I’ll keep it brief. It’s just a dream I had many times. I saw him on a hill, surrounded by people who were closer to him than I could ever be. I was distant, lower down the hill. But I got the briefest sidelong glance, a split second of his recognition. Not a bonding but a kind of permission. Go on, it said, do what you do. I understand. I can wait.
People have tried to tell me it was forgiveness. I’m not convinced. I think it was just a nod, a neutral message telling me, You find your way to me, maybe because you can and maybe because I have people who need me more.
Long time since I had that dream. But back then I almost felt like it was a mutual wink. We understood each other. Now I know better. And I’d give anything to have that dream again.
Some paths are more difficult than others. Have you read Silence by Shusaku Endo? I think you would find it deeply moving. It is an exploration of the nature of faith and sacrifice unlike any I’ve ever read.
But never forget grace. For that, there is none better than Robert Capon. Here’s an appetizer, but if you want something really outrageous and offensive, Between Noon and Three is the one to get.
Therefore, this parable is about death and it is about the resurrection from the dead. The point is that death is all of the resurrection that we can know now. The most important thing is that we believe in Jesus. The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and they will live.
I don’t believe in resurrection. I don’t believe in eternal life. I don’t believe in life after death. I don’t believe in the hereafter. Those are all opinions. I simply trust Jesus that He will deliver to me as He rose from the dead, He will raise me. Whatever that means, however it works, I trust Him because in His death is my reconciliation and in my reconciliation is my joy in Him.
This caught me up short, shocked my senses. Thank you for posting this, Ron.
Heh. Get “Between Noon and Three”. It’s a real brain-grenade.
I read the brief reviews and am definitely getting it. A book that sets out to offend in order to provoke the reader into a change of view — sounds very familiar and welcome.
Some paths are more difficult than others. You know about that? Talk to me at sigmazrn at comcast.net. I’m used to the gunfighter role, but I feel more like Proust. Care to arbitrate?
Ron? Is that you Malechai? Please tell me it’s so.
Wow! Thank you! I permanently wanted to write on my website something like that. Can I implement a fragment of your post to my blog?