On this Holy Saturday it seems appropriate to ask for the forgiveness of any readers or commenters that I may have ruffled since we started this TC.com enterprise.
One thing that is for certain about blogging, is that it does indeed bring forth a bit of discomposure and agitation of the persona.
I have been tagged recently as, “haughty” and full of myself. So be it, we all contain multitudes. Yet in this Easter Season, I want to turn to my real time Commanding Officer, Jesus of Nazareth, and one of his Sergeants, the apostle Paul.
Paul was once considered to be a bit haughty himself. He was a blue-blood member of a highly distinguished Jewish family. He was educated by the esteemed rabbi Gamaliel. Paul had a reputation as a blameless defender of his faith and his nation. As a scholar, patriot and spiritual leader he was honored by his countrymen and feared by his enemies. You might say he was a bit full of himself.
But Paul had a transforming experience while on a special op’s mission to hunt down the followers of Jesus. Early guerrilla warfare. He had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus, pretty much curing him of his bloated self image. The creature comforts of life; prestige, power, and social status went out the window.
Paul learned rapidly that if he was going to brag it would be about his weakness. In the midst of all of his travails and persecutions Paul remained humble as the grace of God worked through him leading to a solid love for others.
“But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
It is indeed in our weakness, we come to our full and centered strength. I must follow the same dictums I have given my children and grandchildren. I use to tell them to ask themselves a brutal question, when faced with a detractor…… what if they are right? Tough medicine, but sure to forward ones spiritual growth.
Later in life Paul also came to understand that the grace we have been given is only to enable us to care for each other. This mutual interdependence is likened to the parts of our body. Mutual care as opposed to proud and haughty comparisons is what makes our bodies work. “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you.” By spreading around the gifts and talents God makes us dependent on each other. One might say that even makes for good “God Blogging,” Rene!
So, with Jesus and Paul at my side I submit myself to the admonition, ” If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.” 2 Corinthians 11:30
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL THE TC.COM BLOGGERS AND OUR READERS.
Our weakness helps us realize our dependence that leads us to salvation.
The glorification of militarism in statements like “Jesus was a veteran” – in direct contradiction to his actual teachings – is the underpinning of the kind of thought process that eventually leads to people who consider themselves “christian militia”, without a hint of embarrassment.
Actually Jesus was a pacifist and a socialist and would be quite likely to be crucified by today’s “christians” .
Later in life Paul also came to understand that the grace we have been given is only to enable us to care for each other.
It is fascinating to me how much the general teachings of the various forms of spirituality through the ages become distilled and how some general truisms are revealed. Even Marxism, which has a distinctly materialist basis (i.e. one that does not acknowledge the non-material in any way and one that believes that everything can be explained and understood through natural science) comes to many of the same conclusions and understandings I see evident in Mike’s posting. Certainly, the interdependence of all things, a conclusion reached by Paul in the text above, is a fundamental theory of dialectical materialism, the underpinning philosophy of communism. Paul’s transformation can be seen as confirmation of the dialectical aspect, which holds that the fundamental nature of things is constant change and evolution. The parallels are certainly there.
At the same time that I hold Marx’s opinion on religion, i.e. that it is a reflection of our suffering under present material conditions and not a salvation from our suffering, I accept all the distilled wisdom that comes through the ages as valuable. As such, Mike, I have come to hold to the philosophy that forgiveness is central to any healthy spirituality and we forgive not always for the offenders well-being, but always for our own.
Tiponeil
I couldn’t have said it better.
Tiponeil
I couldn’t have said it better…kudos to you!!
Finally. Rodney King had it right! We can all get along! Metaphysical matters transcend all human philosophies of the same.