Original Blessing

       Let's go right to that last sentence shall we?  At this point, what had Jesus done? I mean, he was 33 and his ministry as an itinerant Jewish preacher had not started. He had lived and loved, but had not really preached and perhaps cured people although we have no record of such miracles ( formally or canonically documented anyway ).  He was green and a novice as preachers go and had not accomplished anything compared to what he was embarking on. And yet, here is the Father issuing the words from heaven above ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ 

       It is interesting for us to note just how God doles out love. You really don't need to 'do' anything to merit God's favor, love and friendship. Why is that?  I believe it is because you were created by God as you are, intently and with a wholeness and holiness that defies our logic, capacity to understand and is not based on human designations, judgments or characterizations.  We are inherently holy.  We are all children of God. We can only demean ourselves or others. We can only go downhill by disrespecting and not acknowledging the truth of our great divine nature. 

         So although I know it would seem simplistic and heretical in some circles, I would say what we really have is not so much original sin, but an original blessing. That is not an original thought* either but it still rings true to me.  

          For our original blessing we offer thanksgiving.

Luke 3:15-22

 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ 

* Original Blessing  ( Matthew Fox )