CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION
June 30, 1992, 9:15 A.M.
HARD CHOICES

JoHn M. BUCHANAN, SENIOR MINISTER

FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHICAGO
SCRIPTURE
Mark 8:34-38
"Ir ANY WANT TO BE MY FOLLOWERS,
LET THEM TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW
me.” -Mark 8:34 (NRSV)
OU WANT TO BE wh WHEN
YOU GROW uP? THE QUES) QUESTION NEVER LEAVES
us. | OR, PERHAPS MORE_ACCL ACCURATELY, WE
| OURSELVES ANSWERING IT - ALL OUR
a alae a
LIVES.
IT COMES AT US EARLY, |AND SOMETIMES
ees
WE LEARN HOW TO_ANSWER AND HOW _NOT_TO
ANSWER BECAUSE OF THE REACTIONS OF THOSE
ea SSeS aS
WHO ASK IT OF us.|| AND SOMETIMES WHAT WE
WANT TO BE IS POWERFULLY SHAPED BY THE

meee ll AATEC

ONES WHO ASK THE QUESTION AND WHO RE-
aay

SPOND TO OUR CHILDISH ANSWERS EITHER
=

WITH APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.
ea a aT
I RECALL, FOR SOME REASON, A_DIS-
(esacnre. 9
CUSSION IN A SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS. \: I
—— SS eee
MUST HAVE BEEN TEN YEARS OLD \ THE

TEACHER ASKED US WHAT WE WANT TO BE WHEN
Giger SETS

WE GROW UP AND I ANSWERED: ["s WANT TO

BE A BASEBALL pLAvER. "| To THIS DAY I

RECALL THE TEACHER PAINSTAKINGLY EX~

PLAINING HOW UNREALISTIC AND UNLIKELY

ou lo anos wauat

G&>
THAT WAS.. \ HOW VERY FEW EVER MAKE IT TO
et aa inl

THE TOP... HOW IRRESPONSIBLE IT WAS TO

PIN YOUR HOPES ON_IT, SOMETHING SO

REMOTE, ETC., ere. || 1m NOT SURE iT'S
ei ET
THE ONLY REASON 1 NEVER PLAYED FOR THE
eg satinsiiiieimnimeimninatenl
PIRATES ~ BUT IT WAS A LEARNING EXPE-
A cai er ee,
RIENCE.
eee

IN A TIME WHEN SECOND AND THIRD

CAREERS ARE NOT UNCOMMON, [wna bo YOU

WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW up?" | rs A
a

RELEVANT QUESTION.
i
Gs) | AND EVEM FOR THOSE OF US WHO PROBA- fans hers
MM.

BLY WILL NOT CHOOSE ALTERNATE CAREERS "9% ww

a Fact ik tony durselums i
ln eur Wert THE QUESTION POINTS TO A DEEPER DILEMMA } caper ae
LUmpue ko La ~ NAMELY THAT LIFE IS, IN A_SENSE, ve iw
wa Wall wi ALWAYS ASKING/DEMANDING THAT WE CHOOSE reduant =
clare Cores wHo we wipe. © a

ee wast esd | It IS A QUESTION OF PROFOUND IMPOR-

TANCE. jit MAY BE THE question. \ IT IS A
rT

wf QUESTION BEING ASKED IN A PARTICULAR WAY
La

Bs

64%" , am
‘\ TO BE A WOMAN?" J AND THE POPULAR WRITERS
. ‘Si

yramardive —
BY FEMINIST erga te DOES IT MEAN

OF THE NEW MEN’S MOVEMENT ARE ALSO
‘EEE,

ASKING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN Tar.
Se 7

IN THE @@MMMMMME BESTSELLER, FIRE IN
THE Beery, "On BEING A May, "(By SAM
KEEN, THERE IS A PROVOCATIVE SECTION

ABOUT WORK AND IDENTITY. | KEEN Is A

PHILOSOPHER, AUTHOR, ERI TOR OF PsYCHOLO-
Ee
GY TopAY, AND BEFORE ALL THAT, A PROFES-
Ee.
SOR OF THEOLOGY AT A PRESBYTERIAN SEMI-
querer
NARY, ALTHOUGH YOU WILL NOT FIND THAT

