"A New Season"
"Mission" (Relational Purpose: Part
2)
The Father gave Jesus a mission to
accomplish in a human nature. In flesh and blood humanity the Lamb of God took
on our nature in order to take away the sins of the world. Now, Jesus chooses
to continue to exercise his ministry of reconciliation in, with and through our
humanity. The Lamb chooses to need our flesh and blood humanity--our
bodies--to come into in order to perpetuate his sacrifice on the cross, his
tremendous outpouring of agape love.
Jesus chooses to exercise his ministry
in, with and through us. This is what one calls "incarnational
spirituality": The Word, himself, continues to become present mystically within
us. It is his ministry, but he chooses to 'work' through our human bodies.
Now, we are to become "extensions" of his incarnation. Only if Jesus finds a
"home" within our hearts can we, in turn,
become a "house of prayer" for others. We need to be in such union with
Jesus that he "takes over" within us: "I have been crucified with Christ; yet
I live, no longer I , but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:19B-20). Out
of our union with the Lamb we can obtain this same union with Jesus for others.
We have been given a share in the
ministry of the Word made flesh--the Word now risen in his high priestly power
who is seated at the right hand of the Father in a far more excellent ministry:
It is the "flesh and blood" ministry of the Lamb. How, then, do I live 'Jesus
and his cross' (our charism)? Ultimately, it is by allowing Jesus to continue
to live his life and offering of sacrificial love on the cross now through my
human nature: Allowing Jesus to continue to live his victim-hood, his
self-surrendering love, in the presence of the Father now through my humanity.
Through our lives united most
intimately with his life, Jesus can now continue to "reach out" from within us
to reunite humanity to God. The Lamb who was slain, now victorious in the power
of the Holy Spirit, continues to make his "dwelling place" within each of us.
He desires to be 'lifted up on the cross' from within us. He desires to draw
everyone to himself (see John 12:32). This is how all humanity continues to be
drawn into the "unity of Christ". Hence, I need to allow the "Christ-life"
to blossom fully within me. It is his holiness that must radiate through my
human nature. This allows Jesus to advance the kingdom of holiness both within
ourselves and in the world. One definition of holiness is that it is an
ongoing conversion into the image and maturity of Jesus Christ. Again, this
'image and maturity' of Jesus Christ dwelling within us is what we mean by
"incarnational spirituality: "It is the Lord" (John 21:7) who now lives within
us. Jesus lives always for the Father and in the Father's presence. He lives
uncompromisingly, fervently and authentically. Now, we must allow the Lamb to
'mature us' through these dispositions lived now from within us.
Questions:
1) Am
I aware of an aspect of the "Christ life" that is growing within me?
2) Is
there a mystery in the life of Jesus that I sense him living now at this time
from within my humanity?
Scriptures:
Any scripture from the text; John 17:22-23; Eph. 4:15; Col.
1:24
