| More insights about the spirit and the flesh - from "The Source of Life" by Jurgen Moltmann. The origin of the life that has missed the mark and miscarried - that which is traditionally called 'sin' - is not located in the sensuality of the body at all, with its allegedly lower drives and needs. It is to be found in the disorientation of people as a whole, and therefore pre-eminently in their souls and wills, if these have surrendered to the death-drive of evil. We all probably find ourselves again and again in such situations, in which we have to live but actually cannot live, so that we surrender to our misery. The origin of true life, on the other hand, is not the soul with its feelings, nor the mind with its reasoning power, nor the will with its determination. It is a person's life as a whole, which comes to its flowering in the nearness of God which that person experiences, and in the warmth of God's love. This touches the body with its senses as well as the soul with its feelings and understanding and will. We could talk about a rebirth to true life out of the life-drive of the Holy Spirit. Once again, the way to explain ourselves is not to side with one aspect of our reality or another. We are to look at all of life. In many ways, it really makes it hard to point at folks and make judgments about where they stand in regard to the Reign of God. It is not very easy to know the depths of another. In fact, it is not easy to be in touch with our own depths so that we can take account of the healing and brokenness within all that is us. Moltmann has not yet talked about community. I would suggest that it is the faithful community that enables the individual to take a look at the condition of our whole life. The community will pull us beyond our ways of controlling and our ways of attempting to win the day. Rather, we are pulled into relationships. In relationships, we are presented with a mirror so that we will see what we do not want to see and even that which we cannot see. In such an atmosphere as this, we have the opportunity to blossom as others feed us with the vision of God's Reign all around us. Connection: So, that warmth of God's love is near and at hand - not far off or hidden. Lord of the Day help us to see the fullness of life that is draped around us in and through this day as you are present with us. Amen |
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