When you think of living an abundant life, where does your mind go? If you were to imagine the most abundant life that you could have, what would that look like? Once you have that image in your mind, does it match with the image of abundant life that Jesus gives us?
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Peter testifies that the first step of abundant living is coming clean with God and one another. We must admit what we have done, or failed to do, to build up God’s kingdom. For those of us who have been nurtured in the faith, are we patterning our lives after the life of Jesus, or have we given into the image of abundance that contrary beliefs offer?
Do we view abundance as the absolute emptying of ourselves as Jesus did on the cross? Does abundance of life come from allowing God to have control of our lives? Is our security in this abundant life based on the possessions that we amass? Do we allow ourselves on a daily basis to fall to the earth and die like grains of wheat? Do we attend to the needs of others as we would like others to attend to ours? Do we treat others, especially our enemies, as brothers and sisters, or as strangers?
Through the Gospel this weekend, we are given the image of the shepherd and the sheep. Knowing that we are not the shepherd, do we place ourselves as sheep being led by a shepherd, or is that too humiliating and powerless for us? But what might that look like in our daily lives? In the First Letter of Peter this weekend, we hear an explanation of what that will look like. It means that we are patient in the midst of suffering and do not return insult, even when we are insulted. It means bearing the sins of others graciously as Jesus has borne ours. It means following the lead of the shepherd and not seeking greener pastures on our own.
The Easter season is 50 days long so that we can work at being an Easter people, not just people who come to church on Easter Sunday. The living, dying and rising of Jesus is to be the pattern of our lives. As it was for Jesus, so it is for us. This pattern repeats itself over and over again until we breathe our last breath. There is no time in this life span when we are finished living, dying or rising until this earthly life is through.
If we have tried this for any amount of time, we know that our free will and willpower are not enough to sustain the abundant life that Jesus offers us. We can sustain ourselves through our own power for only a short amount of time. If we rely only on ourselves, we find ourselves falling into the same temptations and acting as if belief in Jesus has nothing to do with the way that we live. In Lent, we practiced works of mercy and set aside extra time for prayer. Those same habits are meant to sustain us throughout life. In Lent, we were asked to share with those most in need. Now, we are asked to continue that for the rest of our lives. You probably have noticed that the more often we practice these habits, the easier it is to remember to do them again and again. In fact, if we do this often enough, they will become habits that will lead us into abundant living.
Enjoy this Easter season. I pray that we are blessed enough to not simply move into a fake abundance, but that we are given the grace and awareness to truly empty ourselves for the sake of Jesus Christ, so that we might know the riches of His presence and blessing.
Father Donald Wester is pastor of All Saints Parish in St. Peters.