The Lenten scripture passages are particularly paradoxical. The book of Deuteronomy sets the stage right off the bat: every one of us has a choice to make between life and prosperity or death and doom. These images are rather stark, but that's what this season is about. There's no room for fudging the facts. The call is out: come follow in His footsteps, or get off the train.
The voices of this world try to paint images of fear when we think of death, but the scriptural understanding of death is different. It has nothing to do with being separated from those we love, rather it's about growing closer to them by choosing to die to ourselves. Anyone who has truly loved another knows what it's like to die to self, and to put the interests of the other ahead of our own. To do otherwise is an act of selfishness, and there is definitely no room for selfishness in the plan for this kind of life.
Poor Jesus had to try to explain this truth to the disciples. From the distance of years past, it might be tempting for us to think that those first followers were just a bit dense, but if we're honest with ourselves, we'll also admit that we ourselves can be hard headed when it comes to listening to the wisdom of faith. At other moments in his life, Jesus tried to tell his disciples that the kingdom is about service, about being present to others, about leading by example and about calling all people to follow in faith, but I wonder if Peter and his friends understood the extent to which they would be asked to commit to this life.
Jesus' concept of life challenges all of us to the deepest level of commitment, even unto death, death on a cross: the most shameful and painful method of death known at the time. In today's world, some of us are called to live this example in great suffering, others are challenged to love to the extent of wanting to accept suffering on behalf of others, even if we may not be able to do anything but sit compassionately with those who bear their pain with various levels of dignity.
But then again, this is what it's all about. Willingness to take up the cross necessitates an equal willingness to renouce life by any human standards of success and ever deeper levels of trust in the One who promises everlasting life. Letting go of the former is at times a disquieting proposition, but the reward is more than worth it.
Choose life therefore, the right kind of life. It makes all the difference.
The voices of this world try to paint images of fear when we think of death, but the scriptural understanding of death is different. It has nothing to do with being separated from those we love, rather it's about growing closer to them by choosing to die to ourselves. Anyone who has truly loved another knows what it's like to die to self, and to put the interests of the other ahead of our own. To do otherwise is an act of selfishness, and there is definitely no room for selfishness in the plan for this kind of life.
Poor Jesus had to try to explain this truth to the disciples. From the distance of years past, it might be tempting for us to think that those first followers were just a bit dense, but if we're honest with ourselves, we'll also admit that we ourselves can be hard headed when it comes to listening to the wisdom of faith. At other moments in his life, Jesus tried to tell his disciples that the kingdom is about service, about being present to others, about leading by example and about calling all people to follow in faith, but I wonder if Peter and his friends understood the extent to which they would be asked to commit to this life.
Jesus' concept of life challenges all of us to the deepest level of commitment, even unto death, death on a cross: the most shameful and painful method of death known at the time. In today's world, some of us are called to live this example in great suffering, others are challenged to love to the extent of wanting to accept suffering on behalf of others, even if we may not be able to do anything but sit compassionately with those who bear their pain with various levels of dignity.
But then again, this is what it's all about. Willingness to take up the cross necessitates an equal willingness to renouce life by any human standards of success and ever deeper levels of trust in the One who promises everlasting life. Letting go of the former is at times a disquieting proposition, but the reward is more than worth it.
Choose life therefore, the right kind of life. It makes all the difference.
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