How we celebrated Holy Week 2025

Reaffirmation of Alfonso Torres.

"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.

 On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, we  received into membership Alfonso Torres. We have known him and his family for 23 years. Five of his children were among the first to be baptized at our mission on March 25, 2007: 

Psalm 37:4

    • Yexi Karina;

    • Deisy Yovana;

    • Yaneth Andreina;

    • Yovanny Javier;

    • Jhonny Alexander.

Yaneth was the youngest at 18 months. Deisy brought Yaneth to our Sunday school classes and, from 2 to 6 years of age, Yaneth was a 

 in our preschool. Deisy and Yovanny received first communion on October 25, 2009 (Reformation Sunday). Jhonny received first communion on October 31, 2010 (again Reformation Sunday). 

Alfonso and his wife, Maria Cecilia, welcomed another daughter, Diana Carolina, and she was baptized on January 8, 2017 (the dedication of our current sanctuary). Diana also would attend our Sunday school and preschool. She received first communion on October 31, 2021.
Deisy’s daughter, Emely Antonella Estrada Torres, was baptized on December 24, 2017. Two more of Alfonso and Maria Cecilia's grandchildren, Jesuly and Josué Fernández Torres, were baptized on January 6, 2019. We received Maria Cecilia into membership by reaffirmation of faith on September 15, 2024.

Reaffirmation of Maria Cecilia.

The Torres are an example of how family can strengthen the faith and faith can strengthen the family. The great outflow of people from Venezuela has had a devastating effect on many marriages, which have not survived lengthy separations. Of the Torres children, only Yaneth and Diana remain in La Caramuca, but we give thanks to God that they have a home with both parents present and a church home in our mission.

Second part of the Sanctus

Of  course, we began our observance of Holy Week seven days earlier, on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025.

According to John 12:1, six days before the Feast of Passover Jesus arrived in Bethany, where He had raised Lazarus from the dead. When he left for Jerusalem the next morning, a large crowd came out of the city to greet him. Having heard of Lazarus's resurrection and Jesus' other signs, both the residents of Jerusalem and Passover pilgrims came out to greet him as the multitude had welcomed Simon Maccabeus when he entered to drive the Gentiles from the holy city (1 Maccabees 13:51). But Jesus did not approach Jerusalem as a conqueror coming to free Jerusalem from its oppressors and establish his kingdom by force. He was not mounted on a white charger, but on a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9.

He entered Jerusalem as the true King of Kings whose “dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river, the Euphrates, even to the ends of the earth”, but not to make war but to “speak peace to the nations” (Zechariah 9:10).

We remembered this mission with our annual procession of palms and, as we do every Sunday, sang with joy, “Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" in the second part of the Sanctus in our Holy Communion liturgy. As on the first Palm Sunday, the words are drawn from Psalm 118:25-26. The first part of the Sanctus is based on the prophet Isaiah 6:1-5.

 The vocation of womanhood

April 13 also was the fifteenth birthday of Luz Maria’s granddaughter, Anyi Vanesa Garrido Santana. We celebrated her quinceañera that afternoon. The quinceañera is celebrated across Latin America as a religious and a social event that emphasizes the importance of family and society in the life of a young woman as she passes from childhood into adulthood. The Roman Catholic version includes a mass and vows to the Virgin Mary, 

But in our Lutheran quinceañera reaffirmed her baptismal vows. She was baptized here on June 19, 2010. Her parents, along with the entire congregation, spoke the vows for her. Why repeat the baptismal vows at this time? Truly, we should remember our baptism daily, every time we pray in the name of the Trinity. Dr. Martin Luther said to remember your baptism every time you wash your face. But it was a special moment for Anyi to reaffirm her identity as a child of God as she contemplated her future direction in life. Especially because, as a woman, that might involve carrying new life in her womb, something no man will ever experience.

