the suspicion of binaries [2.b]

either unbearable lightness or unbearable weight part 2

given Kundera's binary in the previous post, we are seemed to be left with two alternatives:

either, we choose the utter meaninglessness of unbearable lightness, accepting that this life is ephemeral, the consequences of our actions transient and that nothing really matters: everything is pardoned in advance and cynically permitted.

or, we choose to accept the concept of eternal return, where our actions do have consequence, but one of eternal impact-- an idea that is both immensely desirable, for it gives us a purpose, it endows us with significance, yet also incredibly terrible for the amount of responsibility it weighs upon us.

most of the time, we seem to live under both curses. we feel weighed down and burdened, perhaps not by the sense of the responsability, but by the constant need to prove and to find our self-worth, our significance in the world and in the lives of other people. yet, this is paralleled by the haunting feeling that perhaps all this is really just meaningless.

yet in jesus we find freedom from both these curses. he can both alleviate us from the unbearable lightness of being while also freeing us from the heavy burden of eternal return. he says:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

we are no longer airy, ephemeral, misty beings, passing through this life, to leave nothing more than an alteration of the breeze. rather, our actions can have eternal significance, everlasting weight. we share jesus' yoke-- we partake in his purpose, in his meaning.

at the same time, this purpose is not burdensome. we are not judged according to how much we accomplish, how much we gain or earn or change, but rather we carry this burden in full dependence of god. because we share jesus' yoke, it is not heavy for jesus is gentle and humble in heart. in fact, he carries our yoke precisely because we have already stumbled and fallen and proven ourselves unable to bear it. instead, it is he, not us, that sustains its eternal weight.

it is unbearable weight made bearably light.