Obscurantism For The Sake Of Policy

Fr. Dale Matson

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

“Obscurantism is the practice of deliberately preventing the facts or the full details of some matter from becoming known.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscurantism

“In restricting knowledge to an élite ruling class of ‘the few’, obscurantism is fundamentally anti-democratic, because its component anti-intellectualism and elitism exclude the people as intellectually unworthy of knowing the facts and truth about the government of their City-State.”  Seymour M. Hersh http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/05/12/030512fa_fact

Hersh wrote this in the New Yorker in 2003 regarding the Bush administration’s willingness to believe in weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as a reason to invade Iraq.

   

Much has been said about the attack on our consulate in Benghazi that led to the death of four Americans including our Ambassador Chris Stephens. There has been criticism that our State department did not pay enough attention to the events leading up to the attack, that adequate protections were not in place for the staff in Benghazi. There is criticism that there was an inadequate response during the attack. There has been criticism of the investigation of the event and the lack of interest in the truth of what took place.

A big concern is the conscious attempt to “scrub” the CIA report of all the terror references.  http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/05/exclusive-benghazi-talking-points-underwent-12-revisions-scrubbed-of-terror-references/.

The talking points were changed (edited) so many times that the final document reminded me of Abraham Lincoln’s ‘original’ axe that he used for splitting logs. It had three new handles and two new heads. The last of the 12 versions was not intended to insure accuracy or clarity. Each version departed further from the truth.  It was intended to distort reality and delay discovery. It is the culmination of a failure to perceive an ongoing reality that ran counter to policy and ideology. This was a policy that downplayed Radical Islamic terrorism.

This was a policy, that like Bush, declared premature victory. How different is it than the Bush Whitehouse and weapons of mass destruction or Lyndon Johnson’s Gulf of Tonkin “incidents”.

What is the collateral damage in all this? There is a sense that the average Joe on the street does not trust his government to tell the truth. In a 2013 Pew research poll this year, only 3 in 10 Americans trust their government. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/11/pew-for-every-10-americans-only-3-trust-the-government/

I can still remember the disillusionment and anger I experienced when President Eisenhower denied we flew over Russia to spy only to have the Russians parade Francis Gary Powers in front of the cameras as a captured U2 pilot. The same thing is true of President Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs invasion yet 7 in 10 Americans still trusted their government during the Eisenhower/Kennedy years. http://www.people-press.org/2013/01/31/trust-in-government-interactive/

We claim to be a nation under the rule of law but we are really a nation that runs on truth and trust. We are not doing very well these days and I pray for a return to a government that respects those it represents. We can handle the truth. You can rightfully criticize me for the political tone of this piece but I am asking both sides to be more truthful. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life." Without truth we lose our way and our life is diminished.

Steadfastness

Fr. Dale Matson

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2) “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

Steadfastness is one of God’s basic requirements in the Christians life. Other words that help us understand steadfastness are commitment, dedication, persistence, determination, faithfulness and tenacity. Often St. Paul talked about the Christian life not as a pilgrimage but a race. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV)

This perseverance as St. Paul calls it or steadfastness as James calls it, is required to finish the race. Often in my dreams, I am running a race and become lost along the way. I get off the course. I am so disappointed with myself in the dream because I had such a good beginning to the race. I believe that God is cautioning me to stay the course and pay attention to the signs along the way. Paul says that we must preservere on the race marked out for us. We must stay in the race and stay on the correct course.

At age 42 and at 235 pounds, I began walking a mile a day and then two miles with a goal to run a mile. One thing led to another and eventually I completed a marathon. This kind of training requires discipline, patience and focus. The byproducts are weight loss and a sense that most goals can be reached if one is willing to persevere. Many will attest that completing a marathon is a life changing event that transfers to other aspects of one’s life.

For those like me who believe that everything worth doing is worth overdoing, I discovered that there is also what is called “Ultramarathons”. These are distances of 50 Kilometers, 50 miles, 100 Kilometers, 100 miles and beyond. Perhaps the dream of most marathoners is to run the Boston Marathon but for folks who run Ultramarathons, The Western States 100 mile endurance run is what is referred to as the Holy Grail of endurance runs. The single track trail begins in North Lake Tahoe and finishes 100 miles away in Auburn CA. Like Boston, one must successfully complete another qualifying event first but there is also a selection lottery too. Not everyone who qualifies is selected.

The training requires absolute dedication with months of trail running in the mountains and 100 mile training weeks. I also biked and cross country skied to build endurance and avoid injuries associated with too many running miles per week. The cutoff for completing the event is 30 hours. In 2001, I finished in 29 hours and 17 minutes on my third try following two previous failures in 1994 and 1995. Needless to say, it was the hardest thing I have ever done.

It is said that the first 50 miles is run with the legs and the second 50 miles is run with the heart. Staying on course at night requires constant vigilance. If one does not pay attention to the signs one could become hopelessly lost and not finish the race. There are glow sticks placed along the trail periodically to keep you on course as you run through the night. At every aid station along the way, you are offered encouragement, food and water. There is no way to describe the tired lungs, aching body and the mind altering perceptions because of glycogen depletion. It is a race where even muscle tissue is consumed as the body cannibalizes itself for fuel. All of my toenails turned black from the constant jamming of my feet on the 22, 000’ of descent and 18,000 feet of ascent. Painful blisters plagued my feet and my hands took on the form of boxing gloves from edema.

The 100 plus degree heat in the canyons required a pint of water every two miles just to keep my body weight near normal. Of the 400 or so runners who began, only about 60% finished the year in 2001. What was the difference between those who finished and those who did not? Steadfastness was the main ingredient missing in most of those who did not finish.

    

My life goal continues with God’s help, to run the good race. I have known too many good runners and good Christians who have quit the race. Someday I hope to say to our Lord, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. “ (2^nd Timothy 4:7).

*The verses from James are from the BCP lectionary reading for Morning Prayer Monday May 6^th Year I

A Still Small Voice And The Hope That Is In You

Fr. Dale Matson

Our Gospel lesson for the 6^th Sunday of Easter states in part, ^“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:25-27) Here Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit Who indwells all Christian not just His apostles. Think a second about the actions of the Holy Spirit. He is a Helper. He is One who reminds, He is a Teacher and He is a Comforter.

How do we tune in to the Holy Spirit? How do we get on His wavelength? Sometimes it seems like when my grandsons try and communicate with each other on our walkie talkies. They both press the talk button at the same time and can’t hear what the other is saying. The range of the walkie talkies is about five miles but they yell all the louder at each other from a distance of about ten feet.  Sharon and I can hear them both without the walkie talkies quite well thank you. Sometimes Jamison is on channel one and Maxwell is on channel three.  They can’t seem to agree to be on the same channel. Here are the lessons learned.  First of all, unlike Jamison and Maxwell, we need to get our finger off the talk button and simply listen. Second, never buy a boy anything that will amplify the sound of his voice.  Let’s look at one of my favorite passages from the Old Testament to help us understand how God communicates with us.

“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12 KJV).

In this passage the Prophet Elijah finally understood that God can be found in the “still small voice” (“gentle whisper” NIV). Certainly God communicates with us through Holy Scripture. He also communicates through His Sacraments, circumstances and through a word from our Christian brothers and sisters. In all these ways God leads us in our daily life. I once had a student who said about herself in all humility, “I have always been blessed to hear the voice of Jesus.” I understood her perfectly and hope you do too.

This voice is not the auditory persecutions experienced by psychotics. A clinically depressed person may believe that the voice telling them that they are no good is from God. Well, it is not from God.  The Holy Spirit’s voice is instructive, it is a Teaching voice. It is not the condemning conscience energized by the law written on our hearts. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). The voice is Comforting. The voice is not one of self-criticism. How many have made a mistake and immediately say something like, “You jerk, what were you thinking?” That is not God. That is what I would call the voice of our critical parent. Has a parent ever talked that way to you?  The voice is a Counselor. The voice is not any louder than our own thoughts as God the Holy Spirit speaks to us. God is not in the earthquake. He is in scores of little things in our daily life. As the children’s song states, “He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.”

I have also run into folks who are waiting on the Lord. I find it to be an interesting phrase, waiting on the Lord. Does that mean that you are idle while you wait on the Lord? Does that mean that God is against gainful employment while you are waiting? I think not. Don’t confuse sloth with God’s voice.   Chaucer called idle hands the devil’s tools. I would add that God will never, repeat never, tell you to do something that is not consistent with Scripture.

Let me illustrate with a couple of personal examples. I used to be in construction and had just completed a final grading of a new home site. As I talked with the owner who was smoking a cigarette, I was thinking some rather judgmental and critical thoughts. I was a little self-righteous also since I had just quit smoking myself. A question arose in my thoughts, “What makes you better than him?” I immediately repented in my mind, which was accompanied by uncustomary compassion.

I was recently visiting with a friend over lunch. We talked for a quite a time and when I was done with what I had to say, I was preparing in my mind to move on. “Wait, he’s not done yet. Stay awhile longer.” The friend didn’t take much longer and thanked me for listening.

He is the voice of the teacher, the counselor and the comforter neatly woven into our thoughts yet we are able to distinguish His voice from our own thoughts. With Elijah, God was not in the wind, earthquake and fire. Monks and Mystics seek silence and solitude to hear the voice of God yet ordinary Christians are blessed to hear God every day. Yes, God also speaks to us through others, even those who persecute us. The indwelling Holy Spirit is a sign and a seal.  “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is more than a lifetime warranty. He is an eternal warranty alleluia!

        

Let’s take a more careful look at this verse from our Gospel lesson.  “These things have I spoken to you while I am still with you, but the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father  will send in my name.” Here Jesus is both looking ahead to His ascension and later to Pentecost. Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension. Jesus ascended to Heaven to take His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father and is the fortieth day after Easter. Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Easter where the Holy Spirit was given to the entire church. So, in sum, Christ said He would leave us and send the Holy Spirit. He was resurrected, walked around this earth for an additional forty days and was seen by over five hundred people. Within ten days of His ascension, the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples gathered in the upper room. You know what else was celebrated on Pentecost? Before Pentecost the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Weeks.  This was a celebration of the giving of the Law on Sinai. So Moses presented the Law and later, on the same date, the Holy Spirit was given to the church. How fitting is it then for St. Paul to say that those who are led by the Spirit are not under the Law. (Galatians 5:18) Does this mean that we are no longer bound by the Law? No, it means that when we are led by the Spirit of God, we will also honor the Law. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14). The more the world becomes a confusing and crazy place to exist, the more I appreciate the Ten Commandments. There is certain clarity about them. The commandments are to behavior what sea level is to the surveyor.

I would like to offer some thoughts on the following portion of our Gospel lesson. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” What does Jesus mean here when he makes this statement? He is talking once again about the Holy Spirit. St. Paul uses the Phrase, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. “It is a peace with God and our own conscience” (John Wesley) The peace the world gives is transitory. We strive for peace in our lives. How do we do this? Much of what we do in life is intended to provide security isn’t it? We lock our doors. We work toward being debt free. We guard our health. We have insurance plans for our life, home and automobile. We have extra food on hand. I spent many hours this past week clearing weeds and brush away from our cabin to protect it from brush fires. And yet, and yet again, like clearing weeds, there is no lasting peace that we can provide through increased security. Much of our perceived threat is out of our control. We cannot protect against things outside the security cocoon we build around ourselves. It makes us anxious much of the time. There are so many things that impact us that we have no control over like terrorism and Wall Street declines, Cancer and car crashes.

