Scripture: Luke 24:41-43
Because they were wondering and questioning in the midst of their happiness, he said to them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish. Taking it, he ate it in front of them.
Thought for the Day: We often, incorrectly, assume there was just “One Christianity” in the years after Jesus. In fact, there were many different strands and stripes of Christ-following in the earliest years, just like there are a multitude in today’s world. Though only beginning to emerge at the time of Luke’s Gospel, there were those who argued that Jesus was only spirit. This was found among those who held to a strong binary, strict dualism, where flesh was unholy and spirit was holy. For that reason, Jesus could not be human. It was thought that he was fully spirit, and for that reason, he did not really die. And because he was fully spirit, he also could not eat. I don’t want to sound dismissive here, but do you feel as if Christianity has too often spent time talking about the frivolous at the expense of the significant and consequential. Of course, what I might call frivolous might be someone’s significant, but at the end of the day I must ask what I believe to be the critical question: Does my life look like the life of Jesus? I think it’s strange (and incorrect) to suggest that Jesus was spirit only, but if someone believes that and is loving God and loving neighbor, I think Jesus might be ok. What concerns me is when we spend all our energy arguing about everything that has nothing to do with love, and along the way we convince ourselves that our passionate arguing is the faithfulness for which Jesus was looking.
Prayer: As human beings, we can argue, debate and disagree on a range of topics, Merciful God, but may we never lose sight of your calling to love one another as you have loved us. If we focus on love and attempt to live this love, then a lot of the other stuff will fall away. This we request in the name of Jesus who showed us the power of love. Amen.
