6th Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 8 (year C)

The apostle Paul actually discerned and experienced the mystery that God, as Abba Father, eternally places, the living Christ, his image and likeness in the spiritual body of Jesus of Nazareth, himself and all people [Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:26-27]. In today's epistle, Galatians 6:1-18, Paul gives some startling insights about Jesus' teaching regarding the centrality of the living Christ, the spirit of the law of Christ and taking up one's own cross daily and following Jesus Christ, as the foundations of the New and Abundant Life in the living Christ. [Luke 9:23-24, Galatians 6:2].

Paul stresses the fact that this new birth and new nature in the living Christ are dependent on the human initiatives of faith, humility, repentance and obedience, while fully relying on the divine justification and sanctification initiatives of the Holy Trinity as Omnipresent Spirit. In today's epistle, Paul introduces some basic concepts for embracing the Christ-centered, Spirit-based perceptions, proclamations, principles and practices which Jesus of Nazareth believed, taught and modeled throughout his life and ministry.

Our daily practical application of Jesus' revelation, proclamation and realization of God's original covenant relationship with all humankind is humankind actually living the Paschal Mystery. This new and unique way of life actually leads believers into the promised eternal and abundant life in the living Christ [Genesis 3:15-17, John 10:10, Galatians 6:8b]. As the body of Christ, believers are now living in God's divine dispensation of love, grace and truth, through the living Christ. By faith, they are now crossing out the dominion of the mind of the flesh. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they are now separating themselves from the bondage, destruction, devastation and death of sin and Satan.

In Baptism and the Holy Eucharist, believers are actually experiencing the fulfillment of the spirit of the Law, which God has revealed in and through Jesus of Nazareth [Matthew 5:17]. The living Christ, is now experienced as the Word being made flesh [incarnate] within each believer. The living Christ is now spiritually discerned as Creator, the only Begotten Son of God and the Savior of all humankind, through the spiritual body of all humankind, saint and sinner alike.

In John 1:17, the apostle John made these observations about Jesus' revelation, declaration and daily practical application of humankind's justification and sanctification before God through Christ-centered spirituality. "For while the Law was given Moses, grace [unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing] and truth came through Jesus Christ]." In Colossians 1:26-27, the apostle Paul further unveiled the Paschal Mystery of humankind's transformation, proper mental alignment and the ultimate incarnation of living Christ, when he declared, “To whom God was pleased make know how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery which is, Christ within and among you, the hope [realizing the] glory’.

Christ-centered believers in all the world religions now know that the living Christ is the only sure foundation on which God, through Jesus of Nazareth, Paul and the church, as the actual body of Christ in the world, continues to create a better world. God has always intended that all people, all cultures and all religions be immersed in same experience of God’s, love, grace, truth through the reign of the living Christ, the Image of God, in all humankind. Jesus of Nazareth knew and modeled the daily practical application of the inner spirit of God's Law, as facilitated and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This unfolding Paschal Mystery of Christ-centered spirituality, which is the will of God for all persons was initially seen in life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth, as Messiah, the Son of Man. Jesus Christ actually ascended into this new and glorious life with the Father, while here on earth. This unfolding Paschal Mystery is the same transforming work of the Holy Trinity in the feelings, experiences, actions and thoughts of all who have faith, repent and steadfastly follow Jesus Christ. Living the Paschal Mystery is actually experiencing the unfolding truth about all humankind now passing from the slavery and bondage of sin into the freedom of the love of God through faith in the living Christ.

Like Jesus and Paul, Christ-centered believers in all cultures and religions are now called to be effective witnesses and agents of God’s love, grace and truth through Christ-centered spirituality. By faith, all people can now be continually and more fully depended on the invisible, living Christ within the spiritual body of every person, as our universal center of common identity, worship, authority, security, fellowship and meaning. Spiritually awake believers in all the world religions are now realizing that the Paschal Mystery unveils God's divine love for all people as re-presented comprehensively in Jesus of Nazareth's literal, symbolic, metaphorical, metaphysical and mystical suffering, death, resurrection and ascension, now resulting in eternal and abundant life through the living Christ, for all who truly believe and obey God's will for their lives.

Angel of the Week: 'Discernment'

Prayer of the week: 'I Know the Truth that Frees Me'