The talk of the internet

Well, if these pajamas aren’t the talk of the internet. John at Locusts and Honey has blogged about them, now they’re on boing boing, and they were even featured on Real Time with Bill Maher last night. Maher joked that they look like Klan robes. Well, they certainly are odd. I suppose some folks will think they’re cute.

Oddly enough, that scripture is this week’s RCL Epistle text. Now, I’m using that scripture in my sermon tomorrow, and I plan to illustrate it by having my son put on his catcher’s gear, and to talk about how putting on one’s “armor” is a form of preparation – being prepared for whatever comes one’s way. I think the catcher’s gear not only moves the imagery away from warfare (I do not glamorize violence from the pulpit) but also brings the issue of preparedness to life. The armor (shinguards), shield (mitt), sword (bat), breastplate (chest protector), helmet (helmet and mask), etcetera become not weapons but rather tools and the proper equipment for the job.

If the job of the church is equipping the saints, then we outfit our parishioners with the proper tools for ministry, “doing” church on Sunday so they (we) can BE church Monday thru Friday. I don’t think we’re to sleep in our armor, but we are called to be prepared when we are awake.