Changing Our Way of Living

I’d like to walk a little farther down the path of the previous post topic. More pointedly, how is the Kingdom of God distinctly different from our culture (or any culture of this world)?

In Richard Rohr’s book, Jesus’ Plan For A New World (cited in the last post) Fr Rohr makes this appraisal: “When Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God, he was talking about an utterly different way of relating with one another than human society as we know it” (italics mine).

That appears to be radical, inside-out change from what we know and practice. Jesus used the parable of new wine skins to try to explain to his disciples what he meant when he talked about HIS vision of a HIS new world in Matthew chapter 9:

“Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

Commenting on the above, Rohr makes these observations:

“Jesus’ image is this: ‘I’m going to give you a new vision of the world that you will taste like new wine, but it isn’t going to make a bit of difference unless you have some new wineskins. If there are not new structures that reflect the new attitude, then even the attitude will be lost. BOTH container and contents must be renewed—or they will both be lost.’

“We have traditionally tried to preach a gospel largely of words, attitudes and inner salvation experiences. People say they are saved, they’re ‘born again;’ yet how do we really know if someone is saved? Do they love the poor? Are they free from their egos? Are they patient in the face of persecution? Those might be real indicators” (in contrast to just the words).

From my perspective, we’ve got a lot to learn and a whole new way of looking at things to discover.