Do you want more spice in your life? Faster, stronger, leaner…bigger,
louder and more powerful. The world is full of temptation and the
marketing establishment has perfected its craft to let us have it
all. No money…no problem, new furniture with NO PAYMENTS for 1 year.
The message of Sunday I of Lent is that you and I cannot put
the spiritual life on hold (on credit) forever. And more, even the
Christ knows temptation. The good news — God’s reign is here and
now. Open your eyes, hear the call to conversion, pay your bills,
sacrifice and know God’s grace in a new way this Easter as you renew
the promises made at your baptism.
Say 'yes' when you mean 'yes,' and say 'no' when you mean 'no!'
Jesus Christ was never anything but 'yes.' In our living, we are
torn between telling the truth and hiding it; moving forward and
falling backward. In the business world, there is no such thing
as standing still or sitting on the fence, for the company that
is not moving is on the road to failure sooner or later.
Such is the pilgrimage of life with God, if I am not moving closer
to Christ — if I am standing still, more than likely I am distancing
myself from the Lord God who cares for me, teaches me, and loves
me more than life itself. Christ can command you to walk, leave
behind whatever paralysis prevents you from living fully…the Glory
of God is the human person fully alive.
Popularity is a dangerous animal. If a person today were able
to get rid of people’s problems, indeed, he or she would be popular
indeed. This miracle worker might even have problems having a life
of his/her own. What is the challenge? For the person diligently
following Christ, there is no me, my or I, there is only the constant
dying to self, giving of oneself so that the glory of God may be
known.
Paul was turned around to understand the all-encompassing demand
to follow Jesus and be like him. "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ."
The call to be Christian leads us down a path not of our choosing,
but of the Lord. Are you ready? Are you willing? Can you be led?
Get your ego out of the way and let Christ lead you.
The Christian Community is compelled to tell the story of Jesus
Christ. Conforming our lives to God’s will is not one option among
many; it is the only option for those who follow Christ. The gospel
story, indeed, indicates that the Christian life (here given voice
in the life and times of Jesus) should do anything but let us ‘get
comfortable.’
Jesus, having healed the sick and consoled the masses, could
have remained where he experienced a little bit of success. Instead,
he moves on, to a new frontier, expands his horizons to preach the
message of forgiveness and peace in another place and time. He is
the itinerant messenger of the Lord, who doesn’t care how much trouble
he stirs up. He is unrelenting in spreading the message as far and
wide as possible, to create the most discomfort so that people ‘wake
up’ and smell the rose of life with and in God.
