What Year Is This ?

 

I'm not enough of Roman historian to know: but have to imagine that when Roman Christians began using the "Anno Domini," it was intended to differentiate them from their fellow Romans use of the Empire's AUC (anno urbis conditae, "year since the city's founding") dating-system.

A good intent, no doubt, to set themselves apart from "the world" and its ways.  But, at least in its English version, "the year of our Lord" has always sounded to me a bit arch, or even combative: "the year of OUR Lord (not yours)."

So I still remember how it forcibly struck me, reading "Pogo" some 60 years ago, when one of cartoonist Walt Kelly's characters referred to "the year of everybody's Lord."

The truth of those words hit me immediately, their spiritually-profound truth...in a newspaper-cartoon !!

Their truth still resonates with me.

Patriotism (again)

 

I'm a patriotic person.

If "patriotism" means loving one's country, I do.  How could I not love the only land and people I've ever known, and ever identified with ?

And I understand "love" to mean desiring, and striving for, all the BEST for the one you love.

Any Christian knows that the BEST for America...for any country...is God's favor.

So every 4th of July I have the same question: does God's favor rest on those whose "patriotism" consists of proclaiming "We're Number One !!" and "Hooray for us !!" ?

Poor, poor America !