The Event Horizon

When Jesus speaks of giving to the needy, prayer and fasting in Matthew 6, he touches on some of the pillars that people aspire to do when they talk about religion. While there are many shades that these practices can look like, and many forms that they can take, it’s no question that Jesus asks us – you and me – to be a part of this bigger-than-ourselves role.

Do you then need to be religious in order to do good In the world, in society, or in the community where you are?  Not really. The basis on which different people do good is different. What is Jesus really pointing the Christian to when he goes on saying “your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”? The emphasis here is not to look into what one may achieve, or gain from performing all these practices, but to in fact to take oneself out of the picture entirely. This idea of selflessness is one that may drive a person, or a group, or even an organization to do meaningful work that impacts and helps people. It is indeed wonderful that human beings are inherently good, and that good will in fact be done by many a people everywhere. What difference does it make, if one person shares the same kind of selflessness that Jesus commands of the Christian but does not profess the faith. There is a philosophical black hole that this question drifts towards. It then becomes hard to see into that black hole and make sense of intentions that one may have in doing what Jesus asks of the Christian, what one may gain from doing all these works that surround the faith.

The Bible isn’t a plain clear-cut investigation into this. Placing the verses in the context of the bigger picture might help offer some insight. This bigger picture is needed so that the psychological, emotional, physical and mental states might persevere the tests – pushing and pulling – that one may go through when questioning the reason for something. Rationalizing faith in this sense is “brave” – as someone told me. It is also noteworthy that faith does not come to man as a command from God but as an offer by the working of the Holy Spirit. Blaise Pascal’s rationale to believe in God was that it was safer to choose faith than not to. So, is there an opportunity to pass on this one?

For now, we are just bordering the event horizon – inevitably peeking into the detail, trying to understand the spaces this inquiry leads us to. Looking into the Bible will have answers. Other people have also thought of these questions before. Looking to God and not into the self is the only thing that remains the answer, the source of peace, and joy, and hope and other promises. One thing remains – and this is that: among other “rewards in heaven” God promises are eternal.