Monday, January 5, 2015

Monday, January 5 2015 

John 15: 1-16

Today's reading is about Jesus healing an ill man at the Pool of Bethsaida in Jerusalem. It happened on the Sabbath Day,  a religious day which meant that the faithful would do no work. When the religious authorities tracked down that it was Jesus who had healed the sick man, they began to persecute Jesus, which would eventually end with his crucifixion in the future. 

True religion is a Way that which holds one together. In many cases, given time, there are those who become guardians of the Way, who out of good intentions, prescribe rules that are intended to protect the Way, but in so doing, often counter the very thing that they are hoping to guard. Worship and Love of God and when and how to do this become routine behaviour sadly devoid of the Spirit. Thus the worthy action of Jesus in healing the ill man gets overlooked by the temple authorities in their defense of the "prescribed way". Religion becomes exclusive rather than inclusive. 

Thank goodness that from time to time there arises  prophetic voices calling for repentance and a turning of the heart and practices back to "true religion". Part of understanding Jesus the Christ and His Way is that there was this prophetic element in the way he approached and lived life. If we find that our lives at times seemly empty despite trying to lead worthy lives, maybe we are trying too hard just going through the motions: we need to step back and open ourselves and our consciousness that God's Spirit is within, touching and guiding us. As in the case of the ill man, we can come to sense a wholeness, a completeness that we have been missing. When we realize this, then we are realizing and living the Way that Jesus holds out to us. 

Archdeacon Ken Cardwell