I read a recent news article about a shrine in Japan dedicated to Jesus, because according to local legend, Jesus travelled to Japan when he was twenty-one and spent twelve years building his spiritual life, before making the trek back to Judea. Once back home, the local people wouldn’t listen to him, so they sentenced him to death.
But his brother, Isukiri, died in his place, and Jesus travelled north to escape, through Siberia and eventually, found his way back to the village of Shingo, he settled down, married, became a rice farmer, had three daughters, and died at the ripe old age of 106, still a deity, but with the relics of his brother’s ear and a lock of his mother’s hair.
To the local religious, this makes absolute sense - how could a god die? How could a deity suffer humanity on a cross?
Indeed, Paul talks of this as well - the Greeks and Jews couldn’t see pass the absurdity of it either. How could a god, or God for that matter, die. How could the Messiah, the Saviour of the people, succumb to death at the hands of the Romans! How could God be weak? It was foolishness!
But as Paul says, “The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
As mere mortals, we cannot fathom the depths of God, our minds, super computers, machines and mechanisms can’t begin to glimpse the vastness of the thoughts of Divine Providence. We chalk the field of life and say this is what we shall see, this is our area of influence - and we ignore the world of possibilities around us.
When Jesus chased the merchants from the temple, He was asked for a sign - and He replied with, “Destroy this temple and in three days I’ll raise it up!”
Now the people whose lives - and whose families - had spent decades labouring and giving of their time, talent, and treasure to build this edifice were aghast. It had taken 46 years to build what was there - and it wasn’t done yet!
But God wasn’t talking about the building, He was talking about His physical body. Now tell me, which is a greater sign?
Moses was a shepherd when the burning bush called to him to lead his people to freedom. David was tending his father’s flocks when he was anointed by Samuel to be the new king of Israel. Peter was a lowly fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector. Paul was going to kill Christians when he was struck on the road to Damascus. Augustine was a promiscuous drunk before he got the call and became one of the Doctors of the Church. Patrick was a slave in Ireland before escaping, becoming a priest and getting the call to go back. Thomas More was a poor lawyer, raised to head of government, and died for his faith. Saint Ansgar was an orphan who became bishop and was lead into the land of the Vikings and converted the Swedish royal court. John Paul II was a student in Nazi occupied Poland, and priest in communist controlled Poland.
How would any of them faired without faith!
It is said that Christianity is a religion of rules and commandments, and true, there are commandments and rules, yet they are meant to give us freedom, to calk the field for us, to set the standards for decency, the rules in the New Testement are the same - love one another, love the Lord.
Yet too often, our narrow minds limit our thoughts, our dreams, our prayers, and our visions. What if Moses had said, “No my place is with the sheep.” Or David said, “No, my father’s pasture is good enough for me.” What if Peter said, “My job is a fisherman.” What if Matthew had said, “Get away from me, I’m a sinner.” What if Paul had said, “You know, I guess maybe I was struck by God, but maybe it was something else.” What if Augustine had said, “I’m not cut out for the priesthood.” Thomas More could have said, “I’m just going to go along with the changes without saying anything.” Patrick could have said, “I’ve been to Ireland Lord, and there isn’t anything going to change there.” Ansgar could have said, “Look, the Vikings are the Vikings - they aren’t going to start saying their prayers.” What if John Paul II would have said, “It is just too risky to stand out.”
The Japanese couldn’t fathom a god dying. The Greek’s couldn’t believe in Jesus crucified because how could a god die. The Jews couldn’t believe because how could their savior succumb to the cross. What is our weakness? What is our foolishness? What is excuse for not believing?