Malachi 3:19-20a 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Luke 21:5-19
Though today's gospel seems to refer to a future event, (…”the days will come… “), at the time Luke wrote this gospel those days had already come. The temple had been destroyed. For the Jews a door had closed behind them. Life would never be the same again.
How does one navigate life in the face of radical change? We all face such challenges repeatedly in life. And sometimes it seems like the end times for us. A loved one dies and the face we are accustomed to seeing across the breakfast table each morning will never be there again. A medical diagnosis or catastrophic event cuts us off from participation in life as we knew it.
Even a happy event has the power to close a door behind us and usher us into an entirely new way of living. We bring a happy, healthy baby home from the hospital. All is celebration. But our orientation to life is forever changed. We are no longer living for ourselves, but are responsible for another life.
Today's gospel is clear. Whatever that radical change entails, wherever we find ourselves when the door closes behind us, God is with us. When we cannot see far into the new future, we take the next small step. And then the next…until a new way of living unfolds. It will not be what we have known in the past, but we will not be alone. We have God's word for that.
Living the gospel
A few weeks ago I spent an afternoon with my adult daughters. They are so confident, competent, open to experience. Watching them handle those orange barrels between here and Canton was awesome to behold! Sitting in the second seat… I felt old. I am not now what I once was. What they are. It's OK. Another door. Another next small step. Confident that I cannot go where the grace of God cannot find me.
by: Pat Schnee
Comments