not mean in the least to diminish the seriousness of what HAS gone wrong. I sat at dinner one night with two pastors who have been dismissed from their churches for no just cause; and listened to a friend whose parish is no longer in Synod. The official Synod, the plastic Synod that seeks to be an imitation of dying Evangelicalism with its big personalities and their "ministries," LCMS, Inc. that is all caught up in itself with its bylaws and handbook, is all too real, alas.

But so is this other Synod, where the youth learn their heritage as nothing to be ashamed of or to hide; where they "dare to be Lutheran" and sing the faith with gusto in our hymns and liturgy. Where pastors toil on in some truly grievous situations all for the joy of imparting to these young folk the unshakable hope that is ours in the Gospel; where their parents and youth leaders want to make sure they know the joy of being a Lutheran Christian.

If at times we are tempted to feel the hopelessness of it all, like Samwise and Frodo headed into Morder, there are times we can look up and say: "A light! Look, Mr. Frodo, it's not all going his way!" Higher Things provides such a light. A time of hope for the future of our church and for the young people who, coming to know and love the Gospel of Christ, will, by that Gospel, be strengthened to carry forward a heritage that serves that Gospel and seeks to impart it to others. An army of future Lutheran laity who will not be sold a bill of goods or trade in their rich heritage for a lousy bowl of evangelical pottage because they will not be robbed of Christ alone, faith alone, grace alone, Scripture alone. They're out there! I've seen and met them.

Often unsung and not terribly flashy, the other Synod is, I would posit, our true future. It will outlast the other, the plastic Synod, for its strength is the Gospel, the gifts of the Lord; and living from His gracious giving, it lives unassailably in Christ. So, ne desperemus et soli Deo gloria!

ANOTHER Must Buy

2009-07-11T13:59:00.002-05:00

I just picked this up at the CPH table at Higher Things, but knew it would be great. It has not disappointed: To Live with Christ: Daily Devotions by Bishop Bo Giertz. Another CPH homerun I'm afraid. Aren't they getting bored yet with hitting them out of the field?

New Lutheran Quote of the Day

2009-07-11T13:52:00.002-05:00

In the form of this one man [our Lord], who lived and died for His human brothers before the invisible God in an undivided form, the original commandment, written into the hearts and consciences of all from the beginning, again stepped bodily out of all sinful deformations and demonic distortions. -- Albrecht Peters, *Ten Commandments* p. 79

Patristic Quote of the Day

2009-07-11T13:51:00.001-05:00

Woe is he who knowingly chooses to sin with the intention to repent when morning comes, for he knows not what the coming day or the night that precedes it will bring. -- St. Ephraim the Syrian, *A Spiritual Psalter* #142

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

2009-07-11T13:50:00.001-05:00

God's kingdom is one of forgiveness. It is where we receive boundless forgiveness and forgive without reflecting on our own perception of righteous justice. -- Bishop Bo Giertz, *To Live With Christ* p. 449

Huge Thanks

2009-07-11T13:29:00.003-05:00

to Pr. Gregory and Jamie Truwe and to Larry and Wanda Laxson for hosting us during our stay in San Antonio. We asked the Laxsons - natives both of San Antonio - for their recommendation of the best authentic Mexican food in the area. They sent us to the Picante Grill. We ate there on Thursday evening and it was truly wonderful! We had Rajas Poblanas for an appetizer. Bekah tried a duck dish; Cindi a goat dish; and I feasted on Chile en Nogada. We finished up for dessert with Xango. The old bod did not appreciate the carb overload, but we figured: how often do we get to San Aton? Now we're doing low-carb penance (aka induction!).

Trinity 5 Homily and Intercessions

2009-07-11T13:13:00.003-05:00

[1 Kings 19:11-21 / 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 / Luke 5:1-11]

Elijah: “I’ve been faithful; your people have not. I’m the only one left around these parts worshipping You, and I’m so done. I am through. Take me home. It’s over.”

God: “You’re so not done. Here’s what I have for you to do next. Give Syria a new king; give Israel a new king; and train up the prophet who will replace you. You’re not done till I say you’re done. And by the way, your math is off. I’ve still got 7,000 left even in this idolatrous land of Israel who have not been faithless to me. Let me take care of the results, you just do what I tell you. Now, get moving. Vacation over.”

