Living and Loving Fully
The Dalai Lama, currently living in exile from his beautiful,
beloved land of Tibet, is reported to have given this instruction
to his people on the occasion of the new millennium:

"Take always into account that inevitably great love and great
achievements involve great risks."

I believe that this same wisdom is included in the invitation of
the cross and the invitation of the Christ to us. "Come and dare
to risk!" they say, "for that is the only way to enter into the true
fullness of life."

How sad it would be for any one of us to come
to the end of our lifetime and to look back and realize only then
that we have failed to be courageous, that we have not dared
to love fully or to live fully, that we have not dared to take risks,
or to step forward into uncharted territory. But that we have
lived instead a life of fear and hesitation, afraid to be open,
afraid to be generous-- with ourselves or with our abilities, with
our wealth and even with our poverty.

"For those who want to save their life will lose it," Jesus said,
"and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of
the gospel, will save it."

-- from the sermon "Who Do People Say That I Am?"
by The Rev. Margaret B. Gunness

Read the sermon in its entirety.