“A NEW GOD!”

The disciples were excited when Jesus sent them on their mission. What Jesus offered them was a new idea of God. They had been taught to revere God as a distant power, to offer God daily sacrifice for sins, to obey without question and excuse God’s every rule as interpreted by the Scribes.

The God they knew was on their side and by that fact was more demanding of them than of anyone else. God’s mystery was so unimaginable that no image could be made of Him. God’s holiness was so distant that God’s name was not to be pronounced. Their God would finally establish God’s way of living on earth, with the Jews as God’s government.

All of this became a reality with Jesus. He not only taught them about the holiness of God, he demonstrated it. He not only prophesied that the lame would be healed, he actually healed them. He not only promised that the lowly and humble would hear God’s “Good News,” he actually reported that news. Jesus not only said that their sins would be forgiven, he actually forgave them.

Up until this time, all the promises of God had been only that - promises. But with Jesus all of the ancient promises were fulfilled. They had felt the approach of God in their lives; but now they eagerly anticipated God’s Kingdom. And just when their hopes were highest, Jesus was arrested. With amazing speed, before they knew what was happening, before they could gather themselves for action, their friend was crucified. Instead of a glorious victory, they experienced humiliating defeat. And when their hopes died, their God also died. It was a devastating experience. In just a few years they had gone from an old God – to a new God – to no God at all.

But just as they were returning to their old way of life, they suddenly felt the presence of Jesus! Jesus had not been defeated, but had overcome death. God’s Kingdom had not failed, but was actually present among them. They embraced Jesus’ mission with new faith and energy.

But not all of them. No doubt some of his old friends felt too hurt; some could not risk another disappointment; some were still angry at having their lives lifted up and then crashed down lower than before. And maybe some were just too tired to care, too involved in their own lives. But for those who had the faith, courage, hope and the Spirit to begin again, the Good News completely took over their lives. They left family and friends for the sake of the Kingdom. They were persecuted and executed, and even considered it a blessing to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom.

But in order to make this about face, they first had to construct a new image of God. Gone was the God of power and might who conquered their enemies; or the God who rewarded the rich; or who rejected others in their favor. In order for them to preach the Good News, they had to experience the news as good. You and I are in a similar situation. As we mature in the secular realm, we have to grow in our experience of God. Some of us feel betrayed when God does not act as we want; some of us are afraid we can’t handle an unpredictable God; some of us are too tired or too busy to care. But some of us just love our new God! O Lord, I want to be in that number!

Fr. Al Backmann