God’s ways just don’t seem to make a whole lot of sense to us so much of the time. Especially His delight in working through weakness, through what certainly appears to be failure and foolishness. But such is His way. He delights in forking over salvation through the word of the cross, rescuing people by the proclamation of a crucified Christ as God’s power and God’s wisdom - at work mightily saving those who believe.

So there’s Simon Peter, whose boat that Christ (who is both the power and wisdom of God) had absconded with for a pulpit. As Peter and the others listen to Jesus, they are busy at work: washing nets, mending them, putting them away. A long night of work out on the lake had netted them zero. They’d come up empty and they couldn’t even go home to their rest because of the man who had taken over the boat. And now that He’s finished speaking, He’s got a bright idea. “Put out in the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Can you see Peter give Andrew the look; James and John giving Peter the “oh no” sign. Peter looks up from the nets, nicely stowed away, and sighs: “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” A not unusual experience for those who toil under the burden the curse: “thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.” How many are the times YOU’VE poured effort and toil into something only to have it come up empty or worse? You know something of Peter’s frustration then.

Like Elijah, Peter was trying to say: “I’m through. We’re done. We want to go home. It’s over.” His sheepish look added a “please.” Like Yahweh speaking to Elijah, Jesus gives Peter an answer with a look that says: “No, sir. It’s not over till I say it’s over. Didn’t I tell you what to do?”

Peter meets that look and lowers his eyes, admitting defeat: “At your Word, then, I will let down the nets.” With a groan, knowing how foolish, how pointless it was to drop nets in broad daylight in the sight of the fish. With perhaps more than a tad of resentment over a land-loving Rabbi giving fishermen marching orders. With certainly zero expectation of a catch.

And then it happened. The Lord of the sea commands his fish and they swarm the nets. Not one or two, not three or four, schools upon schools swimming into the nets till the the nets are snapping and tearing. James and John in the other boat swamped too. Fish flip flopping every which way, glistening in the sun. And joy turns to terror.

Simon Peter realizes that there’s more here than can be possibly explained by the smarts of man or the power of humanity. In Jesus, he’s come face to face with a wisdom and a power at work that can only belong to God Himself. And he had so doubted what he’d been told to do. So he’s shamed and terrified, and in the presence of that awful holiness he drops to his knees and bends his head and mutters: “Go away. Go away, Lord. Leave me. I’m a sinful man. You don’t want to be hanging around the likes of me.”

How right and how wrong. Peter was a sinful man. Just like you. Just like me. Always thinking he knew better than God, wiser than God, stronger than God; doubting the power of God’s Word to deliver what it promises. How foolish! And when he’s brought face to face with his own folly, he thinks God can’t want anything to do with the likes of a doubter like him. He hasn’t a clue. You or me either. For that’s not true. Not true at all.

And so Jesus says to Simon, to James and John and those with them, to you and to me: “Don’t be afraid." Which is to say: Don’t be afraid, I didn’t come into the flesh to destroy you. I came to save you - to save you in a way that you might think foolish, but it will do the job! I came save you and keep you in company with Me, the One who will walk the way of weakness and powerlessness even to death on a cross and then you’ll see that my foolish weakness is the greatest power that ever existed! All your wisdom and power will crumble before the might of My cross as I bear your sins to death - all of them, including your doubts about me and how I work in this world. I’ll cover them all with my own blood so that you will live with Me forever in My unending life - for dead I shall not remain. After I die and make my life an offering for sin, I shall live again in a life that is forever beyond the grip of the grave and that life I will share with you, I will put into you. And then I’ve got some work for you to do. No more fish to catch. It will be people you’ll be netting instead - netting with the word of the triumph of my cross, netting with the water that gives new birth and the bread and wine that hide and are my own body and blood giving out forgiveness. Oh, they look so weak and so foolish, like a man hanging dead on a tree, but that’s how I will make you share in my victory over sin, death, and Satan! Don’t be afraid. Come, live with me.

