PUTTING ON THE MIND OF CHRIST

Suppose, just suppose, we allow the imagination of Jesus to take on the U.S. health system [which is largely broken], without ever mentioning the name Jesus, but totally acting in the name of Jesus by putting on the mind of Christ. The compassion, the care, the love exuded by such action could change the world. — Butch P. who runs a small free health clinic in a large metropolitan area (from Fr Richard Rohr's "Daily Meditation" of December 1, 2020) 

Ponder this: Suppose, just suppose, we allow the imagination of Jesus to take on our still more spiritual growth...or, in for a penny in for a pound...to take on our very life, without ever mentioning the name Jesus, but totally acting in the name of Jesus by putting on the mind of Christ. The compassion, the care, the love exuded by such action would change our world. 

To me, the most important words there are without ever mentioning the name Jesus. I know it was my own prejudice that made the word Jesus anathema. The very word seemed to fry my brain...because of the way I was taught. Ah-ha! Not my fault, theirs...the perfect peace of having someone to blame is hard to give up.

But who's to say us nay if we don't use the word Jesus? Use Buddha, use Allah...their teachings are basically the same. It is not the name, it is the compassion, the care, the love exuded, and that we now could live by such a change from within ourself would change our world. 

My blinding flash of the obvious some years ago was that love or God boils down to give over, give up, give in. I can attest that it's hard enough to make the decision to try to give over, give up, give in as a way of life...doing it is a decision of a deeper need. 

That's when Jesus, Buddha, Allah, et al., are called to account...many times and many times more. As many times as it takes to mean it. We know we mean it when we run out of ideas for how-to...our egoic mind hits crash and burn.  

Then, if we're doing it right, comes a disagreement. After years suddenly we don't just want to be the first to give over, we need to be. It makes no more commonsense than it ever did, but we feel righted when we agree with our adversary quickly, we turn the other cheek, we resist not evil...without an inner debate.

Spiritually, we are blessed...in the vernacular, we get over ourself. With the greater lesson always present: We are ever blessed, but we get over ourself just for today.

Thank you.