Reformation Day doesn’t commemorate one man. Reformation Day doesn’t even celebrate a certain category of people. Reformation Day venerates every human being. It means more than a viewpoint or an institution. It amounts to something greater than a message or a cause. The Reformation revolves around an identity and a relationship.
The Reformation properly belongs to the Lord God. He Himself makes and saves all the moments in human history. He alone sustains and claims all the movements in the entire universe. His unconditional love endows each human life with equally infinite value. Life always arrives as His gift—in His time and on His terms, in abundance and unto eternity, even amid afflictions. God’s work of creating—in His image and for His enjoyment—proclaims all human beings special. God’s labor of redeeming—Word become flesh, Christ reconciling the world by dying and rising again—proves all human beings precious. God’s activity of calling—to His heavenly kingdom and everlasting family, templing bodies with His Holy Spirit—pronounces all human beings priceless. His undiscriminating grace—not anyone’s age or appearance or ability, wherever we come from and whatever we have done—imparts sanctity and affirms significance to every member of the species homo sapiens.
This Gospel reality constitutes our faith. This forgiveness and salvation, this peace and hope and joy, extends to the whole of humankind. Jesus Christ’s presence and purpose empowers courage and compassion. We speak truth and show love in reflection of His own toward us. We respect and protect even the least among us because we have received the same favor freely from Him. We treat both our life and our neighbor’s as privilege to us and treasure to God.
This is the day the Lord has made. That makes this day our holiday. This is your day. Blessed 500th Festival of the Reformation to you!