Matthew 5 & 6: The sermon begins

The entirety of Matthew 5 focuses on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. If anyone has read Emmett Fox, he has a beautiful book by the same title, explaining this sermon in a much more useful way, a way in which I can truly take to heart what I'm sure is a great message. It's just in the bible, I have to be honest, I was a little turned off by this chapter.

Since attempting to adopt a more spiritually-focused lifestyle some years ago, I've come to the belief that I must remain true to my soul, my gut. And if I believe firmly about something, there will probably be people who oppose my view. I believe I'm to let bygones be bygones. As long as I am not harming another, that mantra should work.

However, I read here in the Sermon that if I am at opposition with another person, I need to go make things right. Well guess what! I am not going to back down from my spiritual beliefs, nor do I expect someone with differing spiritual beliefs to come over to my team. So where's that leave us?

And how about the people who simply don't like us? Am I to run around begging people to like me? From what little I know of Jesus, he didn't do that. From what I know (and this could be my own delusional thinking), he was a 'love-me-or-leave-me' kinda guy. He certainly has never struck me as some ass kisser, chasing down followers. Or killing them for not following, as this hilarious rendition suggests.

And in Chapter 6, the 'plains clothes' approach to spirituality is something I hope to get better at. Humility is not a bad thing, but I do believe in the old adage "when you think you're being humble, you're not." Which puts me in conflict over this blog, if we're to pray in private and give privately and suffer privately, does my blogging negate this teaching? Am I doing this for public affirmation? Ah hell, I must admit, there IS some ego involved here! Admission made, let's move on.

Raised catholic, I had to learn the Lord's Prayer in the 2nd grade because of first communion. And like the Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Act of Contrition, it was a bunch of memorized stuff that I could regurgitate on cue. But in Fox's "Sermon on the Mount," I was given a deeper understanding of this beautiful prayer and have taken the words to mean something to me individually.

But the whole forgive or else, business? I see the intent, and for me, I must try to forgive, but I also know others who have things they're not yet ready to let go of. Does that mean God's all stony and condemning? I don't think so. Personally, I think it's the grace and the love and the peace that's comes from the stillness within our beings that allows for forgiveness to come forth. And until we have the courage to find that being, I believe the spiritual collective (seen AND unseen) carry us along, preparing us for that moment.

As hokey as it sounds, I believe when I can have a view, a perception rooted in love, my individual ability to be of service comes forth. But when my brokenness has me in a strangle-hold and I look at the world with hate or anger or fear, I fall into darkness, just as the 23rd verse states.

And as for Matt 6:25-34, this is total Zen! Or is Zen total bible? Reading these verses strengthens my faith that so many spiritual texts are saying the same thing. That when I worry or fret or doubt or fear, all I must do is grow quiet and look around at nature and see how every care is tended. This reaffirms my conviction that I needn't cling to one set of ideals, that if I can remain open and rooted in love, in light, I will continue to learn.

Wowsers!!!