17 February 2007

DISPATCH 012--16 FEB 2007

Form Your Battalions

The newly elected president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his wife decided to visit Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes on the occasion of his ninety-second birthday. The year was 1933, and already the storm clouds of war were appearing on the horizon of Europe. The President asked Mr. Holmes, a veteran of the Civil War, what advice he could give during these trying times. Mr. Holmes replied, “You’re in a war. I have been in a war. There is only one thing to do in war. Form your battalions, and carry the fight to the enemy.”

All of us, whether we are serving in Iraq or serving back at home to support our loved ones, are in a war. But, like with any war, we must be careful to clearly identify who the enemy is, how he will attack, and how we can fight back and conquer him. And as we are discovering over here, finding the enemy is proving to be more difficult than we first expected.

Who and where is the enemy back at home? Is it the friend who encourages you to do things you know would disappoint your spouse? Is it the loneliness coupled with fear that can tear at the fabric of good judgment? Is it the monotony of tasks, the repetitiveness of life that can easily plant seeds of doubt about commitment, purpose, and faithfulness?

Who is the enemy here in Iraq? There is a very real and determined enemy that is attacking and wants to kill us, but we face other enemies as well. Some are the same you face. We can become so focused on coping with what we have seen and done that we forget to nurture the ties between husband and wife, father and children.

The rabbis of Israel believed that the greatest sin they could commit would be to forget…to forget Who loved them and to Whom they belonged. In the busy-ness of life, in the fog of war, it would be easy to begin to forget the ones whom we really treasure.

But we have not forgotten. Every time I visit with a soldier and he begins to talk about his family, his eyes light up, and, through the muck and the grease that is ever-present on every face, a spark of hope burns for a future reunion. Every time I enter a Containerized Housing Unit (CHU) or other living space, crowded pictures of family, artwork from children, and other artifacts from home adorn the already cramped quarters.

The challenge for you and for us is that we live under the tyranny of the immediate, meaning we tend to react to where the pain and stress are now. As soldiers, we have become brothers. Whether it is 12 hours in a guard tower, 14 hours in the back of a Bradley, six days in a Humvee, or five terrifying minutes at the aid station, we have grown closer than blood relatives. The only word that I can begin to describe what I have witnessed is sacrament. Sacrament is the word the Church uses to describe the communication of God’s love to us. It also means sacred mystery. A sacramental relationship is one that, while being completely voluntary, is nonetheless stronger than genetic ties. We enter into a sacramental relationship with God when we are baptized. When we looked into your eyes on the day of our marriage, we entered into another sacramental relationship. We voluntarily chose you and you, us. And because of this deployment, because of the stresses and horrors of war, we have entered into another sacramental relationship, and this one is between us soldiers. In many ways, it can be just as powerful as baptism and marriage. For without each other, we could not make it through even one day—-mentally, physically, or spiritually.

The tyranny of the immediate calls us to focus almost all of our energy on the tasks at hand. It does not mean we love you any less. It means we do not and cannot let each other down. However, it is my most fervent prayer, and one I undoubtedly share with my fellow soldiers, that none of you reading this will be at my or any other soldier’s funeral. Why? Because, instead, we will have lived long, healthy, and productive, post-Army lives. The people who should and do matter to us today are the folks who will be at that funeral many years from now: our wives, our children, our siblings, our grandchildren, and our friends. Just because we might seem distracted by the present does not mean we do not see our future with you.

And we must remember that you are fighting your own battles at home. Bills that need to be paid, grass that needs cut, bottoms that need wiped, childcare that needs to be arranged, friends that need to be looked after, and maybe, just maybe, a little time for yourself: all these things also comprise your tyranny of the immediate. We need to remember that you still see our future with us.

Being a soldier or being married to one is not an easy task. It will define the lives of all of us. The question that only we as individuals and as couples can answer is "how?" Will our experience deepen our love and trust for one another, or will it expose the fractures that have always been there? My daily prayers always come back to the safety of our soldiers, the safety of their families, and the health and endurance of our relationships.

On Memorial Day, May 30th, 1884, Justice Holmes delivered a speech honoring the soldiers who had served and who had fallen. Two famous quotes came from his words:

“In our youths, our hearts were touched with fire.”

“We have shared the incommunicable experience of war. We felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top.”

To these words I will add the words of the Apostle Paul:
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Let us not let the doubts, the perceptions, and these tumultuous times shatter the sacramental relationships we have forged in our homes and in our lives. Let us remember the meaning of the word sacrament, that it is a way for God to communicate His love to us. As a mother holds the hand of a child going in for surgery, so does a soldier hold the hand of his brother as the sounds of beating rotors appear on the horizon. These relationships do not compete with one another; they bless and strengthen one another.

Every day when the light fades and I try to sleep, I am overwhelmed by the images I see of your loved ones. Every day it is easy for me to begin to lose my grasp on my Christian faith and instead seek vengeance and reprisal upon those who hurt our men. But every day as my eyes close I see your husbands, your sons, boys almost half my age, overcoming evil with good, and not letting the darkness of this war blot out their light and the goodness of their souls.

