This is the age of entitlement. This is the age of the victim. This is the age of the failing leader, the angry citizen, and the vulgar response. This is the age where virtue is deemed too hard — too cruel — so we justify and ultimately celebrate vice. In other words, it’s an age like most other human ages — when our depravity prevails, and Christians are reminded that this world is not our home.
Believers are fond of saying that we have hope because we’ve read to the end of the book — that we know that Christ has risen, and Christ is returning. Evil will face its ultimate defeat. This is absolutely true, but it’s important to remember that victory is a past, present, and future reality. Christ defeated death and Hell long ago. That victory regenerates our soul now, and we eagerly await the Second Coming, when the pain of this earth falls away.
This truth should give us courage. In the age of entitlement, we should model gratitude. In the age of the victim, we should act as both servants and protectors. Virtue is not too hard because we know that God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power and love and self-control. No matter the alleged “arc of history” or the outcome of any given culture war, there will always be a remnant, and Christ prevails.
He is risen. May God bless you all.