Fully Alive

Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Lk.14:27

Jesus addresses the great crowd following him, giving the requirement for genuine discipleship. The criteria is death.

Jesus could hardly use more brutal imagery. The crowd would have seen crucifixion at their city gates. They knew the cross wasn't just a heavy burden. It was an instrument of death. 

Following Jesus involves dieing to myself. My carnal nature needs to die, daily. 

The beautiful thing is, when I'm able to successfully do this, I become more fully alive!

This passage always reminds me of the scene in the movie Over The Hedge, where the possum dad is explaining to his daughter the reason why he plays dead.

Daughter: "Isn't playing dead a little... weak?"

Dad: "Heather, how many times have I been saying? Playing Possum is what we do. We die, so that we live."

We die so that we live. So true. 

As Saint Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is a man fully alive."

Saint Charles Borromeo, please pray for us.

Too Busy

Come along: everything is ready now. But all alike started to make excuses.
Lk.14:17,18

An invitation to the heavenly banquet lies before me. Am I also too busy?

I've been retired coming up four years. I'd have time on my hands, right?  Wrong. My days have never been so full, often with requests from other people. I'm busy. Too busy?

What's the land I've acquired, new car I've bought, relationship I'm pursuing that is stealing my time with God?

What defines too busy? I'd have to say I'm too busy when I'm missing God, when I'm not hearing what he is inviting me to today. 

This morning prayer time is a good way to make sure I receive God's invitation and then act on it. What a privilege. What a joy.

Jesus, you achieved so much yet you were never too busy. Help me discern what is an invitation from the world and what is an invitation from you. 

And the Greatest is...

My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more.
Ph.1:9

When is there enough love? Never!

Love is dynamic. It is always growing, magnifying, flourishing. The heights of love in me will only be achieved when I meet Love himself. Until that day I keep looking for and learning more ways to love.

What I'm wanting is less of me and more of him. Paul talks of loving as Christ loves. That's a high bar. But when that happens, what a powerful witness to the glory of God. 

Come Holy Spirit, fill the heart of your faithful. Kindle in me the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and I shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. 

Man of Integrity

That is why you must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground.
Eph.6:13

Do I want to resist the worst and hold my ground? Put on God's Armour.

What does this armour comprise? 

-    Truth

-    Integrity

-    Evangelism

-    Faith

-    Salvation

-    Holy Scripture

What part of this armour do I need to shine up today? 

Integrity catches my attention. It is the quality of being honest, trustworthy, and having an unwavering commitment to strong moral and ethical principles.

Holy Spirit, help me be a man of integrity today.

Love Submitting to Love

As the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her.
Eph.5:24,25

Marriage flourishes when it is love submitted to love. And this is a two way transaction. Wives submit to the love of their husband and husbands submit to the object of their love, their wife. That's what sacrificial love does. 

On first read Saint Paul appears to be favouring husbands here. But look at what wives are being asked to submit to. Sacrificial love. 

Jesus died for the Church. That's the height of sacrifice husbands are being called to for our wives. Who wouldn't want to submit to such love? In fact, that is what every Christian does. We submit to Christ's love.

If a husband's love isn't sacrificial, he's not fulfilling his side of the marriage and is not worthy of submission.

Am I that type of husband? Could I do better? Yes, I could. 

Jesus, help me love Kate sacrificially as you loved the Church.

Edify

Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.
Lk.13:4,5

The apparent random death of victims of a collapsed tower is used by Jesus to warn that death is a great leveler. No matter what our perceived righteousness, spiritual preparation is required by us all.

I read earlier this year of an American Christian author's public confession of years of adultery. Predicatibly, he was vilified. I was reminded of the ancient Roman playwright Terence's quote; "I am human. Nothing human is alien to me." I would add, there but for the grace of God go I.

As read in Ephesians yesterday, I am called to "Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience." 

Jesus, rather than pulling  down with accusations of guilt, help me build people up, that my own guilt may be atoned. 

Bear with One Another in Love

Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. 
Eph.4:1-6

Charitable forbearance has a beautiful fruit. Peace.

My wife and I have been married coming up to 48 years. We are two very different personalities and yet our marriage continues to flourish. The key? I would say we bear with one another charitably.

The world aches for this commandment to be exercised, in personal and international relationships. As the song goes, "Let there be peace on earth and let it  begin with me."

Jesus, you know my natural inclination is to put me first. Help me bear with others in selflessness, gentleness, patience and love.