The epiphany to the slumbering heart should awaken the deep humiliation of a tender heart for God. It is humanity’s glimpse into our requirement for a Savior to rescue us from our pride and reason. In light of the crucifixion it is no longer acceptable to say, “I’m okay and you’re okay.” The crucifixion of Christ is a divine thrusting of a glimmering sword deeply implanted into our planet to be seen as the Truth of God’s humility and fullfilment of the Way through perfect love towards eternal Life. One must consider what are the actions of true love? It is to lay one’s life down for another. Why? When real courage steps into the breach shielding violence from a possible victim, the fruit of one’s action is both a symbol and sign of true freedom. Freedom becomes dualistic as a mentor of fearlessness and sign of the miraculous gift of acting in step with true love. This was demonstrated at Club Q.
However, what is antithetical to love, is abounding in our cultural rhetoric today. An insidious intention lurks below political and religious speech. There is a blind acceptance to political the false-shepherd’s fear-based ideology who flees the opposite direction while his blind and misguided sheep bloodthirst storms the Capitol. Their low-hanging, rotting fruit manifests in a gallow as their enthusiasm crushes to death a police officer standing in the breach. Without shame, the power of this ideology holds back its followers to even pay respects towards this “boy in blue”. The irony of this is not lost but stands as a conviction against those arrogantly flying a new American flag shaded in blue insinuating support towards the suffocating blue knee pressed upon the neck of a citizen pleading to breathe. This is the new fearful and cowardly ‘Merica not the home of the brave and free. ‘Merica’s fascination with guns, even when strapped tightly to body armor hesitates for two excruciating minutes while children in Uvalde are executed. No laying down of one’s life here just shaking knees wet pants, and indecision. Yes, many prayers and thoughts from bishops to politicians were paraded before all media. Yet there seems to be a line in the sand, certainly not drawn by Jesus, that even bishops and politicians refuse to empathetically cross with thoughts and prayers when victims are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Why is there no heartfelt anguish for this type of violence? The reason is because this lower class of citizen, as well as non-white populations, and those with physical and mental challenges is deemed unworthy of ‘Merica’s melting pot. Lower class proves to be a favorite historical scapegoat. A history that lawfully cannot be taught. Truth has no place in history – it should only be aggrandized by the winners that wrote it. Yet, the human heart, despite its hardened facade, is designed to recognize the scapegoat. The plea from the ultimate scapegoat crucified upon Golgotha, still echoes today, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they are doing.” Although the body can be killed, the soul cannot – nor can generations of memories. Let’s take a moment to remember Elie Weisel the Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. It’s his words I prefer, not of the groomed, white-royalty elected through monstrous warchests. Consider some of his famous quotes:
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
“Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds.”
“Some stories are true that never happened.”
“Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies.”
It also should be added that hate, in all of its capacities of indifference, breeds self-hate.
Back to today’s ever-growing ideology proving only in divisiveness, the words
written in Zechariah 10 and 11, lists five signs of a false shepherding.
- The false shepherd is signified by false doctrine (10:1-2a).
- The false shepherd is signified by self-exaltation (10:2b, 3).
3. The false shepherd is signified by blind acceptance…from his flock (10:2c).
4. The false shepherd is signified by uncaring devastation (11:15-17).
5. The false shepherd is signified by divine judgment (10:4; 11:1-3).
False shepherds should be corrected and avoided from being placed in leadership at all costs.
Arguments rage in dividing religion and nation not in unifying. Unifying is the task of the Blessed Spirit while dividing is the onus of politics. An oldie but a goodie is found in Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Why do you think we wrestle? In my humble opinion, we wrestle because our heart is designed towards empathy and in particular, the scapegoat. We forget God’s reasoning may not agree even with our biblical knowledge. Recall that Christ, the Son of God, often confronted the Pharisees understanding of what was written with what was intended. Jesus often asked questions, told parables, instead of giving opinions and answers. Why? To allow the listener’s heart a chance at the table.
America was founded upon Judeo-Christian principals allowing unforeseen equity in amendments for this nation’s heart to wrestle with.
My only question:
If Christianity still believes the Holy Spirit is still at work what is it convicting us of and what is It trying to unify?
By Chris Clody 11/28/22
Endure these commands of my authentic love,
“Let it be done unto me.” O Mother how your words changed faith to hope. What was it like Mother? To be overshadowed, completely enveloped in the embrace of the Trinity? Reveal to me Mary the warmth and the light that captured you in ecstasy between creature and Creator! Who, but a favored soul, determined before all time, could stand in the rapture of pure love of indescribable joy? To know that your humility would impart innocent flesh to God’s perfect sacrifice requiring perfect love. What was it like to witness the Trinity transfigured about you while infused with the knowledge to hold this moment close to your heart. Still, for those eyes undimmed by doubt, your immaculate heart can be seen like John beholding the Lamb of God for the very first time. Just as it was with Simeon and Anna, the prophetess, who recognized the consolation of Israel when the infant Savior was brought to the temple. Yet it was Simeon who saw your heart, the favored one beating in tandem with the Holy One of Israel. Two hearts, the sacred and the immaculate inexplicably bound, synchronized in love. Foreseeing the very sword that pierced your Holy Son would forever martyr your immaculate one so your thoughts could be revealed to the generations that call you blessed. Hastened by irresistible charity to assist your once-barren cousin at the sixth month of her anointed pregnancy, it was not only Elizabeth that recognized the approach of your favored heart, but her unborn John who leapt at the tandem heartbeats of humility and promise proceeded by the Spirit’s warmth. Just as John the Baptist was pre-elected by the Father to clear a path for His Begotten, Mother, you were deemed ever more so. Simeon and Anna both envisioned the contradiction that you carried, one that would cause the rise and fall of many men. It seemed apropos and justly ironic that your fiat of blind trust to carry this world’s redeemer, for which no hospitality was offered in time of delivery, that you therefore accepted without hesitation in the ark of your favored womb. How you now reveal the wonders of your favor Mother, that transform the Ark of the Covenant with your sacred flesh anointed before time began. How two cherubim surely overlooked your every step preventing any man’s touch to corrupt what God had made holy and perfect. For it was not only your flesh that you imparted to the Begotten in perfect harmony with the Spirit but also your humility that the Father favored you to share.
Christopher Clody 