Lenten Reflections: Week 5

In this fifth week of Lent, I am continuing with a reflection on living a meaningful life which does not have as its highest priorities possessions, power, pleasure or fame.  I have told you that these four things were described in broad terms by spiritual writers over the centuries and that they can become idols which hold us away from God.  Living a meaningful life is an adventure, and a marvelous adventure, because it imitates what Jesus himself did.  It connects us most to God because it activates that spark of the Divine which dwells within us.  Habits, the culture, fear, and sin are all things which hinder us from living life more fully.  We are all creatures of habit, we are all influenced by our culture, we fear the unfamiliar and the daunting, and we are all sinners in need of God’s grace. Most importantly, by God’s grace we can overcome those things which dim the Divine spark of the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.  

At its very core living this meaningful life involves speaking and acting in truth motivated by love with the purpose of bringing order and goodness out of the chaos of sin.  This is what Christ does and we are all called to imitate him. We are told, “learn from me” and “follow me.” How will you know you are in fact imitating him?  Some years ago, it was popular to wear some trinket with the letters WWJD - What Would Jesus Do?  Too often, the underlying assumptions of what Jesus would do in any situation had no relation to Jesus. Too often, Jesus was turned into a milquetoast character with soft hands, soft face and a softer heart, who went around preaching love and tolerance.  The love and tolerance of Jesus, however, has little to do with modern notions of love and tolerance.  

To know Jesus, you need to read the Gospels.  Find your Bible, dust it off, and read the four Gospels. The Old Testament describes the Christ as Wonder Counselor and God Hero.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He comes into our world to combat evil, not to tolerate it. His tolerance is patience for the sinner to repent, his love is to will for you what is for your good not necessarily what you ask for.  Read the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 7, if you mistake a stone for bread or a serpent for a fish, and ask for those, God will not give you what you ask for, he will give you what is actually good for you. This is how love looks and the patience of God should not be confused with acquiescence to sin. The tolerance of God is the time he gives us to turn away from evil. 

Read the Gospels and come to know Jesus. Then authentically imitate, follow and learn from him. That will be one of the early steps in the adventure of a more meaningful life.