Because of the abuses of worshiping the saints, many people do not know that the Christian (Lutheran) church does have special days set aside for those saints and special days in which we wish to bring attention and focus to the workings of God in His church. We do not pray to the saints to ask for their intervention, and we do not necessarily have these commemorative days in order to honor THEM, but instead, along with special commemorative events, we pause to give glory to God for working through these people and events to continue His church throughout all the centuries. These feasts, festivals, and occasion days are listed on pages x and xi in the front of your hymnal.
In Article 21 of the Lutheran Confessions, they list three reasons for such honor. First, we thank God for giving faithful servants to His church. Second, through such remembrance our faith is strengthened as we see the mercy that God extends to His saints of old. And Thirdly, these saints are examples by which we may imitate both their faith and their holy living according to OUR calling in life. So, we give thanks, our faith is strengthened by their witness, and we have these examples of faith and works to imitate in our lives.
Usually these dates end up during the week, and we do not hold special worship services, (though I do encourage that on these days you give thanks in your home devotions). Some however, are moved to the nearest Sunday, when they are principle feasts of Christ (boldface in the hymnal), as they are important in the life of the church year to commemorate. Sometimes, it doesn't even have to be a principle feast (such as Reformation Day) and we will move it from the day it is on, to the nearest Sunday. This practice varies from congregation to congregation as local customs and preferences vary from congregation to congregation.
It is my intended practice, that when a feast, festival, or occasion occurs on a Sunday, we will pause from our regular church year celebrations to observe it and principal days will be moved to the nearest Sunday, as is the case for this Sunday; The Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
Now here is something more special about the Nativity of St. John the Baptizer day. When it comes to saints, we usually commemorate their death dates, when their earthly calling was ended (usually by martyrdom), and they were called to rest from their labors, but there are the rare times when we celebrate nativities, or birthdays. One such birth observance is not of just a saint, but the commemoration of the birth of our Lord. THE Nativity, Christmas. We mark the nativity of John the Baptist in parallel with the Nativity of our Lord, exactly six months from Jesus’ nativity date (if we hadn't moved it to the nearest Sunday). Remember the angel came to Zachariah and told Him that Elizabeth and he were going to have a son? And six months later, the angel came to Mary and said you are going to have a son and Elizabeth is already six months along? This was all foretold and laid out, because John the Baptist’s entire birth, life, and death, was to prepare the way for the Lord’s activity in this world, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah in our OT reading and as was told to his priestly father, Zechariah, in the temple by an angel.
So there is a reason for the madness, that the Nativity of John the Baptizer who preached repentance is the forerunner of the Nativity of Christ the Savior who preached forgiveness of sins. May God bless you.
Pastor Makelin
