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Mark 8:34-37
He called
the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my
followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will
lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the
gospel, will save it. For what
will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Losing
and finding
So much of our pain comes from trying to hold fast to the
joys and loves we have received. Long ago … and many times … I have thought and said that we should hold
everything we have and are in open palms, not grasping tightly in fear of
losing the goodness of what is.
Holding our lives and loves with open palms, we can
see and celebrate the beauty and joy of what we have received. We can give
thanks, always knowing the wonder of the gifts of love that fill our hearts.
When we grip too tightly we fan our fears of the future,
our anxiety about not being in control of what will be, our sorrow that we can
lose what most fills us.
With closed grip on what is, we cannot receive what will be—the
joy, the beauty, the love, the challenge, the life that is yet to come and which
we can never quite anticipate. For the Loving Mystery always has surprises we
can never anticipate.
Releasing our grip on what we fear losing, holding what
is with open hands and hearts, our anxiety subsides. We can live with thanks
and gratitude, ready to receive whatever comes next, knowing that it comes
from a Heart whose love staggers us and always will.
We need not cling to what is, for whatever comes,
comes from the Love who fills us and always will.
Pr.
David L. Miller
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