Sunday, February 25, 2018

Expectations as move through Lent

In our newseries for the season of Lent  we are making out way through the question: "What Are You Waiting For?" The Season of Lent is a time of change, but so often we are resistant to change, and especially resistant to "getting over" things. Often its little things and sometimes over everything. Of course it slows us down and can wear us out, but it can be a stumbling block in our professional life and deeply damaging in our relationships. This Lord's Day we talk about one of those hurdles - expectations and how we need to take in the bigger view

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Regardless of the enterprise: business, athletics, the arts, literally any endeavor: to be successful one needs a well developed plan. We have all heard the worn out cliché: “No one plans to fail; they only fail to plan.” Those who have achieved greatness in life testify to the validity of this statement and that there are at least three ingredients to success: a specific goal, a detailed strategy to achieve it, and a positive attitude with HIGH EXPECTATIONS. These elements are nearly intuitive, yet we almost never employ them when dealing with THE most important matter of all, our spiritual lives.

Today, the Second Sunday of Lent, is part of our 40-day journey of preparing to celebrate the single most important event in the history of humankind: The Resurrection of Jesus. Yet dare it be said that few if any of us have ever put together a strategy for a “successful” Lent. At best, perhaps we have agreed to give up a favorite food, beverage or activity during this time. But this begs the question: “WHY?” What is the goal of six weeks of deprivation? 

Are there any EXPECTATIONS of what is to be achieved? Without a goal and without HIGH EXPECTATIONS, we risk achieving any growth or any change. To quote another (whimsical) cliché: “You can’t get there if you don’t know where you are going!”

Perhaps today’s Gospel from St. Mark can help us develop a Lenten goal as we ask our question - what are you waiting for? Jesus had been in the company of the Apostles discussing the conditions of their discipleship. He then led them to the mountain top to reveal the reward for their ministry and the hardships that would accompany it: TRANSFIGURATION (i.e. spiritual transformation). The disciples too can become “dazzling white!” They too can hear God’s voice pronouncing them “beloved” if they “listen to (Jesus) him!” 

Our goal then for Lent could be like Peter, James and John’s: to meet God on the mountaintop. If we give up chocolates or alcohol, shouldn’t it be in order that God will call us “beloved” as well? Whatever we plan to do (or “give up”) for Lent, if we develop and stick to a specific strategy, we should have a HIGH EXPECTATION for spiritual transfiguration! This may sound extreme, but Jesus doesn’t ever ask us to do more than what he is willing to do. He gave up everything for US, even his own life!

Abraham too, often called the “father of our faith,” left everything behind to go to the land God had promised to him. Because he did, God blessed Abraham with a longed for son. Later, God tested their relationship, by asking for Isaac’s life. (“Do you love me enough to freely give it all back?”) We might see this test as too great a demand. But Abraham spoke not a word, and set out to do what God requested. Abraham did something most of us find far too difficult. He completely trusted God, who rewarded that trust providing not only a ram for the sacrifice, but also blessing Abraham with eternal progeny as numerous as the sands on shore or stars in the sky.

During Lent, if we set a goal with a specific strategy and keep our EXPECTATIONS HIGH, we too will be rewarded with TRANSFIGURATION. Although we would much prefer to have just the salvation and blessing part without the testing, that has never been God’s way. God instead has HIGH EXPECTATIONS of us putting our lives in God’s hands by saying “Here I am!”