It was Easter Sunday and the pews were packed at St. Michael’s Church. The parishioners had gathered to celebrate the holy day.
As the final prayer was said, the congregation began gathering their belongings and filing out of the ornate wooden doors and into the spring sunshine.
Greeting them as they left the church was the church’s beloved pastor, Father Matthew, standing with an outstretched hand and warm smile.
“Happy Easter! He is risen!” Father Matthew proclaimed as he shook each parishioner’s hand in turn.
But as Jim Reynolds reached the front of the line, the pastor’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He gripped Jim’s hand and pulled him aside, out of the crowd’s path.
“Jim, my son, you need to join the Army of the Lord! The church needs more soldiers like yourself, steadfast in their faith.”
Jim looked taken aback.
“But Father, I’m already a soldier in the Lord’s army.”
The pastor arched an eyebrow skeptically.
“Is that so? Then how come I only see you here on Christmas and Easter?”
Jim leaned in closer, keeping his voice low, as if to share a very important bit of exclusive information with the Priest.
“Father, I’m in the secret service.”
