Holy Nights 2015 - 2016, Training Wheels

Luke 18: 18-34
January 3, 2015

One of the highest spiritual leaders of the people asked him, “Good Master, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the divine Father only. You know the commandments, you shall not corrupt marriage, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not speak untruth, and you shall honor your father and your mother!

He said, “All these I have observed strictly from my youth.”

When Jesus heard this, he said, [Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said… Mk 10:21] “One thing however you lack: Sell all of your possessions, and give the money to the poor; thus will you achieve a treasure in the spiritual world—then come and follow me!

These words made him very sad, for he was extremely rich. And when Jesus saw him thus, he said, “How hard it is for those who have earthly riches to find entry into the kingdom of God. Sooner would a camel walk through the eye of a needle, than a rich man be able to find the entrance to the kingdom of God!”

Tissot

Those who heard this said, “Who then can find salvation?”

He said, “For man alone it is impossible; it will be possible however through the power of God working in man.”

Then Peter said to him, “Behold, we have left all that was ours behind us and have followed you.”

He replied, “Amen, the truth I say to you. Everyone who leaves a house  or wife, or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive much more in earthly existence, and in the coming aeon deathless life.”

Then he took the twelve to himself and said, “Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything which the prophets have written about the Son of Man will fulfill itself: He will be given over to the peoples of the world; they will mock and taunt him, they will spit upon him and scourge him and kill him; but on the third day he will rise up from the dead.”

Yet his disciples understood nothing of all this. The meaning of his words remained hidden from them, and they did not recognize what he was trying to tell them.

Luke 18: 18-34

King Stephen, wikimedia

Despite whatever financial concerns we may have, we are all rich. Rich in experience, rich in memories. We all live in fact like the kings and queens of past ages - in warm homes, with enough to eat and comfortable conveyances for travel. We are well outfitted with those servants for work that we call ‘appliances’.  Yet at some point we may become, like the rich leader, ready to take the next step.

Are we ready to follow Christ somewhere deeper than just enjoying our status, deeper even than being good and law-abiding people? We hesitate, perhaps because we know we are not strong enough. We can only do what we are able to do, what we can. But we don’t have to do it alone. God adds to it. ‘For what is impossible for human strength will become possible through the power of God'. In the words of Hafiz:

….Now is the time to understand

That all your ideas of right and wrong

Were just a child's training wheels

To be laid aside

When you finally live

With veracity

And love. …

What is it in that sweet voice inside

That incites you to fear?

Now is the time for the world to know

That every thought and action is sacred.

This is the time

For you to compute the impossibility

That there is anything

But Grace.

Now is the season to know

That everything you do

Is sacred.*

*Hafiz, “Now is the Time” in The Gift - versions of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky

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