Jesus loved those people in the strange household in Bethany. They were sisters Mary and Martha, who lived with their brother Lazarus. Today's pericope (Lk 10: 28-32) follows Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus shifts now from emphasis on "works" (building the Kingdom of God on earth) to emphasis on "faith" (radical trust in God.) Mary is listening to Jesus. Martha is following all the protocols for hospitality, a central core value in that society, and wants Jesus to force Mary back into the kitchen. Jesus refuses. Mary, he says, has chosen the better part.
Like Martha, how often we become worried and distracted by all that we have to do, caught up in worldly cares and responsibilities, forgetting to nourish our spiritual side. We are nourished through our relationship with the Divine, and "conversation" is necessary to maintain relationship. That will take different forms for different people: some are into serious meditation, listening for God's word; others like the Rosary so as to pray to God with Mary as prayer partner, still others engage writings, sacred and otherwise, to spark insights. There are numerous examples of clergy and religious who become burnt out, because they lose grounding by neglecting matters of faith in favour of pure service. That can happen to anyone. First lesson: nourish your Spirit, balance faith and works.
Martha appears in two more vignettes in Scripture: one where she believes Jesus can raise her brother and he does, the other where John adapts the woman-anointing-Jesus'-feet story to identify that character with Martha. Clearly the message is: She "got it," and so must we as disciples.
But what about the rest of the story? In the so-called Golden Legend, our trio are converted from Judaism (remember Jesus was a Jew) to Christianity by Saint Maximian. As newly-minted Catholic Christians, the three go to France. There Mary becomes contemplative, Lazarus becomes the Bishop of Marseilles, and Martha becomes ascetic while continuing to model spiritually-centred servant leadership. The kingpin story speaks of a dragon terrorizing the wood between Avignon and Arles. Martha comes with a crucifix and holy water. With the water she puts out the dragon's flames, and the cross takes all of the spirit out of the malevolent creature, so he is weak and easily slain. This story prompts our second lesson: Ask yourself what you are doing to slay the dragons of ignorance and fear, the dragons of poverty and inequality, the dragons of injustice and oppression.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Pentecost VIII: Amos or Amaziah?
Today's assigned readings feature several moving passages of Scripture, especially Amos 7:7-17 and Luke 10:25-37. The latter is the story of the Good Samaritan in which we learn that the Christ Figure --, the one doing God's work in the world --, is of the 'wrong' race, class, culture and religion. It is a reminder that what matters to God is the doing, the building up of God's Reign on earth.
In the first reading, we find Amos having a vision -- not some complicated technicolour spectacle as customarily seen in apocalyptic writings and other theophanies, but rather a simple image. He sees a plumb line (that's a guess; actually no one knows what that Hebrew word means) but the message is clear. God will no longer accept the Israelites' worship because of their economic injustice, especially towards the working poor in the agricultural sector.
Israelites have been worshipping at the King's central sanctuary called Beth-el, "Daughter of God." Amos lives in Judaea south of Israel but has travelled to Bethel to deliver God's message that Israel is in moral failure and will collapse. Amaziah is the chief priest at the shrine, no doubt a pragmatic and loyal follower of his government and its cult and friend to the business community. No doubt he sees free-market capitalism as just the way it has to be, and the oppression of the poor as a necessary but unimportant component of the system. God says no to that analysis. So says Amos.
In response to God's word, Amaziah's defensive posture is not surprising. He accuses Amos of being a professional prophet for hire and motivated by greed for money. None of that is true. And he bans Amos from the shrine, telling him to go back where he belongs.
The stunningly simple question for each of us is: Am I Amos or Amaziah? Do I, as best I can, stand up for those our system has left behind or do I excuse or simply ignore injustice? And do remember today's Gospel teaches us that our neighbour can be anyone in any place whom we might help. This week's news included a report on the Constellation Brands factory in Zaragosa, Mexico. This plant makes for U.S. consumption Pacifico, Modelo, and Corona beers. They have so drained the aquifer that there is virtually no tap water for the inhabitants of Zaragosa to use for drinking, cooking, or hygiene. Not to worry, just use beer instead! That reminds me of an incident in Colombia many years ago when a beverage manufacturer did the same thing to the water supply, telling locals there to give their kids soda instead of water. And when an attempt was made to organize the plant, the manager hired a death squad to execute the leaders. These are just a couple of examples of the kind of Amaziah-type thinking that we can work to overcome, or else take our chances with the ultimate consequences.
