Lenten Reflection

Getting over ourselves

By Garry Cox
Sacramento Presbytery Joining Hands Against Hunger

“Get over yourself” was an old phrase used by teens to chide their friends into not being preoccupied with their own problems. It was an encouragement to think of others or to at least get some perspective on their issues. Joining Hands is a project about “getting over ourselves” by encouraging us to live with the issues and concerns of people who are in a totally different context and life. In Sacramento our connection with India is an exercise in that direction. We are connected with people of an ancient culture who are struggling to live healthy, productive and sustainable lives in the midst of a globalized world. We are trying to think in different ways to support their struggle.

Trying to get outside of ourselves is a deeply theological issue. During Lent we are to go within and identify where we need to change and grow. We look at the life and sacrifice of Jesus, but if we aren’t careful we put the whole burden of change on his sacrifice. We need to consider the difference between his sacrifice of love as a “substitute” versus his sacrificial love as a “model” for our own life of sacrificial love. We need to be mindful that Christ’s saving love is both  a personally liberating experience and a challenging way of life. Do we let Jesus act as our super hero, coming into our lives to rescue us, or as the true human being who empowers us to live sacrificial lives personally and corporately?

In our relationship with the people of South India we are able to at least temporarily “get over ourselves” and see the world with different eyes. Being drawn into their struggle we not only see the contrast between our lives and theirs but we also realize that we have something to offer. We walk in solidarity with them as they work to heal and restore the sovereignty of their lives. They are facing enormous challenges as they seek to gain ownership of land on which to grow food for their families and to support their local villages. They seek sovereignty over their land and water in order to create viable, sustainable communities. They want to be able to play the music of their culture, dance together in the village square, and see their families live together and in harmony with their neighbors. 

Our personal Lenten journey is within and then beyond ourselves, to a far country, where Christ’s model of sacrificial living becomes the way. The language of solidarity, support and empowerment replaces the language of a super hero’s coming to our rescue. We then will carry in our minds and hearts the courageous energy we need to show forth the love and justice of Jesus Christ. It will appear not only in our own lives, but also in a far country where our journey has taken us. I am certain that we will someday arrive at a place very much like the one where Jesus taught and lived many years ago, a place where the Kingdom appeared.