Is GoD is WItH Us?

I'll approach this subject from a bit non-conventional perspective.

How is God with us?

The most dramatic and most important event ever in the history of the human species is the Cruciform. The 'Theologia Crucis' - The theology of the Cross.

This perspective betrays previously held views and assumptions about the God-concept and the presence of God.

We live in a time when a consumer mentality of the corporate world has been brought into human relationship with God and all things sacred.

The presence of God is personalised and acknowledged to be with the few, a minority.

This leaves out those who we call the 'others' and are not a part of 'Us'. A part of our religious and ideological cults defined by ourselves and not of the character, ethic and worldview of Jesus.

Yes, Jesus has a worldview just like every other person does. But the worldview, perspective and theology of Jesus as the Son of God and as the 'True Human' raises its arms for adoption by humanity, making a new species of being as he had instructed during his earthly sojourn.

This is the only way humanity, and yes, the Church can come to a Unity of Faith and progress in a good direction.

Back to our subject of discourse. The only guarantee, expression and absolutness of faith that we have of God's presence is what happened on the Cross.

1. Humanity has a problem of violence and mimetic desire which sprouts diverse others - sin.

2. God became human to show to humans how to be Truly HUMAN thereby redeeming humans.

3. Jesus revealed and demonstrated how to live and to do that peacefully through the instrumentality of the Cross.

Here, God in Jesus went into the depth of abyss, into the worst of human experience and became the ultimate victim of humanity's violence and scapegoating.

God identified with us and forgave us even when we killed him.

He never retributed.

Jesus was justified by the Father when the Father raised him from the dead. Through this, he condemned all human mechanisms of achieving peace, reconciliation and progress as he revealed the new and living way and wants ALL to imitate him, his life and follow his teachings. From inside-out.

We know that God is with Us, not because we are not lacking in anything, but because inspite our circumstance and human experience, we are still able provide for those who lack, care for the needy, welcome and entertain the refugees of war, give, give and give, even giving our lives for others if need be.

This is where God is found, among the lowly, hungry, needy, naked, rejected, excluded. Even among ourselves.

This is where you would find Jesus.

This is where God is.

Here is where the seat of Christ is grounded and where he breaks the bread and blesses the wine.

Remember Jesus' word?

"... Whatever you do to the least of these ones, you have done it to me..."

and together, we mirror God; love, peace, joy one to another. This is the life we are called to. If we are truly the the people of The Way, we should live and think like it. For in that, God is seen and made known.

On the Cross is where we know that God is with us, not in Herod's palace, not in Caesar's cottage. These are two opposing structures of reality.

God is not only with 'Us', but with ALL, everyone, irrespective of labels; race, colour, nationality, religious camouflage, supposed nuisance and wisdom value.

In and through the demonstration in Jesus' life, the event of his death (on the Cross) and his resurrection, we know that God is with Us.

This is what propels us to 'do good deeds' and be like our father in heaven, we are compelled to pray, to break bread, to bless wine, to be pentecostal, to be orthodox, to be charismatic and all good things in between, to live just like Jesus did and advocates, spirintellectually (spiritually and intellectually).

© FASTOLPEN