Nothing Worth Doing is Easy - June 7
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Deut. 30:1-10; 2 Cor. 10:1-18; Luke 18:31-43
This past week, I found myself in a conversation in an online forum discussing the church and calling. A person shared that they had a love of public speaking and liked working with the poor and suffering and was exploring a career as an Episcopal clergy person. They then wrote that they wondered if it was even a worthy cause because this person has “a serious concern about the future of the church.” The person continued, “we all know the statistics for the Episcopal church overall” and as they are finishing high school referenced worrying about a career in something that could be failing.
I was taken aback a little, although I think it’s a realistic question to consider mainline Christianity’s decline across the board, although the Episcopal Church in Alabama and certainly Saint Stephen’s, is vibrant and healthy. But I posed the question to this person about trusting God’s spirit and faithfulness to believe that God is leading us into ministry. As I have reflected on the young person’s question, I have been thinking that a lot of what we attribute to success in the church is vibrancy and lack of conflict. If lots of people are gathered together and getting along, we believe that what we have is successful. Honestly, it’s often what I use to measure success.
One of the practices of my previous diocese was the Bishop inviting the clergy to gather on the Tuesday of Holy Week to reaffirm their ordination vows. In one of my first years as a priest, my Bishop preached at that service. He shared the story of being proud of his collar shortly after his ordination. He was walking around Chicago in his clericals and saw a stranger looking at him. Upon walking over to greet the man, the man spit on him and walked off. The image from his story has caused a lot of reflection over the past decade on what it means to follow Jesus.
I think it’s easy to assume that following our faith is going to make life easier, or that our Christian identity will bring comfort and joy to all people we meet. On the best of days, our faith can bring real comfort, peace, and reconciliation to others, but usually, that means we, ourselves, have had to go through something very difficult. I am guessing that the man who spat upon my bishop had failed to receive that peace, comfort, and reconciliation from the church and the outward and visible sign of the church became the target of animosity.
Following Jesus isn’t easy. The disciples fail over and over to comprehend what Jesus is about to undertake in his death and resurrection. Today’s Gospel is just one of many stories of the disciples failing to grasp the weight of their decision to follow Christ. But through death, Jesus shows us the ultimate truth of God’s love through Resurrection. It’s our job to have the confidence to walk the hard path of living out our faith, but we do it with the promise of God’s eternal love. Nothing worth doing is easy.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: What are the most challenging aspects of living out your faith? Has living out your faith ever cost you something in your life?
Daily Challenge: Write on a slip of paper, a way of living out your faith that is challenging to you and yet you feel called to do. Fold that piece of paper up and carry it with you this week as a reminder of your call to live out your faith.