Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – Lent Four
The Lenten Journey:
The Road Less Travelled
But that aside, the woman’s remarks illustrate
a fundamental ignorance of Jesus Christ – who he is, what he is, what he has
done for us, what discipleship means. Perhaps, unwittingly, she does see Jesus
as some sort of alien, an outsider, an intruder, someone outside the rules and regulations
of her world. I am sure that she is not
alone, throughout the world. The presence of Jesus invokes choices, sometimes radical
ones, always life changing ones. “There is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my
side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.” (Matthew 12: 30, The Message Bible)
Like Thomas, so many people no longer
know the Way. They have become unfamiliar with the paths of righteousness i.e.
goodness, mercy, compassion, truth, justice and love. The Rev. Dr. Peter Holmes, in Sunday’s sermon, told the
story about a recent Elon Musk interview in which Musk said that the problem with
America (i.e. USA) is that there is too much emphasis on empathy, of trying
to help others and going the extra mile. He treated empathy like a social
disease which needs to be eradicated in order to make America great again, I
suppose. Yikes!
No, we don’t know the way.
Sometimes, maybe often, we have absolutely no idea where we are going or where
Jesus is leading us. So how can we know the way, we ask.
There is a lot about the disciple
Thomas, I can appreciate. He seems to want to follow Jesus but he is always
looking for assurances, road-signs, evidence, and confirmations that the way
ahead makes logical sense. He needs a spiritual GPS. He wants clear and precise
directions, not spiritual mumbo jumbo, not vague religious platitudes. Philip joins the chorus of those seeking clear answers:
“Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Give us the plain
and easy road, dear Lord. “Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and
hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.” (Isaiah
40:4, NLT) Then we will follow.
But this is the road less travelled
and it’s not always filled with Holiday Inns and nice restaurants. It is a road
that has some hills and valleys, bumps and obstacles, roadblocks and detours.
Yet, even under these circumstances, it is okay to ask our Lord about how we can
know the way. What strategies, what principles, what tasks, what direction,
what plan will Jesus give us to know the way.
“I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really
known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and
have seen him!” It isn’t about maps,
explanations, procedures or such; it is about our relationship with Jesus himself.
We follow Jesus, not a CAA trip-tik. As we learn from him, see him action, watch
him deal with others, even and especially the outcast, the immigrant, the poor,
we are given insight and instructions for the way ahead to live a wholesome, thriving
Christian life. “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me
to follow.” (Psalm 25:4) We have been shown the path. It is to walk with Jesus
all along the way and to do so in faith, trust and obedience.
“In light of all this, here’s
what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I
want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you
to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want
anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do
this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring
yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences
and quick at mending fences.” (Ephesians 4; 1 -3, The Message Bible)
Best you put on you running shoes
for this.