{"id":27791,"date":"2026-10-22T09:47:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T13:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=27791"},"modified":"2026-10-22T09:47:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T13:47:20","slug":"empire-and-christianity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/?p=27791","title":{"rendered":"Empire and Christianity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cac.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Christianity-and-Empire-10-18-24-26-Week-42-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Empire and Christianity\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One - U2 (Lyrics)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YjKwvgkOpRs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Bigger and More Beautiful Neighborhood&nbsp;<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Thursday, October 22, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In CAC\u2019s virtual gathering, \u201cHow Can We Reclaim Jesus from Empire?\u201d Brian McLaren shares how his faith has changed since he embraced the historical Jesus of the Gospels.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the last couple of hundred years, wave after wave of theologians and Christian thinkers and activists have tried to free Jesus from our theological straightjackets and rediscover him in his historical and political setting. When you do that, you realize the core message of Jesus was\u00a0<em>not<\/em>, \u201cHere are the four steps to go to heaven when you die.\u201d <strong>Jesus\u2019s core message was, \u201cThe kingdom of God is at hand.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cAt hand\u201d means within reach and available now.<\/strong> That\u2019s revolutionary!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So few see this, in part because of misguided traditions of teaching and in part because of confusing translations.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our English word\u00a0<em>kingdom<\/em>\u00a0comes from a Greek word\u00a0<em>basilea<\/em>, which means empire. It\u2019s the same word. So, Jesus shows up in a historical moment when the empire of Caesar in Rome is dominating the Mediterranean world. Jesus says, \u201cHey everybody! The empire of Caesar is a dirty little neighborhood within a much bigger kingdom\u2014the empire of God. Stop framing your lives in that small, ugly, distorted frame of earthly human empire. Deconstruct all your Rome-dominated assumptions. Learn a whole new way of seeing the world because <strong>the empire of God is all around us and within reach!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadly, <strong>too many Christians have<\/strong> done the reverse. They have <strong>shrunk God into the image of a human emperor. They see God as a supreme, dominating, authoritarian autocrat<\/strong>. They don\u2019t see how Jesus is taking the language of empire and flipping it on its head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do <strong>empires<\/strong> do? <strong>They kill people<\/strong>. What does Jesus do? He dies as a nonviolent witness against empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do empires do? They torture and imprison people. Jesus heals people and sets them free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do empires do? <strong>Empires forcefully relocate people.<\/strong> Jesus goes to people where they are and meets them where they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do <strong>empires<\/strong> do? They <strong>create domination hierarchies<\/strong>: These people are over these people, who are over these people, who are over these people. What does Jesus do? He takes the role of the servant and washes people\u2019s feet. He leads from below, kneeling at their feet. What a stark reversal of human domination systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, Jesus talks about God being a father, but is Jesus\u2019s father a Roman patriarchal father? No, God is the opposite: a merciful parent who doesn\u2019t punish a disobedient son, but rather welcomes him home and throws a party to celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly, when you see this, you see everything in a new light. Jesus doesn\u2019t legitimize human nation-states and their dominating systems of top-down control. In word and deed, Jesus exposes and inverts the whole pyramid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He points to something bigger and more beautiful. Shouldn\u2019t we do the same?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reference:<\/strong><br>Adapted from Brian McLaren with Randy Woodley and Edith Woodley, \u201cHow Can We Reclaim Jesus from Empire?\u201d (Center for Action and Contemplation, July 10, 2026). Unavailable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Image credit and inspiration<\/strong>: Bradley Pritchard Jones,\u00a0<em>untitled (detail)<\/em>, 2023, photo, Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/a-stone-building-sitting-on-top-of-a-grass-covered-hill-uXSJUOtMbT8\" target=\"_blank\">Unsplash<\/a>.\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/cac.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Christianity-and-Empire-10-18-24-26-Week-42-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to enlarge image<\/a>.\u00a0<em><strong>Like old stones slowly returning to the hillside, the structures of empire fade while the way of Jesus, rooted like the land itself, remains.<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>=============================================================================<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fapp-link%2Fpost%3Fpublication_id%3D2863497%26post_id%3D221007455%26utm_source%3Dpost-email-title%26utm_campaign%3Demail-post-title%26isFreemail%3Dtrue%26r%3D69zmaq%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzk1NzU0NTgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIyMTAwNzQ1NSwiaWF0IjoxNzkyMzQxNTgyLCJleHAiOjE3OTQ5MzM1ODIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yODYzNDk3Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.ivbVN4al0ozCzn7aKjwZ86JV7QvVYRfnT1BbR9jV_vY&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864511062%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=M8%2BtQSbraUvawiyya5UyMDlDgOBzaG2yimPhbVJLPx4%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Whose Image? Bradley Jersak<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Homily \u2013 Church of the Magdalene \u2014 Oct. 18, 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2F%40bradleyjersak&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864535072%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=bW6sZD4GWhT9GK5vewLF6kydQNdDbnWlwn6WnZwIViY%3D&amp;reserved=0\">BRADLEY JERSAK<\/a> OCT 18<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2F%40bradleyjersak&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864556415%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=X94h3%2FYG0omzi6M4EKwTv55VG%2BbhlHxOFgyW5GrFC2I%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fapp-link%2Fpost%3Fpublication_id%3D2863497%26post_id%3D221007455%26utm_source%3Dsubstack%26isFreemail%3Dtrue%26submitLike%3Dtrue%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzk1NzU0NTgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIyMTAwNzQ1NSwicmVhY3Rpb24iOiLinaQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTIzNDE1ODIsImV4cCI6MTc5NDkzMzU4MiwiaXNzIjoicHViLTI4NjM0OTciLCJzdWIiOiJyZWFjdGlvbiJ9.XvvPTfrICKl-6vbqfrikgBLwz24uOniH9b4n-jb06RY%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Demail-reaction%26r%3D69zmaq&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864577159%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=sTUL8AwOQhcowZRkrdX2ozuI1Iq%2BF3egfzFbTc1GLgE%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fapp-link%2Fpost%3Fpublication_id%3D2863497%26post_id%3D221007455%26utm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail%26isFreemail%3Dtrue%26comments%3Dtrue%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzk1NzU0NTgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIyMTAwNzQ1NSwiaWF0IjoxNzkyMzQxNTgyLCJleHAiOjE3OTQ5MzM1ODIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yODYzNDk3Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.ivbVN4al0ozCzn7aKjwZ86JV7QvVYRfnT1BbR9jV_vY%26r%3D69zmaq%26utm_campaign%3Demail-half-magic-comments%26action%3Dpost-comment%26utm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864603006%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=X%2BzWtYlw%2BF4v76nbcQZK2sbgzM%2Fk%2Fc86SdLHseecjUg%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fapp-link%2Fpost%3Fpublication_id%3D2863497%26post_id%3D221007455%26utm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_content%3Dshare%26utm_campaign%3Demail-share%26action%3Dshare%26triggerShare%3Dtrue%26isFreemail%3Dtrue%26r%3D69zmaq%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzk1NzU0NTgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIyMTAwNzQ1NSwiaWF0IjoxNzkyMzQxNTgyLCJleHAiOjE3OTQ5MzM1ODIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yODYzNDk3Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.ivbVN4al0ozCzn7aKjwZ86JV7QvVYRfnT1BbR9jV_vY&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864632692%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=vOG%2B34hJsvzhZ7jDyDp4tnm4kZdLuhDa49rab255kHo%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fbradleyjersak124315%2Fp%2Fwhose-image-bradley-jersak%3Futm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Demail-restack-comment%26action%3Drestack-comment%26r%3D69zmaq%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzk1NzU0NTgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIyMTAwNzQ1NSwiaWF0IjoxNzkyMzQxNTgyLCJleHAiOjE3OTQ5MzM1ODIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yODYzNDk3Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.ivbVN4al0ozCzn7aKjwZ86JV7QvVYRfnT1BbR9jV_vY%26utm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864657752%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=KB6ZjSl4fnaO%2FMJR%2BZYQyvXX0osDxPn1%2Fhk7MrD4XsY%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fbradleyjersak124315%2Fp%2Fwhose-image-bradley-jersak%3Futm_source%3Demail%26redirect%3Dapp-store-no-desktop%26inbox%3Dtrue%26utm_campaign%3Demail-read-in-app&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864691231%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qoe%2FHSCVSq5yEKDIR8P9%2BMHKdfgwdOUM3CyNQWCcFyY%3D&amp;reserved=0\">READ IN APP<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>I delivered this homily to the Church of the Magdalen. I\u2019ve retained the personal nature of speaking to 20 people I know very well, seasoned Jesus-followers whose example I note. So in a sense, readers are overhearing a family discussion, but as the shoe fits, please wear it.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>L<\/strong>ECTIONARY READINGS (with links)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fredirect%2F72c6eee3-091e-4abf-8359-34a59e1d16fe%3Fj%3DeyJ1IjoiNjl6bWFxIn0.p2HZRNkXKPuP-Fxa781NvzGZhkVUuGwokXOm6NpkKNw&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864718048%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=M7jUFZSsgoSBQ6yYRyRdWI3soKiWyyPOhRBRK4CYHgg%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Psalm 96:1-13<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fredirect%2Fa914c8fe-02ce-489f-864a-ba0c4c898c0a%3Fj%3DeyJ1IjoiNjl6bWFxIn0.p2HZRNkXKPuP-Fxa781NvzGZhkVUuGwokXOm6NpkKNw&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864746648%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=CSEZTtX3Zw3A52urM%2F9kiEYWRche%2Fhfw7g2PVID1RyQ%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Isaiah 45:1-7<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fredirect%2Fafcc7cd8-b6d3-4384-b39b-7b30236b4458%3Fj%3DeyJ1IjoiNjl6bWFxIn0.p2HZRNkXKPuP-Fxa781NvzGZhkVUuGwokXOm6NpkKNw&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864772791%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=H9tqat5BJN6UD1sBJCCCvHXaEaOuA25OGfChK3JLZyo%3D&amp;reserved=0\">1 Thessalonians 1:1-10<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fredirect%2F79bed60c-2f1c-4666-acc7-f5969cfef082%3Fj%3DeyJ1IjoiNjl6bWFxIn0.p2HZRNkXKPuP-Fxa781NvzGZhkVUuGwokXOm6NpkKNw&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864795214%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=iGNeBQAf5ROwLGzNMzRrCSlJc5URFU4IBP1EFDWixM8%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Matthew 22:15-22<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fredirect%2F8f8f3184-0001-4412-b869-fe95cf2e2363%3Fj%3DeyJ1IjoiNjl6bWFxIn0.p2HZRNkXKPuP-Fxa781NvzGZhkVUuGwokXOm6NpkKNw&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C25e422129ba84a3b789b08df2d3669da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639279383864817126%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2EukAyia0YKZEYUF%2FxVUHHoJAzEcMRhYkaNes78fyLg%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!0xjs!,w_1100,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8af83db-f4f6-43f0-8081-4e6f07b49c6d_1372x666.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WHOSE IMAGE?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Today,<br><em><strong>Today<\/strong><\/em><strong>,<\/strong>&nbsp;mind you,<br>the Lord Jesus asks us,<br><em><strong>us,<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;mind you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em><strong>Whose image, whose icon,<br>whose likeness, whose face&nbsp;<br>is on the Coin?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What caption, what inscription,<br>what slogans and titles<br>does our Coin bear?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Come to think of it,<br>what is our Coin (uppercase C)?<br>the Coin we carry<br>and has our allegiance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As our Lord looks up from our Coin<br>we make eye contact, and he says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em><strong>\u201cRender to God what is God\u2019s.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>And because it\u2019s you,<br>dear friends and siblings,<br>I see him break into a broad, warm smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CAESAR\u2019S IMAGE<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The first part is too easy, too familiar.<br><br>We&nbsp;<em>know<\/em>&nbsp;the image of Caesar is empire, domination, and control.<br>Caesar\u2019s image is on our currency,<br>our flags, our anthems, our hand-on-heart pledges,<br>Caesar speaks from our capitol buildings and in our tax assessments.<br>Caesar knows you \u2026 by number, as number.<br>Caesar tells&nbsp;<strong>you<\/strong>&nbsp;what to render and renders it from you.<br>to pay for your water, your electricity, your highways, schools,&nbsp;<br>(thank you),<br>to pay for Caesar\u2019s death rows, deportations, and genocides,<br>(damn it).<br><br>And today,<br><strong>today<\/strong>, mind you,<br>self-anointed prophets insist we vote and bow to their chosen Caesars,<br>even anointing them with the name \u201cCyrus\u201d to justify their blasphemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">THE TRUE IMAGE<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BUT<\/strong>, but, but!&nbsp;<br>That\u2019s just coin.<br>The reality is far more radical, more beautiful, more joyous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of today\u2019s readings,<br>today\u2019s message from heaven,<br>lift our eyes to the One true Image of God,<br>to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PROCLAIMED IN THE PSALMS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Psalmist proclaims the beautiful Gospel of the Coming One\u2014<br>the Lord who is great and greatly to be praised,<br>whose compelling image we receive and proclaim and sing and declare&#8230;<br><br>His Psalm,&nbsp;<em><strong>our song,<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is&nbsp;<strong>not<\/strong>&nbsp;raised&nbsp;<br>to some tribal God of the elect&nbsp;<em>de jour,<br><\/em>our Lord does not serve any nation\u2019s political expansion,<br>or exclusive religious movement like \u201cChristian\u201d nationalism,<br>that crave dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Psalmist says&nbsp;<strong>our<\/strong>&nbsp;Lord is good news<br>for everyone,<br>for&nbsp;<strong>all<\/strong>&nbsp;the earth,<br>for the&nbsp;<strong>whole<\/strong>&nbsp;world,<br>for the families of the peoples in&nbsp;<strong>every<\/strong>&nbsp;nation!<br><br>When they hear he is coming as Judge,<br>they do not cower in dread.<br>The heavens are glad,<br>the earth rejoices,<br>Creation exults<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Precisely<em><strong>&nbsp;because&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em>it is<em>&nbsp;<\/em>Jesus coming to judge the earth<br><em><strong>Because<\/strong><\/em>,&nbsp;<em>finally,<\/em>&nbsp;we have a ruler whose reign is mercy<br>and whose judgments are equity for everyone,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The image on his banner is the Cross&nbsp;<br>where the scales of justice<br>always render a verdict of God\u2019s peace on all the earth&nbsp;<br>and divine goodwill to&nbsp;<em>all<\/em>&nbsp;people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PREVIEWED IN THE PROPHETS<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This same Lord the Psalms proclaim,<br>the Prophets also preview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Isaiah offers Emperor Cyrus as a mere shadow of a far greater Reality.<br>However dimly, Cyrus blindly prefigures&nbsp;<br>the Image of God we now behold in Christ.<br><br>Cyrus, who does not know God,<br>is anointed as a gesture to the Messiah&nbsp;<br>who does know God,&nbsp;<br>comes from God,&nbsp;<br>was with God from eternity,&nbsp;<br>and is the Image and Likeness of God.<br><br>Those local, temporary, political exploits of Cyrus&nbsp;<br>are fulfilled in Christ on a cosmic, universal scale<br>that delivers us all from the Empire of Darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s give ear to the fulfillment,<br>Today,<br><strong>today<\/strong>, mind you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus is God\u2019s anointed,<br>Jesus subdues nations,<br>Jesus strips the prince of darkness of power,<br>Jesus breaks open the gates of Hades to conquer death,<br>and the gates of His fair city will never be shut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus goes before us to level mountains of injustice,<br>he breaks in pieces the iron bars of bondage,<br>and he has and is and will deliver us,<br><strong>us<\/strong>, mind you,<br><strong>his<\/strong>&nbsp;treasure and his riches and his inheritance,<br>retrieving\u2014rendering\u2014from darkness&nbsp;<br>everyone, everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus is Lord, and there is no other,<br>Jesus is Lord, and you&nbsp;<strong>do<\/strong>&nbsp;know him,<br>from the rising of the sun to its going down,<br>there is just no one like him,<br>not even the false image of Jesus&nbsp;<br>that false prophets of Caesar parade before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>know<\/strong>&nbsp;the Jesus of the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Gospels,<br>and every shadow is washed out in the Light of&nbsp;<strong>his<\/strong>&nbsp;glory.<br><br>The Epistle picks up the image or face of Christ,<br>the icon of God proclaimed in the Psalms,&nbsp;<br>prefigured in the prophets,&nbsp;<br>and locates it \u2026 where?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PORTRAYED IN HIS PEOPLE<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Today,<br><strong>today<\/strong>, mind you,<br>the Image of Christ is reflected in the people called by his name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Thessalonians and the Magdalenes<br>are and are becoming the icon,&nbsp;<br>the image of the Image of God\u2014<br>the face of Christ in the world,&nbsp;<br>for the life of the world\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to Paul describe&nbsp;<strong>you,<\/strong><br>as he describes himself&nbsp;<br>and his Lord:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I always give thanks to God for all of you,<br>always mentioning you in our prayers,<br>constantly remembering&nbsp;<br>your work of faith,<br>your labor of love,<br>your steadfast hope,in our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Magdalene image of Christ&nbsp;<br>bears and shares<br>the message of the gospel,<br>In word, yes,<br>and in the power of the Holy Spirit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, when I look for the image,<br>I see the imitators,<br>an example to all the believers,<br>and not only in Macedonia and Achaia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No, you lot have sounded forth in<br>Mexico, Canada, and the United States,<br>you\u2019ve traversed Europe and the UK<br>and touched hearts in the Middle East,<br>you\u2019ve ventured from Southeast Asia,<br>and lived your peace in far-off Islands.<br>What continent has Sister Gillian&nbsp;<br>not mentored from her home?<br>(maybe Antarctica?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What a strange, eclectic little collection of Maggies,<br>in whose faces I see the Image of the Image of God,<br>in whose hearts and hugs I\u2019ve encountered Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WALK THIS WORLD AS THE PARDON OF GOD<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Our friend Peri, reflecting on Francis of Assisi,<br>leaves us with this commission to bear the image<br>and render our lives to Christ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em><strong>Walk the world as the pardon of God<br>Always affirm the Christ you see in others&nbsp;<br>Let your faces and your words&nbsp;<br>radiate the radically inclusive welcome of Jesus.<br>Be the image you bear and who bears you.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Lord, make us an instrument of your peace.<br>Where there is hatred, let us sow love;<br>where there is injury, pardon;<br>where there is doubt, faith;<br>where there is despair, hope;<br>where there is darkness, light;<br>where there is sadness, joy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>O Divine Master, grant that we may not so much seek<br>to be consoled as to console;<br>to be understood as to understand;<br>to be loved as to love.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For it is in giving that we receive;<br>it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;<br>and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.<br>Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Bigger and More Beautiful Neighborhood&nbsp; Thursday, October 22, 2026 In CAC\u2019s virtual gathering, \u201cHow Can We Reclaim Jesus from Empire?\u201d Brian McLaren shares how his faith has changed since he embraced the historical Jesus of the Gospels. In the last couple of hundred years, wave after wave of theologians and Christian thinkers and activists [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27791"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27791"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27792,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27791\/revisions\/27792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}