Wonder not then that all the true followers of Christ, the saints of every age, have so gloried in the cross of Christ, have imputed such great things to it, have desired nothing so much as to be partakers of it, to live in constant union with it. It is because His sufferings, His death and cross, were the fullness of His victory over all the works of the devil. Not an evil in flesh and blood, not a misery of life, not a chain of death, not a power of hell and darkness, but were all baffled, broken, and overcome by the process of a suffering and dying Christ. Well, therefore, may the cross of Christ be the glory of Christians!
-- William Law in The Spirit of Love
#2498
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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The conclusion by William Law in his The Spirit of Love that the glory of Christians ought to be in the cross of Christ seems one-dimensional to me, and therefore out of balance. The cross of Christ reflects the motion of Christ's YES to the gift of himself to the Spirit-God as long as life lasted; but then life humanly ended on the cross. The glory of Christ's YES is found in the Spirit-God's redeeming, creative, unending love called Resurrection that lifted Christ beyond human life into eternal or everlasting life! And thus, the door was opened for the rest of us to die with Christ and then rise with Christ; this is the glory of Christianity that we celebrate at Easter. Good Friday is the final human step. Easter is the everlasting next step. While sadness is rolled together with joy, I prefer to live and carry my cross --- and help others carry theirs --- with the hope of Easter shining through and beyond the hill of Calvary. As Christ helps/inspires me carry my cross and helps me to help others carry their crosses, one day we will all rejoice and sing together in the eternal embrace of the Spirit-God who welcomes humankind. This makes our human diversity --- different beliefs, cultures, politics, opinions, doctrines, crosses --- always in need of the Spirit for constant renewal, reconciliation and rapprochement to God and to one another.
ReplyDeleteChaplain Mike, Green Bay WI