Monday, February 18, 2008

We Are Mortal

In a high school religion class, I watched a video about the spiritual practices of Buddhist monks. One in particular stuck with me. A monk walked back and forth, along a path, between two human skeletons. Standing before each skeleton, at the end of the path, the monk paused for a time. The exercise was a reminder of his mortality, and the temporary nature of human existence.

This life is temporary, and we are bound by time. Our challenge is to use the time we have. During the season of Lent, we evaluate the quality of our existence, and our use of time. Self-denial, prayer and fasting are the tools at our disposal. We are called to strip ourselves of the fluff, which marks so much of our lives, and deepen our faith by asking what truly matters.

Ultimately, we look to Jesus to seek that, which matters. We look at his short life of teaching, the people he mixed with, his manner of life and his identity as signposts of eternal value. Jesus laid down his life in the name of the eternal. His way of life and faithfulness to God caused his violent death.

Most of us will not be called to die in the name of our faith, but we are called to faithfulness. What are you doing to remind yourself of the time-limited nature of this life? In the midst of this mortal life, what are you doing to live faithfully in hope of eternal life?

I will also post this on my blog. I would love to hear from you.

Peace,
Chris+

1 comment:

Country Parson said...

You've got a good mind Chris. I like the idea of live for our faith. IIn doing that we will also die for our faith. Perhaps Baptism is not an event but a process that only starts with water. I wonder if something like that might be what Jesus was driving at in his strange conversation with Nicodemus.