In my year-and-a-half here at The Farm I have pondered our pillar of simplicity many a time. I have written out thoughts and reflections on this pillar before and every time it leads me somewhere else. However, while sitting here in holy hour turning to Christ for inspiration, I am reminded of the best example of simplicity... Christ giving his “Yes”. Simple, straightforward and certain. Christ did not make saving our souls complicated. Christ simply allowed for his father's will to be done.
I don't mean for that to sound as if Christ's agony and death is just any small thing. No, it's huge! We get to live forever and in glory because God sent his only son to die for us. God could have given up and washed his hands of us, but instead he opened his hands on the cross to be pounded with the pain of our sins.
Christ simply offered up his yes so that our father's will would be done. I think how many times in my life I have given anything but a simple answer. I'm sure we have all given those complicated responses to Christ's call such as:
“I'm exhausted Lord.” “I don't understand.” “You're asking me to do what?” “Maybe, but only if no one else will,” and the list goes on.
Then I think, what if Christ had given such wishy-washy complex responses; where would we be today? What future could there possibly be? It is for that reason that Christ is our perfect example of living out simplicity. He calls us to simply follow. He calls us to simply trust. He calls us to simply do his will.
Be not fooled though... God never said even an uncomplicated wholehearted certain “Yes” would come without pain. That is clear through Christ's example to us on the cross. I look at the daily “Yes” given by each of the missionaries and our kids' caregivers and I see the certain but difficult “Yes” Christ gave.
I see Christ accepting one more lashing in the faces of the house parents who offer up the harsh words thrown at them from an angry child. I see Christ carrying his cross in the exhausted steps of the missionary who without hesitation responds to the seventh emergency in as many days or even hours. I see Christ with his arms spread wide to embrace us and with his last breath I see each member of this mission embrace our children with complete abandon of self.
Just as Christ died and rose again to give us a future I pray that we may always no matter the pain give our simple straightforward and certain “Yes”, die to self and rise each day for our children's futures.
