Surprise!
Surprise!
Christ the King
November 24, 2002

Surprise!

He stood in the gathering dusk on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem, overlooking what’s sometimes called the valley of Jehoshapat [“God-judges” in Hebrew]. For followers a tiny band, enemies plotting his arrest and execution in the city. By every human appearance he was defeated. Holiness vanquished, darkness triumphant, the shadow of the cross looming, his friends fearful and powerless, and one a betrayer. Yet as he surveyed this place held in tradition to be the scene of God’s judgement, he saw the light that was yet to come, and gave us a story today with a surprise ending.

Somewhere as he looked keenly down the centuries. Did he see you? Or observe your capacity to love and serve? Goodness will always bring opposition – Jesus was no different. If you are kind, people will accuse you of selfish motives; be kind anyway. If you’re successful, you’ll win both false friends and true enemies; succeed anyway. What you spend years building, another may destroy overnight; build anyway. The good you do today most will forget; do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough; give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it’s between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway. Surprised? Some will be.

(Comments to Tom at tomascox@eircom.net )