On True Health, Love, and Freedom pt. 1 ~ by J. Powell SJ
Having newly finished J. Powell SJ’s book: Fully Human, Fully Alive, I would like to share a very beautiful passage of it with you to describe what it means to have true health, love and freedom. With the current news and days being focused on COVID as well as Racism, we thought this would be an awesome time so share his work. I love the Gospel of John because it discusses what it means to be truly alive, have life to the full, walk in true freedom, and empowers us to love people the way God wants us to love. As most of you know, the Gospel of John, is known as the Gospel of love and life- because John was the disciple that stood at the foot of the cross while Jesus died with Jesus’ mother… Jesus’ death whose death led to the gift of new life for all. Since most of you do not have access to this book by Powell SJ, I will share what he has written here and then expand at the end.
Powell SJ writes:
“There is a interesting dialogue between Jesus and his contemporaries recorded in the same 8th chapter of John’s gospel. Jesus makes the point that only the truth, the full acceptance of reality, can make a person free.
If you make my message (vision) the rule of your life, you will then know the truth, and the truth will make you free!
When his hearers profess puzzlement at this idea of liberation by truth, pointing out that they have ‘never been the slaves of anyone,’ Jesus repeats that he is himself the source of true freedom:
So if the son makes you free you will really be free!
True health resides principally in one’s vision, in one’s deepest attitudes; it is not merely the absence of symptoms. Likewise, true freedom has its roots in one’s basic vision of reality; it is not merely the absence of coercion from external forces. I see the person of Jesus liberated by a vision that results in a startling freedom: He is free enough to love and to associate with prodigals and prostitutes, and at the end to express a quaking fear and still die freely as an act of love.
If you make my message (vision) the rule of your life, you will then know the truth and the truth will make you free!
What is the vision of Jesus which lies under his message and manner of life? Whatever else it is, it is certainly a call to the fullness of life.
I am come that they may have life and have it to the full - Jn 10:10
At the risk of seeming presumptuous, I would like now to describe some of the central features of the vision of Jesus, as I see them. I think that the message, the life, and the person of Jesus are saying to us:
God is Love. This means that all God does is love. As the sun only shines, conferring its light and warmth on those who stand ready to receive them, so God only loves, conferring his light and warmth on those who would receive them. This means that God does not have anger in him. He does not punish. When we separate ourselves from God and his love by sin, all the change takes place in us, never in him. He is unchangeably loving. Love is sharing, the sharing of one’s self and one’s life. God’s intention in creating us in this world was to share himself and his life with us. In fathering this life in us, God calls us to be his human family, to become a community of love, each wanting and working for the true happiness of all.
2. You are loved by God unconditionally and as you are. God has assured you through his prophets and through his Son that, even if a mother were to forget the child of her womb, he would never forget you. Your name is carved in the palms of his hands, inscribed indelibly in his heart. You do not have to win or earn or be worthy of his love. It is a “given.” Of course, you can refuse to accept it. You can separate yourself from God’s love for awhile of even for an eternity. Whatever your response, all during your life and at every moment of your life he will be there offering his love to you, even at those times when you are distracted or refusing it.
Wherever you are in your development, whatever you are doing, with a strong affirmation of all your goodness and good deeds, with a gently understanding of your weakness, God is forever loving you. You do not have to change, grow, or be good in order to be loved. Rather, you are loved so that you can change, grow, and be good. Your realization of this unconditional love is extremely important. You must remember people like:
Peter the Rock, who was often a sandpile, a loudmouth, a man who had denied even knowing the one how had loved him most.
Zaccheus, who was a runt, who offered to collect taxes for Rome from his own people for a ‘kickback’ from the take.
Mary Magdalene, who was a ‘hooker.’
James and John, who were mama’s boys and pretty ridiculous at times, such as the time when they wanted to destroy a whole town which had given them a poor reception. The ‘Sons of Thunder,’ they were laughingly called.
Andrew, who was pretty naive. He thought five loaves and two fish were enough for five thousand people.
Thomas, who was an all-star bullhead.
Martha, Martha, who was a twitch, worrier, and complainer.
The woman taken in adultery, who was pretty frightened until Jesus saved her life and forgave her sin.
The thief on the cross, who said what might have been his first prayer and was promised immediate paradise.
The blind man, who didn’t know who Jesus was but only that he himself was blind and now could see!
The paralyzed boy, whose body needed healing but who first needed to have his sins forgiven.
The prodigal son, who was pretty heartless but who came home when he was hungry into his father’s open arms and open heart.
Saul of Tarsus, who was hellbent on destroying Christianity until he took that road to Damascus and found a loving Lord.
God was in Jesus, loving them, affirming them, forgiving them, encouraging them, challenging them all the way into greatness, peace, and the fullness of life: and millions more like them, and like us.
3. The Providence of God rules the world. Jesus is the Lord of human history. At times you may experience the feeling that everything is falling apart. You wonder: What is this world coming to? What am I coming to? How will I make ends meet? Who is going to push my wheelchair? You do not consciously define or defend the thought, but sometimes you may be tempted to imagine God with his back up against the wall, furious and frustrated at the fact that everything has gotten out of hand. ‘King Christ, this world is aleak: and life preservers there are none’ (e.e. cummings). In the words of St. Paul: ‘Jesus is Lord!’ You must remember that this world, the course of human history and human destiny are in his hands. He is in charge of this world. He alone has the game plan, total knowledge of the human situation and the power to turn things around completely. Do not try to make yourself the Messiah to all people or caretaker to the world. You are not equipped to cover so much territory or bear such a burden. Reflect upon these words until they have formed a new insight in you and have become deeply embedded in your vision: Luke 12:22-31
4. You are called to love: your God, your self, and your neighbor. God, who is love, has made you in his image and likeness. Love is your calling and destiny. It is the perfection of your human nature. Love is also a gift of God, the highest gift of God’s Spirit. It is necessary that you realize the importance of loving yourself. There has to be some kind of logical, if not chronological, priority to loving yourself. If you do not love yourself, you will be filled with pain, and this pain will keep all your attention riveted on yourself. Agony constricts our consciousness. If you do not love yourself, you cannot truly love either God or your neighbor. (I add: If you do not take care of yourself or care for yourself, you cannot truly care for God or others). So you must learn to do the same things for yourself that you would do in loving others: You must acknowledge and affirm all that is good in you. You must gently try to understand all that is weak and limited. You must be aware of and try to fulfill your needs: physical, psychological, and spiritual. As you learn to love yourself, you must also learn to balance concern for yourself with concern for others. ‘Whatever you do for the least of my brothers you do for me.’ But remember that your success in loving will be proportionate to your openness in accepting the love and affirmation of God. It will likewise be proportionate to the love which you have for yourself. In the end, the success of your life will be judged by how sensitively and delicately you have loved. “
Part of my thoughts on this are that Christ is perfect Health, Love and Freedom ~ all we can do is be a mere reflection of that in the love that is present in our relationships with other people - the person you are in love with (if you are in love with someone etc.), family, friends, and others. When it comes to true love - true love is a reflection of God’s love for us. We too are called to make sacrifices. We too are called to forgive, we too are called to show love and kindness, and the other virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit that God showed to us through the gift of his son, Christ, as well as through the ways God shows us everyday. Remember you are a beacon of light for others, and the way you shine that light, will of course change throughout your lifetime. However, we know for sure, and we are certain, that if you are truly loving, you will shine the light of Christ, for God is love. I love J. Powell SJ’s writing because he breaks down what it means to have Jesus’ vision - but also, how to better show love and mercy to others, but also to be loving and merciful - not just to others, or the person you are in love with, or your family, but also to yourself. Being healthy includes you loving yourself for who you are, it also means taking care of your health and well-being to that point which you are capable of. It means turning to others for help when you need it, as well as allowing yourself to be guided by God. True freedom is listening to the Holy Spirit, letting the Holy Spirit guide you to walk further in the light of Christ and radiate that light to others. Remember, God does not expect you to be perfect. The only perfect person to have existed was Christ. That means, your body doesn’t have to look perfect all the time, your health doesn’t have to be perfect all the time, you are not going to love perfectly all the time, and sometimes your freedom will be hindered by sin which needs to be removed. With that being said, God made you in his image and likeness and we are called to shine the love and light of Christ to others. That does not mean you do not sin, of course you do - and of course we are to have contrition and repentance for our sins, however, it recognizes that you are flawed, and not perfect. That also doesn’t mean you beat yourself up over every little sin you commit, or replay it over and over again in your mind. Zaccheus did not do that.. he recognized who he was and changed what he did for the good… he didn’t sit in the tree and beat himself up over all of his faults, day after day, over and over again — he came down from the tree and ate with Jesus- - Remember, that God made you flawed/imperfect…that is the way God made you so you would be reliant on God’s grace. We also love that it is grounded in a form of psychology - but a psychology that looks at the whole person and says - this is really what it looks like to be healthy. Even if you don’t believe in Christ, Christ’s model or vision can still be understood and put into practice in people’s everyday life, especially since it is founded on God being love. Also, God recognized the goodness of the other. He called Zaccheus out of the tree - and ate with him…also God was not partial to people - he loved and accepted all people and came for all people - so that all people may have the gift of eternal life …
These are just some of my beginning thoughts on this passage - although I know all of you will see more - as we share the next piece of the passage - we will expand on our thoughts on it….
…to be continued - ..
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