Today we continue with Alison's notion that 'death itself is a matter of indifference to God. This marks a decisive change in the understanding of God, one which had been a long time in the making, since if God has nothing to do with death, if God is indifferent to death, then our representations of God, all of which are marked by a human culture in which death appears as, at the very least, inevitable, are wrong, a Jesus remarked to the Sadducees: "You are greatly mistaken" (Mark 12:18-27). There is that door. It opens slightly so that we can take a peek into a place and time that was considered 'other' or totally disconnected from us. From my first reading and a simple reflection on what is being said here, all of the discussion of what will happen after death - as though it is the end of our story - is changed. Too often, preachers and teachers use death and its power and its end of things as a motivator to have people enter into a 'religious experience' in order that death does not eat us up and make things a real hell for us. Well, death is a blip that cannot put an end to the pursuit of God's love for us. As much as God claims to be with us now, that reality that brings life and comfort and builds our character cannot be stopped by death. God endures beyond death as God for us. Could be why we often hear prophets and the like tell us us not to fear - not to be anxious. God continues to reveal God's fullness of love and mercy and hopefulness through all things. Connection: Our identity never changes - we are beloved of God - and as Paul writes "nothing can separate us from the love of God." Yes, death appears to be the power of the day (we know its many forms) but what else is within the grasp of the possibilities of our God. Too much to even consider for now. Acts of mercy and kindness and love seem to be the beginning of our trip through that door. O God of life, when we are marked as you beloved, no other story can rule over us. Keeps us mindful of your endu |
No comments:
Post a Comment