Christocentrism of Charism – Buggert - CarmelStream

Jesus' reign of God praxis, creation and history are already beginning to be brought to eschatological
completion. clx In Origen's words, Jesus is himself the Reign of God, the autobasileia. His message
and cause (the Reign) cannot be separated from his person. clxi
For Jesus the reign of God entailed, therefore, a total transformation of creation and history.
It was the realization of Israel's eschatological hope that at the end of time, all alienation and evil, be
it physical or moral, would be overcome, and justice and peace would reign. Nothing would escape
its salvific, healing presence. And thus for Jesus, this reign of God, while remaining "outstanding"
or futuristic in its completion, was very much a reality which was also this worldly and which was
even now beginning to heal reality in all its dimensions, political, social, economic, personal and
cosmic. clxii It cannot be totally eschatologized or spiritualized, that is referring only to an other-
worldly eschatological fulfillment or to only the "spiritual" dimensions of men and women. clxiii
Jesus was not, therefore, concerned only with ultimate salvation, the hereafter. He was also
concerned with salvation now, with the inbreaking of God's reign now. Hence he was not an "other
worldly" ascetic or hermit concerned only with the "interior" life. He threw himself into the midst of
his sin-laden society and challenged it. In this regards, he is a prophet and not a hermit.
One more aspect of the historical Jesus to be noted is his association with "sinners" or the
"rabble." those who in the eyes of at least certain Pharisees were considered to be beyond the pale of
God's compassion and mercy. Jesus' frequent association with sinners and his eating with them can
only be understood in terms of his Reign of God ministry. In Jesus' time the ultimate forgiveness of
sin was a major aspect of apocalyptic hope. When God fully reigned, all sin would be forgiven. But
such forgiveness was limited to God-fearing, law-keeping Jews. It did not extend to Gentiles or
those Jews who deviated from the law and the middle class mores of the Pharisees, or who through
41