Festival of St. Henry of Finland, Bishop and Martyr
Posted on January 19, 2022 by under
Scripture: St. John 1:15-18 (NKJV)
1:15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Devotion
The Word of God has been declared to man from the beginning of time. It is His holy, eternal expression of righteousness and love toward us. As Moses bore witness, we were rightly condemned in our sins on account of Adam and Eve, but the grace of God would come in the Offspring who would fulfill all righteousness. The people of God now declare His grace and truth in Jesus Christ. Saints like Bishop Henry of Finland have been part of that ongoing proclamation to this day.
The Word does not change, but the context does. Moses and the Old Testament prophets declared that the Christ would certainly come. John the Baptist was given the high honor of being able to say, “This is He…” In Medieval Finland, Bp. Henry proclaimed this same Word by teaching the Church and calling sinners to repentance and faith. The bishop was martyred for the sake of God’s Word at the hands of a treacherous murderer, but still the Gospel of grace and truth in Jesus would continue.
The glory of God’s eternal Word is revealed to us in His holy Church by the preaching, teaching, and faithful observance of His holy Sacraments. All the sons and daughters of God’s house, ministers and laity alike, may face suffering and martyrdom for the sake of Jesus Christ and His truth, but as we are in Him, our salvation is secure and we will not lose our eternal life!
Prayer: O God, who dost guide Thy Church through the faithful ministrations of Thy servants, grant that Thy ministers, like St. Henry, stand steadfast against those who would work iniquity; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany of our Lord
Almighty and everlasting God, Who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of Thy people, and grant us Thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
