Living and Effective

In today’s 2^nd reading from the letter to the Hebrews, we heard read to us, “Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.  No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.”

I both love these words and at the same time cringe from them as I know that I will have to render my account to the Lord on my priesthood and my life of faith.  I love these words because they motivate me and I am reminded that God knows me inside and out.  I cringe from them at times because I do not like the feeling of being brought into the Truth when I live in my own lies, i.e. my sins, when they come to light as the passage in Hebrews says; it is then that we are, “naked and exposed to him . . .”

Recently I began teaching the Deacon Candidates for our Diocese and part of my instruction to them in the study of Christology is that we wrestle with God, both in understanding His Word as we read it in Scripture and that we also wrestle with Him in life, a tugging, a pulling back and forth with His Will and our will, that tugging and pulling occurs when we face our Lord in the reading of His Word and when we allow that Word to enter in.

That Word is described as sharper than any two-edged sword.  What does a two edge sword do when it pierces flesh; it cuts both on the way in and on the way out.  That sword penetrates into and between joints and marrows and even into the spirit as well.  Wow!  I know that would hurt and it does, that hurting is the Word cutting us to the quick.  That Word reminds us when we sin, especially those sins in which we hurt others.  Sometimes it’s good to be corrected, sometimes it’s good to feel a little embarrassed, and sometimes it is even good to feel some pain which C.S. Lewis referred to as God’s megaphone shouting out to a deaf world.  Yet, we live in a world today that does everything to protect people, especially the young from feeling anything uncomfortable.  Heaven forbid they are ever humbled by a coach, a teacher, a mentor or that they have to suffer embarrassment and admit that they cheated on a test or were at fault for something of significance.  We too are guilty from this from time to time, we run away from that sword out of fear.  Fear of being exposed only has to do with sin and not virtue. 

I want that Word to always be living and effective within me so that it does not cut but that it heals and binds up and makes me stronger so that when the light shines on me that only virtue is reflecting off of me.  I have a ways to go and I imagine we all do, together praying for one another we can become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  Instead of cringing from these words let us love them only so as to always remain motivated and faithful, God bless you, Fr. John