At the heart of the “Jubilee Year” is this word: “…the land is mine and you are but aliens and tenants.” (Leviticus 25:23). No one can ever say, “This is my business, my home, my savings account, my investment fund, my anything.”

When we retire we should give thanks for the work we were privileged to do, for fair wages, for good health, and for reasonable retirement income. But no excessive golden parachutes.

Finally, there is the issue of war. We can argue about the current wars. The question now, however, is one of cost. How much can we spend on war without destroying the vitality of our nation? And as the chief supplier of weaponry to dozens of countries around the world, how long can we keep doing this without becoming victims of our own twisted intentions? Isn’t this another message from our Judeo-Christian tradition: “…all who draw the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52).

Like other Christians and Jews, I treasure the good things that have come out of our Judeo-Christian tradition that make us the nation we are. But when some of the strongest elements of that tradition tell us that we are headed for disaster, should we not take heed?

Herbert W. Chilstrom is the former presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American and a resident of St. Peter.