Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Parable and Conscience Meditation May 23

Glorious Cross  May 23

Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him again when he comes, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice (III Eucharistic Prayer).

Around the table of Eucharist, we remember the act by which Jesus entered into his magnificence, despite the evidence of the scars of his torture.  We celebrate the victory, even as we call to mind the wounds he endured.  It is a victory to be appropriated by each of us.  The way is the same for us as it was for him:  we are scarred into magnificence.  The Eucharistic action identifies us with his sacrifice to bring us to his Resurrection.  We lift the world of our hearts onto the table.  This gift implies a death to all pride and an absolute obedience to God.  There will be scars.  We lift the world of our relationships onto the table, letting them be transformed for Gospel love that reaches even to our enemies.  This pain will leave scars.  We lift the world of our possessions onto the table to be liberated from slavery to things.  The abandonment of obsession with self will produce scars.  There is no other way to come to the magnificence of Christ, to the state of being a person full of God, given to unconditional love of others and redeemed from dehumanization, to a more abundant and eternal life.  There will be many blessed scars to witness the arrival.

Someone who likes wearing tattoos doesn’t cringe before the needle pricks.  (Nyang)

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