Atonement - At-One-Ment

Today, as I take a next step along my Lenten spiritual journey, my focus is on what Richard J. Neuhaus (in his book, "Death on a Friday Afternoon") shares on Atonement.

"What was separated by an abyss of wrong (the crucifixtion of Jesus) has been reconciled by the deed of perfect love. What the first Adam destroyed the second Adam (Jesus) has restored."

"We knew not what we did when we reached for the right to name good and evil. We knew not what we did when we grabbed what we could and went off to a distant country (as the Prodigal son). We knew not what we did when, in madness of excusing ourselves, we declared God guilty. But today we have come to our senses. Today, here at the cross, our eyes are fixed on the dying derelict who is the Lord of life. We look at the One who is everything that we are and everything that we are not, the One who is true man and true God.

In him we, God and man, are perfectly one. At-One-Ment. Here, through the cross, we have come home, home to the truth about ourselves, home to the truth about what God has done about what we have done. And now, we know, or begin to know why this awful, awe-filled Friday is called good."

Lord, thanks for your love, the love that has reconciled what Adam (and I) destroyed.

I have come to my senses again and by your grace know I can be more fully who I have been made to be and called to be. I also know I can't do anything worthy without you.

Amen!!