And off they went, then, just as Elisha followed Elijah burning his bridges (that is, his oxen!), so Peter, James and John walked away that day from their livelihood and found in the presence of Jesus the wisdom and the power of God.

So when you’re fed up, discouraged and ready to throw in the towel, and you say to God: “I’m done. I’m through. It’s over” - don’t freak out when he says to you: “No, it’s not over till I say it’s over. You do the task I've bidden and leave the results to Me. I’ve got more work for you to do. Come, live with me and I’ll show you. Don’t be afraid. I’ve got you and you’re mine - and I love you. Here: grab hold the net, my story, my Gospel. You toss it in right there where you live and work, and don’t make the mistake of thinking it weak. It will bring up a pile of men for my kingdom. You’ll see. Let’s get going. We’ve got some boats to fill.” Amen.

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Brief Silence.

O God of our salvation, hear our prayers for Your Church, that faithfully casting the Gospel net of the Crucified and Risen Lord, she may toil with zeal to catch multitudes for the Kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, R.

God of our hope, remember all Church workers who struggle with depression and anxiety when they see little or no fruit from their labors. Grant them steadfast trust in Your Word and encouragement through Your unfailing promises. Lord, in Your mercy, R.

O Lord God of hosts, remember our nation and its leaders. Strengthen and uphold them in every good deed; and surround with Your compassion on all who serve in our armed forces, especially Aaron and Dan. Lord, in Your mercy, R.

Give ear, O God of Jacob, to our prayers for those who cry out to You in difficult circumstances: the lonely and frightened, the unemployed and homeless, the sick and the dying, and especially those who have asked our prayers: Alice, Chloe, Janet, Aaron, Yvonne, Julie, Kaylee, Ryton, Betty, Glenn, Jerry, Rick, Ray, Elizabeth, Ruth, Rolene, Alfred, Florene, Susie, Al, Mary, Lois, Kari, John, Beth, Eldon, Lynn, Debbie, Joanne, Pat, Sophia, Bill, Don, Donald, Sam, and Ray. Give to each the comfort and joy that come from You alone. Lord, in Your mercy, R.

O Lord, You are our light and our salvation, and You set a feast before us that we might know Your forgiveness, taste Your kindness, and live in You forevermore. Grant us repentant faith to welcome the gift of the Savior’s body and blood to our salvation and abundant blessing. Lord, in Your mercy, R.

Join our prayers and praises with those of Your faithful people of every time and place and unite them in the ceaseless petitions of our great High Priest until He comes in power and great glory as victorious Lord of all. Through Him, with Him and in Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all power and glory are Yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.

Random San Antonio Pics...

2009-07-11T09:30:00.004-05:00

A real treat in San Antonio was catching up with a long-time internet friend Helen Jensen (pictured with Cindi and me). I am still totally amazed at her wall of honey story! We learned about about bees also from Pr. Kent Heimbigner, who has taken up the craft as well. It was so good to see so many friends from all around the country and looking forward to a similar joy in Michigan in a couple weeks - hopefully not as hot as San Antonio?

Some Higher Things Reflections - San Antonio

2009-07-11T08:51:00.004-05:00

Years ago, Pr. Klem Preus made the observation that Americans like to worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship. At Higher Things the motto has been that when we worship, we worship; when we work, we work; when we play, we play. It's been a liberating and guiding principle.

Just having gotten back from Sola - San Antonio, let me offer the following random reflections:

* The worship - WOW. Just WOW. Wonderful, graceful, reverent liturgists. Loemker on the organ, the special music provided by the young people, the young folk belting out the hymns, the reverence during the services, and last but not least, the clarity of Gospel proclamation. Wow, wow, wow! Dare to be Lutheran indeed!

* The heat - WOW. Just WOW. We've decided that San Antonio - wonderful place that it is - is located right next door to hell and someone left the door open. I think it topped out at 106 on Thursday under a bright, sunny sky. I think we all just got used to smelling.

* The teaching opportunities - WOW. Just WOW. I was amazed at the variety of sectionals and break-aways presented and how frustrating not to be able to catch more of them!

