Matthew under the arm 116
After all these months with St Matthew's Gospel, I had begun to feel confident in my understanding of its 'flow' and meaning. Yesterday... Well, let me explain. Two young girls joined us. They were covered in mud and were damp through. However, they were blissfully happy. They asked about myself and about Columba. I then started to wax eloquent on the Gospel of Matthew, that I was carrying. 'I have it in my heart now', I added with sickening sentimentality. So I gave them my take on the new certainty that I had of the Kingdom of God and how they ought to have the same. Columba, who was walking ahead of me, stopped when he heard me. he turned and glowered at me. 'And are you ready to be crucified? Only then claim the Gospel as a certainty. Then God will be the on ly certainty there is and, of that, you will doubt....' Silence. Did he need to embarrass me...?
Matthew 24:15-28….
Religious communication around the first century CE was often fearful and portentous. This was not surprising, given the Roman occupation, the interplay of many religious cultures in the Near East; and then the destruction of Jerusalem in 70CE. Matthew's Gospel was written after that devastating experience. In our own time, when there is uncertainty about our own culture, there are many religious leaders who attract attention to themselves, manipulating the emotions and fears of many. One of the marks of religious proselytism is its certainty. That certainty is often claimed to be basedd on faith in God, when it is often a claim about certainty in the human mind, which is very different indeed. This kind of 'certainty' is inclined to feed off (vultures) the fearful (corpses). Like others, Jesus had a prophetic sense of the terrifying implications of his times, but implored that those who followed him take responsibility for themselves and be constantly prepared for God’s kingdom and not be distracted by the opportunism of fanatics.
Let your heart and mind be awake to My Wisdom
It is important to notice that Jesus did not condemn fear. He frequently exclaimed: ‘Do not be afraid’. Everyone is afraid of something and sometime. Christ was simply acknowledging the power of fear. What matters is to recognise and understand your fears, in that way, very slowly, they will begin to have less power over you. Gradually you will begin to focus on what is really important. You will be les prone to being manipulated by those who know how to manipulate your fears. Begin your meditation by looking at that of which you are afraid. Do not try and get rid of fears or chastise yourself. Move into praying gently with the sentence. Once or twice during the day, when fears rear their heads, use the sentence and just notice how your fears operate in you. Ask God to that your fears may be used for others healing: a preparation for the Kingdom of God.
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
Matthew 24:15-28….
Religious communication around the first century CE was often fearful and portentous. This was not surprising, given the Roman occupation, the interplay of many religious cultures in the Near East; and then the destruction of Jerusalem in 70CE. Matthew's Gospel was written after that devastating experience. In our own time, when there is uncertainty about our own culture, there are many religious leaders who attract attention to themselves, manipulating the emotions and fears of many. One of the marks of religious proselytism is its certainty. That certainty is often claimed to be basedd on faith in God, when it is often a claim about certainty in the human mind, which is very different indeed. This kind of 'certainty' is inclined to feed off (vultures) the fearful (corpses). Like others, Jesus had a prophetic sense of the terrifying implications of his times, but implored that those who followed him take responsibility for themselves and be constantly prepared for God’s kingdom and not be distracted by the opportunism of fanatics.
Let your heart and mind be awake to My Wisdom
It is important to notice that Jesus did not condemn fear. He frequently exclaimed: ‘Do not be afraid’. Everyone is afraid of something and sometime. Christ was simply acknowledging the power of fear. What matters is to recognise and understand your fears, in that way, very slowly, they will begin to have less power over you. Gradually you will begin to focus on what is really important. You will be les prone to being manipulated by those who know how to manipulate your fears. Begin your meditation by looking at that of which you are afraid. Do not try and get rid of fears or chastise yourself. Move into praying gently with the sentence. Once or twice during the day, when fears rear their heads, use the sentence and just notice how your fears operate in you. Ask God to that your fears may be used for others healing: a preparation for the Kingdom of God.
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
Labels: Fear
posted by Martin at 7:55 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home