Monthly Archives: April 2017
The Scapegoat Mechanism
Jesus as Scapegoat The Scapegoat Mechanism Sunday, April 30, 2017 As I mentioned last week, Jesus on the cross echoes three healing images: the Passover lamb, the “Lifted-Up One,” and the scapegoat ritual. The third symbol deserves a deeper exploration because it is central to understanding how Jesus resets the pattern of history. We’ll spend… Continue Reading The Scapegoat Mechanism
The Cross: Weekly Summary
The Cross Summary: Sunday, April 23-Friday, April 28, 2017 Jesus’ life, death, and raising up is the whole pattern revealed, named, summed up, and assured for our own lives. (Sunday) Jesus takes away the sin of the world by dramatically exposing the real sin—ignorant hatred and violence, not the usual preoccupation with purity codes—and by… Continue Reading The Cross: Weekly Summary
Suffering Love
The Cross Suffering Love Friday, April 28, 2017 Many people rightly question how there can be a good or just God in the presence of so much evil and suffering in the world—about which “God” appears to do nothing. Exactly how is God loving and sustaining what God created? That is our constant dilemma, and… Continue Reading Suffering Love
The Cross as Cure
The Cross The Cross as Cure Thursday, April 27, 2017 The second sacred image that the cross echoes is the “Lifted-Up One,” and it comes from the bronze snake in the desert. YHWH tells Moses to raise up a serpent on a pole, and “anyone who has been bitten by a serpent and looks upon… Continue Reading The Cross as Cure
Help CAC Rebuild Spirituality From the Bottom Up
Dear Friend, Every day the Center for Action and Contemplation offers messages to awaken a more compassionate and just world. As you read, we pray that your heart and mind will be opened to both receiving and giving away Love. Twice a year we pause the Daily Meditations to invite your support so that we can… Continue Reading Help CAC Rebuild Spirituality From the Bottom Up
Sacred Images
The Cross Sacred Images Tuesday, April 25, 2017 In Jesus we have a confluence of three sacred healing images from the Hebrew Scriptures: the Passover lamb, which is the presentation of the innocent victim (Exodus 12); the “Lifted-Up One,” which is the homeopathic curing of the victim (Numbers 21:6-9); and, finally, the scapegoat ritual, wherein… Continue Reading Sacred Images
The Universal Pattern: Loss and Renewal
The Cross The Universal Pattern: Loss and Renewal Monday, April 24, 2017 I believe that the Mystery of the Cross is saying that the pattern of transformation is always death transformed. Death and life are two sides of one coin, and you cannot have one without the other. The theological term for this classic pattern… Continue Reading The Universal Pattern: Loss and Renewal
The Mystery of the Cross
The Cross The Mystery of the Cross Sunday, April 23, 2017 It is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. —1 Corinthians 2:8 Jesus’ life, death, and raising up is the whole pattern revealed, named, summed up, and assured… Continue Reading The Mystery of the Cross
The Beatitudes: Weekly Summary
The Beatitudes Summary: Sunday, April 16-Friday, April 21, 2017 This week guest writer and CAC faculty member Cynthia Bourgeault explored Jesus’ eight blessings known as the Beatitudes. Only through a point of nothingness can we enter the larger mind. As long as we’re filled with ourselves, we can go no further. (Sunday) Only when we… Continue Reading The Beatitudes: Weekly Summary
Be Peaceable, Be Free
The Beatitudes Be Peaceable, Be Free Friday, April 21, 2017 Guest writer and CAC teacher Cynthia Bourgeault continues exploring Jesus’ eight blessings known as the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” —Matthew 5:9 This Beatitude follows as the logical consequence of all that has been laid out… Continue Reading Be Peaceable, Be Free