Unmasked and Uncovered (November 15, 2012)

…Opening To…

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say. (J.R.R. Tolkien)

…Listening In…

As Jesus passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” Right away, they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:16-18; context)

…Filling Up…

When I find Christ, I am encouraged to keep struggling, to keep striving, all the while knowing that I am by Christ’s side. But wait just a minute. Encouraged is the wrong word: it’s too…academic. Let me try again.

I am enlightened, emblazoned, infused with joy, made brilliant with hope. I am unmasked and uncovered by love and set running with new strength. That’s a little better, but still doesn’t capture it!

Every time we discover Jesus on the road, the encounter is different. We may meet him in a place – say, on a cliff top overlooking a patchwork-quilted farmland or in a city bus depot that smells of urine and wet newspaper. We may meet him in another person – say, in your brother who is always so annoying or in your soccer coach who is pushing you to try your hardest even when you think you have nothing left. But while these encounters may look different, every one of them carries the potential for us to meet Christ.

Indeed, there are so many ways to meet Christ that you might think we would find him everyday. This is not so, but why? Jesus wants to be found; indeed, he is doing a whole lot of finding on his own. But I think we aren’t always looking because we are rarely ready for enlightening, emblazoning, momentous events to sweep us down a new road. Being unmasked and uncovered – these are life-changing events. So the question is: do we want our lives to change?

…Praying For…

Dear God, you infuse the world with your presence, but I often miss it. Grant me the courage to allow Jesus to find me on the road. Grant me the grace to find him. And grant me the humility to let him change my life for the better. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen.