The Common Good
March-April 2000

Don't Lose the Personal Jesus

by Anthony J. Husemann | March-April 2000

I AM CONCERNED with Will O’Brien’s article "Dare to Preach this
Gospel." While it is certainly true that Jesus challenged the established moral,
social, political, and ...

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I AM CONCERNED with Will O’Brien’s article "Dare to Preach this Gospel." While it is certainly true that Jesus challenged the established moral, social, political, and religious conventions of his (and our) day, we must not ignore the intensely personal nature of all true "gospel" narratives. To state that the lesson of the widow’s mite is a "scathing critique of economic exploitation" and miss the fact that she was "giving her all" is to ignore an issue essential to Christianity.

Resisting authority and a patriarchal "domination system" is not necessarily a Christian mindset. Jesus’ humanity is all about servanthood—first to God, then to "his own," and finally to all in need around him.

We should, as O’Brien writes, "go and do likewise." Not by "opposing the domination system" but by loving others as Christ has loved us, and giving ourselves for them.

Anthony J. Husemann, Cape May County, New Jersey

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