Matthew under the arm 111
[I appreciate that there is huge anachronism in these 'posts' given that it is in the period of Holy Week and Easter. There is a magnificent and disturbing painting by Matthias Grunewald, contained in the triptych known as the Isenheim altarpiece. Christ is putrid and decaying on the bent and knotted framework of the cross. Below Him is John the Baptism holding the text: 'I must decrease.; he must increase'. With his free hand he points to the hideous figure that has that inimical and severe beauty to it. Of course, the 'presence of John the Baptist' at the crucifixion is, perhaps, a glorious anachronism! After all, my standing at the foot of the cross with you, is also an anachronism...... Remember that these meditations are shared with you from the perspective of thousands of years of living in the economy of a Risen Christ crucified... time is turned on it head! May the souls of the dead visited by Christ this day (Holy Saturday) be for us the mystery of hope.]
Two days ago, late on in the afternoon, Columba was climbing some steps over a dyke wall. Admittedly, it was pouring with rain as well as being bitterly cold. He and I were soaked through and miserable. Yes, Columba, thank God, was miserable. That was reassuring, at least! However, he fell and, having put his right hand out to stop his fall, his wrist audibly snapped! He cried out in agony, dancing around at the edge of the field, moaning and wailing. Cruel though this may seem, I was even more reassured. So Columba can make a fuss too....! I did my best to wrap his wrist with a cloth I use to keep my Matthew's Gospel dry! All the way to the village, he was nothing short of panicing. 'My hand has come away from my arm...I am never again going to be able to use it.' When we sat down by a gorgeous blazing fire, he calmed down as I helped him drink some soup and eat some fresh bread. Columba looked at me like a child... 'How, my good friend, am I going to understand Christ's pain when I can't come to terms with this?' I shrugged my shoulders. He shouted his question again... His question was not rhetorical, he was beseeching me to answer. A deep question from Columba! Humility indeed.
Matthew 22:41-46….
Some first century Jews held that Messiah would be David’s son. However, if Messiah is greater than David, there is a difficulty. So Christ is both son and Lord… In our western way of thinking we assume here some sort of hierarchy. Jesus plays with this. To be son is to be in God and to be Lord is to be a slave! Thus Jesus puts a question mark over all assumptions about power and indeed about human relationships.
Let Me be your servant that you, being in God, may serve
Notice the importance of questions in the Gospels. In a strange way, they reveal the power of Jesus. Normally when questions are asked they demonstrate that one person is dependent on another to answer. So asking a question gives away power. Questions then reveal humility. That is precisely where the ‘power’ of Christ is: service. So the focus of spirituality is in the inner desire to know, to grow in order to move outwards to serve. You may have a question for someone today. What lies at the heart of that question? In your silence enter that question then use the sentence. What is the real question in your heart that you want to put to God?
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
Two days ago, late on in the afternoon, Columba was climbing some steps over a dyke wall. Admittedly, it was pouring with rain as well as being bitterly cold. He and I were soaked through and miserable. Yes, Columba, thank God, was miserable. That was reassuring, at least! However, he fell and, having put his right hand out to stop his fall, his wrist audibly snapped! He cried out in agony, dancing around at the edge of the field, moaning and wailing. Cruel though this may seem, I was even more reassured. So Columba can make a fuss too....! I did my best to wrap his wrist with a cloth I use to keep my Matthew's Gospel dry! All the way to the village, he was nothing short of panicing. 'My hand has come away from my arm...I am never again going to be able to use it.' When we sat down by a gorgeous blazing fire, he calmed down as I helped him drink some soup and eat some fresh bread. Columba looked at me like a child... 'How, my good friend, am I going to understand Christ's pain when I can't come to terms with this?' I shrugged my shoulders. He shouted his question again... His question was not rhetorical, he was beseeching me to answer. A deep question from Columba! Humility indeed.
Matthew 22:41-46….
Some first century Jews held that Messiah would be David’s son. However, if Messiah is greater than David, there is a difficulty. So Christ is both son and Lord… In our western way of thinking we assume here some sort of hierarchy. Jesus plays with this. To be son is to be in God and to be Lord is to be a slave! Thus Jesus puts a question mark over all assumptions about power and indeed about human relationships.
Let Me be your servant that you, being in God, may serve
Notice the importance of questions in the Gospels. In a strange way, they reveal the power of Jesus. Normally when questions are asked they demonstrate that one person is dependent on another to answer. So asking a question gives away power. Questions then reveal humility. That is precisely where the ‘power’ of Christ is: service. So the focus of spirituality is in the inner desire to know, to grow in order to move outwards to serve. You may have a question for someone today. What lies at the heart of that question? In your silence enter that question then use the sentence. What is the real question in your heart that you want to put to God?
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
posted by Martin at 9:40 am
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