Daily Meditation: Wednesday, February 19, 2003

How many of Jesus' exhortations in the Gospels seem …

02/19/2003

How many of Jesus' exhortations in the Gospels seem impossible to realise! 'If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: ""Move from here to there,"" and it will move.' Or 'Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.' Human beings are so weak and irresolute, how could they possibly move mountains? And they have so many deficiencies and faults, how could they ever attain the perfection of their heavenly Father? It is just not possible! And so, because they lack understanding, because of their negligence and laziness - yes, especially their laziness - people disregard the quintessence of Christ's teaching. It is so much easier to emphasise human weaknesses and imperfections, deluding ourselves that in doing so we are demonstrating lucidity, common sense, and so-called modesty. But Jesus was not modest; he held the most exalted ambitions for human beings, who are created in the image of God. If they have the will, if they do the necessary work, they will one day attain the perfection of their heavenly Father. And if they have faith, they will one day move mountains. In other words, all powers will be given to them, but first and foremost, powers over themselves.