Jesus’ Faith Is Forever Inspirational

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Today’s reading: John 14:15-19

I am always inspired by the idea that Jesus knew his own story before it happened. The human in him had plenty of opportunity to change that story, yet he stayed with it. I can envision two scenarios by which Jesus would certainly have avoided the agony of  The Cross and, perhaps, helped his followers feel more comfortable.

He could have compromised with the Romans, proclaiming to them something along the lines of, “I’m sorry! I admit that I am not the King of the Jews. And I was wrong to cause such turmoil in the temple.”

Or he could have gone the other direction and joined with Judas (and others) who wanted him to lead a (probably violent) revolt against the Romans.

But Jesus stuck to the path that no one else could forsee, much less understand. And, to borrow the snide rhetorical question that’s so popular these days, “How’d that work out for him?”  I sometimes laugh at the thought of what a frustrating client Jesus would have been for modern day political consultant.  (Mel Brooks could have fun with that!)

Yes, Jesus stuck with the plan of his Father. He defied all human logic and simply trusted in its Goodness. And the result is that it’s now, indeed, logical for us to do the same.

These words from today’s reading had to have sounded like crazy talk to the disciples as Jesus spoke them:

“In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.”

And contemplating that I remembered something a dear friend of mine said to me just a few weeks ago, “Don, your big ideas, and all of this talk about God, tend to frighten me.”

I asked my friend if he thinks my ideas are bad or if I am wrong to talk about God so much. “No,” he said. “You just scare me sometimes.”

I do not wish to frighten my friend, of course, (or anyone for that matter), but, combined with the story of Jesus, I take this conversation as a sign that I am on the right path.

Thanks be to God for The Son he gave out of eternal love for the world.