Do we deserve God?
Recent, on Palm Sunday, I was sitting in Canterbury Cathedral listening to Stainer’s Crucifixion and Faure’s Requiem and thinking about the story of Our Lord’s Passion and death that was being portrayed in the wonderful music echoing round the Cathedral. I also thought about the death of St Thomas a Becket who was murdered in the Cathedral not far from where I was sitting and of the thousands of pilgrims who, since Thomas’ martyrdom, had travelled the pilgrimage route across Southern England to his shrine to seek forgiveness from our God and some measure of hope.
In that charged atmosphere the thought struck me that, when you think about everything Our Lord went through, from his entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial and torture and eventual death on the Cross; all of which he did as an example for us and to show us the true path to salvation, do we really deserve him?
It is an interesting question and if I am really honest the answer is probably No. When we are born we enter this world with the stain of original sin that is removed through Baptism and, as innocent children, we deserve the protection of Our Lord and the chance to live the best life. However, as we grow and opt for free will and the easy choices, things go downhill as personal choice develops and temptation crosses our path, and we succumb through acts of omission and commission. Every so often we are reminded of our failings and through the Sacrament of Reconciliation are able to confess our sins, receive absolution through the priest from a very merciful God who obviously thinks we miserable weak individuals have something worth saving and gives us the chance to do better and follow his example.
To set us the ultimate example God sent his only son to show us the way to salvation. He accepted suffering, pain, humiliation and ultimately crucifixion on our behalf and out of love for us weak and sinful humans. We repay his sacrifice by the lives we lead and the example we show to others – not perhaps brilliantly by most of us. Although I am sure we all know some people alive and those departed who are worthy of God’s love and sacrifice; by their good lives and often their own suffering in this world they are shining examples to the rest of us – they really do deserve God. I suggest that I have a long way to go on my personal journey and must do better if I am really to deserve my God. All I ask and pray for is his patience and understanding and I promise to do better in the future, perhaps not totally deserving him but getting there.
Thoughts of a pilgrim