2022-10-14 A Meditation on the Spiritual Homeland

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” (Eph 6:13–17 ESV)

This spiritual homeland is the Church; in it, all creation cries Hosanna. Meanwhile, footsoldiers work this way and that, as an obsessive and stalking enemy numbers untold silent observer and sower of paranoia, enmity, distrust, fear, uncultured principles, inimical ideas, but above all, who apes that special exchange, the Blood shed for us, the sinner redeemed and incorporated by nothing more than their contrite heart.

So the homeland is destined to be lauded and honored, held in special light, worthy frame, fighting mood, and striking spirit: ““Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Mt 10:34). That sword, that strength, is flexed and wielded before an unbelieving horde, grinning as it thinks us to be peacenik fools, yet itself amenable to conversion and new life.

The sword is of the spirit, to denigrate sin to the periphery, to make wholesome cut and to bring to the light of day things only murmured over in the secret places. That sword does propose to address the former lusts and wants: no more is that avenue open nor is it desired; our lust has died with us, and with it our concupiscence, our wanton longing. In its stead is the fighting woman or man, special in their fruit of training and of signing up; today stronger by far than so many of those whom they serve; so, it is not weak examples but strong spirits, swords, that excavate the Man, the Woman, from the cancer, from the sin, from the murky and muddy waters, from the softened wound place, and in this genius solution do more than simply flail a sword this way and that: there is intelligent design of how to remedy a deeper faultline.

And the shield of faith, carried boldly and now, to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; this shield is our proper equipment; easier to speak of than our sword perhaps, but no less important; it is some aloofness from the scheming mechanisms of the enemy. It is some innocence of evil, that does cause enmity to brush off and glance off of us, the bearer. So we are not clever in our understanding, nor cynical in our wisdom and observation, but wear our hearts boldly for all to see: that is our proper sword and shield, and breastplate and helmet, shoes and belt. That is our contribution to a holy season in this careening juggernaut called Planet and Earth; the Hosannas sung and the season right for unapologetic bravery and fight.