The March of the New Exodus
The new Exodus is marching hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm together as one family to the rhythmic beat of the loving heart of our living God! Rejoice and be glad!
The Escape Route Through the Valley of Tears
To rescue us from our dire predicament in the Valley of Tears, God built an escape route, defined it with holy places, made a map of them, established a Church and entrusted the map to the Church. The Church has the map and knows the way. The job of the Church is to facilitate the escape not to frustrate it, filter it or foul it up
.
The escape of the new Exodus is primary. Nothing else matters. Everything else is secondary. Anything that interferes is suspect
.
“Nobody left behind" is the motto of the escape. "Neither saint nor sinner”
.
Participation is the job of the Church. The job of the Church is to turn settlers into pilgrims. Transformation is the job of God. The job of God is to transform sinners into saints. The work of salvation goes off the rails when the Church tries to do God’s job.
Pulling up our roots from the toxic soil of the Valley of Tears
Like trees, settlers have put down roots deep into the Valley of Tears. They are content to stand still even though the Valley of Tears is hostile territory. In hostile territory, movement is necessary for survival. Settlers standing still in the Valley of Tears must become pilgrims passing through it. Run, settlers, run. Do not stand still. Run from holy place to holy place. [If the exigency is not felt, the Church is not doing its job .]
Better to be pilgrims passing through the Valley of Tears than settlers roosting in it.
The sanctimonious want to bar sinners from the holy places that define the escape route of the new Exodus through the Valley of Tears. They promote a policy of exclusion. They erect "Do Not Enter" and "No Trespassing" signs to keep sinners away from the holy places. Unfortunately, this does not help sinners to discover and explore the mystery, majesty and magnificence of God. Sinners do not transform themselves. The Church does not transform sinners. Only God transforms sinners and the transformation takes place at the holy places. If the goal is to transform sinners into saints, it is necessary to welcome them to the holy places. It is counter-productive to keep sinners from the holy places. A policy of keeping sinners - the people who need it most - from the Holy Places is ludicrous.
What is the bait that God cast into the Valley of Tears to fish for the children of Adam and Eve? What is the inducement that encourages us to participate in the escape of the new Exodus through the Valley of Tears, across the Red Sea of death and into the promised land?
The Church has bit off more than it can chew. The scope of its mission has expanded beyond its proper boundaries. Preach the good news of great joy, step aside and let God do the rest. Step aside and get out of God's way.
Sinners are not transformed into saints when the Church discourages participation in the escape. When the Church excludes sinners from the escape - from the Holy Places where close encounters with our living and loving God take place - sinners remain sinners and do not transform into saints. The Church fails when it tries to limit participation in the escape. We do not transform ourselves. The Church does not transform us. Only God transforms us and he does so at the holy places that define the escape route through the Valley of Tears from slavery under the yoke of Pharaoh to freedom with God and his Holy Family in the promised land.
The Church has tied God up in knots with its official rules, regulations, red tape and rigmarole. It is time to set God free.