2024-09-06 A Meditation on Friendly Remembrance

“4 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer 2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:1-9 ESV)

Acclimating, remembering, brought to mind of, the Christian religion is couched in a subtle submission to Miracle, and a subtle submission to Cross. Each of us, some former Peace or Copacetic life together, easily forgotten in the bustle and hustle of our forward Jaunt, our Enterprise, our no-time-to-fuss Onward March; each of us is reminded of things and people who spell Home, not just bland home, but peculiar and unique Home.

The submission to Miracle: that God is so bountiful with Love that He literally works patiently on a strangely long standing timeline. Not only will the Glory be all His, but the ample space and bequest will be all ours: we shall be Overcomers, who only laughingly regret that we weren’t more forward and Bold.

The submission to Cross: that this is a Homecoming, a Reminder, a couched Mystery, just how we coped with hurt and rejection and loss, the intelligent interlocutor some Reflection not on boring “Jesus-faith” as in empty notions, but a reflection on Resurrection from whatever it is that did us in for the count. We marvel at the intelligence of the addict as much as the intelligence of the one put together: if so smart, why the addiction? If so verbal, why the capricious attitude to one’s own life? If so patiently pastoral, why the ugly jaunts into the morose?

The Christian religion is cruciform insofar as it says no matter, whomsoever, whatsoever gods and totems, these are Real only insofar as they are mono- (only one), omni- (all supreme), relative- (a personal relationship), and ethical- (rooted in behavior study). This then sets the stage for the punchline: that God died for us, that a friend made us no longer to hoard or covet even our own lives, but be willing to live for the company, live for the fellowship, live for the Name Unspoken, who is and was and ever shall be, God of stories and classy friendships, no matter we being on Patrol and at Sea and boots On the Ground at-work. All that means Everything: that we don’t hoard or covet the warm feelings or the repartee or the recollections shared, but move Onward and Forward, today only this: reassured that such healthy fields of strangely almost forgotten but not-quite forgotten memories are ours and are our clarion call and our marching orders. After all, is it all a show with smoke and mirrors? Or is it never a covetous Purchase of friendships out of fright at the thought of loss, but Onward and with gladsome Looking Back, not harboring, not containing, not capturing anything except that God is for real and we—His people—shall appreciate anything earnest. Anything sincere, in contrast to the hypocrisy of the lazy churchgoer who—it is said—does “believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” by simple lifelong repetitive monotony, but does not have that angular Fighting Cause, that Truth of “Persecutions shall come”, that endeavor to be for the people a sign and a portent unto Heavenward Gaze.