When the rich man asked Jesus what he needed to do to see the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus told him to “leave all behind and follow me.” Isn’t this the same thing that Yahweh asked Abraham to do?
Yahweh told Abraham that he would be the “Father of Nations” and have multitudes of children descendants. After many barren decades, Abraham finally had a son, Isaac, through whom God’s promise to Abraham would be fulfilled. Then, suddenly, God told Abraham to give it back – to leave it behind.
St. Paul writes that a man leaves his family behind to marry his wife. Jesus, the church’s bridegroom, leaves his life behind for his love – the church (people) on earth.
There’s a story about two monks (Hindu or Buddhist – I can’t remember) that are walking along a river. A woman is having stuck on a rock (or a log, or something) in the middle of the raging water. She is stuck and cannot get across.
The monks have taken a vow of chastity.
The older monk reaches out and helps the damsel in distress (an occidental term, but we’ll go with it). She thanks him and they all go on their way.
Ashen, the younger monk is troubled by the encounter. He asks the older monk something like, “How could you have done that and put your vow of chastity in danger?”
The older monk replies, “I left the woman at the river. Apparently, you have not.”
The lesson is not about resisting temptation (as I used to think), but it is about living in your moment – not the past, not the future, but where you are. It’s easy to resist temptation when you don’t dwell on it. You already know it’s wrong.
Jesus, in His occidental way, is teaching us about the dangers of attachment and how it detracts from Salvation. That’s why it’s so hard for a rich man to get to Heaven. Alec Baldwin did a very funny SNL skit where the rich people have invested billions to try to fit a camel through the eye of a needle – I think they turned the camel into a liquid to get it through. Going to a Catholic school with many rich kids (not me – yet), the teachers had to be clear that it was just “really hard” not impossible.
So, how do you do it? Faith. Simple, yet profound and difficult to understand. Kind of like E=mc2.
There aren’t that many good answers. But I do know this:
The simplest way to live is in the moment. The most rewarding way to live is in the moment. The least stressful way to live is in the moment. The most enjoyable way to live is in the moment. The way to get the most of your life is to live in the moment, because you may not get another one.
Maybe that’s why we’re supposed to have Abraham’s great faith in ourselves and in our Lord.
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6 comments:
Is "occidental" today's secret word?
I'm really torn about this "Stuck in a Moment" thing. Seems like a big Catch 22 to me....damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Human nature allows some of us the ability to leave things behind, while others can't help but get stuck. What you say makes perfect sense, yet perfect sense isn't always easy. The question is, is it attainable...for everyone? Somehow it doesn't seem fair if it isn't.
Then there's the other issue...two people (they can be monks, cocktails waitresses, young rock stars...take your pick) are together, in a room, in a relationship, in a life. Can they be in the same moment? Are they expected to react the same way to what the moment has to offer? No two human beings are alike, yet we're expected to have this similar ability to have faith? Is everyone's faith expected to be exactly the same? Is it as simple (or as complex?) as E=MC2?
All I have are questions; it's a good thing you have some answers, j.
Testing...I was having trouble publishing that comment last night...not sure what the deal is...
This entry has been on my mind.
Faith is only simple if you've been raised to believe not only in a higher power but in yourself as well. It may not be unattainable for everyone, but it definitely comes more easily to some than to others.
There is a strength that comes from living in the moment...perhaps it's a strength that is borne of faith. I've been learning a lot about that lately. Good times...good times...
I've said it more than once. Job teaches us that God will only give us what we can handle, and it is different for each person.
Sometimes my wife says, "This will be too hard." I ask, "Maybe, but what are you going to do? Quit? You don't give yourself enough credit."
It just can't be that easy, can it?
I'm me again...
Nothing's that easy for me; hence, the problem.
My dad stopped over today (to get something), and in the course of the couple of hours he was here, he reminded me of why faith is so hard for me. I love the man, but he has never been big on compliments or agreability (I just know that's spelled incorrectly, but I am WAY too tired to fix it. Deal.)or positive reinforcement in any way. He has applied his brand of logic to everything I've done in my entire life, and now he's passing it along to my son. Thank goodness son wasn't here when grandpop was. I'm still trying to preserve the illusion of normal grandparents as much as possible...for all four of them.
I have that pesky rose-colored glasses streak going on, though, so with that Chumbawumba song in my head (you know the one...there's talk of drinking in it! :) ...I drink a whiskey drink...and a vodka drink... ) about getting knocked down and getting back up again, I reached out to a few people who tend to restore my faith rather than tear it down, and I was able to put my dad into perspective...and love him anyway.
But that's off the subject of living in the moment. I've got some overlapping moments going on right now...I wonder what that means? Lose the heavy one and fly with the shiny one. Yes! I like MY logic.
You talk about Abraham and his faith, his moment. What about Isaac? I wonder what he thought of his father's faith moment?
I'm been searching for that damn song. Burn it and send it to me. I need it for my Bose Virtual DJ.
As for the other stuff, I suppose I won't be able to convince you that you make things too complicated for yourself. I'm not a miracle worker (yet).
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/chumbawamba/tubthumping_20031113.html
Tubthumping. That's the name of the song, and par for the course today, I spelled Chumbawamba incorrectly. I'm slipping.
If you seriously want me to burn it, I will, but you'd have to reveal the location of your secret hideout for me to get it to you...
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