The lead piece is from "Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris. In this book she takes many of the words and images of the faith and attempts to put some reality and life to them.
INQUISITION (part 3 of 3)
The best response to the spirit of inquisition that I know of comes from the fourteenth-century Flemish mystic Jan Von Ruysbroeck. Near the end of his life he was confronted with a theologian, Gerard Groote, who condemned him for being soft, arguing that it was far better to fear a vengeful God than to live with the false understanding that God loves you. This came at a time in church history even more querulous than our own, when a condemnation could easily lead to the the inquisitor's rack. Von Ruysbroeck's response was to say that he had not the slightest fear of accepting whatever God had in mind for him; in fact he could think of nothing better or more joyful. In essence he had lived too long in love with God to change.
How is it that when a person hangs on the vision of God's love it is so easily dismissed by others? It is as though we are to use the notion of God's love simply as the way to get in the door and then...we slam the door shut with any number of reasons not to love. Personally, I find that living with God's love for us and our love for God is considered repulsive by many. It goes too far...it seems unreal...we can find ourselves out of control. And yet, when I look at the options to trusting this love, they are so hollow - like those hollow, chocolate, Easter bunnies. From the moment you pick it up, you know you have nothing solid even though it gave off the appearance of having some substance to it. When we are afraid to trust the power of God's love and what that love does to our loving, we will turn to anything that appear to give us some substance in our lives. Nothing...nothing can come close to following the invitation of the first commandment and the God whose love set us out into the world as God's beloved.
Connection: Keep you eye out for the times during the day you can notice people operating from the den of a vengeful God. It may take many forms but when compared to our All-loving God, you will be able to smell it even if you can't see it.
Lord of New LIfe, by the power of your Spirit keep us in love with you and the way you call us to live in the face of our world as witnesses to this love that will not let us go. Amen.
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