“3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt 24:3-14 ESV)

Enemy’s presence flares, all told and in sum total, in substance of so much invested in, today’s issue is the first tests of viability, of substance, of resilience. Can our creed bear up, when all is on the line, when fighting within and fears without, do make of our minds a going numb, a going scarce, of going native? Where is the plain confidence: this is no rhetorical device, but rather the Saint this day and hour is under untold Pressure to concede and to conform.

The flare-up, then, reminds us of native meaning to words so familiar but today stress-tested. It reminds us of not denying that Lover of Souls who met us and whose meetup changed our lives for good. Yes, something malleable and docile, buoyant and resilient, engenders itself within the heart and soul who doesn’t Deny. 

And to the oneupsmanship of gentlemanly, ladylike Encounter, calming thoughts we pray descend, on this our excitable interlocutor, because Tomorrow’s War… it is no rhetorical device but rather Sum and Substance of Today’s harrowing Engagement with the spirits of the air and turf, of the wind and the trembling land. We will go to our special place, if not only once in the day, then throughout the day: Christ for us, we His not quite blase or plain in aspect People, having Encountered the end of the line. We encounter the End of the Line because He had a giftedness that survived the malady, persisted through spiritual ascendancy, through the malignity, carried This One… and His thoughts on the matter? His thoughts on being the Chosen One? Simply now to license that Personality Trait and Instinct that to others is cause to Repent, for Him… for Us as we survive the coming together and the Faith Step… to Act is Holy and Right and True. Instincts are Godly and intertwined with Upbuilding Personhood, with blood, sweat, and tears Intrinsic.