I’m an iconographer, not a writer;  I proclaim the Gospel in paint, not words.  I was so not planning on writing a blog.

But last Friday, our U.S. Supreme Court made ‘gay marriage’ a Constitutional right. Like many other faithful Christians, I got the wind knocked out of me at the news. I spent Friday crying, Saturday in prayer and fasting, and on both evenings I soaked up the social media scene with a passion. I wrote snarky comments (that never got posted), and shared what I thought was an intelligent, compassionate post by an Evangelical about the ruling-only to receive my first round of ‘U r A bigot’ comments. I took the post down.

I woke up Sunday morning and was led by the Spirit to visit the church of the Protestant brother who prayed for me while I worked on the Maranatha Icon. As I gingerly entered their high functioning, technologically sophisticated sanctuary I was warmly greeted by a dozen people. The flat out dynamism of their music made me clap my hands, sway, and weep joyful tears. A brilliant young preacher skillfully used scripture to soundly address the SCOTUS ruling. On my way out I gave the Pastor a copy of the Icon, and he graciously thanked me. I left feeling uplifted and comforted.

I attended my own Roman Catholic parish that evening and watched as my grandson sang with a group of children from Vacation Bible School.  I wondered if other parishioners were struggling with thoughts of “How can we shield our sweet innocent children from what we are seeing unfold on the internet?” I know I was. Putting my concerns into the hands of our Blessed Mother Mary, I gratefully received the Eucharist in my church home in Christ and left with renewed spirits, full of strength and hope.

This week a fresh round of commentary about ‘What’s next?’ is on social media. After prudently waiting out the weekend, some of the best minds in contemporary Christendom are beginning to voice their words of analysis and discernment, thanks be to God.

Much emphasis is being placed on the legal and theological aspects around the SCOTUS ruling-and rightfully so.  I noticed direct mention of spiritual warfare was hit and miss. I’m no theologian, but for what it’s worth, here are my thoughts.

We have been given a tremendous new opportunity to represent the Presence of Christ as His united Body to humankind.  The witness of many parts, One Body working together (I Cor. 12:12-27) is a template from which we can move forward through the intensifying spiritual warfare and persecution that is gathering around us.  Our open sharing of Christ’s love for one another to the world will be highly destructive to the forces of the Accuser. For through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the love of our Risen Lord Jesus expressed between us will attract the souls of the lost and seeking, and bring them into the Kingdom.

But. How are we going to do this?

First let me name that we do not need to create another ecumenical association to make this happen. We all know those entities don’t work; if they did, perhaps we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in now. One of the many reasons these institutions aren’t effective is because they are patterned after the structures of the world, not the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God shines forth as it did in the beginning –  on the humble ground floor of our human experiences. In a manger, not an executive suite. In a warm embrace and encouraging words from a brother across the city, not another committee on Interfaith relations. By simple, caring communication with one another in real and digital time, not more mission statements. We all know what the Mission is.

In the Holy Spirit’s elegant and powerful way, the blessings I received while visiting my friends’ church and my own faith practices on Sunday bore witness to how we can make true Christian unity a reality.

1. We pay attention to the Spirit, humble ourselves, set aside our differences, and pray for the unity we were commanded to by our Lord.

2. We put on our Sunday best and visit the faith community of a brother or sister (whom we know personally) that shares our core beliefs. We do this as Ambassadors of the love of Christ.

3. We collect names and emails, and head back to our own church homes to share the blessings of our experience.

4. We stay connected.

My dear, beloved brothers and sisters, let us consider with faith that we are being led in these troubled days to see that the best of our differences can be offered to one another in love to strengthen us in Christ. Now is the time to seek to discover with humble, loving hearts what this means. Now is the time to connect the parts we are missing from one another supernaturally through faith, prayer and fellowship. And, now is the time to pray for our brothers and sisters who are in error.

In this a new, grass roots Christian witness – the likes of which has never been seen in our convoluted, divided history as a people of faith – will come alive. It will be revolutionary. Despite our doctrinal differences WE will proclaim the good news of the highest order together, as the People of the Cross. Let us honor the memory of the martyrs whose recent sacrifices we’ve so recently witnessed. By loving one another.

If we must go underground, as some are suggesting may happen, let us use the time we have right now to pray for agile and strategic minds.  Let us pray that we attend to our individual church homes by gently but firmly giving ourselves over to a deep cleaning, to take on penance and fasting so we can proclaim the truth of the Gospel from renewed lives of purity and holiness.  Let us move towards the freedom of living as the Bride of Christ, ready for the return of our Bridegroom.

We are all crying out, especially for the children: Get us out of here! Maranatha already! As we wait, let us pray:

“If it be Your will to keep us here awhile longer dear Holy Sovereign God, grace us with Your love through Your Holy Spirit and help us to serve one another. Grant us, with the protection of our angelic guardians, the courage to dig in and fight the good fight together for all our human brothers and sisters. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

As it was in the beginnings, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

6/29/2015