It's hard for us to place ourselves in the time period of the New Testament. Imagine being a person of faith, and someone for whom a relationship with God was most important in your life... but as much as you wished to be loved by God, something kept getting in the way: you. To live according to the law of Moses was the greatest burden of faith imaginable. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you desired to be righteous and holy, your human condition made you fall again and again... always keeping you just out of reach in having a full connection and confidence in God's love for you. Imagine now the good news as it hits you that no longer are you condemned by God, but are forgiven and freed of your debts because someone named Jesus comes along and shows you the way to God. Would you follow? I imagine so! Who wouldn't? Well there's an answer to that one too... who wouldn't follow are those who enjoy lording the law over others. If you play the gatekeeper to God and others allow it, you have enormous control and influence. The Good News for you is bad news for the corrupt religious abusers. 2000 years later, they're still out there... preying on the unsuspecting and people who lack understanding of the Bible. But that's not you, faithful reader. You know the Good News.
For a contemporary look at how religious abuse can occur, check out the post-apocalyptic film The Book of Eli. Not for kids though.
Readings: 1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 13:16-41; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 17:17-18
