Download Chapter Four - Jesus

Chapter Four: Jesus-Model of Morality…1
Jesus: Model of Morality
I. The Person of Jesus: The Starting Point of Morality
The starting point of morality for Jesus is not abstract or theoretical thinking but rather,
specific and basic questions concerning my actions and their impact of the rest of the
world, my brothers and sisters. It also implies my awareness of how others may be
hurting in the world and what I can or should do to alleviate such pain and suffering.
The morality of Jesus is “morality in action,” rather than principles of morality. For the
Christian who takes following Jesus seriously there is no such thing as “static morality!”
Morality is always about doing and changing for the better. Look to the Sermon on the
Mount to see the active nature of morality in the eyes of Jesus.
A. The Moral Character of Jesus
The best way to know anyone’s moral character, and this includes Jesus, is to look at
the actions of his/her life. In the life of Jesus we repeatedly see him acting with
compassion and courage, and always in a way that is inclusive to all people, even the
least of those present. When Jesus acts the light of God’s face is seen in all of its beauty.
Jesus is the human face of God. (Look carefully at the quotation on page 66 by Glen
Stassen as a way of seeing what really matters for Jesus.
II. The Moral Teachings of Jesus: Love of God, Love of Neighbor
The passion and death of Jesus help us to realize that for Him morality is always a
question of how do I respond in love. The response of Jesus in love, no matter what was
done to him as witnessed in his passion and death, is the model for all of us. Thus,
realizing what God has done for us, through the love of Christ, we make the starting point
for all moral decisions the reality that God has unconditionally loved us first. We are
now called to do the same for all of our brothers and sisters.
(Be sure to familiarize yourself with the two Scripture passages on page 67, i.e., I John
4:10 -11, and Mt. 22: 34-40, as well as the “Guiding Principles for a Christian Moral
Life.”)
A. The Last Judgment - Finding Christ in People
It is easy for us to forget that Jesus repeatedly reminded his followers that He had come
for those who were “sick,” or sinners, and not the righteous.
Remember, when one is overly righteous (thinking “I am always right!”) it is
almost impossible to be open to anyone, including Jesus. Thus, Jesus cannot even
help those who in their righteous arrogance do not recognize their need for him.
The story of the last judgment makes it absolutely clear who we are to reach out to in
love - all people and especially those we consider unworthy or outcasts. THERE IS NO
MORE ROOM FOR EXCUSES - NOW WE MUST ACT!
III. The Beatitudes: The Christian Measure of True Happiness
The Beatitudes, often seen as the Christian “Ten Commandments” do not give us a list
of rules or ways we must act, but rather, they describe a way of being, a way of life that
we should embrace and live in the name of Jesus.
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It has been said that the true Christian should pray the prayer: “O Lord, comfort those
who are afflicted, and afflict those who are comforted.” This is the prayer of the
“Beatitude Saint.” This should also be our prayer so we can live in the spirit of Jesus.
Review the Eight Beatitudes at the bottom of page 70 and ask yourself how you embrace
these attitudes and in your own life. Remember, the true Christian is not trying to escape
reality by “flying off to God in the sky.” The true Christian immerses him/herself into
the thick of life and responds to all of life in the Spirit of the Beatitudes!!
Go back to page 71 and review the Beatitude Examination of Conscience - not as a guilt
trip about what you do not do, but as a call to live your Christian life more intensely.
A. The Beatitudes as Descriptions of True Joy
When we speak of the Beatitudes as a description of true joy we are not referring to the
type of elation or happiness one feels when something goes right, when one passes a test
one expected to do poorly on, or when one finally graduates from high school! No, true
joy runs deep and sustains us even in the worst of times. True joy has nothing to do with
being a millionaire (or a billionaire as one may need to be in today’s financial world), not
with good looks, not with anything material - but rather with a sense of who one is, who
God is and how together we move through, and respond to life.
Look at Activity G on page 72 and give it some reflection. We will talk about this
phenomenon in class.
IV. “Come and Follow Me”
A. “Foot washing as a Model of Service”
In John’s Gospel there is not “Last Supper,” as we know it in the Synoptic Gospels.
The “Words of Institution,” are not spoken as the disciples gather with Jesus around the
Passover supper. The final meal is really a setting for Jesus to deliver his last testament
and discourse to his disciples.
As a result, the ultimate act of self-giving, in John’s version of the “Last Supper,” is
not the expression of Jesus giving himself in the bread and the wine, but the act of
humility he offers to his disciples as he serves them by washing their feet. This is why
service is not something extra for the Christian - rather it is at the heart of what it means
to truly follow Christ!
B. Placing God First in Our Lives
The message is quite simple, but rarely believed - if we put God first in our life and
live our lives serving in His name, the anxiety we often feel, and the stress that too often
governs our life, will be greatly reduced.
There are many expressions by believers to capture this idea; here are a few which
you should familiarize yourself with (that does not mean memorize all of them, but
how about two of your favorite, even if you don’t like any of them!!
We should so work as if we were to be saved by our works; and so rely
on Jesus Christ, as if we did no works. - Francis Asbury
Live with men as if God saw you, and talk to God as if men were
listening. - Athenodorus
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We should pray as if everything depended on God and act as if
everything depended on ourselves. St. Augustine
Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die
tomorrow. - Benjamin Franklin
Do God’s will as if it were thy will, and he will accomplish thy will as
if it were his own. - Rabbi Gamaliel
Use human means as if there were no divine ones, and divine means as
if there were no human ones. - Baltasar Gracian
We must pray as it all depends on Divine Action, but labor as if all
depended on our own effort. - St. Ignatius
Live with men as if God saw you; converse with God as if men heard
you. - Seneca
Pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if everything
depended upon man. - Cardinal Francis J. Spellman
C. The “Hard Sayings” of Jesus
Some of the hard sayings of Jesus are given on page 74 of your text. These are
the passages many people would either like to forget or skip when they reflect on what it
means to follow Christ. The real question one must ask oneself is, “Am I willing to
follow Christ in all that He asks of me - even the difficult sayings?” Christianity and
moral behavior is not something we do when we think it makes sense or we feel it is the
right thing to do. Our actions are to be guided by the person of Jesus and what he calls us
to do in love - not matter how difficult it may seem.
Whenever anyone begins to say, “Oh right, love my enemies, that’s a
great idea, but this is the real world,” that person has essentially said that
Christianity and the words of Jesus make no sense and are not a part of
that person’s view of reality. In essence, when one says this one
relegates Christianity and Jesus Christ to total irrelevance.
Anyone who wants to be a genuine Christian better expect to live in a
constant state of cognitive dissonance. It one does not have this
tension, then one is probably watering down the message of Jesus.
D. Jesus’ Vision of God’s Reign
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of believing the message of Jesus, or that God
actually is concerned about our world, is that the vision of the Kingdom of God seems
so absent in so many parts of our world, e.g., Darfur / the starving people in the world,
e.g. North Korea, / the corruption in our own government / the hatred in our own
streets, e.g., racism, etc. / and the list goes on and on. So what is one to believe about
the vision of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.
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Theologians have wrestled with this question for centuries and have come to
believe that the Kingdom of God is best understood in two ways, “The Here,” and “The
Not Yet.” This is sometimes referred to as “realized eschatology,” and “eschatology.”
Eschatology comes from the Greek meaning the study of the “end times,” or what it
will be like when all of humanity and our universe reach “the end.”
For the Christian, we hold that much of God’s love expressed in the Kingdom of
God, is in some ways present in our world today (look at all of the loving actions and
selfless acts that do take place in our world, e.g., Bono, Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren
Buffet, Richard Branson, and many others who may not be as rich, but equally
generous.). This is the portion of the Kingdom of God that eschatologists refer to as the
“ALREADY.”
On the other hand, we know that much of what Jesus wanted for the world, e.g.,
peace for all, equality for all, dignity for all, etc., is still long in coming. This
represents what eschatologist refer to as the “NOT YET.”
Where does that leave you and me? We are the bearers of the Word of God,
Jesus the Savior, and we are to proclaim to the world that, “Yes, God’s Kingdom is at
hand,” and in the same breath we are to call and challenge all with the words, “We are
the ones who have been called to continue and finish the building of the Kingdom of
God.” In this manner of living our lives we guarantee that the Kingdom of God is
always coming closer to its full expression. This is the call and challenge of all
Christians. This is why the moral life as described by Jesus is real, and why we must
live moral lives proclaiming Him as our Lord - regardless the personal cost!!
E. Making the Jesus Story Our Story
If we are to make the story of Jesus ours, we must realize that we cannot do it
alone. The quotation from Richard Back on page 76 of your text says it quite clearly as long as we are alive the challenge to follow Christ will be ours.
The Church has given us support in many ways such as the sacraments, our
prayer together, and the leadership of those who have dedicated their lives to
understanding what it means to follow Christ.
But without a doubt one of the greatest supports is our love
and concern for one another - the community of believers The Body of Christ. This is why we are called again and
again to love one another for it is together that we will live
moral lives, help each other to stay faithful, and build
God’s Kingdom in all of its glory here on earth. And never
forget that we do not do this alone, but with Jesus who is
our moral teacher and our moral model.