Dear People Whom God Loves,
(Pharisees) These too were with the Scribes in their encounter with the woman caught in the act of adultery.
The Pharisees prided themselves in obeying every tiny prescription of the Mosaic Law. They looked down on those who were not as “good” as they were. They separated themselves from those “bad” people. They saw obedience to the law as primary. That would bring them salvation they thought.
They allowed obedience to overwhelm compassion and empathy. They were blind to the humanness of the others. They did not see the bond we all share: our humanity and the presence of Love (God) in all of us. Jesus said to them, “You lay heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and lift not one finger to help them.”
(Church Folk) hat is all of us when we think that merely belonging to a religion or a church or taking part in religious services is an end in itself. These can be valuable and growthful, but they are a means to an end. That end is to enter the reign of God. Entering the reign of God is following Jesus. To follow Jesus is to allow Love to transform us so that the values of Abba become ours.
Jesus realized that Abba was self-emptying love and that Love embraces everyone. That is why Jesus embraced those that were excluded by his society and religion. They were sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, and the unclean.
We easily exclude people because of religion (even people of our own religion because their religious views differ from ours), race, ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, and economic status. I find it interesting that religious arguments were used to justify discrimination.
We so often have blind spots that allow us to discriminate against and hurt people, feel righteous, and believe that we are doing God’s will. We desperately need the light of Love to penetrate our darkness.
I find it helpful to surrender to God the way I look at people when I have negative feelings about them. I ask Love to help me see others as Love does. That very slowly and painfully helps me to lose my blindness.
More next time.
Smile, God Loves You,
Father Clay
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