Nor did we forget that most blessed among women, the mother of our Lord (Luke 1:28). When the angel told Mary heard that the fruit of her womb would be the Word made flesh, she simply said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” (verse 38). When she heard nearly same words from her relative, Elizabeth, “Blessed are you among and blessed is the fruit of your womb”, Mary broke out into the song of praise we call the Magnificat (Luke 1:47-55). We sang it at Anyi’s quinceañera.

Come, Tell the Story of Salvation
After Palm Sunday, we began a vacation Bible school with the theme, "Come, Tell the Story of Salvation." There are many Pentecostal sects in our area that don't celebrate Holy Week. Their pastors tell them it's a pagan holiday. From Monday to Wednesday, we explained the biblical basis of Holy Week to 20 children. We encouraged them to use the chronology of Holy Week to tell their parents the story of Christ's death and resurrection. It also was the occasion to celebrate the seventh birthday of Emmanuel David Sanchez, Luz Maria’s grandson.

Maundy Thursday in Barinas

We celebrated Maundy Thursday with divine service at the Corpus Christi Lutheran Church in Barrio El Cambio, Barinas. The epistle designated for Maundy Thursday (1 Corinthians 11:23-32) contains the same words of institution of the Lord's Supper as in the three synoptic gospels. For Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it is part of their account of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with the apostles before his crucifixion. However, in John's gospel, we do not find these words, but rather the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet. In the ancient world, footwashing helped prepare people for specific tasks. 

In the Old Testament ritual context, footwashing was a symbol of purification. Priests were required to wash their hands and feet before entering the Holy Place and offering the sacrifice on the altar (Exodus 30:17-21; 40:30-32; 2 Chronicles 4:6). In Exodus 29:4 and Leviticus 8:6, footwashing is part of the priestly consecration rite. There are parallels in Greco-Roman literature. In the works of Homer and Strabo, people routinely wash their feet before entering a sacred place.

We observed Good Friday at La Caramuca with a Tenebrae service. This liturgical ceremony originated seven or eight centuries after Christ. The purpose of this service was to remember the dark moments that occurred in Jesus' life, from his euphoric entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday until the night of Jesus' burial on Good Friday. The most notable aspect of the service is several lit candlesextinguished one by one while Scripture readings are shared to tell the story of Holy Week.

Training for spiritual warfare

Jesus began His earthly ministry by fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the Judean desert as preparation for being tempted by the devil. Matthew’s account of this (Matthew 4:1-11) was our appointed Gospel lesson for the first Sunday in Lent and the topic of our youth Bible study that afternoon. To many of us, the notion of fasting as a way of training for spiritual warfare may sound strange, but it has support in the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. The theme of spiritual warfare continues in the readings for the second Sunday (Matthew 15:21-28) and the third Sunday (Luke 11:14-28) in Lent.

Our Lord never despised the blessings of food and drink as sinful in themselves. He performed his first miracle by turning water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-12). Because he accepted the hospitality of many, he was falsely accused of gluttony and drunkenness (Matthew 11:19). But Jesus recognized that there was a time for fasting as well as a time for feasting. In Matthew 9:14-15, Jesus was asked why his disciples did not fast, even though the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist fasted often. “And Jesus said unto them, Can the bridegrooms mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.” In Matthew 16:1-21, he tells his disciples, “When you give alms,” “when you pray,” and “when you fast.” He never says “if.”

In both the Old and New Testaments, fasting oftern accompanies intercessory prayer. When we are full of food and drink, we usually want to sleep. By curbing our consumption of food and drink, we can stay alert for prayer.

King David fasted and prayed for the life of his sick child. Although he fasted, God denied his request for the child's life (2 Samuel 12:16-23). Anna the prophetess “did not depart from the temple courts, but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:37). Paul was blind and did not eat or drink for three days after his conversion (Acts 9:9). The Holy Spirit told the believers worshipping and fasting in Antioch, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). After fasting a little longer and praying, they laid hands on them and sent them away. Paul and Barnabas also fasted and prayed when they appointed elders (pastors) for the young churches in Asia Minor (Acts 14:23).

