Paradox: can we live with Him?

I often face intriguing challenges from colleagues and friends who are either fundamentalists or do not believe God exists; questioning how I can live in Catholic faith especially when they consider much of the faith as “waffling in her understanding.” In today’s “data” driven mindsets, everything’s measured, tested and presented as if individuals or children are mere sets of algorithms. (some day stat folks will conclude people are far greater than the sums of their parts!!! Hopefully this conclusion arrives sooner rather than later.) Many have allowed concrete thought, certitudes to harden relationships and crystalize their spirituality. As a society, we witness politicians and the media sensationalize and polarize to extremes. Growing numbers of people would rather live in fundamental rigidity or denial of God’s existence, paralyzed to move forward until the “data” is in. Both groups fail to live fluidly in thought and faith. Mark Twain said, “It is not what you don’t know that harms you, it is what you know for certain – and it just ain’t true.” (As a Twain fan, I doubt his pronouncement of atheism … as he used paradox to refute fundamentalism but not a Creator… “Letters from the Earth” is a good read)
As I limit my understanding of Jesus with boundaries and I attempt to grow comfortable … a familiar (b/c I do this far too often) discomfort creeps from around the corner. Why? My faith, our faith and Jesus in it oozes with paradox. I find more people building comfortable boundaries … unwilling to live … to explore … to immerse themselves in Paradox. Paradox makes me uncomfortable. Paradox makes Church uncomfortable … and from discomfort comes growth!

Paradox is something that appears to be a contradiction, but from a different perspective is not a contradiction. Jesus is fully God … fully human. Incarnate yet heavenly. Physical yet spiritual (ask Thomas about this one.) Masculine yet feminine. Meek yet powerful. Victim rises to Victor. Mary is both virgin and mother. Bread is still bread and yet Jesus. Wine is still wine and yet Jesus. The Divine lives in each of us, both graceful and prone to sinfulness. Time passes and is eternal. (for those certain analytical types consider an infinite number of points in a finite distance J Quantum Mechanics and genetics are rich with paradox. Principles state they are impossible to fully understand. Sound complex/simple? … familiar? I depend on the H.S. for understanding QM … others probably do also. They just don’t know it!)

The All-Knowing gives us free will. Freedom emerges from persecution. Life resurrects from death on a cross. Pain and suffering bring forth healing. Two make one in marriage. Vision requires darkness and light. One forgives when no one else will. The Shepherd left the 99 to go in search of the 1. Is it any wonder why Christ told his disciples they needed to have the faith of little children? Children handle paradox much easier than adults. The Spirit gives us the wisdom to hold these contradictions together. Those who want to live in control want to manage with certainty as did the Pharisees in Jesus’ time.

Jesus is the living Paradox linking all of these and more mysteries. He had no problem being contrary. If one cannot accept paradoxes, one can never fully love another. (Great friends, married folks could fill volumes of truth on this one!! Talk this over with your spouse or friend. Soak in the gift of mysteries … wisdom, patience, forgiveness! Did you choose to build bridges or walls of separation?) Love richly and risk loss. (Those who’ve lost one they loved richly live this experience.) Ours is to follow His path. My challengers might say a person is human not divine and to be both is an impossible contradiction. However, the living Christ, Jesus reveals this contradiction is an essential part of life. While surrendering belief due to contradictions, challengers state Christians have lost critical thought. However, the Spirit intercedes asking that we hone our skills to live in paradox.

Living in paradox is participation in the life of God. Franciscan theologian, Richard Rohr states, “We made Jesus into a mere religion instead of a journey toward union with God and everything else. This shift made us into a religion of belonging and believing [as in club membership] instead of a religion of transformation.” Is Rohr onto something? Are you locked into certitudes, frozen in life? What are the paradoxes, the opposites you hold together in your life? How do you incorporate your life into Paradox?