Share God’s Gift Christ, who comes to us in this Why Do We sacrament with his body and of Love blood. The act of communing February is the month when Do That? together expresses our unity of Valentine’s Day is celebrated faith with those who commune and so we think of “love”. A This is the second in a series of with us, a faith summarized in articles Lutheran customs and few weeks ago we celebrated the Nicene Creed. practices. Do you have an idea for Christmas – the occasion that a church practice you would like There are three “ecumenical marked God’s great love gift to explained? Suggest it to Pastor creeds” used by Lutherans and the world, His only-begotten Becker. other Christians. The third, the Son. Jesus took our human Athanasian Creed (page 134 in flesh and form, and offered His Creeds Lutheran Worship), is even life as the perfect sacrifice for The question has been more specific and detailed the sins of the whole world. asked, “Why do we use the regarding the nature of the This act of sacrificial love led a Nicene Creed in services with trinity and the incarnation of the hymn writer to pen: “What Holy Communion and use the Christ. It is traditionally used wondrous love is this, O my Apostles’ Creed in services once a year, on Trinity Sunday. soul, O my soul!” (HS98 860) without Communion? On the topic of creeds, The love of Jesus is far The Apostle’s and the another question could be asked more wondrous than we can Nicene Creeds are traditionally about the wording in the third ever describe or imagine, much thought of as being connected article: “I believe in the…holy less imitate and practice. The to the two sacraments, Baptism Christian Church.” In the best that we can do is respond and Holy Communion. original text the wording is “the with our free and joyous The Apostle’s Creed holy catholic Church” (catholic stewardship. True Christian developed in the early church as with a small “c”). The word stewardship is not something a summary of the teaching of “catholic” means “universal” or that we do because of laws, the Apostles and was used from “worldwide”. This refers not to rules and commands. It is the beginning to teach those the denomination, the Roman always a response to the love of who were to be baptized. As Catholic Church, but to all true God for us. The Apostle John the common faith of all the believers in Christ. Using the said it so well: “We love baptized, it is the creed word “Christian” rather than because He first loved us.” commonly used for weekdays “catholic” is not a reaction of So, when Valentine’s Day and other services as a reminder the Reformation, but originated reminds us of human love, we to live in our Baptism. in Germany long before the do well to pause and reflect on The Nicene Creed was Reformation and continues in the divine love of Jesus. By the written after the Council of use among some Lutherans. It power and presence of the Holy Nicea in the fourth century, in is intended to mean the same as Spirit we are equipped to show response to heresies about how “catholic”, that is: including all our love through deeds and Christ is God. It became the true Christians. words that support and creed commonly used on In some Lutheran traditions, encourage. Sundays and major festivals the creed follows the reading of Christian stewardship is the (Christmas, etc.). In historic the gospel (as in Divine Service free and joyous activity of the tradition, Holy Communion was I). In others it follows the child of God in managing all of celebrated every Sunday and on sermon (as in Divine Service life and life’s resources for major festivals. Since the II). In either place, it is the God’s purposes. Let your love Nicene Creed was used on these congregation’s response to the show in your giving of time, occasions, it continues to be word of God which has been talent and financial resources to used in services which include heard, indicating faith and God’s glory and the expansion Holy Communion. It is more agreement with the message of of His kingdom. specific about the person of the gospel..