Monthly Archives: February 2014

ON LOVE; PART DXXV

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GoodWill IS Love in Action

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“The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).

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“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).

In the last essay we continued our discussion on the idea of forsaking as it is presented to us in the story of the rich young man who comes to the Master seeking eternal Life. We note that the Master’s response does not address eternal Life but is in regard to the Kingdom and its treasure. The point taken from this should be that the reality of eternal Life is found in the Kingdom and to attain the Kingdom IS to find both which ARE to “have treasure in heaven“. The Kingdom itself IS this treasure and in this spiritual realm what we see as riches and pleasures here in this Earth DO NOT exist. In the Master’s words to the rich man is our first key to forsaking as He says “Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me“. Unfortunately many believe that this is a sentiment that is meant only for this man or perhaps others that men may feel are enough like this rich young man whatever that may mean. We discussed as well that when this man leaves without acceding to the Master’s instructions, that Jesus continues in His words about this to His disciples, and to those others who could hear, with His infamous lines on riches saying How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23-26). Here, instead of men understanding what Jesus IS saying as it may effect them, many deflect His words so that they are covered by whatsoever idea they can insert; that idea for some is that the Master means “trust in riches” and that to have is then good so long as there is no trust in them; to this some see other ideas which ARE added which may rely on a man giving as absolution for having. 

Our view, and likely the view of any who look at this with an open mind, IS that this IS NOT intended to be about protecting oneself;  this idea of  “trust in riches” is not a clarification of the former saying but rather an additional comment that IS only found in Mark’s Gospel and which expands rather than limits the original idea and that “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” stands as a Truth. We discussed as well the idea the the Master DOES NOT say that it is impossible and here we must each discern our own position on what would qualify one to attain the Kingdom while having great possessions and here we should see that great IS according to one’s own measure. We did offer one idea of how this IS possible but in this there IS the equivalent of forsaking and perhaps some smart stewardship but the reality IS that there must be nothing in one’s Life that will detract from a man’s focus upon the Good, the Beautiful and the True, the things of God. Men however continue to deflect these criteria from themselves as they think that they have found safe harbor in the words and the ideas of men as we see also in their clever attempts to redefine the meaning of the camel and the needle’s eye so that giving up ones riches IS NOT required of them. We discussed also the reality of riches; that from a material perspective being rich is a judgement that each man makes about himself and his neighbor and as we found in this in Webster’s 1828 version that can help us to understand this; they say in part that riches is: possessing a large portion of land, goods or money, or a larger portion than is common to other men or to men of like rank ¹. In this we should see this idea of wealth as a very personal thing that works upon a very movable scale. We also found that there is yet another way that the man who seeks cover from the words of the Master can create some in His words; here they see Jesus’ words in regard to the rich entering the Kingdom as a possibility as He says “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). In this some men believe that they can find special dispensation from the Lord for their liberal giving and their tithing but again, this IS the doctrines of men who seek cover; the reality IS that if these riches keep a man’s focus upon them and upon the things of the world, that it IS NOT then possible. A man’s attention must be upon the things of God.

Finally there is the discourse with the Apostle Peter which we understand the apostle’s question: “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” (Matthew 19:27) as confirmation that these men had given up ALL. We noted the Master’s answer along with our comments saying: and it is here that we find Master’s reality that the True idea of riches and that this idea of forsaking is greater than just wealth and possessions; He answer’s the apostle saying: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). This idea of forsaking IS a difficult concept for a man in the world to understand and in this is the reason that we have repeated much of what we have said in the last two posts regarding this exchange between the Master and the rich young man and then with His disciples and those gathered. The end point of ALL of this IS that this forsaking of material riches and possessions IS NOT the totality of forsaking but since this IS a part that can and does take and keep men’s attention, that it IS this attention, this focus upon these things, that must be forsaken. To this the Master adds the totality of those other things as we see in this list offered to Peter and, in the parabolic understanding of what a man shall receive in exchange for this forsaking, we have that Peace and Love found in the Presence of God “now in this time“; the fullness of the realization of the Kingdom Within. Of course NOT ALL men are ready for this but this IS the Way nonetheless and the cover found in doctrine DOES NOT change this; nor does it change the reality of being worthy of Him as we discussed in the end of our last essay.

In the commentaries that we presented we should see that there are a variety of different ideas regarding both Loving Christ more than the listed relationships which should be seen as example and expanded to include all, as well as the idea of worthy of Him, and the meaning of this Love which seems to be relegated to that sense of attraction and attachment that IS found in the world. We noted that while the Master’s words may include this type of Love and attachment that this IS NOT the reality of that Love that He preaches and we should try to see these ideas of Loving those worldly relationships less as a part of the overall forsaking of the things of the world. We should also note the rather hidden ideas of what it means to Love Christ as we find in John’s Gospel and which we read as: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me“; “If a man love me, he will keep my words” and to be most blunt “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:21, 23, 15). These ideas CAN NOT be separated; a man must show his Love for the Master is greater than his Love for others and that Love for the Master is qualified as we see in His words here, and, a man’s Love for others, for relationships and relatives, in the end can be seen to be the same as that Love for one’s neighbor. We should try to see that the Master picks out these relations as these are a primary focus of the man in the world but that these should receive no extra Love in the reality of the Master’s teaching; we can put this in yet another perspective; to Love God and the Christ is seen in the Love that we express for “one of the least of these my brethren” (Matthew 25:40). In this view we should see that we are to forsake our Love for ALL individuals that we may hold close in favor of that Love for God which IS expressed by our Love for ALL. This IS the essence of forsaking from the perspective of Love.

It IS in doing this forsaking that we can be accounted worthy of the Master and His Kingdom and we should likely look at this part from Matthew’s Gospel: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37-38) in the view that He has already spoken to them and to us about the things of the world and that these are covered again in the right discernment of the the cross. In Luke’s Gospel the idea is made more simple and while this IS directed toward the idea of discipleship, we should understand that to achieve this High Calling IS to be accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God…the requirements ARE the same. Here in Luke’s Gospel we read “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27, 33). In this version we find a number of things; first the expanded list that includes the wife, brethren and sisters and the the added idea of “his own life also“; second we find the word hate which we must mollify to agree with the ideas form Matthew and see as to Love less. We should understand that the common understanding of hate DOES NOT work here in the Master’s words; words that tell us that we should even “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

There IS NO room for hate as we understand this word and especially in view of the Master’s teachings; we should rather understand this as we presented two posts back, in the same light as we can understand the word of God saying: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:13). In this view the ideas from Luke are the same as those from Matthew despite the differences in presentation and the whole of this IS found in forsaking as we discuss above. Luke however does not leave us to assemble the Master’s words ourselves to find the Truth that it IS in forsaking ALL that we Truly achieve, he offers us these additional words from the Master saying “whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple“….in this no more need be said. In both these versions from Luke and Matthew plus the words of the Master to the rich young man we should be able to grasp the reality of forsaking as that we are to have NO specific attractions or attachments to any person, place or thing that can take our attention away from the Truth and the reality of God; this IS the way of discipleship and this IS the way to the Kingdom of God and the reality of this IS found in that Love that the Master teaches us.

In the end ALL comes back to the Master’s words on Love and especially those that we have been carrying at the top of our essays. In the first Great Commandment IS the essence of forsaking and in the second is the reality of the first. If we can understand that to “ love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” IS to hold NO other thing above this Love then we understand that ALL else must be forsaken. And here we should have the right point of view as that this does not so much require a man to leave ALL things and sit and Love the Lord. This idea of forsaking IS found in the progressive idea that the Master offers to us as we are instructed in the gospels to further the spread of the Kingdom on Earth; we are told to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo” (Matthew 28:19-20) The right view of this is not as it IS thought to be but rather that we, as disciples, should make disciples of others, of all men, immersing them in the reality of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost and teaching them to keep His words as we KNOW that we must do. This CAN NOT be done by forsaking ALL from the perspective of  walking away from Life as a hermit or in living any kind of ascetic Lifestyle but this CAN be done by understanding the reality of Love and the Truth that nothing in the world can be of any importance that CAN allow it to take one’s attention away from the things of God and this IS clearly stated for us in this first Great Commandment.

The second Great Commandment gives us the simpler instructions and the way to accomplish the first but this IS NOT seen by most men. When we Love ALL men equally, without prejudice and according to the way that we ourselves would be Loved, then we are Truly Loving God, we are keeping His words. Here we should see the reality of the Master’s words above, that “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me” and those other words on Love that accompany these. ALL of the Master’s words on the Kingdom and on discipleship are words on Love and words on forsaking and while these DO work out in Life by degree, it IS at the completion that we are perfect and lacking nothing; until then we strive, this IS our work as aspirants, that we strive.

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

Note on the Quote of the Day

This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.

We repeat here a Quote of the Day that we spent much time with over the course of our essays. In this affirmation we find the Truth of discipleship as we have been ever been expressing and here we can relate our themes of the last few days; “take no thought” for the things of the world and that we approach the Kingdom and discipleship in the nature of the little child, in humbleness, meekness, unashamed in any way and unassuming. The message that this imparts for us today IS that it IS the Soul that is at work in the world of men as it expresses to some degree the purpose, power and the will through Life in this world. These words are from a meditation offered to his students by our Tibetan brother and in which we find greater understanding of the message of the Master. This IS Truly the way of the disciple.

My Soul has purpose, power and will; these three are needed on the Way of Liberation.
My Soul must foster love among the sons of men; this is its major purpose.
I, therefore, will to love and tread the Way of Love. All that hinders and obstructs the showing of the Light must disappear before the purposes of the Soul.
My will is one with the great Will of God;. that Holy Will requires that all men serve. And unto the purposes of the Plan I lend my little will.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!