Raiders
For those who grew up on the epic adventures of Indiana Jones, there is much excitement about the latest installment of the films to be released in June this year. For many, the best of them all is the third installment, “The Last Crusade,” and the quest to find the Holy Grail. One would be hard-pressed to surpass Sean Connery and Harrison Ford playing the father and son duo in their sometimes-tense and always-entertaining relationship.
In the climax of the film, Indiana must rush to find the grail to save his wounded father. To reach the room holding the Holy Grail requires him to pass three tests of faith. First, is the path of God: Only the penitent man shall pass. Second, is the Word of God: Only in the footsteps of God shall he proceed. Third is the breath of God: Only in a leap from the lion’s head (leap of faith) shall he prove his worth.
(Here is the link to the famous scene if you don’t remember.) Bing Videos
There are similar tests that we face along our journeys of faith. Within the Catholic tradition, there seems to be a deeper understanding of actions that help us proceed, growing in the likeness of Jesus. Terms such as penance and penitence are familiar within Catholicism but less so in the Protestant tradition. Penitence is regret or sorrow for wrongdoing while penance refers to actions taken to demonstrate this sorrow as an act of repentance.
Each of us experiences sorrow for the way we live our lives. In our reformed tradition confession is a central part of any service of worship. How we respond to this sense of regret impacts the way we continue to live as followers of Jesus.
Having seen confession booths in various films, we might be familiar with confession and the legalistic form of penance where one is required to repeat a prayer a prescribed number of times. Yet, other forms of penance exist and may be quite helpful in our own faith and growth.
An alternative means of expressing regret as penance is to accept daily crosses or hurdles with patience. This requires a transformation of mindset. Frustration often builds when we face difficulties or challenges each day. But these circumstances will always be part of life. We can begin to see them as opportunities to practice grace and patience, with ourselves and others. They can be reminders of the work that God continues to do to shape us into the people we were created to be.
This also encourages us to be open about our difficulties, and not afraid to be vulnerable within our Christian community. It also allows us to assist others as they work through their challenges. God has given us the community of faith that we might not feel alone and isolated, accepting the fact that life’s challenges are universal. Let us work together on practicing penance through this gift of patience and understanding in our community of faith.
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As RPC’s Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss, has a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.