People have to be on fire.

Bl. Francis X. Seelos

BY FR. BYRON MILLER, C.S.s.R.

Flannery O’Connor—the Southern, Catholic author who suffered from lupus—was admitted to a Georgia hospital. “What’s your bidnis?,” asked the woman in admissions, with carrot-colored hair and eyeglasses to match.” O’Connor responded that she was a writer. “A what?” “A writer,” repeated O’Connor. Whereupon, the woman demanded, “How do you spell that?”

The primary business of Father Seelos [Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.S.s.R.] was the salvation of souls, and his message was blunt to those who were in danger. While he praised Americans in general for their energy, he warned that a total preoccupation with business affairs could compromise their eternal salvation. He observed that if Americans understood spiritual matters as they understood worldly ones, we would have nothing but saints. Likewise, Seelos was equally candid in writing to a friend in Germany: “I had come to know your mind for business very closely, and my only concern is that maybe you are involved in worldly business so much that hardly any time is left for you to be concerned about the things of your soul’s salvation. . . . Yes, be careful for yourself, for much business brings many cares and many cares absorb one’s whole life, and one easily forgets the one thing necessary.”

Often the Church gives the wrong impression that it is only concerned with two preoccupations: What’s your bidnis in your bedroom? and, What’s in your wallet? Father Michael Heher wrote in The Lost Art of Walking on Water that we implore the faithful to get involved in our parishes, but what do we ask of them? “To donate sacrificially? To attend one of our self-help seminars or Bible studies? To jump through the hoops of our sacramental preparation? Where is the excitement in that? Where is the call to real service, for trusting faith in troubling times? We have come to consider high attendance at anything as a sign of success; we have forgotten that, on Pentecost, the standard was a bit higher: people had to be on fire.”

Of this Father Seelos was convinced: “I am sure and certain that we will one day bemoan in Purgatory our lazy and lukewarm conduct if we are not as fervent in receiving the holy sacraments as we should be. . . . Therefore it is good to think: It is Jesus, my divine and all-merciful Redeemer. He wants to burn without exception all my faults and imperfections in the fire of his all-merciful love.” In other words, for Seelos, the more concerned we are with our heavenly Father’s business of all-merciful love, the more on fire we will be; and the less concerned we are with our heavenly home, the more “on fire” we will be, when excluded from that heavenly home!

[October 5, is the Feast Day of Blessed Frances Xavier Seelos]

Byron Miller, C.Ss.R., is the Executive Director of the National Seelos Shrine & the Seelos Center, in New Orleans.

Eternal Life: Gift or Reward? Part One.

BY JOHN MARTIGNONI


Question:
An Evangelical friend of mine said the Catholic Church goes against the Bible because it teaches that a person can earn, or “merit,” eternal life as a reward for good works, while the Bible says eternal life is a free and unmerited gift of God to the believer. He quoted the following from the Council of Trent to make his point: “To those who work well right to the end and keep their trust in God, eternal life should be held out, both as a grace promised in his mercy through Jesus Christ to the children of God, and as a reward to be faithfully bestowed, on the promise of God himself, for their good works and merits,” while the Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved by faith…not because of works,” (Eph 2:8-9). Did the Council of Trent really say that and does the Church actually teach that we can “earn” eternal life by our works?

Answer:
Yes, that is a quote from the Council of Trent (Decree on Justification; ch. 16) and, yes, that is what the Church teaches. Although, not quite in the way your friend apparently understands it. I’ll need two or three of these columns to flesh this out a bit but, basically, your friend is focusing on only one aspect of the quote from the Council of Trent, in order to present a false “works-only salvation” caricature of what the Church actually teaches.

As the quote from Trent clearly states, eternal life is both a “grace,” or free gift, and a “reward.” So, for Catholics, eternal life is a both-and proposition – both a free gift and a reward - while for many Protestants it is an either-or proposition – either a free gift or a reward, it cannot be both. And, at first glance, it may seem like a contradiction to say that eternal life is both a gift and a reward, but when the Catholic position, which is also the scriptural position, is properly understood, one sees that there is no contradiction whatsoever.

