| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Since we are often in a continuing section of 1 Peter I will highlight the new stuff here.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In, this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith - being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
We hold onto the story. Even though it is an old story and there are no witnesses who were there in those days after the resurrection who can verify all that happened - we hold onto the story. That is the history of the Church. We turn to the story of love alive and available and we hold onto it because it is not the same story of the powers of the world that we already know are destructive and self-centered. We do not 'love to tell the story' because it warms are hearts (it does do that) - but rather because it speak of the reality of life in which we are invited to share with other and as part of a new community. Later the writer of 1 Peter will talk more about this means we are aliens. That is true. We claim a joy that comes to us already when we are ones who follow in this way of non-violent love that is odd and strange and contrary to the prevailing winning ways of the world. In the middle of that life comes the healing (the salvation) of your whole life (soul) already. Connection: We will see him. Each day, when we know the vision of God's loving Reign, we will see the life of the Christ alive among us. It may be in the shape of someone not at all connected to 'church.' It may be that in the actions of a stranger that is seen through the lens of the peaceable Reign of God - we are filled with joy because we see the Christ alive. That vision gives us a moment of that healing presence and encourages us to live within it ourselves. In the middle of what is so common, O God, we are able to see you Reign unfolding and it is the power to heal us all. Amen |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Since we are often in a continuing section of 1 Peter I will highlight the new stuff here.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In, this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith - being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
We hold onto the story. Even though it is an old story and there are no witnesses who were there in those days after the resurrection who can verify all that happened - we hold onto the story. That is the history of the Church. We turn to the story of love alive and available and we hold onto it because it is not the same story of the powers of the world that we already know are destructive and self-centered. We do not 'love to tell the story' because it warms are hearts (it does do that) - but rather because it speak of the reality of life in which we are invited to share with other and as part of a new community. Later the writer of 1 Peter will talk more about this means we are aliens. That is true. We claim a joy that comes to us already when we are ones who follow in this way of non-violent love that is odd and strange and contrary to the prevailing winning ways of the world. In the middle of that life comes the healing (the salvation) of your whole life (soul) already. Connection: We will see him. Each day, when we know the vision of God's loving Reign, we will see the life of the Christ alive among us. It may be in the shape of someone not at all connected to 'church.' It may be that in the actions of a stranger that is seen through the lens of the peaceable Reign of God - we are filled with joy because we see the Christ alive. That vision gives us a moment of that healing presence and encourages us to live within it ourselves. In the middle of what is so common, O God, we are able to see you Reign unfolding and it is the power to heal us all. Amen |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | I Continuing where we left off
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In, this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith - being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
We rejoice in the word of God that is so true it cannot be dismantled or subdued - ever. Unfortunately, this does not mean that life led by this Word will not be a life in which there will be stuff going down - nasty stuff - unpleasant stuff - suffering and trials. We must remember that when this Word was flesh - as Jesus the Christ of God - there was just such a situation. He went through hell you might say. The hell of everyday when the powers of the day lay claim to all that goes on and try to limit what is to take place and how things are to go. When the word of God comes alive among us it will shine brightly. Such a light attracts those who want to stay hidden and rule from the darkness of the world. To a light to world through the lives we live means that such a life will be tested again and again by powers that do not want to give up what they have or even have to stand alongside the Word of God alive. Yet we are told to stand fast - remember this imperishable life - and give glory and honor to the fact that Jesus the Christ of God is being revealed among us. Connection: When Jesus Christ is revealed. This is not another day. It is each and every day that we walk in the way of the Christ. Here and now Jesus is revealed. Here and now and then again tomorrow and the next day - Jesus is revealed. It will be through the body of Christ in the world - that's us folk. Precious like fine gold. In the middle of what is so common, O God, help us to shine with you love and grace and mercy. Amen |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we pick up at verse 3 in chapter 1 of 1 Peter:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Well, here's the rest of this long sentence. Not only is this a new birth into a living hope - that is what is to come is already a part of the day at hand - it is also safe and secure and 'the always and forevermore' that is meant to free up our lives. Our lives are free to roam and walk within the domain