I remember reading today's Gospel years ago and having a "brain fart." (Ok, had to use one of the best lines from the movie GI Jane!) While trying to interpret it, I struggled with its meaning and relating it to my life. Here it is from John 12:24-26:
Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me."
The part where my brain malfunctioned is bolded above. I was becoming frustrated deciphering what this meant and decided to email my priest. Right after I hit the send button, I reread the sentence again. Then it dawned on me. And, I emailed him again with this:
"So, if we love living here on earth too much, we fear death and don't look forward to heaven. But if we focus on heaven, and anticipate the day we get there, we will have eternal life. Did I get it right?"
His response:
"Indeed!"
Reading this sentence today, it's perfectly clear. It's about climbing the mountain of holiness, with eyes looking toward heaven and not the world. It's about sacrifice, loneliness, being wronged and all other degrees of humiliation we endure on earth. But it's persevering and suffering through it all knowing our reward when we die will be paradise . . . eternal life with Our Lord.
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she describes unity to Christ in heaven and on earth:
“Truly, the Kingdom of God is within us because Jesus IS the Kingdom of God. I state clearly that in heaven, nobody reacts when Jesus enters an area. Some souls smiled at me or acknowledged me in welcome, but they did not acknowledge Jesus. I found this odd until I understood that Jesus never leaves any of these souls. The same way I experienced Him, they experienced Him. This is the sublime truth that can create peace in every soul. There is no restlessness, no hungering, no longing, no fear, no anxiety, and no disturbance possible when you are united to Jesus. And He is with you. On earth, we must believe this in faith. This is the treasure without price. Many souls on earth search frantically, looking for this state of mystical paradise. But, like Dorothy wearing the red shoes in the Wizard of Oz, this mystical state is with them all along and their search is doomed at its inception unless the soul looks within. If we begin our climb up the mountain of holiness each day, we will be accepting that Christ is within us. At the top of this mountain is unity with Jesus, yes, and that unity is a guaranteed thing if we desire it. The higher we climb, the more we labor for holiness and for the Kingdom on the path that He has marked out for us, and the more we honor Jesus within our souls.”
Lay apostles, don't waste another day wishing life was easier, your bank account larger, or others understood you better. Embrace the challenges we are presented with in life as that . . . challenges which will bring a closer unity with Christ. Don't wait until disaster strikes to start praying. Start praying despite disaster striking. And, don't ever stop.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to walk with You through stormy weather despite the thunderclaps and lightning bolts all around me. And, for the common sense not to hold an umbrella overhead when the strike could electrocute me!
God bless,
Bonnie
Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me."
The part where my brain malfunctioned is bolded above. I was becoming frustrated deciphering what this meant and decided to email my priest. Right after I hit the send button, I reread the sentence again. Then it dawned on me. And, I emailed him again with this:
"So, if we love living here on earth too much, we fear death and don't look forward to heaven. But if we focus on heaven, and anticipate the day we get there, we will have eternal life. Did I get it right?"
His response:
"Indeed!"
Reading this sentence today, it's perfectly clear. It's about climbing the mountain of holiness, with eyes looking toward heaven and not the world. It's about sacrifice, loneliness, being wronged and all other degrees of humiliation we endure on earth. But it's persevering and suffering through it all knowing our reward when we die will be paradise . . . eternal life with Our Lord.
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she describes unity to Christ in heaven and on earth:
“Truly, the Kingdom of God is within us because Jesus IS the Kingdom of God. I state clearly that in heaven, nobody reacts when Jesus enters an area. Some souls smiled at me or acknowledged me in welcome, but they did not acknowledge Jesus. I found this odd until I understood that Jesus never leaves any of these souls. The same way I experienced Him, they experienced Him. This is the sublime truth that can create peace in every soul. There is no restlessness, no hungering, no longing, no fear, no anxiety, and no disturbance possible when you are united to Jesus. And He is with you. On earth, we must believe this in faith. This is the treasure without price. Many souls on earth search frantically, looking for this state of mystical paradise. But, like Dorothy wearing the red shoes in the Wizard of Oz, this mystical state is with them all along and their search is doomed at its inception unless the soul looks within. If we begin our climb up the mountain of holiness each day, we will be accepting that Christ is within us. At the top of this mountain is unity with Jesus, yes, and that unity is a guaranteed thing if we desire it. The higher we climb, the more we labor for holiness and for the Kingdom on the path that He has marked out for us, and the more we honor Jesus within our souls.”
Lay apostles, don't waste another day wishing life was easier, your bank account larger, or others understood you better. Embrace the challenges we are presented with in life as that . . . challenges which will bring a closer unity with Christ. Don't wait until disaster strikes to start praying. Start praying despite disaster striking. And, don't ever stop.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to walk with You through stormy weather despite the thunderclaps and lightning bolts all around me. And, for the common sense not to hold an umbrella overhead when the strike could electrocute me!
God bless,
Bonnie
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