For Us and For Our Salvation

Spring is around the corner. Yay!! And it’s not even March yet (when I’m writing this). But the sun is shining and it’s not 30 degrees out—that makes it Spring in my mind! These little things—the small yet visible signs of the change in seasons—reminds me not to take myself too seriously. There are other things to think about and give thanks for… reminding me again, not take my own concerns too seriously. One of my best friends, his daughter has been clean and sober for over a year. He recently found out she’d been working a methadone program for the last year but was ashamed to tell him. But she’s at a point where her life can start over! Thanks be to God! I’ve prayed for them for years. My son moved out three weeks ago and he and his pregnant girlfriend are in an apartment in Pottstown. He just got promoted. I have a grandkid on the way! We were seriously worried about him 2-3 years ago, but our relationship is so much better. Thanks be to God!

           “For us and for our salvation” God came down in the person of Jesus Christ. That word ‘salvation’ has a lot of nuance—it can mean rescue, being saved from (fill-in the blank), healing, and being made whole. The narrow, stereotypical, meaning is that “we go to heaven when we die.” Ok, sure. But heaven or hell don’t drive my prayers—crying over the brokenness in people’s lives does. The suffering, the addictions, the self-destructive behaviors, the anger, resentment, outrage, depression, worry, uncertainty… the brokenness… and my inability to make myself whole (never mind fix the world!) drives me to prayer. My inability to “be reconciled” to others in broken relationships—including my relationship with God—through my own effort is what drives me to prayer. 

           For us and our wholeness Christ came down from heaven to make whole the world—people and their relationships. He is the Reconciler who does what I can’t do and never will be able to do, no matter how hard I try or how many deep thoughts I have. And Christ still makes people whole, through the work of the Holy Spirit, in all kinds of wonderful ways. Thank you, February sunshine, for reminding me of that.

Peace,

Pr. Christian