Dear People Whom God Loves,
If our rigid mindset will allow us, the Bible will often turn upside down the way we look at life, religion, people, and politics.
I would like to begin with a quote from “Unexpected News” by Robert McAfee Brown:
• “religious people are often put down (Scribes, Pharisees, and church folk);
• worship is attacked (Amos);
• pagans are described as doing God’s will (Isaiah);
• great spiritual leaders get angry with God (Job, Jeremiah);
• God’s clearest message is communicated through the obscure life of a criminal
(Jesus of Nazareth).”
Who are the religious people?
(Scribes) These are the ones who spent their life studying the law. They were the lawyers of the Mosaic Law. They were the ones who took the woman caught in adultery by force and dragged her out to stone her to death. The law commanded that. (I sometimes wonder about the man who was caught in the act.) They saw Jesus and to trap him, they ask him what he had to say about that. Jesus didn’t respond right away (perhaps to consider what to say). He never responded to their question directly. He said, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then they started to leave beginning with the elders.
Jesus offered them the opportunity to be converted by looking into themselves. Looking into their own sinfulness, they could no longer carry out their lawful and righteous killing of a fellow human being.
Jesus offers us (including me) the same opportunity to let go of the righteous image of ourselves. As light shines into our darkness (that is often hidden from ourselves) we can begin to enter into the reign of God.
More next time.
Smile, God Loves You,
Father Clay
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