Friday, March 9, 2012

Calling

Getting ready to be at Mount Eagle for the weekend! I really do enjoy going to these spiritual direction classes. It's all about to come to an end as we have our last class session in July. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years already and yet, I thought it would never get here! 


That brings to mind Lent once again! Is it not the longest 40 days ever? Probably because it's 40 days not counting the Sunday's that fall in there. Sunday's are feasting days, it's like saying; You've worked hard at giving up stuff for Lent this week, so you can rest and have something to eat! What we need to think about, or maybe I should be saying it more like, what I need to be thinking about is what did Jesus give up for me. That's what Lent is about, remembering what Jesus did.


My Spiritual Director reminded me the other day about the price of discipleship by retelling me a story about Peter. When Nero was burning up Christians, Peter was leaving Rome and he saw Jesus in a vision walking into Rome. Peter asked The Lord what he was doing. Jesus said I'm going to Rome to die. Peter turned around, and went back to Rome and was killed by Nero. Peter could have kept on going out of Rome, but was that what Jesus was calling him to do?


When you make a decision to follow Christ, do you think that's it? I use to too. What I'm seeing is that Jesus continually calls us to more. The Disciples followed Christ and had choices to make as they followed those 3 years and after Jesus was crucified. Most of them left when the going got tuff, but the 12 stuck it out. Even they had a hard time at the end, but came around. We have the same choice to make. 


We can play it safe and do our Sunday 2 hours, maybe take on a Bible study, sing in the choir, bring food for the pantry and greet folks when they come into church. This is all good stuff, and for me it was a great place to start. I don't know when it started, maybe after an Emmaus Walk, but I started to want more. I started to ask harder questions and Jesus started to answer them!


So, is Jesus calling you to more? Have you been listening?


You will not see anyone who is really striving after his advancement who is not given to spiritual reading. And as to him who neglects it, the fact will soon be observed by his progress. ~ Saint Athanasuis



No comments: