Behind the Text

            A Professor of mine from Seminary, Dr. Vitor Westhelle, said in a class lecture once, and I’m paraphrasing here, that the Holy Spirit exists in the spaces between the letters in our Bible, and it was our job as the faithful to break the Spirit out from behind them like we might break someone out from behind prison bars. I don’t remember if he was quoting someone else or it was his own original idea, but it’s always stuck with me. Especially when we encounter readings like this week’s Gospel (Luke 12:32-40) where Jesus describes himself as both a thief and a master of enslaved people. It takes quiet a lot of theological gymnastics to get from a place where the kingdom of God is a place where everyone’s cup overflows, has plenty to eat, and there are no widows, oppressed peoples or orphans to a place where the being of God is also comparable to a master of slaves and thief. This text requires us to break the Holy Spirit out from behind the words. Because if we don’t we end up in a world were attempting to emulate Christ can mean a world where some are masters and some are slaves. So my invitation this week is that you spend some time meditating and praying about this text. Try to break the Holy Spirit out and see what she has to say to you in this moment. In this time and place as the Gospel speaks eternally into all times and places.

Peace,

Corey