I personally support Resist, a charity which does nothing but provide small grants of a few thousand dollars to numerous grassroots organizations trying to help the poor and oppressed to take charge of their lives. That is how I try to be a part of the solution. Intervene when and as you can, if you want to be Amos, not Amaziah.
In the first reading, we find Amos having a vision -- not some complicated technicolour spectacle as customarily seen in apocalyptic writings and other theophanies, but rather a simple image. He sees a plumb line (that's a guess; actually no one knows what that Hebrew word means) but the message is clear. God will no longer accept the Israelites' worship because of their economic injustice, especially towards the working poor in the agricultural sector.
Israelites have been worshipping at the King's central sanctuary called Beth-el, "Daughter of God." Amos lives in Judaea south of Israel but has travelled to Bethel to deliver God's message that Israel is in moral failure and will collapse. Amaziah is the chief priest at the shrine, no doubt a pragmatic and loyal follower of his government and its cult and friend to the business community. No doubt he sees free-market capitalism as just the way it has to be, and the oppression of the poor as a necessary but unimportant component of the system. God says no to that analysis. So says Amos.
In response to God's word, Amaziah's defensive posture is not surprising. He accuses Amos of being a professional prophet for hire and motivated by greed for money. None of that is true. And he bans Amos from the shrine, telling him to go back where he belongs.
The stunningly simple question for each of us is: Am I Amos or Amaziah? Do I, as best I can, stand up for those our system has left behind or do I excuse or simply ignore injustice? And do remember today's Gospel teaches us that our neighbour can be anyone in any place whom we might help. This week's news included a report on the Constellation Brands factory in Zaragosa, Mexico. This plant makes for U.S. consumption Pacifico, Modelo, and Corona beers. They have so drained the aquifer that there is virtually no tap water for the inhabitants of Zaragosa to use for drinking, cooking, or hygiene. Not to worry, just use beer instead! That reminds me of an incident in Colombia many years ago when a beverage manufacturer did the same thing to the water supply, telling locals there to give their kids soda instead of water. And when an attempt was made to organize the plant, the manager hired a death squad to execute the leaders. These are just a couple of examples of the kind of Amaziah-type thinking that we can work to overcome, or else take our chances with the ultimate consequences.
I personally support Resist, a charity which does nothing but provide small grants of a few thousand dollars to numerous grassroots organizations trying to help the poor and oppressed to take charge of their lives. That is how I try to be a part of the solution. Intervene when and as you can, if you want to be Amos, not Amaziah.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Pentecost VII: On the Road
In the tenth chapter of Luke, Jesus is described as sending out seventy emissaries (seventy-two in some manuscripts). Either number is fine, both were important in Judaism. I prefer seventy, because the Jewish scripture describes Moses also sending out seventy, and it would make sense that the Mosaic tradition be the source of that detail in this vignette. Jesus sends out these seventy like lambs being sent into the midst of wolves, he says, and with orders to travel light -- no luggage, no sandals -- and not to greet people, but rather to stay focussed on the mission of being a blessing and not a curse. They are to depend on the generosity of those whom they evangelize. They will proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom and shake off the dust of communities that will not listen. [One of my ancestors lived in Bath, North Carolina, at the same time the retired pirate Blackbeard resided there. On several occasions the early Methodist leader and famed orator George Whitefield preached there without desired effect. Following his final visit, he cursed the town, literally dusted off his feet, and departed, never to return.]
The seventy return, declaring that they have been successful, and Jesus tells them that he has had a vision of Satan falling from heaven, but that they should not fancy "success" against the Dark Side but, rather, right relationship with God.
What might this pericope have to say to us in this age? First, an abundant harvest is promised, but it is clear that we will not bring in the Kingdom of God. God will do that in God's good time. But God will not bring in the Kingdom around us, either. We are in partnership, The effort of the seventy portends the downfall of "Satan" and inauguration of the new age when God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Are you and I doing our part of build the Kingdom of God on earth. Do we need to be "raptured" into the world to make a difference?
