Luke 13:22-30
Listen - click for new tab, Luke 13
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’
28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
We'll begin with the reading with etwn.com and the quote for the day:
Concerning God, we cannot grasp what He is, but only what He is not, and how other beings stand in relation to Him. -- St. Thomas Aquinas
God alone is God. St. Thomas Aquinas was thought to be dumb as an ox at the beginning of his years as a Dominican monk. In 1245, Albertus Magnus said, "We call this young man a dumb ox, but his bellowing in doctrine will one day resound throughout the world." Thomas refused to be part of the Archbishop meetings the Pope requested, to continue his writing. After writing for years about how vast, perfect, complete God's nature is in the Trinity, he finally refused to write any more. Thomas was known to experience the ecstasy of God's communion and it was revealed to him God was so much more than Thomas had ever contemplated. On 6 December, 1273, he laid aside his pen and said: "I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value, my writings are almost like straw."
Don't we lack awe so much of the time in our generation? Surrounded by lights and images floating through the air and forming on our computer, our phones, don't we sometimes forget when we read a passage like Luke 13 how much God is the King?
I am not close to St. Thomas Acquinas in intellect, but live instead with gratitude to know even the great Theologian minds grapple with the grandeur of the Most Magnificent being so loving as to be part of my soul. To care for me, and I am but dust.When we picture the LORD, don't we indeed have an image in our minds that would be familiar to us?
Look at the art. Thomas argued God was without form, but consider the diversity of Jesus' family. How will He recognize us? This passage, Luke 13 asks this exactly. If we teach in His name, take communion in His Church, how will He recognize us? What would it take to be part of Jesus' family, His Kingdom? Just as a small example of what we know of the Lord, Mitochondrial Eve DNA places the family of God to have origins in East Africa. Perhaps Adam & Eve were created in the image of a Black God. King David, God's anointed is ruddy - a redhead - 1 Samuel 17:41. Revelation 1:14 gives us Jesus having white hair.
Isaiah 53:2
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
Daniel 7:9
“As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
Abraham was from Turkey. Jacob is the birthright thief. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law, Tamar, thinking she was a prostitute. Judah admited the greater fault in his own righteousness, in not giving Tamar fulfillment of his word. Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Rahab, the prostitute mentioned generations after she lived, in the Book of Hebrews. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. Boaz, her son, was a wealthy old man, giving compassion to the foreigner, the poor and the elderly. Ruth is from Moab - today's Jordan, in the Bible a descendant of Lot, a child of incest. King David, King Hezekiah, King Josiah - mighty men who followed the Lord. Jesus descended from the slaves held by Nebuchadnezzar.
We worship God Almighty. Diverse. Magnificent. Who says, strive to enter through the narrow door. The Master of the House.
1 John 2:5
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him
Psalm 119:9 ~ King James Bible
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Revelation 3:20-22
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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