We all have our false gods, those things that keep us from a true relationship with the Maker and often times each other.
Some are tangible, money and the accumulation of wealth, others less so. Whether it is nothing more than a song which we use to replace real emotion or the ring of our phones which we cannot ignore, even the most pious among us has their false gods.
There is the horrific story of Abraham who at the Lord's instruction was to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering to God. Abraham did as was expected of him, took Isaac to the land of Moriah and presented to sacrifice him.
Only the interception of an Angel of the Lord stayed the sacrifice and the blessing on Abraham promised by the Lord was that his descendants would rival in number the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore.
Who among us can claim we would honor such a similar request? Throw aside your possessions, bring your only child to the altar and sacrifice him because you were so asked, because your love for God was greater than your love of your child, greater than your love of your things.
Who among us has not at one point or another bemoaned our time in the service of the Lord, our time in humble prayer, because a game was on, a final, a championship. Or because the second part to a special we wanted but forgot to tape was on, or because the sun was strong and the beaches inviting after a long winter?
Who among us holds back our tithe to the Lord or makes bargain on its value, net not gross, because of a trip we wish to take?
Reverend Declan Smalls' false god was hockey. Most particularly the Saturday night variety and he worked very hard to influence the Church groups which required his presence, subtly swaying them to avoid Saturday so he could cheer on the home town team, cheer them onto victory or pray for them in defeat.
Not that he, for even a moment, believed that were there a higher power that He'd be inclined to care one iota about which team of overpriced jocks won a commercially driven sporting event, even if the supporters were the most religious and faithful, but Declan knew, it couldn't hurt.
We all have our false gods, the worst part is that to many of us, too many of them, are more real.
