The Only Way Through

A Reflection on the Second Reading for June 20th, 2021:
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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2 Corinthians
5.14-17

Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view. Even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

One of my favourite sayings has become “the only way through is through”. Not over, around, or under, but through. It’s certainly not my favourite because it’s a romantic, pithy, feel-good statement; I like it because in my experience, it’s true. When I have tried to avoid my problems, I have found myself with new, even bigger problems; deeper holes that I’ve dug or more complexity than I know what to do with.

If you can identify with this, then you also know that recognizing how we got there is key. You would also know that it can be very difficult to see our way through these complex problems and out of these deep holes. Receiving forgiveness for our sin is necessary for healing; and the next step is walking so closely with God that we intercept old, wounded patterns of behaviour with a new vision of relationship that I believe is only possible with the gift of grace.

This is Saint Paul’s exhortation — that everything old is made new with Christ, that we see things differently once we know His healing love. The purity of my deepest self has been restored with the steadfast, eternal, and reckless love of God.

This can be hard for me to believe when I am wading through heavy emotion of grief and fear — but when I look back on my life, I know for sure that everything old is passing away, and it is all becoming new!

I am eternally grateful for those in my life who do not see me from a human point of view but with the eyes of God, who sees me as a new creation with infinite value. Those who have been made new, who live no longer for themselves, but for Christ, are helping me to know and live out of this truth. This is living the gospel — this is how lives are transformed. I remain in the hope that one day you and I will be fully transformed and without hesitation or limitation, be free to love and guide others in whatever small way is ours, into their newness of life. 

This is my prayer for our Church. Amen.




Lindsay Elford
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