The Higher Law of Harmony: Love in Action

The Higher Law of Harmony: Love in Action

“Only Goodness can drive out evil and only love can conquer hate”

Harmony in Luke chapter 15, 16 and 17

To begin with, just before the chapter Luke15 Jesus instructs the disciples about the cost of discipleship and being salt. Thus to be a disciple and a salt to the world we should follow the paradigm beautifully put forth in the coming passages. That is by celebrating the differences in understandings, social status quo, faith experiences, dogmatic authenticity, law, rituals and worships. Thus Jesus proclaimed that all were worthy of experiencing God’s love.

Chapter 15

Luke’s universalism is beautifully brought out in this chapter. Scholars say that this chapter is the heart of the third gospel and the third gospel is the gospel of the outcast. The main idea of including people of different faiths who are practicing kingdom values is emphatically expressed through the paradigm: God’s encompassing love for all and His call for repentance. Here Man, woman and children especially a poor woman and a rich shepherd are given equal importance in this chapter so as to show Jesus’ universal nature.

The parable of the lost sheep 15: 1-7

It begins with a harmonious gathering of sinners and tax collectors. It is a table fellowship where the ostracized, the unwanted and the so-called ‘defiled human beings’ of Jewish world are in communion with Jesus. It shows that they are loved and respected in God’s kingdom irrespective of their religious practices.

On the other hand the Pharisees and the scribes, the fanatic exclusivists of Jewish religion are grumbling on this new way. On seeing this Jesus is initiating a dialogue with them by this parable. Jesus clearly points out their stubborn attitude and intentionally affirms them as righteous people. Thus Jesus effectively presents them a message that the joy of the kingdom is to make the sinners realize that they can enter into kingdom of God irrespective of their positions, religions, and social status if they change their ways. And what is important is to make people more human than strictly adhere to the mere rituals and laws (self righteousness). For our harmonious living we should be aware how our life is enhancing others in experiencing God’ love than all other mechanized practices.

The parable of the lost coin 15: 8-32

A woman, a possession of the Jewish society is made human and raised equal to a man in the Jewish society by Jesus. That is too she is a poor woman in this parable. So this parable is reinforcing the same message of love of God for all and a call for repentance on the part of sinners and self-righteous people in order to enter into kingdom of God. It is a divine initiative to bring harmony in our living by being open enough to give space for others to experience God in their own ways.

The parable of the prodigals 15: 11-32

The elder son is given importance in the Jewish society especially in dividing the property. Here the younger son is given emphasis here. This parable is speaking mainly about the divine forgiveness and love on the repentant sinner. There is a beautiful expression of openness to the sinners, the wronged and the strayed. It also initiates a dialogue between the sinners and the self-righteous. The self-righteous son was

constructively confronted, a dialogue was initiated and then a possibility was open to both of different characters to meet together to live in harmony. We should make a possibility to open a dialogue with the different faith experiences for the better human living.

Chapter 16

Jesus gives instructions on the right use of wealth in this chapter 16. The poor people in the society are in the realm of subhuman. As we accumulate more wealth we put them into the realm of inhuman. It disturbs the harmony in our social relationship.

The parable of the dishonest manager 16: 1-13

This parable is addressed to disciples. It speaks about the right use of material wealth. Material wealth is not an end in itself. When it is treated as an end in itself we spontaneously negate God, the life here on earth and beyond, and we enjoy individualistic living. The wealth that we have more than our need is naturally of others. The more we acquire the more we unconsciously participating with the society for its process of disharmony and disintegration, and we naturally throw some people in the rut as inhuman. Thus all the excessive accumulation of wealth somehow or other involves discrimination, dishonesty and crime. But then when we share our material wealth with others the poor, we will be able to realize God’s presence in us and in others. Thus we can establish harmony within us.

The law and the kingdom of God 16: 14-18

The Pharisees are mentioned as ‘the lovers of money’. They use money to justify themselves but not be open to the grace of God. Thus they remain deaf to the words of Jesus. The leaders of the religions use religion to accumulate wealth and justify themselves as righteous people. So the law and prophets were used to justify and enter into kingdom forcefully. But God knows their hearts for God loves our hearts not our sacrifices and rituals.

The law and the prophets were necessitated to the Israelites for their liberation when they were oppressed by others. Well now when Israelites start excluding others as the poor, the outcast and the sinners, by the very name of law and Prophets Jesus brings out to their awareness the original meaning of it in terms of kingdom of God. Thus the law and prophets are fulfilled in the person of Jesus in His life.

Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God with a new meaning. The law and the prophet will not change but it will be fulfilled only when you follow the values lived by Jesus Christ. If we follow only the law and rubrics of religion we will miss the kingdom yet we can remain a religious people for the world. We will loose the essence of the religion Jesus envisaged.

Finally Jesus speaks about the harmonious married life. The marriage is a real love sharing experience of the two individuals. They are complementing each other. So far the women are given in marriage as property to be brought in the Jewish world. Now they become equal partners. Thus divorce in marriage is equal to adultery whether be it male or female so as to promote the harmonious living.

The rich man and Lazarus 16: 19-31

The right use of wealth is to enhance the life of others. The rich man was not named but the poor man is named Lazarus. It is a call for the rich people to share their possessions with the rich people and enjoy a harmonious living. It is an establishment of harmony between the rich and the poor.

Chapter 17

This chapter speaks about some sayings and parables Jesus taught both to the disciples and Pharisees.

Some sayings of Jesus 17: 1-10

We should not be a stumbling block to the little ones ( the poor people, the new ecclesial communities..). By sternly standing by the rules and regulations of the institutionalized religion we should not negate the faith experience of the simple people by our claim of the only true and universal experience.

Disciples asked him to increase their faith. Faith cannot be increased. Faith is an internal encounter not externally given. But then we can still grow in our faith by our experience when our faith is dynamic and open. Thus our dynamic faith will be edified by other’s faith and we grow in our faith as the Samaritan leper’s faith (17: 19) surprised Jesus and edified him. Our faith must be constantly tested by other’s faith experience. Thus we will grow in our faith. It is possible only through the open dialogue with other religious people.

Another thing that can bring harmony among the people is that we should not be proud of our service and we should not say that we work for people irrespective of their religion and they are not grateful. Here we should not blame their religious upbringing rather we should question our faith and we should introspect how deeply has my faith influenced and enhanced their faith life. Thus there is internal dialogue initiated to grow in our God experience.

Jesus cleanses the ten lepers 17: 11-19

The geographical reference plays significant here. Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem that is between Samaria and Galilee. There is of mixed crowd possible. Ten lepers approached him. They are one Samaritan and nine Jews. Though they are in deep-rooted hostility they live together. Notably when they are thrown out of society to the realm of inhuman, they just forget their hostility and live together. Here we should be aware that our religious label can make us treat others inhuman and dis-eased persons. But when we look at our rigourous and fanatical religious practice we can realize that we are actually dis-eased persons to the large extent. And when we come out of this stubborn religious fanaticism we can create human community and experience God of healing.

Jesus heals them irrespective of their religion and racial background. And He asked them to meet the priests. Here Jesus heals them and tries to establish harmony between lepers and priests to be accepted as humans. Again it is also to be noted that healing of a Samaritan implies God’s Grace is available to all who have genuine faith irrespective of their religious identity.

Eventually Jesus’ spontaneous praising of the Samaritan simply brings the message that Jesus is open to the faith elements of other religions and He respects and appreciates any genuine and authentic faith. We are also called to do that.

The coming of the kingdom 17: 20-37

Jesus is still on the way to Jerusalem. Assuming the geographical reference of the passage above, we can say that Jesus is among the mixed crowed of Jews and gentiles especially addressing the Pharisee’s question. Jesus says that the kingdom of God is among you. It is among them all. That is manifested in and through the person of Jesus himself. What is that manifested? Being open to all the people, enhancing the life of others by his living, respecting faith life of all people and standing for the values that unite human in harmony. Thus we should not say that the kingdom of God will be

established in the future and so we can go ahead with our older life style. But it is already inaugurated in the person of Jesus. So we should live accordingly or else we will not be able to participate in the final fulfillment of it. That is tranquil and harmonious community of living with God.