Since the beginning of Lent a number of us have been meeting at 7 AM on Monday mornings,
and at 10 AM on Wednesdays to discuss a new book by John Dominic Crossan entitled "Who Killed Jesus."
The premise of that book is that some 50 years after the events of Holy Week took place the disciples of Jesus
began to write down the story for the very first time. Part of their responsibility was to interpret Jesus' life
in light of ancient prophecy. Crossan suggests that many of the stories we treasure regarding Holy Week were more
symbolic action than historical accounts.
Regardless of whether you are inclined to believe that premise or not, one thing is certain. It is widely held
that the choices we make early on in our lives determine our destiny. Jesus' death was not an accident. He made
conscious choices early on that led to his martyrdom.
The readings for this morning are deadly serious. They describe unwavering faith despite all outward circumstances,
the agony of feeling abandoned at times, even by God, the long periods of waiting that often accompany the fulfillment
of God's promises, and the challenge of Jesus following his Transfiguration moment that we should all be willing
to take up whatever cross God has assigned to us, in order to fulfill our divine purpose.
One thing is certain, no one has to look for ways to carry a cross. Just choose to live a life of love, truth and
justice and suffering will come.
"Crossbearing" is the way of the servant. In Baptism, we are connected to Jesus' Cross and we are promised
to be his followers, which means of course we are pledged, by ourselves or our sponsors, to become a cross bearer.
Many traditions, including our own, actually mark a cross on the forehead of the one being baptized symbolizing
this level of commitment. That same action is repeated every Ash Wednesday with the imputation of ashes, and finally
at the time of death in the prayers for the dead which include the marking of the forehead with oil, and the committal
service at which time the sign of the cross is made on the coffin. These are "outward and visible signs"
that we belong to God, and an act that we reaffirm symbolically throughout our lives.
In today's Gospel reading we are also reminded that "taking up one's cross" necessitates "laying
down" something else. We are asked to renounce a great many things in this life, and some are even asked to
give up their very lives. Too often that conjures up images of great and painful sacrifice, and certainly at the
time Mark was writing this Gospel, such ultimate sacrifices were very real.
Since this is the season of Lent, I'd like to ask you to think of those parts of your life you might like to renounce
voluntarily, and I'm not talking about chocolate, or a favorite TV program. I for one would like to do away with
the remembrance of past failures. It's not as if God ever wanted me to berate myself eternally for them. I can't
find anywhere in the Bible that God ever asked this of anyone.
I would like to renounce my propensity to worry over small things, and I know exactly where Jesus tells me that
this really isn't necessary.
I would like to renounce my anxieties over the future, and really keep in mind that "neither life nor death"....will
be able to separate me from God's love.
In fact when I really start thinking about it I guess I would really like to surrender my whole life over to God
for I know that my life would be so much safer in God's hands anyway….which is exactly what we have been asked
to do from the beginning.
Isn't it strange though that when most of us hear this passage it's a very negative thing. We think we are going
to have to renounce all the good things of life, the joy, the success, the fun and ease with which we receive unmerited
blessings. So we concentrate on the guilt behind the fact that we don't pray enough, we don't read the Bible enough,
we don't give enough money, we really aren't that committed, and we certainly don't want to have to die for Jesus.
Thus the calling, the covenant, and the cross become burdensome and totally negative. There is a sense that if
we are not in pain we are not really spiritual.
These readings however are about pursuing the will of God and not letting the cost of that obedience sway us from
our purpose. Such pursuit is not solely about moral perfection. William Sloane Coffin says that the tragedy in
life is not that we suffer. "All of us suffer." The tragedy, he said, "is the suffering that never
gets redeemed, the suffering that never gets healed, the suffering that never leads to greater strength, the suffering
that never leads to new life."
Over the years I have heard many people describe some particular suffering they were going through as "their
cross to bear." Without a doubt there are ordinary, and sometimes even extraordinary human burdens that some
people carry, but that doesn't automatically give them a direct connection with discipleship to Jesus. It's important
to know what is and what is not a cross borne for Jesus. For example, an illness may be a "thorn in the flesh,"
but it is not our cross to bear. An injury may be a worrisome thing, but it is not our cross to bear. A difficult
relative or a troublesome friend may be a problem, but they are not our cross to bear. Being passed over for a
position, betrayed by a friend, or forced out of a relationship against your will may be very painful, unjust,
downright burdensome…but is not automatically, in and of itself a cross.
Cross-bearing as a follower of Jesus means nothing less than giving one's whole life over to His life. Cross bearing
has the purpose of reconciliation and redemption built into it. Jesus died on the cross to meet us in our weakness,
so that through his suffering---our suffering might be made useful,---might be redeemed. The cross of Jesus declares
that by his powerless love, He overcame all of the world's loveless power.
So in the silence of any material confirmation as to the validity of our beliefs there is the historical record
of one who took that very seriously, with whose life we are now aligned voluntarily. Thus there is faith even in
the "absent God" as expressed in the Psalm. There is confidence despite the thirteen years of silence
between God's first call to Abram and the one we heard again today.
In reality, Abraham's life as recorded in scripture is a terrible example of great faith, but a good one of what
God is able to do with just a little faith. The same kind of mustard seed faith that Jesus described to those who
were struggling to understand the challenge of true discipleship.
We know that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, and not because we were righteous. We know that God
worked through Sarah not Hagar, but it had nothing to do with her being better. Sarah's advanced age and lifetime
of infertility were even further proof of the amazing power of God, and God's grace despite all circumstance.
Which brings us to Peter's and his rebuke following Jesus' description of how God was going to bring salvation
to the world. We are told he explained the facts quite openly, and then Mark tells us that Peter took Jesus aside
"and began to rebuke him." For the student of a Jewish Rabbi to do this would have been incomprehensible.
It would have been an open declaration about the teacher's right to have authority in that disciple's life. It
is not about protection. No one can protect those who are doing God's work. The reality of the danger surrounding
them from the status quo always makes it no longer a question about "if something will happen to them,"
but about "when."
Jesus was a realist. Really serving God costs, and the stakes are very high. We must forfeit much, but there is
much to gain as well!
To the first-century reader this portion of Mark's Gospel would not have sounded like a flowery metaphor. It would
have been seen as an invitation to come and die,---an invitation to martyrdom. What happened to Jesus had happened
to many good and God loving people, and it would happen to many more. Crucifixion was real and had no meaning except
that it was an extremely cruel way to put someone to death. That was not what made Jesus unique.
When we find ourselves doing too many things simply because we feel we "should" or because we "have
to," when we are running around being "a Messiah" for people we feel we are obligated to "save
and serve," we will usually find that life seems cruel and meaningless. This is not what we are being asked
for here. Anyone can get lost in the drudgery of self-imposed obligations.
To "lose our life" for God, and still be doing what we "want" to do is how we find our soul.
Whether there can be such faith in God without the culturally specific references to Christianity, is not a new
idea and is an interesting part of the mix. Paul addressed that question at Athens in his sermon on Mars Hill,
praising the local citizens belief in an "unknown God." Pushing for a less culturally specific basis
for ultimate values does open us to new possibilities. It begins to suggest that God loving people and justice
seeking people can be everywhere. For some it is as simple as asking a question like "is a banana without
the Chiquita label any less a banana?" I would certainly hope that you would answer no. It is true that inclusivity
can be accomplished at the cost of compromising key values, but it doesn't have to be. Would we want to unite on
the basis of anything less than respect for human dignity? The more important question for us to be asking of ourselves
as "cross bearers" is "What is it we acknowledge in Christ which remains non-negotiable?"
If one chooses to live their life no longer under the limits of their own cultural understanding, but based on
the sincere desire of justice for all people, and a life lived with the sense of personal stewardship and servanthood
to God above all…they have taken up a cross that will ultimately transform them into a totally different person.
Then questions like "Will there be peace either before or following the Iraqi war? Will I survive my divorce,
or the loss of my job? Will I survive my own death? Where is God in the midst of all this waiting? Where am I in
the midst of all my living?"--- have all been answered.
May God grant us the ability to be found in that position. Amen
|