- John 4:48b
While the Christian lifestyle is not a bed roses or perfect by the world;'s standards, but a trip through a thorny and narrow path, this is but the manner of purification the same way that gold is tested by fire that we may attain perfection by God's measure [see I Peter 1:7]. For we are called to live a life of holiness not a life of mere pleasure and comfort and to be perfect as the Father is perfect.
Examine the process of purification which the Chosen People of God went through in the desert [refer to Exodus for the full account]. Only a few of the original Israelites who went out of the land of Egypt were able to enter the Promised Land. Even Moses was not allowed by God to set foot on it. Forty years of going around the Sinai Peninsula passed before the Chosen People were able to enter the land promised to their ancestor Abraham when the generation of rebellious Israelites have already died and a new generation was already prepared to claim the land.
The Israelites came to live in Egypt because of the great famine during the time of Joseph [see Genesis 37-50]. They became slaves when a Pharaoh who "knew no Joseph" came upon the throne [see Exodus 1]. In their slavery they remembered the promise that God has made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-Israel. God sent them Moses and delivered them out of the land of bondage particularly through the mighty waters of the Red Sea which God has divided for the Israelites to pass through dry land. And yet their gratitude towards God for saving them would change into grumbling when they encounter sufferings in the wilderness. They continued to become a rebellious lot and Moses had to contend with them until his death even if God has made many wondrous deeds in their midst. God even has to hide the dead body of Moses because the Israelites were prone to idolatry and might make a god or an idol out of his body [see Deuteronomy 34].
Our pilgrimage as Christians follows the same process of purification [see I Peter 2: 11-12]. The land of Egypt stands for sin and the slavery of the Israelites stands for the bondage to sin. The passing on dry land between the two walls of water signify our cleansing by baptism. But our baptism does not assure us of heaven while we are still on pilgrimage. We still have to undergo more purification. During this period of purification we do grumble too and at times think that it was better while we were in the state of sin because there were no "restrictions" to think about and no "perfection" to be sustained. Why do we have to suffer when we can live comfortably? Why do we have to become holy when the world does not appreciate holiness? We merely become out of place in a world where the rule is survival of the fittest not of the holiest!
For those who do not wish to enter the Promised Land, for Christians: heaven, the best that they would try to do is to follow man made laws. For them it is enough to be good in the eyes of the world. But perhaps the failure of Moses to enter the Promised Land would give some insight as to the primacy of holiness above that of the law. Remember that Moses was the Lawgiver of Israel. He represents the Law. And this Lawgiver, the man representing the Law, failed to enter the Promised Land. The Bible records the reason why Moses was not allowed by the Lord God to enter the Promised Land: when the people grumbled and asked for water, God told him to strike the rock once but he did it twice. It was a disobedience, a show of disrespect for God. Moses should have known better than anyone else that when God says "once" he meant ONCE. But Moses have had enough of the people's grumblings. He was not able to think twice anymore before hitting the rock twice! Yes, holy people commit sin also, and they suffer the consequence greatly! If we do not obey God we shall also fail to enter heaven.
Remember also the rich young man [see Luke 18: 18-23]. The Lord loved him because he had the making of a great saint. And yet he went away from Him, a young man who lived his life according to the letter of the Law since his childhood. But he was so rich he cannot accept the fact that he has to leave behind everything he has just to be able to live perfectly in accordance with the example and teachings of the Lord. He was comfortable with fulfilling the Law of Moses already: was it not enough?
Many times we also ask that question: Lord, we are fine doing your "will". We follow the Ten Commandments, we follow the precepts of the Church, we follow man made laws, we love one another etc etc. What more do you want from me?
"Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" - this is what God asks from us. He does not ask us to be the best doctor, not even the best speaker, or the record holder of this and that feat. Though He has given each of us our respective talents to develop it is but for the sake of our perfection, not merely the perfection of the talent He has given, but our perfection as His children. Didn't our Lord Jesus Christ warned us about what profit it would be for us in gaining the world and yet losing our souls in the process?
As friends of the Lord Jesus Christ and children of our heavenly Father our pilgrimage on earth is a journey of perfection. The path is narrow and thorny but at the end of the journey is the crown of glory. As we continue our pilgrimage, we shall discuss the things that will help us in making the journey a wonderful experience of God's love and friendship!
A blessed pilgrimage, my friends!
No comments:
Post a Comment