"And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross (stauron,i.e. tree), that he might bear it after Iesou." Luke. 23:26
The language above reads as a powerful reminder of the sacrifice of love. The present situation of the leading away of Iesou to be executed by crucifixion is a tragic irony. However, the state has its protocol and nothing must get in the way. The Roman government had passed sentenced upon One whose crime had been "doing good" to mankind.
Therefore the Iesou had to be led away and punished for his 'criminal' activity. He was led out and away from those whom he had come to heal. He had come to act as a therapon (Gk. therapist) for the chronic ills of humanity. He had healed their diseases (Gk. Nosology), and taken away their grievous afflictions of mind and body, or whips. 'Whips' is an apt metaphor for torments of mind and body that havoc intrinsic well-being.
The Iesou stepped into the arena of dogged pathologies that haunt humankind and demonstrated to those blessed to see his presence that the Kingdom of God was in their midst. Some realized the vast implications of his presence and received his gift of love and deliverance. They would walk in his love and know completed love in their lives.
Completed love is the love of God that brings joy and peace to the wounded heart. Completed love removes the tragic results of ancient experiences called schemas that have limited and defined one's spiritual/mental construct. Completed love is God's own love that mediates personal well-being and saturates the heart with unconditional love for others. It does not ignore the evil that people do to themselves and others. Completed love is not naive. It is however, love that mediates the presence of God. Completed love removes the distortions of the soul. It allows for self-acceptance which many cannot do because of terrible self-inflicted and other-inflicted wounds.
The greatest therapy is love. The Iesou brought the love of God to this world. He showed that without violence and angry rhetoric hearts can be made new. But this was too much for the powers of the cosmos. Their victory over him was temporary and allowed by God. The Light (phos) shined into the Darkness but the darkness did not overtake it.
We need to return to the Iesou and practice his love. In our day there is this frantic quest to accumulate information on the activity of people. There is little trust in the world. Iesou was led away because the cosmos rejected his love. The people chose estrangement over love. To lead the Iesou away was the demonstration of radical self-subversion. The leading away of the Iesou rent the collective psyche of the age.
He willingly allowed himself to be led away because by this act he would still show his love for all mankind. His love cannot be erased by human evil. Human evil cannot overthrow God's love. Where sin abounded Grace super-abounded and then some more.
Beloved God has super-abounding love for you. Super-abounding love is overflowing in inexhaustible excess. Evil is finite and contains its own destruction. The one who practices evil is writing his destiny. The one who accepts the love of God is writing his destiny too.
Today, let go of the fictions, the shallow, and the hollow experiences that never satisfy. Say good-bye to any type of enslavement and allow the love of God to make you new.
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