* The organization - WOW. Just WOW. How on earth do the Higher Things folk pull this off? Prs. Borghardt, Cwirla, Buetow, Kuhlmann, Deaconess Ostapowich, Gina and her crew, Jon and Stan - you folks are pros! Down to the last detail, thought through and well planned and executed.

* The commitment - WOW. Just WOW. I felt downright guilty that I had NOT been a leader in organizing and getting my own parish youth to attend. Pastor after pastor had given up a week for the sake of letting their youth experience what a wonderful thing our Lutheran faith is and how we can celebrate and rejoice in it. Hold me to this, folks, but I am inspired and committed. Next summer I will be at GIVEN. And I'll be bringing some youth along with me. I can't wait!!!

More later, I'm sure...

Home!

2009-07-10T22:43:00.002-05:00

And some 16 hours later, we climb out of the car. I have a lot to post about our trip and the Higher Things Conference, but it will have to wait for tomorrow. Thanks be to God that we made the long journey there and back with no difficulties whatsoever - and thanks for the prayers, those of you who were praying!

Homily for Trinity 4

2009-07-05T20:36:00.001-05:00

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is really giving a variant on the golden rule. Not just, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Instead: “Do unto others as you would have your heavenly Father do unto you.”

Do you want God not to judge and condemn you? Then don’t you judge and condemn others. Do you want God to forgive your sins and give you richly all things to enjoy? Then you let go those grudges and put stinginess far from you. That’s the gist of the Gospel today.

But there’s something inside of us that doesn’t like this Gospel one little bit. Something inside of us that very much LIKES judging and condemning others. Something inside of us that is very reluctant to let go of wrongs suffered; something that enjoys playing the scene repeatedly in our mind’s eye to fan the flames of resentment and keep the bitterness burning. There is something inside that thinks Jesus surely got it reversed when he said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

That something inside is the old Adam. Why does the old Adam like to judge and condemn others? Because he’s filled with pride. He thinks better of himself than he has a right to! And the one sure way he has of bolstering himself up is to point out, condemn and gossip about the failings of others. And why does the old Adam want to hold grudges and refuse to let go the wrongs he’s suffered? Because he thinks in his heart of hearts that if he doesn’t look out for #1, who will? We’ll just be doormats that others will wipe their feet on. The old Adam does not trust that vengeance is the Lord’s and that He will repay, as Paul taught in today’s epistle. And why is the old Adam stingy? Because he doesn’t trust the Father to provide for his every need. He’s always thinking that it’s all up to him and that it’s his hard work that has earned every penny and why on earth should he give any of it away to those who haven’t worked as hard as he?

Does that old fellow sound familiar? He should. He lives inside of you and me. And he wants to be our boss. He wants to rule our lives.

But we have been claimed by Another, haven’t we? We have been marked with the sign of the cross and we belong to the New Adam, to the Crucifed and Risen Lord Jesus. We’ve been baptized into Him. His life has been given us as our own. [As we saw with Clara this morning]

Think of our Lord. Did he come into the world to judge and condemn? No. He came to rescue us who were judged and condemned by the law as worthy of death. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him!”

Did he come to us to pay us back for our countless rebellions? No. He came to divorce us from our sins by taking them from us and bearing them Himself under His Father’s judgment as He hung on the tree. “Father, forgive” is the cry of His life. And all who in faith shelter under His cross are just that: forgiven. His cross is like a great umbrella that shields us from the wrath of God.
So did He come to take from us? No way! He came to give to us. Rich measure, pressed down, and shaken together, pouring into our laps a heavenly bounty.

And unlike the old Adam with his distrust of God, our Lord Jesus accomplished of all of that by trusting His Father. And He was not disappointed in His trust, was He? He who had not judged and not condemned and who had forgiven and given everything, even to the point of laying down His life, was raised on the third day, vindicated as the Just One and raised on high to the right hand of the Father to rule over all things.

Joseph in our Old Testament reading is a perfect picture prophesy of this. Instead of getting even with those wretched brothers of his who had betrayed him into slavery, he saw the hand of God behind all the events of his life so that even though his brothers had intended evil, God overturned it for good. Joseph was exalted and make ruler of all Egypt and promised to forgive and provide. Just so our Lord Jesus was not overcome by evil, but instead overcame evil by good.

