Evangelical Catholic Life

The Collect for the Commemoration of St. Wilhelm Loehe, Confessor (belated):

Heavenly Father, Shepherd of Your people, we thank You for Your servant Wilhelm, who was faithful in the care and nurturing of Your flock; and we pray that, following his example and the teaching of his life, we may by Your grace grow into the stature of the fullness of our Lord; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Collect for the Commemoration of King David (belated):

God of majesty, Whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven, we give You thanks for David who, through the Psalter, gave Your people hymns to sing with joy in our worship on earth so that we may glimpse Your beauty. Bring us to the fulfillment of that hope of perfection that will be ours as we stand before Your unveiled glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Epistle for the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
[1 John 1:1-2:2]

The Epistle for the Feast of St. Stephen, Martyr:

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?” And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen... you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
[Acts 6:8-7:2a; 51-60]

The Epistle for Christmas Midnight:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
[Titus 2:11-14]

The Epistle for Christmas Eve:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
[1 John 4:7-16]

The Epistle for Ember Saturday in Advent:

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
[2 Thessalonians 2:1-8]

The Epistle for Ember Friday in Advent:

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
[Isaiah 11:1-5]

The Epistle for the Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle and Martyr:

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift... And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
[Ephesians 4:7;11-16]

Today the Church remembers St. Katharina von Bora Luther, Mother:

Born A.☩D. 1499 to lesser nobility in Saxony, St. Katharina's parents sent her the cloister at the tender age of five for educational purposes. At the age of nine, she was sent to her aunt's Cistercian convent, and made a nun, despite this being well under the minimum age under canon law. Regardless, she continued in this life until the 1520s, when, having read some of St. Martin Luther's works, she became aware of the severe errors which had poisoned monasticism. With several likeminded friends, many of whom had also taken vows under dubiously licit circumstances, she resolved to flee, and on Easter Eve of 1523 they hid themselves in herring barrels and escaped to Wittenberg. St. Luther, mindful of their welfare, arranged marriages or employment for all of them— except St. Katharina, who refused all suitors, and ultimately said that she would be willing to marry Luther alone. Though released from his vows by St. Johann von Staupitz, Luther did not believe himself worthy of marriage and was deeply conflicted to hear this, and worried that enemies of the Gospel would use such a wedding as an excuse to discredit the Biblical doctrines he expounded in his writings. Ultimately, however, he decided that clerical marriage was a confession that had to be made, and in 1525 they were married. St. Katharina proved an able wife, managing the estate she and Luther were granted by St. John the Steadfast, mothering six children, caring for the sick in times of plague, and providing love, companionship, and encouragement to her husband. Luther, in turn, came to love her deeply, and often joked of her teasing ways. When he fell asleep in Christ in 1546, however, St. Katharina became impoverished, and her home was destroyed in the Schmalkaldic War. Destitute, she remained in Wittenberg until 1552 when she fled a famine and plague, only to be thrown by her horse into a ditch. Flitting in and out of consciousness, her final words were, “I will cling to Christ like a burr to a cloth.” In this confession, she rejoined her husband in the endless light of Heaven, to await the Resurrection and the unending marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom.

Collect: O God, our refuge and our strength, You raised up Your servant Katharina to support her husband in the task to reform and renew Your Church in the light of Your Word. Defend and purify the Church today and grant that, through faith, we may boldly serve and encourage our pastors and teachers of the Faith as they administer the riches of Your grace made known in Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Epistle for Ember Wednesday in Advent:

Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.”
[Isaiah 7:10-15]

Today the Church remembers the Patriarch Adam and the Matriarch Eve.

