Fear and Faith Side by Side

It has been awhile since I have been able to post, but today seems like the day to do it.

Ryan has returned to Afghanistan after a long wonderful visit home. Today (six or seven hours ago) he posted on FB that where he is right now is seeing a lot of action. Every day.

He asked for prayers.

Ryan is always in my prayers, and one of the advantages of being a believer is the knowledge that no matter what happens in our lives it is going to be ok because God has our back. God has out best interests at heart. God is in charge.

But one of the downsides of being an Army Auntie is knowing that my soldier signed up for military duty during a war, and that he is going to see and do things no one should ever have to see or do. It is the result of Original Sin, of concupiscence, that man goes to war at what seems like the drop of a hat. And it is our young people that end up fighting those wars - just or unjust.

So I am scared. I am scared that he may die. I am scared that he may be wounded. I am scared that he will come back to us so damaged by his experiences that he will never be the same.

Please keep him in prayer.

I received a wonderful question from a man named John Calvin (no, I am not kidding...if he is reading this now - HI JOHN!!!!) about The Eucharist.

I hope I answered him well. It is a difficult teaching now and it was difficult for those first Christians huddled together after Our Lord ascended into heaven.

When one reads the writings of the early Christians, the ones who were beaten, tortured, raped and murdered for loving Our Lord, what becomes clear is that these incredible men, women and children gave their lives to protect Our Lord in The Eucharist. Reading the Apologia written by St Justin Martyr opened my eyes wide, as did reading the letters of St Ignatius of Antioch written on his way to being martyred in Rome. These incredible men and women were more willing to be physically tortured or murdered than to let someone desecrate a consecrated Host.

And you have to ask yourself WHY?

And you also have to thank GOD for them, for it is upon their shoulders weak and little people like me and John stand.

My soldier is fighting people who would march John and I into ovens rather than let us shout out joyfully, "I LOVE JESUS".

Please keep us in prayer.