Hebrews 5:7-14
When I read this passage I get two competing images. One image is all of the wonderful attributes of children. The boundless energy, the simple and unrestricted love that they have. Then there is the down side of children's behavior. I don't think that the bad behavior is really who they are but learned from the world. None the less, there are tirades, tantrums, screaming, telling half truths and lack of maturity so that that they don't get (nor can they understand) the bigger picture. As parents, we sometimes try to explain but the comprehension is like sand slipping through our fingers.
I am still like that myself sometimes. I am slow to understand and learn but once I learn something, I never forget. Perhaps it's good that I came out after 20 solid years of Catholic education. I learned well the limitless love, the self esteem and peace of God before they told me I wasn't worthy (for being gay). Then it was too late, I know I am loved, I am know I am whole as I am.
It seems to me that many of the worlds ills, from poverty, war, factions, intransigence, greed and any number of others you care to mention, all come from an immaturity in us as adults. In so many ways we are still acting out adolescent behaviour in an adult world. I heard a very learned, wise and generous person once say that everything they needed to learn in life was learned in kindergarten. Sadly, instead of learning good lesson there, some people learned to grab all the toys, cry for their own way and lie and cheat. The behavior is still with them as adults and the world seems a mess. Are the problems of the world from a lack of understanding, lack of maturity or lack of love as a child?
What this might have you believe is that we have learned behavior from childhood that cannot change. Nothing however could be further from the truth. All of the world's ills, all our personal issues, problems with the churches and problems within governments can be solved by maturity and strong doses of love and understanding. We are slow to get it. I know I am. But with love and a willingness to change and grow, everything is possible. Perhaps that is one of the fundamental messages Christ gave us. New life, Easter people, the ability to mature, change, grow and reach new states of being and maturity.
For any change, there are catalysts and true effort, perhaps struggle. Seeds need to be watered, need sunlight and have to burst through the soil. Caterpillars must build a cocoon, and eventually break free of that tomb to emerge as a beautiful butterfly.
Jesus' message of love is the catalyst the world needs. We must free ourselves from the tyranny of learned behavior. We must free ourselves from the bondage of 'traditions' that only serve to perpetuate inequality, systemic incompetence and self righteousness. We must be willing to place ourselves at the disposal of others for help, have a willingness to learn and accept that we are not 'all that'.
Like the birth of a butterfly, our birth will be slow and will be a struggle but humanity will be better served and a true image of God's design for us if we love as Jesus loved and be true to the innate goodness that each of us was created with.
When I read this passage I get two competing images. One image is all of the wonderful attributes of children. The boundless energy, the simple and unrestricted love that they have. Then there is the down side of children's behavior. I don't think that the bad behavior is really who they are but learned from the world. None the less, there are tirades, tantrums, screaming, telling half truths and lack of maturity so that that they don't get (nor can they understand) the bigger picture. As parents, we sometimes try to explain but the comprehension is like sand slipping through our fingers.
I am still like that myself sometimes. I am slow to understand and learn but once I learn something, I never forget. Perhaps it's good that I came out after 20 solid years of Catholic education. I learned well the limitless love, the self esteem and peace of God before they told me I wasn't worthy (for being gay). Then it was too late, I know I am loved, I am know I am whole as I am.
It seems to me that many of the worlds ills, from poverty, war, factions, intransigence, greed and any number of others you care to mention, all come from an immaturity in us as adults. In so many ways we are still acting out adolescent behaviour in an adult world. I heard a very learned, wise and generous person once say that everything they needed to learn in life was learned in kindergarten. Sadly, instead of learning good lesson there, some people learned to grab all the toys, cry for their own way and lie and cheat. The behavior is still with them as adults and the world seems a mess. Are the problems of the world from a lack of understanding, lack of maturity or lack of love as a child?
What this might have you believe is that we have learned behavior from childhood that cannot change. Nothing however could be further from the truth. All of the world's ills, all our personal issues, problems with the churches and problems within governments can be solved by maturity and strong doses of love and understanding. We are slow to get it. I know I am. But with love and a willingness to change and grow, everything is possible. Perhaps that is one of the fundamental messages Christ gave us. New life, Easter people, the ability to mature, change, grow and reach new states of being and maturity.
For any change, there are catalysts and true effort, perhaps struggle. Seeds need to be watered, need sunlight and have to burst through the soil. Caterpillars must build a cocoon, and eventually break free of that tomb to emerge as a beautiful butterfly.
Jesus' message of love is the catalyst the world needs. We must free ourselves from the tyranny of learned behavior. We must free ourselves from the bondage of 'traditions' that only serve to perpetuate inequality, systemic incompetence and self righteousness. We must be willing to place ourselves at the disposal of others for help, have a willingness to learn and accept that we are not 'all that'.
Like the birth of a butterfly, our birth will be slow and will be a struggle but humanity will be better served and a true image of God's design for us if we love as Jesus loved and be true to the innate goodness that each of us was created with.
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
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