Even in October the wind blows cold and cruel off Lake Michigan, so when I came down the stairs from Michigan Ave. to Lower Wacker Dr. and into the Billy Goat Tavern, I was relieved. The regular crew was there: the Renner brothers, who never met a car they couldn’t chop, lovely Tina, who never learned the word “No,” and Alderman Tommy “I only take cash” O’Brien. Slim Whitman was on the juke box with his rendition of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Through the smoky haze I saw them sitting in the back booth. 

I caught Jack, the bartender’s eye, and held up three fingers, as I walked to the back booth. I stood for a moment looking at Dr, Martin Luther and his good friend and accomplice in the Reformation, Philip Melanchthon. Luther was scribbling away on a legal pad while Melanchthon read the Trib. 

“Sit down, Joe,” said Luther. As I slid in next to him Phil lowered the Trib and said, “Joe, if these athletes were serious they wouldn’t kneel, they’d give away half of their millions to the poor and walk the streets where all the shootings take place.” I nodded in agreement as Jack set down three cold ones in front of us. 

We hoisted our mugs as Luther said, “To Reformation 2.0.” We drank and the cool liquid felt good going down my parched throat. When I finally came up for air, I said, “Reformation 2.0? We don’t need another Reformation!” 

Phil simply said, “Uh oh!” as Luther put down his pen and said, “Joe, this nation needs a Reformation almost as much as it did 500 years ago. These guys on TV and in cities asking for money to make the people’s troubles go away is as bad as the indulgences they were selling back in my day. That guy with the toothy smile and curly hair in Houston telling people God wants them to have a six figure bank account and he will tell them how to get it if they just send him a check or their credit card number. Or that other dufus in Ft. Worth whose wife says he can control the weather. By golly Joe, if he can control the weather, then why doesn’t he stop the hurricanes, the derechos, and global warming? Are people that dumb?” 

“No Martin, they are not dumb, they are just lost. The whole world is falling apart at the seams and they are just not sure what to do. They hear these fraudulent messages and they are so desperate they will believe anything,” I said. 

“And part with their money, to buy some peace,” added Phil. 

“That’s why the world needs Reformation 2.0,” reiterated Luther. He continued, “Their hearts are restless and they will only find the rest they need in Jesus Christ.” 

“And who is going to do all that?” I asked.
“I’m looking at him,” said Luther. Phil chuckled as he said, “Here it comes.” 

“Me? Hey, I’m just one guy,” I replied. 

Phil laughed again as Luther said, “Joe, you’d be surprised at what one guy can do with paper, pen, 95 theses, a hammer, and a few nails.” 

“I’m not your man,” I protested. 

“Neither was I,” said Luther. “But what you can do is stand up and start preaching the truth. What you can do is give two restless hearts the peace they need, and those two give peace to two others, and those four to two others each. You won’t be alone. There are others out there. They are just waiting for someone else to stand up and say those guys in Houston and Ft Worth have no clothes on, and they will join in. It will spread faster than a California wildfire or bribes in Chicago politics. Yes, it’s time Joe.” 

“Martin, I’m just too old,” I said. 

“Yeah, and Noah was too drunk, Moses stuttered too much, David liked the ladies too much, Isaiah swore too much, Jeremiah was too young, and the excuses never stop. Don’t worry about changing the world. Just bring the word to the folks at Immanuel and then let the Spirit do the rest.” 

I rose from my seat and said, “See you at Christmas.”
“Take care,” said Phil.
“Give ‘em heaven, Joe,” said Martin.
My stride was stronger and the wind was not as harsh. Maybe I do have a purpose, I thought. 

Veritas,

Curt