By FRANK REMKIEWICZ
Columnist
“Grace is like freedom; it is a gift paid for with someone else’s blood”.
I placed the opening line in quotation marks because I heard or read this line somewhere else that I do not remember. However, I came across this quote, and I find the concept particularly significant for two very personal reasons.
Memorial Day is approaching fast. It is the day our country has set aside to specifically honor those who gave their lives so that we can enjoy living in a free and open society. When a person signs up for military service, they write a blank check for all that they are and can be. Throughout our country’s history that check has been cashed.
Grace is a gift from God that is paid for by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In John, Chapter 12: “And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” With a very broad stroke of John’s pen, Christ announces he has come to save everyone, past, present, and future.
When you turn to Christ, when you become a Christian, you have not done this on your own. It is through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus that you accept the gift of grace God has offered you through the actions of Christ, our Redeemer. Grace is a gift from God that is manifest in a person’s acceptance of Christ. Grace opens the door to a relationship with our Creator, Redeemer, and Advocate. When we accept grace, we enter a new way of looking at the world, a new way of living.in this world.
Perhaps an example would help. You are walking down a tree-lined street when you come to a beautiful home. The home has a wrap-around front porch. Sitting on the front porch is a man, nice-looking and modestly well-dressed. The last few times you walked by, he invited you in, but you politely refused. This time, the man at the door invites you in for dinner. This time you accept. You walk up the steps, and as you do, you notice something. When you get to the door, you start to change your mind as you explain, “Sir, I stepped in dog poop, and it is all over my shoes. I will track it into your house, so maybe I will decline.” The man at the door says, “Nonsense. Sit down in that chair over there and take your shoes off.” As you take off your shoes, he gently grabs them and cleans all the poop off for you, hands the shoes back to you, and says, “Your shoes are now clean, let’s go inside and have a meal.” You enter the house and find all sorts of people sitting at the table, eating a great meal that the man at the front door had his son prepare. You sit down and eat this scrumptious meal. That meal, once you consume it, gives you the strength to go outside where you mow the lawn and trim the trees. Not the trees of the man who owns the home where you dined, but his neighbor’s lawn and trees.
Grace is the invitation the homeowner offered to the passerby. The passerby could have, and in the past, chosen to ignore the offer, but this time, the chance to go in and have dinner was accepted. When the passerby reached the porch, he apologized, thinking he could not enter the house. The master of the house forgave him, cleaned the passerby’s shoes, and allowed the passerby to enter. Wow! If we are truly sorry for what we have done, all is forgiven, and a meal is provided. Through that process, grace is received once again. There are many ways to receive grace; we just have to be open and accept the gift as offered.
Frank Remkiewicz is an area resident and contributes a monthly column focused primarily on faith and religion. He can be reached at fremkiewicz@gmail.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
