The main idea of this chapter is that we should allow our hopes and dreams to revolve around Jesus. Allowing our hopes and dreams to become with Jesus is necessary to the building the kingdom of God on earth because our dreams have the power to influence our actions and change our lives either positively or negatively. When we allow God into our dreams, our dreams create a positive effect on our life, causing us to practice justice, peace, and equality toward others. Jesus� parables and miracles that he told, along with his suffering, death, and resurrection, were meant to inspire us, giving us hopes and dreams that would affect our lives, causing us to work towards the kingdom of God on earth by living out Jesus� dream for the kingdom. Taiz� is a community in France that is a haven for people who share Jesus� dream of the kingdom, and practice peace, equality, and justice toward people of many religions, countries, and social classes. Taiz� is a model for how we should carry out Jesus� dream for the kingdom on earth
2) Two major ideas I want to remember.
One idea from this chapter that I would like to remember is the importance of pain and suffering in our lives. Pain and suffering is necessary toward our growth of compassion toward others. It accomplishes this by causing us to put ourselves in a suffering person situation and empathize towards them. Acknowledging our pain and suffering also can cause us to admit our sin and accept responsibility for our actions. This allows us to grow closer to God and to others. Pain and suffering is necessary towards the building of the kingdom of God on earth by causing us to admit our mistakes and feel a more sincere compassion toward others.
Another idea I want to keep in mind is the fact that the Romans and Jews played an important part in the passion of Christ according to the Gospels because of the relationship between these two groups and the early Christians. At the time the Gospels were being written, the Church was managing its attempts to break off from the Jewish religion and from Rome. These events caused a natural loathing toward the Jews and Romans, and this loathing was expressed in the Gospels by often portraying the Pharisees and Romans as the villains in Christ�s journey to free us from our sins. Although some people take the negative comments made of the Jews quite literally, these comments were simply the cause of the Gospel writers� overflow of emotions toward the Jews and Romans at the time which was reflected in their writings. 3) An image that captures this chapter.
4) One significant question I have from this chapter
"Why did the Sanhedrin have to change their charges against Jesus in order for Jesus to be crucified?"
The charges against Jesus by the Sanhedrin had to be changed in order for Jesus to be crucified because the Sanhedrin had no authority to crucify anyone; only Roman officials had the power to crucify someone. Also, the Sanhedrin charges against Jesus, which was blasphemy, was not a valid crime to the Romans, since they chose not to involve themselves with the religious affairs of those they had conquered. However, after Jesus had allowed himself to be called a king, he was charged with treason, a crime punishable by crucifixion.
Back to Homepage
Back to Journal 7:Called to Love
Next to Journal 9:Called to Share the Good News