On a theme developed by Jeong-Mung Ju (1337-1392)

(From his poem on death)

This body dies, a hundred deaths a day, dies,

slumbering in surrender, rising to its demise

to be true to You, Lord, or it lies.

The original poem:

이몸이 죽고 죽어 일백 번 고쳐 죽어

백골이 진토되어 넋이라도 있고 없고

임 향한 일편 단심이야 가실 줄이 있으랴.

Should this body die and die again a hundred times over,

White bones turning to dust, with or without trace of soul,

My steadfast heart toward Lord, could it ever fade away?

(credit: Wikipedia pages)

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." - Mk. 9:47

When I give up something that I know causes me to sin, it must be a loss. It wouldn't be a sacrifice if it wasn't close to me. But to sacrifice a small thing--even a big thing--for an eternal good: is this a sacrifice or is this a key? Jesus hates my sin because He loves me, the sinner. I need a different definition of wholeness, if indeed it is better to enter life blind, maimed, crippled, poor, than to be whole and destroyed.