Radical Surrender

Lately I’ve been reflecting a lot on surrender. What does it look like? What changes would it make to my life? How would it make me feel? Now I’m not talking about the small surrender of coming to a compromise with your spouse or giving in to your child after hearing them beg for an hour straight. I’m talking about that complete and total surrender that brings us to say, “Whatever You want, Lord. May Your will be done. Use me in whatever way You see fit. Mold me like clay in your hands.” 

I recently read a reflection that used the analogy of a colorful kite flying in the wind. The breeze brings it this way and that in a happy dance. Our souls can become like that kite, allowing the Holy Spirit to blow us where He wills and then we experience that childlike joy. 

Over Holy Week this year, I also got to thinking about the extent of Jesus’ surrender. His whole being rebelled against the idea of His Passion so much that He sweat drops of blood, yet He said “not my will but yours be done.” And something that struck me in a whole new way this year were the words “And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.” We tend to look at the crucifixion as Jesus being put to death, and indeed He was, yet He chose to hand over His spirit. He could have jumped down from that cross at any moment, yet He chose to breathe His last breath. My brother shared with me an additional thought on this passage. Normally people expire first and then their head falls to their chest, but Jesus bowed His head first, in one final act of humility and submission to the Father’s will, and then died. 

Our readings today speak of this complete and total surrender. “Woe to the complacent in Zion!” (Amos 6:4), and “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called…keep the commandment without stain or reproach” (1 Tim 6). Then Jesus calls us to generosity and repentance with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in the Gospel. 

Not one of these readings encourage us to simply be a good person. Not one of them invites us to keep up with the status quo. Not one of them asks us to give a little bit of what we have extra, whether it be time, talent or treasure. Rather, they invite us to flee from “complacency” and “compete well for the faith.” They invite us to live “without stain or reproach”. This implies radical surrender! 

And while this type of lifestyle change will most certainly require sacrifice, it will also bring indescribable freedom and joy. For the only decisions that we make will be those made with the Lord and the only paths that we follow will be those walked in His footsteps. 

By Tami Urcia