Who are we as followers of the crucified one?
Who are we as followers of the crucified one? How
are we to take up our cross and follow? What are we to put down first?
William Loader[1]
says of our gospel reading, “Clearly we are being offered an alternative model
of being. It is for our gain, in our interests, to consider it. That is the
appeal.… Instead of thinking only of ourselves and believing that it is to our
good to gain wealth and avoid any path which leads to suffering, we are being
challenged to be generous, giving of ourselves, even when it may mean
suffering. The first image of ourselves and our good is to be set aside;
instead we are to embrace the way of Jesus, of self giving love. Then we will
find ourselves, our true selves. The merging of our will and being with God’s
will and being, and therefore with love which cares for others as well as for
ourselves, is the way of discipleship. It is also the way to real humanness -
and the way of Jesus, and ultimately also of God!”
May this lent continue to be a time of making room
to listen so that we might find our true selves in God’s will and being.
[1] http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MkLent2.htm
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