Fight the Power

Sometimes he suggested that one day we would take over the planet.  He once said that the gates of Hell couldn't stand because of our unstoppable force.    

Not religion.  Love.    

I was watching a historical documentary the other day about the last week of the life of Jesus (on the green channel) and one of the historians was talking about the political times of Jeaus under Roman rule and he pointed out that anything that looked remotely like insurrection to the Roman government during that time was brutally put down.  

The last week of the life of Jesus involved Passover which was a Jewish festival that brought thousands of people into the city of Jerusalem every year.  It was crowded (think of the ball drop at Time Square in New York on New Years Eve.. about 2 to 3 hours before midnight).      

The streets were filling up with fresh pilgrims doing business.  getting ready....  Some making their way to the temple.  All of them.. there to celebrate the feast.  A Hebrew feast.... packed with symbolic meaning... centrally built around the concept of deliverance... and escape from oppression.

To a ruling foreign government anything out of the ordinary would be threatening.  Any scuffle.  Anything that drew the sudden attention of the masses.  Anything that had a mob of people chanting.  Everything to the governing authorities balanced precariously on the edge of a very thin razor blade  during Passover time.

And into all of this rides a suddenly popular young teacher... A healer... a prophet.  The young man Yeshua (Jesus)    returning to the scene of an ancient crime where humanity were once taken hostage.  That's the story.     

Don't think about Peace... he once said.  Think about War.  Because what I've brought to the earth is a sword.  

And so riding down the street through the chants and waving palm branches like patriotic flags....  he comes humble... But still... a revolutionary.  

The Historian says that what he was doing was radical... outrageous... equivalent to black men holding up black fists during the national anthem of the 68 olympics.  

A gesture.  

But more than that?  A sword.  A defiance.  

Unconditional Love... in your face.  Backing you into a corner.  Demanding that you make a choice.  

What will you do??  He asks.

Continue in the Greed.... The hatred.  the prejudiced power that rules the world?

Or love?        
 
What will you do?