Assurance

Yesterday's Gospel reading (from Matthew 11) contained a line that caught me:

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. (verse 12)

Intrigued by that, I set off to read more of Matthew 11 to gain some insight and clarity.

The beginning of Matthew 11 sees John the Baptist's disciples acting as his proxy. He (John) is in prison (by Herod - awaiting his death, but he doesn't know that part yet, but maybe he can sense it). ...and John has a question. John needs ASSURANCE from Jesus that Jesus really is the guy - the One - the Messiah. Are you who you say you are?

"Are you the One who is to come - or should we be looking for another?"


True to form, Jesus doesn't just say, "Yes." Instead, he says:

Tell John what you see and hear: 

the blind see,
the lame walk -
lepers are cleansed (nobody had seen that before) -
the deaf hear -
the dead are raised -
the poor have the good news preached to them;
and blessed is the one who takes no offense at me. 

With this response, Jesus is actually honoring John's intelligence and intuition. How? you wonder. In that response, Jesus directly quotes Isaiah 26, 35, and 61 - all Messianic prophesies. These passages were well-known to the Jews as signs to recognize the coming, the arrival of - the Messiah.

John the Baptist was the first to recognize Jesus (in utero he leapt for joy at the sound of Mary's voice, she pregnant with the baby Messiah). From the womb, John was living his calling of 'preparing the way for the Lord'! His whole life was spent living out this calling. (wouldn't we love that assurance?)

Jesus knew that John knew the Truth - but he just needed some assurance. The cultural expectation was that the Messiah would usher in a time of VICTORY, power, vindication...that the kingdom of the Jews would be redeemed and rise up. (post-Hamilton I can't use this phrase and not think of RISE UP.)

...yet...John finds himself in prison...and Jesus has come. He's the Messiah, right? The Messiah is HERE - IN OUR MIDST - but...I'm in prison? I thought I was going to be his right-hand man? I thought my job was to help usher him in - that together, we would RISE UP... but I'm in prison - and my intuition is giving me a feeling that something foreboding is on my horizon. ...is this...the plan?

Trying to make sense of his current circumstance that seems to be defying all expectations of "the plan" - John sends his disciples. Jesus tells John (via his disciples) via Isaiah:

You know me. You know my mission. You know. You recognized rightly. Rest in your calling and your mission, my friend. You are blessed in my kingdom.

AND THEN - Jesus does something extra. Jesus tells us - the crowd - who John is.

"Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 
.....
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. 
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come. 
Whoever has ears ought to hear."

I find this part so beautiful - and so like God. Sometimes, our deep struggle isn't simply needing assurance about God's character or mission - we need assurance about ourselves, too. 

Have you seen me, God?

Do you see this burden? Is it from you, God?
Should I keep going - or put it down?
Am I who you say I am?
Are you here with me?
Will you continue with me? 

AND THEN - Jesus speaks to the heart of John's confusion:

From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force. 

John, my cousin:  My coming isn't like our forefathers' vision. It's not a physical, earthly reign. We aren't building a castle or overthrowing Rome - like that. It's one for the Spirit - the Spirit manifesting itself in humanity - and transforming the physical, earthly realm through all people upon whom my favor rests.

You, my cousin, have been taken by force. They may take your life, but they cannot claim your spirit - or your calling - and they cannot a quench this revolution by taking a life. 

You are Elijah - and you have prepared the way of the Lord! You have fulfilled your calling, done your part.

This is enough for John the Baptist. In John's Gospel - it is noted that the Baptist responds with:

No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said 'I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him.' 

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. 

He must increase; I must decrease. 

Week 2 of Advent focuses on Peace. Let us take note of John the Baptist's response to confusion and fear: he simply asked Jesus for clarity. ...and Jesus answered. Today's gospel (also Matthew 11) ends with "Wisdom is vindicated by her works." When we are in need of assurance: true wisdom asks God to 'rise up' - and waits with open eyes and ears to recognize the answer through the messenger God chooses.

I love that this reflection ends with point us to joy. When John received Jesus' message, he received the PEACE of the Holy Spirit. That peace led him to JOY - and greater love. WOW. 

 

 

The art of accompaniment: Bringing Peace

Today's Lectio Divina reflection comes from yesterday's (Monday, December 10) gospel reading.
Luke 5:17 - 26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. 

And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed;
they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. 
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof
and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles
into the middle in front of Jesus. 
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
"As for you, your sins are forgiven." 

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves,
"Who is this who speaks blasphemies? 
Who but God alone can forgive sins?" 
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,
"What are you thinking in your hearts? 
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise and walk'? 
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"–
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." 

He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on,
and went home, glorifying God. 
Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God,
and, struck with awe, they said,
"We have seen incredible things today."

What struck me was the second paragraph: when Jesus saw their faith, he said: as for you, your sins are forgiven.

