Inheriting Life

Inheriting Life by Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB
There seemed to be a special brightness as you arose in the morning. The sun shining through your window added a particular radiance to your morning prayers. Even the air around you felt vibrant and alive. All these things told you today, would be a very special day. As you moved out onto the street people carefully stepped out of your path. They knew you were an important person. They also knew you were a greedy person. And they kept their distance lest you cast your eye on their possessions. The way all avoided you allowed you space to clearly see everything going on around you. And with your clear sight lines you easily noticed some people setting out on a journey. Ordinarily that wouldn't grab your attention. But unlike most groups of travelers these people were followed out of town. For trailing behind them there were women carrying children, Pharisee's shouting questions, and sick people who were pleading with the traveler's leader. And as you looked more closely you could see the man was the new teacher named Jesus who'd been attracting so much attention. Everyone seemed to be talking about how he could teach, and how he could heal. But most importantly to you, in these your declining years, people were saying he knew the way to eternal life. This is a chance too good to pass up. So you join the crowd following after the travelers. And you race up to their leader, and throw yourself down at his feet. Then you open your mouth to ask Jesus about the question burning into your mind.. "Good teacher," you blurt out, "what must I do to inherit eternal life." Jesus blows off your empty flattery and then replies to your question. "You know the commandments: You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.' A smile comes to your lips. It seems, you think your desire for eternal life can easily be achieved. "Teacher," you declare to Jesus, " I have kept all these since my youth." Your smile must be infectious. For it spreads to Jesus' lips. Somehow you know he approves of you. And his words bear out your thoughts "You lack one thing; " he says to you. "Go sell what you have. Give any money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, and follow me." "Come, and follow me." You gasp at the offer. For Jesus has just called you to be one of his disciples. But the cost is staggering. For Jesus asked you to not only give up your wealth and all the status it brings. But he's also asked you to give up everything dear to you. Your family, and friends, your status and your home, all these must also be sacrificed for you to accept this call. You will need to give up literally everything of importance to you. In return you would not only be gifted with the heavenly treasure of the eternal life you sought.. You would also be a part of a new family; the family surrounding Jesus now. For an instant a joy filled "yes" almost passes your lips. But then you look at all those around you. You see those who despise you, and call you greedy behind your back. And you decide despite being offered the desires of your heart you can't surrender that which is most important to you. So shaking your head, you stand and walk away, leaving behind all you'd so eagerly sought. There seemed to be a special brightness as you arose that morning. The sun shining through your window added a particular radiance to your morning prayers. Even the air around you felt vibrant and alive. All these things told you today, would be a very special day. As you left your house your mind raced over your plans for your workday. Meetings would take up most of your morning. Then, in the afternoon, you could finish your highest priority project. Of course you'd have to take a break to fire the people in accounting. It would be another very long day. But it was worth it. Your salary was more than enough for you to live very comfortably. And the status your position brought made you one of the movers and shakers of your community. All of that was undeniably true. "So why," you thought, "did your life seem so incredibly empty." As you passed by the neighborhood church you noticed it was time for the morning service. "Why not," you said to yourself. "I do have a few extra minutes." You enter the building to find worship already in progress. The minister's talking about Mark's story of a man coming to Jesus seeking the key to eternal life. She's saying how Jesus' question had been about much more than money. "It's about being willing to give up the most important things that make up your life," she says. "It's about giving up all you are to inherit the new life Jesus offers." As the minister continues to speak your mind begins to drift to the shelter for teenagers you pass each day on your way to work. It was a place for the kids society discarded; the ones who'd run away from home and those who'd been thrown out of their homes. As you were growing up you always felt God was calling you to be a teacher. And as you remember that sense of call the emptiness you'd been feeling inside seemed to fill. Somehow you know the One who called you to that work is offering you the same choice offered to the man in Mark's story. "Go and give up all you have," Jesus offers you. "Surrender the empty things filling your life and find the way to inherit real life; the life you'll find if you only follow me." It will mean the loss of a very large portion of your income. And perhaps more importantly it will mean giving up the status that comes with your present job. But somehow those things don't seem like much of a sacrifice compared to what you've been offered. And joy overflows in your heart as you pick up your cell phone, call the shelter and ask for an interview for the teacher's position. Perhaps there seemed to be a special brightness as you arose this morning. Maybe the sun shining through your window added a particular radiance to your morning prayers. It could be even the air around you felt vibrant and alive. All these things may have told you today, would be a very special day. For in this moment as in each moment of our lives there's a voice offering us the way to inherit a life both eternal and true. Do you want to live life that's fully alive? Do you want new life to bloom in your life together? Then consider, are you living a life full of what's most important to you? Or are you inheriting the full life of living out what's most important to God? To God alone be glory. Amen.

(Comments to Frank at f.fisher.obl.osb@comcast.net.) Interim Pastor First Presbyterian Church of Bushnell, Illionois