Bible Topics

I have been mulling over the notion of "The Kingdom of God" as used in the Gospels. It is the central theme of the Gospel message. It is not a place or a time. It is a condition of life. It is the condition of life that results when the Gospel message is understood and lived.

The Kingdom of God is present wherever people live the Gospel message. It is present in the family, in the community, in the nation, in the world. It is present wherever people live in love, justice, and peace.

The Sermon on the Mount is the magna carta of the Kingdom of God. It is the blueprint for the Kingdom. It is the description of the condition of life that results when the Gospel message is understood and lived.

The Beatitudes are the foundation of the Sermon on the Mount. They are the description of the person who lives the Gospel message. They are not a list of virtues to be acquired. They are a description of the person who has internalized the Gospel message.

I have been working on the notion of "conversion" as used in the Gospels. It is not a one-time event. It is a process. It is the process of internalizing the Gospel message. It is the process of becoming the person described in the Beatitudes.

Conversion is not a change of religion. It is a change of heart. It is a change of mind. It is a change of life. It is the process of becoming a better person.

The notion of "sin" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of sin in the catechism. In the Gospels, sin is the failure to live the Gospel message. It is the failure to love. It is the failure to be just. It is the failure to be at peace.

Sin is not primarily a violation of a law. It is primarily a failure to be the person God created us to be. It is a failure to live up to our potential as human beings.

I have been working on the notion of "forgiveness" as used in the Gospels. It is not the same as the notion of forgiveness in the catechism. In the Gospels, forgiveness is the restoration of a broken relationship. It is the healing of a wound. It is the reconciliation of enemies.

Forgiveness is not the erasure of a debt. It is not the cancellation of a punishment. It is the restoration of a relationship. It is the healing of a community.

The notion of "prayer" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of prayer in the catechism. In the Gospels, prayer is a conversation with God. It is a dialogue. It is a relationship.

Prayer is not a monologue. It is not a recitation of formulas. It is not a performance. It is a conversation. It is a relationship. It is a dialogue between a person and God.

I have been working on the notion of "faith" as used in the Gospels. It is not the same as the notion of faith in the catechism. In the Gospels, faith is trust. It is confidence. It is reliance.

Faith is not the acceptance of a set of doctrines. It is not the assent to a set of propositions. It is trust in a person. It is confidence in a relationship. It is reliance on God.

The notion of "hope" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of hope in the catechism. In the Gospels, hope is not wishful thinking. It is not optimism. It is confidence in the future based on the experience of the past.

Hope is the confidence that God will continue to act in history as he has acted in the past. It is the confidence that the Kingdom of God will come. It is the confidence that love will triumph over hatred, justice over injustice, peace over war.

I have been working on the notion of "love" as used in the Gospels. It is not the same as the notion of love in popular culture. In the Gospels, love is not a feeling. It is not an emotion. It is a decision. It is a commitment.

Love is the decision to act for the good of another person regardless of how one feels about that person. It is the commitment to the well-being of another person. It is the willingness to sacrifice one's own interests for the sake of another.

The notion of "justice" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of justice in popular culture. In the Gospels, justice is not giving people what they deserve. It is giving people what they need. It is the restoration of right relationships.

Justice is not punishment. It is not retribution. It is the restoration of a broken community. It is the healing of a wounded society. It is the reconciliation of enemies.

I have been working on the notion of "peace" as used in the Gospels. It is not the same as the notion of peace in popular culture. In the Gospels, peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the presence of right relationships.

Peace is not a truce. It is not a ceasefire. It is the condition of life that results when people live in love and justice. It is the condition of life that results when the Gospel message is understood and lived.

The notion of "community" in the Gospels is central to the Gospel message. The Gospel is not addressed to isolated individuals. It is addressed to a community. It is the story of a community called to live the Gospel message.

Community is not a collection of isolated individuals. It is a group of people who are committed to one another and to the Gospel message. It is a group of people who support one another in living the Gospel message.

I have been working on the notion of "service" as used in the Gospels. It is the central expression of the Gospel message. It is the way in which the Kingdom of God is built.

Service is not servitude. It is not slavery. It is the free choice to act for the good of another person. It is the expression of love in action. It is the way in which the Gospel message is lived.

The notion of "discipleship" in the Gospels is not the same as membership in a religious organization. It is the commitment to follow Jesus and to live the Gospel message.

Discipleship is not a passive acceptance of a set of doctrines. It is an active commitment to a way of life. It is the commitment to love, justice, and peace. It is the commitment to build the Kingdom of God.

I have been working on the notion of "the cross" as used in the Gospels. It is not primarily a symbol of suffering. It is primarily a symbol of love. It is the ultimate expression of love — the willingness to give one's life for another.

The cross is not a symbol of defeat. It is a symbol of victory. It is the victory of love over hatred, of life over death, of good over evil. It is the ultimate expression of the Gospel message.

The notion of "resurrection" in the Gospels is not primarily about what happens after death. It is primarily about what happens in life. It is the experience of new life that comes from living the Gospel message.

Resurrection is not resuscitation. It is not the return to the same life. It is the beginning of a new life. It is the experience of transformation. It is the experience of becoming the person God created us to be.

I have been working on the notion of "the Holy Spirit" as used in the Gospels. It is not a vague spiritual force. It is the presence of God in the life of the community. It is the power that enables people to live the Gospel message.

The Holy Spirit is not a substitute for human effort. It is the power that enables human effort. It is the power that transforms human effort into the building of the Kingdom of God.

