"Just give it to God."
Have you heard that phrase? "Give it to God." It reminds me of the phrase: "Just offer it up." I typically don't like to hear that phrase. And "give it to God" is just as grating to me. I mean, I understand the sentiment: God is in control and just hand whatever is bothering you-- hand it over to Him. And I try to do that: I give Him my stress, my worries, my sufferings ... And do you know what happens five minutes later? I'm worrying about those things again. Sure, I try to give things to God. But, in the end I find myself constantly taking those things back.
Something that has helped me in recent months is to look at this in a different way. Yes, God wants us to trust Him with our worries and stresses. But, the starting point-- the point that I think is the bigger deal for all of us-- is to simply give God access.
To give God permission to climb into the boat of my soul, swamped with all its problems. To let Him access to our shame or embarrassment or guilt or shortcomings. ... So, we can talk about "giving it to God," but I am realizing the starting point is to simply give God access.
Now, when I think about "access," I, in my late-20th-century mentality, think about computers and cell-phones (which, really, have become one and the same thing). And when you use your computer or cell-phone, and you search on the internet, you sometimes come across a webpage that says something like, "This page uses cookies. Is that ok?" Alas, we are not talking about chocolate-chip cookies. When a webpage asks for permission to use cookies, it is asking if it can access your phone and place a few things on it so that it can do, well, whatever it wants: it may be to track your habit of browsing the page; it may be to give you a better browsing experience of the page. And, for the most part, many people simply say "ok" to the cookies and grant that webpage access.
I thought about this. And I thought: "I wonder if the governmental page of Communist China uses cookies." And if it does use cookies, there is no way in the world that I am going to grant that webpage access. Why would I want Communist China to have access?
This thought gave me an insight about access. We fear access because access can lead to control. I will not allow China to access my phone because I don't want it to have control over my phone.
Access and control.
There is a word that encapsulates these. That word is dominion.
Dominion. It is a word that is often used in reference to kings. A "king-dom" is a king's dominion. Within his kingdom, he has access. He is given control. Of course, this can be fearful if the king is a tyrant. But if he is good, the access and the control in the king's dominion is freeing. His dominion is a dominion of peace, tranquility, blessing.
It is this dominion that is at stake in today's Solemnity. At the heart of this celebration we are brought to the moment of Jesus' crucifixion-- which is an interesting moment to have at the heart of our celebration: the moment of our king's death!
The rulers "sneer" at Him. What a word! Sneer! ... And the soldiers, following their masters, "jeer" at Him. Clearly, they do not see Jesus as a true and powerful king; they do not see themselves within His dominion. Thus, they do not give Him access to their hearts.
Then we see the bad thief. He says, "If you are the Son of God, save us and yourself!" Notice the conditional "if." The thief does not believe that Jesus is the King. In fact, the thief is giving the command to Jesus: "Save us and yourself!" (Of course, this is precisely what Jesus is doing...)
But then we see the good thief. I love how he starts out: "Have you no fear of God?"
What does this mean?
Typically, people think that "fear of God" means to be scared of Him. But that is not the case. After all, the Fear of the Lord is the seventh gift of the Holy Spirit. So, what does the good thief mean?
Fear of the Lord is to recognize that God already has access and control. He already has dominion. He is God -- and we are not. And since He is God, He can do as He wishes. He can mete out justice; He can give mercy. But that is up to Him. He doesn't have to give mercy. And so the good thief says, "We have been condemned according to our crimes."
But then the good thief says to Jesus: "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." Remember me, Lord. Please be good to me. You have dominion over all. You already have access. And I trust you will not be a tyrant (or like the Communists). I believe you will save me -- because you can control that.
And Jesus says, "Today"-- not tomorrow, but today -- "you will be with me in paradise."
The King is good! His dominion is salvation! This is why He has come.
But ....
He will come again. The word "to come" is from the Latin: Adventus -- from which our next season receives its name. Advent. It means Christ is coming.
On the one hand, Christ has come at Christmas. But on the other hand, Christ will come again at the end of the world: the Dies irae, dies illa. The great and wrathful day. On the last day, our Lord will come, no longer with mercy, but with justice. That is a big part of today's celebration. The King will come again and show that everyone has already been and has always been under His dominion. Just as scripture says: "Every knee must bend: in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And every tongue confess: Jesus Christ is Lord." ("Lord," from the Latin: Dominus).
In this way, today's solemnity and the solemnity of Christmas form the bookends of the Season of Advent. Christ has come and Christ will come again.
In the first coming, at Christmas, He comes to invite. He comes peacefully as a babe. But the angelic hosts, the legions in the spiritual warfare, are all there. He can simply say the word ... But He comes peaceably, mercifully ... to invite.
At the Second Coming, at the end of the world, He will come to compel. And then it will be too late.
The good thief, precisely because he accepted the invitation and gave Jesus access, is saved. The others are not.
Therefore, in this upcoming Advent Season, you will hear St. John the Baptist cry out: "Make straight the king's paths! Prepare the way of the Dominus, the Lord!" ... That is to say, give God access to your heart. Let Him have control in your life. Become like the good thief -- today!
For the Lord, our King, is a good God who comes to save. His reign will bring peace and freedom in your life. The best kind of Christmas cookies! The best kind of invitation -- for heaven!
So, yes: do come, Lord! You have access to everything! All is under your dominion. And that includes me.
+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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