The principle and foundation of our lives

 

In reflecting upon today’s Scripture readings, I couldn’t help comparing my actions in the last few days leading up to my retirement to those of Paul and of Jesus when they were giving ‘farewell speeches’ to their followers.  Paul called the presbyters of the Church at Ephesus and Jesus was speaking to His Apostles.  In my case, I wrote an email to each of the General Managers, most of whom I had helped to hire and train over the years.

In my letters, I thanked each of them for supporting me in my efforts to make them more successful.  I urged them to keep focused on the priorities and the mission statement (or the “principle and foundation”) of the company, which was to ‘improve human lives’.  I told them if they kept that in mind, many of the decisions they would make in the future would be easier.

Paul was exhorting the Ephesians to remain true to what he had taught them.  He took a certain pride in the fact that he “did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public or in your homes.”  He talked of the trust he had in Jesus despite all of the hardships he had and would continue to endure (Acts 20:17-27).

Jesus spoke of the fact that He perfectly fulfilled His human life on earth by glorifying the Father in Heaven.  He did this by accomplishing the work that the Father gave Him to fulfill (John 17:1-11).

Jesus’ words offer the ideal “principle and foundation” for our lives.  This message of our Lord can be broken down into three lessons.

First, the Father truly does have a plan for our lives.  Knowing that there’s a divine plan for our life is the first step in fulfilling it.  If we don’t know God’s plan, it will be difficult to fulfill it.

Secondly, when we do discern what God wants of us in our daily life, we must accomplish His will.  Sometimes we fall into the trap of trying to fulfill only a portion of what God wants of us.  The problem with that approach is that we may actually accomplish “a portion” of God’s will.  But that’s not enough. We must aim for perfection.  We must strive for the complete fulfillment of the will of God in our lives.

Thirdly, if we can truly accomplish the daily will of God for our lives, then our lives will not only glorify God in every way possible, but we’ll also be blessed to share in God’s glory.  To share in God’s glory is to share in God’s very life.  It means that God will be alive in us and we’ll become partakers of the joys of Heaven.  And it will begin here on earth.  Why would we settle for earthly “joys” and earthly pleasures when we’re called to share in delights that are beyond what we could ever imagine in this world?

Those of us who are parents, or mentors, or teachers really, of any kind, can relate to Jesus in this passage.  Isn’t that what we do – prepare those given to us to grow – grow in knowledge, wisdom, grace and love?  We prepare them to set them free!  We prepare them to face challenges, joys, obstacles and opportunities.  We prepare them to trust that they have all that they need to continue the journey.  We prepare them to love – because they have first been loved – by us, by God.

Like Jesus, we too take God with us.  God’s love empowers us to pass along what we know, to pass along our learned wisdom, to model right relationship and accountability.  Love is what enables us to let go and let God – to trust that God will have their back.  We too pray for those we love and care about – Love assures us that our relationship with them will continue, albeit different, even when we set them free.  We too pray that God will continue what we have begun and that our sons, daughters, mentees and students will continue to be embraced and loved by God, and that they too will pass on the best that they have.