Saint Paul speaks of the need for corporal discipline in the Christian life (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). To clarify his meaning to the Corinthians, Paul uses the figure of the athletic games, with which they were familiar because the Isthmian Games were held near their city every three years. All athletes at the Greek games did not indulge in anything that might weaken their muscles or their endurance; they practiced such severe severity that they abstained from the slightest concession in food or drink that might one day set them back in their training.

Many of the post-apostolic Church Fathers encouraged fasting. As early as 200 AD, it had become customary to fast on the Saturday before Easter. Later, a 40-hour fast (believed to be the length of Christ's tomb) became popular. In the third century, the Easter Fast was extended to the six days of Holy Week, and by the fourth century, many were observing a 40-day Lenten fast (the length of which was similar to Jesus' 40-day fast). We may see a reflection of the Easter Fast tradition in the Small Catechism, where Luther writes of “The Sacrament of the Altar,” “Fasting and preparing oneself bodily is, indeed, a good external discipline; but truly worthy and well-prepared is he who has faith in the words: ‘given for you’ and ‘shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’”

However, from the largely individual and voluntary observance of fasting in the days of the early church, a complex system of mandatory fast days gradually emerged. The medieval church was believed to have received the authority to issue such commands to God's people. Fasting was considered a work of merit. Excommunication was inflicted on those who violated the laws of fasting.

That is why Article XII of the Augsburg Confession warns that “although we are convinced that repentance must produce good fruits for the glory and commandment of God, and good fruits, such as true fasting, true prayer, true almsgiving, etc., have a commandment from God, nevertheless, we will never find in the Holy Scriptures any text that says that eternal punishments are not forgiven except because of the punishment of purgatory or canonical satisfactions, that is, by virtue of certain non-obligatory works, or that the power of the keys has the commandment to commute punishments or to forgive part of them."

Farewell to the flesh

The mandatory Lenten fast of the Middle Ages led to an equal and opposite reaction: The practice of throwing a big fit of conspicuous consumption in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, which marked the beginning of Lent. The object was to make sure everyone knew that you were not hoarding alcohol, red meat, eggs, dairy products and other forbidden foods in your house during the fast. This was known as Mardi Gras in France, Shrove Tuesday in England, and Carnaval in Italy and Spain. Carnaval (or Carnival as it is rendered in English) is derived from the medieval Latin phrase, “carnem levare” and means “farewell to the flesh”.

Masquerade balls and parades were a later addition to the festivities. Because of the forced closure of our preschool, 2025 was the first time in 21 years that we have not celebrated Carnaval with a masquerade party and parade through the community for the preschool children. For our children of the 21st Century, Carnaval meant, for the most part, girls dressing up as the Disney princess of their choice and boys putting on Spider Man, Batman or Superman costumes. We also got a fair share of pirates, probably because of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies and not because of the real history of pirates and privateers attacking Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, or the fact that piracy is again a problem in Venezuelan waters.

Our objective was not to endorse the excesses associated with Carnaval, but to give the children the opportunity to laugh, play and exercise their imaginations in anticipation of the solemnity of Lent.

But we did not forget the Ash Wednesday service of prayer and repentance with the imposition of ashes. As with fasting, the imposition of ashes is not obligatory for Christians, but it is not prohibited as an expression of humility and dependence on God. Sackcloth and ashes are associated with public fasting in the Old Testament (Jonah 3:1-10) and it seems to be implied in Matthew 6:16-17, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.” The Greek word translated as “disfigure” is the opposite of the verb translated as “appear”, so the hypocrites are trying to obscure or “disappear” their faces, presumably by covering them in ashes. But our Lord did not criticize external acts in Matthew 6, but rather the false motives the Pharisees had, not only for fasting, but also prayer and almsgiving. The imposition of ashes is useful as an expression of sincere repentance and faith.

