3rd Sun OT-A’17
A Disciple’s Mantra
Fr. Jeff Nicolas
Before today in our Gospel we saw John the Baptist calling folks to repentance. Basically he said, “Do this and then God will draw close.”
He gives us examples: To the crowds he says, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” To tax collectors he says, “Don’t collect more than is prescribed.” To soldiers he says, “Don’t falsely accuse anyone and be satisfied with your wages.”
Do this, the baptist says, and God will draw close.
This is a message we hear a great deal in Church. PRAY and God will draw close. SACRIFICE and God will draw close. SERVE and God will draw close. WORSHIP and God will draw close. And we certainly do these things to be close to God.
But hear this… what if this message can mislead us into thinking that somehow we are the determinants of Gods action? What if this leads us to believe that somehow BECAUSE we pray, sacrifice, serve, and worship THEREFORE God draws close?
This is just fine to believe when everything is going our way, it can actually give us a sense of control in a chaotic world.
But when tragedy strikes, or darkness envelops, or emptiness consumes, what happens then? We either figure we were incorrectly praying, sacrificing, serving, or worshipping and therefore try harder and double-down on our efforts, or we give up altogether. Fight or flight. Either way, its all about my strength, my ability to do, my action.
But I cannot save myself!
On retreat I read a little book by a friend of mine, Fr. David Scotchie, entitled: “A Prayer For Hope: I Can’t. You Can. I’m Your’s.” In this book Fr. David explains how believing that I have some kind of control over God’s actions ultimately culminates in either a fight or flight reaction on my part when things go south. (Fight = I’ll double-down and try harder. Flight = I give up.)
He then points out that there is a third way: acknowledging that Jesus can do what is impossible for me, and then joining myself to him. Hence the prayer, I Can’t. You Can. I’m Your’s.
This is a prayer that I believe a would-be disciple of Jesus Christ needs to memorize; a mantra a disciple facing a trial or cross bigger than himself or herself needs to recite. (Repeat… I Can’t. You Can. I’m Your’s.)
Disciples, here is what I believe Matthew wants us to see today. Whereas the Baptist, speaking only to God’s chosen ones, taps into our human fight or flight reflexes - repent and completely change your life and then God’s Kingdom can come in its fullness (or in other words, do this and God will draw close) - Jesus does something different.
Jesus first goes to Zebulun and Naphtali, cities full of Gentiles, reaching out first to those seemingly beyond God’s offer of salvation because they are not a part of the Chosen People. Salvation was beyond them.
(I Can’t.)
Scripture tells us that because of this action of God they then saw the Light; the same Light the foreign-born Gentile Magi first saw thirty years earlier! What was impossible for them became possible through Jesus! (You Can.)
You see, Matthew wants us to realize that God, through the God-man Jesus, makes the first move!
Jesus goes to Peter and Andrew, James and John, and calls them to himself. (This is backwards from the way it was supposed to be done. Back then the disciple would seek out the Master, not the Master the disciple.)
And Jesus’ message to these four men?
Draw close to me (declare “I’m Your’s”) and then you will be able to do what I do. (I will make you fishers of men.)
Thus, the Baptist’s “Do this and then God will draw close”
BECOMES
Jesus’ “Draw close to God and then you can do this.”
I Can’t. You Can. I’m Your’s.
Remember this mantra when you face a trial or cross greater than your own strength.
A deepening faith in Jesus Christ depends upon a deepening embrace of this mantra.
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