Brian’s Reflection: The Weekend, Sat, Dec 26, 2009

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him, and without him not
one thing came into being. What has come into being in him
was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

From the Gospel story called “John”, Chap 1


The four Biblical versions of the story of Jesus were finally chosen to be considered what became “Scripture”. Many other versions were rejected – primarily because there was one “political” power that dominated and “won out”. It is important to remember that the many other versions of the Jesus story reflect truthful dimensions of the Mystery of the “Eternal Logos become Flesh” – but that in human community, accumulated power “wins out”. That does not mean that you should not read the other Gospels and mine them for their Truth. If you look at human history, it is clear that the “victors” write “history” – but! One should always be suspicious of the version of Conquerors.

At least we have four versions of the story, put into written form from four different Christian communities from between about 60-70 BCE to about 90-110 BCE, according to most recent scholarly determination. “John” is interesting, despite its anti-Jewish bias. It is the “youngest”. It is clearly NOT “factual”. It is “mystical”, reflective, dreamlike, “theological”, imaginative. It wants to make clear that Jesus is God. This position became “orthodoxy” – “right thinking”.

“Orthodoxy” is a way of limiting that indefinable Mystery we call God. It is important to remember this. Elites that gain the upper hand always want to limit, to box things in – and that is always a sign of the desire and determination to control. But! God will not be controlled. Or limited. Not by human fears, human short-sightedness, human small-mindedness, human prejudice. God “will out”, will always find ways to reveal God’s true nature.

That is the role of the “Remnant”. Those who no, are not better than others, but are those who have broken free of those who would control access to the infinite Mystery that is “God”, and have opened their being to deeper, wild, glorious Wonder.

The Word. Made Flesh. In us.

Think what that says about you and me.

Can we rise to this Truth?

Brian+