My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

2 Corinthians 3:16 … The removal of all Veils
(04/23/2017)
“When one turns to the Lord, all veils are removed.”
~ Paul (2 Corinthians 3:16)
First & foremost, realize that there are number of “veils” that keep us from
witnessing the “Glory of the Lord” (i.e. cherishing the Life we have been given by
choosing to serve those in need – see Matthew 22:37-40) … There are veils of fear for
personal safety, and there are veils of desire for personal pleasure; there are veils
of political allegiance, and there are veils of religious subservience; there are veils
of arrogant judgment, and there are veils of submission to tragedy & despair.
Indeed Life is filled with “veils” that keep us from witnessing the wonders of
living and that keep us from engaging the opportunities to Care. And thus how
wonderful it is that The Way of Christ removes all of these mirages from our
midst -- How wonderful it is that radical acts of selfless love are all we need to See
clearly again! … Of course, for some – like the “apostle” Paul – removing Life‟s
veils isn‟t that simple. For Paul “turns to the Lord” by looking “up” to Jesus
Christ, which becomes a veil in & of itself … Indeed, Jesus himself does not want
us to turn to him at all (see Mark 10:18, John 5:41, John 7:16, John 8:50-54, John 12:44
et al), but would much rather have us “turn to the Lord” instead -- allowing the
Christ Essence within us (see John 14:20) to imbue our deeds & choices with a
Love that is pure and unconditional and willingly self-sacrificial.
For Paul, the Lord was a spiritual tyrant; a celestial judge & jury who
condemned those who didn‟t profess the proper subservience (see Romans 2:16 +
Romans 9:27 + Romans 12:19, Romans 11:32, Romans 11:21-22, Romans 14:10-12, 1
Corinthians 4:4, 1 Corinthians 5:13a, 1 Corinthians 10:5, 1 Corinthians 11:32, 2
Corinthians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:6 et al) -- and yet for Jesus, the Father was
perfectly Loving (Matthew 5:43-48), perfectly Merciful (Luke 6:36) and perfectly
Forgiving (Matthew 18:21-22); a Divine Essence who could by Its very nature
never condemn any sentient being for any trespass whatsoever (see John 5:22 +
Matthew 5:48 + 1 John 4:18 + John 6:45 + John 8:15 et al). Yes, it is indeed true that
whenever we choose not to Love, we are in effect keeping ourselves from the
presence of the Father – but this is not a punishment inflicted by the Divine, but
rather a chosen consequence we have ladled
upon ourselves; a consequence that is just &
fully proportionate: a consequence that
never carries with it any negative effects in
excess to the wrong we happen to commit.
Otherwise God -- in whatever form or
expression -- would have constructed a Life
ruled by capriciousness & injustice, and
would thus not be worth worshiping at all.
89