St. Michael -- A Symbol for Faith in the Fight

A few years back, I was roaming through the Barnes and Noble bookstore and stumbled across a volume which caught my attention.


Titled "The Sword of St. Michael: The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II," it opens with a quote from John Milton's book, Paradise Lost:

"... but the Sword
Of Michael from the Armorie of God
Was giv'n him tempered so, that neither keen
Nor solid might resist the edge: it met
The sword of Satan with steep force to smite
Descending, in half cut sheere, nor staid,
But with swift wheele reverse, deep entering shar'd
All his right side; then Satan knew first pain ..."

The highly spiritual and religious quote cited above can spark a chill down one's spine.

This is the battle between good and evil crafted in poetic fashion.

But, what is the origin of this fierce spiritual warrior, Saint Michael, the patron of the airborne?

Three major religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all cite Michael as a great figure to be revered.

He's mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the Christian New Testament, and the Quran.
The name Michael means "Who is like God?" in Hebrew.

The ultimate answer to his name is "no one."

The Bible records Michael's name with the title, archangel, which means "chief angel."
He is one of the chief angels of the heavenly army doing God's bidding in the fight against spiritual evil.

The Catholic Church has listed an additional title - saint, meaning holy one.

So, what is the historical link between Saint Michael and the military community?

During medieval times the Catholic Church chose Michael to be the patron of the military.

As a patron saint, he was an advocate and intercessor to God on behalf of the military.

According to the holy texts, there is a continuous spiritual war between good and evil going on, and it is fleshed out on the battlefield in both heaven and earth.

This spiritual battle is described in the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Church at Ephesus.

In Ephesians 6:10, he wrote, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, and against the authorities, and against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Christian religious texts say there is a relationship between our prayers to God, the archangel Michael's fight in the heavenly areas, and how our lives are affected on earth. To say it another way, there is a correlation between a service member's prayers and Michael's heavenly fight against evil.

Our prayers fuel Michael's fight, which in turn provides us with protection and assistance.

One can easily see why Saint Michael would be adopted as the patron of the airborne paratrooper in World War II.

There was great evil that needed to be conquered, both in Europe and in the Pacific.

Saint Michael is a symbol for us as a spiritual warrior, who stands ready to fight on behalf of the good.

He is, in a sense, a captivating and encouraging symbol.

For many who believe, we are drawn to God through Michael as a symbol of protection and assistance in the midst of a dangerous employment.

We take great comfort that God has placed such an advocate on the side of the good to help us succeed.

This is the faith we bring to the fight.

Never Compromise Your "Why"

Eric Liddell of Scotland won the Gold Medal in the 400 meters in the 1924 Olympics at Paris, France. But, he never set out to run the 400 there. He arrived representing Great Britain as the best 100 meter sprinter in the world and was expected to achieve gold medal status in it. Shockingly, he refused to compromise his spiritual beliefs and run the 100 meter qualifier on a Sunday. His Christian conviction was to stand down on the Sabbath. His Christian conviction can be summed up from an epic line in the movie, Chariots of Fire. He says to his sister, "God made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure." This was his "Why." Business guru and consultant, Simon Sinek, who made famous the Golden Circle says: we know our 1) what to do, 2) and how to do it, but those who are dialed into their 3) "why," essentially are the most successful. The best companies and leaders know this. So did Eric, who, despite being the underdog in the 400 refused to compromise his "why", and won it. Never compromise your "why."

God's Hiddenness in Combat?

The end of the first chapter of the book and chapter with the same title reads like this: "To reflect on the place of Christian faith in combat is to be drawn into the complexity--the hellish, bewildering, puzzling, and tangled perplexity--battle itself. It is to look at a world that is unfathomable and is still, in some ways, ordinary. War is a living nightmare where God is not--and is." ~Preston Jones and Jody Beckman. On the final page of the book, the conclusion, on p. 54 reads, "Yet it is striking that war memoirs from victor and vanquished have so much in common. Combat veterans who know that they played a role in bringing down Hitler's evil regime still say that war is hell. The German film Downfall focuses on the collapse of Berlin in the Spring of 1945; the American film Saving Private Ryan depicts American Army Rangers in France, killing Germans and helping to make Germany's collapse possible. But the films feel the same. Being on the winning side does not stop combat from being a nightmare. [Theologian, Reinhold] Niebuhr's point is taken. Every person, in one way or another, is a crucifier of Christ. Warriors, perhaps like the centurion at Golgotha, know this better than anyone." So, where does this leave you and I? Two important terms define us, whether we want to admit it or not: Deus absconditus and Deus revelatus. This is Latin for "God hidden," and "God revealed." Time and space, as well as the meaning we derive from our experience makes it incredibly difficult to individually weave our way out of the hell of war, and it's lasting effects. It's just overwhelming: we can't see the forest through the trees. However, "God revealed," through the special revelation of Scripture, New Testament message of Christ on the Cross especially, makes total sense of the absurdity of war, and the possibility of hope; hope because three days later, Christ rose from the grave. His ability, above and beyond our own, gives us possibility, true hope and definition beyond the hiddenness of God. What we can not see in combat, or thereafter, we can see through faith because of the one who was there before us on the Cross. Was God hidden on the Cross? Jesus cried out, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" But, indeed, He was there.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Death. That is the answer from Pulitzer Prize Winning author, Ernest Becker, in his famous book called, "The Denial of Death." Why of course (spoken in definite tone). Our biology dictates this to us every single day. Your amygdala tells you to "survive." Beyond biology is psychology, and this is where Becker shines. He says mankind is like a small god that defecates. You read that correctly. Now think about it. And, this actually parallels nicely to Psalm 8, "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings." We are small gods, beings, or "a little lower than the angels", but we are inflicted with our own consciousness of finitude. No other animal at such an early age knows that we are going to die. What does Becker (who is an atheist) say is the antidote to death for the human being? Heroism. We are driven to legacy, achievement, and heroism. We are ever attempting to overcome our finitude and our consciousness of it. It haunts us. What does this lead to? In Tim Keller's book, "The Reason for God," he quotes Annie Dillard in her riveting autobiography, "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek." Keller cites Dillard in her one year quest to live in the wilderness. She documents, not the beauty of nature, but it's utter violence to itself. Nature is ruled by one central principle, as per Keller--"violence by the strong against the weak." This is the sum total of the book and movie series, "The Hunger Games." This is what Nietzsche called, "The will to power." This is our world. This is reality. It is poetically expressed in Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida," as he talks about the universal wolf: "Take but degree away, untie that string, And, hark, what discord follows....Then everything includes itself in power, Power into will, will into appetite; and appetite, an universal wolf, So double seconded with the will and power, Must make perforce an universal prey, And last eat up himself." (I thank Gene Veith for this quote in his book called, "Post Christian: A Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture.") So, what's the answer to death? What kind of Heroism ought we to consider in light of our proclivity to dominate each other and overcome death? The paradoxical answer in the Christian faith is the Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who huger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. [Last, but not least.] Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ~ Jesus of Nazareth, Sermon on the Mount. When we embrace these values we will be afraid of NOTHING.

What's Your Ultimate?

 

What's your ultimate? This (above) is a picture of the start of the Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI). This is not the man and dogs sled race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. It's a foot, ski, or fat tire bike race that is conducted nearly during the same time of the the famous Iditarod man-dog 1,000 mile race. It's an ultra-marathon. I've run a few, and a couple in Alaska, but not in the winter. What's your ultimate? What is the ultimate for you? From a philosophical and phenomenological point of view, mankind can not help but to determine "meaning" and an "end state" to one's life. Aristotle is famous for underscoring the "telos," the end.  In military operations we need to know the "end state." So, think to yourself, whether you are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 years old and beyond, "what is my end state?" Jean Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, would say that your meaning in life continues to change and develop until you die. And, I would say, whatever is your "ultimate," during those specific seasons of life, THAT may be your present g/God. Here's the challenge: whatever is your present ultimate is in competition to become your g/God. And, your ultimate will always CRUSH you. If you are an Olympic athlete, you are at your best on the very day that you compete in the Olympics. Unless you are Michael Phelps that can repeat over and over, you and him are the anomaly. But, probably not. Even Michael Phelps can not stay at the top of his game forever. The toll of being the best of the best brought him to the brink of suicide. His and your ultimate MUST change as time passes and age progresses, and therefore priorities morph. Again, the challenging question is, "Does your ultimate become your god?" The PURPOSE of religion is to assist you in making peace with your God. No other religion but Christianity does a g/God send himself, a Son, to be the offering that ultimately makes peace between you and God. Because...you will never be good enough for your ultimate. That's why there is grace. God's Richest At Christ's Expense (G.R.A.C.E.). What is your ultimate? May it be the God of grace, and that you order everything else after this. He never changes.

