Saying 100
They showed Jesus a gold coin and said Caesar's agents demand that we pay his taxes. He replied: Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Give to God what is God's. And give me what is mine.
What is so new is "Give me what is mine" since the balance of this is in the canonical gospels. But... it changes everything. Give Caesar the gold coin? Give God the worship? Give Jesus the willingness to use money, time, heart for the poor, the downtrodden, hungry, cold, marginalized? Or... Give Caesar just enough to stay safe and unharmed; give to God your heart, and give the rest to the poor, to Jesus?
Money is love and can heal; passed forward, spent, at the right moment, can make someone feel God's love. Brotherly love is a channel for God's love, and that's Jesus' speciality, passing forward that love, the knowledge and experience of the Kingdom.
Money is love and can heal; passed forward, spent, given at the right moment, can make someone feel God's love. Brotherly love is a channel for God's love, and that's Jesus' speciality, passing forward that love, the knowledge and experience of the Kingdom.
They showed Jesus a gold coin and said Caesar's agents demand that we pay his taxes. He replied: Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Give to God what is God's. And give me what is mine.
What is so new is "Give me what is mine" since the balance of this is in the canonical gospels. But... it changes everything. Give Caesar the gold coin? Give God the worship? Give Jesus the willingness to use money, time, heart for the poor, the downtrodden, hungry, cold, marginalized? Or... Give Caesar just enough to stay safe and unharmed; give to God your heart, and give the rest to the poor, to Jesus?
Money is love and can heal; passed forward, spent, at the right moment, can make someone feel God's love. Brotherly love is a channel for God's love, and that's Jesus' speciality, passing forward that love, the knowledge and experience of the Kingdom.
Money is love and can heal; passed forward, spent, given at the right moment, can make someone feel God's love. Brotherly love is a channel for God's love, and that's Jesus' speciality, passing forward that love, the knowledge and experience of the Kingdom.
Saying 101
Jesus said: Anyone who doesn't hate his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine. And anyone who doesn't love his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine. My mother has... but true... she gave me life.
Again, a new chunk beyond what is in the canonical gospels, "And anyone who doesn't love his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine." I LOVE this paradox and remember feeling it from such an early age, the absolute rejection of my parents' values and yet a love for them, too. Thank you Jesus for finally giving me peace. When I first got sober, "anyone who doesn't hate his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine" was powerful scripture my sponsor pointed me to in my first inventory. I was shocked that Jesus would say such a thing. Of course, I had no idea what he did say, but figured it was always along the lines of "love everyone" and "be a good girl." His actual words sounded in direct contrast to both those potentially milk toast mandates, but utterly right considering the case I had built up against my mother and father by that time. But now, so many years later, amends made, with huge love, gratitude, and acceptance for both my parents, it feels like the Gospel of Thomas is right on time to say, "Thank you for giving me life" and yet separating from their ideas, values, and having no expectation of being understood by them.
Jesus said: Anyone who doesn't hate his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine. And anyone who doesn't love his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine. My mother has... but true... she gave me life.
Again, a new chunk beyond what is in the canonical gospels, "And anyone who doesn't love his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine." I LOVE this paradox and remember feeling it from such an early age, the absolute rejection of my parents' values and yet a love for them, too. Thank you Jesus for finally giving me peace. When I first got sober, "anyone who doesn't hate his father and mother as I do cannot be a disciple of mine" was powerful scripture my sponsor pointed me to in my first inventory. I was shocked that Jesus would say such a thing. Of course, I had no idea what he did say, but figured it was always along the lines of "love everyone" and "be a good girl." His actual words sounded in direct contrast to both those potentially milk toast mandates, but utterly right considering the case I had built up against my mother and father by that time. But now, so many years later, amends made, with huge love, gratitude, and acceptance for both my parents, it feels like the Gospel of Thomas is right on time to say, "Thank you for giving me life" and yet separating from their ideas, values, and having no expectation of being understood by them.
Saying 102
Jesus said: Woe to the Pharisees. Like a dog dozing in a food trough for cattle, they neither eat nor do they let the cattle eat.
We go to church when in despair, to find a meaningful relationship with God, and are blocked by legalistic, theological complexities that send us flying. The Pharisees did the same thing; they abandoned themselves to unnecessary rules and regulations ("dozing") and in the process blocked access to God ("neither do they let the cattle eat"). We can be guilty of the same thing in AA. Let's keep it simple and real.
Jesus said: Woe to the Pharisees. Like a dog dozing in a food trough for cattle, they neither eat nor do they let the cattle eat.
We go to church when in despair, to find a meaningful relationship with God, and are blocked by legalistic, theological complexities that send us flying. The Pharisees did the same thing; they abandoned themselves to unnecessary rules and regulations ("dozing") and in the process blocked access to God ("neither do they let the cattle eat"). We can be guilty of the same thing in AA. Let's keep it simple and real.
