"You have forgotten the faces of your fathers"

So, Kylie and I are reading the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, and this idea of the "faces of your fathers" always comes up. Roland, the main character, often invokes the fathers as an admonishment to his friends: "Remember the faces of your fathers" or "You have forgotten..." In Roland's world, it has sacred connotation, as if by remembering your ancestors, remembering where you came from, remembering whose you are will help you complete your task straight and true. Help you live true.

This morning, Roland sent me a text message: "Buen dia. Check out 'The imitation of Christ' by Thomas a Kempis, ch III, pt 3." (Okay, so it wasn't really Roland, but it might have been Ka.)

I got the message while I was on the bus to school--where it was standing room only on a rainy morning. I was crabby: I didn't sleep well last night; didn't get enough done yesterday; felt K.O.'d by the world; had to face Long Thursday. I got to school, prepped for classs, taught class, and sat down to eat my lunch, pulling up "The Imitation of Christ" on the computer.

I'm not quite sure why Roland sent me to this chapter except to say, "Chin up, girl, quit your whining. You have forgotten the Face of your Father. Remember what you're here for."

Here's what jumped out at me from a Kempis:

"Be thou ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea speaketh."[32] And if you ask why, listen to the cause: for a small gain they travel far; for eternal life many will scarcely lift a foot from the ground. They seek a petty reward, and sometimes fight shamefully in law courts for a single piece of money. They are not afraid to work day and night for a trifle or an empty promise. But, for an unchanging good, for a reward beyond estimate, for the greatest honor and for glory everlasting, it must be said to their shame that men begrudge even the least fatigue. Be ashamed, then, lazy and complaining servant, that they should be found more eager for perdition than you are for life, that they rejoice more in vanity than you in truth.

Sometimes indeed their expectations fail them, but My promise never deceives, nor does it send away empty-handed him who trusts in Me." (emphasis mine).

Oh. Right.

Why am I here (existentially)? What am I working for? A trifle?

No. I work because work is inherently good. It is good to work, to be part of society, to put my talents to use. (see Image Bearers III when it comes up.)

Why do I live? Ah-a different question. I don't live to work myself into a worried, complaining frenzy. I live... to be. (see earlier posts) I live to be a reflection of God. I live because I exist.

I might not fight shamefully in the courts for a pitance, but I sure to fight shamefully inside myself, berating myself when I don't work enough hours or when I'm not effective enough with my time.

The point: for a bit of time, I have forgotten the face of Jesus, who wants me to live with a whole heart and who wants me to trust. Oops. Forgot that.

For today... I want to remember the faces of my fathers. (Not the Protestant work-ethic ones. Go back further: The Grace One.)



There's more I could say, but I gotta go do that work thing. Chau.