Afterschool tutoring program expands
Luz Maria's afterschool tutoring program continues to thrive with the assistance of two young ladies as her assistants, Yusmelvis Salas and Anyi Garrido (both confirmed members of our congregation). There are now 11 students in the program, ranging from first to fifth grades. Daily sessions focus on mathematics and language skills. Venezuela faces an educational crisis because of a shortage of qualified schoolteachers. From 2018 to 2021, approximately 25% of teachers left the education system. Moreover, students are no longer atracted to pursue a career in educaton. The primary causes identfed for these challenges include extremely low salaries, a lack of teaching resources, insufcient professional development, a feeling of being underappreciated, and the loss of benefts they previously enjoyed. Many school-age children attend classes at the public school only two or three days per week and have fall far behind on their educational progress for their ages. As well, some of Luz Maria's students have special learning difficulties.

Every tutoring session includes prayer and Bible reading. The most recent topic was Genesis 28:10-22, Jacob's vision of the ladder to heaven at Bethel.

Taking it to the next level
Two former preschool students, Esteban Alzate (right) and Diego Montilla Farias (left), let us know that they graduated from elementary school and are ready for high school.

Anniversary after the ashes

 

The season of Lent is supposed to a serious, solemn time with an emphasis on repentance and confession, meditation and prayer. But after an Ash Wednesday service which recalled the sackcloth, ashes and fasting of the Old Testament (Jonah 3:1-10; Joel 2:12-19), we joined in a celebration. Our mother congregation, Corpus Christi Lutheran Church, marked 29 years at its current location. Due to the recent departure of Pastor Raimundo Brito (who has announced his intention to emigrate to Brazil because of the economic hardship in Venezuela), I officiated at a eucharistic service with members of our mission and Corpus Christi present on Saturday, February 17, 2024. After the service, the youth and children went out to play games in the street. The Corpus Christi congregation sponsored me as a candidate for pastoral training so that our mission in La Caramuca could continue growing through baptisms and confirmations. When I made my grand tour of Lutheran churches in Venezuela in April, 2003, I stayed the night in the guest room of Corpus Christi. The following morning I found Luz Maria sleeping on of the pews in the church. Corpus Christi is not far from the public bus terminal, so upon returning from a trip to Caracas, she decided to stay at the church rather than look for a late-night bus to La Caramuca. We went out for breakfast and she introduced me to her mother, Carmen Rivero de Henriquez, who also lives close to the church. That was how we first met. While there is much that can be said about our mother church over the last 29 years, the connection between Corpus Christi and La Caramuca dates back many more years. While Corpus Christi acquired its own house of worship in 1995, Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) missionaries began evangelistic work in the city of Barinas in 1985. The first missionary to visit Barinas was Philip Bickel, who, as missions pastor at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Minnesota, convinced me to travel to Venezuela on a short-term mission trip in 2002. Lutheran worship services in Barinas first were held in the home of Luz Maria’s mother. Luz Maria and two of her brothers, Moises and Robert Henriquez, were confirmed as Lutherans. Moises would move to Caracas and become a member of El Salvador Lutheran Church, director of Christian education at its Concordia Lutheran School, and served a term as treasurer of the national church, the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. While living in Barinas, Luz Maria took courses in theology by extension provided by the Juan de Frias Theological Institute (this was a form of distance learning before the Internet was widely available). She moved across the country to the city of San Felix de Guayana and, while living there for a time, continued the formation that would lead to her certification as a deaconess. This included practical experience such as teaching Sunday school and other volunteer work in Ascension Lutheran Church of San Felix. She continued her work and study after her return to Barinas in the 1990s. Carmen, her mother, eventually joined a Baptist church in Barinas, but continued to host LCMS missionaries and Lutheran worship in her home until Corpus Christi established itself at the present site. At 92, Carmen is no longer capable of living on her own. Luz Maria and her six siblings are cooperating in caring for their mother, since placing her in an assisted-living unit is not an option. Every week we deliver food to her mother's house, and when Luz Maria’s siblings need a break for their family and work, we keep her mother here for a few days. That is why Carmen