at a threshold
Temptations by Fr. Michael Obrien
After Jesus’ baptism, Christ was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness. Jesus obeyed and followed the Spirit to this space of barrenness for a period of temptation and transformation. Here in this land of little, space of sparseness and wilderness of wanting - Jesus waits, prays, hungers and communes. It is a wonder and even paradoxical that in this inhospitable wilderness Jesus finds faith, trust and intimacy with His Father. Scattered throughout the Gospel record we read of Jesus returning to this lonely place, to find sustenance and a sense of direction
It amazes me that this threshold - this space between the past and the not yet - could become the furnace to fashion Jesus from a carpenter into a rabbi.
I am fairly convinced that in this place of silence and solitude - Jesus could hear pounding and reverberating deep in His soul, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”
[…] bookmarks tagged paradoxical at a threshold saved by 2 others haruharuharuko bookmarked on 02/16/08 | […]
Doug -
Great post…I love the reminder that I believe comes from God in the times of silence and solitude - I love you and am well pleased with you.
It is like the proclamation that the prophet Zephaniah makes in chapter 3 of his little book. “The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save you. He takes great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.”
nice parallel matt…
thanks for stopping by!