First, what I’m going to do is give several Bible passages that show, quite clearly, that a person can “merit” eternal life - that eternal life is indeed a reward for one’s good works. Then, beginning in next week’s article, I will show how eternal life can be both a free gift and a reward, and I will use some Bible passages as examples of this teaching. I will then close this discussion with another quote from the Council of Trent to demonstrate how folks quite often lift a quote from some Catholic document, while ignoring the rest of the document, in order to distort what the Church teaches, which is quite often the same thing they do with the Bible.

Can a person merit eternal life – receive eternal life as a reward – for their good works? What does the Bible say?

Matthew 5:3-10, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven…Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy…Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God…Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Several examples from the Sermon on the Mount of folks being rewarded with eternal life for how they live their lives. At least, that’s what Jesus said.

Matthew 25:34-40, “Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” It seems pretty clear, from the Bible, that the people at the Lord’s right hand are going to “inherit” the Kingdom of Heaven because of their good works. At least, that’s what Jesus said.

Matthew 19:16-17, “What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?...[Jesus said] If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” People will be rewarded with heaven – eternal life - for keeping the commandments. At least, that’s what Jesus said.

Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” Every Christian knows that when the Bible speaks of the “inheritance” we will receive from the Lord, it is referring to eternal life. This passage directly states that if you do the work the Lord has given you to do, whatever that may be, you will receive the “inheritance” - eternal life - as your reward.

Space limitations prevent me from giving dozens of other Bible passages that support exactly what the Catholic Church teaches about eternal life being a reward for our good works.

Next week: How can eternal life be both a free gift and a reward?

About John Martignoni John Martignoni is the Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and also the President of the Bible Christian Society. John's column, Apologetics 101, appears regularly in the diocesan newspaper, the One Voice.  If you have a question about the Catholic Faith, please send an email to: jmartignoni@bhmdiocese.org.  And check out John's free audio and written apologetics materials at: www.biblechristiansociety.com.

Courageous

BY G. P. Galle

In 2003 a few Baptists ministers in the tiny town of Albany, Georgia decided to make a movie.  There was no budget. All the actors were volunteer. The cameras weren’t fancy. Excellent lighting and sound? Forget it. This movie was called Flywheel. Their Church got it released in one theater. 

And it sold out for 6 weeks.  

Two movies would follow. The first, produced with all church volunteers save a cinematographer, would shock the box office with $10 million in ticket sales. The second film, Fireproof, would also blow people away making $33 million. Both have sold hundreds of millions in DVDs. 

But the biggest part of these films is not the box office. 

The biggest thing are the lives being changed. These films are not merely entertainment. They are ministry. They are evangelism. They bring people to Christ. They have been proven to rejuvenate lives...and on September 30th, the biggest film yet, Courageous, comes to theaters. 

Courageous centers around one of the most important and lacking components to our culture: fathers. The film is a call to action: Where are you men?! Alex Kendrick, the lead actor of the film cries in one film scene. Apparently they are answering. In droves. Churches are buying out theaters all over the country. I know, as I went on behalf of my mens group Men of St. Joseph, to sponsor a theater. We couldn’t get the time we wanted, as both theaters were already bought out by other church groups. We were actually number 6 of churches that bought theaters. Awesome.

Some Hollywood executives would ask: what in the heck? Why is this working? 

It’s a simple answer, though business people have a hard time understanding. It is the prayer. These films have no major actors. No big producers. And none of the smut everyone says you have to have. Nope. They have prayer. They have Jesus. And Jesus is showing up for this once little church out of Albany, Georgia.

Coming September 30th, Courageous will go to wide release. Don’t miss it. 

