Day Thirty-three

Let’s see if I’m getting this right. God is always available to the relationship whenever I (or anyone) choose to enter into it. My choice, however, is significantly influenced by my even knowing that it is available to me. My ignorance of its availability does not excuse the resulting brokenness or separation, thus making ignorance of the availability of the relationship a sinful condition. Salvation from this sinful condition comes from being made aware, from being enlightened. A savior from sin, then, becomes one who provides this enlightenment in ways that are truly meaningful to the human consciousness. From such a vantage, Scripture takes on—at least for me—a completely new significance:

Genuine light—the kind that provides light for everyone
—was coming into the world.
Although it was in the world,
and the world came about through its agency,
the world did not recognize it.
It came to its own place,
but its own people were not receptive to it.
But to all who did embrace it,
to those who believed in it.
it gave the right to become children of God.
They were not born from sexual union,
not from physical desire,
and not from male willfulness:
they were born of God.
The divine word and wisdom became human
and made itself at home among us.
We have seen its majesty,
majesty appropriate
to a Father’s only son,
brimming with generosity and truth.
(John 1:9-14 SV)

It was from this same worldview that the ongoing and abiding presence of the Paraclete was revealed, a continuing source of enlightenment that will serve as an everlasting safeguard against the sin of separation. I have personally never understood why it became necessary to look forward to the second coming of Jesus if there was any truth at all to the Resurrection. How can something come back that has never left? It may be regarded as heresy by some, but I’m beginning to think that Easter is significant for some very different reasons than those derived from tradition alone.