Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace

Martin of Tours was born to pagan parents; his father was a Roman military officer and tribune.  Martin was raised in Pavia, Italy.  He discovered Christianity and became a catechumen in his early teens.   He was baptized at age 18.  Joining the Roman army at the age of 15, he served in a ceremonial unit that acted as the emperor's bodyguard and, as such, was rarely exposed to actual combat.  Martin, a calvary officer, was eventually assigned to garrison duty in Gaul. 

Trying to live out his faith, Martin refused to let a servant wait on him.  Once, while on horseback in Amiens in Gaul, (modern France) he encountered a beggar.  Having nothing to give the beggar but the clothes on his back, he cut his heavy officer's cloak in half and gave it to the beggar.  Later on, Martin had a vision of Christ wearing the cloak.

Arianism was the chief heresy of Martin's time period, but Martin was instructed by Hillary of Poitiers, an orthodox teacher.  Part of Martin's life was spent as a hermit.  His reputation of holiness attracted other monks and they formed what eventually became the Benedictine abbey of Ligugé.  He preached and evangelized the Gallic countryside.  He destroyed old temples and built churches.

When the bishop of Tours died in 371, Martin was the immediate choice to replace him.   He lived in a hermit's cell near Tours and had many visions, some of his contemporaries ascribing his visions to his lengthy fasts.  Upon his death, he was the first non-martyr to receive the cultus of a saint.

Olive Wise Spannaus, an LC-MS hymnwriter, wrote the text "Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace." It is #844 in Lutheran Service Book.

1.  Lord of all nations, grant me grace

     To love all people, ev'ry race;

          And in each person may I see

          My kindred loved, redeemed by Thee.

2.  Break down the walls that would divide

     Thy children, Lord, on ev'ry side.

          My neighbor's good let me pursue;

          Let Christian love bind warm and true.

3.  Forgive me, Lord, where I have erred

     By loveless act and thoughtless word,

          Make me to see the wrong I do

          Will grieve my wounded Lord anew.

4.  Give me the courage, Lord, to speak

     Whenever strong oppress the weak.

          Should I myself the victim be,

          Help me forgive, remembering Thee.

5.  With Thine own love may I be filled

     And by Thy Holy Spirit willed,

          That all I touch, where'er I be,

          May be divinely touched by Thee.

Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word

November 9th is set apart to commemorate the great orthodox Lutheran theologian, Martin Chemnitz, sometimes known as "the second Martin."  It has been said, "If the second Martin had not come, the first Martin would not have stood."  The writings of Martin Chemnitz helped rescue Lutheran theology, which after Luther was being undermined by both Calvinism and Roman Catholicism.  Under the tutelage of Phillip Melanchthon, Chemnitz accepted and defended Lutheran teaching, by both his lecturing and by his writings.  One of his best known books, Loci Theologici, was a commentary on Melanchthon's theology.  In it, Chemnitz strongly defends the doctrine of justification by faith alone.  In other writings, Chemnitz defended Luther's teaching on the Lord's Supper and the church's ancient teaching that Jesus is both man and God.  Another important work by Martin Chemnitz was his Examination of the Council of Trent.  At Trent, the Roman Catholics restated and clarified their doctrines.  Chemnitz replied to their claims with four volumes which were a strong Protestant answer to Roman Catholic claims.  For Lutherans, Chemnitz' most important contribution was his part in drafting the Formula of Concord.   This was an orthodox restatement of the Lutheran faith that was acceptable to different Lutheran factions.  Due in large part to his efforts, the Formula of Concord was adopted by the Lutherans of Saxony and Swabia.

Martin Luther's hymn,  "Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word" seems like an appropriate commentary on the life of " the second Martin."

1.  Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;

     Curb those who by deceit or sword

          Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son

          And bring to naught all He has done.

2.  Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow'r make known,

     For You are Lord of lords alone;

          Defend Your holy Church that we

          May sing Your praise eternally.

3.  O Comforter of priceless worth,

     Send peace and unity on earth;

          Support us in our final strife

          And lead us out of death to life.

O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright

Here is the second of Nicolai's two great hymns, "The Queen of Chorales."

O Morning Star, how fair and bright!

You shine with God's own truth and light,

     Aglow with grace and mercy!

Of Jacob's race, King David's son,

Our Lord and master, You have won

     Our hearts to serve You only!

          Lowly, holy!

     Great and glorious,

     All victorious,

          Rich in blessing!

Rule and might o'er all possessing!

Come, heav'nly bridegroom, light divine,

And deep within our hearts now shine;

     There light a flame undying!

In Your one body let us be

As living branches of a tree,

     Your life our lives supplying.

          Now, though daily

     Earth's deep sadness

     May perplex us

          And distress us,

Yet with heav'nly joy You bless us.

Lord, when You look on us in love,

At once there falls from God above

     A ray of purest pleasure.

Your Word and Spirit, flesh and blood

Refresh our souls with heav'nly food.

     You are our dearest treasure!

          Let Your mercy

     Warm and cheer us!

     O draw near us!

          For You teach us

God's own love through You has reached us.

Almighty Father, in Your Son

You loved us when not yet begun

     Was this old earth's foundation!

Your Son has ransomed us in love

To live in Him here and above:

     This is Your great salvation.

          Alleluia!

     Christ the living,

     To us giving

          Life forever,

Keeps us Yours and fails us never!

