Then he said to all,
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"
The following of Christ begins with sacrifice. If the word originally means to make holy, in English it means to discipline one's use of time or resources for a higher cause.
Certainly, our willingness to be Christian begins with a significant change of life style. Jesus calls disciples to leave hearth, home, and everything familiar in the opening chapters of all four gospels. They will not even hear the Good News, much less understand it, until they have set out on the road with him.
Lent demands that we do an inventory of our religious practices. Are my "prayer, fasting, and almsgiving" effective?
- Our prayers should be both personal and communal.
- By fasting we mean the maintenance of our minds and bodies with appropriate personal discipline.
- They include study of worthy subjects,
- restricted use of (fasting from) entertainment, and
- all the disciplines of good physical health. And finally,
- "Almsgiving" includes tithing for the church, charitable giving, and volunteerism.
A sacrificial lifestyle also demonstrates Saint Paul's willingness to lean in to our responsibilities:
Lent understands that our disciplines grow slack and that we must periodically straighten the mess, retie the knots and tighten the screws to make our lives worthy of the name of Christian. As we shine like a lamp in a dark room and a city on a hill, our sacrifices announce God's blessed presence to a sorry world.Slaves, obey your human masters in everything, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:22-24)
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.