With original sin, we left the paradise of all-inclusive love. And in our quest to end the pain of separation, we kept trying to separate ourselves from pain: always judging life and others, always tempted by the illusion of knowledge. This does not work, of course: in a world full of judgment, everyone gets judged. Guilt and shame are perpetuated.
The law was meant to provide guidance out of this mire: a constant reminder that no one is perfect. A hint that life is a glorious mess of light edged with tears and darkness suffused with grace.
But we turned the law into an idol, as we always do. When this happens, it leaves us all at fault, dividing us into two types of sinners: those who break the law, and those who put it above love for others.
Jesus came to abolish both types of sin. Many of us have missed that point, even though Jesus was quite clear about what really matters.
To be a disciple means, among other things, to constantly leave behind assumptions and preconceptions about how life should be and people should act, and to recognize that we ourselves inevitably fall short of any standard. This will always feel a little bit like dying. The promise of Jesus is that such death is not the end, but a new beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment