“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Matthew 11:21
Dear members and friends,
There is a kind of belief among people that a good Christian must be gentle, kind and nice to all people, simply because that is what Jesus taught. However, the truth that we find in Gospels is quite different. In the Gospels, Jesus appears to be blunt, frank, and direct expressing his thoughts to the people, especially regarding their spiritual conditions. Of course, it is certainly true that Jesus as the Divine Incarnate was and is the embodiment of divine love, and thus loves all humans unconditionally. Yet, the reality is that some human mentalities are incompatible with Jesus and therefore, essentially incompatible with the Creator. According to Swedenborg, this was the beginning of hell. Though God did not intend for hell to exist, its existence became inevitable as humans chose forms of love that were incompatible with God’s reality. Consequently, the purpose of the stories in the Bible is to guide and inspire human minds to choose a love that redirects their way of being toward God. Thus, according to Jesus, a good Christian is one who is willing to speak up when it matters and who has the courage to point out what is not right when necessary.
The best way to cultivate a love that is compatible with the reality of God is to love others truly and completely. According to Jesus, this kind of love enables us to perceive and understand what the other truly needs for their spiritual cultivation and growth. After all, without spiritual cultivation, our minds cannot become compatible with divine reality. I would like to highlight the two key words: “spiritual” and “cultivation.” “Spiritual” is important because what we need to cultivate is our mind (spirit), which is our true self. “Cultivation” is important because our spirit does not grow automatically. So, what happens to those who refuse to engage in spiritual cultivation? Sadly, their minds continue to form in ways that are incompatible with God, heaven, and love. According to Swedenborg, those who do not grow spiritually remain attached to material reality, eventually becoming inseparable from it. Therefore, when Jesus cried out, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” he was not cursing them but trying to wake them from their spiritual slumber; the illusion that this world is everything that there is.
My brothers and sisters in God, let us take time for a deep reflection and meditation in prayer. Let us acknowledge what God has done for us to guide and direct us towards spiritual growth and cultivation. May the Lord illuminate your path toward spiritual fulfilment.
Blessings,
Rev. Junchol Lee