March 31, 2022

“From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

Ernest Hemingway, the brilliant and depressed writer who finally ended his own life, said, "that terrible mood of depression of whether it’s any good or not is what is known as the Artist’s Reward." Hemingway was referring to whatever his latest creative work was, but he could have been describing everyone’s reality. The pressure to produce in life, and then to be judged as "any good or not," is enough to depress anyone.

Well, those rules just simply do not apply to you! For you are a new creation in Christ. The old human point of view has hit the road – gone forever!

“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Fourth Sunday in Advent – BCP)