About GP Galle G.P. Galle, Jr. has spent over 10 years studying the intersection of faith, politics, and pop culture. He is a writer and producer, previous works including A Dream Worth Living a culture of live musical, and vivace, a Christian Art extravaganza. He has a law degree from the University of Alabama Law School, and graduate magna cum laude from Auburn University.

Be ‘Courageous’: Go to the Movies on September 30

BY DAVID O’BRIEN

A common complaint these days goes something like this: "the movies and what’s on TV today are garbage...I have 150 channels at home and I can’t find a thing to watch...What ever happened to the great movies?... Now it’s just violence, car chases, sex, and more sex, stupidity, foul language, bad behavior and the glamorizing of the worst parts of our society...Did I mention that no one writes good scripts anymore?"

Have movies and TV really sunk that low? Is there truly nothing worth watching these days?

Sometimes, I admit, I am less than thrilled with what is served up by Hollywood. But at other times, I have hope.

Adam and Dylan have trouble seeing eye to eye

These days, I’m riding a wave of optimism. My wife and I watched "The Help" when it first came out. Surprisingly great fl ick, especially when I didn’t expect much since the book was phenomenal.

We also recently rented "Soul Surfer" and were uplifted by the main character’s witness of faith after her arm was bitten off by a shark while surfi ng.

Both these movies were widely released and viewed by millions despite the lack of curse words, gratuitous gore or lurid exploitations of half dressed men and women. In fact, I would dare say that my mother and my grandmother would have approved and even applauded these shows.

Another show coming out on September 30 that will equally satisfy those with a taste for substantive narratives and compelling plot lines is the movie "Courageous."

Set in a modern day suburb, four cops confront what it means to be men of integrity, determined to "not just be good enough." These men commit to pursuing the high standards to which God has called them no matter what the cost.

All this soul searching takes place amidst intense, pulse spiking, action sequences that match any episode of "Cops" or "Law and Order." Take, for example, the opening scene where one of the central characters has his SUV carjacked at a gas station. Instinctively reacting as a police officer, he chases his stolen vehicle and launches himself into the open driver’s side window. One minute into the story, they had me.

The men take time to pray for their friend

The main characters are typical, wise cracking, sports-watching guys but they choose to be courageous policemen and bold disciples of Jesus Christ. This comes as a refreshing break from the normal Hollywood depiction of men as either Rambo, Cassanova or Pee Wee Herman; or the standard portrayal of Christians as either fanatics or simple-minded Pollyannas.

The makers of this movie emphasize, without apology, the centrality of Christ and the importance of a Christian community in one’s life. To their credit, Christianity emerges as a heroic, inspiring and attractive way of life.

One high point in the story is how one cop, led by his pastor, deals with a tragic loss. Grief is not easy to show in a movie without overplaying the emotions triggered by loss. But the screenwriters do a phenomenal job of showing how a person can make it through terrible suffering with God’s help. Many pastors and Christian counselors will undoubtedly use this movie in the future to help people cope with their grief.

Another scene that could become a model for many people in their own lives is the interaction between one father and his teenage daughter. On the verge of womanhood, this daughter is taken out by her father to a fancy dinner where he presents her with a beautiful ring and asks her to trust him to help her find the man who will love, cherish and honor her like her Daddy does. While watching this scene, my mind immediately imagined such a moment with my own precious daughters. Powerful. If you have young daughters, make sure to bring tissues.

"Courageous" opens on September 30 in Andalusia, Auburn, Daphne, Dothan, Enterprise, Gulf Shores, Mobile, Montgomery and Prattville. How it fares over that first weekend will decide whether it will open in many other theaters or be sent straight to DVD. Don’t miss this opportunity to support a truly redemptive movie that will not only speak to your heart but may actually lead people to Christ. How many movies have that much to offer?

Check out www.courageousthemovie.com to watch the trailer and see where it is playing.

[Note, the Men of St. Joseph in the Mobile, AL area has reserved a theatre for a Courageous showing, on October 2, at 4:00. Tickets are available at area MOSJ meetings.]