Speaking of car crashes, in Friday’s paper, an article caught my attention. “Suicides spike among boomers. More take their own lives than car crashes.  Since 1999, the suicide rate rose by 30% for those aged 35 to 64. The bottom line is that this generation is dealing with much more than previous generations and that each new generation will find the same problems. “Changes in marriage, social isolation, and family roles will continue into the next generation. The boomers had great expectations for how their lives would turn out but it hasn’t panned out.” I also think there is also a great deal of moral ambiguity and confusion. Never forget this. The church will always be counter culture. We are called haters and bigots and we are not. It is not a right to free speech that we claim. A life lived for Christ is a prophetic voice we cannot and should not contain. A life led for Christ is an affront to those living licentious lives.

As St. Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit has told us, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). We live in anxious times. So what is the release from this prison of anxiety for the Christian? It is the decision to die to self and live for Christ, for He is our authentic self. It is not our story. It is His story and He is the author and finisher of this story. I believe this is not something that happens overnight. It is a daily giving over of ourselves to Christ.

As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit. He is our counselor and advocate. We have a conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ and forgiveness of our sins. We have hope. We are headed toward eternal life. We cannot convince the pagans around us to reform themselves    because their minds are darkened by sin. We can however live a redeemed life, be a beacon of light to those who are perishing; to those who no longer have boundaries. “ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) 

Anglican Identity

 Fr. Van McCalister

Anglican Identity

Are you a victim of identity theft?  Most Anglicans are.  Well, if not identity theft, certainly identity confusion.

We hear questions like: Are you Catholic?  Do you have a pope?  Are you Protestant?  Weren't you founded by King Henry the VIII^th?  (That's embarrassing!)

Unfortunately, we have accepted some misleading labels that get us off to a bad start.  So, let's get our identity back! 

Are Anglicans Catholic?  Yes, we are.  But we are not Roman Catholic.  Our bishops have been consecrated within the unbroken line of apostolic succession from the apostles to the present, along with the bishops of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.  Therefore our identity as a Catholic Church is as legitimate as that of the Roman Catholic Church.  For Anglicans, being Catholic means being faithful to the catholicity of the Early Church before the denominational divisions, and the medieval corruptions born out of political interests.

Do Anglicans have a pope? No. The early undivided Catholic Church made decisions through councils where bishops and others met to seek God's direction over matters of faith, through prayer and debate. For example, the Nicene Creed and the Definition of Chalcedon, which have defined Trinitarian doctrine and the nature of Christ for nearly 1700 years, were the products of Church Councils. During those early centuries the Bishop of Rome was known as “the first among equals” - certainly someone who deserved much respect, but still only a bishop among fellow bishops. Prior to the Great Schism of 1054, the Emperor called the early Ecumenical Councils together and presided over them. The Emperor sought the advice of the Bishop of Rome, who in turn presided over lesser councils and synods to resolve theological and ecclesiastical issues. It is noteworthy that the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) did not have broad unilateral authority during the early centuries of the Church. Anglicanism follows a similar pattern, where an archbishop will preside over councils, but he is still simply a bishop among a college of bishops. The archbishop's authority allows him to call the College of Bishops together, to introduce an agenda, and to preside over the meetings, but he does not have unilateral authority to introduce or revise matters of Faith and Doctrine.

Are Anglicans Protestant?  Not really.  Anglicans were among those who protested the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation Movement of the 1500s and later.  However, none of the Christian denominations are now what they were in the 1500s. So, the label “Protestant” is not very helpful.  Since then, “Protestant” has come to mean “churches that are not Catholic” because few Christian denominations are still protesting the Roman Catholic Church.  So, if by “Protestant” one means “not Catholic” then Anglicans are not really Protestants.  At least, certainly not in the way other denominations are Protestant.  The difference between Anglicans and Protestants is most apparent by the fact that Anglicans were the only group of protesting Christians within the Reformation Movement who maintained the ancient Catholic Liturgy and continued the ministration of the seven Sacraments.  As you can imagine, the “Protestant” label and the “Catholic” label carry a variety of implications depending on the context.

