Jesus, the Misfit!

Christmas is alive and well!  Consumption is again king and queen, at least for those who have money to spend.  Colorful lights yield beauty.  Carols and secular songs paint musical images of the season.  People fuel up their vehicles, purchase plane tickets, train tickets, bus tickets to go home or connect with significant others.  Places of worship are overflowing, necessitating extra services.  Candle light services are especially appealing. Christmas time is an "orgy of activity".

All because of a celebration of the birth of Jesus.  What is it about Jesus' birth that stirs such outpourings?  I would suggest first of all that we need beginnings.  Jesus' beginning was the beginning of something totally renewing and life giving in a broken world.  We are constantly crying out for new beginnings, for the energy to start over, for the hope of new possibilities!  Second, it is because of the totality of Jesus' life, and how his message, his character, his mission transformed history. I heard a quote recently that conveys Jesus' Truth:

Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the troublemakers,

the round pegs in the square holes.... The ones who see

things differently - they are not fond of rules.... You can

quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them,

but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they

change things.... They push the human race forward, and 

while some may see them as crazy ones, we see genius,

because the ones who are crazy enough to think they can

change the world, are the ones who do.

These words were spoken at Steve Jobs' memorial service.

As metaphor, they also describe Jesus.  And his actions began at birth.  Jesus was born in poverty during a time of Roman occupation.  The historian Tacitus describes Roman rule: "To plunder, butcher, steal, these things they misname empire: they make a desert and they call it peace." 

Into this desert, Jesus' birth was a life of contrast and conflict with Roman rule: nonviolence instead of violence, justice instead of war, healing instead of the sword, words instead of oppression, forgiveness instead of retribution, grace instead of greed, reconciliation instead of walls, love instead of hate, peace instead of domination.  

Borg and Crossan describe the Christmas story as "a subversive parable."  Subversive stories help us see differently.  They subvert the conventional ways of seeing.  Similarly, parables are metaphors.

I recall a line from the movie "Zorba the Greek".  Zorba is trying to loosen up an uptight Britisher.  He tells the Brit, "You must learn to be crazy!  You must learn to dance!"(or words to that effect).

I think God realized that the world needed this craziness!  Craziness clothed as a misfit.  Misfit swaddled as a child.  Child who would bring to life the words from Isaiah: "Comfort, O comfort my people.... Wonderful Counselor..., Prince of Peace.... The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid..., and a little child shall lead them.... They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain.... Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.... proclaim liberty to the captives.... proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.... for I the Lord love justice." 

Here's to the Misfit! 

A joyous Christmas to all!

Peace!

Ron

Sibylline Wisdom

The SIBYLLINE ORACLES are theological writings of pagan, Jewish, and Christian origin.  They were written between the second century BCE and the fifth century CE.  The following are SO 2.319-24:

THE EARTH WILL BELONG EQUALLY TO ALL,

UNDIVIDED BY WALLS OR FENCES.  IT WILL

THEN BEAR MORE ABUNDANT FRUITS SPONTANEOUSLY.

LIVES WILL BE IN COMMON AND WEALTH WILL

HAVE NO DIVISION.  FOR THERE WILL BE NO POOR

MAN THERE, NO RICH, NO TYRANT, NO SLAVE. 

FURTHER, NO ONE WILL BE EITHER GREAT OR SMALL

ANYMORE.  NO KINGS, NO LEADERS.  ALL WILL

BE ON A PAR TOGETHER.

Apart from the wisdom, justice, peace, and compassion of these oracles, these remarkable oracles are the outcome of the combined wisdom of three traditions: pagan, Jewish, and Christian.  I do not think any of the traditions "sold out" the core of its tradition.  Indeed, the meaning of the SO expresses the character of each tradition.

Two points to consider: 

1) The above SO provide a vision for the preferred direction of national purpose. There is an equality, a common life sense, a power in the hands of everyone, an all for all sense that is community nurturing.  Call it SHALOM.  Eden in Genesis reflects this vision.  When ISAIAH speak of the "wolf shall lie with the lamb", we have a vision of the SO.  Jesus' Sermon on the Mount exudes this spirit.  

This vision is crucially helpful for addressing the inequality in our national and global realities. The social and political inequities between the global north and south are glaringly painful to behold.  Within the north, the similar inequities exist between the growing division among the ultra-rich, the middle, and the lower classes.  Furthermore, the arrogance of the rich and powerful, the corporate priority of profit over people, the influence of greed over generosity, beg for a correction.  The SYBYLLINE ORACLES  provide correction.

Our American political gridlock can also benefit from taking the SO to heart.  Our representatives are elected to move us towards this goal.  Partisan ideology is meant to provide balance not inaction. America at its origins was not intended to be a society of survival of the fittest.  America is a nation where all people are to have an equal chance at creating a future of hope and fulfillment through honest labor, common rights, and adherence to common law, in the quest of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".  America is to be a state of being where the people can all have enough for family and community, which will lead to national and global good.

2)  If the SO can evolve from three somewhat competing traditions, our political parties can also combine traditions to form a common POLITICAL ORACLE, with the point being not to dominate and smother the other, but to combine the best of their ideology which nourish the common good. There is something to be said for the Republican virtues of individualism, initiative, freedom from too much regulation, a respect for states' rights, smaller government, and reasonable taxation.  Similarly, the Democrats' focus on the proper place of government, concern for the common good, we're in this together, higher taxes for the sake of service for all, the need for strong regulatory control, and a heart for the minority, are vital for our national well-being.  Both are committed to a strong military, family values, and both have shades of the other party.

America is a democracy, a cauldron of diversity, where you can win with 50.1%. But this does not mean that the views and lives of the other 49.9% are invalid.  Even though the balance of influence is tipped, the other side must still be honored.  ALL are Americans, ALL are citizens of the world, ALL are created in the Image of God.

Hence, the wisdom of the SIBYLLINE ORACLES: Together, seeking the common ground, taking the best from each other for the sake of the country and the world, and writing a common political and economic oracle.  Defeating and dominating the other side breeds destruction and despair.  We are all losers.  Just take a look around.

Hear ye, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Tea Partiers, Occupy Wall Streeters!  The reality is that you each have good ideas at your core.  Take the best for the sake of the the ALL.  Share your power, practice humility, give and take.  The future of the nation and world are at stake.

Peace!