95 Days with the 95 Theses (Days 90-95)

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being celebrated this year, 2017.  Why? Because historians acknowledge and date the beginning of the Reformation to October 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

90.  To suppress these very pointed arguments of the laity by force alone and not to resolve them by providing reasons is to expose the church and the pope to ridicule by their enemies and to make Christians miserable.

91.  Therefore, if indulgences were preached according to the spirit and intention of the pope, all of these [objections] would be easily resolved -- indeed, they would not exist.

92.  And thus, away with all those prophets who say to Christ's people, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!

93.  May it go well for all of those prophets who say to Christ's people, "Cross, cross" and there is no cross!"

94.  Christians must be encouraged diligently to follow Christ, their head, through penalties, death, and hell,

95.  ... and in this way they may be confident of "entering heaven through many tribulations" rather than through the [false] security of peace.

A Prayer of Martin Luther

Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.

   I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.

   I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.

I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.

   O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.

   In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.

   I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.

   I am a sinner; you are upright.

With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.  Amen

95 Days with the 95 Theses (Days 82-89)

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being celebrated this year, 2017.  Why? Because historians acknowledge and date the beginning of the Reformation to October 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

81.  This unbridled preaching makes it difficult even for learned men to defend the reverence due the pope from slander or from the truly sharp questions of the laity:

82.  Namely, "Why does the pope not empty purgatory for the sake of the holiest love and the direst need of souls as a matter of the highest justice, given that he redeems countless souls for filthy lucre to build the Basilica [of St. Peter] as a completely trivial matter?"

83.  Again, "Why continue funeral and anniversary masses for the dead instead of returning or permitting the withdrawal of the endowments founded for them, since it is against the law to pray for those already redeemed?"

84.  Again, "Why is this new piety of God and the pope that, for the sake of money, they permit someone who is impious and an enemy to redeem [from purgatory] a pious, God-pleasing soul and yet do not, for the sake of the need of that very pious and beloved soul, redeem it purely out of love?"

85.  Again, "Why are the penitential canons -- long since abrogated and dead in actual fact and through disuse -- nevertheless now bought off with money through granting indulgences, as if they were very much alive?"

86.  Again, "Why does the pope, whose riches today are more substantial than the richest Crassus, not simply construct the Basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of the poor faithful?"

87.  Again, "What exactly does the pope 'remit' or 'allow participation in' when it comes to those who through perfect contrition have a right to full remission and a share [in the church's benefits]?"

88.  Again, Could any greater good come to the church than if the pope were to bestow these remissions and participation to each of the faithful a hundred times a day, as he now does but once?" 

89.  "Since, rather than money, the pope seeks the salvation of souls through indulgences, why does he now suspend the documents and indulgences previously granted, although they have equal efficacy?"

A Prayer of Martin Luther

Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.

   I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.

   I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.

I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.

   O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.

   In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.

   I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.

   I am a sinner; you are upright.

With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.  Amen

95 Days with the 95 Theses (Days 75-81)

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being celebrated this year, 2017.  Why? Because historians acknowledge and date the beginning of the Reformation to October 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

75.  To imagine that papal indulgences are so great that they could absolve a person even for doing the impossible by violating the mother of God is insanity. (Luther accused Johann Tetzel, the Dominican Indulgence preacher, of making this claim. Tetzel denied it.) 

76.  On the contrary, we have said that papal indulgences cannot take way the very least of venial sins, as far as guilt is concerned.

77.  That it is said that even St. Peter, if he were now pope, could not grant greater graces is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope. (Another charge Luther accused Tetzel of saying. Again, Tetzel denied it.)

78.  On the contrary, we say that even the present pope, or any pope whatsoever, possesses greater graces -- namely the gospel, "deeds of power, gifts of healing ..." -- as in 1 Corinthians 12: 28.

79.  To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal coat-of-arms and erected [in the church where indulgences are preached], is of equal worth to the cross of Christ is blasphemy. (A final charge leveled at Tetzel by Luther. And yes, Tetzel denied this too.)

80.  The bishops, parish priests, and theologians who allow such sermons free course among the people will have to answer for this.

81.  This unbridled preaching makes it difficult even for learned men to defend the reverence due the pope from slander or from the truly sharp questions of the laity: 

A Prayer of Martin Luther

Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.

   I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.

   I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.

I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.

   O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.

   In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.

   I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.

   I am a sinner; you are upright.

With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.  Amen

95 Days with the 95 Theses (Days 68-74)

The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being celebrated this year, 2017.  Why? Because historians acknowledge and date the beginning of the Reformation to October 31, 1517, the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

68.  Yet they are in truth the least of all when compared to the grace of God and the goodness of the cross.

69.  Bishops and parish priests are bound to admit agents of the Apostolic indulgences with all reverence.

70.  But all of them are much more bound to strain eyes and ears intently, so that these [agents] do not preach their own daydreams in place of the pope's commission.

71.  Let the one who speaks against the truth of the Apostolic indulgences be anathema and accursed.

72.  ... but let the one who guards against the arbitrary and unbridled words used by declaimers of indulgences be blessed.

73.  Just as the pope justly thunders against those who, in whatever way they can, contrive to harm the sale of indulgences,

74.  ... much more so does he intend to thunder against those who, under the pretext of indulgences, contrive to harm holy love and the truth.

A Prayer of Martin Luther

Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.

   I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.

   I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.

I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.

   O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.

   In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.

   I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.

   I am a sinner; you are upright.

With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.  Amen