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God wastes nothingThursday, January 2, 2014
1 John 2:25-26 Jesus held back nothing. All he was given, he gave away. His power, his understanding, his anointing and finally his life were the gifts he brought to his disciples. Gold, frankincense, myrrh are nothing beside the anointing Jesus gives. How do we participate in this? Whereas we are "sure" about what we taste and touch and see, the truth of the Holy Spirit sometimes seems disembodied. Famous medieval philosopher and theologian John Duns Scotus said that "intuitive cognition" is a normal procedure in this life, but in it we always lack certainty. Pope Francis added to this thought when he talked about sustained hope and faith in Jesus' resurrection in the face of what looks like failure. "We need an interior certainty ... often called a 'sense of mystery.' It involves knowing with certitude that all those who entrust themselves to God in love will bear good fruit, though it is often invisible, elusive, and unquantifiable" (p. 279, The Joy of the Gospel). Jesus knows that God wastes nothing. In our anointing we can know with mysterious, intuitive certainty that same truth. Again Pope Francis: "Without claiming to know how, where or when, we MAY BE SURE that none of our acts of love will be lost. No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted. "All of these encircle the world like a vital force." This truth, elusive and "disembodied" as it might feel sometimes, brings life where there is death. It is stronger than armies. In it there is eternal life. Held back only by our own fear, we fail to follow, Lord. I fail to follow. Forgive me and stand me back up on my feet. Set me on the path once more. This path is to be walked slowly but surely. Step by step, with the courage only you can bring. With blinders on, seeing only the sun when all else looks dark, I see that You are beautiful, and your eyes are deep. |
Before Jesus was born, Gabriel said to Mary, "The power of the Holy Spirit will come upon you." Now John reminds Jesus' followers of what he brought for them, the anointing they received from him. The power of the Holy Spirit has come upon THEM.