I think it’s easy to read the Bible like it’s a history book. Moses parted the sea, Jesus died on a cross, Columbus sailed across the ocean. I know it’s more than an account of historic events but I often struggle to see how it applies to my life. “They” (that collective, scholarly, holy group of people) say that when you read the Bible you should place yourself in the story. So the other day I was doing that while I read the story of Christ’s passion and death in the gospel of Matthew. I was looking for myself in the story. Which character am I? What is God trying to teach me? Well… I think that I am every character in the story of the passion and death of Christ. And I think that’s the whole point. Let me explain… I am an apostle, sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40). I’m prone to give in to laziness in the presence of holiness. In the most sacred places, like before Christ in the Eucharist, I allow my flesh to dictate how attentive my soul is. I don’t put up a fight against the pull of distractions or sometimes even sleep. I am Judas. Jesus has every right to call me both “friend” and “betrayer” barely 30 seconds apart (Matthew 26:46, 50). My heart is fickle and weak and sometimes my commitment to being Jesus’ friend is blown off on the whim of an emotion. I am Caiaphas, the high priest. I want Jesus to prove Himself to me (Matthew 26:63). I want signs and wonders to know that I really can trust Him. I want my prayers answered in my way. I want concrete proof over humble faith. I am Peter. Sometimes I deny Jesus (Matthew 26:72). I deny Him in the face of the homeless when I chose to look away. I deny that I know Him when I don’t pray before eating in a restaurant. I deny Him when I am afraid of being judged and condemned by those around me. I am in the crowd yelling, “crucify Him” (Matthew 27:21-23). And I say it again and again every time I knowingly choose to sin. I am Barabbas. I am chained in sin and holed up in the prison of my own pride. And instead of suffering the full punishment for my sins for which I am guilty… Christ takes my place (Matthew 27:26). And I often forget to thank Him. I am Pilate. I want to give up when life is too challenging (Matthew 27:24). I’m ready to wash my hands of Christianity when being a follower of Jesus means pursuing virtue over mediocrity, a life of prayer over a life of pleasure. I am Simon of Cyrene (Matthew 27:32). I suffer reluctantly. I will take the cross but I won’t seek it. I’ll only take it if it’s been placed on my shoulders… and I don’t love it. I am a passer-by. These passers-by mocked Jesus while He was hanging on the cross (Matthew 27:30). How quickly they had forgotten all the good works He had done among their cities and towns. When popular opinion about Jesus changed, they followed suite. How quickly I forget the good He’s done for me. In a brief moment of pain all my gratitude is forgotten and replaced by resentment. I am one of the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:35). I killed Jesus. My sins were the reason He was nailed to that cross. It was my fault and I know it. But sometimes… I am the centurion. My eyes are opened to who Jesus is in my life (Matthew 27:54). My heart swells with the truth that God became man and died for me. And this knowledge brings me peace and a resignation to amend my life. I am one of the women standing by the cross (Matthew 27:55-56). When I’m open to God’s grace, I can be a faithful and constant Christian. In the midst of pain and suffering, I can stay close to the cross. Jesus, my beloved, is my strength and He’s all I need. I am Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:59). Again, only by God’s grace, I can be selflessly compassionate, putting others’ needs before my own. Moved by God, I will use what He has given me in the service of others. My time, talent, and treasure are all for Him. I am every character in the story of the passion and death of Christ. And I think that’s the whole point. Why wouldn’t every dimension of the human heart be represented in the greatest story of all time? It only makes sense because the story is timeless. We have to apply it to our lives today because the reality of it’s events matter today. This isn’t just a story in some history book. It’s the story of your salvation… how God saw the good and the bad in our humanity and He came anyway. He died anyway. I killed Jesus. But I am also the reason He rose from the dead. Do you have the courage to see yourself in these characters? Can you blame yourself for the nails in His hands? The stripes in His flesh? Do you realize that your sins killed Him, also? And that because of you, because of His intense, unending love for YOU… He rose again.
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Lean on Me: The Importance of Godly Friendships If I’ve taken one thing from the social aspect of my high school years, it’s the importance of cultivating Godly friendships. We were created as creatures of empathy: given emotions to sympathize with, celebrate with and value the influential people in our lives who help us become the best version of ourselves, capable of fulfilling God’s plan for our lives. We are not intended to go through life alone. In the times when we don’t feel God’s presence or understand His plan, we turn to our friends to keep us on the path towards fulfilling our purpose in life. But what constitutes a Godly friendship and what makes it so valuable? If you’ve ever been on an EYM retreat, you’re probably familiar with the “Lean on Me” icebreaker. Aside from being a certified BOP, the song embodies what it means to both have Godly friends, as well as what it means to be a Godly friend. “Sometimes in our lives we all have pain We all have sorrow But if we are wise We know that there's always tomorrow” Unfortunately, some instances in our lives cause us to experience pain and confusion, questioning why God would possibly give us something that seems to be beyond our capacity to handle. In these moments of despair, it can be all too easy to turn away from God, but a Godly friend encourages you to not stray from the path, instead challenging you to submerge yourself deeper in your pursuit of the Lord. A Godly friend allows us to recognize our pain, but not to submit ourselves to it; instead encouraging us to lay it all down at the foot of the cross. “Lean on me, when you're not strong And I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on For it won't be long 'Til I'm gonna need Somebody to lean on” Apart from prayer, a large source of our strength comes from the knowledge that we are able to rely on the ones we love and that they, in turn, are comfortable enough to allow us to take up their crosses with them. As important as it is to have a Godly friend to depend on in times of spiritual darkness, it is equally as important to reciprocate this and serve as a Godly friend to others in their times of need. In our times of weakness, our strength can be derived from the reassurance of God’s plan for our life and the unmistakable fact that we were each created to fulfill a particular purpose in life; a purpose created by God to glorify God and allow the world to know His love. We are called to create relationships that glorify God, and that is a task that simply cannot be completed alone. It is through community with one another that we are able to live for His glory and allow the world to know His love as it is radiated through others. “So just call on me brother, when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you'd understand We all need somebody to lean on” We are creatures of community who find solace in the knowledge that we are not alone. We turn to Scripture or to prayer, desperately pleading for deliverance and attentively listening to hear God’s call. The worldly things we allow to consume our lives drown out God’s call for us to fulfill our purpose in life. A Godly friend recognizes the sin we have allowed to infiltrate our life and calls us out with love in an effort to help us fully love God in all that we do. Godly friendships are centered around Christ and rooted in obedience to His word. By calling us out with love, a Godly friend sparks a sense of humility that inspires us to build up the Kingdom with acts of virtue. In our times of desperation, we think our sin is too big or our problem is too small for our huge God to handle. Our God is huge, and for that reason, we can find comfort in His might and mercy whenever we cast our cares on Him. Our relationships with Godly friends teach us how we should approach prayer. Just as you speak in confidence and humility with a Godly friend regarding your situation, it is this same approach of conversational dialogue that we should adopt while in prayer with our God who knows our needs, desires, and burdens before we can even express them. ‘If there is a load you have to bear That you can’t carry I’m right up the road I’ll share your load” As disciples, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, offering our brothers and sisters a helping hand in times of distress. We are called to not only pray for our brothers and sisters, but help them by carrying their crosses. While some friends may simply stand idle in times of need, a Godly friend offers to share your burden with you and selflessly help carry your cross. Brothers and sisters, I pray that you are able to encounter Godly friendships that bring richness, fullness, and vitality to your life. If you doubt the presence of Godly friends in your life, I encourage you to think back on your fellow peers in 410. Your classmates are the embodiment of what it means to be a Godly friend and many of my own Godly friendships were created in the Den. I challenge you to find the people who make your heart soar and eliminate from your life those who make your heart sore. I pray that you are able to learn from each other, but more importantly, I pray that you are able to lean on each other. |
AuthorYour confirmation teachers - Kathleen, Eric, Sophia, and Valerie, and with contributions from 410 alumni Archives
September 2021
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