Pilgr-image 02 - Good News
esus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. - Matthew 4:23
We should love nothing more than to fulfill the justice of God, not in church services (which often attract people as honey attracts flies) but rather in our daily lives, wherever we are. That is when we have to work zealously for the commandments of God and his truth, yes, his rights; there we must show our hunger and thirst for righteousness; there we must prove whether or not we want God. We cannot prove that in our churches alone but must do it outside, in the fields, in business, in daily life, in your family – you husband, you wife, and you children. Together, we have to look out for the rights of God.… We must gather together again. Who will come under God’s rulership – who? - Christoph Blumhardt
It has to matter. It has to make a difference. As I read Blumhardt's reflection, I thought of a quote by the great astronomer Carl Sagan: "The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space." To paraphrase Sagan's words, the Gospel is a pretty big message. If it doesn't change lives, it is just a waste of time, space, energy, resources. That's what Blumhardt is getting at in this quote but also in his whole reflection in the book - the Gospel has to make a difference in the world. It can't just be a nice thing that happens during an hour on Sunday morning but it has to be something that matters "on the street" as well.