July 29

“The tragedy now is not the Cross of Christ.  That has become victory.  The tragedy now is that those of us who receive this peace He made there, walk away from the Cross and forget it.  We forget we have no right to resent...to be bitter...to be afraid.  We have no rights if we follow Christ.  This is the freedom.”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 7/29

I’ve always known that we have no rights if we follow Christ, but I’d never thought of it in terms of “no right to resent...to be bitter...to be afraid.”  Put that way it sounds as though they are things I should want!  But now that I take a step back and look at it I can understand what Eugenia is saying.  How often do I demand “my right” to be respected and cared for.  And how often when I don’t receive that “right” do I feel justified in being resentful and bitter?  And when I take a risk of any kind, whether it be financially or in personal relationships, do I feel it’s my "right" to have things go my way and when they don’t I become afraid I’m going to lose something?  Am I not demanding my “right” to be afraid?  To be free in Christ means, in a sense, I have no expectations other than to be loved by God.  God’s love gives me everything I need--I have no need of “rights” anymore.  When we have “rights” we must protect them.  By having no “rights” we are set free from this impossible task. 

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36