Friday, January 18, 2013
Matthew 8:8-10 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
AMEN
When The Lutheran Hymnal was published in 1941 it did something that had not been done in most hymnbooks up to that time. It added an "Amen" at the conclusion of every hymn. While we have been taught by Martin Luther to understand that "Amen" means "Yes, yes, so shall it be", too often the "Amen" we sing at a hymn's conclusion is more of a weak "The End" than a firm and forceful "Yes!" At times we also seem to use the same understated (I almost said "muttered") approach when singing or speaking the "Amens" that are a part of our various liturgical formats. But, given its meaning, won't we want our "Amens" to have the confident ring of faith made verbal? An "Amen" doesn't have to be loud to be a firm and forthright confession that "Yes, God will hear and answer" or "Yes! This is what I believe."
Perhaps it will help us to use our "Amens" to speak our faith if we remember the "Epiphany Amen" of the centurion who came to Jesus on behalf of his critically ill servant. While it is true that this soldier didn't even use the word "Amen", both his prayer request and his confession of utter confidence in Jesus' ability to heal his servant (from any location) made public for all to hear his faith in Christ. If we also focus our heart's confidence in Christ in the words we speak to confess our faith, we too can utter "astonishing" words of faith in our prayers and creeds and yes, our "Amens."
Amen, that is, So shall it be.
Confirm our faith and hope in Thee
That we may doubt not, but believe
That what we ask we shall receive.
So in Thy name and at Thy word
We say: Amen. Oh, hear us, Lord!
-- Martin Luther
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 458:9)