Take Your Life Back: How to Live in a Pre-9/11 World

If you do a quick Google search you will see many book titles that use the phrase: take your life back. It's a good phrase. It's a phrase that I think many ought to reflect on. I'm so there. I just returned from a Saturday morning breakfast trip to a restaurant in a historical section of a town next door. It's famous for it's breakfasts. The area is spackled with classic cars from the 1950s lining the streets. They are permanent fixtures. There was a time when the 50s were romanced until the retractors came along. Well, since the 50s are out of reach, how about a Pre-9/11 world?  This month is my one year anniversary of not carrying a "smart" phone. I've been carrying a dumb, flip phone. No apps. Hard-to-text. I call people and leave voice messages. Most of all: I'm present. I was fully present with my family around the breakfast table today. It was a wonderful feeling. Not checking, checking, checking, or fighting my own biological wiring and chemistry to desire a "check." Perhaps there can be a movement to ditch the addictive technology that Big Tech and our social systems pressure you to own and rule your life. Here's an idea...take back your life by reflecting on how we once lived in a pre-9/11 world. Re-innovate to simplicity, serenity, and presence.

Where Do You Belong?

 

Where do you belong? This is a question that people ask regularly. "Do I belong here?" Belonging is a tremendous protective factor against forces that could degrade our well-being. In Jean-Paul Sartre's famous novel, Nausea, he unfolds the story of a protagonist who has lost his sense of belonging, and is experiencing psychological nausea. Geography is much less important than the question, "To whom do I belong?" Family. Work colleagues. Gym buddies. Schoolmates. Church community. Affinity Group. Friends. If you think about it for a second, people derive their IDENTITY from the groups they belong. Belonging has tremendous power. Am I in, or out? Am I one, or not? Am I accepted, or rejected? When that internal indicator of anxiety or depression starts to go off it may be that we're disconnected and vulnerably alone. Western cultures highly values personal agency, individualism, and freedom. Naked freedom can not operate alone very well for extended periods of time. We're designed to belong. On one side of the spectrum is autonomy, and the other is belonging. Belonging provides meaning, significance, and personal identity. Belonging is a tremendous protective factor against forces that could degrade our well-being. Belonging has the potential to regenerate our spiritual core, our soul, enabling us to hold onto the values that we hold dear.

Feeling my Irish today, celebrating St. Patrick's Day. My great grandfather, Patrick Lynn (1845-1897) immigrated from Mayo, Ireland to Scranton, PA where I'm from. Like many of the Irish they became coal miners in Scranton. He died in a mining accident. His son, John "Jack" Lynn did as well. It was a way of life, and death. Reminds me of the Cross, but just the opposite: it's a way of death that leads to life. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

 

Are you a Knight of Faith? Christian Philosopher Kierkegaard describes people in three categories: Aesthetic, Ethical, and Religious. The aesthete is simply someone who lives for sensuality and pleasure. The ethical, who he calls the "Knight of Resignation," attempts to live a moral and ethical life, but stops short of discovering the true meaning of life because he or she continues to run straightway into the Absurd, and fails to overcome it. The absurdity of life is an event thrown at us from unknowable causes, flawed systems, or sinful actions. Sometimes there are never any really good answers. The Knight of Faith, the religious, supersedes the mysterious uncaused cause, the dubiousness of flawed systems, and the effects of sinful decisions by doing something. What does he or she do? When he encounters the absurd, when nothing else makes sense, he takes a leap of faith, touches the Transcendent and firmly lands on his or her feet.  We all need a touch of the transcendent. The Knight of Faith is a tremendous model.

The Cross: Trauma to Triumph

As a therapist I will utilize the best of every modern resource available, that I'm confidently trained in, and can apply to client's situations. As a theologian I know of no better way to reframe the theodicy, and the victimization that occurs at the macro-level of community, and micro-level of individual trials than by translating the understanding of the power of the Cross. It defines and REFRAMES our trauma for infinite possibilities about personal identity (how we see ourselves) with transcendent outcomes. Only the sacred can do this, not the secular. See this: "...Jesus Christ, God's Son, has by his most holy touch consecrated and hallowed all sufferings, even death itself, has blessed the curse, and has glorified shame and enriched poverty so that death is now a door to life, the curse a fount of blessing, and shame the mother of glory. Suffering has been touched and bathed by Christ's pure and holy flesh and blood and thus have become holy, harmless, and wholesome, blessed, and full of joy for you. There is nothing, not even death, that his passion cannot sweeten." ~Martin Luther. The spiritual/transcendent IS the greatest resource--a relational Being (God), that has the power to change trauma into triumph and new possibilities.