Another name for faith is fire, holy fire. Because of the faithfulness of your loved one and your family, my life, my heart, even in the midst of despair, was and is touched by the fire of faith, hope, and love.

Gratia et Veritas,
Chaplain Kevin Wainwright

11 February 2007

SERMON OUTLINE 012--2 FEB 07

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SURROUNDED

Epiphany 5
FOB PALIWODA
4FEB07


Scripture
Luke 5:1-11

Background
Luke
-was a doctor
-was a Gentile
-close friend and companion of Paul
-written for Gentiles
-stresses Jesus’ divinity

Timeline
4:1-13 Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness
4:14-15 Begins ministry with the Gentiles in Galilee, headquartered in Capernaum
4:16-30 Visits, teaches, and is rejected at Nazareth
4:31-37 Returns to Capernaum, teaches, casts out first demon
4:38-41 Heals Simon-Peter’s mother-in-law, casts out many demons
4:42-44 Goes to desert, crowds follow, says He must go to other cities, preaches in the synagogues of Galilee
5:1 People are hungering for the Word of God.
5:2 People are pressing upon Him, He is looking for a way to get apart from the crowd.
5:3 Takes Simon’s boat (with Simon in it), and teaches the crowds from the water. He is tired, sits down.
5:4 Stops teaching, tells Simon essentially to fish from exact location.
5:5 Simon whines but does it anyway.
5:6 Catch so many fish that they worry about their net breaking.
5:7 They come with the other boat, but they have so many fish (in the boat) that they worry about it sinking.
5:8 Simon Peter confesses to Christ that he is a sinful man.
5:9 All are astonished by what they see
5:10 James and John (Zebedee) were (probably) in the other boat. Jesus tells Simon that he will now fish for men.
5:11 They forsake all to follow Christ.
5:12-16 Jesus heals a man with leprosy.
5:17-26 Jesus heals paralytic (dropped from ceiling), Pharisees begin to question and persecute.

I. Introduction

    A. Luke

      1. was a doctor
      2. was a Gentile
      3. close friend and companion of Paul
      4. written for Gentiles
      5. stresses Jesus’ divinity
      6. was this really a test of Simon


    B. 5:1 PEOPLE ARE HUNGERING FOR THE WORD OF GOD.

      1. People are hungering for the Word of God. Was there a lack of teachers in the land? Was it not visible? War had torn apart the land and the people.

      2. Time for fishing was ripe. But was Jesus there to only teach the Gospel or to fulfill the gospel?


    C. 5:2 PEOPLE ARE PRESSING UPON HIM, HE IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GET APART FROM THE CROWD.

      1. Where was Jesus’ PSD?

      2. The other boat belongs to the brothers James and John Zebedee.


    D. 5:3 TAKES SIMON’S BOAT (WITH SIMON IN IT), AND TEACHES THE CROWDS FROM THE WATER. HE IS TIRED, SITS DOWN.

      1. Incidental, seemingly meaningless facts are always a part of true stories. Jesus is probably tired (and we will soon find out hungry), and he wants to at least sit while He teaches. It also means that He is going to teach for awhile.

      2. Teaching does not just involve preaching. There were questions and answers. There was audience participation.


    E. 5:4 STOPS TEACHING, TELLS SIMON ESSENTIALLY TO FISH FROM EXACT LOCATION.

      1. The fisherman of Gennesaret knew where all the best places to fish were (the Sea of Galilee was not that big).

      2. Was this a test for Simon? Simon, do you trust me? He is telling Simon about his job.


    F. 5:5 SIMON WHINES BUT DOES IT ANYWAY.

      1. Simon whines but does it anyway. Simon whines because he is, on some level, insulted by what Jesus, a non-fisherman, tells him, a master-fisherman. Can we just see the testosterone flowing? Simon’s only encounter to date with Christ is the healing of his mother-in-law and some other folks at his house. When we are told to do something we think foolish, do or have we ever given a whining statement before we go make it happen.

      2. Illustration: we have had some friction between folks. What causes the friction? It is the same thing that causes Simon to answer the way he does: pride. We know better; we know it all. If you think this does not happen, what about mid-tour complacency. The Army can be the least learning institution in the world because it is run by people (like you and me) who think they know it all.


    G. 5:6 CATCH SO MANY FISH THAT THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR NET BREAKING.

    H. 5:7 THEY COME WITH THE OTHER BOAT, BUT THEY HAVE SO MANY FISH (IN THE BOAT) THAT THEY WORRY ABOUT IT SINKING.

    I. 5:8 SIMON PETER CONFESSES TO CHRIST THAT HE IS A SINFUL MAN.

      1. Simon is finally called Simon Peter: why is that? It is because he begins to act like the rock upon which the Church will be built.

