faith

My brother-in-Christ was talking about the best ways to secure your household goods from potential burglars the other day. I reminded him of these words from Jesus:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19–21)

Sure, it was a Jesus juke, but there was also a heaping helping of sincerity.

I’m not tempted to collect much these days. When I am facing the allure of physical media for music, though, I do feel the urge to splurge. I see those candy-colored vinyl records from bands whose output I most enjoy and I’m quick to open my wallet. It doesn’t help that I know independent musicians are often struggling to make ends meet while creating their art.

In a sense, though, it feels like the acquisition of physical goods binds us to the transitory treasures. Increasingly, I’m finding myself inclined to the ephemeral. Especially since there are so many options for having a life rich in art and beauty while still traveling lightly. I downloaded my Kindle purchases since that will shortly no longer be an option, but I’m not sweating it a great deal.

I’m looking at a Synology, but I’m not building bookshelves (I don’t have the room, anyway).

Regular readers know that I attempt to hold together two theological commitments that sit in tension. First, a hopeful eschatology where God, in the end, is “all in all.” Second, a fierce prophetic conviction that what we do here on earth matters and that God will judge the evils, injustices, and oppressions at work in the world. There are damnable things afoot, and much of it involves people who claim the name of Christ.

– Richard Beck

I have wondered much that Christianity is not practiced by the very people who vouch for that wonderful conception of exemplary living. It appears that they are anxious to pass on their religion to all other races, but keep little of it for themselves.

[…]

It is my personal belief, after thirty-five years experience of it, that there is no such thing as “Christian civilization.” I believe that Christianity and modern civilization are opposed and irreconcilable, and the spirit of Christianity and of our ancient religion is essentially the same.

~ Charles Alexander Eastman, whose American Indian name was Ohiyesa. Quoted by Paul Kingsnorth in his 2024 Erasmus Lecture.

Via Intellectualoid