No Answer: Jesus and His Judges
John's Gospel asks whether we want to be where Jesus is; our failures are about our longing to be somewhere else. We can settle for peace not light; rest without re-creation; we can take refuge in art and human love. None of these are bad in themselves but are they enough?Perhaps what is on trial is the complex of human consolations: in Mark the consolations of religion; in Matthew the consolations of our own wisdom, our expertise; in Luke the consolation of being an insider; in John the consolation of a world ordered to our wills. In this situation we must be probed by the Experimentum Crucis. The cross cannot simply be an external settling of debts, it must work in us. It works best when we see the trial of Jesus reflected in the outsiders all around us, in the Church's struggle not to be its own object of faith; in knowing it is possible now, as ever, to betray for peace.
Resurrection is not "happily ever after" it is new hope as we continue the Experimentum Crucis; it confirms that the God of Jesus in the trials is still with us. What matters, as always, is life as encounter with God, through Jesus, not doctrine.
Starting Points for Discussion (Moving On):
- How can we be witnesses for Christ?
- How can we stand with Christ as he is accused?
- How can we see Christ in others?
- How, specifically, can we understand others, eg 'fundamentalists', atheists?
- How can we promote constructive dialogue in the Church?
- How can we move from doctrine about God to encounter with God?