Fourth Sunday of Lent (2)

path to God emerging from cave

“every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light”

“he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God”

Cave

This life is in the cave

flickering candle light allows see things in light, but eyes are dimmed

if love the cave, never come light that burns the eyes

easy labor in the dark rather than labor in the sun

but if bold, one will walk in the light

what this brave adventurer out of cave seeking Goodness look ?

The journey of the good person

begins w/ love of Good (not personal virtue, not reputation, not just aleiving feelings, not even humanity, but simply Good)

those are vanities that are underneath the true Sun

Good for its own sake, not to look Good, not to be rewarded with earthly thing, but Good for Goodness sake

God is Goodness itself, good for God’s sake

Rests from pouring out our labor into the cave of this Earthly life, but sabbathly rests from the cave and pours instead into God

As first steps, long to be good, that is rest in God rather than earthly goods

as begins to walk into sun defects are harshly revealed

shadow previously concealed them, thought we were pretty good people in the shadow of the cave,

but like sunlight reveals all our physical defects in a photo, so does God light reveals the defects of our soul

but loving Good rather than evil, the person who walks in truth moves on braving the harshness of the Sun of God

they see it and dont turn back for love Good rather than self

but the defects of soul are stark debts

part of goodness is to be just, so to make up debts owed

to be good want to make up our debts to Goodness,

But impossible

we’ve been bitten by the seraph serpents of evil

poison of it courses thru our veins

The debt is impossible to remove

Creator and dog/man/God

more disheartening, tempted to keep selfish in our very blood

God’s gift

but God wishes to remove the poison of the serpent in our veins we brought on ourself

commanded the making of graven image of the serpent on the pole that all who look are cured

now raises up the image of Christ crucified

all who looks on it spiritually will be healed of spiritual venom (that is embraces it with our will)

God pays the debt, the infinite comes His infinite dignity

not by our work no can boast

however not just to confess gift of Christ in words, but to confess it with heart

walking in Good works is to embrace Goodness with whole heart

remedy is worthless if we go right back to poison of the snake

if someone offers you a gift of antivenom, worthless if don’t take it and worthless if just go back to be bit again.

faith in the remedy is worthless without works in the sun rather than works in the cave

Do we embrace the remedy of the serpent pole?

or walk in darkness of the den of vipers?

do we prefer the darkness of this life to the life of God?

Light seems harsh

it would seem rest is in the dark not in light but opposite is true

take a while you weary travelers and God will give you rest

spend some time casting out the turmoil of mind rest in Goodness himself no matter where u are in life

bask in light of this truth that God, the Infinite, the I am who Am, existence itself was willing to do this for you

place heart in Him, not in some earthly good of the cave of this life

Have some rest from this life today and find where true peace lies in the light

emerge from the cave, look upon the light of the serpent pole, and do a little Sun bathing today this Sunday.

Notes

Me

Progression of one seeking the Good

try be good

realize can’t nor can atonement happen in justice

wants less about own righteousness but Good for goodness sake (whoever lives truth comes to light)

God provides as one remedy to live in good works

No one does for sake of evil but some lesser good

But evil for a rational creature, because object of our action is truth and goodness, unless 4 Goodness itself, evil

“Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.”

Works of this world rather than rest in God

not denying that, 6 whole days focus on (almost a majority in a sense

“it is not from works, so no one may boast” but for “good works to walk in”

All this labor is about securing rest.

if labor so much, years in school, long hours at office, overcoming stress tells stop for earthly gain, can we give at least a 7th of that effort to God stepping out of darkness?

but we barely can give but a little sacrifice to God for God’s sake without effort let alone the effort we pour into the dirt

Commentators

Pitre

1st reading is last words of Hebrew Bible at time of Christ.

Chrysostom

“He shews that no one will leave a false religion for the true faith, till he first resolve to follow a right course of life.”