Christian Life
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.
Titus 2:11-15
Homily
At the university of Notre Dame there is a mural that has come to be called “Touchdown Jesus.” The “Word of Life” mural is on the wall of Hesburgh Library. The mural is a ten-story mosaic. The mural’s theme incorporates saints and scholars throughout the ages. When the Fighting Irish score on the north end of the field they can look up and see the mosaic that depicts Jesus Christ, who wears a crown of thorns and has his arms raised heavenward, appearing to be signaling a touchdown, thus the name “Touchdown Jesus.” For the players, students, and faculty at Notre Dame the statue has come to symbolize victory on the playing field and in life itself.
Paul wrote Titus, who oversaw the Greek church on the isle of Crete, a letter of encouragement. Part of Paul’s letter reads, “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” The Church on Crete had a particular problem with false teachers. In opposing these teachers Paul desired his followers to live upright and godly lives that would be victorious in Christ. In essence Paul wanted the parishioners to be able to look-up and see “Touchdown Jesus.”
I understand sin to be a loss of self-control and that we can only be victorious in Jesus. We can only celebrate “Touchdown Jesus” if we remain uncompromisingly obedient to the scriptures. We must remember the mural on Hesburgh Library was only at the north end of the field, and we must most often live at the south end of the field. Looking to the north, we see Jesus. Looking to the south, we see Satan. And, it is in the south of the field that we often position ourselves.
We desire to live by the Spirit, though we so easily succumb to the desires of the flesh. We let ego and prestige and possessions and power and dominance and superiority to rule over kindness and gentleness and forgiveness and acceptance and self-control.
My older brother keeps an index card in his wallet that has two words written on it – NEED v. WANT. Every time that my brother opens his billfold he sees that note and has to make a decision – is this purchase something that he really needs or just something that he wants, something that he simply desires and that he can do without.
Paper clipped to my prayer list are five behavioral issues that I continually struggle with. Each morning during my daily devotions I must reflect on the progress of change that I am making in these five areas of my life.
Let us, as Christians, be self-disciplined. Let us, as Christians, live our lives obedient to the scriptures. Let us, as Christians, live our lives on the north end of the field.