Gaining the True Prize

One of my mother’s many words of wisdom was, “Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.” You probably heard that too and may have said it yourself. We could spend much time parsing this phrase out. Instead, I just want to focus on two points. First, my mother said this to my siblings and me in order to temper our desires and lessen the great disappointment when we did not get what we wanted. A lesson that one needed to learn in a family that struggled to pay the bills. The other point my mother was making was that what we desire is often not what we need and often can be destructive to our lives. In part, that is what Paul is talking about in his letter to the Philippians. Instead of the words that my mother used he outlines his own life. For a Jew in the first century of the common era he had everything that a Jew could have: birth-right, power, and respect. To his people he had God’s blessing. His life was perfect. A life so perfect that he persecuted those who heard God’s new covenant that Isaiah had proclaimed. 

Isaiah is talking to the Israelites who were looking back into their history. They were remembering the good-old-times and refusing to see the possibilities that God was presenting for their future. That is just human nature. You have heard me say this before. We tend to look at the past and wish for those good times to return. But they were not as good as you remember because you have forgotten the bad things that happened and only remembered the good. Be careful for what you desire, you just may get it. 

Paul tells us in Philippians that he gave up the things of the past. He no longer saw his life as one that fulfilled God’s command. Although we must note that he only did so because of his encounter with Jesus. That encounter was not some pleasant uplifting experience. It was filled with fear, blindness,  and confusion. Paul certainly did not want any of that. His mind had been made up and no one was going to tell him anything different. Our gospel for today gives us an example of each mind-set. Judas is only thinking about the here and now. It seems that he saw an opportunity for recognition and gain by being a disciple of Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, saw an opportunity to serve and share. 

How many times do you find yourself standing between Judas and Mary? We are often confronted by that choice. Do we work for what we desire or do we answer God’s call to serve? The answer probably is, “A little bit of both.”  Or, actually, a lot of Judas and a little bit of Mary. We confessed that conundrum today as we began the service. We are torn between what we desire and what God calls us to. The great joy in our lives is that we are not marked by sin but by the cross. God does not see us by what we do but by what Jesus did. This Lent we have once again been reminded of the great chasm between ourselves and God, and been called to amend our lives. Not because we have to in order to gain salvation, but in thanksgiving that God has given us salvation despite our worldly desires and sin. Look to Mary and not Judas. Follow Jesus into sharing the gifts of love that can only come from God.