Weren't Anglicans founded by Henry the VIII?  No.  The Church was founded by Christ on Pentecost.  During the Reformation Movement, a number of people risked their lives and gave up their lives to reform the Church in England during those tumultuous years.  Henry the VIII simply provided an opportunity to carry out those reforms.  To diminish the sacrifice of those English martyrs by attributing their faith to the political whims of King Henry is a travesty.  The fact that Anglicanism has no such visible founder as Luther, Calvin or Knox is a testimony to the desire of the Anglican reformers to restore the doctrine and practices of the Early Church in England.  This is why you will find no Anglican Creed.  Our only Doctrine is Holy Scripture.  Our only Creeds are the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. 

Finally, the most important aspect of our identity is that we are followers of Jesus.

“In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect . . .”    Saint Peter

Glory To God Is Job One For The Church

Father Dale Matson

If you examine the Book of Common Prayer Lectionary readings for the fifth Sunday of Easter, there is a common theme that emerges. The reading from Acts, states, “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.” (Acts 13:48) The entire Psalm (145) is a song of praise unto almighty God. Our New Testament reading from Revelations states in part, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” (Revelation 19:1, 4-5) Finally, our Gospel passage states in part, “Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.’” (John 13:31-32)

It seems like the church today has become so human centered that it is has forgotten our priorities; our obligation to God. The first line of our Lord’s Prayer is, “Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.” The first commandment is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” The first line of the Apostle’s Creed is. “I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

Do you remember the phrase in the old Ford commercial? “At Ford, quality is job one.” What is job one for the church? Yes, I know that the church has a social ministry. We have a duty to serve Christ in others, to feed the poor, visit those in hospitals and prisons. This is the social gospel but the social gospel is only a part of the Gospel that has been entrusted to us. There are “churches” that reject evangelism, the uniqueness and deity of Christ and are really universalist organizations. Unfortunately many of these Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Still refer to themselves as Christian churches when they are Christian in name only.  A social gospel is easy. Lots of folks outside the church are involved in the social gospel. Even the United Nations and Bill Gates are involved in the social gospel. Some liberal churches have rich endowments and can keep the back doors open for the soup kitchens even when there are less and less folks coming in through the front doors. A social gospel emphasis is what I would call mission drift. What did Peter say when he was asked for money by a beggar? “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”  If quality is job one for Ford, what is job one for Christians?

One of our promises in our baptismal covenant is to serve Christ in others. “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? People I will, with God’s help.”  If we are saved, why do we need to serve? It is because loving others through service gives glory to God. Job one for the church and Christians is to glorify God. Let me repeat that. Job one for the church is to glorify God. You say to me, “but father Dale, my friend Jesus did it all for me. I’m saved by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ. He has reconciled me to the Father, cleansed me from all sin. In believing in Him, I also have eternal life. I don’t need to do anything. That would be salvation by works and we don’t believe in that. OK then, what is our proper response to God?

In Luther’s explanation of the first line of the Apostles creed, he said this. “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them; in addition thereto, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and homestead, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him.” (From Luther’s small catechism)

We sing the doxology as communion begins, Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The word liturgy itself means the work of God’s people. We say in part in the Eucharistic prayer, “Let us give thanks unto our Lord God. People It is meet and right so to do. the Celebrant proceeds It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God. Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying, Celebrant and People Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts: Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High. Thank God for our liturgy. The focus on God has remained the same for 2,000 years even when sermons have so often wandered from the truth during this same period. There is no mission drift or creep in the liturgy. The liturgy is benchmark Gospel.

