While reading my friend Bryan's Blog, I ran across his posting on Spiritual Life 101. Seems so simple yet so hard. I am surrounded by people who insist on a "literal" interpretation of the Bible. Well fair enough, then why do I have to defend myself when I say that our response to those who hurt us isn't more hurting. Oh well if they won't listen to Jesus or St. Paul. I don't know that they will listen to me or even Fr. Henri Nouwen.
The apostle Paul writes to the Romans: “Bless your persecutors; never curse them, bless them. … Never pay back evil with evil. … Never try to get revenge. … If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink. … Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good” (Romans 12:14-21). These words cut to the heart of the spiritual life. They make it clear what it means to choose life, not death, to choose blessings not curses. But what is asked of us here goes against the grain of our human nature. We will only be able to act according to Paul’s words by knowing with our whole beings that what we are asked to do for others is what God has done for us.
Loving your blog, dude! And I think you raise some very important issues for all Christ-followers to consider.
Posted by: Phil Hoover-Chicago | September 05, 2006 at 03:46 PM
Glad you found it helpful MiT!
Posted by: Bryan | September 05, 2006 at 02:53 PM
ah, love the words of father nouwen
Posted by: gavin | September 05, 2006 at 10:55 AM
Words to LIVE by! But easier said than done. You said, "We will only be able to act according to Paul’s words by knowing with our whole beings that what we are asked to do for others is what God has done for us." And what I have found is that the only way that I can accomplish this is by praying the minute that I begin to fail in my resolve. His gift of peace has healed my wounds.
Posted by: Annie | September 05, 2006 at 09:51 AM
It is interesting that people want to take a literal approach to the Bible as it relates to dogma, but not when they come to passages like the one Nouwen referenced, as well as others (the Sermon on the Mount being the most notable). Then somehow the literalistic interpretation makes way to a spiritualized interpretation that concludes that one should not take those words at face value.
I, too, get tired of having to defend myself when I state that Jesus meant it when he said that peacemakers are the children of God, when he said that eye for eye, tooth for tooth is not how his followers should operate, and instead we should love our enemies and pray for our persecutors, etc., etc.
It is comforting to know that, though we may be in the minority in the church, we are not as alone as we sometimes think we are. I am beginning to discover that many people think this way, but they also got tired of defending themselves, so they just no longer speak about issues of peace, social justice, etc. around other Christians.
Posted by: James | September 04, 2006 at 11:25 PM