Luke 16: 1-8 What Is This I Hear About You?
Growing up, I often heard the expression “look at yourself.” But it seems as though I do way too much of that already. If I want to get a good look at myself, understand myself better and love myself even more, the last thing in the world I should do is look at myself (especially in the mirror). I know how vain (or disgusted) I can be.
The solution to all my problems (and the world’s problems) is to look at, meditate on, the Cross. This is the standard of life. Rather, he is the standard of life and for good and holy living. Of course, we know by faith that our story does not end there. THANK GOD! But the course of human events that push and pull my personal history will actually lead me there, one way or another. The Way of the Cross is actually the norm for all Christians.
Examine the Cross:
The Cross is the anti-thesis of pride, vanity and sensuality. The three root sins that all of us must combat on a daily basis. There is no pride in “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me.” There is no vanity in humiliation and no comfort in torture. The Cross is the accumulation of Christ’s life on earth. It speaks to me. “I did not come to do my will but my Father’s Will.”
The crucifixion places a value on the true cost love: “There is no greater love than this, to lay down your life for another.” Our Lord on the cross reminds me of the order of things: “The Lord will change our lowly body.” This body of ours must first be stripped, ripped, torn and shredded before it can be glorified by the God of Love. “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” The cheering and jeering of Golgotha does lead to the silence and peace of our final resting place. There is tremendous peace in knowing that the Father’s Will has been accomplished; that I was faithful till death; and that I ran the course and finished the race. Where else can one find such closure in the midst of such confusion?
St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, tells us to be imitators of him, “for I imitate Christ.” This too is the final call of the great Apostle to those he loved, to “conduct themselves according to the model you have in us; to boast in nothing except for the Cross of Christ. He was not there when the Lord was crucified. But I am sure he kept a crucifix in his pocket, on his person, for surely he reflected on it over and over again.
The Lord’s crucifixion calls out to me and tells me, Man can never destroy what God has put together. The Apostle appeals, even in tears, to his joy and crown, the faithful, to not conduct yourselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Otherwise, your end will be destruction. Do not occupy your mind with earthly things. But always remember that our citizenship is in heaven.
You are Christ’s crown. You are his love. This is our joy! One of the thorns that pierced Christ’s skull was for my sins. The jewel that adorns Christ’s skull today is my repentance. This is what brings great joy to the Lord for “there is more rejoicing over one sinner who repents than for ninety-nine who are righteous.”
The Cross reminds me of the Lord’s commitment to me. What is my commitment to Him? What is this I hear about you? "Stand firm in the Lord, beloved."
Father,
ReplyDeleteI was meditating on your words this morning on the meaning of love and where it is found; that "The crucifixion places a value on the true cost of love" and that we need to look away from ourselves and towards Christ crucified, and it reminded me of an experience I had:
Over a year ago my grandfather passed. He was never a good communicator and rarely showed affections towards anyone; he was never the jovial grandpapa. I realized later this was primarily due to the immense suffering he had endured. He lived through two world wars (one in which he was enlisted), the Great Depression, the early death of his parents and a sibling, and he was a raging alcoholic for many, many years. As a child he was beaten by his father (who was also an alcoholic) with the end of an axe handle. He left home when he was 16 with $20 in his pocket and lived for many years as an atheist. Until by the mercy of God, and the influence of a good priest, he had a conversion. On his death bed, at 86, he gave a note to the priest who gave him last rites. The note, addressed to his family, was read by the priest at my grandfather’s funeral. The one time he communicated with his family he made it count. I do not know if this is quote, or his own words, but he wrote on the note:
"What is self-esteem? Sure, I can esteem myself all I want but what is that gonna do for me or anyone else matter-of-factly. Rather, self-worth is a better word because if I want to know my worth, all I need to do is look at the crucifix. That is how much I am worth, that is how much a person is willing to pay for me. Knowing this and believing it, has made all the difference in my life. Know that Christ loves you. Love Christ..."
Perhaps this won't really be of help to anyone else, as it relates so personally to me. But I think it is very powerful to see that no matter how much evil we experience, the love of God will always be more powerful. That the ultimate transforming influence in our lives is the gaze of love from God on the cross. If we really BELIEVE this, than we can see the intrinsic value and beauty of life, and all injuries can be forgiven.
Beautiful! Absolutely true and absolutely lovely! The Cross should be the measure in which we measure all other loves.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience and the note your grandfather wrote. It was beautiful and was just what I needed to hear yesterday.