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The God of Second Chances
Last week, Christians and Jews celebrated the holy days of Passover and Easter. One of the many lessons of these celebrations is that God gives second chances, not to mention thirds, fourths, and more. We live in a time where we need to believe in second chances.
At one point or another, we all need a second chance. A relationship goes sour, a deal falls apart, a test is not met, a spouse fails you, a child breaks your heart. Disappointment can easily become despair and we wonder, "Should I try again? Will I get a second chance? Do I even want one?"
In both Torah and Gospel, people experience God's answer: "Yes! Try again. I'm still with you." Despite our failings, the covenant isn't broken. Despite our betrayal, love is not defeated. The promised land is still ours; resurrection is possible.
This is the most fundamental hope of people of faith: God is on our side, ready to give us another chance. The universe isn't random, chaotic, arbitrary. We are not gamblers trying to win a game but hopelessly destined to lose all our chips. We are seekers looking for what is truly beautiful, truly good, truly eternal. And in our seeking, we find.
It's the seeking that matters--the willingness to rise day after day, pack all your fears and disappointments into your backpack and still head off on the day's journey looking for a truth worth believing in, a beauty that cannot be worn out, a goodness that has no end.
It is the seeking that matters and the Israelites knew it: they ate their Passover supper with their loins girt. "You shall eat like those who are in flight" says the Lord. Be on the move, ready to journey outward; know that what you seek is still in the distance.
The disciples of Jesus knew it too. "Seek and you shall find." They would journey to Jerusalem for their own Passover and find it on Calvary. Along the path, they questioned, begged for answers, tried to follow. Their rabbi gave them only strength for the seeking, not the end point of repose. "He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end." Love. That's the only destination they could count on.
We live in a time that calls out for second chances. For so many, the answers of old just don't work. Trust in religion, government, business, and even family is shaken. The ship sails, but the rudder is broken. We celebrate change but recognize in it a profound sadness about what we have become. We're focused on change but only because we don't like where we are.
In the midst of these great celebrations of both Jewish and Christian faith, we might do well to remember the ultimate source of our belief in change. As we pull ourselves up from the mat, downed by economic collapse, disappointed by the failings of individuals, overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge of peace, we try again because at some level, we believe.
And we take another chance at life because whether we be Jew or Christian, believer or non believer, from east or west, we are pulled toward a hope that cannot be dashed, driven by a love that cannot be ended, strengthened by a source we cannot name. Call it what you will but it rustles us forward, urges us on, gives us passion, leads us to bet it all again.
And so we take another chance, cross the river, run to the tomb hoping to find it empty and ready to believe. It's true: God really is that into us! It all matters. We should try again.
Happy Easter. Happy Passover. Take another chance. L'haim.
By
Timothy Shriver
|
April 13, 2009; 9:15 AM ET
| Category:
Religion From the Heart
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Posted by: artistkvip1 | April 13, 2009 9:04 PM
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Posted by: David Waters | April 14, 2009 5:11 PM
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Mr. Shriver,
Much of what you said can be applied to any species,, not only the human one.
You get beaten down, you try again,and again, and again. I know for a fact that an animal can feel despair, and the higher up in the food chain the more despair it can feel.
They don't pray, they don't need a bible, torah, koran, etc. They just get up and try again, and again. and again.
I have a cat who absolutely loved my dog. When I had to put the dog down, my cat was in despair.....She cried for days and hid for months not wanting to be part of the family any more....Now she slowly comes out of her shell and needs to be loved by the humans because her instincts know if it better to be with the crowd than totally alone.
Did she pray to your God???
I don't think so, but who am I to judge.......
Posted by: Gaby1 | April 14, 2009 7:39 PM
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Second, third, fourth and on and on chances given by god !!! Give us a break!!
How about babies born permanently deaf and/or blind? How about the 35 million dead babies murdered by their parents before these children saw the light of day??
The better perspective of "god" and this singularity's interaction with the human species as per the famous, contemporary, Catholic theologian,
Father Edward Schillebeeckx:
Church: The Human Story of God,
Crossroad, 1993, p.91 (softcover)
"Christians (et al) must give up a perverse, unhealthy and inhuman doctrine of predestination without in so doing making God the great scapegoat of history."
"Nothing is determined in advance: in nature there is chance and determinism; in the world of human activity there is possibility of free choices.
Therefore the historical future is not known even to God, otherwise we and our history would be merely a puppet show in which God holds the strings.
For God, too, history is an adventure, an open history for and of men and women."
Posted by: CCNL | April 15, 2009 4:43 PM
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a very well written ... thoughtful post.... i would only add the actual findings of truth or justice or invention, is quite important also and should not be covered up or hidden because it embarrasses the high and mighty.. at least of thier own minds