Tomorrow night (or tonight actually as it’s after midnight) after a long day’s work I’m driving north an hour to the closest community of the groovy sisters for a discernment/formation discussion group. I was working on my "homework" and figured the topic would make a good blog entry.
The reading is an article by Ron Rolheiser, OMI titled "Christ as the Basis for Christian Spirituality" and the question is how do you experience the call of Jesus in your life.
At first I thought, "Of course Christ is the basis for Christian Spirituality. CHRIST-ian." But as I reflected more on it, I thought of all those Christians who can’t really get beyond the Historical Jesus. He’s a great guy, a good role model and teacher, sure the Church is named after him, but come on ….
I can say that because I’ve been there. When I first came back to the church 6+ years ago after 10 years away, I wasn’t so sure about that Jesus guy. God the creator – check. Just look around at the glory of creation. God the Holy Spirit – that one worked for me. But God incarnated in a Palestinian Jew 2,000 years ago? That one was a stretch for me for some reason. But He was patient. Slowly but surely He opened my heart and, well, let’s just say that Jesus guy has grown on me.
Who is Jesus to me? How do I experience his call? Jesus is different things to me at different points on the journey.
Jesus is still my role model, challenging me to stretch myself and see the dignity and worth in all my brothers and sisters. Love one another. Do unto others, etc… But even more, Jesus challenges me to speak truth to power. To have a preferential option for the poor. To work for justice and promote peace.
Jesus is my brother, and having two wonderful blood brothers this image comes back to me a lot. I think most fondly of Jesus this way. My older brother, helping me out, speaking up for me to our Abba, looking out for me. And a playmate too – and sometimes a trouble maker. Sometimes getting me into trouble!
Jesus is my rabbonai, my master, my teacher. Always patient. Rooting for me, laying out the bread crumbs and secretly looking on with a sly smile, hoping I figure it out.
Jesus is my friend. Cheesy as the 70’s long-haired hippy Jesus image can be, I can’t help but think that he’d be fun to hang out with. A trouble maker, practical jokester in fun times. A shoulder to lean on in tough times. And when Jesus is present to me as my friend, he is all these things.
Jesus is the homeless woman I pass on the street. Jesus is a sick parent in the hospital bed. Jesus is that committee member with all the issues who is testing my patience. Jesus is all around us. Don’t forget what he said, when we clothe the poor, shelter the homeless and visit the imprisoned we are clothing, sheltering and visiting Christ himself!
Jesus is my savior. God so loved the world after all that he gave his only son. A favorite priest of mine, at the end of the Eucharistic prayer, would say instead of "This is the lamb of God," "This is Jesus, who takes away the sin of the world." Something about the way he said that, "THIS is Jesus." "This is JESUS." Drove the point home right into your heart so that there was no doubt what we were about.
So, the question of how I experience the call of Jesus in my life is multi-faceted. But I always experience his call with love. Persistence. Patience. Kindness. And challenge. Simon, son of John, do you love me? Susan, daughter of Francis, do you love me?
Yes Lord. You know I do.
2 comments:
I've been back in church for over 11 years (!) and I still struggle with that Jesus guy.
But I think for me it all falls in place when I try to see Christ in those around me--that makes sense.
It's actually the historical Jesus that I don't get. That's why I really enjoyed Fr. Richard Chilson's book, "Yeshua of Nazareth: Spiritual Master." He kind of just strips away all the baggage from the last 2000 years and gets to the nitty gritty of Jesus' message.
g.s!
I remember when I first came back to the church talking to you about my issues with that jesus guy as you gave me a ride home from church.
Don't remember what you said, except that it made me feel that it was ok I was struggling and growing in faith. You recomended Marcus' Borg's Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time which really helped me.
Seeing as it's you're fault for my being catholic :) ... have I ever thanked you? If not, consider yourself thanked.
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