And that’s the life He has given us a share in in our Baptism. He calls us to drown that old Adam and his distrust of God. To confess that we have logs in our own eyes – logs of pride, resentment, stinginess, and behind all of those, distrust. To confess this to God and to receive His absolution – because that is how you “take the log out of your own eye” so that you can finally be of some use to your brother. When you see yourself truly: as a prisoner who had been condemned justly and sitting on death row, but who has been given an undeserved pardon and reprieve; then you are a sinner who can be of some use to your neighbor! You can carry the good news of that free pardon to other sinners too, telling them of what the death of Christ has won for us all, unlocking the chains that bind them in shame and fear. That’s just the opposite of judging and condemning, isn’t it? It’s forgiving and giving.

Today in the Eucharist, Christ continues His giving to you, pouring into you more life than you can hold. He reaches you forgiveness for all our sins and seals that forgiveness to you with His own body and blood. Can you taste of this Supper, and the rich forgiveness it gives, and dare to walk away from this table with the old Adam still in charge, still living in pride, still bearing grudges in your hearts, still with closed hands and hearts, refusing to open up and give? No way. You cannot. You dare not.

Rather, we dance out of this place with joy to live out what our New Adam, our Lord Jesus, has given to us: the mercy that we have here tasted and known, so that we get to - GET TO - “do unto others as our heavenly Father has done and will do unto us” and to Him be glory with the Son and the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages! Amen.

Commemoration of Isaiah the Prophet

2009-07-05T14:51:00.005-05:00

From the Treasury and our Synod's website:

July 6
Isaiah

Isaiah son of Amoz is considered to be the greatest of the writing prophets and is quoted in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament prophet. His name means “Yahweh [the Lord] saves.” Isaiah prophesied to the people of Jerusalem and Judah from about 740 B.C. to 700 B.C. and was a contemporary of the prophets Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Isaiah was a fierce preacher of God's Law, condemning the sin of idolatry. He was also a comforting proclaimer of the Gospel, repeatedly emphasizing God's grace and forgiveness. For this he is sometimes called the “Evangelist of the Old Testament.” No prophet more clearly prophesied about the coming Messiah and his saving kingdom. He foretold the Messiah's miraculous birth (Is 7:14; 9:6), his endless reign (Is 2:1–5; 11:1–16), and his public ministry (Is 61:1–3), but most notably his “Suffering Servant” role and atoning death (52:13—53:12). The apostle John's description of Isaiah, that Isaiah saw Jesus' glory and spoke of him (John 12:41), is an apt summary of Isaiah's prophetic ministry.

[It was in honor of his commemoration that we sang about his augural vision in "Isaiah, Mighty Seer" during today's liturgy]

What a Wonderful Sunday

2009-07-05T11:43:00.002-05:00

I dearly love this Sunday for both the hymns, the readings, and the singing! Angel and Cindi really blessed us with an outstanding rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the offering (in honor of Independence Day weekend), accompanied fabulously by Dr. Coan on the Clavinova. The hymn of the day for Trinity 4 is such a winner too: "O God, My Faithful God" - especially verse three, five, and six:

Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
Should from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace,
Lest I offend the weak.

Let me depart this life
Confiding in my Savior;
By grace receive my soul
That it may live forever;
And let my body have
A quiet resting place
Within a Christian grave;
And let it sleep in peace.

And on that final day
When all the dead are waking,
Stretch out Your mighty hand,
My deathly slumber breaking.
Then let me hear Your voice,
Redeem this earthly frame,
And bid me to rejoice
With those who love Your name. (LSB 696)

We also got to sing "Isaiah, Mighty Seer" during distribution - and it was a joy to hear that hymn belted out so strongly by the congregation. Beautiful. Dr. Coan's interpretation intrigues me too, because he actually pulls back on the "Holy is God the Lord of Saboath" - the very point when I would be inclined to shake the rafters. But it works, and then he lets loose especially on the last couplet about the beams and lintels trembling.

I need to remember...

