Blogging my readings is extremely frustrating! For the 2nd time I spent 40 minutes typing comments about my readings only to have the entire write-up lost in blogger space. Pen and notebook are so trustworthy. I spend more time figuring out technology instead of reflecting on my readings. It is a good thing that I am reading and reflecting on God's revelation. I am far more patient with the technology "challenges" (polite term) then I normally would be.
Enough of venting. I truly love the article A between-the-lines look at Jesus! For years I have been hearing about Raymond Brown from husband. He took a course from him at Loyola Marymount years ago. Now I get it. He articulates feelings that I have had concerning Jesus and the Gospels. He states that "Jesus does not set up clear religious structures." That is man's doing. It is amazing how we get caught up in the details that "we" created! We must focus on Jesus' example of putting God first in our life.
The Gospel is all about intimacy. Brown provides clear cut examples of God's call for intimate relationship with us. I have always loved how the father runs out and embraces his "Prodigal Son" before the son has the chance to say "I'm sorry." What a beautiful example of intimate relationship. We must have a relationship to apologize and we must have a relationship to be forgiven.
I am challenged by Brown's statement that God "never had an idea." Difficult concept for me. I discussed this with my husband. God's intellect and will are one. Weren't humans - the world and idea? I am struggling with this one.
What I am not struggling with is Jesus' humanity. Evidently there is a struggle among others with Jesus' humanity while being the son of God. We need Jesus' struggle in the garden of Gethsemane. It is God's communication of faith. "To wrestle with death is the ultimate act of faith" Without fear or doubt there is no freedom to follow God's plan. We become the image of God when we make the struggle and rise above human nature to submit to God's will. Otherwise we would just blindly follow without critical thought. We would be God's playthings. There would be no relationship.
The big "a ha" from the article came from Mark's perspective of Jesus's death. Jesus had no human sujpport. The Twelve fell asleep, Pilate refused to help, and people mocked him. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate need to rely on God
