Monday, February 18, 2013

My Guilt for the Cross (and the freedom from that)

I hesitated titling this post.  Using the word cross would probably cause many not to even read this. As with so many things in my spiritual journey, the reality of what happened on the cross is worth contemplating.

Sin did put Jesus on the cross but it was capital S sin.  It was the sin of the world, the sin of culture, society. The sin that said it would not, could not follow Christ or his teaching. Peace? Justice? Equality? The rule of Rome would have to change.  The rule of the Temple would have to change. Those in power would be required to step down and serve rather than be served.

I was always taught my sin put Jesus on the cross.  I was kept chained to the church with this guilt.  It was not, is not, the lie I told, the gum I stole when I was 8.  My sin is the sin of the world, the system, the culture.  My sin is that I continue to allow hunger, that I don't more strongly oppose drone warfare; that I don't more loudly protest the way women are treated as well as our gay brothers and sisters.

My sin is your sin.  This is the sin that put Jesus on the cross.  Those leaders were not willing to lay down their elevated lives any more than we are.

Yes, we may sign a petition.  We may give regularly to Poverello House.  But, it truly costs me nothing. However, when my friends cut me off, when my position where I work is threatened because of my words, then I understand the cross and what placed Jesus there.
 

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