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Tuesday of the 14th Week OT
St. Luke’s Institute
July 9, 2013
JACOB
WRESTLES WITH GOD ++++++++++++++++++++
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What sort of God is this who engages us in a wrestling match?
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In Jacob’s time, people thought gods lived in different realm,
ignoring humanity or demanding utter subjugation to point of human sacrifice
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The world & people in it were nothing more than mere debris
from a sinking vessel of some sort
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But the Divinity Jacob encounters is one who deals directly w/
him, spending time & playing ~ as father w/ a child
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No wonder Jacob is amazed and proudly limps along from the
encounter of God and the sciatic muscle of his hip
WE ALL
WRESTLE WITH GOD ++++++++++++++++++++
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In our own unique ways each of us wrestles w/ God
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I think of the scientist and torment of trying 2 unravel unending
puzzles of God’s universe
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Or the poet or artist who becz of vision of life is in pain,
giving birth 2 a work of art that captures reality of that suffering
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Or any one of us who becz of paradoxes of life – like addiction,
suffering, loss, inability to connect – find ourselves wandering around in the
world wondering where we belong
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These are all paradoxes & as such cannot B reconciled in mind;
they require work of the heart
HEART
WORK +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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The knowledge we gain from solutions that come from here (point to the heart) can be heard in the
testimony talks when we commission residents
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Such heart knowledge, though it takes pains to come to, can be
used for much good
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It does call 4 efforts & time on our part
CONCLUSION
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Knowing G thru science, art, or personal experience all seem 2
call forth wrestling w/ G’s & life’s puzzles
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2 B willing 2 wrestle is already accepting a divine invitation
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We, 2, accept that we may come away from encounter w/ our egos
scarred a bit, our sciatic nerve touched
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Yet it is in seeing G’s presence that we behold G’s face and R
content in G’s presence
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
