Life is faith and faith is life – August 9

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82
2 Samuel 9:1-13; Acts 19:1-10; Mark 8:34-9:1

Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” (Mark 8:34-37)

Do you ever have those moments when you contemplate your life and wonder what your life is worth? What is your legacy? Or maybe, you feel that all that you thought you had has crumbled into a pile of rubble…and you look at that mound, lonely, overwhelmed, and steeped in a mire of existential crisis. Realizations like that can be paralyzing – and they can also be openings to a space of catharsis.

In Mark’s gospel passage appointed for today (8:34-9:1), I hear Jesus calling his disciples and the wider crowd to ponder their existence, to reflect on their lives, and to authentically live into their belief in God as they follow the Way of Jesus. The Messiah calls them to follow him: “let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus challenges the audience, filled with the committed disciples and curious passersby, to put down their own desires and interests and livelihoods. He dares them to pick up the hard work of sacrifice and loss, and to live by pouring out themselves and receiving the power and grace of God.

Jesus does not stop there. He is so serious about clarifying what a life of faith is like. He continues, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Jesus names this inversion of expectation that is a theme running through stories of the people of God. Those who are faithful to the Lord often have deep loss, and in losing they are pulled nearer to God. Those who hold back from giving themselves to God will retain what they have in life – and lose out on the fullness of the Lord’s wonder.

He continues with two rhetorical questions: “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” Jesus is quite pointed here. I hear a warning about living hedonistically and acquiring physical niceties, while neglecting the nurture of one’s spiritual needs. As such, life is faith and faith is life. Faithful living begets meaningful existence. Jesus makes a compelling case in his gospel message to recruit more disciples.

I wonder if this gospel news from Jesus is like the opportunity to ride on a rollercoaster at a theme park. I know riding the ride is terrifying and hard. I feel much anxiety in the process. And when I emerge from the ride, I am changed and relieved and dizzy. And if I choose not to ride, I will not have those feelings and I will miss out on an adventure of life. Now perhaps I am diluting the scripture or offering an analogy that is profane.

I am curious about how this message from Jesus can fully sink into to our understanding of our existence as people created by God. What if we live lives through that lens? And maybe we even aspire to lives worthy of being children of God, because we read story after story, scripture after scripture, about people attempting to live lives faithful to the law of the Lord. They mess up, the return to God, and they try again. And they tell others of their challenges.

It is no surprise to me that this work of faith we do compels us to be faithful in community. As we stumble into our existential realizations, we need one another to steady us, pray for us, and stay with us in these moments. And God will bring us peace and grace and clarity. Let us keep struggling on together, my friends.

With God’s love,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection:

What do you hear in Jesus’ question, “Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” What does this mean to you? Journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what you externalized. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.