The notion of "the Church" in the Gospels is not the same as the institutional church. It is the community of people who are committed to living the Gospel message. It is the community of people who are building the Kingdom of God.

The Church is not a building. It is not an institution. It is a community. It is a community of people who are committed to love, justice, and peace. It is a community of people who are building the Kingdom of God.

I have been working on the notion of "the sacraments" as used in the Gospels. They are not magical rituals. They are not automatic channels of grace. They are the symbolic expressions of the Gospel message.

The sacraments are not ends in themselves. They are means to an end. They are the symbolic expressions of the commitment to live the Gospel message. They are the symbolic expressions of the commitment to build the Kingdom of God.

The notion of "the Bible" as the word of God is not the same as the notion of the Bible as a magical book. The Bible is the word of God in the sense that it is the record of God's action in history. It is the record of God's relationship with his people.

The Bible is not a textbook of science or history. It is a record of religious experience. It is the record of the experience of a people who encountered God in their history. It is the record of the experience of a people who were called to live in love, justice, and peace.

I have been working on the notion of "tradition" as used in the Gospels. It is not the same as the notion of tradition in the institutional church. In the Gospels, tradition is the living memory of the community. It is the way in which the Gospel message is handed on from generation to generation.

Tradition is not a set of fixed formulas. It is not a set of unchanging doctrines. It is the living memory of the community. It is the way in which the Gospel message is adapted to the life and culture of each generation.

The notion of "authority" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of authority in the institutional church. In the Gospels, authority is the power to serve. It is the power to enable others to live the Gospel message.

Authority is not the power to dominate. It is not the power to control. It is the power to serve. It is the power to enable others to become the persons God created them to be.

I have been working on the notion of "the poor" as used in the Gospels. It is not limited to those who are economically poor. It includes all those who are marginalized, excluded, and oppressed.

The poor are not objects of charity. They are subjects of the Gospel message. They are the ones to whom the Gospel is primarily addressed. They are the ones in whom the Kingdom of God is most clearly present.

The notion of "the rich" in the Gospels is not limited to those who are economically wealthy. It includes all those who are self-sufficient, self-satisfied, and closed to the Gospel message.

The rich are not condemned because they are wealthy. They are challenged because their wealth can become an obstacle to living the Gospel message. They are challenged to use their wealth in the service of the Kingdom of God.

I have been working on the notion of "the enemy" as used in the Gospels. It is not limited to those who are hostile to us. It includes all those who are different from us, who challenge us, who make us uncomfortable.

The command to love our enemies is not a counsel of perfection. It is a description of the way in which the Kingdom of God is built. It is the way in which the cycle of violence is broken. It is the way in which reconciliation is achieved.

The notion of "the neighbor" in the Gospels is not limited to those who live near us. It includes all those who are in need. It includes all those who are marginalized, excluded, and oppressed.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is the classic expression of the notion of the neighbor. The neighbor is not the one who is like us. The neighbor is the one who is in need. The neighbor is the one to whom we are called to show love and compassion.

I have been working on the notion of "the family" as used in the Gospels. It is not limited to the biological family. It includes all those who are committed to living the Gospel message.

The family of God is not a closed community. It is an open community. It is a community that welcomes all those who are committed to love, justice, and peace. It is a community that is constantly growing and expanding.

The notion of "the world" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of the world in popular culture. In the Gospels, the world is not a place to be escaped. It is a place to be transformed.

The world is not evil. It is the place where the Kingdom of God is to be built. It is the place where the Gospel message is to be lived. It is the place where love, justice, and peace are to be established.

I have been working on the notion of "the future" as used in the Gospels. It is not a place to be escaped to. It is a condition to be created. It is the condition of life that results when the Gospel message is understood and lived.

The future is not predetermined. It is not fixed. It is open. It is the result of the choices that people make in the present. It is the result of the commitment to love, justice, and peace.

The notion of "the past" in the Gospels is not a burden to be carried. It is a resource to be used. It is the record of God's action in history. It is the record of the experience of a people who encountered God in their history.

The past is not a prison. It is a foundation. It is the foundation on which the future is built. It is the foundation on which the Kingdom of God is built.

I have been working on the notion of "the present" as used in the Gospels. It is not a moment to be endured. It is a moment to be embraced. It is the moment in which the Kingdom of God is being built.

The present is not a waiting room. It is not a preparation for the future. It is the moment in which the Gospel message is to be lived. It is the moment in which love, justice, and peace are to be expressed.

The notion of "time" in the Gospels is not the same as the notion of time in popular culture. In the Gospels, time is not a commodity to be managed. It is a gift to be used. It is the opportunity to live the Gospel message.

Time is not money. It is not a resource to be conserved. It is a gift to be used in the service of the Kingdom of God. It is the opportunity to love, to be just, to be at peace.

I have been working on the notion of "the body" as used in the Gospels. It is not a prison of the soul. It is not an obstacle to spiritual growth. It is the means by which the Gospel message is lived.

The body is not evil. It is not a source of sin. It is the means by which love is expressed, justice is done, and peace is established. It is the means by which the Kingdom of God is built.

I have been working on the notion of "death" as used in the Gospels. It is not the end of life. It is the transition to a new life. It is the completion of the process of becoming the person God created us to be.

Death is not a punishment. It is not a tragedy. It is the natural conclusion of a life lived in love, justice, and peace. It is the moment in which the Kingdom of God is fully realized in the life of a person.