The Uncomfortable Parachute

I was told this story once. I still don’t get on a plane without it’s message creeping back into my mind……

There were two men. Both riding on a airplane. The first man, a flight attendant walks up and hands him a parachute. She says, “This is for ‘Flight Enhancement’, it will make your flight more enjoyable.” The man puts on the parachute. It’s heavy. Cumbersome. It causes him to sweat. He looks around the cabin, and realizes that no one else is wearing one. Why does he have one on? The plane hits some turbulence. He realizes this parachute is not making his flight any better, so he takes it off.

The second man, the flight attendant hands him the parachute and says, “This is your parachute. At some point during this flight, you will have to jump out of this plane at 25,000 feet. You won’t know when it going to happen.” The man quickly puts on the parachute. He understands its purpose. It’s heavy and uncomfortable. It causes him to sweat, but he doesn’t mind. He looks around and sees that most of the other passengers aren’t wearing parachutes, and this concerns him greatly. Nothing you could say could get him to take off that parachute, because he knows what it’s for. It’s his only hope if he is going to make it.

During this time of Lent, we must ask ourselves, "What is the purpose of my faith life?"

Some people will tell you its for “Life Enhancement”, it makes life better. It’s not. The purpose of your faith life is salvation. Now don’t get me wrong, abundant life, peace, happiness….these are all by-products of your relationship with Christ, but it’s primary purpose is to save you. When we believe that our faith is about Life Enhancement, and the turbulence in our days happen, we fall. Why deal with the burden of living this way if it doesn’t make life easier?

When we go to mass, confession, adoration, or read scripture, remember what it is pointing you to. Know it’s purpose. To refocus you away from the pleasures of this world that will only last a season, and toward eternity.

Where are you in that airplane ride of life? Do you know that at some point you will have to go from this life to the next? Do you know the tremendous gift, as uncomfortable as it is at times, that is your parachute?

This is something we are all going to have to deal with. Because the truth is, one day, before we realize it, we’re all going to have to make the jump.