God, the "Great Iconoclast."
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The Gospel of Thomas

Sayings of Jesus: 76, 77, 78


Photo by ​Bill Williams on Unsplash
Saying 76
Jesus said: The Kingdom of the Father is like a merchant with goods to sell who found a pearl. The merchant was thoughtful. He sold the merchandise and bought himself the pearl. You too should seek for long lasting treasures that do not decay, where moths do not come to eat them or grubs to destroy them. 
​
The merchant was making his livelihood sell stuff, but after finding the pearl and thinking it over, he made the decision to let go of all he had and buy the pearl. This is so much like our third step decision in AA. I offer myself; it is a transaction. I give myself, my time, money, sexuality, food, intellect, thoughts, body).  I let go and bought the pearl which has not decayed, died, and nothing has been able to reduce the worth of the pearl. The pearl has unrelentingly given me a way to live in this messy world, has allowed me to fall in love, to see and create real beauty, to seek truth, to know friendship, to have a merciful heart, and feel joy. 

Saying 74
Jesus said: I am the light above everything. I am everything. Everything came forth from me, and everything reached me.  Split wood. I am there. Lift up a rock, you will find me there. 
​

Jesus is the light, a mystical body we are all part of, like Jacob, both one and all, individual and nation, man and humanity at the same time. I go to meetings and God is there, because my brothers and sisters are there; we are the one body, the whole body of Christ and yet individuals, too. The "common welfare" must come first just like the priority must be to get out of the path of an on-coming train even though a finger is bleeding.  Richard Rohr uses the term "Universal Christ" as everything, under a rock, in a log. There is no space where the Christ is not found. As my new friend JL said yesterday, we are already saved, already part of the whole but we don't realize it. To be restored to sanity is to be restored to our role in the whole body. 

Saying 75
Jesus said: Why do you go into the desert? Did you expect to see reeds shaken by the wind? To see a person clothed in elegant garments like your kings and courtiers? They wear elegant garments and cannot know the truth.

Reeds grow by water... so don't go to the desert to see them. So too, kings have surrendered their lives to false Gods: money, property, and prestige... I can't know the truth when I'm drunk; the booze blinds me. Likewise, elegantly clothed folks can't know the truth; the false gods blind them. 
​

Picture
  • Alma Turner
    • Alma Turner
    • Site Overview
    • Alma's Blessings
  • 12 Steps
    • Step 1: Humility >
      • Step One Questions
    • Step 2: Hope
    • Step 3: Faith
    • Step 4: Honesty
    • Step 5: Trust
    • Step 6: Willingness
    • Step 7: Surrender
    • Step 8: Forgiveness
    • Step 9: Justice >
      • Amend White to Black
    • Step 10: Perseverance >
      • Fear Watch
    • Step 11: Contact
    • Step 12: Service
  • Poems, Prayers, Music
    • Beloved Poems by Others >
      • I Stand at the Door by Sam Shoemaker
      • The Guest House by Rumi
      • The Invitation by Oriah
    • Poems
    • Poems Early 2021
    • Poems September 2021
    • Poems October 2021
    • Scratch Paper Poems etc
    • Parables and Songs
    • clay haiku
    • Big Book Prayers
    • Prayers by Me
    • Music >
      • Roberta Flack
      • Marvin Gaye
  • more
    • Rowdy Beauties >
      • Rowdy Beauties Bible Study N'awlins
      • Rowdy Beauties Bible Study Zoom
      • Rowdy Beauties Resouces >
        • Resources for Chapters 1-4
    • The Gospel of Thomas
    • Genesis >
      • High Priest
      • Jacob is Israel.
    • Psalms >
      • Psalms 23, 46, 91, 139
      • Psalms 121, 1, and 32
    • Isaiah >
      • Isaiah 30
      • Isaiah 54
    • Jeremiah 31:31-35
    • Jesus >
      • Brown or Black
      • Teacher
      • Son of Man
      • Activist
      • High Priest
      • Innocent
      • Lynched
      • Alive
      • Sayings >
        • Sayings 1-3
        • Sayings 4-6
        • Sayings 7-9
        • Sayings 10-12
        • Sayings 13-15
        • Sayings 16-18
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        • Sayings 22-24
        • Sayings 25-27
        • Sayings 28-30
        • Sayings 31-33
        • Sayings 34-36
        • Sayings 37, 38, 39
        • Sayings 40, 41, 42
        • Sayings 43, 44, 45
        • Sayings 46, 47, 48
        • Sayings 49, 50, 51
        • Sayings 52, 53, 54
        • Sayings 55, 56, 57
        • Sayings 58, 59, 60
        • Sayings 61, 62, 63
        • Sayings 64, 65, 66
        • Sayings 73, 74, 75
        • Sayings 76, 77, 78
        • Sayings 100, 101, 102
        • Sayings 103, 104, 105
        • Sayings 106, 107, 108
        • Sayings 109, 110, 111
        • Sayings 112, 113, 114
    • Lectio Divina
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