Edina Hall

Fellow Journeyers,  

I remember the thrill of watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade for the first time. The cinematography partnered with a good story was, for its time, impressive. Outside of the near-misses, I clearly remember being viscerally frightened by one scene. The bridge. 

In the movie, the main character Indiana Jones, has a long puzzle to solve to find the Holy Grail. One of the final clues has him looking across a great chasm to a cave where the cup awaits.

There is no obvious away around so, needing the Holy Grail to help a dying friend (and to keep it from the antagonists), he steps out into what seems like mere air. Of course, his foot meets solid ground and as the camera pans around, a bridge appears where an optical illusion was before.

He crosses safely, selects the right goblet, saves his friend, and saves the day. 

In today’s readings from Acts, Peter and the other apostles are working to spread God’s kingdom, often with help from the sale of the property of believers.

One couple, Ananias and Sapphira, sell some land but keep a portion of the profits for themselves. When each is confronted individually, they “lie to the Holy Spirit” claiming that they have given it all and deny that they have withheld any money. They fall dead on the spot. 

We don’t know why Ananias and Sapphira sold the land and then held some back. Was it a faithful act that turned selfish? Or into a necessity? Did they feel like they needed to keep up appearances? Were they unwilling to give up total control?

Whatever the reason, they stepped out with a tether firmly anchored to the cliff face. They held back and it cost them their lives. 

I want to believe that in my faith journey I am not holding anything back. I want to believe that I am walking out across chasms into the life God calls me. I do not want to die because I still am tethered to fear or have held something back due to lack of faith. 

The reality is that I am often too scared and still clinging to the cliff.  

Why am I hanging on for dear life to fear that does not actually give me life? 

What would happen if I let go? 

Wondering where the bridge would lead me,

—Edina