Skip to main content

From Chaos to Christ

From the CodexAureus Cleansing of the ten lepers

 
"Then he said to him,
 “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”



The Chaos

Chaos describes a leper’s life.

Lepers, according to Leviticus 13.45-46, were forced to live as roadside beggars with cover their mouths crying out, "Unclean! “Unclean” a warning to others.

This left Lepers feeling the emotional pain of separation and isolation caused by living apart.

The Calling

Fear and shame burdened them since Leprosy was seen as God’s punishment for serious sin.

The only way out of this exile was healing and confirmation by a priest, which was considered as difficult as raising the dead.

It’s no wonder that when Jesus approached, the lepers cry out: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

Jesus instructs them to visit the priests, and while obeying, their leprosy is cured.

One leper returns, loudly praising God at Jesus's feet leading to a changed behavior and greater spiritual well-being.

This leper, returning to thank Jesus, is an outward act of profound faith.

Christ’s New Era

The new era Christ ushered in, shown by Jesus's power over what was seen as God’s punishment, is marked by healing, restoration, and acceptance, replacing generations of shame and isolation like that endured by lepers.

Giving thanks in Christ’s new era, brings hope, inclusion, and spiritual renewal to those who were sidelined.

Christ’s new area is about God’s grace for all.

Jesus compassionate intervention shows a significant shift, reflecting a message of hope because God's grace goes beyond social and ethnic barriers.

Christ’s new era changes life.

Giving thanks leads to a continuous relationship with God and changes how we live, showing that faith is about gratitude, not just seeking help.

Acknowledging God as the giver of all gifts and practicing gratitude can deepen well-being and strengthen your relationship with God.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grantchester's Warning

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, the owner would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (from Luke 12:32-40 ) I regularly watch Grantchester; a murder mystery set in 1950s England. The main characters are a local detective and an Anglican priest who, as a team, solve mysteries set in the town. Two aspects of Grantchester impress me. First, the simplicity of the 1950’s police communications done by a landline phone and not cell phone. Second, the simplicity of daily life with little television and fewer possessions allowing the characters to focus on their vocation of detective and priest. This simplicity is more than a nostalgic return to the “good old days”. Instead, it’s a Shaker type of simplicity where austerity allows freedom from distractions to focus on worship and community. Today’s distraction-filled world has seemingly countless activ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus’ Rules of Hospitality

“Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you.” (from Luke 10:1-11 ) There’s a true story of a seminary professor who asked a class to imagine the most challenging part of accompanying the 70 on their mission journey. Most of the responses were predictable: no money, no change of clothes, no food, depending on strangers. One student said, “Eat what is set before you.” The student explained that his father was a pastor in a very rural, poor part of South Dakota and often invited to dinner mostly by farmers. On remote farms people often relied on whatever they could kill or catch, such as squirrels , rabbits, and other wild creatures, even for guests so the father instructed the family to eat what was set before them. He added, “We just never knew what we would have to eat.” If you search Luke, you’ll find that Jesus often attends a meal, but never gives a dinner party. In Jesus’ rules of hospitality, being a respectful recipient by grac...
Post a Comment
Read more

An Ancient Legend of Mary & Martha

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things,  but few things are needed—indeed only one.  Mary has chosen the better part,  which will not be taken away from her.” ( from Luke 10:38-42 ) There’s a famous legend about Martha told after Jesus’s resurrection. Martha becomes a traveling preacher ending up in a small French that, unfortunately, has a chronic dragon problem. Martha slays the dragon which wins the whole town over to Christianity. In the same legend, Mary, on that same trip, starts a monastery in the wilderness. In this legend, they both complete their assigned roles in Christian history: Martha acts and Mary studies. Martha represents an active faith, while Mary represents a contemplative faith. Martha shows Jesus hospitality while Mary sits at his feet listening. They represent different parts of Christian discipleship and both are seen as positive characters. They are both doing good things. There is no villain in this story. T...
Post a Comment
Read more