Another bizarre act of violence reported on the news. Has the world ever been so corrupt? How upsetting it is to sit back and watch our society falling apart at the seams.
People ask the question, “Why doesn’t God step in and do something about all this twisted evil and violence in the world?” Is he powerless? Does he even care?
Remember Eden. All was orderly and peaceful there with our first parents. Even the animals got along with them. They had no idea what “violence” even meant. Why doesn’t our all-powerful and merciful God step in and fashion this mixed-up world of ours into another Eden? We proclaim with the gospel writers: “Nothing is impossible with God.”
Maybe Islam has it right. Bring everything under the rule of the one true God, and in doing so, bring peace and order back into the world. When God rules the world again, Eden will be restored. What’s wrong with this picture, however, is that they intend to accomplish this by force, and even violence if necessary.
What was wonderful about Eden was not the peace and order, the friendly animals, the abundant food or the clean water. What made Eden “work” was the intimate union between God and our first parents. They were in love with God and treasured his friendship above all else. All the rest flowed from this inner connection between God and man. When they broke their connection with God, little by little, the wonders of Eden began to collapse.
God wants to restore Eden more than we want him to. Sure, he has the power to impose order on the world, but all the peace and order in the world is nothing if we are not connected in loving union with our Creator.
God always works “inside out.” He begins by restoring the heart, and then brings all else gradually into place. Everything he does will fall apart, once again, if the hearts of us humans are not in the “pre-original-sin” state. Maybe that explains why God seems to be letting the world fall apart.
Is this a recipe for despair?… because we know that none of us has the power to restore our pristine union with God. In fact, only one person on earth has managed to maintain loving obedience to God for his entire lifespan. Only Jesus, was able to do what Adam and Even didn’t—stay in union with God. And those who attached themselves to Jesus during his days on earth, experienced a taste of Eden as they walked and talked with him. Jesus created a new Eden wherever he went—sick were healed, demons were driven out, beautiful words of wisdom inspired people, bread was miraculously multiplied, and people experienced the amazing presence of God’s merciful love on earth.
This is good news for Jesus, but is it good news for us—after all, we aren’t Jesus. Or, are we? Is it possible for us to have Eden restored within our hearts as it was in the person of Jesus Christ? Can we be part of the new creation that Jesus experienced?
With this in mind we return to reading the story of the early Church—which, in a way, was the birth of a new Eden on the face of the earth. It started in Jerusalem, then it began to spread like wildfire to other parts of the world. People everywhere were hungry for a restored Eden (Acts 11:19-26).
“They began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”
When Barnabas arrived to confirm that this new move of the Holy Spirit among the Greeks was authentic,
“He rejoiced, and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart…And a large number of people was added to the Lord.”
Notice the expression, “added to the Lord.” St. Luke did not say “added to the Church” or “became Christians.” Those baptized were literally added to the living Body of Jesus Christ. They became one with him, and therefore one with the Father—the heart of Eden was being restored in the noisy, busy city of Antioch. When we accept the fullness of our baptism and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us, we become Christ. God begins to work “inside out” with us. We begin to have what Adam and Even lost. Though the peace and order of Eden is not immediately restored, our union with our Creator is. So much are we Christ that St. John tells us we are, in reality, God’s own children—just like Jesus.
The world is quickly discovering that all of its attempts to restore Eden are failing. The “outside in” approach isn’t working. Now is the time to do it God’s way—the only way. Now is the time to pray that “large numbers” will once again be “added to the Lord.” We pray that the Holy Spirit “explosion” that happened in Antioch, begins to happen in our cities today. On this rests our hope. We pray today for “firmness of heart.”
“And all shall sing, in their festive dance: ‘My home is within you.’” (Ps 87:7).
