Well, our task is not to sit back with the knowledge that we've all
contributed towards a finished work well done! Rather let such a recent
victory as that at Cambridge gladden our hearts and give us extra
impetus to 'fight the good fight'. Indeed, let us put in to daily
practice the challenge of S. Baring-Gould's immortal hymn - which church
folk love to sing; but only within the safety of a church; 'Onward,
Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on
before'.
Incidentally, the most recent Anglican hymn book has chosen to alter
those latter words so as not to appear militant, even though we are
admonished in the prayer book to 'pray for the church militant here on
earth", Believe it or not, but the compiler of this new hymnal has had
the audacity to alter the words to: 'Onward Christian pilgrims. Christ
will be our light. See the heavenly vision breaks upon our sight' The
pretext is that modern Christians are opposed to war. Well, I wonder
what our friends in the Salvation Army think of that one!
The New Testament scriptures make it abundantly clear that whereas
our warfare is not carnal, nor of this world, yet the battle against the
forces of evil is one that each Christian is involved in. There are
several analogies concerning what a Christian is, and they complement
each other, keeping a proper balance. For example, we are not only as
sheep (whose tendency is to go astray) - I often think a better analogy
would be hares! - but we're equally called to be soldiers trained for
spiritual battle against Satan and his legions. Sadly, a modern breed of
Christian prefers to bury the head in the sand while the body sways to:
'Shine Jesus, shine' and a hand goes up, reminiscent of: "Please
teacher, may I leave the room?"
Well, for myself, I want a far deeper expression of worship than that
which talks to Jesus as one might talk to the neighbour next door. I
sense I'm old fashioned but give me a service with Charles Wesley’s
hymns, a Catholic service of Benediction or, indeed, the simple beauty
of Anglican plain-chant any day to a mushy, self orientated, 'clap
happy' 'come together!'. You have, of course, every reason to disagree
with me; but on, at least, one thing we are united one hundred percent:
modern innovations of worship and praise, which do not embrace animal
need as well as human, are dishonouring to the Good Shepherd who holds
the whole world in His pierced hands. Yes, the gentle Lamb of God as
well as the bold Lion of the tribe of Judah!
Animal Padre's
