Hear the Ancient Wisdom. Charles Ringma
ways. Its movement is towards death rather than life. But good can come out of it, for grace can follow close on the heels of every temptation.
To be tempted presupposes there is a God from whom one can
deviate. And it presupposes one can compromise one’s own values. It also assumes the Christian has an enemy who is the great Tempter and this personage has some power and influence.
But what is clear from the biblical story is that the great Tempter has limited power and the Christian is safe in the sheltering presence of Christ. Thus, we need not be afraid. But we do need to be aware and vigilant.
The early church father Origen however, believed that the
movement of temptation is not wholly negative. Good can come out of it. He writes, “Temptations . . . serve the purpose of showing us who we really are.”67
Since we are usually tempted in the area of our own foolishness, pride, vulnerability, or weakness, temptation has a way of drawing our attention to those areas of our lives where we are blind or out of kilter. Thus temptation is a wake-up call, inviting us to attentiveness in those areas of our lives where we take things for granted and where problems exist. Temptation can remind us, therefore, what we need to change to and become.
Reflection
In the hands of the enemy of our soul, temptation is the blunt instrument of death. In the purposes of God, it is a gentle blessing unto life.
2 Corinthians 5:18–19
March 9
All of God in the Grace of Salvation
While we tend to speak of God the Father as the Creator, God the Son as the Savior, and the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier, in the great mutuality of the community of God each of the persons of the Trinity is involved in the work of the other.
In the references in Scripture to worship, baptism, and benediction, we see the beginnings of the later church’s formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity. Clearly, here are the foundational references to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
This doctrine was never meant to be an arid formulation of mystery. Instead, it was meant to safeguard the divinity of each of the “persons” in the Godhead and to highlight the great love, mutuality, and cooperation between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Julian of Norwich highlights this theme of cooperation. She writes, “The whole Trinity was involved in the passion of Christ, giving us an abundance of virtue and grace by him, though only the maiden’s Son suffered.”68
This mutuality and cooperation, without blurring distinctions, says much about the wonderful nature of God. The members of the Trinity are wholly there for each other. What a picture of unity and diversity.
This mirrors what could be possible amongst us. The church as icon of the Trinity means a church in communion with people being there for each other in love and service. And so should our world be. Communities of cooperation and love, rather than communities and societies based on exclusion and distrust, could swim into view.
Thought
Maybe the Trinity can point us to a whole new world.
Isaiah 55:6–7
March 10
The Seeking Heart
That our hearts are restless is stating the obvious. That
restlessness leads to seeking is a basic truism. That we often don’t know what we are looking for is the human tragedy.
The human quest for meaning and fulfillment is fundamental to the
human condition. But what is worth longing for and seeking after is
mainly sculpted by the dominant values of one’s society and culture.
Society has a good way of inculcating us into the politics of much-having.
But in the Western world we are also influenced in the quest for self-fulfillment shaped by individualism and the myth of the autonomous self. Thus the movement of our being is towards an isolating inwardness.
The ancient writer St. Anselm suggests that such a quest is doomed to failure. He writes, “I sought for peace within myself, and in the depths of my heart I found trouble and sorrow.”69
He seems to suggest that the inward journey in and of itself will not renew us. We will only find our dark side and our failures. We will only find a greater emptiness.
Instead, we need to find the Other. The welcoming Other. The Great Other who surprisingly does not overwhelm and does not condemn us, but welcomes us to a healing homecoming.
Self-redemption is an illusion. It is only more of the same. God’s
redemption renews us at the very core of our being.
Thought
Do seek. But don’t seek the self. Seek the Loving Other.
2 Timothy 1:13–14
March 11
A Spiritual Companion
Living the Christian life is a calling each individual person must embrace and outwork. But such a life is not a solo
journey. There should be companions on the journey, guides along the way, mentors to encourage us.
The biblical story is clear. We need no one else except Christ to bring us to salvation. But we do need others to sustain us in our fidelity to the gospel and to encourage us in our growth towards wholeness and maturity. And we do need others in the joy of witness and service.
The early church father St. Basil talks about the importance of finding a person “who may serve you as a very sure guide in the work of leading a holy life.” He goes on to say that such a person must know “the straight road to God.”70
To be part of the community of faith is an important element in our Christian growth. So is having Christian friends. But to have a mentor or soul friend or spiritual director is a wonderful gift. Such a person can more specifically aid us in the deepening of our life in Christ. And such a person may help us in the important transition points of life.
But such a person must be characterized by humility and wisdom. He or she must know the ways of God and understand the workings of the Holy Spirit. And such a companion must understand psychological and social development as much as the path to spiritual maturity.
Prayer
Lord, grant that I may find such a companion in the journey of faith. Amen.
Luke 22:19–20
March 12
Healing in the Eucharist
Embedded in the biblical concept of salvation is not only the idea of reconciliation and forgiveness, but also the power of healing. Faith in Christ brings grace and restoration. Christ also seeks to make us whole.
Within the life and praxis of the Christian community there are many avenues for healing. The most basic healing is healing for our
estrangement from God. This healing occurs when through teaching or speaking or witness one comes to faith in Christ.
Through participation in the life of the church and in small groups various forms of relational healing may take place. And most churches provide healing through their counseling services and pastoral ministry.
But the fathers of early Christianity also understood the healing power of the Eucharist. Theophilus of Alexandria encourages believers, “Eat the bread which purges away the old bitterness, and drink the wine which eases the pain of the wound.”71
This vision of healing in the Lord’s Supper is a recognition that this sacrament is much more than a feast of remembrance. It is a sacramental participation by faith in the Christ who continues to be the