“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same
man.” Heraclitus, 500 B.C.
How many times have you heard people complain about Michigan weather? “Well, wait a few
minutes and it will change!” we say, consoling ourselves by accepting something over which we
have no control. Last weekend was a classic example: 84°F Saturday; 34°F Monday, with snow
flurries to boot! Hence, like it or not, we concede to the oxymoron, “The only constant is
change.”
It is fair to say that many of us don’t particularly like change. Many prefer consistency,
predictability and routine, along with some change, of course – otherwise life would be pretty
boring! On the other hand, there are those who really like change. The mix in our lives then is
not really an either/or, it’s a both/and. So, where would you place yourself on the continuum?
Are you reluctant to, or open to change?
As Catholics, shouldn’t we embrace BOTH consistency and an openness to change? And,
doesn’t it make sense that this applies to all dimensions of our lives: spiritual, family, work,
social, etc.? Sometimes we struggle to establish consistency, ‘holy habits’ and virtue. Other
times we wrestle with changes that are imposed upon us.
In the Second Letter of St. Peter, we are reminded that God has given us all things that we
might become “partakers of the divine nature”. In order to attain that end, we must go
through a sweeping transformational change and establish steady, habitual virtue.
For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue
with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly
affection with love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
The Christian life begins and ends with change. The first words from Jesus in the Gospel of
Mark are, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the
gospel.” Repent, as we know, comes from the Greek word metanoia, meaning to change our
heart and mind.
The fullness of the Christian life – the end to which we are called, will be fully realized on that
day when our bodies are raised from the dead, changed in an instant to be like his. We profess
this hope in the last sentence of the Nicene Creed when we say: “I look forward to the
resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
And so, let us all enter in, as we continue our celebration of this Easter season – this 50-day
taste of the heavenly banquet, experiencing what it means when we say, “Christ is risen”!
+Deacon Dave
“But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body…”
(Philippians 3:20-21)