Jesus had a tough time of it.
After forty days and forty nights, all alone in the desert, he passed through the needle's eye and became everything, everywhere, always. He realized he was God, and so became God, and he beheld his creation, and decided it was good.
Understandably, he was keen to share this new knowledge, and save everyone from their dreary lives of unknowing. He didn't once think: "Everyone will be really impressed with the new, enlightened me!"
No.
Although his enlightenment was a wonder, and as good as it gets for anyone living a mortal life, he realized, as part of this process, that not-doing, was rather useless without the doing.
Being as how he was Jesus, he forsook his own pleasure, and withdrew from heaven, to set about freely handing this amazing revelation to others.
With - in retrospect - entirely predictable results...
Off he trotted, back into the world of men. Filled with enthusiasm and motivation. He knew what was what.
He couldn't wait to begin. And this is why he did not linger in the ecstasy of enlightenment, which is the realm of not-doing. He knew what he must do. Carpentry paled into insignificance, compared to the importance of saving the world. He had new knowledge, and was hot to share it.
He entered the local temple, and saw through new eyes, the corruption, the pettiness and the ugliness that people did, and still do, specialize in, and threw a fit. Turning over tables, jumping up and down in fury. Giving everyone, no doubt, a real mouthful.
Nobody understood.
Nobody could see that Jesus was perfectly justified in his behavior, given what he knew.
But knowing what he knew, and being the Saviour, he just couldn't help himself.
It was the beginning of the end, even as it began.
People do not want to know how awful they are, or how dishonest, or how self-immersed. Let alone be reminded of how much they do not know.
No.
They would far rather crucify those that do.
It is as well to remember this.
What a timely post this is for me.
ReplyDeleteAfter years of delving into 'eastern' forms of spirituality, I've come to understand Jesus more than I ever did as a child growing up a Christian.
Something is stirring again inside. I have developed a love of churches, cathedrals and ancient abbeys recently. I'm fortunate in that respect as I live in the far north of England, there are thousands of these ancient buildings.
There is an energy still present in these places. You can tell that the occupiers were men (and women) who realized something special, devoid of dogma and religious trappings.