Second, these envoys are to travel light. I believe that is a good reminder that we may use our possessions but must never be owned by them. Once, at lunch with a nun long before I went to seminary but after I became a lay leader, she castigated me for having bought a Lincoln Mark III automobile. I paused and said that I could appreciate the beauty of the design, the car's wonderful engineering, and the pleasant experience of using it, but that if it mattered a whit whether I lost it, I would get rid of it tomorrow. She seemed to think that a good response. Attachment is the issue. Nothing must be imprescendible for us. That reminds me of Saint Francis who, after conversion, gave away all his goods and appeared nude before his bishop, to be assigned! His Grace kindly provided Francis with a staff and cloak, and the rest is history.
Third, we can see that our reward will be salvation, which is right relationship with God, now and always. Our eternal life in God grows as we do the Gospel and diminshes when we don't. Let us stay in the right direction, the direction that leads to Life
The seventy return, declaring that they have been successful, and Jesus tells them that he has had a vision of Satan falling from heaven, but that they should not fancy "success" against the Dark Side but, rather, right relationship with God.
What might this pericope have to say to us in this age? First, an abundant harvest is promised, but it is clear that we will not bring in the Kingdom of God. God will do that in God's good time. But God will not bring in the Kingdom around us, either. We are in partnership, The effort of the seventy portends the downfall of "Satan" and inauguration of the new age when God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Are you and I doing our part of build the Kingdom of God on earth. Do we need to be "raptured" into the world to make a difference?
Second, these envoys are to travel light. I believe that is a good reminder that we may use our possessions but must never be owned by them. Once, at lunch with a nun long before I went to seminary but after I became a lay leader, she castigated me for having bought a Lincoln Mark III automobile. I paused and said that I could appreciate the beauty of the design, the car's wonderful engineering, and the pleasant experience of using it, but that if it mattered a whit whether I lost it, I would get rid of it tomorrow. She seemed to think that a good response. Attachment is the issue. Nothing must be imprescendible for us. That reminds me of Saint Francis who, after conversion, gave away all his goods and appeared nude before his bishop, to be assigned! His Grace kindly provided Francis with a staff and cloak, and the rest is history.
Third, we can see that our reward will be salvation, which is right relationship with God, now and always. Our eternal life in God grows as we do the Gospel and diminshes when we don't. Let us stay in the right direction, the direction that leads to Life
Monday, June 27, 2016
Pentecost VI: Jesus in Samaria
In Luke 9: 51-62, we see that Jesus has concluded the main body of his ministry and has now turned towards Jerusalem and his future destiny. He chooses deliberately to travel through Samaria, which is a radical breaking-down of barriers, for mainstream Jews and Samaritans are bitter enemies, each considering the other to be heretical. First, they do not agree on Scripture. Samaritans accept only the first five books of what we call the Old Testament, whereas Jews accept all of the books in their current canon and the authority of "oral Torah" or commentary. Second, Samaritans believe that God's sacramental presence is in the Temple on Mount Gerazim in Samaria, whereas Jews believe Jerusalem is the cultic centre of the faith. One year Samaritan terrorists went to Gerizim and burnt down the Temple there and the next Passover a delegation from Samaria strew bones of dead humans in the Temple render it impure for worship. Looking back at the Exile to Babylon, Jews saw their deportation as a sign of God's chastisement of those God loved; Samaritans saw it as a sign of God's disfavour, for they were not exiled.
When Jesus' band seek hospitality in Samaria, they are turned away. Well, of course, for a believer in Samaritan culture would not abet a pilgrimage to Jerusalem which they considered to be counter to God's will. The disciples want to burn the place down. Jesus says, no don't retaliate. Much later, the "heretical" milieu of Samaria will prove a fertile field for Christanity. Jesus evangelizes a Samaritan woman who becomes an evangelist to her people, and much later on, the Jerusalem Church will send Peter and John to Samaria to confirm converts who have only been baptised and thereby to convey the Holy Spirit to these new believers.
What messages might we pick up from this story. First, avoid judgementalism towards those whose worship and traditions are different from our own. Second, go outside your comfort zone and find relationship with those beyond your usual circles. Broaden your horizons. Third, be proactive in serving all people.
The latter vignette in our reading initially seems unreasonable, but I believe the core message is that building the Kingdom of God on earth is of surpassing importance. Jesus' work is not to be tackled at our convenience, or when we squeeze God in, or when we have nothing better to do. As Christians, the Kingdom mission is now and always primary in our lives, in our deployment of time, talent and wealth..
