Born to be Angry Children (Letter to the Trinitarians)

 

Father Tony’s Letter to the Trinitarians

December 2021

 

“Not long ago, you were spiritually dead because of your boundary-breaking and failings: the default manner of life in this age’s world that follows the ruler whose domain is mere air, the force driving those who stubbornly refuse to trust God.  All of us have been there, pursuing what we wanted when we wanted it, born to be angry children, like all the rest.  But God, richly compassionate out of great love for us, even when we were dead in our boundary-breaking, brought us to life with Christ (your rescue is a gift), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens, living in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come God might show forth immeasurable riches of grace and kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For your rescue has come as a gift through your trusting God—not from you but itself the gift of God.  This is not something you can take credit for; no one may boast about it. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus that we may accomplish the good works God intends beforehand” (Ephesians 2:1-10; The Ashland Bible). 

 Advent is a time of preparation and looking forward in hope.  It is a time when we look at the present age and see its brokenness in light of the hope we have for the age to come.  It is a time we become aware of our own brokenness—our shortcomings, failings, and abuse and exploitation of others—and turn from them. 

When Ephesians describes the current broken world, it lays emphasis on the fact that anger, condemnation, accusation, and dissatisfaction in our hearts are all signs of our brokenness.  In contrast with this toxic mind we experience when we pursue brokenness and spiritual death, God’s gift of rescuing us stirs in us a rich sense of gratitude, and raises us to life “in Christ,” where we ourselves accomplish for others God’s acts of grace and love.  This resurrection, a coming to life from out of death, means being lifted up, even as we continue to live here in this broken world, to heaven itself, “at the right hand of God.”   

I pray that you all have a holy and peaceful Advent, and a joyful Christmastide. 

Grace and Peace.  –Fr. Tony+