Lenten Reflections: Escalation

"Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.  What do you think?”  “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him."

                                                            Matthew 26:65-67

Escalation. Pride's evil and deceptive ways widen. With each choice that Pride makes, the tensions in our relationships escalate. With each move of Pride, the battle is fueled and the ante is raised. More troops are sent in. We launch more offensives. Relationships don't die; they are murdered. Sin stands guilty as a war criminal. GUILTY. 

Anger gives birth to accusation. 

Accusation gives birth to action.

Action gives birth to violence. 

Violence gives birth to death.

Another relationship causality in the war of selfishness, with Pride leading the way. 

We count the costs of the war. We see the destruction. And yet we choose each weapon with great care, hoping for victory. 

Pride - 1  Relationships - 0 

Lent reveals to us that things are often backwards in the Kingdom of God. Pride has no place at the table. War in our relationships is unthinkable. Escalation becomes pacifism. And death becomes life. By living our lives through Christ, we find less need to slaughter our relationships, and more desire to heal them. We disarm ourselves, dismantle our military and end violence of any kind. Through Christ, we cherish each relationship as something of great value, more valuable than the temporary possessions we accumulate for ourselves. We count the cost of war, and realize that it's not worth it. 

Anger gives birth to forgiveness. 

Forgiveness gives birth to unity.

Unity gives birth to community.

Community gives birth to life. 

Lord, we realize that one of the most tragic losses in the war of Pride is relationships. So often we sacrifice those closest to us in order to protect the self. Help us to lay down our weapons and seek peace. Help us to cherish each relationship we have as more valuable than anything we possess, even life itself. Amen.              

Obscured Doors of the Soul

It seems that the door of the soul usually remains closed in our culture. It stands blocked by overwhelming distractions, too heavy to move on our own, cut off from the world around us.

Occasionally, we may temporarily move the barriers, crack the door open and glance at the landscape that lies outside of the soul. We feel as if we open ourselves to others, but in reality we only play dress-up or wear a mask of some sort.     

Many of is ignore the barricades completely, going about life as usual. Sometimes we are not even aware that the soul remains hindered. In fact, some of us even add more barriers of our own, including spiritual locks and deadbolts.   


It is only through the light of Christ, as He invades our soul, unhindered and free to move by His Spirit that the door not only opens, but is blown from it's hinges, leaving an unobscured passage for the light to invade.

That light reveals our soul for what it truly is. It is then that we not only become naked to ourselves, but lay completely vulnerable to others as well.

Only then can we be completely authentic, free to love and be loved.

Free to forgive and be forgiven.

Free to be with one another. 

Free to be as Christ.