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“You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped.” (Jer 20:7)
These words are like music to my ears! They ring true to me. You duped me, O Lord, you duped me! And I let myself be duped! I entered the seminary not knowing what I was getting myself into. I entered not knowing that I would spend seventeen years of my life waking up every morning at 5:15 am. I didn’t know that I would have to change my hairstyle; or that I would not be allowed to hold on to anything. You duped me, Lord, you duped me!
A very good friend of mine, a pastor at a Lutheran church, is a wonderful man, a gifted man and a very holy man. Tragedy struck his family when his son died in Afghanistan. He shared with me this story. While they were at the funeral service, he saw a marine in the sweltering heat in his dress blues. He walked over to him and invited the officer to take off his jacket. The officer looked at him and said, “I cannot. It’s our code.” My friend reminded the marine that only his family was now present. The officer replied, “It doesn’t matter. It’s our code.” We all need to have a code of life. We all need to have a code of conduct. Here is the Lord’s code of conduct for all of us:
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it...The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then repay all according to his conduct.”
We know the wage of sin is death. We know the wage of grace is life! Yet, we continue to sin because we continue to seek comfort. But sin is a lie that leads to disillusionment, to disaster! We sin because we have no fight in us! Sacrifices, on a daily basis, help to bring that fighting spirit back into our lives. It helps us to rise from the dead! Peter didn’t realize that when he told the Lord, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you!” his words were reminiscent of the words spoken by the devil to Eve, “You certainly will not die.” No wonder the Lord told Peter, “Get behind me Satan!” Men seek comfort. God seeks love. There can be no love without sacrifice. There can be no sacrifice without the Cross.For many years, I never had a very good answer as to why I became a priest. Of course, I know why I did, but I had a hard time explaining it. Only recently, was I able to put it succinctly and well. I became a priest because I wanted to be surprised! Sin stopped shocking me. I knew where it led me: nowhere. But then grace began to surprise me and I knew not where it would lead me!
Sacrifices done in the name of the Lord will surprise us, just like the Lord’s cross and resurrection surprised the Apostles!We fear the Cross because it cancels what we truly love: the “I” in me. Father, give us the strength and cour-age to pick up the cross that leads us back to you! If you’re not sure what your cross is, then ask yourself what you dread doing the most. Chances are, that’s your cross!