I am certain I remember a passage in the Gospels where Jesus himself had to try twice, demonstrating the human aspect of the "Theantrhopos" (god-man).
I am closer to 60 than most of you, and have memory problems due to the natural processess of aging, and I write all these things as fast as I can type, which is 80wpm, from memory (unless I have the leisure to do a google search), and I have to keep the details of many religions and scriptures in my memory.
But I would rather risk some error, and try to get a point across, or at least put an interesting issue on the table, rather than be paralyzed with the fear that I shall misquote something, or make a spelling error.
Years ago, a student remarked to me in college, "its easy to never make a mistake if you never do or say anything." I make my mistakes, like everyone else, but I think I have said a few worthwhile things which are new and interesting and of some use to someone. I shall search in google to see if I can find the passage where Jesus has to try twice. (and remember in the wilderness of Zinn, where Moses does not precisely follow Gods instructions to gain water from the rock, and for that error is required to give up his life on Mt. Moriah and never see the Holy Land.)
I am certain that I was once struck by something which showed that even Jesus had to make a second attempt. The whole point I am trying to make is not that I am an infallible memorizer of all religious texts (and Christianity is not my religion), but rather that prayer or spirituality is described as something difficult and challenging, and not a piece of cake, rolling off a log.
Someone messaged me this morning to mention that they are confused about whether prayer is easy or difficult. They were confused because I had earlier suggested to them that they have too much anxiety about what they should or should not do in life, being still very young (under 30) and yet they see me saying that prayer can be described as difficult. Here is my reply to them this morning:
I will paraphrase from memory (so I dont have to take the time to look it up) something which Jesus says to his disciples: "Some men are born eunuchs, some are made eunuchs by others, and some make eunuchs of themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. This is a VERY DIFFICULT saying, BUT to those TO WHOM IT IS GIVEN, let them take up this way."
So, here is a very difficult spiritual path which is meant ONLY FOR A CERTAIN minority of people to undertake, who have been given by God the gift, the charisma, to have such strength and resolve. My point is, prayer can be most difficult, but it is not meant for everyone. Consider the man who said to Jesus "GOOD teacher/rabbi, what MUST I do to inherit eternal life?" Notice carefuly how Jesus answers. FIRST, Jesus says "WHY do you call ME good since we know there is only one who is good, and that is GOD? Now, here is an important point. Jesus COULD have said, "DO NOT call ME good, for there is none good except God." But the nature of Jesus statement is to ask the man in a very subtle fashion, "DO YOU personally recognize that I am God?"
Next Jesus answers, very simply, "Keep the commandments." When the man protests, "But I have kept them from my youth onwards" THEN it says, "Jesus then LOOKED UPON HIM WITH LOVE" (this is the moment when God grants the grace to do what is beyond average ability) and Jesus said, "IF you would perfect yourself, then give all that you have to the poor, take up your cross, and follow me."
Now THAT is the very difficult path, meant only for those few who are called, chosen, given the grace.
BINGO! I searched in google on "Jesus tried twice" and here it is:
http://members.aol.com/chasmcmull/pracha04.html
(2e)... Some people begged Jesus to touch a blind man, whom they had brought to him, Mar 8:22.
Note that Jesus tried twice before successfully healing the man.
Mark 8:22-26 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
22And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
As I write, I am suddenly thinking about the time when Jesus asked several of his disciples to watch with him while he prayed. The disciples fell asleep as Jesus prayed SEVERAL TIMES (several attempts, if my aging brain has not once again failed me). So we perhaps see two things illustrated here. Number one, Jesus REQUESTS human cooperation/fellowship to accomplish some goal, rather than wave the magic wand of omnipotence in one fell swoop. SECONDLY, we see that several attempts are necessary (i.e. perserverance).
Also, the parable of the widow, who comes at night to the judges house with some request, and he tells her to go away, but she is PERSISTENT, and it is her perseverance which leads to success (a "squeaky wheel gets the oil" sort of thing.)
None of us have it within our power to be infallible and never make an error. But all of us have it within our power to choose never to gloat over the errors of another.
I am suddenly remembering an old archbishop in the Russian Orthodox church, who was becoming slightly senile. He was in the Cathedral giving a sermon, when suddenly he spoke of God's generosity in giving Moses and his people in the wilderness numerous QUAILS (birds) to eat. The seminarians chuckled under their breath because the quail in the wilderness were sent as a curse because the people were lusting after the savory fleshpots of Egypt which they had enjoyed in their slavery. The verse mention that the are cursed EVEN AS THEY SINK THEIR TEETH into the flesh (before they actually chew and swallow and consummate the act of eating).
Basically, life may be reduced to two things: a sequence of OH-ohs punctuated with an occasional Ah-HA!
The Oh-ohs are our mistakes. The Ah-has are our insights. On the internet, I notice far too much preoccupation with the Oh-ohs of others, and a poverty of Ah-has.
Last night, here, I posted one of the biggest Ah-has that has come to me in a long time, but no one even blinked an eye:
http://www.online-literature.com/for...3&page=1&pp=15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sitaram