MENTIONED ON THE DUST JACKET OF THE

oo \| HE MAINTAINS THAT OLD DEFINITIONS
Ba

bY

OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN DON "T WORK
anEER,

ANYMORE, AND THAT IN THE WAKE OF A
ee Dal

DECADE OR SO OF FEMINISM, MEN_HAVE SOME

CATCHING UP TO vo Hrs BOOK IS ABOUT
—_— ee,

MEN 8UT IT IS CERTAINLY NOT EXCLUSIVELY

=e Cd ‘eo
FOR wen. Kee REM UTHE RO ORT TERS AeOUT
ery

ce AINS

weM) EVER SINCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLU-
TION TOOK ADULT MEN AWAY FROM_HOME TO
EARN A LzyNa, | BOYS WHO HAVE SPENT MOST
Meee Cie
OF THEIR TIME WITH WOMEN, HAVE BEEN
Ce

DEPRIVED OF CONSISTENT ADULT MALE ROLE

MODELS, AND TRADITIONAL RITES OF PASSAGE
ps aaa

INTO ADULTHOOD. J THE CULTURE HAS STEPPED
=e, mt, 0 ti‘

TN AND DONE INA UATELY WHAT FATHERS,

UNCLES, GRANDFATHERS, VILLAGE ELDERS
== Ea se

GlGWs, WOW shill nat, of Wrst, , as

giuils

wrarture. Ub Yon, WI .

J by onl , ———— "hick he

“PREPARATIONS FOR THE MALE RITUAL

eee
OF WORK BEGINS EVEN BEFORE THE AGE OF
ree
SCHOOLING. | LoNG BEFORE A LITTLE BOY
a
CHILD HAS A CONCEPT OF THE DAY AFTER
ee,

TOMORROW, HE WILL BE ASKED BY WELL~

MEANING BUT UNCONSCIOUS ADULTS, \'WHAT DO
nae
YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW up?')Itr

WILL NOT TAKE HIM LONG TO DISCOVER THAT

"I WANT TO BE A HORSE ' IS NOT AN ANSWER

THAT SATISFIES apurrs. | THEY WANT TO

KNOW WHAT MEN PLAN TO DO, WHAT JOB,
Rea, a

PROFESSION, OCCUPATION, WE HAVE DECIDED

TO FOLLOW AT FIVE YEARS OF ace!\ Boys

ARE TAUGHT EARLY THAT THEY ARE WHAT THEY

hel PO" fr BOYS
a “el iw ? ae RITES OF PASSAGE, INCLUDE Sat athkehts, +

GAMES WHICH PREPARE MEN FOR THE BATTLES
]

bel
OF BUSINESS AND LIFE... THE_FIRST FULL~
i nel

TIME JOB...AND THEN GETTING A CREDIT

— ere ,
FOR THE MODERN MALE WHAT KILLING PREY

caro.| "THE CREDIT CARD," KEEN SAYS, "IS

WAS TO A HUNTER..., THE VISA CaRD IS AN
Ce

Caneel

INSIGNIA OF MEMBERSHIP, | A SIGN THAT THE

SYSTEM TRUSTS YOU TO SPEND WHAT YOU HAVE
al eT

NOT YET eannen. | IN MODERN AMERICA GOING
‘EIT Dd

INTO DEBT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ASSUM-

ING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF_MANHOOD.
: —ee

4

DEBT, THE WILLINGNESS TO LIVE BEYOND OUR
ams eee ALT

ECONOMIC SYSTEM

eed

MEANS, BINDS US TO THE
fs aed
THAT REQUIRES BOTH SURPLUS WORK AND
a mal
SURPLUS consuprroN.\ THE POPULAR BUMPER
sticker 'I OWE, I OWE, SO OFF TO WORK I

co, '[uxcnt WELL BE THE LITANY TO_EXPRESS

THE DILEMMA OF MODERN MEN AND wonen.”
[p. 51-531

FARE HOLD-
ING UP FOR OUR CAREFUL INSPECTION TODAY,
bd

THE MODELS OF MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD
ee I

be
[ tere

WHICH POWERFULLY INFLUENCE us.

