Transformation Through Bearing Tension

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, March 14, 2024

The week of the fourth Sunday in Lent

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings: (BCP, 955)

AM, Psalm 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38; PM Psalm 73

Exod. 1:6-22; s1 Cor. 12:12-26; Mark 8:27-9:1

David’s Reflections

James A. Hall says of the cross that it is “a symbol of being suspended between the opposites of heaven and earth, as well as between the opposites of right and left, and conscious and unconscious.  The central Christian image is therefore one of suffering transformation--transformation achieved through bearing tension." *  Today’s Gospel catches that central, transforming tensions the pull between our own identity and our identification with Jesus in sharing his cross, his rejection.

Peter’s confession that Jesus was Messiah had beneath it assumptions of political triumph over the Romans that had no room for death by crucifixion at the hands of the Empire, a fate he regarded as failure.  Jesus’ rebuke of Peter’s perspective included a call for all followers to lose themselves for the sake of Jesus’ mission even to the point of sharing his fate as martyrs.

No more basic tension exists than that between faithfulness to one’s commitment and survival.  Christians in other less safe regions of Earth indeed are resolving that tension on the side of suffering and martyrdom. You and I face much less dramatic expressions of the tension of the cross.  For us, being identified with Jesus’ mission of saving love brings tensions like embarrassment versus faithfulness or less financial abundance versus faithfulness or job security versus faithfulness.

The self-help book market promises transformation through all sorts of “how to” techniques.  Jesus offers the possibility of transformation through living in a tension, the pull between self-directed, self-absorbed living and a commitment that risks all to be faithful to Jesus and his call on our lives.  We seek to escape tension through easy and quick resolution of opposites.  Jesus calls us into a constant tension.  We face the daily challenge of bearing that tension; sometimes we resolve it in favor of self-preservation, sometimes in faithfulness to Christ’s call.

As Jesus says, “Those who lose their life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it.”  What moments today will put me in that tension?  Can I trust Jesus’ words that to let go of myself--to risk embarrassment, unemployment, having less, being rejected—in faithfulness to him will bring me to a richer, fuller, transformed existence?  I am being challenged to share Jesus’ place in the world, to entrust my fate to him by sharing his.  Peter and the others fled that possibility that first night in the Garden, but after the resurrection they resolved that tension in favor of faithfulness and their transformed lives underlie our existence as Christians.

As our Lenten observance eases toward Holy Week, we can resolve to allow Christ’s Spirit to embolden us toward a more cruciform style of life. We will take joy in finding ourselves by losing ourselves. As Hall puts it, The central Christian image is therefore one of suffering transformation--transformation achieved through bearing tension." *

* The Unconscious Christian:  Images of God in Dreams (New York:  Paulist, 1993), p. 75.

Collect of the Day, The Fourth Sunday of Lent

Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord; that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought unto the glory of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Collect for Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, p. 57.)

Of the Holy Cross Especially suitable for Fridays

Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 253)

A Collect for Quiet Confidence

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 832)

In the Evening

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen. (BCP, 833)

A Collect for Mission

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 280)

Daily Office Gospel, Mark 8:27-9:1

27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

9:1And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer