I got a graduation party invitation recently. What fun! This is the season of graduations. At GHPC yesterday we welcomed “graduates” of our confirmation process, 5 young men and women who are seeking to leave the shadow of their parents' and grandparents' faith and take on the privileges and responsibilities of the faith on their own.
Garrison Keillor describes pushing his daughter on a swing and describes the highest point of her swing as “the place where joy and terror meet—and religion begins.”
Graduation is a place where joy and terror meet to form a beginning. Joy of a job well done (or at least done!) and terror of uncertainty of the next chapter in life. I like the term “Commencement” rather than “Graduation” for ceremonies at this transition time. Commencement focuses on what is beyond instead of what is behind: where that joy and terror meet—a new beginning.
No where does Joy and Terror meet for a new religious beginning than at the cross. Jesus' final words from the cross: “It is finished” makes one think of graduation and commencement, graduation from sin's penalty to the commencement of love's pardon; from end of earthly life to the beginning of the joy of eternal life.
In Jesus' appearances after the joy and terror of the cross, he frequently greets us with the words, “Do not be afraid.” Beginnings can be fearful times, forged out of joy and terror, but as the first words of the Bible proclaim: “In the beginning, God!” God is in the beginnings and endings, God is the Alpha and Omega, we need not be afraid to go where God already is.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.— John 14:1- 2
Hoping God pushes you even higher!
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