Saint Martin's Cloak

Who Were the Pilgrims? In English history, the Protestant Reformation – if it can be called that in England – began with King Henry VIII's creation of a state church in which Catholic and Puritan influences remained in conflict for quite some time. The group we call Pilgrims wanted nothing to do with the Church of England regardless of which theology predominated. The Pilgrims were more radical in their vision of reform than the Puritan wing of the Anglican Church. During much of their life in England they faced legal obstacles to the practice of their faith. We call them "Pilgrims" because they made a journey of faith – multiple journeys, in fact. A better word for this group, however, is "Separatists," "Dissenters" or "Non-Conformists."  The Pilgrims were strict Calvinists who believed in predestination. They observed only two sacraments (baptism and communion). Their churches were simple, with no crosses, statues, stained glass windows or...

Veterans Day is observed on November 11 each year on the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. Traditionally, a moment of silence is observed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. And while the nations of the British Commonwealth remember their war dead on November 11 ( Remembrance Day in the UK, Canada and Australia), we Americans do that on Memorial Day in May. In the United States, Veterans Day is an occasion to thank the living more than it is a day to remember the dead. Veterans Day is primarily a civic observance, not a Christian liturgical one. Churches should not turn the entire service into a celebration of military service. We worship God, not the Soldier and not the nation. I worship in a military congregation on a military installation, and our service on Veterans Day weekend is not "all veterans, all the time." The city of Leavenworth, Kansas where I used to live annually holds what it claims is the "largest Veterans Day parade...

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.' Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brot...

Today is the 234th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Army Chaplains Corps. To the left is pictured the Chaplains Corps regimental crest. The Latin words Pro Deo et Patria mean For God and Country. How do we date the anniversary? The Continental Congress voted on July 29, 1775 to pay chaplains $20 per month, the same rate of pay as a captain. One year later, George Washington issued this General Order : New York, July 9th, 1776 The Honorable Continental Congress having been pleased to allow a Chaplain to each Regiment, with the pay of Thirty-Three Dollars and one third dollars pr month - The Colonels or commanding officers of each regiment are directed to procure Chaplains accordingly; persons of good Characters and exemplary lives - To see that all inferior officers and soldiers pay them a suitable respect and attend carefully upon religious exercises. The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger -...

It was with great sadness that I learned today Chaplain Tim Vakoc died on Saturday, June 20, 2009. Chaplain Vakoc was a Catholic priest severely wounded by an IED in May 2004. He was returning from conducting mass for Soldiers at a remote location when he was wounded. Due to the relative scarcity of Catholic chaplains, they spend many hours traveling from location to location to minister to Catholic Soldiers. Chaplain Vakoc's convoy was attacked during one of these trips and he suffered a devastating brain injury and the loss of an eye. During the next few years, Father Vakoc underwent many surgeries and fought multiple life-threatening infections. It was not until the fall of 2006 that he was able to speak his first words after the injury. His mobility and speech continued to be significantly impaired, and he resided in a nursing home in his home state of Minnesota. Father Vakoc ultimately gave his life serving God's people in the some of the most difficult circumstances i...

O to be in Wobegon Where everyone Is above average Alas, I am center-of-mass

Forty years ago this Christmas Eve, the astronauts of Apollo 8 became the first human beings to orbit the Moon. As they orbited, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders broadcast a message that was carried live throughout United States and the world.  Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts; Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders did a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and Moon seen from Apollo 8. Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth." They ended the broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the book of Genesis. William Anders: "For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you". "In the beginning God created the heave...