I
When Jesus' band seek hospitality in Samaria, they are turned away. Well, of course, for a believer in Samaritan culture would not abet a pilgrimage to Jerusalem which they considered to be counter to God's will. The disciples want to burn the place down. Jesus says, no don't retaliate. Much later, the "heretical" milieu of Samaria will prove a fertile field for Christanity. Jesus evangelizes a Samaritan woman who becomes an evangelist to her people, and much later on, the Jerusalem Church will send Peter and John to Samaria to confirm converts who have only been baptised and thereby to convey the Holy Spirit to these new believers.
What messages might we pick up from this story. First, avoid judgementalism towards those whose worship and traditions are different from our own. Second, go outside your comfort zone and find relationship with those beyond your usual circles. Broaden your horizons. Third, be proactive in serving all people.
The latter vignette in our reading initially seems unreasonable, but I believe the core message is that building the Kingdom of God on earth is of surpassing importance. Jesus' work is not to be tackled at our convenience, or when we squeeze God in, or when we have nothing better to do. As Christians, the Kingdom mission is now and always primary in our lives, in our deployment of time, talent and wealth..
I
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Pentecost V: Jesus cares and cures
In two of today's texts [I Kings 19: 1-15a; Luke 8: 26-39],we learn about changing direction. Elijah is having a terrible time in his life: the land is evil, the king is evil, prophets are dead, and the Queen wants him executed. For answers, he goes to Horeb (i.e. Sinai), no doubt looking for theophanies of old, like earthquake, wind and fire; instead there is the sound of sheer silence. Instead of fixing his problems magically, God communicates through a sheer silence that Elijah is to change direction. In his new assignment he will anoint healthy kings and a new prophetic successor, He himslef will find that he is the answer to his problems!
Jesus involuntarily also changes direction. He and his bind are out on the sea when a storm drives them to Gerasa on the opposite side of the lake from Galilee. Boy, has he landed in the wrong place! Gerasa is home to a Roman garrison of soldiers called a "legion;" it is a centre for the cult of Roman and Greek sacrifices, and a symbol of Roman imperial military power. Logically, it is also the hub of swine production, as pork is a main staple of the Gentile diet. Watch for serious symbolism as the tale unfolds.
The first person Jesus encounters is a madman who lives rough in a cemetery, apparently suffers from epilepsy and mental illness, and runs rounds naked. Jesus lures him out of the tombs and cures him. As the ancients thought all disease and defect were caused by tiny demons, the story is cast in terms of throwing out demons. These perfidious parasites happen to be named "Legion!" Jesus sends "the Legion" into a herd of swine who commit suicide by jumping into the sea. And remember that Jews thought demons lived in the wilderness and could not survive in water. (In some churches the nearest door to the font is left open during baptism so the demons can escape easily.) Now our protagonist is sane and and dressed. Mission accomplished. But are the locals grateful? No, they ask Jesus to go away because they are afraid. What would you bet the real reason is that the local Chamber is upset by the destruction of the pigs, and the profits they would have generated
What can we say? Jesus has given back the protagonist's dignity and future. No one who is open to transformation by Jesus will remain unchanged. The problem is that we too often live amongst the tombs of self-satisfaction, addiction, obsession, wealth, power and privilege. We can get really comfortable with our demons and want to protect them instead of letting Jesus heal us and convert us into the people he calls us to be.
In destroying "the Legion," Jesus has taken on the values of imperialism and militarism. And in the obliteration of the swine he has taken on the values of unbridled capitalism, doing most anything or anybody for a buck. It is clear that Jesus is not safe to be around. Don't approach unless you want to be changed forever.
Jesus involuntarily also changes direction. He and his bind are out on the sea when a storm drives them to Gerasa on the opposite side of the lake from Galilee. Boy, has he landed in the wrong place! Gerasa is home to a Roman garrison of soldiers called a "legion;" it is a centre for the cult of Roman and Greek sacrifices, and a symbol of Roman imperial military power. Logically, it is also the hub of swine production, as pork is a main staple of the Gentile diet. Watch for serious symbolism as the tale unfolds.