was with us for Ash Wednesday worship. We wish Godspeed to Pastor Raimundo and his wife, Sandra, who is one of the women that Luz Maria mentored through four years of the deaconess training program sponsored by the Juan de Frias Institute and Concordia El Reformador Seminary in the Dominican Republic. Our relationship with them was one of mutual support, even through the worst of the COVID-19 crisis. It began with Pastor Brito's installation and a joint Reformation Day service in 2019 and was last highlighted by a joint activity with members of Corpus Christi during Holy Week of 2023. Former missionary leads online class Speaking of former missionaries to Venezuela and distance, Daniel Conrad on February 29 (Leap Day!) taught a session of “Readings in the Confessions”, a course I am monitoring at Concordia El Reformador Seminary in the Dominican Republic. Pastor Conrad teaches at the seminary, which draws students from 11 countries in Latin America. Before that, he served as a missionary for 20 years in Venezuela (1984–2003), including the city of Barinas. While in Venezuela, he focused on the formation and mentoring of national pastors. Pastor Conrad also served as the pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Terra Bella, California, (2003–2014) prior to receiving the call to serve again as a theological educator, first in Mexico and now in the Dominican Republic. The February 29 class continued our study of the Apology to the Augsburg Confession, and included not only seminarians in the Dominican Republic, but also a visiting group of seminarians from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sweethearts of the science fair We give thanks for past recipients of LeadaChild scholarships who continue to excel in their academic pursuits as well as grow in their faith. Anyi Garrido and Yusmelvis Salas represented Samuel Robinson high school in the seventh Scientific Exhibition Challenge at the local level. Then they proceeded to take first place in state competition. The two will compete at the national level in Caracas at a date to be announced. The topic of their project is: "Solution or Toxin? Calling for reflection on substances that can be toxic to the body, such as tattoos or permanent makeup." Anyi’s brother, Eduar Garrido, and his classmates, Yandry Gomez and Franyelis Martinez, won a similar mathematics competition representing Samuel Robinson among three high schools at the local level, but did not place in state competition. It was said their topic, “Better Strategies for Learning Mathematics” was more suitable for teachers rather than students. Anyi, Yusmelvis and Eduar are all communicant members of our mission. Another shipment of medicine received from GLO We have received another shipment of non-prescription medicines from Global Lutheran Outreach (GLO) to distribute among the families of our mission according to need. This GLO project benefits not only Epiphany Lutheran Mission of La Caramuca, but all of the congregrations of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. Since 2017 volunteers in Chile have packaged and shipped needed medicine to Venezuela. Luz Maria works closely with Corali Garcia  Ramos and Elianeth Pineda, Venezuelan expatriates in Chile, to coordinate requests for medicines from all the Lutheran congregations in Venezuela. Recipients can choose from a list of 18 common medications (up to three medications per patient). Each of those medicines are available in Chile without a prescription. Additionally, every congregation in Venezuela receives a supply of seven common medications. Medicines are purchased in Chile with the cooperation of a local pharmacy. Volunteers collate the orders and prepare each congregation’s shipment. Medicine is shipped using a globally-known shipping company. After arriving in Venezuela, the medicines are sorted and packed for distribution to each beneficiary.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

 

Spiritual warfare is a recurring theme in Lent, beginning on the first Sunday with the confrontation between Jesus and Satan (Matthew 4:1-11) after 40 days of fasting in Judean desert, an episode from which we derive the 40 days of Lent. This followed on the second Sunday by the story of Jesus casting out the demon which afflicted a Canaanite woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:21-28) and on the third Sunday by an accusation by the Pharisees that Jesus cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub (originally identified as a god of the Philistines in the first chapter of 2 Kings, but by the first century another name for Satan) and Jesus’ rebuke of that accusation in Luke 11:14-28. On the fifth Sunday, the last before Holy Week, the Pharisees accuse Jesus Himself of being possessed by a demon as well as not having a genuinely Jewish ancestry (John 8:42-59). Jesus replies that not only is He the Lamb that “the Lord will provide” and the true son of Abraham chosen for sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-14), but “before Abraham was, I am”, revealing His divine and human natures.

