MEDITATION TIPS — The Ascension of the Lord,
June 1, 2025

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. Let us hold fast to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:22-23)

　In this rapidly changing era, it’s incredibly difficult to predict what tomorrow holds, and many events are outside of our expectations. Some people challenge these changes head-on, while others seek peace and security in unchanging daily lives. However, it is precisely because tomorrow and the future are unpredictable and uncertain that people take an interest in life, and literature and science have meaning. If everything were pre-calculated and nothing unexpected ever happened, life would surely be boring. It’s because nothing is certain and everything is constantly changing that there are infinite possibilities, making life worth living and enabling us to strive to solve the new challenges that continually arise.

　In this uncertain world, when we take a step forward and face various changes, failure is inevitable. However, what is important is not to avoid failure, but to take the right actions when we fail and use failure as a lesson. When we are prepared for failure, understanding that it’s okay to make mistakes, our minds become lighter. If we fear failure too much, we cannot make decisions that involve the risks necessary for growth. Without making decisions that involve risks in life, people cannot grow. As humans born into this world, we won’t truly feel alive unless we experience something akin to “leaping into the demon’s maw” at least once. In fact, not taking risks is the greatest risk of all. Jesus’ greatest risk in His life was His suffering and death. Yet, in His journey, He heard the Father’s voice saying, “It’s okay to fail if you live righteously,” and so He plunged into the “demon’s maw” of the cross. The promise of Jesus, “He who promised is faithful” (10:23), is similarly our assurance that “it’s okay to fail if we live righteously.” Therefore, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (10:22). Failure, like a living creature, holds immense energy that guides us towards growth.

　Currently, Shohei Ohtani and other players are performing brilliantly in Major League Baseball, and baseball is often called a sport of failure. A batting average of .300 is considered excellent, but it means that the player fails 70% of the time. For pitchers, a perfect game or no-hitter is rarely achieved; the key is to allow as few runs as possible even when hits are given up. Therefore, in the world of professional baseball, “failing and not repeating failures” is emphasized. Katsuya Nomura, who led the once-weak Yakult Swallows to multiple league championships and Japan Series titles, and who also took in many players discarded by other teams, nurturing their strengths and bringing them back to playing at a high level — earning him the moniker “Nomura’s Rejuvenation Factory” — left behind the words, “Failure is spelled ‘growth’.”

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)