A Reflection and A New Resource Online

for Spanish Speakers

 

Download the Printable Version

I was blessed to be the Advisory Representative for the District Executives at the 69th
Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod that took place in Phoenix. While waiting for the convention to start I had an opportunity to slip into the Roman Catholic Basilica right by the Phoenix Convention Center. Unknowingly, I walked in right as midday Mass was starting. Since I had time to spare, I decided to stay in the back to observe. And what I witnessed saddened me.

In the first ten minutes of the service, the name of Mary was invoked four times as the one to pray to, to receive the forgiveness of sins, including directly in the Confession. The sermon confused Law and Gospel, declaring the Law as how we know God’s mercy. Finally, Holy Communion was observed. I would say “offered”, except that only the priest took communion while the congregation sat quietly partaking in “ocular and auditory” communion. 500 years after the start of the Reformation and the errors of our Roman brethren persist.

I left the service pondering how a room full of people desperately seeking Jesus Christ had Him locked away from them by manmade traditions and rules. These people took their faith seriously, but in many ways, Christ was kept away from them by a system of rules and regulations nowhere found in Scripture.

This is why our Confessions matter. They are not Scripture, but a true exposition (teaching) of what Scripture says. Christ and the forgiveness of sins (justification) are the heartbeat of the book. The Book of Concord is one of our greatest resources as a church body and I frequently find myself referring people to it when they have questions dealing with their faith and why Lutherans believe what we believe. But what if you do not have one easily on hand? Recently Concordia Publishing House (CPH) rolled out a new website, bookofconcord.cph.org.

But what about resources for Spanish readers? Good news! CPH has made a Spanish version available online at the same website! Readers now have the option to explorer our Confessions in either English or Spanish. May God bless you as you continue to proclaim Christ crucified and Christ risen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Pastor Daniel Ross, Evangelism Executive