Monday; March 31, 2014
Could the “New” Thing Be Inclusion?
In the gospel text, Jesus heals the son of a royal official. There is no vetting of him at all. No questions about his beliefs, his moral character, his intentions if his son is healed. This is typical of Jesus. Most of this miracles are done for outsiders and the marginalized, and even sometimes the unworthy, while the insiders don’t get what he is doing. Jesus made God available to everyone.
Rohr summarizes, "The circle of the biblical revelation keeps widening to create that “new earth” of Isaiah, and within a century a people who will call themselves catholic or universal. Here comes everybody! One wonders how we ever made religion into any kind of exclusionary system whatsoever when the vast majority of Jesus’ healings seem to happen to the excluded ones and maybe even the unworthy ones."
Rohr, Richard (2010-12-27). Wondrous Encounters: Scripture for Lent (p. 84). St. Anthony Messenger Press. Kindle Edition.
