Saturday, July 19, 2014

3rd St. Johnstide 2007, God's Door

St. Johnstide
Matthew 11: 2-15

When John heard in prison about the deeds of Christ, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are awakened, and those who have become poor receive the message of salvation. Blessed are those who are not offended by my Being.”

John the Baptist
When they had gone, Jesus began to speak about John. “Why did you go out into the desert? Did you want to see a reed swaying in the wind? Or was it something else you wanted to see? Did you want to see a man in splendid garments? Those in splendid garments are in the palaces of kings. Did you go to see a man who is initiated into he mysteries of the spirit, a prophet? Yes, I say to you—he is more than a prophet. He it is of whom it is written:
           
            Behold it well: I will send my angel before your face;
            He shall prepare the way of your working in the hearts of men
            So that your being may be revealed.

The truth I say to you: among all who are born of women, not one has risen up who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist, and even more now, the kingdom of heaven will arise within human beings through the power of the will; those who exert themselves can freely grasp it. The deeds of the prophets and the content of the Law are words of the spirit that were valid [worked into the future] until the time of John. And if you want to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

3rd St. Johnstide
July 8, 2007
Matthew 11: 2-15

Evolution has a way of introducing surprises. One could not predict for example the emergence of a rose blossom out of the leaves and thorns that precede it. The surprise development is something softer, more beautiful, colorful and fragrant. Something with no thorns at all. And something that will develop the seeds of new life.

We have come to a doorway in the year when something totally new is to begin. The ancient Hebrews expected the flower of their development as God’s people to be a mighty priest-king or prophet, an upholder of the ancient law. Instead, the Messiah was different from what went before, unexpected, unpredictable. The flowering of divine humanity in Christ Jesus appears as a healer. He strengthens others. He supplements what is missing. He heals, cures, saves through a new capacity. Christ evolves a new capacity of love. This love is characterized by being voluntary. It volunteers to love all, without any kind of preceding sympathy or ties of relationship. This voluntary love contains the seeds of life. Volunteering to love creates heaven on earth through an act of will. Learning to love has been given into our hands. Now it is up to us to germinate the seeds of Christ-love in our hearts.

The words of Hafiz are helpful here:
We
Are not
In pursuit of formalities
Or fake religious Laws,
For through the stairway of existence
We have come to God’s
Door.
We are
People who need to love, because
Love is the soul’s life,
Love is simply creation’s greatest joy.
….we all now come to
The Beloved’s
Door.[1]


www.thechristiancommunity.org


[1] Hafiz, “The Stairway of Existence” in The Gift, Daniel Ladinsky, p. 96. 

No comments:

Post a Comment