Hi Everyone!
Given that the
Thanksgiving
Weekend
and the
beginning of
Advent
came together
this past weekend,
let's move on from
the posting
"TURKEY TIME"
to this posting
"ADVENT"
******
Dear All of Us,
The Dictator
and his thug
storm troopers
route and rule.
Law and order
lost, disordered.
The rich richer.
The poor poorer.
Sound familiar?
It did to Jesus.
It was the
tone and temper
of his time and place,
the control culture.
Empire dominated
as did
ritual religion.
Jesus'
ADVENT
his coming,
was to do
something about it
and all that troubles
soul and society,
to detox both.
Jesus came as
a man and more
with a mission.
Jesus came
that we "...
might have life and
have it to the full,"(1)
inside and out,
soul and society.
That was
two thousand
years ago.
So what difference
has it made?
What's culturally current
these days?
Richard Rohr pinpoints:
"There are three kinds
of cultures today,...
political cultures
based on the
manipulation of power,
economic cultures
based on the
manipulation of money, and
religious cultures
based on the
manipulation of
some theory about God."
Each power fuels violence,
painfully obvious to
subtlety sinister. (2)
A NEEDED
SIDENOTE
If the latter about
religious cultures
and violence
startles to angers,
consider:
The Inquisition
and the Crusades,
the thousands
upon thousands
tortured and killed.
The Protestant/
Roman Catholic
Thirty Years war,
up to eight million
civilians and soldiers
dead from battles,
famine, disease.
Henry VIII taking
over the church
and taking off
select heads.
Puritans barbequing
people at the stake.
The Christian authors
of the American
Constitution
legitimating slavery.
Generations of RC
teens and parents
told they would go
to hell for all eternity
because of
masturbation/
birth control.
Moslem jihad -
mass murders.
These are but
a tiny portion
of such diabolic
religious evil.
Back to topic.
Two thousand years later
what's different
other than the
trappings and tempo?
Checking out
the news,
PBS to Fox,
Jesus and
Kingdom culture
central are not.
If we now
let Jesus in,
open to his
ADVENT
what can be
different?
Rohr more:
"Jesus announced,
lived, and inaugurated
for history
a new social order
that is an
actual alternative
to each of the above...
He called it the
Kingdom or
Reign of God.
It is the subject of
his inaugural address
and the majority
of his parables,
and clearly the
guiding image of
his entire ministry.
It was also the reason
he was killed:
'It is better for one man
to die for the people' (3)
than to question
the bottom line that
is holding the
whole system together."(4)
(Remember Dorothy Day:
"...our problems
stem from
our acceptance
of this stinking,
rotten system...")
So it's Advent.
Advent candles
on the table
and calendars
on the refrigerator
are fine.
"O Come,
O Come
Emmanuel"
is a lovely hymn.
THE ADVENT
OF JESUS,
THE ADVENT
OF THE KINGDOM,
they are not.
A "new social order"
they are not.
The Sermon
on the Mount (5)
details what is.
The Kingdom of God
is a radical departure in
value and lifestyle
from current cultures.
It is a wondrous,
full embrace and
acceptance of the
invitation Jesus offers:
"Change your life.
God's kingdom
is here." (6)
To change our lives,
to get in on
The Kingdom of God,
is a lot more than
going to church weekly,
not cooking the books
at work,
sleeping only with
our spouse,
and observing
a few pious practices.
It's powerfully,
beautifully more.
It is a change from
the inside out -
heart and living,
self and society.
It's God Good
infusing
Fullness
Divine.
To open wide,
sustain stable,
I respectfully urge us,
vigorously encourage us,
to join with
one to a few others
to pray ponder over:
JESUS' ALTERNATIVE PLAN
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Richard Rohr
Franciscan Media
Cincinnati, OH
2020
Yes, that will take
a lot of time.
It' more than
worthy worth it.
It is uncompromisingly
candid, clear, honest,
deeply insightful,
scripturally candid,
profoundly spiritual,
and particularly practical.
It will change us.
And we will be in on
changing the world.
We'll put feet under
"Thy kingdom come." (7)
Jesus showed up
two thousand years ago.
So far, with some
holy exceptions,
we have
mostly responded
with lots of institutional,
ritual religion,
minimal Kingdom.
Two thousand years
is a long time
to keep Jesus waiting
and two millennia
of God's children
wonting.
Being safe, set and settled
in a comfy circumstance
is an operative temptation
for most of us.
And look at the world
we get falling for it!
EKKS!!
"Change your life.
God's Kingdom
is here."
It's available.
It's go ready.
And God
sure would like
our get go,
our company
and help in this
now.
Jesus showed up
and still does.
And us?
******
For those open to it,
please see below
FURTHERANCE
Going Growing Into
The Kingdom Of God
******
(1) John10:10
(2) Jesus' Alternative Plan
The Sermon On The Mount
(3) John 11:50-53
(4) Jesus' Alternative Plan
The Sermon On The Mount
(5) Matthew 5-7
(6) Matthew 4:17 The Message
(7) Matthew 6:9-13
******
WEEKLY POSTINGS
Usually Thursday Afternoons
(often mornings)
East Coast USA Time
******
LAST FIVE POSTINGS
Please scroll down
below
this posting
******
FURTHERANCE
GOING GROWING INTO
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
For those of us
ready to open the
Advent Door
and help Jesus
usher in
The Kingdom of God
here's a stout cup
of practical practice.
For this Advent and
right on through to the
end of Lent 2026:
- we slowly, daily
pray ponder
over Richard Rohr's
Jesus' Alternative Plan
The Sermon On The Mount.
- we spend
an hour a week
sharing with one
to a few others
how we hope
to live the life of
Kingdom freedom,
the whys, what's
and how's,
the soul lift and
caring service,
the justice stabilizing
of it and the
spiritual guts required.
- on our own and
with the others
we continue to explore
what is offered and
how to actually live it
- we begin and end
praying for
clarity and courage
- we do not approach
all this as a study
but as a
growing into
what Jesus
invites and offers
- we support
each other
in all this
and do so
lots of lots.
******
I'm not a
holy old man,
but sure as "h"
- that stands for
"h"eaven -
I am a smart old man.
I realize the odds
for a take here
are less than
a bet that
Donald Trump
practices yoga
every morning.
I also know
the power
of a few in Grace.
Check out
Mother Teresa
and her Sisters.
So suppose that
half of us
reading this
right now
flew free and
"changed our lives",
Read
values
and
lifestyle,
opening to the
ADVENT
of
THE KINGDOM,
let it "BE" "COMING."
We here are many
from many lands.
It could actually
transform us and
help our world
do so as well.
It would be the
Kingdom coming
"on earth as in heaven"
and that would be
WONDER FULL
Love to ALL
God Bless
John Frank
******
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
******
