In a previous post on "The Bridge," I made
the case for Christ as the bridge between ourselves in our human
suffering and the joy which God intends as the end (telos) of human
life. His suffering enables him to accompany us in our movement through
our pain into divine joy.
The longer I sit with that proposition the more it feels right. But, of course, there's more. How does this work? What has to happen in order for my ordinary human existence to be touched by Christ, Love Incarnate, in such a way that I may travel that bridge and arrive at God's promised destination?
There is another way in which Christ acts as our bridge. It's in the gospel of John, and quite honestly, it's genius! It is laid out at the beginning of Jn 15:4, "Abide in me and I in you." The passage goes on to present the vine & branches analogy, which works really well because it's nearly impossible to determine where the vine ends and the branches begin. It's a complete interbeing* of vine and branches.
Here's where my meditations have been lately, in that reciprocal dynamic of hearing the words "abide in me" as an invitation from Christ and at the same time my invitation to him. Back and forth, each of us expressing our desire to be one at the level of the heart. And that same phrase takes on another tone as well. "Abide in me" becomes a statement of fact as well -- Christ abides in me, and I take that as an article of faith. Whether I am able to abide in Christ at all times is another story, but it is surely an endeavor well worth my efforts. In meditation, for me, the word "Abide" has become the bridge that both connects me with Christ, and allows Christ to be my constant companion over the bridge of suffering toward union with God.
And it gets better -- if we abide in Christ and Christ abides in us, then his Joy will be in us, and our Joy will be complete (Jn 15:11). That's it, that's the goal, the endpoint of the human endeavor. In just a few verses our Divine Travelling Companion has identified the destination and laid out the map. Of course, we still have work to do. The suffering doesn't magically disappear. Once it is placed in perspective, though, we may at least proceed with the courage and hope of those who know the road is open and waiting for us.
*Acknowledging Thich Nhat Hahn for the neologism, "interbeing."
When acting as the divine Bridge in our lives, Jesus requires us to be wholly united with him interiorly at all times, never separated. It is only when we stray from this mystical union within our souls that we wander from this Bridge and become as lost sheep, adrift aimlessly without purpose or direction. By mustering up the strength and conviction to prioritize our inner relationship with Christ above all things, we surmount the single biggest obstacle that prevents us from achieving a continuous, tangible sense of connection with our divine Bridge within: diverting our attention away from the Bridge. Correspondingly, as you proclaim, “We are here to experience Joy - that is God's intention for us.” The first three fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, and peace (Gal. 5:22). When we fully anchor the ground of our being in Christ, “then his Joy will be in us, and our Joy will be complete,” as you triumphantly observe, and our lives will similarly be suffused with immutable Love and Peace, forever immune from the vicissitudes wrought by the temporal sufferings of this life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, E.C.S. It is exactly that sense of constant and complete unity that so resonates for me in the word "abide." It carries both a dynamic sense of reciprocity and a focused sense of inner peace, not quite static or passive, but inward and concentrated. Such a complex experience to try to put words to!! Blessings.
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