Holy Flashlights!

I'm rewinding this week to look at Book 1, Useful Admonitions, Chapter 1:
 The Imitation of Christ, and the Contempt of All the Vanities of the World.
I'll take this paragraph by paragraph to keep it short.

Let's look at the opening paragraph to the opening chapter of the opening book:

"He that follows me, walks not in darkness" says the Lord (Jn 8:12). These are the words of Christ, by which we are admonished, that we must imitate His life and manners, if we would be truly enlightened, and delivered from all blindness of heart.

  Let it then be our chief study to meditate on the life of Jesus Christ.

Thomas pulls this quote from St. John's Gospel where Jesus just embarrassed the Pharisees (again) when they brought the woman, caught in adultery, for Jesus to judge.  The Pharisees did this in an attempt to trap Jesus into proclaiming a judgment that was due under the Law of Moses - death.  Meanwhile, the Romans did not allow anyone to be put to death without Roman authority (thereby trumping Mosaic Law). 

Of course Jesus, unlike you or me, reduces the Pharisees to verbal pulp here by ignoring their threat, writing in the dirt (I'm thinking of my 6 yr old playing in the sandbox, ignoring me, frustrating me as I call him in for dinner).  Jesus then teaches that judgment is God's alone, and that our first act is to open our eyes to the light, His Light, in thought action and yes, even in forgiveness.  And yes, even for THAT. 

In fact, right before this, he says "I am the light of the world." Funny how certain things jump out at me in Scripture from time to time. 

When Good Thomas chose this passage, I pray he was thinking of all of us, being surrounded by a bunch of creeps with stones, ready to blast us for daring to follow THAT MAN.  Makes me want to play in the sand.  I hope my flashlight isn't out of batteries.

Thank you for reading and praying along with me. 'Til next time, be Imitators of Christ!


tim