2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample

What would you do if you knew when you are going to die? What would you say to your children and loved ones? Would you change the way you live your life? Would you be kinder? Would you have any regrets? If you had one last lesson to bestow, what would it be? In John 12:20–36, Jesus foresees his own death. He has accepted that He must die in order to fulfill the role of Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus knew that his teachings to the world were complete. Jesus told the crowd that was before Him, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of the light” (John 12:35–36). When I read this passage, I often think about the loved ones I have lost in my life and all the lessons they taught me but also the lessons they left unsaid. None of us knows how long we will have with one another. We need to consciously make every moment, every interaction count. We must accept the teachings of others, whether or not we agree with those lessons. There is still a message inside that we must understand. Every person with whom we have contact has the potential to teach us something, to give us light. Likewise, we have the potential to be the givers of light. We have the potential to affect one another on a daily basis with our own personal wisdom. What lessons do you offer on a daily basis to those around you? If you knew the moment you were going to leave this Earth, would you be satisfied with how you lived your life? MOLLY ZLOCK Assistant Dean of Students Division of Student Affairs