Fr Martin Kallunkal
READING: “So, since Christ suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, in that he spends the rest of his time on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires” (1 Pet. 4:1-2).
REFLECTION: Is there any Christian who has never experienced an inner struggle between what the will of God demands and where his/her human desires lead. In the brief passage we have read, the Scripture addresses this common problem. The Scripture has a very persuasive argument: Christ suffered in the flesh, which we know brought life to many. It so happened because in the Christ-event, ‘being put to death’ is paradoxically ‘being made alive in the Spirit’ (I Pet 3:18). Therefore, one must put on the mind of Christ in this regard. One might think that the passage is providing us with a disciplinary method in personal spiritual life, which anyone may practise in view of stopping to sin. In fact, what the passage tells us seems to be slightly different. One’s willingness to stop gratifying one’s sinful desires and to take pains to perform good acts is a sign that one has overcome sin completely. Taking suffering as a means-to-end, which the passage does not suggest, can lead to an incorrect understanding of Christ’s mind, and consequently, false glorification of suffering. Suffering in itself is undesirable. God does not want His children to suffer. God wants us to turn away from sinful ways and find happiness in doing good as Jesus did. The Scripture asks us to arm ourselves with the attitude that one who suffers moves away from sin. The military metaphor of arming indicates that the attitude itself is a weapon in the tough combat with sin. However, sin, here, is not meant to be an evil power; it is an evil act. Actions performed in accordance with the dictates of flesh are contrary to actions performed according to the promptings of the Spirit of God. The suffering required from Christians is not in fighting evil powers but in doing good. Of course, the first good thing, a sinful person has to do is to depart from one’s inordinate appetites and imperfections. Due to the inordinate appetites and imperfections, one fails to fulfil God’s will. Withdrawing the senses from their objects suggested by the mind of the flesh is a painstaking mental activity. In order to do this, one needs a very strong mental disposition. Hence, the Scripture asks us to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ who wanted to love at any prize. Love alone is the ultimate truth; suffering is neither the ultimate value nor a way to the ultimate. Suffering is the hard skin of love in a cold world of selfishness.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, equip my mind with your attitude, a moral and spiritual disposition to fulfil Father’s will in the details of my life without minding the risks involved.
CONTEMPLATION: Focus your attention on the passion of Christ. Passion, as we know, is an intense and compelling desire. It can range from a strong attraction to an enthusiastic enjoyment of an activity. In the whole history of the world there is none other than Jesus who was so passionate to an idea and activity, namely, loving and saving all God’s children, that the very word passion has become a proper term that refers to His love which unfolded in His ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
ACTION: Identify and list the passions in your life. Check and see if the desire to fulfil the will the God comes first in the list. If not, make every effort to prioritize God in your spiritual life and social life.
