Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sunday Reflection: Fully God, Fully Man, Fully Confusing
In the past year or so, a lot of things about the Christian faith have become clearer to me. The trinity, for one thing-- the mysterious concept of the Holy Spirit has become much more real and meaningful.
Another idea that has often confused me-- the idea that Jesus was both fully God and fully man-- became clearer this week.
Among many other things (it was a busy week), I gave a colloquium talk on Thursday to other members of the faculty at St. Thomas. I was talking about commutation, based on this paper.
When I was done, Rob Vischer asked a great question: Isn't what I was describing as mercy fundamentally different than the mercy described in the Bible, because Jesus was (as part of the trinity) both maker of the mosaic law and then the giver of exceptions.
In a way, he was exactly right-- of course we cannot replicate that, because we are not the Creator.
In another, though, it is fair to look to the gospel stories as an example of how we can show mercy to one another. Jesus was a man, and sometimes a very vulnerable one. His duality, God and Man, lived out the two Great Commandments. He showed us both how to love our God, but also how to love our neighbor-- and part of that was by showing mercy.
It must be a part of our lives, this mercy to one another, because if it isn't we cannot survive very long, or very well.
Another idea that has often confused me-- the idea that Jesus was both fully God and fully man-- became clearer this week.
Among many other things (it was a busy week), I gave a colloquium talk on Thursday to other members of the faculty at St. Thomas. I was talking about commutation, based on this paper.
When I was done, Rob Vischer asked a great question: Isn't what I was describing as mercy fundamentally different than the mercy described in the Bible, because Jesus was (as part of the trinity) both maker of the mosaic law and then the giver of exceptions.
In a way, he was exactly right-- of course we cannot replicate that, because we are not the Creator.
In another, though, it is fair to look to the gospel stories as an example of how we can show mercy to one another. Jesus was a man, and sometimes a very vulnerable one. His duality, God and Man, lived out the two Great Commandments. He showed us both how to love our God, but also how to love our neighbor-- and part of that was by showing mercy.
It must be a part of our lives, this mercy to one another, because if it isn't we cannot survive very long, or very well.
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“Fully God, Fully Man…” In a way, are we not from the moment of birth?
As early as 7,000 BC, ceramic vessels (and over time, many elaborately decorated) were sealed to preserve their precious contents – are our lives not similar?
It has been speculated, that as an adult, Jesus traveled 50 miles east to west and 150 miles north to south from Nazareth. During his short ministry, imagine the profound words spoken and teachable moments shared among those hills and valleys. With those geographic limits, consider the events leading up to and culminating in his crucifixion as likened to the destruction of precious vessel?
Depending upon the contents, the seal or vessel itself had to be broken to access that so prized and contained within. Visualizing a Roman crucifixion under a tormenting sun, deprived of water, his scourging, crowning of thorns, carrying of the cross and ultimately being nailed to it, Jesus’ body (his vessel) was broken almost beyond recognition.
His reply before expiring, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” For through the Resurrection, new life and now in a New Covenant - God is not limited to a special place (to the geographic confines of his ministry) but is with us any place we celebrate the Eucharist and his presence is manifested through the gift of the Holy Spirit received a few weeks later.
God has said he will be with us always. Consider with Jesus’ last breath; through our birth, God gives us our first – endowing us with his unconditional love and filling us with the Gift, the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Gifts given and received and before discovery of self begins to unfold; our perception, our image, our visual appearance is being chronicled for us. A name is given, announcements are proclaimed, clothing covers our innocence and our presentation for acceptance precedes our arrival, our arrival of self.
Our vessel of life has been created for us, the process and ornamentation (recognition, future achievement, awards, etc…) begun and our gifts of unconditional love and of Spirit sealed within – our faith journey, our trials and tribulations of discovery as we seek access to our vessel's contents, God’s precious Gifts initially imprinted upon our heart, mind and soul.
From birth we are called to be “Fully Man (man / woman) and be “Fully God’(s) presence in the world. We were born to “…show mercy to one another. Jesus was a man, and sometimes a very vulnerable one. His duality, God and Man, lived out the two Great Commandments. He showed us both how to love our God, but also how to love our neighbor-- and part of that was by showing mercy.”
We were born to discover and carefully break the seal to our vessel and to share our precious contents (our gifts) with all of God’s children – our calling; realization that through God’s love our vessel need not be broken to access and share the gifts within, including the gift of “showing mercy” - His gift given that we are blessed with countless opportunites to show…
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As early as 7,000 BC, ceramic vessels (and over time, many elaborately decorated) were sealed to preserve their precious contents – are our lives not similar?
It has been speculated, that as an adult, Jesus traveled 50 miles east to west and 150 miles north to south from Nazareth. During his short ministry, imagine the profound words spoken and teachable moments shared among those hills and valleys. With those geographic limits, consider the events leading up to and culminating in his crucifixion as likened to the destruction of precious vessel?
Depending upon the contents, the seal or vessel itself had to be broken to access that so prized and contained within. Visualizing a Roman crucifixion under a tormenting sun, deprived of water, his scourging, crowning of thorns, carrying of the cross and ultimately being nailed to it, Jesus’ body (his vessel) was broken almost beyond recognition.
His reply before expiring, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” For through the Resurrection, new life and now in a New Covenant - God is not limited to a special place (to the geographic confines of his ministry) but is with us any place we celebrate the Eucharist and his presence is manifested through the gift of the Holy Spirit received a few weeks later.
God has said he will be with us always. Consider with Jesus’ last breath; through our birth, God gives us our first – endowing us with his unconditional love and filling us with the Gift, the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Gifts given and received and before discovery of self begins to unfold; our perception, our image, our visual appearance is being chronicled for us. A name is given, announcements are proclaimed, clothing covers our innocence and our presentation for acceptance precedes our arrival, our arrival of self.
Our vessel of life has been created for us, the process and ornamentation (recognition, future achievement, awards, etc…) begun and our gifts of unconditional love and of Spirit sealed within – our faith journey, our trials and tribulations of discovery as we seek access to our vessel's contents, God’s precious Gifts initially imprinted upon our heart, mind and soul.
From birth we are called to be “Fully Man (man / woman) and be “Fully God’(s) presence in the world. We were born to “…show mercy to one another. Jesus was a man, and sometimes a very vulnerable one. His duality, God and Man, lived out the two Great Commandments. He showed us both how to love our God, but also how to love our neighbor-- and part of that was by showing mercy.”
We were born to discover and carefully break the seal to our vessel and to share our precious contents (our gifts) with all of God’s children – our calling; realization that through God’s love our vessel need not be broken to access and share the gifts within, including the gift of “showing mercy” - His gift given that we are blessed with countless opportunites to show…
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