Girard talks about the Cross as a trap set by God - I find it interesting. 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. The 'same old, same old' of the powers of the Father of lies cannot tolerate the liberating life and words of Jesus. Jesus' life does not let death and fear and violence rule or control the day. Jesus will go about the new age - new rule - new being even the scapegoat mechanism is put into full swing. Jesus must be eliminated - and if he is eliminated, it will just like all the other victims of scapegoating - he is gone and forgotten and evil can persist within the order of the day that is so dear to Satan. So Jesus faces nothing more than the mechanism that we all face. It will be the attempt to murder the one who has been cast as the 'outsider' or the 'troublemaker' or the 'blasphemer' or etc. This is the pattern of the day around Jesus crucifixion. It is the order of the day around us. The creative, non-violent, truthfulness of God's Reign is in direct contrast to the power of the principalities and powers. I will add to today's reading to fill in the next link in Girard's thought. Connection: We are invited to live as though we are walking in the way of Jesus. To walk and live like that is to set oneself out as a visible target that will draw out the power of lies that insist on keeping the brokenness of the world in place. As followers of Jesus, our lives become as Jesus' life. In that way, when we show the face of love and justice and mercy and forgiveness and reconciliation - it will be confronted and ridiculed - it will be violently opposed - it will be discounted. And yet, we are to continue in that contrary life and - in time - the lies of the powers of the world will attempt to shut us down. There will be many good and sound reasons to put a stop to the incarnation of God's love in our world from day to day. As you walk with us, O God, guide us as we take steps within the light of your Reign. Amen. |
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