we were talking at church last sunday about something a little similar. warwick's sermon was about how the reading for 'christ the king' sunday is actually the story of the crucifixion (or, actually, jesus before pontius pilate) - and he was suggesting that the meaning of this was that christ's kingdom is, unbelievable as it seems, found in the crucifixion.
warwick then invited us to think of examples or stories as he is wont to do.
people started giving examples of the usual suspects - indigenous people, refugees - and the way they are (mis)treated in this country. they also claimed that in the midst of this darkness, the kingdom of christ was revealed through those tireless refugee advocates, or perhaps through the occasional aboriginal person who breaks out of various cycles.
i was a little unsure about these examples. it seemed to me that what they were describing was resurrection more than crucifixion. it's easy to find examples of people overcoming despair, and saying, 'god did that' or if you want to be at least a little vague about the mysterious ways that god works, 'god was in that somewhere'. but i think that is skipping over the really confronting part of the christian story, not just that jesus was resurrected, but that christ was crucified.
i think that your story is maybe a little better at explaining this. i especially like the line "you resent him. this was your hell. why should there be anyone else in it?"
because i feel like that a lot. when i'm in some sort of depth-moment (and for me, luckily, it's usually only a moment of some cope-able length) i can't usually recognise christ? or recognise the helping hand someone is reaching out to me. and when christ was crucified people didn't understand either, but the truth (?) is that it is in that crucifixion that god's love was revealed i guess.
but it's freaking hard to get your head around i tell you and if anyone says otherwise they're stupid :P
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-11-27 03:15 am (UTC)we were talking at church last sunday about something a little similar. warwick's sermon was about how the reading for 'christ the king' sunday is actually the story of the crucifixion (or, actually, jesus before pontius pilate) - and he was suggesting that the meaning of this was that christ's kingdom is, unbelievable as it seems, found in the crucifixion.
warwick then invited us to think of examples or stories as he is wont to do.
people started giving examples of the usual suspects - indigenous people, refugees - and the way they are (mis)treated in this country. they also claimed that in the midst of this darkness, the kingdom of christ was revealed through those tireless refugee advocates, or perhaps through the occasional aboriginal person who breaks out of various cycles.
i was a little unsure about these examples. it seemed to me that what they were describing was resurrection more than crucifixion. it's easy to find examples of people overcoming despair, and saying, 'god did that' or if you want to be at least a little vague about the mysterious ways that god works, 'god was in that somewhere'. but i think that is skipping over the really confronting part of the christian story, not just that jesus was resurrected, but that christ was crucified.
i think that your story is maybe a little better at explaining this. i especially like the line "you resent him. this was your hell. why should there be anyone else in it?"
because i feel like that a lot. when i'm in some sort of depth-moment (and for me, luckily, it's usually only a moment of some cope-able length) i can't usually recognise christ? or recognise the helping hand someone is reaching out to me. and when christ was crucified people didn't understand either, but the truth (?) is that it is in that crucifixion that god's love was revealed i guess.
but it's freaking hard to get your head around i tell you and if anyone says otherwise they're stupid :P