About David O’Brien David O’Brien is the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. His column, Everyday Faith, appears regularly in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Catholic Week. Email David at dobrien@mobilearchdiocese.org.

"When he quit giving . . . we knew something was wrong"

BY ALLEN HUNT

Aldred Pruden Wallace is an odd name for a man. His son, Peter, is my friend. Aldred lived his last 18 months in a nursing home, surviving on his small pension. He had no other possessions besides his wonderful, warm and generous spirit.

The staff loved Aldred and would do anything for him. In his final few months, dementia set in, and Aldred created scenarios in his mind. For example, one day The President had consulted Aldred for advice on foreign policy. But most of the scenarios revolved around money. He thought he had $200MM left over from World War II and he really wanted to bless his caregivers and friends at the nursing home.

So several times a day, Aldred would walk up to a caregiver, pull them aside and say quietly in their ear, ”I want to give you a million dollars because you’ve been so kind, so good to me.” The nursing home staff would chuckle when Peter came to visit, and say, “Your dad has been so generous with his money!”

But one day they found Aldred very quiet and withdrawn – out of character. He was like that for several days in a row. Then he died. Turned out he had had a stroke – and no one really knew it. The stroke had changed his personality.
The nurse said, “When he quit giving, we knew something was clearly wrong.”

God is the Supreme Giver. God the Father gave His most valuable possession; Jesus gave His life.  When you and I give, we grow to be more like Him. I hope that you and I become generous enough in life that when we stop giving, someone will say, "Surely something must be wrong!"

About Allen Hunt Allen Hunt is a former Senior Pastor of an evangelical mega-church. He became Catholic in 2008 and now partners with Matthew Kelly to serve as the Vice-President for Strategy and Content at the Dynamic Catholic Institute. Allen is a speaker, writer, and radio host on News Talk WSB in Atlanta. He is the author of Confessions of a Mega-Church Pastor: How I Discovered the Hidden Treasures of the Catholic Church.

Praying to the Saints - Can I do that?

BY JOHN MARTIGNONI

Question: What do I say to someone who criticizes the Catholic belief in praying to saints and who quotes 1 Timothy 2:5? It says that there is only one mediator (Christ Jesus) between God and the human race.

Answer: 1 Tim 2:5 reads as follows: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...” “You see,” we Catholics are told, “there is only one mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ. Therefore, praying to the saints goes against the Bible because you are making them mediators between God and man, you are diminishing Jesus’ role as the sole mediator!”

How can we respond to this argument? Let’s look to the Bible and see. We see in Exodus 17, that Moses interceded on behalf of the Israelites in their battle with the Amalekites...that’s mediating between God and man. In Genesis, Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrha (chapter 18).... that’s mediating between God and man. In the Book of Job, ch. 42, verses 7-10, we see that God is upset with Job’s friends and basically tells them He won’t accept their prayers. He says to them, “Let my servant Job pray for you, for his prayer I will accept.” It goes on to say, “And the Lord accepted the intercession of Job,”...that’s mediating between God and man. We know, from the New Testament, that it is okay to ask others here on earth to pray and intercede for us....that’s mediating between God and man.

So, I think, once again, we have a situation where a passage of the Bible is being misinterpreted and misunderstood. As Catholics, we agree that there is only one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. You can find that stated quite clearly in the Catechism. Only Jesus Christ is true God and true man. Not Mary, not any of the saints. We are saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ. Not by Mary’s blood, not by the blood of the saints.

Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man. However, as members of the Body of Christ, on Earth or in Heaven, He allows us to share in His mediation - how else do we have the examples of intercession in the situations with Moses and Abraham and Job? And with our fellow Christians praying for us?

And in case you have any doubt, here are a couple of Scripture passages regarding the role of angels and saints as mediators. Matthew 18:10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in Heaven.” Jesus’ implication here is very apparent: don’t mess with these children, because their guardian angels, who always behold the face of the Father, will tell on you, and that won’t be a good thing. In other words, the angels are acting as mediators, as intercessors, between God and man.

