“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 4:4-9 ESV)

Conflagrations may come, but the Christian leans on his or her alter-ego, that is, on the One who somehow vibes repentance, vibes healthy-mindedness, vibes loving respect or back-and-forth Joy. Learning therein to Celebrate. Learning therein to make what is mechanistic now Alive. The machineries of war, once used as Hand in the Equation, are no longer spelling Hate and Antagonism, but solemn Duty and Peacemaking.

Peace being that wind-in-the-willows Personal Recognisance. Peace being us… penitent in season, rather, at all times Aware: God for us, and we His people made New in the knowledge of ourselves. Right knowledge of ourselves. We are those who—blame us, and us alone—indulged the senses in the fanciful and playdates turned Real. In a season long past, perhaps, but still with Eternal Consequences: we always shall be warmed up to the Notions of being formerly in Sin… we will fight with all we have, that the Church’s, that Her, Message shall be mercy and forgiveness, not simply jumping over the mercy unto the Joy.

We were walking well, what hindered us? Rightly, we fear said Church Podium that incriminates or accuses. Was it all about us, after all? Rather, having Witnessed the power of the Spirit… sure, a society-wide Experiment, is it all a coincidence after all, or are hands behind the scenes making these Gestures, intending to Correlate and Inform us? Are the Spiritual Alignments someone’s day’s work, or are they direct from God? The thoughts that happen to spring to mind in the moments before our alternate or alter-ego opens their mouth to speak? The dreams that are prophetic as to something needful, or some future denouement? The Strange Poetry of names and places, the Hand of God who—like in the fashion of the Hebrew Scriptures—revealed to the prophet, via listeners in the very walls, what the king was saying in secret.

We labor to know our Alter-Ego as him- or herself being Sufficient, Certain, Sudden but Sincere, as to being Inspiration to repent, or to walk more Contrite. Because the Reward is simply too great, the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And here, there are no favorites: Pastor still smiles warmly and extends his or her hand to greet one another. Perhaps God has “Taken our sins upon Himself” but no matter, that is no slander nor guilt trip rather—no time to dilly-dally—new notions of Church Life, life in Community, do pertain, do arise, do make relevant. Because they were out of touch with their own hatred and with what eagerness they saw someone Fall. Because they were completely absent in spirit from the mercy seat themselves, instead prophesying up a storm about the need for someone else to repent.

Face to face with an enemy of some foreign Religion, we however have walked the orthodoxy of our own religion sufficiently to Respect the turbans and the veils, to respect the reliance on the Book and on the prophets of old. Also, we know Breakage: when pastor’s hatred leaves no sensible peaceful route Forward. Something of Breakage has occurred. Some no-passing-zone has Arisen.

We labor under the sun, at times with plowshares and at times with swords, but the Hatred… it has to go. The fact of it all being like a game of musical chairs… when the music stops, this time around—last time it was our enemy who faltered—this time around it might be us. Who have lost the seat at the Table called Civilized. Thus we learn and practice Repentance, as really the sweet Ticket to Ride. As the strange Fact that all are in sin, and say “Boo!” and “Present and accounted for, sir!” at roll call. On those terms: sinners, in exchange for His—novel Religion, ours—grace. And in this light we can peer out cautiously from our pews in the church, and see others ebbing and flowing, bowing and gesturing Cross-ward, His Patient Christian Perfection of outlay, of deeds, now ours—like the woman of Samaria—to own. She knew she was of lesser social status with the Jews, but because of this her “Repentance” she earned Salvation and All Things. So we marvel, at the unconverted Games played by pastors-in-chief. Yet we ourselves accept a spiritual Unction dealt our way by the Pastor-In-Chief Christ Himself.