<> Ask the Pastor Fr. Walter P. Snyder Q: My uncle said that my sister's friend who died is not going to Heaven if she didn't take Jesus as her Savior. Is this true? A: So you won't think I'm choosing sides, I'll let the Word of God speak directly. Jesus said (John 6:44) "No one can come to me unless the ather who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day." Later, in John 14:6, Jesus answered Thomas about the way to the Father: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." After Christ's ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples became bold in their teaching. Peter stood before the Jewish leaders, including some who'd been directly involved in the crucifixion, and spoke of Jesus, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)" Pointing to Jesus Christ as Lord God and Savior and creating this faith in us is the purpose of Scripture. He is the only means of salvation which the Bible reveals to us. All else foreshadows him or flows from Him. Q: How does one know if God is calling him to become a pastor? A: As far as I am concerned (and as far as Lutheran theology allows me to go), this knowledge comes from actually receiving a call to be the spiritual father of a congregation. In my own case, I was never absolutely certain that the Holy Ministry is where God wanted me to be until I received the call documents from Faith and St. Paul Lutheran Churches here in Woodville and Jasper. Now I do know. I was called by the Holy Spirit through these congregations, and have been here for better than five years. As for knowing whether or not you should begin or continue studies, you should prayerfully examine God's Word and your own life. This is not a time for false humility, but for a truly honest, humble, complete evaluation of yourself. Your own family and pastor should be consulted, as well. Are you capable of learning and applying what you learn? Does your life square with what Scripture says about the person of a pastor? You could build a large check list, and this is only a start. I haven't yet written of your "feelings" about being called to be a pastor. The actual "call" is mediated by the Holy Spirit through the church. While being called and established in a congregation might be an emotional event, "feelings" should not be used to place a pastor in a church. Feelings are not often good guides of behavior, whether spiritual or other. However, they are excellent in sparking interest and in getting us to throw our minds and bodies into doing something. Thus, if you "feel" drawn toward the ministry, find out more about it, make the comparisons of which I wrote, then decide whether or not to pursue your studies. Finally, you'll actually need to begin your preparations, if you finally want to find out whether God is truly drawing you toward the ministry. Q: What is the connection between Shrove Tuesday and the eating of pancakes? For that matter, what is Shrove Tuesday? A: The "shriving" and the pancakes tie together on the Tuesday before Lent begins. The festival foods (fats, etc.) are consumed as people prepare to simplify their diets and their lives during the fasting season of Lent. To "shrive" (strip bare) one's home of such is the origin of "Shrove" Tuesday. The pancakes are a dandy way to use up some of the fats and sugars you're going to be doing without. Sometimes this is done quietly and decently. However, you'll often find one grand and inglorious binge of gluttony. The day before Ash Wednesday is also called *Mardi Gras*, or Fat Tuesday, as well as *Carnival*, which means "remove meat." I leave you to draw your own conclusions as to whether or not this last day of pre-lenten "freedom" is subject to abuse. For those who on this coming Wednesday will begin Lent with promises of fasting and self-sacrifice, I pray that the Lord enables you to keep your promises. Our giving up of certain foods, entertainments, and the like can benefit us in several ways. Included is the blessing of being reminded of the even greater sacrifices Jesus made. Such fasting can also be a God-pleasing means of disciplining ourselves in body, mind, and spirit, provided we do it in loving response to his Word and not because of a grudging sense of obligation. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1998 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.