Martin Luther
(Nov. 10, 1483-Feb. 18, 1546)
Ignatius Loyola
(1491-July 31, 1556)
I've only been to Baghdad once. I do sometimes frequent the safer havens in Northern Iraq where Kurds control and (most of the time) Americans are welcome. In that one brief Baghdad visit (to secure a visa before heading North) the small plane from Amman landed in a sudden corkscrew motion. I naively asked the flight attendant (young, male, South African and Christian) if the odd angle was for fuel economy.
"No, he answered.”It's to make us a harder target for RPG's."
RPG's are Rocket Propelled Grenades.
I decided at that point to give Baghdad a miss in future visits.
So far I’ve managed never to return.
So much for Missionary heroism.
Yesterday was an unusual Reformation Day for me. First, in our own Service of Worship, there was a dramatic portrayal of Martin Luther nailing up the Ninety-Five Theses. After the service Jane and I watched the first half of the Ralph Fiennes movie on Martin Luther. We'd already seen the film but enjoyed the second go-round. We left early because we had an evening commitment in a Hungarian Protestant Church- a Reformation-Day Concert (Bach and Vivaldi).The homily was delivered by a Jesuit Priest. I was amazed by the limitless boundaries of ecumenism. Afterwards I asked the preacher if he thought Ignatius Loyola (founder of the Jesuits and spearpoint of the Counter-Reformation) would have spoken in a Protestant Church on Reformation Day. He said he didn't know but I think he did know. I think Loyola would have gladly spoken in any Protestant Church but only after he had arrested the worshipers.
I am not eager to go out of my way to pick fights with Catholics. Neither am I willing to minimize the fierce differences which remain. It does no good to insist that we preach the same Gospel.
We don't.
That said there comes a time to salute and even praise those with whom we disagree.
Such a time has come.
Last night about the time we were attending the Reformation Day service in Budapest terrorists took over a Roman Catholic service in Baghdad. The death toll now stands at 52. It may rise. Many who claim Christian affiliation have emigrated from Iraq. Most Christians have fled Baghdad. There remains though an intrepid remnant who not only stay but worship. That number was cruelly diminished last evening not by flight but by slaughter.
Of those Roman Catholic worshipers in Baghdad I can only declare that I mourn their blood.
I praise their courage.
And I want to follow their example.
God help the grieving family members and the wounded.
God help us all.
