Frenemies

A Reflection on the Second Reading for November 18th, 2018: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Hebrews 10.11-14

​Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Where there is forgiveness of sin and lawless deeds, there is no longer any offering for sin
.

---

​ “[U]ntil his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.”

Let's ponder together the function of a footstool. I suppose we could say it exists to provide support and comfort. It is an object of service and subservience to its master. And who are the enemies Jesus speaks of here? I know—it’s those daft Pharisees. Or maybe it’s those nasty Roman soldiers and the malevolent Pontius Pilate. Man, I wouldn’t want to be them. I want to be the one “he has perfected for all time”. I want to be “sanctified”.

How can I be sanctified? According to biblestudytools.com, the generic definition for sanctification is “the state of proper functioning”. As a disciple of Jesus, this is my goal, to be perfected, and He perfects me by way of sanctification. So, all I have to do is function properly and I’m good, right? I feel like I do this most days. But do I? To further expound the definition, we can apply it to other objects. Like a book. A book is sanctified when it has been read. The reading of the book fulfills its intended purpose. Shoes are sanctified when placed on someone’s feet and walked upon. This is their intended purpose. But what sanctifies me? What is my intended purpose?

I was created for God; to live according to His purpose and design. Designed in His image and likeness, I am to take on a journey that returns me to this perfect creation He intended. Because God is Love, I am created by Love, with Love, and for Love. Unfortunately, though, if I were to retrace my steps over the last few weeks, I feel certain the overarching message I was relaying was not “love”.

I guess I haven’t always been great at fulfilling my intended purpose. And I heard it said recently that if we are not moving toward God, we are moving away from Him. There is no static relationship with Him whereas I can do nothing and all’s well. Sanctification is a verb, an actionable item. And I… have been pretty static. What’s worse? This means, I’m a footstool. It’s true. Those enemies Jesus speaks of are not only the more obviously wicked antagonists of faith, but even I become His enemy when I succumb to the sinful nature within me.

"Those enemies Jesus speaks of are not only the more obviously wicked antagonists of faith, but even I become His enemy when I succumb to the sinful nature within me."
​

Tweet

​Maybe this isn’t all bad news, though. Even though my spiritual goal is to be hand in hand with my Saviour through all the ups and downs in this life, a worthy second to that is to be holding up His feet. If I am under His feet, I belong to Him—He has claimed me as a member of His Kingdom. This is His greatest desire, to love His enemies out of the captivity of sin and into the realm of His mercy and grace. He gave His life to achieve it. Recognizing Him as the Master of all aspects of my life is to serve Him and to love being of service to Him. No longer is an offering of any other kind required to abolish my sins—I need only offer myself, as He offered Himself for me. 

Lori MacDonald

---