WORK IS IMPORTANT. [THEY ARE ASKING

ABOUT OUR BASIC IDENTITY AS MEN AND
7

WOMEN WHO LIVE AND MOVE AND_H

AVE BEING

FOR SEVEN OR EIGHT DECADES IN THE TWEN-
—_, @ « «4« sais

TIETH AND TWENTY-FIRST centurtes. \ THEY

ARE ASKING THE HUMAN QUESTION "WHO ARE
we? \ WHY ARE WE WHO WE are?\ WHo WILL WE
Perec worn ag Se
BE WHEN WE GROW ue?” |
ee,
Sam KEEN AND ‘alas OTHERS ARE
ae
JOINING A GROWING CHORUS OF VOICES
ioe
SUGGESTING THAT OUR MODELS ARE WRONG AND

THAT IF OUR IDENTITY IS DEFINED IN

ECONOMIC TERMS avons, PROEETS: CONSUMER-
Se ee

Oa eel

5

What happens

wien ¢@ Wale
culkurt’s \pasic

acca 5

ISM, ACQUISITIONS, SECURITY, WE ARE
‘eee, eo
WORKING WITH A VERY_LOW AND INADEQUATE
= eT
MODEL OF OUR HUMANITY. | THE WORD “ECONO-
Dr aa] Es |
MIST" ITSELF HAS EVOLVED. | OrreznaLty IT
Bc | =
MEANT MANAGER. | AN ECONOMIST WAS ONE WHO
Fe | Po
MANAGED A HOUSEHOLD WITH SIMPLICITY AND
Retr EG, eT
EFFICIENCY AND WITHOUT waste.\ PEOPLE
cc SEE att
WHO PAID SERIOUS ATTENTION TO DOMESTIC
Da

LE
MANAGEMENT USED TO BE CALLED HOME ECONO~

=e eerrereeNT CPS,

MISTS.’ SIGNIFICANTLY THE UNIVERSITY OF

emma OE ad
TowWA RECENTLY CHANGED THE NAME OF ITS
‘4

Home Economics DEPARTMENT TO CONSUMER
QE

Scrence.” (KEEN, P. 2251 KEEN THINKS

er ;
WE DO ANSWER THE IDENTITY QUESTION IN
EC Ot ad
ECONOMIC TERMS. .& JESUS ASKED SIMPLY
crakear EE
“WHAT DOES IT PROFIT TO GAIN THE WORLD
a Ne eee aie enimaal

AND LOSE YOUR SOUL?"

al

HAVE WE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AT
INCULCATING A CULTURE OF ECONOMIC INDI-
Pd (REEL

VIDUALISM THAT WE ARE LOSING re CAPACI-

TY FOR ETHICAL CITIZENSHIP?" ASRS OR

FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT OF GENERAL Motors.

[Can We Keep Our GLORTOUS MARKET IN Its

Proper PLACE?, ELMER JOHNSON]

MATTHEW FOX, PROFESSOR AT MUNDE-
LEIN, SAYS WE HAVE BECOME COMPULSIVE

CONSUMERS, WALKING GARBAGE CANS ESPOUS-
are eit TN tect,

Dd wr telly need
4"\ yoriees a |

ING THE PHILOSOPHY, }"I BUY, THEREFORE, I
—_——-

am." | [A SPIRITUALITY CALLED COMPASSION,
p. 193]

AND THE FORMER HEAD OF NBC AND
Ee Sie

Curtis PUBLISHING PREDICTS THAT UIF OUR

SYSTEM FAILS IT WILL BE BECAUSE THE
ER

PRINCIPLE COMPULSION OF MOST PEOPLE

RUNNING AMERICAN BUSINESS TODAY IS TO
RRIRRRIRESE | MNNEFIETIINEERITEYS—
MAKE SHORT-RUN PROFITS... THE DISEASE
Is cneen.") [ipip, Pp. 196]
I CHUCKLED AT SAM KEEN'S THROW-AWAY

nen
LINE THAT THE WORLD TODAY I5 DEVIDED
spencer Cai erRINE

Del

BETWEEN NATIONS WHO SUFFER BECAUSE THEIR
EEN Noe ER BECAUSE
ECONOMIES HAVE COLLAPSED AND NATIONS WHO
Sein meen pate et oA ASAI pL
SUFFER BECAUSE THEIR ECONOMIES HAVE
ER ECONOMIES