Our proper response to God is to thank and praise serve and obey. It is to love God first and then love neighbor. Think about the phrase we use in Holy Eucharist Rite I. (BCP) “And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee.” This is taken directly from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Is Paul exaggerating here? He quotes the Psalms (44:22) when he claims, “As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:36) My brothers and sisters, this is not about us. This is not about our glory. This is about God’s glory.

We live in such a narcissistic age where people tweet what they had for lunch. Is it really earth shaking news that Justin Bieber tweeted and then deleted a photograph of Selena Gomez and him? We have gone from the frenzy of Sesame Street to the disjointed videos of MTV to the impulsivity of Twitter. This is not just narcissism. It is mass induced Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is outrageous when a Boston Red Sox player can address the nation using the “F” word and be given a pass because of the emotion of the moment over the Boston Marathon bombings. This will set a yet lower standard for civility. How much profanity is in the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln?  In that battle alone about the same amount of Americans died as in the entire Viet Nam War. Lincoln’s last line states, “…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”  The “under God” part has been removed from the other four versions. This version is inscribed at the Lincoln memorial.

Make no mistake. Our government is as concerned about fundamentalist Christians as it is about Islamic Jihadists. When the bombings occurred during the Boston Marathons, there was immediate speculation by our leadership that the bombing was a response to income tax day. (http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/axelrod-obama-thinks-boston-bombings-could-be-related-tax-day_717924.html)  The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) identified the Family Research Council as a “hate group” due to their traditional marriage views. (http://washingtonexaminer.com/fbi-video-domestic-terrorist-says-he-targeted-conservative-group-for-being-anti-gay/article/2528072)

On that terrible day in Boston, my heart sank knowing that many of the runners stories were like me. Boston is not really about elite world class runners. The Boston Marathon is mainly about people like me who pushed themselves to their absolute limits in a qualifying marathon just to be an ordinary Boston finisher. I thought about my finish times at Boston and I would have been at the finish line about the time of the explosions.

Christians respond to God with thanks and praise, service and obedience. Christians give God glory with good works not evil acts. Our lives lived well; a race well run is our testimony to others. We do not kill people so that our God will be glorified. We are called to love our enemies and pray for them. The world is coming to a place where it sees a moral equivalence to militant Islam and fundamental Christianity.

In 2006 a man named Charles Roberts entered a one room schoolhouse in an Amish Community and took ten girls hostage. He killed five girls and wounded five others before killing himself. During interviews conducted later it became apparent that all of the girls knew that Charles Roberts was going to shoot them. Some conversed among themselves throughout the ordeal. Shortly before Roberts opened fire, two sisters, Marian and Barbara Fisher, 13 and 11, requested that they be shot first that the others might be spared. Barbara was wounded, while her older sister was killed. Before the day was out, leaders of the Amish community went to the Robert’s home to offer forgiveness to the Roberts family. That is a fundamental Christian response to evil. Marian and Barbara Fischer and the leaders gave glory to God. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_school_shooting

In 2011 Anders Behring Breivik was identified as the suspect in the bombing and shooting related deaths of over ninety people. The New York Times was quick to quote the Norwegian police who referred to him as a right-wing fundamentalist Christian. I am saddened that anyone would consider a radicalized murderer to be a Christian. This was not a Christian act nor was it the act of a Christian. No person who has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside could commit such a barbarous act against innocent individuals.This was not the act of a fundamentalist Christian. It was the act of a radicalized man filled with fear, motivated by hate and empowered by Satan the murderer. As our Lord told us, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matt. 7:16). And what are the fruits whereby we may know a Christian? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23a).

Jesus the Christ came to live as one of us His mighty works including His rising from the dead revealed and glorified the Father and destroyed the works of the Devil. He allowed Himself to be sacrificed so we could have an abundant and eternal life. He is not just our savior and our Lord. He is our true self as Christians. Does the way you conduct your life give glory to God? That is our job one.  To God be the glory, Amen.

