Daily Reflection

Given the highly individualistic cultural seas in which most of us swim in North America, the invitation (it’s really more command than invitation!) to ground ourselves in Christ can be a bit off-putting. Add to that the fact that the invitation to “abide” in Christ appears to point in the direction of a quasi-mystical experience of Christ few of us can claim and this text can give the impression of a teaching liable to produce despair rather than hope. It’s worth noting then that the root Greek word translated here as “abide” doesn’t point in an esoteric direction but constitutes an appeal for us to remain, at times stubbornly, with the Risen Christ who has promised to remain, at times no less stubbornly, with us.