      2. Peter in Greek is Petra, meaning stone.


    J. 5:9 ALL ARE ASTONISHED BY WHAT THEY SEE.

    K. 5:10 JAMES AND JOHN (ZEBEDEE) WERE (PROBABLY) IN THE OTHER BOAT. JESUS TELLS SIMON THAT HE WILL NOW FISH FOR MEN.

      1. Tells Simon to not be afraid. You have a new job now.


    L. 5:11 THEY FORSAKE ALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST.

      1. By walking away from the boat they made a fairly significant commitment to Christ. They did not worry about how they were going to earn their living or pay their bills; they just followed. And while their status as fishermen was not high, it was nonetheless secure, yet they still walked away.


II. Lessons

    A. WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT HEART BEFORE WE CAN “FISH FOR MEN,” MEANING PERFORM MINISTRY.

      1. Before Peter begins his ministry, he must know his place. In verse 8 he confesses who he is. In essence Simon is the proud man, the pre-saved, pre-baptized, pre-christian man. Peter is the renewed man, the faithful man, the miracle man, because Peter is the humble man. Christ does not choose him because of intellect, position, power, or influence. He chooses him because of his heart.

      2. We can see example of this pride versus arrogance in the military. We all like to think that we are special, and this is a good thing if it is used to build coherence, satisfaction, cooperation, and a sense of team. In fact, nothing is better to experience than to be a part of a military unit that believes in its mission, its capabilities, its leadership, and itself. However, this sense of uniqueness can soon deteriorate into arrogance. We are not only special but we are better than you are.

      3. Story: there was a soldier going through OCS with a old friend of mine who had a blank uniform but had about every badge and tab we can think of when he showed up for graduation in his class As. I met a priest and chaplain who sounded like Mr. Rogers but had every badge, tab, and experience you could think of because he was a 20-year career warrant officer with Special Forces.

      4. We want to follow the humble but we reject the arrogant. We want to learn from the wise but we mock the condescending. Peter’s heart had to be in the right place before he could even begin to fish for men.


    B. THE FOCUS IS NOT ON US, IT IS ON THE MESSAGE.

      1. The key to catching people for Christ is to let Him do the fishing and to follow Him to the right fishing holes.
      2. Graeme Keith, treasurer of the Billy Graham Association and Billy's lifelong friend, says:

      I was on an elevator with Billy when another man in the elevator recognized him. He said, "You're Billy Graham, aren't you?"

      "Yes," Billy said.

      "Well," the man said, "you are truly a great man."

      Billy immediately responded, "No, I'm not a great man. I just have a great message."."[1]


    C. JESUS IS THE MESSAGE.

      1. “Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.” --Karl Barth


III. Conclusion: PEOPLE FISHING MEANS SAILING IN DEEP AND DANGEROUS (NOT SHALLOW AND SAFE) WATERS

    A. “Though Jesus tells us, ‘Don’t be afraid’ when he promises to teach us to fish like him, it’s scary.” --William Willemon

    B. Instead of thinking woe is us, maybe we need to be thanking God for the opportunities we have here. Instead of worrying about ourselves, maybe God is opening up places for us to fish in the hearts around us. Have we ever thought that as Christians we are supposed to be living in and through tough times?

    C. Illustration

    The highly regarded HBO miniseries Band of Brothers follows a company of U.S. paratroopers through the preparation and experience of invading Europe on D-Day. Based on real life interviews of survivors, the series captures both the intensity of war and the heroism of the troops.

    The collage shows Winters charging with his troops into battle, then proudly saluting an officer he's just promoted, and then commenting to a fellow soldier, "I don't like to retreat."

    The quick moving scenes of the collage close with Winters leading his troops into their most celebrated feat of the war, holding the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. A soldier leaving the front line pulls Winters aside and says ominously, "Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded."

    Without hesitation Winters replies, "We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded."[2]



[1] Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Zondervan, 2005).
[2] Band of Brothers (Warner Bros. Home Video, 2001), Disc 6, "Who's Who: The Men of Easy Company: Richard Winters"; based on the book by Stephen Ambrose, directed by Tom Hanks and David Frankel; submitted by Bill White, Paramount, California.

DIGIJOURNAL 012--3 FEB 2007

DATELINE: 03FEB07 PB PALIWODA

A letter to my son on his birthday

My Beloved Son,

As you can see by the date [30JAN], it is one day before your birthday. I am going to do my very best to call you. One of the most difficult things about being away is that I am missing all of these important days. It has made your father very crabby. One idea I have is that we will have to celebrate your birthday when I get back. We will have to get a cake, go to Putt-Putt, and have olive pizza.

I miss you very much and wish I could be there with you. My prayer is that you will not look back at these absences with bitterness at me or at the Army. While we always focus on the soldier, the family of the soldier is also making a sacrifice of service to the country.

I love you because you are my son, the little boy who brought more joy than I could have ever imagined into my life, the young man whose happy and gentle manner reminds me more of his mother, my love and my treasure, with each passing day.

I honor and respect you for the sacrifice you make as the son of a soldier, for the prayers you say for me and all our soldiers, for the tears you cry because you miss me, for doing the best that you can, despite the bad days, when I am not there.

I am proud of you and I love you, and I thank God for bringing you to me.

Daddy