The first person Jesus encounters is a madman who lives rough in a cemetery, apparently suffers from epilepsy and mental illness, and runs rounds naked. Jesus lures him out of the tombs and cures him. As the ancients thought all disease and defect were caused by tiny demons, the story is cast in terms of throwing out demons. These perfidious parasites happen to be named "Legion!" Jesus sends "the Legion" into a herd of swine who commit suicide by jumping into the sea. And remember that Jews thought demons lived in the wilderness and could not survive in water. (In some churches the nearest door to the font is left open during baptism so the demons can escape easily.) Now our protagonist is sane and and dressed. Mission accomplished. But are the locals grateful? No, they ask Jesus to go away because they are afraid. What would you bet the real reason is that the local Chamber is upset by the destruction of the pigs, and the profits they would have generated
What can we say? Jesus has given back the protagonist's dignity and future. No one who is open to transformation by Jesus will remain unchanged. The problem is that we too often live amongst the tombs of self-satisfaction, addiction, obsession, wealth, power and privilege. We can get really comfortable with our demons and want to protect them instead of letting Jesus heal us and convert us into the people he calls us to be.
In destroying "the Legion," Jesus has taken on the values of imperialism and militarism. And in the obliteration of the swine he has taken on the values of unbridled capitalism, doing most anything or anybody for a buck. It is clear that Jesus is not safe to be around. Don't approach unless you want to be changed forever.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Pentecost IV: Forgiveness
Two thirds of the statements attributed to Jesus relate directly or indirectly to the subject of forgiveness. It is not surprising, then, that the first act of the Risen Christ was to confer on his Church the authority to forgive sins. That is a great responsibility and a great honour.
Yom Kippur is the day of atonement in the Jewish religion, our mother tradition. On that day faithful Jews come to their temple or synagogue to ask for forgiveness and to be enrolled in the Book of Life for the coming year. But there is one hitch: a Jew may not come to the Yom Kippur service without first having spent the day seeking to be reconciled to those persons by whom offended or whom one has offended, This is nothing new; it is ancient Jewish teaching. When Jesus said in the Our Father "forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us," he was simply repeating a prayer recited every morning by every observant Palestinian Jew. You cannot hold a grudge and then ask for God's pardon.
Our gospel story (Lk 7:36 et seq.) is one of four accounts of the anointing of Jesus by a woman. Each recounting has a different theological concern, shown in the figure objecting to the anointing with rich perfume. In Matthew, the crowd object. In Mark, the apostles object. In John's very late gospel, the mysterious "Judas: objects. Here in Luke, Simon, a pharisee, objects because the woman has a reputation and rabbis should shun such sinners. Jesus says that Simon has little love and will receive little forgiveness. The woman of ill repute knows she is a sinner, has much love and self- awareness and, so, Jesus forgives her sin.
'
We Christians are not confined by the Yom Kippur protocols, although we do have the Lenten season as our model of penance. Nevertheless, there is no bad time for forgiveness and too often accidents and life events take away loved ones still out of a state of our grace. That is supremely sad. The great rabbinic sage Israel Salander tells of visiting a cobbler. After going to bed the first night, he realized there was a light streaming into his room. Investigating, he found his host repairing shoes in the middle of the night. When Salander inquired about it, the host said, "As long as the candle is burning, it is possible to mend."
We never know how long the candle of our life will burn, so mend as soon as you can.
Yom Kippur is the day of atonement in the Jewish religion, our mother tradition. On that day faithful Jews come to their temple or synagogue to ask for forgiveness and to be enrolled in the Book of Life for the coming year. But there is one hitch: a Jew may not come to the Yom Kippur service without first having spent the day seeking to be reconciled to those persons by whom offended or whom one has offended, This is nothing new; it is ancient Jewish teaching. When Jesus said in the Our Father "forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us," he was simply repeating a prayer recited every morning by every observant Palestinian Jew. You cannot hold a grudge and then ask for God's pardon.
Our gospel story (Lk 7:36 et seq.) is one of four accounts of the anointing of Jesus by a woman. Each recounting has a different theological concern, shown in the figure objecting to the anointing with rich perfume. In Matthew, the crowd object. In Mark, the apostles object. In John's very late gospel, the mysterious "Judas: objects. Here in Luke, Simon, a pharisee, objects because the woman has a reputation and rabbis should shun such sinners. Jesus says that Simon has little love and will receive little forgiveness. The woman of ill repute knows she is a sinner, has much love and self- awareness and, so, Jesus forgives her sin.
