Day Thirty-two

If God is omnipresent (which I believe is true) then God is always available to the relationship. If, then, there are times when the relationship is lacking—or missing altogether—it cannot be because God has absented Itself. In other words, I am the one in control of the degree to which the relationship is comprehended. The model of electricity has helped me to better grasp this concept. Electricity is always available, but anyone wanting to use it must develop a receptive means of “connecting” to it. When the connection is broken or short-circuited is when sin—at least according to the working definition that is being developed in this series—occurs in the spiritual sense.

A number of obvious situations and circumstances that can lead to this sinful condition have already been cited. Paramount among them, however, is when concern for the self overrides consciousness of the Other. When the Other is not acknowledged as an integral component of the self, a skewed perception of reality results. Yes, it is still all about me, but I am nothing without the Other. I may actually grasp this part of the equation, but I am quickly dumbfounded by the realization that what holds true for me applies to the rest of sentient creation. Although I would like to think otherwise, I have no more special access to God than anyone else. Therefore, when I let myself think that I do I once again end up in the sinful condition.

One explanation for why Jesus is remembered two-thousand years after his ministry is that he realized his relationship to the Other more perfectly than anyone before or since. He comprehended that the Other is also the Whole and is thus to be found in everyone and everything. When such a realization is authentic a new level of identification—of empathy—with others as common with the self leads to a remarkable degree of compassion that is remembered to this day as one of Jesus’ preeminent characteristics. Jesus was the flesh and blood embodiment of the Shema, loving God with all his heart, soul and mind, and his neighbor as himself. In this sense, he may well have been without sin which lends profound credence to his salvific gospel that his disciples are capable of following in his footsteps!