of the resurrected Jesus. This is even if the powers around us threaten us or denounce this way or call it foolishness. In the reality of such hope, the powers 'can't touch this.' "Kept in heaven" means it is out of reach - now power can go there and grab the blessed life we have been given. Now, we are indeed free to live anew - really - really. That may not seem possible from day to day because we can so easily be brought down by what is around us and pulling on us. Yet, this promise - this new birth - this inheritance - is present and into whatever may be our 'last days.' So - beyond now - beyond tomorrow and into a time that is not yet here we have this identity and it is the source of our gumption and faithful living. Connection: Does such protection mean nothing bad will come our way? Not at all. Stuff happens. Maybe the writer of 1 Peter is helping us look at what is in a way that will not have us give up on today - no matter what. I'm not always good at that. Sometimes, the stuff - the crap - that pours into the day can make me turn my head away from promise and hope and the beloved fact that I am blessed - Indeed. In the middle of what is so common, O God, remind us that we are always held as your beloved and beyond all the power of the world that attempt to lead us astray. Amen |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today we pick up at verse 3 in chapter 1 of 1 Peter:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Quite a sentence in these verses - I'll comment on half today and half tomorrow We are a people of new birth. Within the world we walk and within the times of trouble and joy, we are a people of new birth. Now, anyone can say that in some way or shape. It does not take a 'religious' story to bring about a new birth. In 1 Peter, we will see what the meaning and shape and purpose of this new birth is to be. It will be a birth into life that comes out of the resurrection of Jesus. It will be a life that is affirmed by the resurrection. Maybe we could say out of the resurrection comes a life of insurrection. Our hope is shaped by the victory of the cross. Our hope is in a new birth that does not take on the shape of the world. It will not be violent. It will not be a life that persecutes or belittles or oppresses or scapegoats. Rather it will be a life that our God raises up so that the world - in all of its brokenness - will see the contrast between the way of the world and the way of the victory of God that is the good news. The good news that becomes the content of our new birth is a life that displays the blessing of our God - from the beginning of all things. In the face of any and every evil or power we are born again into a life that does not take its lead from nor does it own anything to the powers of the day that so easily claim us and rob us of life. Connection: A number of people end a conversation with "have a blessed day." I like to hear it as a word of remembrance. The day is blessed already and so is my life. The reminder is to go for it. I don't know if that is what people intend when they say this. The reminder that we are beloved is the blessing. It has the power - in the mere speaking of the word - to take hold of life and make it new. I know, there are many things that keep us going in old ways and messing with old stuff, but by God's great mercy - there is a whole new life awaiting us. So we hope again and again. That is, we step out into this day as though the promise of being blessed by God - is really for us - By God. In the middle of what is so common, O God, continue to tap us on the shoulders and disturb our day with the reminder that all the day is blessed as we walk as your children - born into your hopefulness. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Thoughts on 1 Peter continue:
Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be your in abundance. Many folk were 'initiated' into cults by being sprinkled with blood. I remember reading about one in which those entering the mystic religion were lead into a pit that had a grate set over the top of the pit. A bull was then slaughtered above them and the blood flowed over the new members - a baptism of sorts. Here, we hear that we (followers of Jesus) are moved by the the Spirit to live in the way of Jesus as the Christ of God. Then - comes the blood. This is the blood of the cross. This is the blood of the victims with whom Jesus sided. This blood is the end of the ways of the world. No more will innocent blood be shed by the power of the world that do not even flinch at their need for victims and control. We are sprinkled with this blood as a mark of the contrary nature of who we are and who leads us. Siding with the victims of our day - walking with those who are forgotten and blamed and forsaken - is to step into everyday adventure of following Jesus. Our lives will be led by such a view of life where victims are wounded and those victims long for others to stand with them to put an end to the violence of control and scapegoating. This is a part of the life that will make us exiles in whatever land we are living. And yet, we are offered peace and grace to sustain us and keep us filled with life that no power is able to grant us. Connection: I find that is it not easy to be vigilant in regard to standing with the victims of our day and making a point of never leaving them alone. Life in our culture life moves so quickly that it seems like we are filled to the brim with our own 'stuff.' And yet, there are opportunities to remember the life that is ours in the name of the one who went to the cross and broke down its power over the world. In the middle of what is so common, O God, you make us available to the world and encourage us to be utterly vulnerable for the welfare of others. Inspire us again today. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | I thought I'd spend some time with 1 Peter and use some of the images in that letter to look at the radical life meant to be ours as followers of Jesus.
Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be your in abundance. When one is an exile, you are away from your homeland. The Jews in Babylon were once in Exile. They were living in a foreign land. In those days, it even meant that the land had a different 'god' from you. Being an exile placed one in a life situation that was thoroughly alien - from cultural events to religious expectations. The writer of 1 Peter is not addressing a group that has been ripped away from their homeland - like in the case of the Jews and Babylon. The writer is addressing the people who lived in their own towns throughout what is now Turkey. So, they were people in their homeland. And yet - they are exiles - strangers - aliens. We must remember that this letter is to ones who have been chosen and shaped by the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. "Obedient to Jesus" is to be a follower of the way of Jesus life. Jesus 'life' was and always will be an alien life within the cultures of the day. From previous devotions on 'Satan' remember that this would mean living in a way contrary to the mimetic violence of the prevailing culture or winds of the day. Followers of Jesus will mimic the non-violence of the Reign of God. That - makes us and the folks in the days of 1 Peter - exiles. Tomorrow I'd like to comment on the sprinkling of blood. Connection: It is easy to walk along and with the culture in which we live. In so many ways, we are expected to be people who 'fit in' even when that means we reflect the violence of the culture. This violence fits on a spectrum that may begin with anxiety that causes us to point fingers, blame, or simply withdraw from other - and move all the way to out right acts of brutality and murder. So we must be ones who are constantly testing the winds blowing around us. Are we being swept up into the ongoing violence that has been around since the beginning of time - or are we being swept up by the creative wind of the Spirit? In the middle of what is so common, O God, you begin to shape us and make us into a people who reflect the image of your Beloved Jesus. Remind us to mark our lives with the cross of Christ and then step out into this day with that mark serving to empower our lives. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today is the last devotion based on Rene Girard's look at Satan. I think it is an interesting way to end. Modern folks (Christians) have become ashamed of Satan - and in the end also ashamed of the Gospel. Non Christians point to Satan as proof that the gospels are outmoded and the always timid Christians obediently try to censor Satan out of their own Scriptures. We must do the reverse - we must focus on Satan and discover that the Gospels are their own best source of modernization. We must focus on Satan to realize that far from being the archaic myth that we imagine, the defeated Satan of the Gospels in an enormously powerful critique of all archaic myths, a conception of culture and history so rich that its relevance to our own world is still unfathomable. Are we so afraid of the truthfulness of the existence of the Father of lies that we convince ourselves to lie about the presence of this force for evil within our culture? The only way through this mimetic violence is to reside in the hope of the Cross and Resurrection. It is the ability to say no to the lies that serve to keep the powers alive and prospering. We are not to be finger-pointing people who think we have it all and that we know all that is evil 'out there.' If that was our goal, our goal would be to become a part of the evil we claim to expose. Rather, we must prayerfully be able to critique ourselves and the powers around us. Often we will see that we are a part of those damn power. Internally we may need to say "get behind me Satan" when we see ourselves slipping into the murderous ways that have existed from the beginning of time. Oh, and it is easy to slip into just such a place. I could be we need some additional language to speak of the power of Satan in the world today so that we can wage a resistance that brings light and new life. Connection: There is a song that says: I want to walk as a child of the light. Well, we can. We have been given the Spirit of life that will defend us and support us when the world rejects the light of the Christ alive among the followers of Jesus. We must learn to walk with one another as we face the sway and the pull of the evil that want to own the world - even though it is a defeated power. Such a walk is not done alone. As you walk with us, O God, help us keep that power of evil lit up so that its every act is done in the open and all may see its many tricks and ways of death. Guide us, forever, into the light of your Messiah. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | This talk of begin 'liberated from Satan' sounds like we are coming to the end of Rene Girard's comments on Satan - well yes. The End of Satan is what the Gospels call the victory of the Cross. "The negation of Satan becomes bad only when it is accompanied by a minimization of mimetic contagion, by the illusion that, simply because as a rule, we no longer believe in Satan, we are really independent thinkers, free from what Satan ultimately means, the enormous power of mimetic contagion and scandals, the inability of most of us to criticize the ideas that now rule the world." Satan is done - and we think we are safe and clear. Sounds like some folk who say "I'm saved" as though they no longer participate in the evil of the world. Ha! We must be vigilant and never forget that the ruling power still the evil of the day - but we are to be of a new character. Otherwise, the 'mimetic contagion' continues on in its infectious ways - always keeping things as they are and keeping us thinking that we can handle this evil stuff (or already have). The world will continue to be ruled by powers and principalities that repeatedly run on the power of violence and blame and warfare and scapegoats. When we, knowing of the way of the love of Jesus and its contrary way of life, look out at our world, it becomes quite obvious that the Father of lies is still lying up a storm and able to pull the world right along within the lies. Our task is merely to live within the truth of the resurrection - the victory of the cross - whenever and wherever we encounter the world's violence. Not an easy task at all - that is why we continue to call on the Holy Spirit to come among us and shape the day at hand and the way we move through it as followers of Jesus. Connection: We are invited to live as though we know of the end of Satan. We are inspired to say 'baloney' to such evil every time it lifts it's head to convince us to follow. If we were in a blockbuster movie there would be all kinds of special effects and wild powers of all kinds. But we live right here and right now - where faithfulness to this way of Jesus that is handed to us by the Holy Spirit is the power that pushes evil out of the way so that another witness to life will rise up among us. Quite a journey is ours - quite a journey. As you walk with us, O God, don't let the fear that can consume us and sway us win our hearts and our minds. Keep us for every within the power of the victory of the Cross and the peaceable Reign that is promised therein. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Repeating a bit of the passed two days before adding more, Girard notes: Whatever is happening to our world, coming as it does from the Gospels, must ultimately be good. The gospels present the Christian future as full of division and strife. When Christ says, "he brings a sword" all that he claims is that the truth of the victims is out and that victimage patterns, systems of scapegoating will not provide the stable form of culture that they have had in the past. Satan (defeated by the Cross) is the prince of this world - principle of order and disorder who is still intact and can be unleashed - not by God - but by the greater and greater loss of scapegoat effectiveness that characterizes our world more and more with the passing time. Our being liberated from Satan's bondage means that the supernatural power of Satan and his demons is an illusion, that Satan does not exist. Let me begin with the opening note in the introduction. Something is happening in our world. We have not been left out to dry. The qualifier is the Gospel. When it is the Gospel that is happening, it will be for the good. Yes, even when the good rarely is seen as victorious. More and more, it is the responsibility of the followers of Jesus to bring to life a community of people who live as though we are liberated from Satan's bondage - from the way of mimetic violence - from the status quo that lives and feeds off of all the powers of division that keep things just as they are: unjust, unforgiving, unfair, merciless, warring. We will not find it easy to live as though all this power of Satan is an illusion because we see the results of that power each day no matter where we look. Therefore, each time we stand up or speak up about the liberation that is 'at hand' through the cross of Christ, the world as it is gets turned on its head. We are not talking anarchy here. We are talking the victory of the cross - we are talking the emergence of the New Being - the Truly Human One - the Christ alive as the body of Jesus' followers. Connection: Even though the power of Satan is an illusion, it still has a way of keeping us locked up and willing to be acolytes for the one who would control all things. Contrary voices are not appreciated especially when the voices are contrary to the central values of the powers of the Father of lies. Again, we can turn to ML King,Jr. Are there those voices still alive now or do we simply become another voice "like King" - but one that keeps in step with what is. That is, speaking up when approved by the powers of the systems of the world but remaining silent when the voice and life of liberation is greatly needed in order to turn things around. As you walk with us, O God, let your Spirit bring to life a voice among us that will reveal the power of the Gospel and speak the truth in the face of all the powers of evil that long to be power of life among us. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today adds onto yesterday's piece - again by Rene Girard The gospels present the Christian future as full of division and strife. When Christ says, "he brings a sword" all that he claims is that the truth of the victims is out and that victimage patterns, systems of scapegoating will not provide the stable form of culture that they have had in the past. Satan (defeated by the Cross) is the prince of this world - principle of order and disorder who is still intact and can be unleashed - not by God - but by the greater and greater loss of scapegoat effectiveness that characterizes our world more and more with the passing time. In my most simple terms that makes sense to me, Satan gets really pissed off. The Father of lies knows that in the Cross and Resurrection - the lying gets nailed as false and the truth of the Good News - the Victory of truthfulness over lies is the ultimate winner. Therefore, Satan's power - the powers of the world and the powers of all the persecution of victims - will do everything it can to stay in power. On this day after the MLK holiday, it is important to note that after King's witness that helped to expose the power of evil and give word to a new life, the power of evil has tried to stay underground and do its divisive scapegoating in other ways. The evil of racism that was once so expected and almost 'common place and ordinary' has been given another seat by the powers that be. Just look at our prisons - just look at our cities - just look at poverty - just look at how race is not an issue and yet, yes it still is. Sometimes, evil has such a good way of wearing a cloak that we are not able to see that it sits among us insisting that we - in some way - get that scapegoating mechanism doing what it always does - divides and separates and kills. Connection: Evil wants to make sure things run smoothly and efficiently and without a lot of noise. That is at the center of the strategy of the Father of lies. So when the life of the followers of Jesus live within the way of the Cross and raise questions or point out what really is going on around us, the witnesses of Jesus Reign need to know that we are not a favorable bunch. That is why I look at the 'favorable' status of some religious groups in the midst of the system of today's politics and wonder who they are really serving. As you walk with us, O God, let your truth preside among us even when we are not quite sure what will come as it is revealed. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | All of this confrontation with Satan does not mean Peace on Earth. The gospels present the Christian future as full of division and strife. When Christ says, "he brings a sword" all that he claims is that the truth of the victims is out and that victimage patterns, systems of scapegoating will not provide the stable form of culture that they have had in the past. I will include Girard's word (noted above) in tomorrow's piece also. But here is an important note as to what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We never stop telling the story - the story full of lies that attempts to bring down the Prince of Peace. It is the whole system of the world that is based on this pattern of victimage and scapegoating. In essence, the followers of Jesus become truly counter-cultural because we are invited to keep pulling back the curtain and exposing the violence in the world that so easily rules all of us. In some ways, our very existence - our living witness - is a threat to the power of the father of lies. I immediately think of Bonhoeffer and ML King and Gandhi and Bishop Romero - all of them did not let the lie stay as it was. Rather they lived in a way contrary to the ruling powers. As we all know, their lives were filled with division and strife. And yet, their lives were filled with the power of God that is a witness to the God's Reign of non-violence and the end of scapegoating that is done in so many way in our cultures. The truth is a sword that lays open the brutality of the system by exposing the love of God that becomes the life of the followers of Jesus. Connection: To be the followers of Jesus in any age is to be a people who do not simply go along with how the order of the day works among us. For so often, the order of the day is brought about by the oppression of some and the power of blame that builds up the warring madness all around us. Jesus takes us into a new kind of way to live within a community. It is a 'new' realm that exists alongside the power of the day. We are not separate. Rather we are right in the mix of things - but we are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to act and speak and live in a manner that does not simply accept what is. We are - by the Holy Spirit - a part of God's peaceable reign in a violent world. As you walk with us, let your peace be our life and our hope. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Today Girard writes about the connection of this violence to all of us. The unveiling of mimetic violence has a more and more powerful influence on our history and on the entire modern world. Hidden victims in societies are continuously being brought to light - the consensus against them always dissolves after a while; slaves, lower class, different ethnic folks, differing religious backgrounds, gender differences. We bring to light the mimetic violence and see that it does not own the day anymore. Unfortunately, injustice and arbitrariness are still with us. Forces continue to try and nullify our concern for victims. The victims must be seen. They cannot be covered over by well-positioned arguments that make it easier to point fingers. The victims must be seen. Our own personal interests cannot be allowed to cloud the picture and rationalize why there must be a victim. There will always be victims who are shut down and trampled upon in order to maintain differences. In those differences, we often make excuses to act as we do - usually that is not to benefit others. Most often, differences are accented in order to benefit our side of the day. It makes it so easy to fall into that pattern of mimetic violence that is rooted deeply into the human experience and story. I am realizing more and more that the victim is not always the lowly one. We are also masters of making victims of anyone. That is disturbing to me because it means I must maintain a vigil against the violence that comes so naturally - a violence I condone because it is against 'that or those' bastards! Ha. Connection: So, we are invited again into the light. It is not always a pleasant journey. It can be quite painful because it reveals the dark side that we never want to show. Therefore, we usually do not acknowledge that it is right here with us. We are invited into the light that is always available and present before we even realize we need that light. As you walk with us, open up the pathway of your grace and empower us to enter into your love and be that love. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Here's how Girard continues his comments about the Cross as a trap set by God. Since Jesus, almost every time he opens his mouth, reveals the secret of Satan's power, he becomes in the eyes of Satan, a most intolerable source of disorder; he must be silenced once and for all. In order to reach his goal, Satan only has to resort to his favorite trick - the very trick about which Jesus is talking so much - the traditional trick of the mimetic murder and scapegoat mechanism. - Since this trick has always succeeded in the past, Satan sees no reason why it would not succeed in the case of Jesus. Everything turns out as Satan expected - except for one thing. With the help of the Paraclete, Jesus' disciples finally break away from the mimetic consensus and provide the world with a truthful account of what should remain hidden in this affair, at least from the perspective of Satan. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 now makes more sense: But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God which God decreed before the ages for our glorification. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Paul and the whole New Testament are saying: once the Cross has revealed the mimetic violence at the root of human society, and the misunderstanding of this violence, the world can never be the same. The lie is done. The Father of Lies has no clothes. That very root that has sprouted nothing but violence again and again has been uprooted and destroyed. That is the Cross. No longer will mimetic violence rule here. The disciples got it - they finally got it. Even as we see them as lunk-heads who do not understand as they go along the way with Jesus, the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to see what has happened. And then, the Holy Spirit opens their mouths so that they can give a witness to the power of the love of God's Reign that cannot be ruled or overcome by the lies of all the powers of the world. We are people who are invited (pulled by the Spirit) to live within this truthfulness whenever the powers of the day attempt to rule us and attempt to brutalize the victims of the world. This truthfulness also enables us to step in and stand alongside and with the victims because we know that the brutality of the principalities and powers cannot win the day. And yet, to be in such a position is not easy. It would be easier to simply go in another direction and turn our heads and our lives away from the power that would rule us. Connection: Walking in the light of the Cross and Resurrection does involve a literal walking - a living - a resistance to all the powers that want to shape us into something other than the love of God incarnate. And yet, we are encouraged to walk and live and consider the welfare of all so that the mimetic violence will have to encounter the Christ in our day. As you walk with us, hold us up so that as we stand in the world, we will be empowered to live in the way and the truth and the life of the one we call, Lord, Jesus. For in Jesus' light we continue to see new life open up to us even as we seem to be controlled by the valley of death. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
