The Hearing of Gladness

Great words from Martin Luther:

"...in the use of the Sacraments and in confession we teach men to look mainly at the Word, so that we call everything back from our works to the Word. The hearing of gladness is in Baptism, when it is said: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19); “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). The hearing of gladness is in the Lord’s Supper, when it is said, “This is My body, which is given for you” (Luke 22:19). The hearing of gladness is in confession, or, to call it by its more proper name, in absolution and the use of the keys: “Have faith. Your sins are forgiven you through the death of Christ.” Though we urge the people to the Sacraments and to absolution, still we do not teach anything about the worthiness of our work or that it avails by the mere performance of the work, as the papists usually teach about the Lord’s Supper, or rather about their sacrifice. We call men back to the Word so that the chief part of the whole action might be the voice of God itself and the hearing itself."

Martin Luther
Luther's Works, AE 12:369,
Selected Psalms I, Psalm 51:8