Aug 13, 2017

 

Follower of Jesus (31)

Blessed are the merciful,

For they will be shown mercy. (4)

Matt. 5:7

I mentioned in the last post that there is an infinite power in the force of forgiveness. The love of God (“God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16) is all there is, and everything abides in the love of God. God is not punitive or angry; God is only love. Love is above all merciful (see the parable of the prodigal son: Luke 15:11-32); when we practice and become merciful we enter into the life of God and become truly the image of God. Our task in this life is to learn to learn to live in that kingdom of God that lives within and enter into the heaven within us that Jesus talked about, here and now. We have to learn to accept and to live that quote of Jesus that I have used so often: “nor will people say ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God lies within you.” (Luke 17:21). The problem with this statement of Jesus is that few of us can see that the kingdom of God is here as we speak. We think that statement is a hyperbole expressed by Jesus, for all the pain we see in the world and all the pain we feel certainly does not appear like the kingdom of God, or heaven.

So where is it? If it is here, why can’t I see it? Why all the suffering that is so visible? Why pain??? That question has been the question asked for time immemorial. The pain in the world does not appear like heaven, and we are tempted to say ‘If that is heaven, let me off!’

But Jesus spoke the truth, and it takes some time to grow up, clean out, and wake up. If we are fortunate, we will suffer sufficiently to grasp that inner spirit and become one who sees God in the midst of all. The life of Jesus is a wonderful example, and that is what we must follow if we are to see that kingdom that lies within. Jesus could have donned the mantle of the King, and we too often celebrate the very thing that Jesus turned his back upon: The exterior kingship portrayed sitting on a golden throne bestowing blessings or condemnations right and left.

Instead we are left with the reality of the life of Jesus: preaching forgiveness and love, even while being tortured and dying in agony on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” God’s answer, under all conditions, was love, only love, entering into our suffering and loving more. Jesus showed the breadth of mercy to us all, asking us to give up our suffering into the love of God and let God hold us here and now. It seems ironic that to leave the suffering of this world behind, we have to experience suffering to the point where we have no choice but to accept the mercy of God and fall into the Love of God that is constantly being offered us, overflowing and infinite in extent. You cannot be too far for God to lift you up, and all the addicts who have found joy and freedom through the 12-step program where the answer lies in surrender to the Love that knows no end understand this deeply.

Our task is to learn to be merciful under all conditions. It is easy to be merciful when we can appear to be magnanimous, and feed our ego with the satisfaction of “rising above” the situation to the admiration of all – especially ourselves. But it proves truly a challenge when the pain that is present is so strong that it seems nothing but revenge will satisfy our deepest feelings of anger.

The way forward is to learn to step outside of ourselves and learn to not take ourselves so seriously, look more closely at our thoughts, and see that we are not our thoughts, but something so much more: the image of God.

We will continue these thoughts next time.

Meditation

Oh Font of Wisdom, who loves me more than I can imagine, I place myself gently in Your care. Your love has taken my pain and turned it into compassion and love for all, for only in Your love do I find joy and happiness at my deepest source, at all times. I am grateful that, if I see what is truly present, I would only see You in an infinite variety of forms. I understand and am grateful for the insight that pain, both physical and mental, is the path to joy and happiness if I so choose. I ask for the courage to surrender to Your love in all of creation and beyond, and am grateful for all the reminders sent my way each day of my ultimate destination.