Good morning…
Prayerfully pondering what wisdom to unpack with the Genesis Class this morning, words from the recesses of my mind bubble up from the Apostles Creed, words we recited collective every week as I grew up as a child in the Lutheran Church. Jesus “descended into hell. The third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.”
Descend. Hell. Ascend. Heaven. I am a very visual learner, so I envision these words dancing like partners into the pattern of a “check mark.” Down into hell, up high into heaven. For Jesus the “check mark” happened after he “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.” It strikes me that if the descending motion was equal in length to the ascending movement, then a simple “v” would be formed. Instead, the back tail of the “check mark” always lifts abundantly higher than the tinier, descending tail. This “check mark” visual tactically teaches me: life-changing experiences of descending into hell are miraculously followed by an abundant ascent into higher intimacy with God the Father Almighty.
For us a “check mark” might happen after a death or a divorce. Following infidelity or infertility. Dealing with disease or depression. Even wildly celebrated experiences are a strange mixture of a little loss for a greater gain: a move or a graduation, an empty nest or our child’s hand given in marriage. We hate experiences that push us down into hell, separating us, isolating us, forcing us to let go of someone or something we deeply love. Following in the footsteps of Jesus, at significant moments over our lifetime we each descend into hell, staying in a dark tomb for “three long, grueling days” before we ever begin to rise. Stopping our deep descent to begin our amazing ascent is a mysterious miracle only God can perform. Cooperating with our Creator, we are consoled, cared for, carried as we live through our own hell to experience fresh oneness with God, oneness on earth as it is in heaven.
I just read a Richard Rohr quote which sums up today’s lesson: “Religion is lived by people who are afraid of hell. Spirituality (living daily in the power of God’s Holy Spirit) is lived by people who have been through hell.” (Breathing Underwater, 9)
…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10, NIV). God’s will for all of us is oneness. Our “check mark” experiences enhance our oneness with God and with each other as we live into the blessing of Christ’s prayer for us: Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one (John 17:11, NIV).
…Sue…
