In the Risen Christ, the Christian God reveals the final state of all reality. He forbids his worshippers to accept life as it is or base their lives on what he can do for them.
I am not a Christian, but Jesus Christ has always been a teacher of mine. He was a large, not a small spirit. I don’t think he would mind if a Jew turned Quaker did not accept him as a deity to worship but as an inspiration to follow.
I believe he would welcome me into his world.
To believe in the resurrection, it is unnecessary for someone like me to embrace his rising from the dead.
Believing in the resurrection writes Richard Rohr in “Yes, And….Daily Inspirations,” means a willingness to cross limits and transcend boundaries. Thus, it is open to anyone.
I am always struck to see how little faith many religious people have. The Christian nationalists don’t trust their God to take care of the future; they want to purchase hope and legislate it and ram it down the throat of others.
They don’t trust God; they want to play God themselves.
For me, the promise of Jesus and the Resurrection is to believe that tomorrow can be better than today. That is what faith means to me.
We are not bound by the past or doomed by gloomy predictions of the future. Perhaps God knows how all of this will end; I sure don’t.
If there is a God, the future will be created by him or her, not by our own pallid efforts.
I believe in something more than survival.
I believe in a resurrection, a new kind of creation, a transformation into a time of Love and compassion. The mystics of the Kabbalah believed that this transformation into Love is God’s final chapter in all of history.
Rohr says that a true Christian is an optimist, not a politician.
The precise message of the Raised Christ, say theologians, is that God is available to everyone everywhere, as his body moved beyond any limits of space and time.
For some reason, says Rohr, people like to keep God where we can control him by our theologies, services, and politics. God is expected to conform to our moral systems and judgments.
The resurrection offers me a way to accept Jesus as a teacher without having to worship him as a God. As he moved beyond any limits of space and time or the shallow demands of human beings, then he becomes available to me, and I can learn from him, not teach him.
My life is, in many ways, a perpetual resurrection—a rising. Whenever I can, I cross limits and transcend boundaries. It is an article of faith for me that tomorrow can be better than today.
For me, that is the story of my life.
Beautiful. Jesus is an inspiration for me as well. His compassion and love for those shunned by people who judged them and cast them away as worthless and different opened my heart to the suffering of others. Thank you. Great writing, Jon.
Can’t really find much purpose to be here if I didn’t believe that tomorrow can be better than today. Jesus gives us boundless gifts in his teachings and challenges us to do the same.
Beautifully stated Jon. I agree. I doubt that Jesus ever asked those listening to him teach, that they needed to believe he was their God, and that their mission in life was to coerce others into believing it too. He constantly pointed to that source being a part of each and every one of us… “the kingdom of heaven is within you.”
Jon…
“Whenever I can, I cross limits and transcend boundaries.”
And we can. Often, the most binding limits are the ones we place on ourselves.
Off subject: I’ve taken, as my new dog, a stray dog. I had finder send me photos, detailed description of behavior, personality, apparent health. About a year old, a Black Lab mix, found wandering without tags / chip. Attempts to find owner went nowhere. Neutered, housetrained, affectionate, in apparent good health, about 40 lbs. Finder had him for two weeks with other dogs – no aggression / cowering. Finder brought him to me 2 days ago. I made clear that I wouldn’t commit until I spent time with him. After 4 hours, I knew that Jack was a good dog but knew no commands. I started with “sit”. I held up his breakfast bowl and said “Sit!” He didn’t understand what I wanted, finally sat in frustration. Bingo! This morning, he learned that not only does he have to sit for food but must stay seated until I say “OK”. Every so often, I get small treats, call him to me, and give him the “sit” hand sign: butt on the floor, every time. I’m working with him in the house on “stay” – as in making up the bed and he wants to jump up: hand upright to him, “Stay”. If he jumps up, I leave the room, start over. He’s starting to get it. Next “Come” with a long leash and treats (small pieces of hot dog – highly treasured rewards). Meanwhile, I walk him on leash a couple miles or so around the same old block / city park 2x a day, with short walks in between, with an hour or so afternoon “nap” mostly for him – total attention / reassurance. I want him to know his ‘hood, to be quiet and calm in the house: rowdy play will come later. Neighbors think I’m denying him with no indoor ball-playing, no dog parks, no table treats, being “mean” when I snap fingers and say “Down!” when he jumps on people, don’t constantly play with him / pet him. Jack and I pay them no mind; me washing clothes, baking bread, doing online work, Jack snoozing on his bed under my desk. Jack will be a great dog, thanks in big part to your wisdom.
Thanks for this photo, healing for me.Love/Peace
Thanks for this photo, healing for me.Love/Peace
Lovely. You might be interested in the books, Writing in the Sand by Thomas Moore, and The Hidden Gospel by Neil Douglas-Klotz. Both talk about what to them is the underlying message of Jesus which most people miss. More maintains that Jesus was calling for a radical shift in perspective. Douglas-Klotz writes about the layers of meaning in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke.
Lovely thoughts. Richard Rohr is on my daily reading routine. Brilliant man.