You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Realizing their mortal peril, they asked, "Who are you?"
The question recurs, in one form or another, frequently in the Gospel of Saint John, and throughout human history. Who was this man? Where did he come from? What was he talking about? Who gave him such authority? Why did he care so much? Why doesn't he just go back to wherever he came from?
Living in a flattened universe which cannot imagine or reckon on a spiritual dimension, we have a hard time explaining to our skeptical neighbors, family, and friends that Jesus is Lord, and that his throne is a cross. It is harder to explain that everyone must take up their crosses and follow him to Calvary.
Reality has a rude way of intruding into the narrow dimensions of our space and time. Clueless despite their cleverness, they can only speculate about what might happen and should happen.
Knowing the Truth who is God, and recognizing the Son, the Ambassador whom Truth has sent, we walk amid the familiar dimensions of time and space but our hearts and minds recognize the spiritual dimension where meaning, purpose, and satisfaction appear. We can see consequences coming that might not appear in the predictable dimensions. You can see the meaning of ominous remarks like, "You will die in your sins."
"God rescues us from dangers beyond all human expectation. We felt within ourselves that we had received the sentence of death, so that we might not trust ourselves but in God, who raises the dead; from so great a danger did he deliver us, and does deliver us; we hope in him, for he will deliver us again." Saint Basil
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.