The fourth Sunday would seem to offer relief from all the talk of demonic activity with the story of a feast, the feeding of the five thousand as described in John 6:1-15. Jesus once again sought a retreat into the wilderness, this time a remote region on the northeastern shore of the sea of Galilee, but a great crowd followed Him. They were full of eager desire to witness His healing miracles. There is no word concerning any eagerness for the words of eternal life, but nevertheless Jesus healed their illnesses and preached to them. He also multiplied the loaves and fishes, not simply that their material needs would be satisfied, but that they might continue listening to the Gospel and believe. But when Jesus perceived that a great many wanted to take him by force to make Him a king, He left them to pray alone on a mountain. In this way, He again resisted the temptations to use His divine power to gain material prosperity, popularity and an earthly kingdom. It was another victory in the spiritual battle, pointing to His ultimate victory over the power of sin, death and the Devil on the cross.

More medicine from Chile

On March 5, 2023, we began distribution of another shipment of non-prescription medicines made possible by Global Lutheran Outreach (GLO). During the initial years (2017-2020) of the GLO Venezuela Relief Project, many pharmaceutical companies had ceased operations in Venezuela, and local pharmacies had bare shelves. Today, medicine may be once again available but at high prices and in dollars! Medicines are purchased by Confessional Lutheran Church of Chile volunteers, many of them immigrants from Venezuela. Volunteers collate the orders and prepare each shipment according to lists of needed prepared by participating Lutheran congregations in Venezuela. In addition to La Caramuca, medicines have been distributed in other locations, such as the cities of Barinas and Barquisimeto.

According to a report by the Wilson Center, more than 82 percent of people in Venezuela have incomes below the poverty line and 53 percent live in extreme poverty. Even after correcting for the income that some households receive from friends and relatives abroad, the level of extreme poverty is estimated to be 34 percent. More than 78 percent of households experience food insecurity. In addition, according to the Global Hunger Index, more than 23 percent of Venezuelans suffer from high levels of malnutrition, the highest in South America. Furthermore, Venezuela’s restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid are as high as in Ethiopia and higher than in Haiti, Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan. So GLO’s success in placing these medications in the hands of our people is quite an accomplishment.

New cycle of deaconess formation begins

Once again Luz Maria is mentoring women who aspire to be deaconesses in our national church. Many of them have served the church for years in works of mercy and Christian education. The three-year program, developed by Concordia The Reformer Seminary in the Dominican Republic and administered in Venezuela by the Juan de Frias Theological Institute, offers them the theological training to assist their pastors in meeting the spiritual as well as material needs of the congregation and the community. The seminary has extended its deaconess training program to nine Latin American countries, but Venezuela continues to have the largest enrollment with 28 women.

Each year of the program is a combination on in-person seminars and online classes. The students complete assigned readings and projects and put their new skills into practice with the supervision of the local pastor and deaconess mentor. Once they pass their final written and practical exams, they graduate and are commissioned as deaconesses.

Luz Maria and I traveled to Caracas to attend the first seminar from March 8 to 10. The women and pastors who attended were from congregations in the central zone (the cities of Caracas and Maracay) of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. The previous week the same seminar was held at Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life) Lutheran Church in Puerto Ordaz for women and pastors in the eastern and southeastern zones (the cities of Barcelona, Maturin, San Felix de Guayana and Puerto Ordaz). There are no women enrolled from our western zone (Barinas and Barquisimeto) this time around. The instructors were Pastor Eliezer Mendoza, director of the Juan de Frias Theological Institute, and deaconesses Luz Maria and Elsy Valladares de Machado, with assistance from Deaconess Ginnatriz Vera de Mendoza.

