So, I truly appreciate how you challenge me to reflect on my Christian values when I am struggling with decisions that I need to make. You remind me of what I already know, but often forget or choose to ignore because it requires me to take a difficult path. Your guidance helps me to act in integrity consistently and you have truly helped me to insert God into my life in a more intentional and meaningful way. You also have really helped me to grapple with the Word and its application to my relationships with others and you help translate the Word to the struggles we encounter on a daily basis. You are especially wonderful at using the Word to challenge the status quo and all the big "isms" of the day that impact how we get along in the world. I think the most significant gift you bring to your divine work is that you help people to be their absolute best and to do God's will through challenge and support. That is no easy task.
Rashida G.
To Get to the Promised Land You Gotta Climb the Ladder...
I love this image…
It aptly describes the journey of faith…the journey to the Promised Land…
We all want to get to heaven…to rejoice in the Kingdom of God.
Literally and figuratively…physically and spiritually: the Kingdom of God is higher than us…right?
We must climb up to get to the Kingdom…
Moses had to climb the mountain to see the Lord…
The disciples climbed the mountain to see Him transfigured…
We too must climb up the high mountain if we are to enter the Kingdom of God.
This image represents the Ladder of Divine Ascent…
Written by 6th Century abbot, St. John Climacus, this work compares the spiritual life to a ladder of thirty steps, and explains the challenges presented by each of those steps. It was the most widely used handbook of the ascetical life in the ancient Greek Church.
The image describes our journey…
We endeavor to climb the heights that we might see Jesus.
The angels watch over us on that climb. And the saints and holy ones encourage us along the Way.
We climb the ladder…
And as we climb the ladder, the enemy attacks…
His minions pull at us and shoot arrows at us trying to prevent us from climbing…hoping we’d fall off the ladder.
Our goal is to stay on the ladder…
…to continue climbing the ladder…
…to help those around us continue to climb the ladder as well.
At a basic – guttural – level, doesn’t that sound exactly what the Christian journey should be?
Is that not what it should mean to be part of the Church?
I know that’s what I want it to mean in my life, and in the life of those around me.
Yes – all of us are sinners and fall short of the Glory of God. Only God is good and perfect. We are mere humans.
And that’s why we spend our life striving to become more and more like Christ…
Or, at least we should…
Right?
But that’s the problem…
Climbing the ladder isn’t easy. Most of us aren’t even aware of that ladder. And then…once we’re aware of the ladder, how many of us really want to climb it?
You know…
It’s easy for us to return to our cultural default…the position that tells us, “Jesus loves us…all we have to do is confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead…”
With every other area of our life that takes work, we like the idea of a God who doesn’t require any work from us…
But does that really make sense?
Yes, God is the sower who casts seed all over – without caring where that seed lands. He makes His rain fall on the wicked and the good, alike…
But, does it really make sense that He would let anyone and everyone into His Kingdom?
This is the same God who didn’t allow the five foolish virgins into the wedding banquet because they didn’t make sure they had enough oil…
This is the same God who found the wedding guest at the banquet who was not wearing the proper clothes and had him thrown out…
In both instances, these were people who accepted God’s invitation and came to the event…they wanted to be at the Wedding Feast. They wanted to be in the Kingdom.
But they were either prevented from entering, or thrown out when it was discovered they shouldn’t be there.
Now, many of will proclaim that we believe the Word of God to be true. That the promises of salvation are true and so all we need to do is believe them.
So…
Shouldn’t we just believe these promises as well? These promises which say that those who either fail to prepare or enter the Kingdom improperly will not be able to stay?
In the Word of God, St. Paul often uses sports metaphors to make his points on Christian Living…
So, let me follow Paul’s lead and refer to sport.
I grew up on the small islands of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. I went to All Saints Cathedral School. It was a small parochial school. We had about 450 students – kindergarten through twelfth grade. I graduated #3 out of 27.
There were a few other small private schools on the island and two big public schools – each with about 2000 students in 9-12th grade.
I played football and baseball for the school…
Our teams were always small. On our football team, we only had one player who didn’t play iron man…who didn’t play both sides of the ball.
The rest of us played offense, defense and special teams.
I was the kicker, the punter, the kick & punt returner, the defensive end and the tightened.
It was crazy because when we played against the public schools, they always had an army on the sidelines. They had backup players for the backup players.
They had some players that played both sides of the ball…
But, they didn’t have to…
They had full offenses, separate defenses, and separate special teams players.
We were definitely outnumbered…ALL. THE. TIME.
But, we won two consecutive Territorial Championships. (Shout out Coach Jarvis & Coach Hugh)
Everyone always wondered how this small – undermanned and outnumbered – private school managed to win not one, but two Territorial Championships…
I mean: not only were we outnumbered…we were private school students!
