June 2, 2024: Now and Then - Jonathan Merritt

Luke has spent the last couple chapters of his book recounting primarily parables that deal with a specific subject matter from a number of angles. We the hypocrisy of selective compassion under the guise of Sabbath law (14.1-6); a parable about choosing exaltation or humility (14.7-11); another parable about a banquet that the rich miss out on because of the distraction of their lives, but which happens anyway (14.16-24); a collection of brief parables about knowing the cost of one’s actions and choices or the exercising of wisdom (14.24-35); then an entire chapter dedicated to the extravagant celebration of lost being found and the distant being brought near (15); followed by a parable asking us to identify which master we really serve (16.1-14); and finally a parable where we see a man who demonstrates what has been amiss in all these other examples…there is something described as a “chasm set in place” that keeps him from entering plenty, beauty and peace (16.26).

Jesus gives us picture after picture of this very thing. Whether related to money or status or acceptance, it seems that some are in a place to take hold of this Kingdom of Heaven while, for others, this Kingdom seems wholly beyond their grasp. They won’t grasp the Kingdom, but it seems as if they all are grasping for something…and their lack of wisdom means they can’t seem to see that while they pursue, serve and death grip this other thing they have no room to take hold of the life they really seek (Phil 2 – Jesus didn’t grasp).

Richard Rohr says that most people will not ever give themselves over to the kind of death of discipleship that Jesus talks about because we simply cannot die to two things: our sense of separateness and our sense of superiority. Here, a rich man, even in death cannot let go, refuses to die, and insists on the very separation that he is condemned to. There is a chasm, but is it one God has set in place or us? Is it possible that, like CS Lewis suggests, God condemns people only insofar as he gives us what we want. If a Kingdom is truly for everyone then those who cannot stand to include all and share freely will find themselves excluded by their own sense of separation and superiority. There is no room for superiority in compassion.

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