The Ragamuffin Gospel

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The wise are dumbfounded. The simple are raised to honored places. The prostitutes, tax collectors, and yes, even murderers, are given honored places in the kingdom of God because they believed a simple truth: that Jesus could provide them with salvation. It is truly a scandal. It scandalized the pious in the little Roman province of Israel 2000 years ago...and it is still scandalous today. God, this amazing being, decided to live among us and sacrifice himself for us, so that we could be right with him and call him a friend. It brings him no greater joy than to turn the world on its head and to welcome the humble into eternal discourse, not as equals, but as prized students who are dearly loved. This love flows into us and you can see it in our actions as we work tirelessly to bring heaven to earth here and now. We make so many mistakes, because we are human, but one pious and humble heart can change the world with love that comes from above (a love that we cannot produce on our own, but is produced in quiet contact with the divine that slowly perfects us as human beings). Think of Mother Teresa. If I could be only a 10th of what Mother Teresa was, I would be a happy man.

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