We’re supposed to be soft…smaller than the public school players…weaker than they are…less hungry…
But despite facing incredible odds, we won…
How did we do it?
It was a matter of training…
“You’re going to run till I get tired!”
That’s what our coach would say as he pulled out his lawn chair and pitcher of water, to sit and watch us run laps…
We ran a lot, and we ran hard…
Before practice…during practice…after practice…
Jogging…sprinting…
We ran…
And we were in better condition to complete the four quarters of play than the teams we faced. So, when they – with all their reserves – were winded, we still had the stamina to persevere…
We were able to complete the race because we had trained diligently and intentionally…
We trained, knowing that the journey to a Territorial Championship would take work…
And so we ran to win…
That’s what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, when he says:
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
I was in neutral and just coasting. Since starting to worship at St. John the Baptist and Father Jabriel starts throwing things out there…It challenged me and made me go deeper. I found parts of my spiritual life that were essentially stagnant. It's a wonder it didn't stink. Maybe it did and maybe I just wasn't aware that I stunk. I wanted to refresh and be refreshed and so I started to go deeper. He has challenged me. And in challenging me I'm back to studying. I'm doing more Bible study. I'm reading old books that I had cast aside. Ones that I had given away, I'm buying again. Has it increased my faith? Yes. It has decreased anxiety, anger, frustration, and confusion and brought things into perspective, brought things into focus. The thing that it's brought into perspective and focus is Jesus. I am a more joyful person now that I'm on the journey to the promised land.
Patricia R.
Many of us are in neutral…or just coasting…
We tend to think of the faith as a moving walkway that we can just step on and then coast into the Promised Land.
But when we do that, we get stagnant. And need to be refreshed…
We need to go deeper…to study more…to engage with others who are similarly committed to the journey…
And when we can do that, we will be more joyful people…
I want you to have more joy…that your joy might be complete.
And so, I’ve determined that I am called to work with those who are determined to get to the Promised Land. Who know that they fall down and need to get back up.
To pastor people in a more personal way…a more intentional way.
I am called to serve those who recognize our struggle in this life, and are determined to struggle…
And in their determination to struggle, they know they must train…
…that they must engage their faith on a deeper level…
…coming to understand how what they believe constantly reforms and empowers how they live.
They know they must study the weapons of faith…the mysteries of faith, and commit themselves to a lifetime of mastery…
If that’s you…
If you are determined to get to the Promised Land…
…to find a deeper – more transcendent – engagement with your faith…
…to find a faith that changes the world around you…creating Beloved Community and better representing the Gospel of Jesus Christ…
Then, I want to tell you about Promised Land University…
It’s the online portal I’ve been building for the last few years. And it’s an amazing place.
It’s a place that will connect you with others who are committed to the journey to the Promised Land…
Others who fall down and get up…just like you…
Others who are committed to growing in their faith…climbing that ladder of divine ascent and making sure to support those around them in their climb.
It’s a place where you’ll find a library of courses designed to challenge you and make you go deeper…
…a place where you can increase your faith…increase your virtue, while decreasing your temptation to fall to vice…
It’s a place where you will find a the beginnings of Beloved Community and something that resembles the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Every month we’ll release new courses that take you deeper in your faith and helping you understand what you need in order to walk worthy of the calling to which you’ve been called.
Courses on the Christian faith and on Christian living…
Courses on theory and on praxis…
Courses on what we believe and how what we believe affects our relationship to God, to ourselves, to our family and those around us in this world…
Courses that answer the questions on grace that I raised earlier in this series…
Courses on the Sacraments and what they mean for our life…
Courses that help you understand why Christianity is NOT a religion…but the answer to all religion…
In addition to the courses, build relationships with others at similar places on the journey and with those who’ve been where you are now!
Promised Land University is designed to help you find mentors for your journey and others who can share in the journey with you.
Jesus sent out the disciples two by two…
Promised Land University helps to pair you with other members, so that you can develop relationships to support you along the Way.
Members of Promised Land University also get access to me for live – monthly – Q&A calls. In these sessions, you’ll be able to discuss any matter of the faith and have your questions answered in a non-judgmental environment.
Plus…tons of other benefits to encourage and reward your diligence and discipline along the Way!
If you’re not interested in forming a community of accountability partners who are committed to getting to the Promised Land, as a community, then I hope you’ve at least benefitted from this reading…I hope your perspective on faith has been transformed and that you are committed to getting to the Promised Land…May the Lord bless and guide you!
Yet, if you are interested in learning more about how you can embrace an intentional commitment to spiritual growth and development that conditions you for the journey to the Promised Land, then click the button below to request an invitation to join Promised Land University.
I hope that you would allow me to share in your journey as your personal pastor.
NOTE: If you don’t receive the invite email within 15 minutes (be sure to check your spam folder), shoot me an email.
– Fr. Jabriel Ballentine