On February 13, 1989, a 17-year-old High School Junior made a decision that would prove to have a profound effect on his life. He met with an Army National Guard recruiter, and enlisted. He went to Basic Training during the summer between his junior and senior years and completed his specialty training before beginning college the next summer.
Once he enlisted, he joined a group of 41,000,000 + who have served over the last 250 years. Perhaps you also are one of these select individuals who had the honor of putting on a uniform for our beloved country. Perhaps you know someone who has done so. Today, on this 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army, we celebrate all of those who wrote a blank check for their lives to defend the freedoms which we enjoy today. Also, for the first time since 1991, the United States is hosting a military parade to celebrate the Bi sesquicentennial of the Army. What a fitting tribute to those 41,000,000+ soldiers!
Coming from that (now former) 17-year-old looking back, probably like all who had the privilege to serve, I can see how that shaped not only how I approach life, but faith as well. In reality, becoming a priest (or minister, or pastor, or any other ordained religious leader) is not unlike the Army. Even further, being a true Christian means being a soldier for Christ. If we have been baptized, we are inducted into the Church Militant, Christ’s army here on earth. This is not an offensive army, but a defensive one. We are called to protect and defend Christ’s people and teachings!
We don’t carry swords or guns, but are armed with the immutable truths that Christ came to teach us while He was here. Just last Sunday, we celebrated when He sent us His Holy Spirit on Pentecost to help us in our endeavors! The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord, are given to us at baptism- and strengthened at Confirmation- if we allow it to grow in us, to help us fight the powers that would pull us away from God. We need to realize that we are in a constant state of spiritual battle. Once we realize that, we can easily see why we need these gifts of the Holy Spirit to navigate the world we are in.
Also, the closer that we get to our Lord, the stronger the attacks on us, and on our souls, get. We need to fully and completely rely on our Lord, as well as our fellow Soldiers of Christ, to help us. Just like any field of battle, we may be wounded (spiritually or physically) and need time to retreat a bit and heal, but then be ready to go back into battle as soon as possible. This is why the Church is so important! The Church is the headquarters of Christ’s army here on earth, and also serves as a hospital for recuperation. It also serves as our guiding light and battle planning station!
If we decide not to enlist in Christ’s army, we are still in the battle, as we will be drafted by the Evil One, and be inducted and serve on his side against Christ’s army. The Evil One will always be on the losing side, however, and suffer eternally.
So as we celebrate the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army, let us also celebrate Christ’s Army, which has been around for about 2,000 years. Let us fight for our Lord, going regularly to Church to hear His word and receive His Sacraments, especially His Body and Blood. Let us fight the good fight, and not only avoid being drafted by the Evil One, but fight against him tooth and nail to help save as many souls as possible. Let Christ’s Army defend His people as the U.S. Army defends our freedom.
Rev. John A. Cramer
Pastor, Holy Trinity NCC, Kewanee, Ill.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
