

Ceramic Nativity bought in Guatemala is more than just pieces, but a whole thing

Ceramic Nativity bought in Guatemala (June 2013) is more than just pieces, but a whole thing

They answered, ‘Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’

He asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’

Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!’

Jesus replied, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you. You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it’ ” (Matthew 16:13-18 God’s Word).

Now Jesus was, theologically, John, preaching to people to turn away from their sin and begin anew. And Elijah, standing up for the True God against all the false prophets of the political system. And a prophet, tortured in anguish and even murdered, for teaching the true message from God!

But Jesus is not a list. Jesus is not a conglomerate of pieces.

Margaret, to whom I am married, is wife. She is also Mother, volunteer, friend, quilter, seamstress, sister, and so on. To me, she is a person, not puzzle pieces that need to be arranged in an orderly fashion.

So Jesus turned to the disciples and asked the ones who walked, ate, lived with, learned from, experienced miracles and conflict and discipline, “But who do you say I am?”

Jesus, the real one, showed them a world beyond mere physicality. And Peter heard God say who Jesus was in real terms.

The fact Peter heard God, accepted the word, knew that Jesus was Messiah (the One anointed for a special mission, to save the world), that’s what  was, and is, the rock upon which the true Church stands. The experience of the True Messiah sent from the True God to the True Church of True believers trumps any list or fragmented historical figure that any person, group or system could ever invent.

I experience Margaret as a whole person with many parts, not many parts describing one person.

I experience Jesus in the same way.

And such experience is rock solid.