Gospel of Mary 4
"When we try to control chaos with rules and demands, the result is more chaos. The alternative to control is self-organization,creating coherence at the core with values and principles known by all, and trusting people to intelligently choose actions thatembody that core identity."
- Margaret J. Wheatley, Who Do We Choose to Be?
We are reading The Gospel of Mary this summer. A reminder that the first six pages are missing from the most completecopy we have of this writing, and what we do have begins with what was probably a 6-page teaching by Jesus, reinforcingthe key teachings he had shared with people in person. We have a few short teachings whsich end this part of the gospel,part of what was a post resurrection appearance of Jesus to the gathered disciples. Maybe someday we'll find the beginning of this gospel, and when we do, we'll have an important summary of what second century followers of Jesusthought were the most important things they learned from him. Today, we have just a snippet of what they found important. What can we learn from it?
First, Jesus thought it was possible for those who followed his teaching to find inner peace. Their world was chaotic and violent. Although Rome had made peace across the Empire, they had done so by conquering and enslaving almost every other nation. Their focus was on accumulating wealth and pleasure, which can seem like a good thing at the time, but which doesn't lead to inner peace or strong communities. Jesus not only gave them an alternative, but he taught them that living by his teachings had spiritual rewards - it made their lives better than just going along with the culture aroundthem.
Second, Jesus tells them not to pay attention to other teachers or schools of thought which lead them this way or that in their search for wisdom and truth. Neither does he say, "Just pay attention to me. I'm right." Instead, he tells them to pay attention to their inner wisdom and to trust that they can discover truth within. This is a pretty strong contrast to those partsof Christianity which tell us to believe what we're told about Jesus and we'll be saved. Those folks are often saying, "Believe me. I've got it right."
We know from our Bibles that in the earliest days of people following Jesus, they didn't all agree. The letters of Paul contain his frustration with those who are teaching new Christians something different from what he himself advocated. Everyone in a Jesus-following community was trying to remember what they had heard him say or what some friend hadtold them they had heard him say. And they were debating what those sayings meant. What did Jesus intend for them to do?And why did God let him die? And how do you explain resurrection? We have answers to those questions because we've heard "the answers" most of our lives. Even if we didn't grow up in a church community, our environment is sufficiently Christian that we know how other people answer those questions. But in the first and second centuries, there were no traditional answers. They were making it up as they went along. Jesus is telling them not to be confused by conflicting answers coming from all directions. He's saying, in essence, "Trust your gut."
That's a bit of a new twist to much of what Christianity often tells people. Last week we read about Jesus telling them they were made of the same spiritual stuff as God and Jesus, that it was good stuff, and that they can trust it. These verses tell them, "The child of true Humanity exists within you. Follow it. Those who search for it will find it." That echoes the verses we've known as "Seek and you will find." But it differs in that we're not finding an answer from an external source but from the deep well of truth within us. This teaching trusts humans to have a core source of goodness.
It's not about overcoming sin, which last week we learned wasn't a real thing. It's about tapping into the values which reflect allthat is holy and good, and finding them in heart and soul.
Then Jesus tells them to share that way of approaching life as good news. Tell others what you've learned. Tell them how living from these values makes life better. Tell them about the peace of Jesus that you can find. Next week we're going to read about their response. But first Jesus tells them not to make a lot of rules about this way of living. He was trusting them to find truth within, and he wants them to trust others to do the same. Don't expect everyone to believe and behave exactly like you do. Tell them what you've learned and let them learn for themselves.
Margaret Wheatley writes about finding a good way forward as a community while we're living in a time when culture is collapsing around us. It's a time not unlike the first and second centuries when a big Empire thinks they have all the answers but will soon learn that even the best and biggest can fall. She reminds us that when we have differences of opinion, we all want to control the story. So, we make rules for everyone to follow. But making more and more rules encourages not obedience but rebellion. When you don't acknowledge that everyone has values they treasure, you don't make space for people to "rise to the challenge of the times. Instead of saying, "Find the child of true Humanity,” you say. Do it my way. I'm right." That trick never works.
What are the teachings Jesus has shared with his followers to guide their search for good? Love your neighbor. Share what you have with those who have less. Believe that God loves you and everyone. Tell the truth. We made a list of values we think reflect Jesus' teachings and wrote them on our windows. Wheatley echoes Jesus when she says giving people space to name values to live by helps them form community. Goodness comes not from external rules but from the heart of those who want to do what is right for everyone. When people agree on the best ways to live, they build one another up. They create connection. They live from the inside out, and by doing so they express the love of God from their hearts into the world. Jesus says, "Peace bewith you!" and he shows them how working together and being in touch with what is best in each person brings peace.