Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Change is difficult. Just ask anyone who has been in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for a while. In talking to a friend this week about AA, today’s readings came to mind. My friends’ 5th Anniversary of sobriety is in a few days. He recalled to me a time when his own decisions to use and abuse alcohol and drugs made his life extremely difficult. Tough times often led to more destructive behavior. The cycle was hard to break. What struck me the most about our conversation was how my friend now reacts serenely when tough things occur? His faith remains steadfast. He explained “God doesn’t wish bad upon us. Often it is our own choices that bring us tough times.” For my friend, being in recovery has shown him that God can use our suffering to make good things happen out of the bad.
While AA demands a radical change altogether, when one reads their “Big Book” one can understand that change is a process we make step by step. Today’s readings suggest a process for change. In his letter to Colossae, Paul’s writing reads like an early baptismal instruction. His language is both challenging and encouraging, through his frank tone, one can see that Paul understands that becoming one with Christ is a process. First we are to put away all of our bad habits, anger, impurity, malice, slander, greed and idolatry just to name a few. Paul asserts that we “Put to death, then the parts of you that are earthly.” (Col. 3:5a) This putting to death allows us to strip our self of that which draws us away from God. This allows us to become a new creation. Even after all this Paul suggests we must be continually renewed. Consider what it is we need to allow “to die” within us so that we might be reborn. This process allows us to grow closer to Christ.
Today’s gospel from Luke shares Jesus sermon of “Blessings and Woes.” It is a summary of the qualities of a faithful discipleship and how they can draw us closer to Christ. Living out these blessings will draw us closer to Christ. This reading, like Paul’s, is one of both encouragement and challenge. Most of us need both of these are attributes, since none of us hit the mark every time; in fact, there are times when the Kingdom seems far away and out of reach. It is then when we need to reflect on the issues we are having and honestly assess the changes we need to make in order to be right with the Lord. It is only when we challenge and change what is unacceptable in our own lives that we can fully enter into a life hidden with Christ in God. We must remember that we don’t do this alone, We have the Lord and a loving faith community. And just like the AA community, our community is willing to share both our joy and pain. Our faith and our participation in our faith community can help us find serenity.
Changing is difficult, yet serenity is possible. Today is the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack. As we recall the painful memory of the most horrendous event for our nation, pick a tangible thing to change in your life and then work towards that goal. One prayer that could help you with this journey might include:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
- Michael Montgomery