October 05, 2023 – A

Growing up 
is growing in our ability
to take "No" for an answer.

This is "dying" to the way
we wish things were,
want things to be.

This is the kind of "death"
Adam and Eve are required to "die"
in getting back to the Garden of Eden,
and it is the kind of "death"
that leads to "resurrection and new life"
in all times and places.

If we are going to take anything on faith,
why not let it be that Jesus 
survived the crucifixion
but "died" to his idea of how things ought to be,
and lived out his life in Galilee
with Mary Madelaine and their children,
working as a carpenter and fisherman
to make a living?

And that all the hoopla was created
by the fledgling church
to justify its existence
and serve as the foundation 
of its power and influence?

This continues to honor the core feature 
of our faith,
that we all have to "die" to the way
we want things to be
and live in the service of how things 
need to be
all our life long.

No aspirations,
no personal ambitions
or desires,
no plans,
agendas,
purposes
or expectations--
just seeing/knowing/doing
what needs to be done here/now
as it needs to be done
in all situations and circumstances
forever.

We have to be growing up forever
to live like that.

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