SUCCEEDED. \ro I STOPPED CHUCKLING WHEN

I REALIZED THAT THE NEWSPAPER Odin

Deiemaae DOCUMENT THE TRUTH OF THAT

——

OBSERVATION. B PAGE TyO Tels Ss ABOUT ec
UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE UTTER LACK OF L ann Yew
CONSUMER GOODS B LED clphe- mw
af
ECQHOMTT™ SYSTEM IN EASTERN Eurore.\ PAGE 364% ~
THREE Re THE UNITED STATES LEADS Om, ad
cReEAD i Susi ula
THE FREE WORLD IN EVERY MEASURABLE d wa
— Caste thee Cal\e poe
CATEGORY OF POVERTY... EDUCATION, PER \ - re
worst Lew 4
CENT OF POPULATION nunry,| "ual fe CARE,
wel
LIFE EXPECTANCY. PAGE, FOUR Toee HOW
ee,

HOPELESS IT IS TO BE YOUNG AND AMBITIOUS

laa i — i eal Can Ot py,
ee
Ww d IN vusostavia | PAGE FIVE #@eD HOW THE

Hw th b

TEEN PREGNANCY RATE IN TLLINOIS IN-

on — ahhotau.
¥
CREASED_ MORE THIS YEAR THAN IN ANY et | t blade
IN THE PAST TWO pecanes. | PAGE SIX Meee tla Chats, e+
ABOUT CHILDREN ABANDONED AND STARVING IN Barn,
al

eo
THE Horn OF AFRICA. | PAGE SEVEN sont Mt
ea
ABOUT THE CHILDREN WHO DIED IN THE MOST
IVE-BY" SHOOTING IN Qgeemees Mu Ure jects .

So MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR THE CUL~
BT

TURE, THE NATION, TO ASK ABOUT THE BASIC

DEFINITION OF MEN AND WOMEN WHICH ARE
wammstnsp ee RSET

RECENT "

OPERATIVE HERE, {ABOUT WHAT WE_CHOOSE TO
Ln csc] Dd

BE AS A peopte.\ AND MAYBE IT IS TIME
~ =

FOR EACH OF US TO ASK WHO WE ARE AND

aan of 3

WHY WE ARE WHAT WE ARE AND WHO WE CHOOS
erntitme re Cael

TO BE WHEN WE GROW UP, I.E. IN THE YEARS
ECO

OF LIFE WE HAVE LEFT. YW} N
Yair

It WAS THAT KIND OF CRITICAL. JUNC

TURE FOR THE FRIENDS OF JESUS ONE DAY
EEE,

WHEN HE ASKED THEM WHAT PEOPLE WERE
eal

SAYING ABOUT arm. \ THEY TOLD HIM THAT

SOME WERE SAYING HE WAS JOHN THE Bap-
See ES

TrsT, |OTHERS THOUGHT HE WAS ELIJAH.
BorTH JOHN AND ELIJAH ARE THE ONES WHO
Memmi ETT
WILL ANNOUNCE AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR
wee (WEEE
COMING OF THE MESSIAH IN Israe.\ "BUT

ram
WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?")HE asken.| Ano
ee

8

PETER SAID SimPLY, "YOU ARE THE ovhe

Messtan." }BuT WHEN JESUS GOES ON TO THE
Se

=a

PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING AND DEATH THAT
a ad = “FUERERATENSE:

ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF JESUS OF NAZARETH,

THE ACADEMIC QuEsTION, | HAS BECOME THE
ba |

EXISTENTIAL QUESTION, THE , QUESTION OF »*

ww ca WOU TC am,

=
PERSONAL IDENTITY {\

SON AS JESUS STARTS DZSCUSSJNG THE

IMPLICATIONS AND THE RESULTS OF CALLING
Daal : Daina

HIM Nesszan, [PeTER BEG

po cuorce. | THENCE -
FAN EXTENDED

INS 190 BACK AWAY.

