We begin with pieces from “Ethics” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Attempts will be made to reduce the male imagery in the text.
In writing about “good and evil” Bonhoeffer moves into a section labeled “The Pharisee.”
It is in Jesus’ meeting with the Pharisee that the old and the new are most clearly contrasted. The correct understanding of this meeting is of the greatest significance for the understanding of the gospel as a whole. The Pharisee is not an adventitious historical phenomenon of a particular time. (The Pharisee) is the (person) to whom only the knowledge of good and evil has come to be of importance in his/her entire life; in other words, s/he is simply the human of disunity.
In this passage, I did not need to make the language inclusive. There were only male Pharisees. But the “Pharisee” stands for all of us when the knowledge of good and evil has taken over a primary role in the defining of life – our own and the lives of others. For now –when we are on the hunt for good and evil - we are known by our disunity. The vision of being one within God’s beloved reign becomes lost and when that happens, the wonder of our humanity that comes with creation is diminished. Attempting to define what is good and evil, we begin to hold everyone suspect and we do not let ourselves share in the joy and beauty of one another’s presence. In our longing to be like God…to judge what is good and evil…we find only disunity and sorrow.
Connection: Put on your Pharisee glasses today and see how many times they appear. Remember to keep them on when you look in the mirror too.
Creating God, you have given us a grand place within your Creation. By the power of your Holy Spirit, keep us from our many attempts to be more than what you have made us to be. Enlighten us so that we may be at peace within the gifted life you have given us and trust that you will bring us into abundant life as we trust in you alone. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment