The Ultimate Paradigm Shift
Humanity must deal with the challenge of Jesus to the "status quo!"
Ever heard of a paradigm shift? It means "a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions." Paradigm shifts occur many times in history, in nations, and in persons, and when they do, they are often disruptive, disturbing, and even unwelcome by many.
In 1962 American physicist Thomas Kuhn coined the phrase to explain how scientific advancement took place. He observed that scientific revolutions happened suddenly and with great effect. Think of the revolution in knowledge and literacy with the invention of the printing press. What was once the rare, expensive, and elite world of owning books, which had to be copied by hand, now suddenly, was available to everyone. And think of this startling statistic that says human knowledge now doubles (DOUBLES) every 12 months and is heading to doubling every 12 HOURS once the "Internet of things" is pressed out! Imagine what we'll know tomorrow!
Paradigm shifts occur in societies and cultures. Our own society has experienced some dizzying shifts in the last twenty years. Some hail these changes as “progress,” while others see great dangers in these societal upheavals.
Humanity faced a huge paradigm shift with the coming of Jesus Christ! We are still expereincing the effects of this Man coming into history to this day.
Look at our Gospel Lesson in Mark 11:27-33:
At that time, Jesus came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer me." And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'From men'?" -- they were afraid of the people, for all held that John was a real prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Standing in front of these Jewish Leaders was God in the Flesh. I know, I know, this is difficult to grasp. In fact, St. Paul says that this is "foolishness" to the pagan Greeks and a "stumbling block" to the Jews (see 1 Corinthians 1:23). Even though the First Testament was filled with hints and prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, using words like His name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," (see Isaiah 9:6) their human minds simply could not fathom the paradigm shift in reality and experience that would result if the Uncreated had really stepped into His Creation as part of His Creation! This, of course, is also a huge problem for Islam that simply cannot imagine "Allah" having a "partner."
But nonetheless, the weaknesses of Jewish and Muslim theologies and the philosophical problems of pagan Greece didn't stop the paradigm shift of God becoming Flesh so that we humans could become "engoded.” And that changed (and continues to change) everything.
The fact that some can't wrap their heads around this mystery doesn't suddenly make the mystery unreal. It just makes those who can't stand in the Light of this mystery poverty-stricken! More to be pitied, prayed for, loved, and reached out to than hated.
That's why the Lord chose to address the question asked of Him by the religious leaders as He did. They couldn't have heard His answer in the first place. They weren't ready for the paradigm shift standing in front of them! So, the Lord exposed their unreadiness and spiritual blindness to everyone. Of course, this just made them hate Him all the more.
But that is what usually happens in a paradigm shift. The "status quo" fights like mad (I'm using that word on purpose) to preserve that which is passing away because they can't conceive what their world would look like without the "status quo." They live their lives based not on love or hope or enthusiasm but on fear and the constant use of their energies fighting a rearguard action to keep things from slipping away from them. When you think about it, it's kind of sad, really. Just look at the panic in many over the shift in demographics of religious observance in America! Instead of asking how we can better serve this generation with the timeless message of Orthodoxy, the fearful and the blind are scrambling around desperate to preserve the sand slipping through their fingers!
Remembering the great saint Onesimus, the Apostle of the 70, is a classic reminder of the consequences of the cosmic paradigm shift of the coming of Jesus. Onesimus was a slave to a Christian man]named Philemon. St. Philemon even had a letter written to him by St. Paul about his slave, Onesimus. The coming of Jesus forever disrupted the matter-of-fact societal acceptance of the very idea of slavery, as St. Paul tells St. Philemon to receive back his runaway slave as a fellow brother in Christ and not some disobedient piece of property! St. Philemon did receive his slave back but immediately released him from any slavery and sent him back to St. Paul to be Paul's co-worker in ministering to the Church. Jesus changes everything!
Today, let's not be gripped by fear and panic and worry, knowing that history is really "His Story!" And knowing He loves us and our generation more than we, ourselves know how to love. Let's be about loving our neighbor so that we are diligent to be faithful to our generation by offering them the timeless medicine of Orthodoxy through loving service, creativity, beauty, and courage! Let’s live a Normal Orthodox life that is truly transformed by the paradigm shift of the Lord Jesus Christ.
P.S. You shined upon the world as a bright sunbeam, shining with the rays of Paul, the sun of most resplendent light, who has enlightened the entire world. Thus, we all honor you, blessed Onesimus.
