The Hard Way

by The Reverend Mike Demmon

For Your Reading: Genesis 39:1-23; 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:15; Mark 2:1-12

The Collect from this past Sunday reminds us that Jesus himself was led by Satan into the wilderness; not an easy way to go. Our readings today challenge us to consider: are we going the easy way or the hard way?

Joseph goes the hard way. Instead of accepting the advances of Potipher's wife, he flees immorality and ends up in prison. Yet we notice that the Lord was with him in prison, and also in the hard work which follows concerning the famine and reconciling with his brothers. The Lord is with us on the hard way.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to go the hard way - neither settling for milk nor choking unprepared on solid food and suffering indigestion on the truth. Rather, (in a later metaphor) going the hard way means building upon the foundation of Christ with materials that will survive the test of fire. Milk is easy; building with wood and straw is easy. Digesting the solid food of sound teaching, or building one's faith on doctrines which, like gold and silver, have lasted and will last, is hard. But the Lord is with us on the hard way.

Jesus, knowing their hardness of heart, asks the scribes directly, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat and walk'?" The funny thing is that neither of these things is easy and both are certainly impossible without God. Both are harder even than getting Jesus' attention in his crowded house, which the paralyzed man's friends did by cutting a hole in Jesus' own roof. But by blessing their get-it-done faith, Jesus shows them he is with them on the hard way.

One of my favorite lyrics from Denver's own band The Fray is, "Sometimes the hardest thing and right thing are the same" (From the song All At Once). The Gospel is paradoxically the easiest way and the hardest way. It is as easy as "Your sins are forgiven you," but as hard as fleeing that sin, surviving the refiner's fire, and picking up one's mat. The hard way is the Way of the Cross. That's where Jesus is going, and he invites us to join him.

For Your Prayer: Mediate on "Your sins are forgiven you". Then close with this prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer, page 101)

For Your Reflection: Have you let laziness, laxity, or fear of difficulty lead you to compromise your foundation in Christ? Practically? Theologically? In what ways can the Way of the Cross penetrate more deeply in all aspects of your life? How does this all jive with "my yoke is easy and my burden is light"?

The Rev. Mike Demmon is a Priest in the Diocese of Colorado, and a Chaplain in the U.S. Army. He serves on Active Duty at Fort Stewart, GA in the 3rd Infantry Division as the Battalion Chaplain for 3-69 Armor, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team.