My Favorite Verses - Vol IV (Nov 16 to Feb 17)

Luke 21:26-27 … Coming in a Cloud of Glory
(12/27/2016)
“The Powers of the Heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud of Power and radiance (Glory).” ~ Jesus (Luke 21:26-27)
It is assumed by many Christians that this passage is speaking about Jesus’
ominous “2nd Coming”; that mythical time when he will descend from the sky in
wrath & judgment – raising up the few that are “worthy” into Heaven, and
casting out the many who are “damned” into the depths of Hell below ... Of
course, as Jesus himself noted on many an occasion in the Gospels, he believed
nothing of the sort. You see, for Jesus the “Kingdom of Heaven” was an internal
state of being (see Luke 17:20-21 & Matthew 10:7 et al) and for Jesus the "Power"
of that Heaven was the perfect Love of his heavenly Father (see Matthew 5:40-44
& Matthew 19:26 & Luke 1:37 et al) ... As such, “the Powers of Heaven are
shaken” in all those moments when we witness others neglecting the needy in
favor of reaching out to serve them -- or attacking their enemies instead of openly
forgiving them -- or ridiculing their opponents instead of extending them acts of
Kindness. And it is in just such moments of intense discomfort & fear –
moments when Love is both
blatantly available and
desperately needed, and yet
remains hidden &
unenlivened – that “the Son
of Man” is inspired to come
in a “cloud of power &
radiance” (see also Matthew
8:20,Matthew 9:6, Matthew
16:28, Matthew 20:28,
Matthew 26:64 et al); phrasing
that means either that it is the
ego’s self-centered “Son of
Man” that clouds the Soul’s
impulse to supply the Love
being neglected, or that the
same “Son of Man” is in
such moments inspired to
blossom forth in a cloud of
radiant glory – shining
brightly through all fear &
desire while lovingly doing
for the other what our ego
would have us not.
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