Their faith. 
     - not the paralyzed dude - 
     - his friends - 
                  the ones who brought him, picked him up off of whatever surface he was lying on (bed, street - we don't know) - but they definitely picked him up because he was paralyzed
                  the ones who dared to hope for him, to believe for him
                  the ones who refused to give up simply because there was a crowd and the entry was blocked - the ones who persevered and came up with a new way to get their friend to Jesus

Their faith. Their faith demonstrated true phileo love - the love that goes out of the way for another - the love that climbs over another - the love that tears tiles out of a roof - and then trusts that someone inside is going to catch their friend on the stretcher when they lower it...LOVE. Love that demonstrates itself in persevering accompaniment. Love that lifts another out of their current situation and brings them to Jesus. 

They brought their friend to Jesus for his healing - not for their own. As true friends they were not seeking anything for themselves...and so, Jesus speaks to them first.

Jesus immediately recognized their actions. The One who is Love recognizes love moving through faith. As for you, you who are acting as my disciples, I want you to know, your sins are forgiven. As he says to Zaccheus, Today the Lord has come to your house. 

[And then of course the Pharisees get all up in arms - who is this Jesus to forgive sins? Does he think he's GOD? "Uh, yes, actually. ...and I don't think it, I AM."]

I think it's because of that exchange that I've always connected the "your sins are forgiven" to the paralyzed man - and not to his friends. ...but yesterday while listening, immediately, the Holy Spirit keyed me into they and their.


Week 2 of Advent is the theme of Peace. When reading this Gospel, it's easier to see hope and joy to me than peace. ...Finding the peace requires a deeper reflection.

What is the purpose of forgiving sins? 
:removing the infinite barrier between us and God (done by Jesus' death on the cross) 
:removing the physical, emotional, spiritual barriers between us and God, and us and others
to make way for - the subsequent indwelling of the Holy Spirit - the peace of God

What is the purpose of [supernaturally] healing the body?
:demonstrating the love of God (Father) through the power of God (Holy Spirit) for the purpose of bringing about a movement of greater faith in the world
       ....and those of you who have ever experienced a life-altering illness know the frustration,  confusion, abandonment that can accompany those...what PEACE that man must have felt (in addition to the joy, obvi) when he stood up for the first time.


Who in my life does God want me to walk beside? Who in my life is feeling abandoned - and in need of friendship? Who is frustrated and confused? May I be a friend like these men...and may I be so full of love that I don't keep shouldering their burdens onto my own shoulders trying to fix them myself (guilty): may I love them so fiercely that I tear through a ceiling to get them to Jesus.

Come Holy Spirit, embodiment of Peace.

Planning for the future: Hope

On the first week of Advent may true love gave to me....


For those unaware, Advent is the 4(ish) week time period before Christmas. Advent (for Catholics) is a time for fasting and preparing our hearts (not just our homes) for the Christmas miracle: God becoming man. Divine nature becoming human. For me, I am embracing lectio divina of the daily Scripture readings.

This first week of Advent centers on the theme of HOPE. As I read through today's readings, I kept this theme of HOPE in mind. Of those words, what communicated HOPE to me? Today, what spoke to me is this verse from Psalm 122:

Because of the house of the LORD our God, I will pray for your good. 

What follows is my morning meditation on this line. (Everything that is indented and italicized represents God's voice; italics that are not intended represent my own thoughts in this dialogue.)

 Because of the house of the LORD our God, I will pray for your good. 

Behold, the plans I have for you:  

 plans to give you hope and a future, plans to prosper and not harm... 

(Jeremiah 29:11 - from memory - so may not be entirely accurate)

I always thought I wanted to know God's plan for my life.

Like, could you just show me the blueprint? It would sure make it a lot easier to trust, you God. 
Ok, then - what about just the big one? Will I get married? Will a boy *finally* love me? 

...and naturally, if I knew "the big one" then I'd *obviously* know I'd be a mom. ...and none of the other things in my future would matter.


Isn't that the beauty of a calling? God speaks a truth to our hearts - one just for us: "this is the way; walk in it." In response, we look over our shoulder for clarification, "Uh, this way? This way, God? Ya sure? ...ok, so this way..."

I know the plans I have for you. Plans for hope - plans for a future - for your good. Listen. I will tell you the way you should go, whether to the right or left. Just listen.

Um, ok God. But I really don't want to screw this up.

I know.

But I think it would be a lot easier if you'd just let me in on the plan. Dontcha think? Then I won't screw it up....

Jessica. (I raise my head, but don't make eye contact)

Jessica. Look at me. (I look up, and the drop my gaze)

Look at me. I know the plans I have for you. Plans for a future - of hope. You know the plan I want most for you, though? Besides the doing and the achieving and the rushing around ... I want  you to know you are loved. You have worth because of who you are; because you are mine. I want you to know how good I am; the hope I bring; the peace that settles into your bones from being in my presence; the security of a future where I am. 

What you will do - where you will live - who you will marry - who you will influence: those feel like the big things - I know - but, (look at me) they really are secondary.

Really.

I know. It's sort of mind blowing, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah. I know society makes your think blah-blah-blah...I know. I've been upending societal norms for a while now....

(I digress) Back to the reality: Seek me first.

Seek me first and all these other things, they will come. In time, in due course - in a way you won't expect - don't fix your eyes - or your hope - there. Just keep your gaze on me. Tune your ears to listen to my voice. You're in for the ride of your life, trust me. I am praying for your good.