At first glance, it may seem odd to remember our first parents on the sanctoral calendar. After all, they were responsible for the fall into sin that doomed us and necessitated the coming of Christ (Genesis 3). However, just as God did not abandon their offspring, He did not abandon them either. Though God turned their hitherto joyous vocations into sources of pain and drudgery, and cut them off from the Tree of Life, He also promised that salvation would one day come— by the Seed of the Woman. This salvation would be for them, too, as St. Paul says: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22)— “all” signifying in this case all believers. And Adam and Eve were indeed believers: the Lord continued to speak with them and provide for them, and they raised their children up in the fear of God. We see a picture of their redemption in Genesis 3:21: with fall, they had found their nudity shameful and attempted to cover it with leaves (Genesis 3:7)— a poor attempt at clothing. But God Himself inaugurated the system of sacrifice by killing an animal, and clothing them with its skin. Here we have a magnificent typology: the Lord Himself punishes another with the death they deserve in their place, and clothes them with the righteousness of the sacrificial victim. So Christ does to us by His Death and Resurrection through Baptism (Galatians 3:27), claiming us as His own over and against the devil. And thus, with Adam and Eve, we by faith in His Sacrifice will gain access to the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem, forever free from sin.

//The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat, and live for ever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life...
.. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the Tree of Life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.//

(Genesis 3:20-24; Revelation 22:22—23:5)

Collect: Lord God, Heavenly Father, You created Adam in Your Image and gave him Eve as his helpmate, and after their fall into sin, You promised a Saviour Who would crush the devil's might. By Your mercy, number us among those who have come out of the great tribulation with the deal of the Living God on our foreheads and whose robes have been made white in the Blood of the Lamb; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Epistle for Gaudete Sunday:

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
[1 Corinthians 4:1-5]

The Collect for the Commemoration of St. Lucia, Martyr (belated):

O Almighty God, by whose grace and power Your holy servant Lucia triumphed over suffering and remain ever faithful unto death, grant us, who now remember her with thanksgiving, to be so true in our witness to You in this world that we may receive with her new eyes without tears and the crown of light and life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Holy Gospel for Populus Zion Sunday:

[Jesus said]: “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

[Luke 21:25-36]

The Collect for the Commemoration of St. Ambrose of Milan, Bishop and Confessor:

O God, You gave Your servant Ambrose grace to proclaim the Gospel with eloquence and power. As bishop of the great congregation of Milan, he fearlessly bore reproach for the honor of Your name. Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and fidelity in ministering Your Word that Your people shall be partakers of the divine nature; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Collect for the Commemoration of St. Nicholas of Myra, Bishop and Confessor (belated):

Almighty God, You bestowed upon Your servant Nicholas of Myra the perpetual gift of charity. Grant Your Church the grace to deal in generosity and love with children and with all who are poor and distressed and to plead the cause of those who have no helper, especially those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief. We ask this for the sake of Him who gave His life for us, Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Exciting times!

90 weeks until classes begin ... at Luther Classical College!

Here’s how LCC is preparing to welcome our first students in August 2025:

• Prospective students are attending free online seminars to discuss theology, history, literature, philosophy, science, music, and more with leading Lutheran scholars. (Complete the Pre-Admission Form, linked below, to learn more.)
• The Board of Regents will meet later this week to consider the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee and to adopt the Academic Catalog for publication in January.
• Architects, engineers, and city planners are reviewing plans for an academic building and student housing while local deer roam the campus (actual building site pictured below).
• Several open positions have been posted at https://www.lutherclassical.org/employment-opportunities.
• Rev. Dr. Christian Preus recently recorded a 2.5 hour interview, “How We Can Save Our Education System”—detailing the theological foundations of classical education at LCC: https://youtu.be/DUBsC81bgsU

3 Ways to Stay Connected:
• Subscribe to Christian Culture magazine (FREE): https://cc.lutherclassical.org/subscribe
• Complete the Pre-Admission Form as a prospective student: https://www.lutherclassical.org/pre-admission
• Join our Patron Program as a monthly giver: https://www.lutherclassical.org/patron-program

The Epistle for Ad Te Levavi Sunday:

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The Propers for Vespers (Saturday of the Last Sunday of the Church Year):