'
We Christians are not confined by the Yom Kippur protocols, although we do have the Lenten season as our model of penance. Nevertheless, there is no bad time for forgiveness and too often accidents and life events take away loved ones still out of a state of our grace. That is supremely sad. The great rabbinic sage Israel Salander tells of visiting a cobbler. After going to bed the first night, he realized there was a light streaming into his room. Investigating, he found his host repairing shoes in the middle of the night. When Salander inquired about it, the host said, "As long as the candle is burning, it is possible to mend."
We never know how long the candle of our life will burn, so mend as soon as you can.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Pentecost III: Learning from St. Paul
In today's gospel reading (Luke 7: 11-17) Jesus raises the dead. It seems that he is constantly doing that, raising people from the death of addiction. The death of substance abuse. Death from greed, self-absorption, fear....all the things that separate us from God and kill our souls. Jesus is in the business of saving lives.
No more dramatic example can be found than Saint Paul. He is a devout Jew living in the diaspora far away from Jerusalem. He has become engaged in suppressing "The Way," the Jesus Movement arising within Judaism, acknowledging Jesus as a radically different kind of Messiah, and introducing an odd eucharistic rite into worship. At some point in time Paul has a sudden, dramatic conversion experience in which he understands himself to have been ordained an apostle directly by Jesus.. His experience is described symbolically in a revised versions of the Old Testament story about the conversion of Heliodorus. Heliodorus was a Greek persecutor of Jews who was blinded by a great light, later converted to Judaism, and became a big promoter of his new faith. The first-century Jewish reader would see in the story of Saint Paul's conversion the message that a new stage of religious progress -- from Judaism to The Way -- had nowbeen reached in human history.
After conversion, Paul becomes a kind of spiritual Johnny Appleseed, planting churches in many places. One is in Galatia, a province founded by Celtic tribes, to whom today's epistle (Gal. 1: 11-24) is addressed. Delegates from James's church in Jerusalem (where Jewish Christianity is norm) have arrived and advised members that Paul's policy of admitting gentiles into his congregations without a preliminary conversion to Judaism and ongoing expectation of compliance with Torah is erroneous and must be rejected by the Galatian church. Here Paul asserts that his new Torah-free gospel was directly authorized by Jesus in a vision and is therefore valid policy.
What can the Pauline story tell us that would be relevant to our lives today? First, never presume that God is not doing a new thing; our God is a God of surprises. Second, don't presume to judge anyone else's experience of God. Third, always be open to unfolding new revelation, ready to stand corrected when new information and truth present themselves.
No more dramatic example can be found than Saint Paul. He is a devout Jew living in the diaspora far away from Jerusalem. He has become engaged in suppressing "The Way," the Jesus Movement arising within Judaism, acknowledging Jesus as a radically different kind of Messiah, and introducing an odd eucharistic rite into worship. At some point in time Paul has a sudden, dramatic conversion experience in which he understands himself to have been ordained an apostle directly by Jesus.. His experience is described symbolically in a revised versions of the Old Testament story about the conversion of Heliodorus. Heliodorus was a Greek persecutor of Jews who was blinded by a great light, later converted to Judaism, and became a big promoter of his new faith. The first-century Jewish reader would see in the story of Saint Paul's conversion the message that a new stage of religious progress -- from Judaism to The Way -- had nowbeen reached in human history.
After conversion, Paul becomes a kind of spiritual Johnny Appleseed, planting churches in many places. One is in Galatia, a province founded by Celtic tribes, to whom today's epistle (Gal. 1: 11-24) is addressed. Delegates from James's church in Jerusalem (where Jewish Christianity is norm) have arrived and advised members that Paul's policy of admitting gentiles into his congregations without a preliminary conversion to Judaism and ongoing expectation of compliance with Torah is erroneous and must be rejected by the Galatian church. Here Paul asserts that his new Torah-free gospel was directly authorized by Jesus in a vision and is therefore valid policy.
What can the Pauline story tell us that would be relevant to our lives today? First, never presume that God is not doing a new thing; our God is a God of surprises. Second, don't presume to judge anyone else's experience of God. Third, always be open to unfolding new revelation, ready to stand corrected when new information and truth present themselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)