In the Book of Revelation, Rev 5:8, it says, “And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints...” The “saints” being the members of the church on earth. And, again, Rev 8:3-4, “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.” So, who is holding the bowls filled with the prayers of the saints and presenting them before the throne of our Lord? The angels and the saints in Heaven. They are mediating between God and man.

Praying to the angels...to the saints...is not contrary to the Bible. It does not take away from the role of Jesus as mediator between God and man. The saints in Heaven are alive. They love us and pray for us just as they loved us and prayed for us while on earth, but even more so. They are members of the Body of Christ and, as such, they can and do - by the grace, authority, and power of Jesus Christ - share in His role as mediator between God and man.

About John Martignoni John Martignoni is the Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and also the President of the Bible Christian Society. John's column, Apologetics 101, appears regularly in the diocesan newspaper, the One Voice.  If you have a question about the Catholic Faith, please send an email to: jmartignoni@bhmdiocese.org.  And check out John's free audio and written apologetics materials at: www.biblechristiansociety.com.

Multiplication of the Loaves - where's the miracle?

BY JOHN MARTIGNONI

Question: Not too long ago was the Gospel reading of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes [Matthew 14:13-21]. We had a visiting priest that day, and in his homily, he said that the real “miracle” of the story was not some miraculous multiplication of the loaves and the fishes, but that Jesus was able to get the people who did have food, to share it with those who did not. Is that what really happened?

Answer: There is absolutely no reason to believe that anything other than a miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes is what really happened. According to the Church, “The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through His disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of His Eucharist,” (Catechism, #1335).

The Church calls the multiplication of the loaves and fishes a miracle. With all due respect, getting people to share with one another, is not a miracle, unless of course one has a very dim view of human nature. Furthermore, there is not one shred of evidence, either from the text itself, or from any early Christian writings, that even hints that what actually happened was Jesus got people to share, or that this story was in any way intended to convey a message of sharing. This story was so important, that it is one of the few that is mentioned in all four Gospels. It makes no sense that the Gospel writers put as much importance on Jesus getting people to share as they did on His Baptism, on the Eucharist, and on the Crucifixion. What has happened in the last several generations, beginning with some Lutheran theologians in Germany in the 19th century, is that the theological disciplines have been infected with a notion that there really is nothing miraculous in the Bible. The “miracles” of the Old Testament are just the explanations of a superstitious people for events they can’t explain and the “miracles” of the New Testament are simply stories told by the Matthean community or the Johannine community or such to help people better accept the message and teaching of Jesus, but they didn't really happen.

The seeds of this notion eventually were planted in the minds of a number of Catholic theologians as well, and this notion grew throughout the 20th century and came to full fruition in the 60's and 70's. That’s when we really start seeing Catholic theologians pushing ideas like the multiplication of the loaves and fishes was really Jesus getting people to share. Or, that Jesus didn't really walk on water, He was actually walking on a sand bar that apparently no one but He knew about. Or, that Jesus wasn't really resurrected, He was really buried in a shallow grave and His body was eaten by dogs, that’s why no one could find it. And, unfortunately, there was much more where that came from.

Such has been the unfortunate state of way too much of Catholic theology in the last 40 years or so, but the good news is that the tide is starting to turn and that notion of there being nothing of the miraculous in Scripture, which was planted back in the 19th century and saw its full flowering in the 70's, seems to be on its last legs.

About John Martignoni John Martignoni is the Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and also the President of the Bible Christian Society. John's column, Apologetics 101, appears regularly in the diocesan newspaper, the One Voice.  If you have a question about the Catholic Faith, please send an email to: jmartignoni@bhmdiocese.org.  And check out John's free audio and written apologetics materials at: www.biblechristiansociety.com.

