Lancelot and the Hermit

Required reading: Mat. 7:6, Eph. 5:11-13, I Pet. 2:9-12, I Mac. 2:15-27

In the culture of now equality is esteemed a divine edict. It is almost thought of as a settlement or legal declaration, though a man is born disparaged, the great judge (called secular humanism) has decreed that his fellowmen must spend their substance and the very thread of their souls to ensure that the lowliest sluggard prevails to the status of ease and fortune. Those who demonstrate exception and charisma are gradually becoming forbidden. The stammering fool whose very fame flies in the face of everything that is right, just, and orderly is the standard by which the next generation judges themselves, while the last holdouts of societal institution and establishment are profaned and mocked. We know this to be contrary to the will of the true God, as expressed by his saints and apostles, the holy angels, and the scriptures.

From the murder of Abel, man has strove against the divine order, substituting his own means in a desperate and futile attempt to level the field. Jealousy is always the product of inequality. Jealousy is very abundant in the world. The presence of inequality is, ergo, immutable. Some men are shepherds, and some are farmers. Some men are champions, and some are serfs. Some men are rulers, and others serve. This is the way of God, for we are all his servants. Enoch and Elijah received special escorts from the realm of mortality. God revealed himself to Abraham but not to the other Chaldeans. Moses was elevated to a position over the people in the wilderness. God did not speak with other men, but only with Moses. Aaron was the servant of Moses, but still elevated over the people. We will not waste time listing more examples which we already know.

Yet there are those even under our flag which continue to stiffen their necks against the divine order. These are vile and base men - vagabond crusaders, without lord and only a law unto themselves, marauding from village to village, terrorizing, raping and spoiling the innocent with their own philosophies, doctrines and justifications. Having nothing in their bellies but death, they spew putrid bile through open sepulchers. Without right or honor, they march beneath the cross profanely, taking his holy name in vain with nearly every breath. These dogs have done everything in their power to cause the enemies of Our Lord to blaspheme, putting evil for good and good for evil; light for dark and dark for light.

We are aware of their audacious ignorance. We have our code of honor, irrespective of their social diseases. They will take every occasion to draw us out into the public eye, but we must not stoop to their low estates. We will not acknowledge these barking dogs by scolding their jaunts. We will not pleasure these slovenly mongrels by entertaining their sport. The filthy blood of the base unregenerate is unworthy of our steel. We will not answer these fools according to their follies: for we are no vagabond, peasant crusaders. We have our lords and we serve them well. We are bound by a code and a common bond, and we will slay every adversary whether they wave the flag of our enemies or profanely desecrate the cross of Christ. It makes no difference to us. Forsaking all others, we will remain faithful to the code. Sharing in bonds, we are desirous only of the admiration of The Brotherhood. We seek honor only among the Royal Priesthood. We have our directives. We will accomplish the objective.

So we come boldly, worthily, with our faces set set like flints, overlooking the feted hordes as they scream for explanation. We ride into ungrateful and raging throngs, soaked in the blood of our enemies and brethren, on limping destriers, with taut lips and swollen eyes, refusing to let them see a single tear. We dismount behind dark, quiet walls, seeking no glory for ourselves, and only the approval of other knights, and seeking above all else to be alone and silent. We unbind our breastplates, wipe clean our blades, bind our wounds, light a candle and take up our chaplets in sobriety and silence. This is the way of honor. Whether fighting or confiding, we will only enjoin ourselves to those who are also worthy.

The Blue Shepard
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