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 58 (antiphon: v. 11)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 1-4)

Hymn: “The World is Very Evil” (TLH 605/ELH 534)

Reading: Malachi 3:8–18

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

Posting through all of this previous Church Year has been quite a rewarding task, but as I progress through the last year of undergrad and start the process of distancing myself from social media before seminary, I find I have increasingly less time to devote to it. The last propers post will drop this evening, after which posting will be a little more infrequent and eclectic. We'll keep up posting lectionary readings for Sundays and Feast Days, though, so look forward to exploring the Epistles over the next Church Year!

Starting tomorrow, this page will be posting propers for Matins and Vespers according to the historic lectionary, and the Gospel readings for each Sunday and Feast Day under the same pattern. Don't worry, though, we'll continue to post sacred art and architecture, lives and wisdom of the saints, hymnody, just as we've been doing from the beginning.

The Propers for Matins (Saturday of the Last Sunday of the Church Year):

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 87 (antiphon: Blessed are those who dwell | in Your house,*
o | Lord.)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 148-150)

Hymn: “Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning” (TLH 607/ELH 537)

Reading: 1 John 4:1–8

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

[Litany in place of Kyrie]

The Propers for Vespers (Friday of the Last Sunday of the Church Year):

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 58 (antiphon: v. 11)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 146-147)

Hymn: “The World is Very Evil” (TLH 605/ELH 534)

Reading: Jeremiah 14:7–9

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

The Propers for Matins (Friday of the Last Sunday of the Church Year):

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 87 (antiphon: Blessed are those who dwell | in Your house,*
o | Lord.)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 143-145)

Hymn: “Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning” (TLH 607/ELH 537)

Reading: 1 John 3:19–24

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

[Litany in place of Kyrie]

You may notice a special vestment over Pastor's left wrist this morning in the distribution of the Holy Communion. This was a given to him by a brother pastor and is called a maniple (from the Latin meaning "handful.") This Eucharistic vestment was once commonly worn by pastors in many different churches, but is not so common today. It is a reminder first and foremost that the Pastor is a servant of Christ at the Altar. This vestment is reminiscent of a cloth a waiter might have over his arm to take care of any spills. Besides that, its literal meaning of "handful" is a reminder to the celebrant and those who are called to the Table of the Lord, that this is a sacred meal and what the pastor distributes truly is a handful from the Lord of blessings. The elders have very kindly donated their own money to purchase a full set of maniples, so look for them from now on. Pastor puts this vestment on during the preparation of the Altar as he says the following prayer: May I deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow, in order that I may joyfully reap the reward of my labors. Amen.

The Collect for the Feast of St. Andrew:

Almighty God, by Your grace the apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Son to be a disciple. Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heart and life, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

The Propers for Vespers:

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 58 (antiphon: v. 11)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 139-142)

Hymn: “The World is Very Evil” (TLH 605/ELH 534)

Reading: Isaiah 40:27–31

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

The Propers for Matins (Thursday of the Last Sunday of the Church Year):

Invitatory: The Lord will come again in glory.*
o come, let us worship Him.

Psalm 87 (antiphon: Blessed are those who dwell | in Your house,*
o | Lord.)

(Additional Psalmody: Psalms 136-138 )

Hymn: “Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning” (TLH 607/ELH 537)

Reading: 1 John 3:9–12

Responsory: 1. Look down, o Lord, from Your holy place and consider us; incline Your ear and
hear us, o God!
2. Give ear o Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock!
3. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C: Open Your eyes, o Lord, and behold our desolation!

[Litany in place of Kyrie]

The Collect for the Commemoration of the Patriarch Noah:

Almighty and eternal God, according to Your strict judgment You condemned the unbelieving world through the flood, yet according to Your great mercy You preserved believing Noah and his family, eight souls in all. Grant that we may be kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, so that with all believers in Your promise, we would be declared worthy of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.