New Articles

It's been a while since my last blog post, and I apologize. I wanted to share my articles for this upcoming week's bulletin with you. I hope you enjoy them.
--------

Good morning, saint! Did you know that’s what you are? You are a saint. When we hear the word saint, we often think about the Catholic versions, drawn on an icon or worn around the neck. We think about pious individuals, men and women, known for their faith, devotion, and help. This men and women displayed amazing faith, and they were rewarded and remembered by being beatified.

Yet that is not how the word is used in the New Testament at all! Rather, anyone who has put on Christ is called a saint. The term ‘αγιος (hagios) is the word that Paul uses when he writes to the various churches scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus,the faithful in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 1:1)

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God… to all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 1:1)

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons…” (Philippians 1:1)

A saint isn’t some perfect, pious, holy individual acknowledged for their miracles and good works; a saint is anyone who has put on Christ in baptism and is being made holy through the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Today is All Saints Day, a day to remember the saints. So look around you, and see all of the saints. Pray for them, encourage them, remember them throughout this week. We are the Hagioi, the saints of God, and we are being transformed and sanctified every day. God bless you, saint of God!

----------

What matters most to you on this earth? What is your most prized possession? I know, I know, many of you are thinking that you aren’t that attached to your stuff, that they are just earthly possessions that fade away. But let’s be honest; each of us feels attached to something. Maybe it is your car; you spend a lot of time shining it and taking care of it, and you would be devastated if it was damaged. Maybe it is your family; you put a lot of time into your relationships and caring for one another. Maybe it is your home; you spend every Saturday getting it just right, mopping the floors, cutting the grass, straightening the house. Maybe it is your time; you value your little bit of free time each week, away from the stresses of work and the demands of your daily schedule… Each of us has something that we are attached to, that it would be hard for us to give up.

What is the Kingdom of God worth to you? Is it worth giving up your most prized possessions? Is it worth giving up some relationships? Is it worth giving up your life?

As Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God, he describes it as the most valuable possession available to humanity. He calls it a “hidden treasure” and a “pearl of great price.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

It is more precious than the treasures of the world, and it is more wonderful than silver or gold. It costs us everything, and yet leaves us fulfilled and satisfied. It might even cost us our relationships with our family and our friends. When Jesus tells his disciples about counting the cost for following him, he tells them, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” In a similar circumstance, Luke tells them that if they do not consider Christ before their own families, they cannot be his disciples.

What is the Kingdom of God worth to you? Is it worth your time, your fortune, your relationships, your possessions? What are you willing to give up for the Kingdom of God? It costs you everything, yet promises everything in return.

Crosses and Public Land

On the outskirts of the Mojave National Preserve sits a 5ft tall cross, originally erected in 1943 to honor fallen WWII soldiers on private land. The land was acquired from the landowner earlier this decade, and now sits at the forefront of a national debate.

A recent USA Today article argued that any form of religious expression on public government property should be expressly forbidden. He argued that Thomas Jefferson meant for the total separation of church and state, and this cross is defiant of that divide. The real issue in the Supreme Court case, argued earlier this week, is that a Forest Services worker was denied the opportunity to erect a Buddhist shrine next to the cross. He argued that it was religious discrimination, and thus must be removed.

As I read the responses to the article in this morning's paper, I was struck by many of the comments. There were a number of arguments that "Religion is a mythological premise that has absolutely no basis in reality." Another commentator argued that religion and state should be separate, arguing that there was a law in Colonial America that allowed the death penalty after three Sunday absences from church. Thus, church and state should be separate. (No matter how hard I look, I cannot find that law on the books. People were jailed for missing church, but I cannot find anyone who was actually killed. If you know of an instance, please let me know.)

I think the argument is intriguing. No one argues that Arlington National Cemetery is a religious institution. Thousands of soldiers are buried under white crosses at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, and yet no one is up in arms about "religious persecution." Scripture from Isaiah is written on the side of the United Nations building, yet Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and secular nations still send their delegates there as representatives.

This case is not about religious persecution, discrimination, or proselytizing. It is about the desecration of a war memorial that honors the fallen soldiers of WWII. What if I decided that the Korean War or Vietnam War memorials were offensive because of their offensive references to Asians of Korean or Vietnamese decent? What if I deemed the Iwo Jima Memorial that overlooks the Potomac as sexist, because of only the presence of men on the bronze statue (ignoring the OBVIOUS phallic symbol that is present!)

We get totally bent out of shape over the simplest things. Should he have been permitted to erect a Buddhist shrine on public land? Well, possibly. Does the cross function as a religious worship focal point? If so, then yes. If not, then get over it.