To The Materialist: That’s Not All There Is

^{Fr. Dale Matson}

* "But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death; considering him a friend, they pined away and made a covenant with him, because they are fit to belong to his company. For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, ‘Short and sorrowful is our life, and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end, and no one has been known to return from Hades. For we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been, for the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts; when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air. Our name will be forgotten in time, and no one will remember our works; our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud, and be scattered like mist that is chased by the rays of the sun and overcome by its heat. For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and there is no return from our death, because it is sealed up and no one turns back. ‘Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth. Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no flower of spring pass us by. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. Let none of us fail to share in our revelry; everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment, because this is our portion, and this our lot." (Wisdom 1:16-2:9)

This reminds me of a portion of a 1969 Peggy Lee song , Is That All There Is?

“When I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus, the greatest show on earth. There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears.
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle.
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, "is that all there is to a circus?

SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is

I know what you must be saying to yourselves,
if that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?
Oh, no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment,
for I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you,
when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my lst breath, I'll be saying to myself

SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is

But here is the problem for the materialist. It is not all there is.

"But they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls; for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity, but through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it." (Wisdom 2:22-24)

“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54) 

* Monday Easter IV daily office lectionary reading

The New Normal: Why We Cling To Religion and Guns

Fr. Dale Matson

“It’s a terrible situation in Boston. And, unfortunately … one gets the sense that this is more reflective of the ‘new normal,’ if you will,” he explained. “So much of society is changing so rapidly. [There is now a] ‘New normal’ when it comes to public security in a post-9/11 world. Where these random acts of violence, which at one time were implausible, now seem all-too-frequent.” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo 04/19/13  http://politicker.com/2013/04/governor-cuomo-says-boston-bombing-part-of-new-normal/

I generally agree with Governor Cuomo. However, I would differ with him in that these acts of terrorism are not random, they are directed against soft targets and intended to have high visibility results. The chosen location (near the finish line) for the bombings had lots of cameras and the timing was when a large bloc of the runners would be coming through the area. Like 9/11, there is an important symbolism in the targeting of venues representing the American way of life like Patriot Day. We all know there will be more terrorist acts in the future. Those who live in big cities with fragile grids and high density populations are especially vulnerable.

As most Americans including me watched the events in Boston and the suburbs tragically unfold, there was a gnawing uncertainty about possible further terrorist acts, how many were involved and would the individuals be apprehended? To put it simply, America stood still for four days and held its breath while grieving for the dead and injured. I especially wondered how many of those in Boston and Watertown in ‘lock down’ had loaded guns at the ready in their homes. How many were praying for comfort and deliverance from this situation where millions of individuals were taken hostage by the uncertainty and threat?

This reminded me of the comment candidate Obama made in 2008 to a private audience in San Francisco about folks in Pennsylvania. “And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2008/04/obama-explains-2/ I believe folks in Pennsylvania were praying and clinging to their guns this week. They were not bitter. They were realistic. In the end, we are all responsible for our own safety. “Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has a message for residents in his jurisdiction: You can't rely on him anymore. You need to arm yourself”. http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/28/nation/la-na-nn-milwaukee-county-sheriff-guns-20130128   The police in many smaller communities are a long distance phone call away. The lengthy response time dictates self-defense.

In the response to the Colorado and Sandy Hook massacres, there were those who advocated more than just increased gun regulation. There were those who argued against more than banning all semiautomatic weapons. There were those who advocated for elimination of the 2^nd amendment. http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2013/03/the-war-against-the-second-amendment-has-only-just-begun.php Many of these same individuals would never consider banning the 1^st amendment where toxic levels of pornography and violence are protected and disseminated via the mass media.

   

What happened in Washington this past week was new gun legislation being voted down. Progressives saw this as an outrage. How could this be? Hadn't the president, some big city mayors and governors made a case for ‘reasonable’ gun legislation? The answer could be, because many of us cling to our guns and our religion. We see them both under attack. We are the old normal.