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




Let them in,
Aaaaahhhh… such a sweet smell to the King of the Orcs, Azog the Defiler. Fear. It is the the unholy sacrifice of our belief in the Lord who commands us not to fear. When we bow to fear we choose enslavement. Why do we choose to abandon our noble hope and faith just to settle for despair, doubt, and a path well-traveled? In abject contrast to satisfying fragrance to a demagogue of fear, like Azog, is the trusting prayers that waft up basting the Heavens with a fearless fragrance – irresistible to the One who makes all things new. My thoughts today are really a request to engage your help to encourage these burdened under-shepherds of the cloth to remember those who previously carried this torch of the Gospel to their doorstep without regret or fear. Presently, the message of the Gospel is being crowded out by what people want and not so much what they need. Ironically, the “Good News” carries quite a shadow of hate. If there is a timelessness to human culture it presides through the intoxicating effects of people praise. Hence the success of Hollywood and even our latest president-elect. However, when Jesus mentioned He and G-d were one, well… yeah, a whole lot of that stuff hit the fan. As the fan coughs to a sputtering stop, we quickly surmise the cost of spreading this type of “good news.” If this God-man, Christ wasn’t necessary then the Gospel would be a no-brainer and an absolute joy to contemplate every minute of the day. It would be like….incessant prayer. Unfortunately, the Father sent His only begotten to complete His will, His Torah for His chosen, who was unfortunately welcomed eventually by crucifixion. Don’t be fooled that Christianity has no cost. It actually costs as much as someone love without fear of any consequence. No regrets.