2009-07-04T21:45:00.002-05:00

...to fold in "In him is salvation, life, and resurrection from the dead; by him we are redeemed and set at liberty" into my Sola presentations... (Tuesday in Holy Week, Maundy Thursday - Introit).

Philip Proposed a Blog Topic

2009-07-04T13:12:00.002-05:00

that I've been puzzling over since he brought it up: a universal way of signing "I'm sorry!" You're driving down the road and cut off someone you didn't see was there. They honk and pull past you. How do you indicate to them that you didn't intentionally do it and asking their pardon? Does anyone know what the ASL way of communicating that is?

Interesting Mollie Post

2009-07-04T12:22:00.003-05:00

on Brothers of John the Steadfast. Close the seminaries?

Born on the Fourth of July...

2009-07-04T12:07:00.002-05:00

...Seldon Stuart Weedon. AKA, Butch! Happy birthday, oldest brother. Can you really be 64???

What a Cool Way

2009-07-04T12:04:00.001-05:00

to celebrate the 4th! Listen to JFK read the Declaration of Independence on Pr. Harrison's blog:

We hold these truths...

New Lutheran Quote of the Day

2009-07-03T15:38:00.002-05:00

The reformer, by tying all works of love in service of the neighbor back to the fear, love, and trust in the invisible Creator God, at the same time accentuates the certainty that we meet God in daily life. -- Albrecht Peters, *Ten Commandments* p. 127

Patristic Quote of the Day

2009-07-03T15:34:00.001-05:00

Pleasure is in Your favour and mercy in this life's journey, leading on even to the end of the glory of Your countenance. -- St. Augustine, On Psalm 16

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

2009-07-03T15:31:00.002-05:00

Our Church is a liberal Church, in the true sense; she is liberal with what belongs to her, but not liberal in giving away her Master's goods, contrary to His order. The truth, in its minutest part, she does not trifle with. For herself and her children, she must hold it with uncompromising fidelity. But she heartily believes, that, even where some portions of the truth is lost or obscured, God may, through what is left, perpetuate a Christian life. She believes that God has His blessed ones, kept through His almighty grace, through all Christendom. -- Krauth, *Conservative Reformation* p. 192

What a Delightful Surprise!

2009-07-03T15:02:00.001-05:00

I ate my apple and prepared some hot water for tea, and discovered some Darjeeling in the tea box. We've not had any in ages. I'm looking forward to several cups!

A Thoughtful Blogging on the Blessed Mother

2009-07-03T14:43:00.003-05:00

by none other than Pastor Paul McCain!

Now THIS is a great day!

2009-07-03T14:10:00.004-05:00

Cindi was off to her 6 a.m. boot camp, and I drank my coffee and sang Matins, then off to the Y. Did a LONG cardio - 1 hour's worth - on the treadmaster. I've cut back on my intensity on the cardio since boot camp on Tuesday and Thursday evenings really leaves me a bit worn out still come Wednesday and Friday mornings. But the treadmaster is a nice balance of a good workout without killing you the way the stairstepper does. Anywho, then mixed up the routine by doing all the abs (four machines) in a row; and then all the shoulder and back stuff. Wrapped up with some free weights. Since it was the day off and I had nothing particularly scheduled I took as long as I wanted for once. Then home again. Cindi and I got into our chilly pool (water temp was 74 -brrr!) and sunned for an hour. Lunch and then a nice 8 mile bike ride. Got to see blue birds, yellow and red finch, lots of the purple thistle flower, corn in a variety of states of growth, and the wheat-field which have had a buzz cut recently and look really beautiful. Cindi's for the pool again, but I had enough. Tonight Dave is coming over, and David is home as well - a cookout and then some Liverpool. An altogether wonderful day - this time of the year with the fields full the Midwest is at its best for beauty, I think.

Since the Treasury

2009-07-02T21:12:00.002-05:00

has a bit of overlap due to its unique way of treating the time of Easter, I went back tonight to read what it had in the "Time of Easter Addition" for the Feast of the Visitation and was delighted to discover St. Irenaeus!

"And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve bound fast through unbelief, this did the Virgin Mary set free through faith."

Amen!