Does your life sometimes feel unfulfilled? Do you sometimes think you are called to do something important that is yet undone? Do you sometimes feel that you are here on this earth to accomplish some mission? Do you have some raging passion that you are not pursuing fervently? Do you sometimes feel that you are not on the path of becoming all that you can be? Do you sometimes think you are not helping others to become all that they can be? Do you sometimes feel that you are not living your life fully?
If you have answered any of these questions, yes, perhaps it is a good time to look at the life of Jesus. Perhaps it is a good time to examine the way Jesus lived his life. And in particular we can look at the assessment Jesus made of His life near the end as he realized he was dying on the cross. This is when Jesus said, "It is finished." In the Jerusalem Bible, Jesus said, "It is accomplished."
I perceive that Jesus answered, no, to all of the previous questions. I perceive that as Jesus looked back on his life he could confidently say, "It is accomplished", or, "It is finished." I think Jesus saw how he had lived fully, loved wastefully, became all that he could be, and that he had helped others to become all that they could be. I think Jesus saw how he had followed, to the best of his ability, the pathways that quiet voice within him invited him to follow. I think he also discovered these were the very paths that had brought him and those around him the greatest joy, the greatest sense of peace, the greatest sense of accomplishment, and the greatest sense of fulfillment. Jesus also saw he had brought hope to the downtrodden, the outcasts, and sinners. Jesus saw he had demonstrated the power of love to heal, to reconcile, and to bring peace and joy into the lives of others and into his own life.
And how did Jesus do all of this? It seems to me that Jesus had a special ability to hear and respond to the Spirit of God within him, within all others, and within all of creation. It seems that Jesus was able to clearly see who he was, why he was here, and what he was called to do.
It must have been a great adventure for Jesus to discover the wonderful truths about himself, about others, about life, about creation and finally that all are one and all is one. A most important part of this adventure was for Jesus to discern how he could best live his life. It is revealing that Jesus discerned these truths by going off to be by himself. Jesus went out into the desert or up on a mountain so that he could clearly hear the Spirit of God speak to him from within and from without.
In reflecting on my own life, I realized that my approach to determining the important truths about life and my place in it is very similar to the one used by Jesus. I discovered what works well for me. I don't have easy access to a desert or a nearby mountain for my time alone with myself, with God, and with creation. I do, however, have easy access to a quiet place and time in my home. This time is in the early hours of each morning. It is in the early hours of each morning that I think about my life and where I am headed. I think about the day or week ahead and the actions I need to take to become all that I can be and to help others become all that they can be. It is these early hours that I think about my passions and how I can best pursue them. It is in these times that I tackle my toughest tasks. It is in these times that my most creative thoughts come forth. Perhaps this is because my mind and spirit is the most uncluttered by the distractions that occur later in the day. Perhaps this is because I am more open to the Spirit of God within me and around me at that time. And this creative process continues to work well for me just as it worked for Jesus right up until the end of his life here.
At the end of his life, then, Jesus said, "It is finished". But is it finished? Is it finished for Jesus? Is it finished for me? Is it finished for you?