The Parish Magazine September 2022

The vicar's letter
The Parish Magazine - September 2022 5
DEAR FRIENDS,
The Feast of St Michael and All Angels is observed on 29 September.
The fact of spiritual warfare is often neglected, I am sure in most
cases, quite deliberately. Many churches give the impression that the
Christian religion is a comfortable cruise ship instead of a battleship,
at battle stations, but we see in the New Testament a tendency to use
military expressions regularly. Saint Paul, for example, telling the
Ephesians to put on the whole armour of God in order to stand
against principalities and powers, rulers of the present darkness of
this world, and wicked spirits in heavenly places. He tells them to
stand, that is, to hold their ground. Jesus did not tell us to hold a
coffee morning until he comes again, but to occupy until he comes.
If we do this, what can we expect, but opposition and ridicule? A
church that chooses to gather its flock for a comfortable cruise on
calm waters, enjoying the view, the companionship and the
entertainment, bobbing with the tide, will face no opposition. On
the surface at least, all will seem well, but in my experience, a church
that seeks to occupy, to hold its ground and to grow the kingdom, can
expect trouble and hostility ahead. However, rather than avoid the conflict we should embrace it, for
without it, the chances are we are achieving very little for Christ.
A CONFUSED AND COMPROMISED MESSAGE
One of the set readings for this Christian feast quotes Jesus telling of the need to humble ourselves
as the little child. We are not told that children are an example to follow, as some preachers give out
with muddle-headed sentimentality, and as some politicians and media have suggested with Greta
Thunberg. Nowhere did he say that children were examples for us to follow. Rather, he spoke clearly
about their need to be protected, especially, their need to be protected from the influences that would
corrupt them, deprive them of their innocence and rob the children of childhood. This warning has
everything to do with the reality of our spiritual warfare, and of how that warfare applies to the little
child of whom Jesus speaks. For, to lead children into sin brings about a judgment that is terrifying.
Only of the traitor Judas are similar words spoken: 'Better for that man had he not been born.'
One of the main problems with a society that presents a confused and compromised message, and
that teaches moral license that it calls tolerance, is the harm that it is doing to the children. Right
now ‘the world’ is not aiming its deception and temptations simply at adults, but at children, and
constantly at younger and younger ages. The advertisements and entertainment aimed at their young
minds should anger and shock us. They ought to be allowed those early years of innocence and not be
presented with such adult sexualised themes, not to mention the extraordinary new vocabulary to be
found in our schools of transgender/binary/questioning/intersex/genderqueer/neutrois/pansexual/
transsexual/transmasculine/cisgender man/genderfluid, etc, etc, etc. If they are to be protected, it is
necessary that their parents resist the spirit of the times — real spirits of deception, and, the Church,
and especially its bishops, must teach right from wrong, but God help us in this climate if we dare to
try. He will need to help us, for the opposition will be powerful indeed.
I would suggest that many people, including some Christians, are oblivious to the deception because
we live in an age of deception, an age where lies are preferred over truth. This too is spiritual, and we
need to be vigilant. When Jesus was obedient even to the death of the cross, the powers of evil were
crushed. When he rose from the dead he showed that he was triumphant over the powers of darkness
and had defeated sin and death. As we occupy this ground until he comes, warring for our souls and
the souls of others, we are joined in the battle by Michael and the Holy Angels. It isn’t going to be easy,
but then being truly faithful to Christ never has been.
Warm wishes, Jamie