The best way to describe God (and our relationship with Him) is to use pictures, poems, parables, and paintings. As we absorb the images of today's gospel passage (Mark 12:1-12), let us know that God tenderly loves us, protects us, cares for us. We are God's chosen vineyard. That is, we are God's beloved ones, chosen ones.
Ultimately, all religious language and all of religion is a "metaphor." (To carry a meaning across.) But have we taken religion so seriously that we have missed God himself? Have we been so caught up with the rules and commandments of religion that we have missed the tender love of God? Religion's basic purpose is to proclaim God's love, isn't it?
We seem to have exchanged faith for certainties. We have stopped enjoying God or feeling His goodness, and have been involved in ascertaining doctrines, rules and regulations. We have often demanded mental agreement instead of any inner experience of the mystery revealed. We have often made religion into rationally proving or disproving things, or merely believing or disbelieving things in our head. It is often easier for people to believe things, or even to be moral, than to go on such full and risk journeys. Pope Francis writes, "Some persons approach Jesus deviously, with the idea of 'testing' him to see whether his teaching is coherent with his action or whether cracks can be found in it which will allow religious devotion to remain a profitable business. Such persons seek to exchange faith for security, hope for possessions, love for self-interest."
Let our stories and poems of God abound. Let doctrines of certainties, securities and insurances take a back seat, at least for a while. (Religion is not an insurance policy.) Let us experience God, let us enjoy Him today. Let us "feel" His ever present tender love.
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