Gathering Growing Going
It is very easy to get over-familiar with Jesus. It is very easy to allow our familiarity with Jesus to spill over into a level of contempt – not obvious, but just there.
You see, we know a lot about Jesus – and that familiarity can lead to a level of contempt, perhaps even outrage, when we come to his proclamation and practice.
It certainly did in Jesus’ hometown. He returned home and his hometown was scandalised! They were familiar with this man – they knew his dad and mum, they still hung out with his brothers and sisters – and this is what he was saying, and doing? How could this Jesus rock the boat like that? What gave him the right to…?
Does that sound familiar? Have you ever had that moment when the Jesus you are familiar with said something, did something, that scandalised you? Has it ever prompted you to think, ‘Do I know this man, or do I KNOW this man?’
Every now and again, it is worth it to stop and pause and consider the things we are pursuing, what we are involved in, to take stock! At those moments, we ask questions about what gives us joy, what is valuable, what consumes us, what we are devoted to, what the long-term consequences are…
Our world desperately needs peace – in fact, we yearn for it at so many levels. We even desire peace in the very fabric of the earth, in the way our world works. And so much of our lack of peace is due to cross words – to poor communication, to aggressive communication, even down to poor analysis. Where and how is peace possible? The first words that Jesus speaks to his community are about peace – ‘Peace to you!’ (John 20:19). The fact of the resurrection was confirmed in his appearance to Mary. The effect of the resurrection was spoken to his people – it brings peace! These are the cross words we need to hear, we need to speak, and we need to practice.
What was the mission of Jesus? The whole mission of Jesus is a great project of reunification. And that is such a contrast with all the disunity, conflict and division we see in our world today.