I participated in the discussions and led the opening devotion one morning. I read 1 Timothy 3:8-13. “Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

The first word in verse 11 is gynaikas, literally “women” without a possessive article. So to render it “their wives” (meaning the wives of male deacons) is not justifiable, especially since verses 1-7 list the qualifications of a bishop or pastor without mention of the wives of pastors (and no vow of celibacy was required for the pastoral office at that time). There is other evidence in the New Testament that the diaconate, or helping ministry, was open to women as well as men, so the best interpretation of verse 11 is that the women to which it refers are deaconesses. As a historical example of a faithful deaconess, I used Olympias, the chief deaconess to John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth century AD. Chrysostom, by the way, interpreted 1 Timothy 3:11 as referring to deaconesses. When the archbishop was exiled for preaching against the luxurious living of the upper classes and their indifference to the poor, Olympias acted as his advocate in his absence and wrote to him regularly. Chrysostom’s 17 letters in reply to “the most reverend and divinely favored deaconess Olympias” may still be read.

Oh Christ, Thou Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us!

Oh Christ, Thou Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us!

Oh Christ, Thou Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace!

Outward expressions of inner reality

“Why do you dress like that?”, the little boy asked me after the Divine Service. Of course, he meant my alb, stole and cincture. “It is the uniform of a called and ordained pastor in our church,” I replied.

I could have given him the complete lecture, starting with Article XXIV of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: “At the outset we must again make the preliminary statement that we 1 do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things.” Elsewhere in the Book of Concord there are many declarations that ecclesiastical traditions that have stood the test of time, and proven useful in teaching reverence for the Word and sacraments, even if they are not specifically commanded in Scripture, should be preserved and not be discarded (for instance, Article XV of the Augsburg Confession). Even the use of Latin was retained as part of the Divine Service! The Reformers were concerned with establishing they were not starting a new church, but were truly in communion with the church catholic, which has existed not only since the first century, but in the Old Testament as well. There are no detailed descriptions of how the New Testament church worshiped, probably because the early Christians were already accustomed to the liturgical worship of the Temple and synagogue. New Testament believers are not bound to the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament as a matter of salvation, but it is clear what “worship style” the Lord prefers.

Nevertheless, I felt it was sufficient to speak of a pastoral uniform, because Venezuelans understand uniforms. Every branch of the military, and of local, state and national police have their distinctive uniforms. Venezuelan physicians identify themselves by their white lab coats. But uniforms not only identify figures of authority, but also those who belong to a particular group. Not only do the teachers in our preschool have uniforms, but also all of our students. This is the norm not only in preschool, but in the primary and secondary schools as well. The wearing of uniforms is not obligatory in the university, but every college or school in the university has its distinctive form and color of dress. And at graduation, it is customary to wear the academic robes which are derived from the uniform of scholars in the 16th Century. Uniforms signify vocation, which is a solid Lutheran doctrine and beneficial for an orderly society as well.

This month we distributed new uniforms provided free of charge to our preschool by the Ministry of Education. The uniforms are required, but many families cannot afford to purchase them. With the aid of LeadaChild, we provide scholarships for alumni of our preschool to continue their education through high school. Part of the money from these scholarships is used for the required uniforms which are not provided free for families past the preschool level.

The purpose of marriage and family

On the same day that we distributed the uniforms, we spoke with the guardians of our students about the Biblical model of the family: One man, one woman committed to an exclusive relationship for life. God intended this order of creation for the welfare of children, as well as mutual companionship and support of the complementary sexes. So far, we have not had to deal directly with what is referred to here as “gender ideology”, that is, the promotion of same-sex “marriage” and the idea of sexual identity as a social construct. However, the law in Venezuela has for many years permitted common-law marriage, or more precisely, concubinage. That is to say, it is sufficient for a man and a woman to be considered “married” if they live under the same roof and have children together. Marriage as a commitment to God, and not just a private arrangement, is a real cultural obstacle. Also, the responsibility of fathers to bring their children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord is a particular problem for men, as many children lack an identifiable father figure in the home.

Teachers’ strike continues, so does afterschool tutoring

While many COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted (according to this site, COVID-19 is not among the 50 leading causes of death in Venezuela), many schools remain closed because of a nationwide teachers’ strike over adequate pay and benefits. But even though her students are not attending regular classes, Luz Maria continues her afterschool tutoring. It is a remedial program for many of the students, who are far behind their grade level in basic reading and math skills.

Feast, then fast?

We began the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday imposition of ashes, but not before the preschool children participated in a traditional Carnaval parade. “Carnaval” is derived from an old Italian phrase, which means “farewell to the flesh”, specifically meat, dairy products and whatever else would not keep for the 40 days of obligatory Lenten fasting. The two days (at least) of merrymaking and conspicuous consumption before Ash Wednesday was a medieval form of virtue signaling, in which people demonstrated that they were not keeping anything hidden in the cupboards during Lent. During the Renaissance, parades and masquerade balls became part of the festivities. There is inherently wrong with these pre-Lent celebrations, unless they become occasions for idolatry and inmorality. The same may be said of Halloween, in which the original significance of All Saints Eve and All Saints Day has been forgotten by a great many people.

The appointed Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Matthew 6:1-11, might seem to forbid this kind of thing, except that Jesus begins by says “When you fast…” He does not require fasting as a condition of forgiveness, but assumes His disciples will fast. Fasting is often mentioned in the Old Testament. It was carried out voluntarily or by public prescription. The Law of Moses mandated a single fast, that of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-34). In addition, fasting was done by public prescription in seasons of drought or public calamity (Judges 20:26; 2 Chronicles 20:3; Joel 1:13; 2: 12,15). Fasting was also done individually and voluntarily from time to time. Hannah fasted because of her grief at not having a child (1 Samuel 1). David's action in fasting after the birth of Bathsheba's first child is peculiar in that he continued the fast only while the wounded child was alive and discontinued the fast when the child died (2 Samuel 12:21-23).

By New Testament times it is obvious that the Pharisees regarded fasting as a work of merit (Luke 18:12). However, this was an abuse that was already evident in the Old Testament. As Isaiah rebuked the people of his day for their cold, formal fasts and exhorts them to accompany their fast with a humble spirit and righteous living (Isaiah 58:3-12). The Pharisees fasted twice a week: Monday and Thursday. What Jesus condemns in Matthew, chapter 6, is outward acts of piety as works of merit to gain favor with God as well as the admiration of men. These acts include prayer and giving to the poor as well as fasting. In fact, the apostles fasted at times (Acts 13:2; 14:23). Many in the early church fasted twice a week: Wednesday and Friday.

The death of King David’s child was punishment for his adultery with Bathsheba, although because he confessed his sin, the Lord spared his life. This repentance is reflected in Psalm 51, where David writes, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Job expresses sorrow and repentance by sitting among ashes in Job 2:8. We find both fasting and the wearing of sackcloth and ashes as an expression of sorrow and repentance in the alternate Old Testament lesson appointed for Ash Wednesday, Jonah 3:1-10. This was appropriate to read because our Sunday afternoon youth Bible class had just completed a study of the book of Jonah.

Fasting and imposition of ashes had again come to be considered acts of merit in the medieval church. The Lutheran Confessions reject burdening consciences with these rites, but teach that right fasting is a fruit of repentance commanded by God in the same way as right praying and right almsgiving; that fasting is useful for keeping the flesh in check (Article XXVI, Augsburg Confession); and that fasting and other forms of bodily preparaton are fine external training in preparation for receiving Holy Communion (Small Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar).

At any rate, we remember that while the 40 days of Lent are intended as a season of penitence and prayer, there are feast-days embedded in Lent: The six Sundays are not considered part of Lent proper, because we celebrate the Resurrection with the Eucharist.

We wish all of you a blessed Lent in anticipation of Easter triumph and Easter joy!