Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, longed to celebrate God’s salvation with his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. “But I had to write” and tell you to fight! Jude begins. His change-of-course is a blunt reminder that we live in a mixed up world that requires vigilance, courage, and caution. We might wish we could simply share the good news of God’s love week after week, but the real world requires more. “I had to” write so that the Church is ready to fight.