Support us | Click here ←
While preparing the meal, a funny thought about holiness just occurred to me.
Many times I have heard it said that sacred zijn would mean being "set apart. It still requires some word study to determine whether this is correct - after all, the average theologian should be regarded with healthy distrust (let alone the non-average theologian).
In this sense, the most sacred - God Himself - is the most separate. Anyone who thinks Christianity is exclusive - excludes - rather than inclusive, should reconsider this: the highly Aparte seeks those who are (want to be) the same. Surely there is now an observant reader who thinks that "being set apart" will not be meant that way after all, and he will no doubt be able to make his case well. But then I think of the son of the highly separate, and can tell you that He did not do anything like what was expected of Him after all. He went in search of the scum: the harlot, the traitor, the sick, the poor. .
.
The Pharisees and law scholars grumbled to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other bad people?" Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I have not come to call good people, but to tell bad people to start living as God wants them to." (Luke 5:30-32)
.
In hindsight, you could have k
see coming: the Son of the Most Separate must not be seeking the common. Anyone who knows the feeling of being excluded, different, alienated, hear more to it than could ever have been suspected. Christianity exclusive rather than inclusive? No, the separate, the stranger, the immigrant, the sick, all are wanted - but the common thereby not excluded. The good, the bad, all called.
see coming: the Son of the Most Separate must not be seeking the common. Anyone who knows the feeling of being excluded, different, alienated, hear more to it than could ever have been suspected. Christianity exclusive rather than inclusive? No, the separate, the stranger, the immigrant, the sick, all are wanted - but the common thereby not excluded. The good, the bad, all called. .
Then he said to his servants, "Everything is ready for the feast. But the people I had invited were not worthy of coming. Therefore go to the great roads. Invite everyone you see there to the wedding.' The servants went and invited everyone, good and bad people. And they took them to the wedding. The banquet hall was completely filled with people. (Mat. 22:8-10)
.
It reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son: the son who stays at home belongs, the runaway son is looked forward to (Luk.15). The Son of Man has come to save all who are lost (Mat.18:11). You could summarize the thought as follows: the highly Separate seeks strangers to belong (too).
.
.
As Gungor sings somewhere, "the world is upside down. To which I add: that's why Jesus seems so different, so distinct. He stands upright.- Hans de Witte -
