Sunday, March 25, 2012

Fifth Sunday of Lent

I say again that our Creator desires a covenant with all of their children, not just a single tribe or a group of true believers. Through the centuries, the messengers of the covenant have only heard what they wanted to hear, and it is easiest to feel special by making others less so. Perhaps this is all we were capable of hearing during those times, but no longer. Now we are ready for the fullness of the Truth, that not a one of our brothers or sisters will be excluded from our Parent's eternal care. God desires all of her children to know him, not just the chosen ones.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Fourth Sunday of Lent

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." The most important line in Scripture, or so we are told by the legions of athletes and sports fans who use it. For too many Christians, it represents a stark choice: believe in Jesus or suffer in Hell. I say to you that eternal life is a gift for all of us, not just some. Perhaps it is natural for us to divide the world into those who live in light and those who live in darkness; one should be saved and one should be condemned. After all, we are right and they are wrong. We see the truth and they do not. We accept the messiah and they reject him. Surely we will be rewarded and they will be punished? These are the fantasies of a child. I say again that our Creator desires blessings for all of their children, not just a few.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Third Sunday of Lent

"The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." The age of wisdom and signs is over. The time for laws and miracles has passed. We are no longer children who need commands to do our Parent's bidding, nor are we adolescents who require proof before listening to our Creator. God's wisdom is simply the truth of love. The real foolishness is our drive to make everything infinitely complex. God's sign is creation itself. The real weakness is our demand for flashy supernatural manifestations. God is tired of the games. 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Second Sunday of Lent

What sacrifice is it acceptable for God to demand of us? If "He who did not spare his own Son" asks for something, who are we to refuse? We cling to such trivial things in this life: money, power, luxuries, amusement, even life itself. What are these compared with the grandeur of creation? If we are eternal, what do these superficial pleasures matter? But perhaps that is the problem: we do not have enough faith in our Parent's love to risk placing that bet. Even the disciples, who heard and saw things that terrified them, even they folded at times. It is so much easier to put our faith in things we can see and touch, especially when they allow us to live a life of comfort. We can still do lots of good and loving things from our place of comfort, but is that really what God means when he says of our Brother: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."