“Much of my criticism of religion comes about when I see it not only affirming the system of normalcy but teaching folks how to live there comfortably. Such religion just increases our “stuckness” in the old world, as does a lot of poor psychotherapy. Cheap religion teaches us how to live successfully in a sick system. And sometimes therapy teaches us how to accommodate ourselves to a world based on power, prestige, and possessions. That’s why many people need more and more therapy or addictive religion as they “adjust” to a sicker and sicker environment. If we do not question the underlying lies, we can phsychologize and theologize forever. As a general rule, we need more and more of what doesn’t work. If it worked, we wouldn’t need to keep increasing the fix. “The way things are” must somehow be interrupted. The system must be deconstructed. That is the job of the prophet. The prophet leads us out of normalcy, dismisses it, debunks it. I find it interesting that Jesus is called priest, prophet and king. We have the priesthood continued every Sunday in liturgy, we have feasts and symbols celebrating Christ the King, but I’ve never, in all the Christian world, found a church named Christ the Prophet. Nor is there any feast day called Christ the Prophet. This may be because we don’t want Christ to deconstruct the system. We only want the King who blesses the status quo. Indeed, most religion is “legitimating religion.” It is invoked for social control and public order. It tells us it’s okay to live in toxic and unjust environments – just as long as you have a personal relationship with Jesus inside of the sick system.” –Richard RohrOne day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”Luke 5:17-26As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.Acts 9:32-43And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.1 John 4:16-18“Whenever we’re led out of normalcy into sacred space, it’s going to feel like suffering. It’s letting go of what we’re used to. That causes suffering. But part of us always has to die. If that readiness isn’t there, we won’t enter into sacred space. The prophet leads us into sacred space by showing us the insufficiency of the old order; the role of the priest is to teach us how to live in the new realm…transformation is radically unsettling. We prefer a static, predicable state…” –Rohr On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.Revelation 22:2
