A Done Deal

Sorry about hammering on this, but after seeing millions like this stuff, well, IT NEEDS HAMMERING!

They’ll be asking, and you’ll want to have them answers ready. But what’s more, maybe you got sucked in too? Here are a few choice lines of Jefferson Bethke's poetry:

See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores
Like let’s dress up the outside make it look nice and neat

…

Now I ain’t judgin, I’m just saying quit putting on a fake look
…

[I WAS] Acting like a church kid, while addicted to pornography
See on Sunday I’d go to church, but Saturday getting faded
Acting if I was simply created just to have sex and get wasted
See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness

…

Because if grace is water, then the Church should be an ocean
It’s not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken
Which means I don’t have to hide my failure, I don’t have to hide my sin
Because it doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him
…

But the Son of God never supports self-righteousness. Not now, not then

…

See because religion says do, Jesus says done
…

Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own
Not based on my merits but Jesus’s obedience alone

Bottom-line: Is Jesus’ salvation really a “done deal?” Does Religion really ONLY say “do?” Are they truly at odds?

This kind of weak reasoning is all over the place. “Not A, therefore B.”

Not overcooked beef, therefore undercooked beef.

Not a dress too short, therefore a dress too long.

I.e. Not extreme 1, therefore extreme 2.

Let’s agree:

Jesus came to forgive √

He hates self-righteousness √

The outside is not enough √

But you know, a prerequisite for being able to accept God’s mercy and forgiveness through the grace of the sacrament of confession is the determination never to sin again:

Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more.” (Jn 8:10)

*****

Remember Alice?

I thought I would let you know: She finally started her ballet lessons. You never would have guessed; her first day of practice, she fell down 103 times! But her teacher didn’t seem to mind in the  least… as long as Alice kept getting back up, determined to continue the fight.




By Father Nathan Miller