Image and likeness.

     I am a man, but not only that, a gay man to boot. As such, I too am made in the image and likeness of God. This got me to thinking about today's passage from John in terms of who Jesus was. He was not only a man but Divine also. It is no wonder that he was rejected.

       Let's think about the attributes of God. Stretch our human minds and try to grasp the enormity of all that God is. No human limitations to fix. Think of the highest of human aspirations for love, mercy, forgiveness and then double, triple or quadruple it. This is God we're trying to describe! So when Jesus says that if you know him, you know the Father, well, wow!  Jesus encompassed and manifested all of the most magnificent attributes of God. So I'd say, well beyond our comprehension. I am almost surprised he wasn't simply killed on sight by us. His Divine character would seem so disparate from our human characters. 

      The fact of the matter is, whenever we see or meet someone who is an exemplar of our own divine nature, we sense the aura of Godliness. We may each have our own list of people in whom we see their divinity shining through. Certainly people like Mother Theresa, or the Dali Lama and many others. I'd add Merton, Nouwen, Boswell and a certain Anna Schuster.

       These divine witnesses to Godliness are not measured on human terms of rules and rubrics. They are not known because they adhered to some person acts of piety or were rule followers. They seem to transcend all that ( nonsense ) and reveal their divinity in all it's glory. A rule follower is likely not an exemplar of Godliness. A lover of humanity, a lover of God is often the ones seen as close to their divine nature and an example for mankind.

           Jesus seemed to be aghast that Philip was not getting it. If Philip knew Jesus, then Philip knew the Father as well.  Philip recognized the Divinity but couldn't put two and two together. I hope we can do the math. It is in the simplicity and power of love that we embrace and show our own divine natures. We are fools if we think following rules will make us holy. We are erring in thought if we think that a checklist will guarantee our futures. It is in pure and reckless love of humanity that we reveal our divinity and see how we are truly made in the image and likeness of God.

John 14:6-14

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will knowmy Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

 Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.