Engage is a strange word which has evolved it’s meaning over time.
 

If you search the Internet for engage you might see the following: “late Middle English (formerly also as ingage): from French engager, ultimately from the base of ‘gage’. The word originally meant ‘to pawn or pledge something’, later ‘pledge oneself (to do something’), hence ‘enter into a contract’ (mid 16th century), ‘involve oneself in an activity’, ‘enter into combat’ (mid 17th century), giving rise to the notion ‘involve someone or something else’.”
 

Today we use the word engage to mean;
- agreeing to, and preparing for marriage,
- attracting, or involving someone's interest or attention,
- causing some person or group to become involved in a conversation or xxxtask,
- arranging to employ or hire someone,
- with reference to a part of a machine or engine, moving into position so as xxxto come into operation,
- entering into verbal conflict or physical combat with an enemy.
 

All these attempts to define the word engage seem to be beating around the bush. What do I mean?
 

To engage is simply, to bring together for a purpose. You’ll see that this definition fits all the attempts at definition listed above.
 

I dare say that this word, engage, is properly used to describe the state of Christianity since before the time of Christ. God is bringing us together for a purpose. Humankind’s first engagement with God occurred in the Garden of Eden.
 

Christian believers are engaged by Jesus’ words, which cause them to engage other people regarding Jesus’ words, which then causes people to engage Jesus’ words in their daily affairs, which even causes people to engage themselves in positions of operation to engage the engines of change, which eventually cause people to engage the enemy in conflict and combat for their belief in Christ.
 

As believers in Jesus, as our Fiance, we are agreeing to and preparing for our marriage to Him. Our Spouse will be the head of the family, and believers will be members of the family, and this united family will be presented to the Father on the wedding day.
 

The word engage has many of the same qualities as the word love does. If you love someone, you wish to be engaged with them, as acquaintances initially, then you might engage in intimacy, which may then lead to an engagement to be married.
 

When you love Jesus you will want to be with Him, as acquaintances initially. Then, when He asks for your hand in marriage, will you say, ‘I do!’? Or will you engage Him as the enemy?
 

The world began with a big bang, scattering everything in all directions. The world will end with a big crush, with God bringing us all together for His purpose. It all began from a singularity and it will all end with a singularity.
 

That final and everlasting singularity is the unison of God, God’s Love, and the people who love God.
 

Are you engaging the Christ yet?

​

________________________________________

September 06, 2019 (email to my brother and his wife)

Good Morning Phil and Sharon,

In today's Gospel from Luke 5:33-39, the scribes and Pharisees wonder why they, and the disciples of John the Baptist, and their own disciples, fast, yet Jesus' disciples eat and drink. "Jesus answered them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days."

The scribes, the Pharisees and their disciples don't get it - yet. Jesus is speaking of Himself. "Jesus is the wedding of heaven and earth, the marriage of divinity and humanity; he is the bridegroom and the Church is the bride. In him, the most intimate union is achieved between God and the world.", as Bishop Barron describes today.

Since Jesus inaugurated His church He's been working towards the wedding of heaven and earth. All along, Jesus has been wooing humankind and hoping we will requite His love. The disciples of Jesus are the people who are currently engaged to Jesus. Together, the disciples of Jesus form the church, the bride, the Body of Christ. On the wedding day, the two will be united, forever.

God will achieve the union between Himself and the world. Christ will achieve the union between Himself and His disciples. Christ's disciples will achieve the union between our world communities into one body of believers. The body of believers is the bride.

The body of believers are the people who requite the love of God and, when asked if they would marry Jesus, they exuberantly say, "I do!"

Christ's church is engaged to Jesus, and the engagement ring is the cross. Those who wear the engagement ring are saying, 'Yes' to Jesus' proposal.

I've been wearing my engagement ring for over two years now, but, in truth, I've been smitten since we met.

It was love at first baptism.

Bob