IT'S TIME FOR A H
ad

DENT HAPPENS AT THE END 0!

PERIOD OF TRAVELING THROUGH GALILEE,
acai

SL

TEACHING, HEALING, STAYING WITH FRIENDS,

ore Laid To
AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD

see

FOCUSED ON JERUSALEM, A TIME OF CONFRON~
TATION AND CONFLICT, OF ARREST AND TRIAL
AND EXECUTION.

It’s TIME TO RECIDE WHO THEY WILL

Be. \ AND SO HE PUTS I

LY:
_

"Te ANY WANT TO BECOME MY FOLLOWERS, LET

THEM DENY THEMSELVES AND TAKE_UP THEIR
Ee =e

CROSS AND FOLLOW ne. | For THOSE WHO WANT
aa

TO SAVE THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND
Laci fea

THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR LIFE FOR MY SAKE

WILL SAVE zr. | For WHAT WILL IT PROFIT
ee

THEM TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND FORFEILT

THEIR LIFE?"

A CROSS TO BEAR IS SOMETIMES THE
Doane aes

a
RECURRING RELATIONAL propiem,|A HEAVY

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY ,\ BUT THAT IS NOT

Le el ea

ee

WHAT JESUS MEANT. | To "TAKE_UP_A_CROSS”

IS TO VOLUNTEER, \ TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILI~-

TY YOU DON’T HAVE TO assume, | To WELCOME
eer,

TASKS YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO AVOID.
Seer 7

(% TAKE UP A CROSS")1S TO DO THE UNNEC-

essay, TO ACCEPT FOR ONESELF OBLIGA-

TIONS THE AVOIDANCE OF WHICH WOULD CAUSE
—_/,

NO ONE TO THINK ANY LESS OF us.|
sere SAMRAT

TAKE UP A CROSS" IS TO INVOKE THE
Pd

WORD: | SACRIFIC "WE SCOFF AT SAINTS

WHO DENY SELF AND ASSUME VOLUN

Po
TARY HARDSHIPS" OBSERVES ELAIN PREVAL-
WE

LeT. [ff

CALL IT REGRESSIVE AND SICK, MASOCHIS-
CER CECEMT,

TIC... BAD psycHo.oey. )

To TAKE UP A CROSS AND FOLLOW JESUS
De

IS TO MAKE A BIG DECISION ABOUT WHO I. AM
SOTERA PETTY ead

AND WHO I WILL BE.} IT IS TO MAKE A VERY
eee EE

10

WARRIOR. .§ BUT THAT PLACE

BASIC PHILOSOPHIC AFFIRMATION ABOUT THE
IRC ec
MEANING OF MY LIFE, IT IS TO SAY THAT

MY OWN BEING WILL HENCEFORTH

LISHED, NOT AS I FIND MYSELF \ LOOK INTO

My sou \ BECOME MY OWN BEST FRI END i raxe

CARE of _wysetr | tNoULGE wyseLF,{ BUT as I

GIVE way.| IT 2S NOT A DECISION

OUR CULTURE HAS APRLAUDED RECENTLY.

THE POET ROBERT BLY HAS WRITTEN A
—— UGS WS
BOOK ABOUT BEING A MAN THAT #® ALSO A

eesrsetten. || It TOO, IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY
BT ny aor bail

‘
FOR MALES AND ADDRESSES OUR COMMON I bre
WIT. /

BLY USES is Was

HUMANITY WITH WISDOM AND

THINKING ABOUT WHAT JESUS SAID TO HES
ee

FRIENDS ABOUT LOSING AND SAVING THEIR

LIVES .W
THE POET HOPES THAT MODERN MEN, WILL
RECOVER THE "INTERNAL WARRIOR" WHICH IS

IN ALL OF us. {wor THE VIOLENT Je-
—

eave

WOMEN, CAPABLE OF ANGER AT INJUSTICE,
EN EOF ANGER AT INJUSTI

THAT FIERCE FIGHTER INSIDE WHICH 1S

5
READY TO_STAND UP FOR ONE S own.\\, BLY

SUGGESTS THAT WHAT Wa NEED ARE ANGRY MEN

_ AW \AAEr Cubes ef our

11 Wet ne

WHO WILL NOT TOLERATE DRUG DEALERS
ee sy

PREYING ON THEIR LETOLEONES.

