Monday, June 21, 2010
delighting
Those who see the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4.6), "no longer exist in the night when God is far off. They live in the daybreak colors of God's coming day (Rom 13.12). In this respect, to believe means trusting in God's promise, seeing the world in the advance radiance of God's future, and living life here as a foretaste of God's fullness." (Jürgen Moltmann, Sun of Righteousness, Arise!, p. 184).
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How do we live here and now in this "fullness" of God's promising future, when there is so much bad news? The bad news is global in scale: the destruction of the earth through pollution, continual wars among tribes and nations and peoples, religion distorted into practices of hate, shortages of food and water and patience and compassion. Into the night of this darkness, where God seems so far away, we trust in a light shining into this abyss of chaos.
As I listen to the way of Jesus, I am inspired in my imagination. My spirit comes alive as I see Jesus practice love of enemies, compassion for the suffering, liberation for the oppressed, restoration for the broken. This way of Jesus confronts me in the illusion of my comfortable distance from my enemies, the suffering, the oppressed, and broken.
I am challenged to wonder how I choose enmity instead of the neighborly way. I dare to question my comforts when I listen with Jesus to the cries of the suffering very near to me. I myself long for a glimpse of liberation from what oppresses me... and the choices I make that oppress others! The vision of Jesus confronts me with the brokenness of my own life, the broken relationships, and the broken creation that my comfortable lifestyle imposes upon this creation.
When we see this vision of God's glory in the face of Jesus, what do we see? We see "a child in a manger and a man on the cross" quotes Moltmann from Martin Luther (184). That is, the glory of God is the weak, vulnerable, suffering, wounded humanity of God in the history of Jesus.
This "pathos" of God, this passion of God, is the "daybreak color" of God's new day which confronts these last days of this world. We live in the dawn of God's new day when we embrace the suffering in our hearts, among our neighbors, friends, family, and especially, our enemies. We are reflecting the light of this new day into these dark days of destruction, when we shine with hope in God's promising future which will make "all things new."
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"O Lord,
remember not only the men and women of goodwill,
but also those of ill will.
But do not only remember the suffering
they have inflicted on us,
remember the fruits we bore--
thans to this suffering;
our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility,
the courage, the generosity,
the greatness of heart
which has grown out of all this.
Then when they come to judgement
let all the fruits that we have borne
be their forgiveness."
This poem was found written on a piece of wrapping paper lying near the body of a dead child at the Ravensbruck Nazi death camp, where 92,000 women and children died. (Peter Millar, An Iona Prayer Book, 120).
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Come, Creator Spirit, give new life to the earth, give new life to us!
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How do we live here and now in this "fullness" of God's promising future, when there is so much bad news? The bad news is global in scale: the destruction of the earth through pollution, continual wars among tribes and nations and peoples, religion distorted into practices of hate, shortages of food and water and patience and compassion. Into the night of this darkness, where God seems so far away, we trust in a light shining into this abyss of chaos.
As I listen to the way of Jesus, I am inspired in my imagination. My spirit comes alive as I see Jesus practice love of enemies, compassion for the suffering, liberation for the oppressed, restoration for the broken. This way of Jesus confronts me in the illusion of my comfortable distance from my enemies, the suffering, the oppressed, and broken.
I am challenged to wonder how I choose enmity instead of the neighborly way. I dare to question my comforts when I listen with Jesus to the cries of the suffering very near to me. I myself long for a glimpse of liberation from what oppresses me... and the choices I make that oppress others! The vision of Jesus confronts me with the brokenness of my own life, the broken relationships, and the broken creation that my comfortable lifestyle imposes upon this creation.
When we see this vision of God's glory in the face of Jesus, what do we see? We see "a child in a manger and a man on the cross" quotes Moltmann from Martin Luther (184). That is, the glory of God is the weak, vulnerable, suffering, wounded humanity of God in the history of Jesus.
This "pathos" of God, this passion of God, is the "daybreak color" of God's new day which confronts these last days of this world. We live in the dawn of God's new day when we embrace the suffering in our hearts, among our neighbors, friends, family, and especially, our enemies. We are reflecting the light of this new day into these dark days of destruction, when we shine with hope in God's promising future which will make "all things new."
+
"O Lord,
remember not only the men and women of goodwill,
but also those of ill will.
But do not only remember the suffering
they have inflicted on us,
remember the fruits we bore--
thans to this suffering;
our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility,
the courage, the generosity,
the greatness of heart
which has grown out of all this.
Then when they come to judgement
let all the fruits that we have borne
be their forgiveness."
This poem was found written on a piece of wrapping paper lying near the body of a dead child at the Ravensbruck Nazi death camp, where 92,000 women and children died. (Peter Millar, An Iona Prayer Book, 120).
+
Come, Creator Spirit, give new life to the earth, give new life to us!
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