Broken Marriage

BY DAVID O'BRIEN

The teachings of the Catholic Church on children and contraception are clear according to the Catechism:

"Fecundity is a gift...for conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful. (2366) Called to give life, spouses share in the creative power and fatherhood of God. Married couples should regard it as their proper mission to transmit human life and to educate their children; they should realize that they are thereby cooperating with the love of God the Creator and are, in a certain sense, its interpreters. (2367)

For just reasons, spouses may wish to space the births of their children. (2368) ...methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. In contrast, every action which...proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil: Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other." (2370)

In this context, I listened to a friend, Agnes, recount her ongoing struggles in her marriage to Jake. Since marrying Jake less than five years ago, Agnes has conceived and delivered four children.

"After the fourth baby," Agnes explained, "Jake announced that we needed to change our family planning. He wanted to be a good father and husband, and he couldn’t see how that could happen if we continued to have more children. In short, he was getting a vasectomy."

Both Agnes and Jake are committed, practicing Catholics who orientate their lives around God and the Church. Agnes has even worked in various Church ministries since before their marriage.

Clear about the church’s teaching and the sinfulness of something as drastic as birth control through surgery, Agnes dug her heels in.

How could she be an authentic witness to the gospel, "if within my marriage, I was no longer open to life? How could I minister to other women and encourage them to be bold in their faith if I wasn’t living it myself? And what do I teach my children about marriage and sex when their father and I weren’t aligned?"

She admitted: "At first, I cried. Then I yelled. Then I argued, calmly and intelligently. Then I cried some more. I shared with my husband excerpts from Kippley’s Sex and the Marriage Covenant and the encyclical, Humanae Vitae. We listened to Christopher West and Scott Hahn in the car. I reached out to every resource I had, but my husband was unchanging."

After fighting a quiet battle over this for a year, she explained, "we were exhausted. One night, I cried through the night. At 5:00 a.m. there was a sudden and unexpected thunderstorm. In my mind, the raindrops were God’s tears and I sensed the Lord was with me. Then I heard in my ears- as if God had a human voice- the words, ‘I am in a broken marriage too.’"

From that moment on, Agnes told me, her attitude changed. "I thought about how much we-the Church, the bride of Christ-hurt our Lord. How we ignore Him, dishonor Him and behave in ways that do so much damage. And yet, He never holds back. He comes to us, over and over again, giving us his body without bitterness or manipulation. His love remains faithful and unchanging."

Agnes resolved after that to try to be more like Christ in her marriage.

"I can’t change my husband and in many ways, I don’t want to. He’s an honest, strong, loving man and father. I would never choose another. All I can do is keep my vows to love and honor him all the days of my life; to give myself to him and lovingly receive him, just as Christ does with His beloved, the Church."

She concluded: "To destroy our marriage would have meant killing the life we have been given. So instead, I offer it up. I lift up our marriage, our intimacy, and our continued conversion to God who knows our hearts and our failings, and who loves us with a perfect love."

About David O’Brien David O’Brien is the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. His column, Everyday Faith, appears regularly in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Catholic Week. Email David at dobrien@mobilearchdiocese.org.

Standing on My Head: Clint Eastwood and Jesus

Standing on My Head: Clint Eastwood and Jesus:

"Jesus as a girly man is what Mgr. Charles Pope writes about here. He's right. Jesus in the sixties and seventies became a limp-wristed hippie peace and love type of guy. It reminds us that too often we re-make Jesus in our own image."


"I guess because I was brought up in a fundamentalist church with preachers who knew how to 'shoot the gospel gun' and call sinners to repentance and preached about the wickedness of "them long haired hippie types with their tight blue jeans and rock and roll music" that I was never really attracted to the Jesus of Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar. I always saw Jesus as a loner--a prophetic, even vengeful character a bit like some of Clint Eastwood's characters--maybe the preacher in Paler Rider.  He was the squinty eyed Jesus--eyeing up his enemies and dispatching them with a well chosen pithy comment. "Let the dead bury their dead" or "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's" are sharp and edgy."

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