Ld

BLY SAYS A TRUE WARRIOR IS IN

omnes bee |
SERVICE TO A PURPOSE GREATER THAN HIM-

ee Sa
SELF: / A TRANSCENDENT CAUSE - WHICH HE
ee
CALLS a (tau King." J
Cel
LISTEN TO THE POET AND PLEASE SUBSTI~
cree EASE un
TUTE FEMALE PRONOUNS AS APPROPRIATE:
ll

"WHEN A WARRIOR IS IN SERVICE TO A

True KING... HE DOES WELL AND HIS BODY
ro eee eed

BECOMES A HARDWORKING SERVANT WHICH HE

REQUIRES TO UNDERGO COLD, HEAT, PAIN,

WOUNDS, SCARRING, HUNGER, LACK OF SLEEP.
THE PERSON IN TOUCH WITH WARRIOR ENERGY
CAN WORK LONG HOURS | TGNORE FATIGUE ,\ DO

WHAT IS NECESSARY TO FINISH THE PH.D.

AND ALL THE FOOTNOTES, ) ENDURE_OBNOXIOUS
~~ searety

DEPARTMENT HEADS, | LIVE LIKE

RALPH NapER,| WRITE as T. S, ELIOT DID
a

UNDER A SINGLE, DANGLING LIGHT BULB, (
a

ill

CLEAN UP FILTH AS ST. FRANCIS OR MOTHER

TerEsA, | ENDURE CONTEMPT, DISDALM AND
EXILE AS SAKHAROV DID."| IRON JOHN, P.
150-1511]

Jesus sArIp: )"TAKE UP YOUR CROSS.

——— Sai
IF YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE FOR MY SAKE YOU
WILL FIND IT. |. WHAT WILL IT PROFIT TO
——— ei

GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, IF IN THE PROCESS
—_w —

12

YOU LOSE YOUR sour?"
IT IS A GROSS MISUSE OF THE WORDS
or JESUS TO HEAR IN THEM A DIATRIBE

AGAINST HARD WORK OR PROFIT, FOR THAT

warzer, \ THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH

_——— rr

TAKING UP A CROSS, VOLUNTEERING FOR
—. Deen manana

UNNECESSARY RESPONSIBILITY, IS ALWAYS

HARD WORK SOMETIMES IT IS NOT EVEN
fcthiahaenlieepaiatin b> | Se

VERY VISIBLE OR DRAMATIC. JESUS WA WAS NOT

RECOMMENQING MARTYRDOM. \ Tae DAILINESS
ed

OF BEARING A CROSS MEANS A WAY OF LIV-

ING, |A BASIC ORIENTATION, \A DETERMINA-
TION THAT THE MEANING OF MY LIFE WILL BE
Pel

LOCATED SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE MySELF.| IT

WILL, IN FACT, MEAN WORKING VERY HARD.

James Autry, CEO of THE MEREDITH
—_ — = ee naeel

CORPORATION, HAS WRITTEN A_REMARKABLE
LITTLE BOOK OF ESSAYS AND POEMS ON
_ Ee Fal
MANAGEMENT UNDER THE TITLE, LOVE AND
PROFIT. | ove OF THEM IS "THE MEANING OF
Rrcn."| AUTRY REFLECTS THAT WE USED TO
CO
THINK $64, 000, orn $50 .— A WEEK FOR ae
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WAS RICH. But... th oxo
“MONEY COMES AND GOES,
AND $O DOES THE MEANING OF RICH,
BUT MOST OF US RETIRED BEFORE WE

LEARNED

LIKE HAVING WORK TO bo." [p. 48]

AND PROFIT? (tr WE KNOW ANY-
THING ABOUT ECONOMIC SYSTEMS, IT IS THAT

el
SYSTEMS THAT DO NOT GENERATE PROFIT AND
be el 2

CAPITAL DO NOT PROVIDE, BASIC.GOODS AND
2a

SERVICES FOR VERY LONG, | THAT WHATEVER

ELSE AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM DOES IT MUST
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WORK HARD.
a searenmerincereemmmaacst
THE INCIDENT BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS
Oe
WOULD-BE DISCIPLES VERY SIMPLY DEFINES
DT

THE NATURE OF THAT DECISION WHICH, IN
ere

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, CONFRONTS EVERY ONE
=o . _—

OF US.

