I am FURIOUS, and he tells me: FORGIVE!
I am AFRAID, and he tells me: TAKE COURAGE!
I have DOUBTS, and he says to me: HAVE CONFIDENCE!
I feel RESTLESS, and he says to me: BE CALM!
I prefer to go MY OWN WAY, and he tells me: COME AND FOLLOW ME!
I make MY OWN PLANS, and he says to me: FORGET ABOUT THEM!
I aim towards MATERIAL GOODS, and he says: LEAVE THEM BEHIND!
I want SECURITY, and he says: I PROMISE YOU ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
I like to live MY OWN LIFE, and he says: LOSE YOUR LIFE!
I believe I AM GOOD, and he tells me: GOOD IS NOT SUFFICIENT!
I like to BE THE BOSS, and he says: SERVE!
I like to COMMAND OTHERS, and he says: OBEY!
I like to UNDERSTAND, and he says: BELIEVE!
I like CLARITY, and he speaks to me in PARABLES.
I like POETRY, and he speaks to me in REALITIES.
I like my TRANQUILITY, and he likes me to be DISTURBED.
I like VIOLENCE, and he says: PEACE BE WITH YOU!
I draw the SWORD, and he says: PUT THAT AWAY!
I think of REVENGE, and he says: OFFER THE OTHER CHEEK!
I speak of ORDER, and he says: I HAVE COME TO BRING THE SWORD!
I choose HATRED, and he says: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.
I try to sow HARMONY, and he says:
I HAVE COME TO CAST FIRE UPON THE EARTH!
I like to be the GREATEST, and he says:
LEARN TO BE AS SMALL AS A CHILD!
I like to remain HIDDEN, and he says:
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!
I look at the BEST PLACE, and he says:
SIT IN THE LAST BENCH!
I like to be NOTICED, and he says:
PRAY IN YOUR ROOM BEHIND LOCKED DOORS!
No, I don’t understand this Jesus.
He provokes me. He confuses me.
Like so many of his disciples
I, too, would like to follow another Master
who would be more certain and less demanding.
But I experienced almost the same as Peter:
“I do not know of anyone else,
WHO HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE!”
(Pe. Zezinho, SCJ, Brazil)
