human family as a baby. He was human and yet divine. He was flesh
and blood as we are. He lived on this earth as we do, he died as we
will, and he was resurrected to new life in a never-ending kingdom
that will someday be ours.
To look at our Lord as he was on earth is to see a radiant life that
vibrantly affected other people. In his book The Gentle Revolutionar-
ies,^1 Brennan Manning described Jesus in these words:
The Lord passed through the world, a figure of light and truth,
sometimes tender, sometimes violent, always just, loving, effec-
tive, but not insecure. A word, a gesture, a few syllables traced in
sand, a command like “Come, follow me!” and destinies were
changed, spirits reborn, hearts filled with joy. Jesus walked on the
water almost inadvertently; he chatted with Samaritans, prosti-
tutes, children. He spoke to them of truth and mercy and forgive-
ness with never a shadow of insecurity darkening his
countenance.The new birth Jesus gives us when we are born again is more than
the hope of heaven. It is a livinghope that touches every part of our
lives here and now. We are able to see new possibilities in everyday
circumstances that we never noticed before. As we enter the door-
way of prayer into this new life, we become aware of the richness of
its rampant possibilities. What we once viewed as dead-end situa-
tions begin to open up and a way becomes apparent. As we pray, the
Lord brings light and life right through the center of our dark im-
possibilities. Relationships are mended. Hope is restored. When we
are born again into Jesus’ kingdom, we begin to live in the truth of
his words as recorded in Matthew 19:26: “With God all things are
possible.”
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