Natthew under the arm 29
Yesterday evening Columba and I went into a little pub, to have a glass of beer and sausage roll. We sat down by the peat fire. After he had warmed his hands, Columba pulled out his copy of Matthew's Gospel. He drews his chair close to me and asked me to read this passage from Chapter 7. He asked me if I regarded him as having authority. Of course, I wouldn't be on this pilgrimage if I didn't regard Columba as having authority! "What about your authority?" he asked with a wry smile. A stuttered and coughed, slightly embarrassed. He smiled and closed the Gospel and put it away. We both fell silent and relaxed by the fire.
Matthew 7:21-28….
Those with authority have two vital qualities. One is authenticity: the inner life is intergrated with how they actually live. Second is freedom: there is no desire to manipulate responses or to impress. With this authority, there is no need let alone desire to apply pressure. Christian language, however, is punctuated with words such as ‘Lord! Lord!’ The tragedy is that the paradox of Jesus 'Lordship' which is expressed through service and crucifixion, is so often lost in the desire to see 'Lordship' as dominance. [It is worth noting the root of the word 'dominance'.]However, there is little point in talking about ‘Jesus’ if our lives do not have authority. I have an uncomfortable question. Somebody who actually forgives - who actually lives for others, does that person need to say anything about God or Jesus? I, for one, want to know what gives the impetus to that persons authority.
Deepen your silence in Me that you may practice My Loving
This meditation is not about power over others. It is about authority which allows you to be free of wanting to impress others including God! In a strange way, you may use the word ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ less and less, but when you do, it will be in freedom and will have the ring of authenticity. Silence needs to be practiced so that you can realise the gift of the Spirit within which gives authentic freedom to love without wanting to manipulate.
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
Matthew 7:21-28….
Those with authority have two vital qualities. One is authenticity: the inner life is intergrated with how they actually live. Second is freedom: there is no desire to manipulate responses or to impress. With this authority, there is no need let alone desire to apply pressure. Christian language, however, is punctuated with words such as ‘Lord! Lord!’ The tragedy is that the paradox of Jesus 'Lordship' which is expressed through service and crucifixion, is so often lost in the desire to see 'Lordship' as dominance. [It is worth noting the root of the word 'dominance'.]However, there is little point in talking about ‘Jesus’ if our lives do not have authority. I have an uncomfortable question. Somebody who actually forgives - who actually lives for others, does that person need to say anything about God or Jesus? I, for one, want to know what gives the impetus to that persons authority.
Deepen your silence in Me that you may practice My Loving
This meditation is not about power over others. It is about authority which allows you to be free of wanting to impress others including God! In a strange way, you may use the word ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ less and less, but when you do, it will be in freedom and will have the ring of authenticity. Silence needs to be practiced so that you can realise the gift of the Spirit within which gives authentic freedom to love without wanting to manipulate.
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
posted by Martin at 8:20 am
2 Comments:
"Those with authority have two vital qualities. One is authenticity: the inner life is integrated with how they actually live. Second is freedom: there is no desire to manipulate responses or to impress. With this authority, there is no need let alone desire to apply pressure."
-- Martin
I think this is probably true for ordinary, private life, but untrue for public or political life. Let me use the example of opposing an unjust war (say, in Iraq). If I speak out, using authenticity, reason and not manipulation, trying to persuade, then yes, I do want to impress listeners and to apply pressure on the warmakers.
The prophets applied pressure. Jesus applied an unbearable pressure on authorities.
Authenticity and freedom are necessities in I-Thou relationships, while citizen-state relations are principally marked by leaders' inauthenticity, mendacity and manipulation.
I wonder what Columba would say to Peter Akinola.
Josh Thomas
Mabe he wouldn't say anything . Maybe he would sit in a quiet place and fast and pray. Com-passion, mindful suffering with others is the final authenticity and authority. I don't mean we don't need prophets and pressure I think we do. But there is another way
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