Silverwalk Hermitage

Lord, teach me to be generous,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.

Kevin O’Brien, SJ, Talks About Interior Freedom.

Image via Wikipedia

I’m not normally up early in the morning but today and for the past week, I have at least awakened early. Today I am up and done with the Morning Office. What a joy to light the candles in the dark; as I pray and listen, Dawn gently unfurled her light till now, though overcast, it is day – from shadow to light during prayer. What a powerful illustration of where Jesus means to take us if we let him.

We are in the middle of election season (which seems to last longer and longer each cycle). The Republican candidates are struggling to gain momentum against one another and our Democratic President.  Polls taken, the public pulse assessed and, I presume, adjustments made to strengthen campaigns. Jesus took His own “poll” though He didn’t
rely on it for his future – only for information known to Him yet
perhaps not to the disciples:

Luke 9:18-27 (NRSV)

18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ 19 They answered, ‘John the
Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ 20 He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter
answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’ 21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22 saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great
suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’23   he said to them all, ‘If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those
who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are
ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’

The Daily Office

Do you see this passage as a clarification of Who Jesus is to His followers – that He, indeed, is the Christ, the Messiah, come to save the world from unending sin – not that we cease sinning but He dies living to mediate with His blood the sins of our being human in a fallen world. The old order is no longer focused on the intent of the Law, which is Love but on its execution and strict observance; Jesus Christ comes to redeem not only sinners but the Law of God handed to Moses. He doesn’t want to replace it – He wants believers, all believers, to understand the purpose: a guide, a map, directions to Yahweh, “I AM,” Lord of the Universe, no matter how minute the universe to the people of the time. See Matt. 5:17.

Be well this Sunday morning before Ash Wednesday (and Shrove Tuesday!). Be prepared to examine your lives in light of our Christ, to seek anew His love in your mind and body, to affirm your faith in the affirmation of the Law as Love.

How are you planning to more permit God into your life this Lent season?

I will be making a daily fast offline – from 12-8 pm, I won’t be online on any device. I’ve needed to decrease my online hours for quite some time; finally found a very nice guide HERE. God bless you as you prepare your life in repentance, consideration and actions reflecting God’s Love for you.

Related articles

• “But who do you say that I am?” (worryisuseless.wordpress.com)
• Morning Prayer (theorganicchickenlady.wordpress.com)

Conversion

The Gospels are clear that there is only one way to be changed and transformed. And that is to die. To take up our cross and follow Jesus. To die daily to self and then to allow Jesus to raise us to new life in him.

–Br. Geoffrey Tristram
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Abraham clutches Isaac after recieving him back from God (image from Wikipedia)

1 John 2:1-3 (NRSV)

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

For me, today, this is an important verse. Most of my life, my head and heart wrapped around the verse about the narrow gate; the only way to the Father is through Me. But, do I, mere believing mortal, KNOW “through Me?” God is a welcoming God – at least in the NT; not so much in the Old (per my reading).

In the OT, “I Am” was establishing a people for Herself in this newly formed world. Among all the nations available to Him, He began with one man, Abraham….a righteous man who stayed his ground when God spoke to him – who acknowledged God’s presence, will, love and laws. God “uses” Abraham and Isaac, his son, to model the sacrifice made millennia later with Jesus’s Crucifixion; God allowing Her own Son to be killed as a sacrifice for all.

It is the “for all” that is in my heart today – St. Valentine‘s Day. Jesus didn’t come only for the Jews, the Greeks, those who believe by answering an altar call; He came also for those who believe through other systems that, knowingly or unknowingly, point to Him, the Christ, as Savior. He came for those most lost, the “dregs” of society. This past Saturday, Whitney Houston died unexpectedly; on the same day we lost a good and faithful dog transport driver and the puppy with her. I heard comments about why we are all so upset about Whitney the “druggie,” whom we cheered when she gave us what we wanted (we are so hypocritical) and not so upset about Catherine and Elyse (who were not famous except to those who knew them).

Does it matter? What matters is all are beloved by Christ and the Father. Whitney died painlessly (according to reports); Catherine and Elyse died on impact (according to the officer first on the scene) not in the fire which engulfed her vehicle.

When I was growing up, I needed or was fed the exclusivity of the narrow gate; I even went round and round once with my current priest because it bothered me so much that many people in my church thought everyone would go to heaven no matter what their belief system. Hold on – I’m not going that far – some systems are really wacko and are excuses for graft, exploitation and hero-worship (Jim Jones comes to mind; is he in Hell? or was Jesus able to mediate even for him as I feel sure He did for his deluded followers). GOD ONLY KNOWS – and there lies mystery – I can leave it there, now; it is not for me to judge but for God in Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the WORLD, He sent his only Son….”

Love – the answer to any question.

How do you practice exclusivity in your life? Are you aware of it? Did this post help make you think? Let me know.

Related articles

• Yes Jesus loves me… the death of Whitney Houston (mikegprint.wordpress.com)
• You are in Christ Jesus (sharinhislove.wordpress.com)
• Jesus with Isaac in Gethsemane: And How Historical Inquiry Trumps Christian Exegesis (vridar.wordpress.com)

SSJE Sermons Online » Feast of the Martyrs of Japan – Br. James Koester.

Brother James asks a profound question: could I, would I, maintain my faith without support? Many Christians have – and many have not. Think on this today.