WHO WILL WE BE?

WHat TRUE KING WILL WE SERVE?

THE SHAPE OF THAT WILL DIFFER FOR
EACH OF US.
ad

lyin, GAA EVEUA] &% Used

FoR ONE IT WILL 4 COMING HERE

Weeeey TO TUTOR A YOUNGSTER.

FoR ANOTHER IT WILL M a ses GIvtr UP ty

a—= build Habitat Ho

A SATURDAY TO WORK puis, alee EEN

FoR ONE IT WILL MEAN ATTENDING YET

eo

ANOTHER PLANNING MEETING WHEN THE TV
BECKONS.

FOR ANOTHER IT WILL MEAN SPEAKING A

ee Sean

WORD OF COMPASSION AND JUSTICE IN AN
eumuceeereib ET
ENVIRONMENT WHERE THAT WORD WILL NOT WIN
=o eee

FRIENDS.
ginaee

14

pt giv vp mm &
t tem Oe

FOR ONE IT WILL MEAN STAYING WITH A

rs
RELATIONSHIP AND TRYING AGAIN AND FOR one.
ANOTHER LEAVING A_RELATIONSHIP AND
STARTING AGAIN.
Lj
FOR ONE IT IS RETURNING TO A TASK © Van if ae

THAT NEEDS DOING AND FOR ANOTHER FIND~
een ACE ee D- =r
ING, PERHAPS FOR_THE FIRST TIME, A CROSS

TO PICK UP AND CARRY.

_aa
It MEANS vouunreenrns...| 31 MEANS

te

ae

DOING WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO po. | IT

MEANS GIVING MORE THAN YOU ARE REQUIRED

TO GIVE.\ IT MEANS INVESTING YOUR LIFE

ECMO,

FULLY.

If YOU ARE FORTUNATE YOU ALREADY
seroma a

KNOW THAT AND ARE IN SOME WAY DOING IT.
Perea Sena
Ir YOU ARE BLESSED YOU HAVE WORK TO DO;
confetti ete
SOMETHING FOR WHICH YOU LIVE, [SOMETHING
Be eo 2
OR SOMEGNE SO IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT YOU
eee enn |
FORGET YOURSELF AND DIE A LITTLE OR A
Lot.\\ IF you Age TRULY BLESSED AND FULLY
ALIVE - YOU ARE GIVING YOURSELF TO A
equ: SEE
CHILD, A PARENT, A FRIEND, YOUR_STU-
— oun: = eee
DENTS, YOUR CLIENTS, YOUR PATIENTS, A
— etre
STRANGER, THE HELPLESS, THE HOMELESS, THE
qe eee MTEC

SICK, THE PRISONER. WIHE VERY ESSENCE OF

be a al
CHRISTIANITY - THE ESSENCE OF WHAT HE
TAUGHT AND LIVED AND DIED EXPRESSING IS

15

JUST THIS: [+ YOU LOSE YOURSELF FOR HIS
eal
SAKE, YOU WILL GAIN YOUR LIFE, YOUR
mz Se .
sout. ©

—— WHEN You GIVE YOUR LIFE TO HIM, OR

WHEN YOU GIVE IT TO OTHERS, WHICH ES
eect TET’
ALWAYS VERY CLOSE TO GIVING YOUR LIFE TO

HIM - SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS AND INCREDI-

BLE AND VERY GOOD HAPPENS TO YOU. \ You
ei Le
GET SOMETHING BACK | IT'SCALLED YOUR
eERTTR TRE
SOUL, YOUR SELF, YOUR LIFE.
JESUS - THE CHRIST, PROMISED THAT
ONE DAY.

ALL PRAISE TO HIM.

AMEN.