The radicality of God

I heard a priest, one who lived the Gospel, preach the Gospel

The humble, the poor, were carried away

The prominent, the wealthy, were shocked

And I thought that such preaching of the Gospel would soon

          frighten away many of those now filling the church, and

          attract those now shunning it.

It occurred to me that it is a bad sign for a follower of Christ to

          be well thought of by conventional “Christians”

Rather, it would be better if we were singled out as crazy or radical

IT would be better if they pursued us, signed petitions against us,

          tried to get rid of us.

                     Michel Quoist, Prayers, p.106, Avon

______________________________________

 

when did we decide that being a follower of Jesus

meant living a decent little life?

 

when did we decide that it was a matter of small virtues

good habits

marginal generosity

little effort?

 

when did we decide that having power

and privilege

and money

were a sign of God’s approval?

 

have we even read the Gospels?

how has it escaped our notice that we have more in common

with those upright, uptight people who rejected Jesus

than the ragged motley crew

that followed Jesus?

 

I admit it Jesus

I am more like the rich young ruler

than like Peter, or James or John

 

I do not leave it all behind

I do not risk everything

to follow you

 

I parse my words

I step back from the radicality of the Gospel

for fear of what it will cost me

I hold on to my affluence

allowing what I give to hide what I withhold (Quoist)

 

I am willing to go only so far

 

help! O Sacred One

be wind and fire

move me, sear me

 

give me passion

give me hope

give me strength

 

help me to rise each morning eager

rather that bored an apathetic

help me to rise expectant!

knowing that this day, every day

is a Pentecost

 

a time to be blown out of my safety and complacency

into the world

 

where I give my all

all my heart

all my soul

all my mind

 

all

in the service of Love

 

help me

for even as these words leave my heart

and flow from my fingers

I know I will still hold back

 

I will still seek to be well thought of

Still cling to the things of the world

 

but still this day, as every day

I like Peter, who betrayed you

and Thomas who doubted

and Nicodemus who came in the dark

and Paul who carried a thorn

 

I am yours