We continue with "The Intelligence of the Victim and the Distortion of Desire" in The Joy of Being Wrong. After the resurrection and because of the presence to the disciples of the victim raised as forgiveness, the disciples were able to understand the nature of the educational process by which they had been brought before Jesus' death, to the very brink of an understanding, but how it was in fact only Jesus' death, made alive by the resurrection, which was the final step in the educational (or revelatory) process which enabled them to leave the understanding formed by the parameters of death. -- the educational process and the shift in perception resulting from that was itself and understanding of that which the disciples were themselves on their way out of. That is to say that, once again, the content of original sin is known only in the process of forgiveness. When the whole system of death is shaken - by the resurrection - it seems as though all things need to be re-viewed and drawn into question. Death and sin must be drawn into question because they no longer have the power they once were believed to have. Death is not the end. Sin is not the ruling power. And yet, death and sin must be seen through resurrection eyes. Those are eyes that can see their power and their presence and their rule and their pervasiveness - and yet these same eyes see the truthfulness of resurrection that dismantles all of the power of death and sin. We are left - at the other side of resurrection - with forgiveness. Forgiveness exposes the lie about life that has been spread throughout time. It is in forgiveness that we can stand with the disciples and say "no" to the shory line of death and the brutality of sin that will endlessly try to pit one against another and keep our warring madness in high gear. Connection: There is a way out of this endless cycle of death - forgiveness. It is the only power that leaves death without the power to control what comes next. Death stops all things (that's the story line) and sin breaks apart what could be. Forgiveness pulls us through the power of death and shows that it is not victorious and Forgiveness heals - it endlessly heals. This is all a part of a story of restoration and hope - not death and division. O God of life, bring around your power of life again for in each of our days we so easily fall back into the realm of death's power and forget about the life you have waiting for us to enter as our own. Amen. |
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