O let the harps break forth in sound!

Our joy be all with music crowned,

     Our voices gladly blending!

For Christ goes with us all the way--

Today, tomorrow, ev'ry day!

     His love is never ending!

          Sing out!  Ring out!

     Jubilation!

     Exaltation!

          Tell the story!

Great is He, the King of glory!

What joy to know, when life is past,

The Lord we love is first and last,

     The end and the beginning!

He will one day, oh, glorious grace,

Transport us to that happy place

     Beyond all tears and sinning!

          Amen!  Amen!

     Come, Lord Jesus!

     Crown of gladness!

          We are yearning

For the day of Your returning!

Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying

October 26th is dedicated on the calendar of commemorations to three stellar hymnwriters: Philipp Nicolai, Johann Heerman, and Paul Gerhardt.  Where would we be without their rich texts?  Nicolai was also a gifted composer, writing the text and tune for "Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying," known as the "King of Chorales," as well as "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright," known as the "Queen of Chorales."  The circumstances which called into being these two great hymns and the classic chorales to which they are wed are tragic.  Pestilence raged in Westphalia.  At Unna, where Nicolai was pastor, 1,300 villagers died of the plague between July, 1597, and January, 1598.  During one week in August, 170 victims were claimed by death!

From the parsonage, which overlooked the churchyard, Nicolai witnessed the steady procession of burials and the regular digging of graves.  In the midst of all this death and sadness, Nicolai wrote a series of meditations entitled, "Freuden Spiegel," or "Mirror of Joy."  His purpose, stated in the preface, dated August 10, 1598, was "to leave it behind me (if God should call me from this world) as a token of my peaceful, joyful Christian departure, or (if God should spare me in health) to comfort sufferers whom He should also visit with the pestilence....There seemed to me nothing more sweet, delightful and agreeable, than the contemplation of the noble, sublime doctrine of Eternal Life obtained through the Blood of Christ...I...searched the Scriptures as to what they revealed on this matter...then day by day I wrote out my meditations, found myself, thank God! wonderfully well, comforted in heart, joyful in spirit and truly content."  Both of these classic hymns appeared for the first time in his "Mirror of Joy."  As a title to "Wachet auf" Nicolai wrote, "Of the voice at Midnight, and the Wise Virgins who meet their Heavenly Bridegroom. Mt. 25."  The title to "Wie schon" reads, "A spiritual bridal song of the believing soul concerning Jesus Christ, her Heavenly Bridegroom, founded on the 45th Psalm of the prophet David."  Two treasures.  The first is presented here:

"Wake, awake, for night is flying,"

The watchmen on the heights are crying:

"Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"

Midnight hears the welcome voices

And at the thrilling cry rejoices:

"Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?"

The bridegroom comes, awake!

Your lamps with gladness take!

Alleluia!

With bridal care

Yourselves prepare

To meet the bridegroom, who is near."

Zion hears the watchmen singing,

And all her heart with joy is springing;

She wakes, she rises from her gloom.

For her Lord comes down all-glorious,

The strong in grace, in truth victorious;

Her star is ris'n, her light is come.

Now come, Thou Blessed One,

Lord Jesus, God's own Son,

Hail!  Hosanna!

We enter all

The wedding hall

To eat the Supper at Thy call.

Now let all the heav'ns adore Thee,

Let saints and angels sing before Thee

With harp and cymbals' clearest tone.

Of one pearl each shining portal,

Where, joining with the choir immortal,

We gather round Thy radiant throne.

No eye has see the light,

No ear has heard the might

Of Thy glory;

Therefore will we

Eternally

Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!

Saints, See the Cloud of Witnesses

After the Apostles, Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch in Syria.  Whether he knew any of the apostles directly is uncertain.  Little is known of his life except for the end of it.  Early in the second century (perhaps around 107 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Trajan), he was arrested and condemned to death, transported to Rome to die in the arena.  By dealing with Ignatius, the authorities hoped to terrify his followers.  Instead, Ignatius took the opportunity to encourage the Christians, speaking to groups of them at every town along the way to Rome.  He wrote seven letters that have been preserved.  In one he writes:  "I am God's wheat, ground fine by the lion's teeth to be made purest bread for Christ."  Ignatius' life and death are commemorated on October 17th.

1.  Saints, see the cloud of witnesses surround us;

     Their lives of faith encourage and astound us.

          Hear how the Master praised their faith so fervent:

          "Well done, My servant!"

2.  These saints of old received God's commendation;

     They lived as pilgrim-heirs of His salvation.

          Through faith they conquered flame and sword and gallows,

          God's name to hallow.

3.  They call to us, "Your timid footsteps lengthen;

     Throw off sin's weight, your halting weakness strengthen.

          We kept the faith, we shed our blood, were martyred;

          Our lives we bartered."

4.  Come, let us fix our sight on Christ who suffered,

     He faced the cross, His sinless life He offered;

          He scorned the shame, He died, our death enduring,

          Our hope securing.

5.  Lord, give us faith to walk where You are sending,

     On paths unmarked, eyes blind as to their ending;

          Not knowing where we go, but that You lead us--

          With grace precede us.

6.  You, Jesus, You alone deserve all glory!

     Our lives unfold, embraced within Your story;

          Past, present, future--You, the same forever--

          You fail us never!