Like many new age fathers, I was in the delivery room as my first child was born. I vowed right then that I could never ask for another child. I could not put anyone through the pain of birth. From all the evidence, the pain is excruciating probably right up there with CIA torture, water boarding and the like. Not for the faint of heart. I also recall the actual birth of my daughter, the tears of joy, the elation, the thankfulness and praise of God who had graced such a magnificent child to the world.
There is a saying, whether you buy into it or not, "No pain, no gain". I have likened Lent to us struggling to emerge from a cocoon, becoming and accepting the beautiful butterfly that God has us created to be. The struggles it seems are real to life.
When we submit ourselves to challenges and growth it is not easy. Sometimes we must strain to see the obvious we somehow fail to see. Sometimes we must overcome our very own selfishness and ignorance. Growth it seems is not easy.
Returning to nature, seeds must crack and open to produce new growth, a new life, a plant. Perhaps not having any self awareness, it still knows to reach to the sky, the sun as it's source of nourishment and for life itself. Do plants praise?
In our own brokenness and pain we can find new life. We can also crawl back into ourselves trying to nourish ourselves with the pain, living on that. It never works. It may work for a while but attempting to nourish ourselves on pain and anguish, sadness and fear is a slow and lingering death. It is not what we are meant for. Like plants we are made to reach up and out, especially in the face of our pain and brokenness.
For brokenness, pain, new growth and love, we pray.
John 16:16-33
‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying to us, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”; and “Because I am going to the Father”?’ They said, ‘What does he mean by this “a little while”? We do not know what he is talking about.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’
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