Our ‘Christ-like’ Challenge!

– ‘humans need more love than they deserve’ –

The human condition is given: “as is” or to express same in a more creaturely analogy: “ass is”. This diagnostic determination is the under-lying theme of the Booklet featured on this website. The opening page (see context) sets the scene: our “dis-functional” nature & the last page (see cover) poses the exploratory question of our social / spiritual “dis-connect”.

Now, I don’t want anyone to react to these opening thoughts & get into a sudden state of ‘dis-quiet’ or ‘dis-ease’. Bear with me. I’m not picking on you, the reader, since we are all ‘made’ from the same ‘dust’. But, let me assure you, we’re in good company. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, when asked to describe himself, answered: “I’m a sinner”, too, like all other human beings. Here, then, is our base-line condition / our ‘fallen’ nature. Hence, that fundamental ‘prayer-of-all-prayers’: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner”: Luke 18:13. This is our Christian passport: keep it safely to hand / to mind, at all times.

The ‘world-stage’ has been aptly described, again, by Pope Francis, as a “field hospital”, where ‘forces’ are doing battle & casualties are strewn around everywhere. This is where reality ‘kicks in’. Our brothers & sisters, in all places & at all times, seem hapless & helpless: caught-up in a daily ‘self-for-self’ battle for survival. As a result, mankind & our ‘base camp’ environment is in an un-holy “mess”. Did someone point-out, a long time ago, that we were suffering from: “darkened understanding, weakened will & a strong inclination to evil”? That seems like a fairly meaningful appraisal.

The earth is our God given ‘play-ground’ & we have made it a ‘battle-ground’. Adam & Eve, our 1st parents, broke the original link with God &, so, we were left ‘cut-off’ from our Source. As a consequence, we have to learn ‘hard-life-lessons’: to recognise our personal weaknesses & limitations & to ‘take-in’ the bigger picture, beyond our individual selves.

That’s the “bad news” feed. So, what’s the “good news”? We have been rescued! Jesus came – sent by the Father / aided by the Holy Spirit – to show us how to become ‘FIT for Purpose’ / to manifest the promised ‘Glow of Happiness’. He modelled a childlike ‘ABC’ way of living: how to Affirm, Bless & Celebrate each other. This is Jesus’s way of saving mankind & the world. Everything He did was different from the way humanistic man & woman choose to do things. He came to “serve “: to ‘be love’ / to ‘live love’ – so that all people could ‘experience love’. This was & is God’s way of solving our human dilemma. He demonstrated God’s love (God is Love) in all kinds of practical ways & thereby showed us how to answer the deep “dis-functional” need, within all of us, for ‘more love than we deserve’.

In the market space for “New Evangelisation” Jesus shows us the way of “Servant Evangelism”. This is real-time: ‘dare to care’ / ‘care to dare’ / ‘care to care’. It’s not so much a ‘knowledge’ ministry as a ‘heart’ ministry. The criterion of ‘service’ says: “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care”. It’s is less about ‘doing’ and more about ‘being’. The Holy Spirit plays a key role (if we allow Him): His promptings – a nudge from God – offers opportunities for small acts of kindness & service, as a demonstration of God’s love. The ‘gap in the market’ – as expressed so vividly by Pope Francis – is: “Heal Wounds” & “Warm Hearts”. People need to “know we care” &, as a consequence, they never forget acts of loving service. Under this mode of ‘Christ-like’ living we transcend our humanity & touch upon divinity. Go & do likewise.

Daniel (www.konect-1-2-1.com) 14/5/14