Comments on: Not Peace but a Sword http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/06/21/not-peace-but-a-sword/ We are Flesh-and-Spirit on a journey to Integral Unity with God. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:57:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/06/21/not-peace-but-a-sword/#comment-5361 Huw Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:24:58 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=2776#comment-5361 And he welcomes Judas - and either knowing (supernaturally) or not-knowing (humanly) what Judas is about creates issues. It is a complex one - which I was saying. But I think those of us who have answers (right or wrong) need to be willing to hang out/commune/pray with those of us who might have different answers (right or wrong) because I sense you are right: Jesus is a bit more complex than we're willing to admit. And he welcomes Judas - and either knowing (supernaturally) or not-knowing (humanly) what Judas is about creates issues.

It is a complex one - which I was saying. But I think those of us who have answers (right or wrong) need to be willing to hang out/commune/pray with those of us who might have different answers (right or wrong) because I sense you are right: Jesus is a bit more complex than we’re willing to admit.

]]> By: Fr. Ernesto http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/06/21/not-peace-but-a-sword/#comment-5264 Fr. Ernesto Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:44:52 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=2776#comment-5264 I agree that they are tough ones. In part, they are tough because our culture has built up an image of a Jesus who loves so much that he could never ever "judge" anything. In some other times and cultures, a different, but equally simplistic, image of Jesus has dominated the culture. Scripture shows a much more complicated picture of Christ. He accepts the adulterous woman with a simple warning while whipping the moneychangers. He goes to eat with a tax collector while telling the rich young law-abiding ruler to sell everything. He commends St. Peter for his highly spiritual insight then calls him a Satan. We will have no hope of understanding our Lord unless we lean into the complexity and allow for some mystery in our understanding of him. I agree that they are tough ones. In part, they are tough because our culture has built up an image of a Jesus who loves so much that he could never ever “judge” anything. In some other times and cultures, a different, but equally simplistic, image of Jesus has dominated the culture.

Scripture shows a much more complicated picture of Christ. He accepts the adulterous woman with a simple warning while whipping the moneychangers. He goes to eat with a tax collector while telling the rich young law-abiding ruler to sell everything. He commends St. Peter for his highly spiritual insight then calls him a Satan.

We will have no hope of understanding our Lord unless we lean into the complexity and allow for some mystery in our understanding of him.

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