God's Legions
By Mark S. Roberti
Director of Stewardship, Heartland Parishes of Ellis County

In St. Matthew’s account of the Gospel, as Jesus is being betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane , one of those with Jesus drew his sword and cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest.  Jesus told that disciple to put his sword away.  He said, “Do you think I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide for me at a moment with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Mt 26:53)  He then explained that this was necessary for Scripture be fulfilled.

That, in my book, is a very telling statement.  The struggles we go through, we are meant to go through.  In each of our own “book of life,” these challenges are meant to be. But, where does that leave us? 

I lived in Muslim countries for 2 and ½ years, Saudi Arabia and Sudan .  The phrase they so often use is “inshallah,” it’s God’s will.  I’ll see you tomorrow, inshallah.  I’ll finish that job, inshallah, I’ll do or not do anything I want, inshallah.  Everything, in their eyes, is purportedly God’s will, because it either has or will happen and there is nothing we can do about it.  If it is God’s will, it’s God’s will…end of argument.

That never sat well with the Catholic in me.  You see, I do believe that my actions or inactions impact God’s plan.  I think the efforts I make or don’t make, and the stands I take or don’t take, do influence the grand design.  I believe that at those decisive crossroads, where each of us sometimes stands, where we must choose right or wrong, we do impact our own eternal destinies and, possibly, that of others.  I believe that I cooperate with Christ in my own salvations and that of the world.      

That’s not just a personal belief, it’s scriptural.  It is Catholic teaching.  St. Paul tells us, “Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church….” ( Col 1:24).  

What could be lacking in Jesus’ saving act?  Nothing…except his intention that we, somehow, participate with Him in that saving act.  St Paul also says,  we are co-workers with Christ (cf: 1 Cor 3:9).   So when I “suffer,” and when I “work, ” and when I “pray,” and when I “share,” I am cooperating in His divine plan.  That’s my calling as a Catholic. 

In truth, we are fighting a war here.  This is a whole different type of war.  And this war is much, much more terrible than the one we just fought in Iraq , or those we fought in Vietnam , or WWII or WWI.  This is a war that all the bombs in the world, whether conventional, chemical, or nuclear, are not going to win.  In fact, those armaments will lose us this war. 

When we went into Iraq , we sent our young and our strong. We sent our most fit, our most agile, our most physically able.  They were our front lines.   In this war, God’s legions, his “crack” troops, are composed mostly of the old, the infirmed, those with less energy, those who have suffered, those who earned their “purple hearts” years ago.  

They are on the front lines of this “terrible battle” between good and evil.  Without them, this battle, this battlefield would have been strewn with even more casualties within our Church and our world. 

These warriors are the ones we see in daily Mass.   These warriors are the ones we see at Eucharistic adoration.  These warriors are the ones we see in rosary groups.  They are the ones helping in the Church. They are the ones who, often, give a higher percentage of their income.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are some very notable exceptions.  A good 10 – 20 percent of our young and strong are vigorously fighting beside them.  But what kind of army is that, 80 percent senior and infirmed, and 20 percent young and strong?  Where are all the others? When are they going to move up to the front lines?    

Once again, Jesus could probably call down twelve legions of angels.  But, I guess, he figures we need to handle this war, to the best of our abilities, ourselves.  Maybe he wants to see whom the heroes and heroines will be?  My guess is the Scripture must, again, be fulfilled first.

God’s right.  He doesn’t yet need to send legions down. Instead, we need to call legions up.  Each of us needs to be more involved.  Each of us needs to do more of the asking, too.  To win this war, we need more Catholics, and we need to be more Catholic.  We need more people willing to give their time, talent, and treasure to the Church.   

Being a stewardship director, I often here the standard complaint that “stewardship is just about money.”  I always respectfully differ.  Stewardship is about conversion.  Stewardship is being one of those troops on the front line.  Stewardship is about fighting in this terrible battle.  

Remember, this war is a different kind of war.  This is the “mother of all wars!”  What I find kind of ironic is that, in this war, the only ones who come out alive in the end are those who fight, those who are willing die to the world.