Clearly there was method to Jesus madness: he threshed the wheat from the chaff by throwing up obstacles to those who lived only by worldly morality. Some such as Nicodemus took the challenge "to be born from above"; other Jews preferred to return to the security of their worldly ideas. Jesus taught charity as the supreme law; the Pharisees subordinated it to their legalistic understanding of the Torah.
Jesus taught us not to give to expect the same back, or to invite friends to our banquets in the expectation that they will invite us back: this is a form of worldly insurance policy. Instead we are asked to give without expecting in return. The more we live this way, the more we perceive the hand of God in our lives, the more we are "renewed in His image."
Jesus was not accepted in his own town Nazareth. He was rejected by his own extended family and was considered a sinner by these people. After all, should he not have been making something of his life and supporting his mother? Instead he left it to others and took to the hills in silent retreat: "Physician heal thyself". So convinced were they of his sin that they made to throw him off a local cliff. What does this teach us?
If you follow Jesus and his higher spiritual morality , you will be brought into conflict with those who live by worldly morality. "I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am till it is over! Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division. From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three. Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law will be against their mothers-in-law."Unlike the world which seeks only self-interest, the person of the Spirit only seeks to build in love and faith. This is the language of the Spirit, and the Spirit is the unifying force which brings true peace to humanity.
Jesus spoke in parables so that only those who lived by the Spirit could decipher his intention; for an intermediate group it was food for contemplation on their journey to higher knowledge; as to the others, they couldn't take it in - it was beyond their understanding: "The Greeks look for wisdom, whilst the Jews look for miracles." As St.Paul teaches, "Not all Israel is Israel". Spiritual literacy is needed to digest the Scriptures.
Just as the Jews looked to the Law of Moses and then built a wall around it so as to contain it and stop it from impacting too much on their lives, the same current is present in some theological circles today which try to minimalise and reduce the requirements of faith to a limited set of dogmas. Opposed to this Pharisaical mould are the Sadducees whom Jesus said were "the true Samaritians". Unity in the Church relies not on legal prescription nor on a worldly secular sense of community - no mater how well this is cloaked in the language of caring, sharing and social justice. True unity is realised to the degree that "we take on the mind of Christ". "It does not admit of observation" - it is in the heart. St. James wrote,"What God the Father considers to be pure and unspoilt religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their need and to remain uncontaminated by the world." "No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening."
"The Church is founded on apostles and prophets." The Church is a pilgrim church groaning with labour pains as it moves forward in God's plan of redeeming creation. Just as the Temple of Solomon preempted in physical form the spiritual journey we must all face as we move towards God, so too must we seek to attain access to the Holy of Holies "by drinking in the milk of spiritual honesty".without which there can be no spiritual knowledge.
As we are recreated in the image of God, our understanding of what constitutes peace and justice is also transformed. No longer are we subject to the values, attitudes and beliefs of worldly society, instead we transcend them through the light of the Spirit.
Jesus taught us not to give to expect the same back, or to invite friends to our banquets in the expectation that they will invite us back: this is a form of worldly insurance policy. Instead we are asked to give without expecting in return. The more we live this way, the more we perceive the hand of God in our lives, the more we are "renewed in His image."
Jesus was not accepted in his own town Nazareth. He was rejected by his own extended family and was considered a sinner by these people. After all, should he not have been making something of his life and supporting his mother? Instead he left it to others and took to the hills in silent retreat: "Physician heal thyself". So convinced were they of his sin that they made to throw him off a local cliff. What does this teach us?
If you follow Jesus and his higher spiritual morality , you will be brought into conflict with those who live by worldly morality. "I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am till it is over! Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division. From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three. Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-
Jesus spoke in parables so that only those who lived by the Spirit could decipher his intention; for an intermediate group it was food for contemplation on their journey to higher knowledge; as to the others, they couldn't take it in -
Just as the Jews looked to the Law of Moses and then built a wall around it so as to contain it and stop it from impacting too much on their lives, the same current is present in some theological circles today which try to minimalise and reduce the requirements of faith to a limited set of dogmas. Opposed to this Pharisaical mould are the Sadducees whom Jesus said were "the true Samaritians". Unity in the Church relies not on legal prescription nor on a worldly secular sense of community -
"The Church is founded on apostles and prophets." The Church is a pilgrim church groaning with labour pains as it moves forward in God's plan of redeeming creation. Just as the Temple of Solomon preempted in physical form the spiritual journey we must all face as we move towards God, so too must we seek to attain access to the Holy of Holies "by drinking in the milk of spiritual honesty".without which there can be no spiritual knowledge.
As we are recreated in the image of God, our understanding of what constitutes peace and justice is also transformed. No longer are we subject to the values, attitudes and beliefs of worldly society, instead we transcend them through the light of the Spirit.
