Did you ever consider that as Christians we are called to write the Gospel of our lives? Gospel means “good news”. Our lives are or should be a Gospel, good news for others. The values we live, the moral lessons we teach our children, the ethical code by which we conduct our lives, are our retelling of the Gospel.
Our lives should reflect the story of Jesus by the compassion we show, the justice we fight for, the peace we seek to create in our families, our communities, our nation.
In his book, ‘Visible Words’ a treatise on the sacraments, Robert Jensen describes the sacraments as “Visible Words”. The Gospel wants to be as visible as possible. Perhaps the most important thing that we can communicate to each other in this world is God. Jesus wants to be visible in our world, our time.
The body which is the Church and the sacraments which are such an important part of it, are said in scripture to be the body of the living Jesus Christ.
Some people would say why do we need the sacraments? The theologian Robert Farrar Capon in talking about Confession speaks of a person saying to him, why should I go to a priest for Confession when I can just ask God for forgiveness?
Capon responds, “Why go to a party when you can drink by yourself?” Why kiss your wife when you both know that you love her? Why tell great jokes to friends who have heard them before? Why take your daughter to lunch on her birthday when you know that you are going to have supper with her anyway? Why be human when you can be a jerk?”
The point being that as humans we are sacramental people, we need to display in concrete, outward actions what we believe.
On this third day of the Christmas season, we celebrate the feast of John, one of the writers of the Gospels. He was one of the closest friends of Jesus and wrote of his experience, and the many events and teachings of Jesus.
As we remember John and the Gospel that he wrote, let us remember that we too are called, to be Gospel writers, by the love that we give and receive, the forgiveness we seek and offer, the kindness we display for others.
In the words of Robert Jensen, let us be true sacraments, visible words of Jesus’ life and teachings.