The Healing Power of Holy Memory
Introduction
Christian therapists teach on “the healing of the memories” in ways that can be helpful but limited in impact because rarely grounded in the ongoing heavenly life of Christ. This teaching seeks to remedy that deficiency.
Donna read in Church recently a poem on Incarnation using the line, “Tiny fingers let go of infinity” (see below). Is this an example of myth, metaphor, imagination, or an inspiration because Jesus possesses an infallible memory of the event of his becoming a human infant? Liberal Christians opt for myth, but many Conservative Evangelicals opt for the power of imagination. They act as if miraculous powers (Gal 3:5) are only past realities, whose applicability in our age can only be conjured up by memory. (https://www.thegoodshepherd.org.au/blog/how-zwinglis-radicalism-shaped-evangelical-worship). A Christ-centred approach desires to be grasped by the power of the ongoing memory of Jesus unlocking in the Spirit his real presence with us to heal our traumatised memories. The teaching below flows out of prayer concerning the victory of Jesus over trauma in the context of an upcoming visit to the traumatised Church in Myanmar. The population there struggles to overcome recent memories of COVID, floods, earthquake and the ongoing civil war which has seen many massacres on a scale greater than our Bondi Beach slaughter.
Jesus the Healed One
The crucial question which needs to be asked is exactly how Jesus has been healed in his experience from his trauma of godlessness on the cross: “My God…why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 cf. Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24) in which a way so that he can now help sinners in their painful ordeals. Paul gives us a hint by speaking of “the humility and gentleness of Christ” (2 Cor 10:1) as an ongoing state of the Lord. As Jesus suffered soul and body in his passion (Mark 14:34), he endured for us all dimensions of our traumas as God and human. This means the struggles we have in body, soul, spirit, mind, will and emotions he shared. (http://cross-connect.net.au/vicarious-humanity/) How is it then that the Lord experiences “perfect peace” (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:7) when he remembers all his earthly trials? The answer is as simple, and as truly human, as it is profound! For we will share in it in the age to come, PTL.
Memory of the Past as Wholly Past
The present memory of Jesus, like all his, sinless, thoughts, takes place in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2). As such his mind is wholly pleasing to the Father (John 8:29), and we have access to this holy mind, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). We however manifest undeveloped discipleship/sonship when we they equate Christ’s present heavenliness with complete lack of concern for ongoing human suffering. Consider, “In all their (Israel’s) distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.” (Isa 63:9 cf. Ex 3:7) When the exalted Lord says, ““Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”” (Acts 9:4), we hear the holy utterance of a Person who inspired what he embodies “ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor 12:15-26). Jesus no longer carries in his glorified body memories of the trauma of his earthly afflictions (unlike: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score), but to suppose that the living Lord has chosen to have no recollection of his earthly trials de-potentiates his ability to “save to the uttermost” (Heb 7:25) through his heavenly intercessions. Jesus as a glorified human being has no residue of earthly trauma because he carries the memories of those dreadful events in his perfect holiness as past events now triumphed over completely. The exaltation, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:55-57), applies firstly to Jesus himself (Rom 6:9).
Our High Priest (https://recreatedinchrist.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/t-f-torrances-theology-of-priesthood-and-eucharist-an-upheaval-in-theological-studies/;https://bradhambrick.com/lewisonjesus/)
The great High Priest in Hebrews has complete empathy with those suffering under trials. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (4:15) This is Jesus who, most common emotion, is to have healed and delivered through “compassion” (Matt 20:34; Mark 1:41; 6:34; Luke 7:13; 10:33; 15:20) cf. https://www.sowespeak.com/post/the-emotions-of-jesus . As a glorified human being Christ carries this attribute into his ongoing ministry as exalted interceding High Priest (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). Though this prayer-ministry the exalted Jesus exerts the triumph of the humility and meekness of God over all traumatising powers (Phil 2:5ff; 1 Pet 2:23). Tragically the High Priestly office of Christ is bypassed by most non-liturgical churches (https://anglicancompass.com/what-do-you-call-an-anglican-pastor/) in preference for the language of “apostle”. Which is biblical, but only if such apostles are humble, meek and interceding men/women like Jesus!
Churchly Intercession
What is Christ’s anticipated outcome from the “high theology” set out in this teaching. The scriptures quoted above plus the ongoing history of the Church suggest the unquestionable answer is INTERCESSION. The exalted Lord invites his beautiful Bride to beautify herself progressively (Isa 61:3; Eph 5:26-27; Rev 22:1) by sharing in his glorious intercession according to the mode of his own post-traumatic glory. Such are the hallowed “groanings too deep for words” (Rom 8:26). Jesus was healed by resurrection and ascension into the heavenly life of God to intercede for a lost world and to share this splendour and glory with a mature Church. As “church” commonly refers to the church of a city (Acts 8:1; 13:1; 15:4, 22; Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; Rev 2:1 etc.), made up of many congregations united in her Lord and Lover (John 17:20-26; Eph 4:4-6), he is calling his Church to more united intercession across the boundaries of denominations and spiritualities we have constructed.
Conclusion
The practical prayerful unity of the Church in every city depends on us revelling through a revelation of the Post traumatic intercessory state of our Saviour. In Christ “the winter is past” (SoS 2:11) freeing us from our past distresses so that “in him” we might prayerfully share in the anguish of others for their final healing. This must be the holy goal of our earthly intercessions in union with our heavenly Lord.
Incarnation
Brilliant eternal Glory
Shiningly extended into
Before time
Where only God is.
Light of triune God
Bound together by
Pure Love and belonging.
All contracted into frailty
- Squashed into intensity.
Tiny fingers let go of infinity.
Flesh taken into God
And formed is
The only God-man.
Echoes of praise!
Lights up the Universe
Shows itself
To humble
Sheep minders.
Ponder and wonder young Mary.
Worship and gifts
Humble and Wise.
Let’s lay down hearts
In adoration
For
God’s Love has created a way.
Father’s goodness in the face
Of Christ Child.
Child sent – willed
By Love.
Glorious Gift beyond thanks and praise.
Spirit of Christ
Impel us to wonder.
Sanctify our homes, loved ones, our lives.
Reveal external eternal Glory
It’s perfect Love and obedience.
Faithful, Sacrificial Love
Burst our souls with Joy’s power.
Then Awe silence us
In reverent
Peaceful
Thankfulness.
AMEN
The Healing Power of Holy Memory
Introduction
Christian therapists teach on “the healing of the memories” in ways that can be helpful but limited in impact because rarely grounded in the ongoing heavenly life of Christ. This teaching seeks to remedy that deficiency.
Donna read in Church recently a poem on Incarnation using the line, “Tiny fingers let go of infinity” (see below). Is this an example of myth, metaphor, imagination, or an inspiration because Jesus possesses an infallible memory of the event of his becoming a human infant? Liberal Christians opt for myth, but many Conservative Evangelicals opt for the power of imagination. They act as if miraculous powers (Gal 3:5) are only past realities, whose applicability in our age can only be conjured up by memory. (https://www.thegoodshepherd.org.au/blog/how-zwinglis-radicalism-shaped-evangelical-worship). A Christ-centred approach desires to be grasped by the power of the ongoing memory of Jesus unlocking in the Spirit his real presence with us to heal our traumatised memories. The teaching below flows out of prayer concerning the victory of Jesus over trauma in the context of an upcoming visit to the traumatised Church in Myanmar. The population there struggles to overcome recent memories of COVID, floods, earthquake and the ongoing civil war which has seen many massacres on a scale greater than our Bondi Beach slaughter.
Jesus the Healed One
The crucial question which needs to be asked is exactly how Jesus has been healed in his experience from his trauma of godlessness on the cross: “My God…why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 cf. Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24) in which a way so that he can now help sinners in their painful ordeals. Paul gives us a hint by speaking of “the humility and gentleness of Christ” (2 Cor 10:1) as an ongoing state of the Lord. As Jesus suffered soul and body in his passion (Mark 14:34), he endured for us all dimensions of our traumas as God and human. This means the struggles we have in body, soul, spirit, mind, will and emotions he shared. (http://cross-connect.net.au/vicarious-humanity/) How is it then that the Lord experiences “perfect peace” (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:7) when he remembers all his earthly trials? The answer is as simple, and as truly human, as it is profound! For we will share in it in the age to come, PTL.
Memory of the Past as Wholly Past
The present memory of Jesus, like all his, sinless, thoughts, takes place in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2). As such his mind is wholly pleasing to the Father (John 8:29), and we have access to this holy mind, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). We however manifest undeveloped discipleship/sonship when we they equate Christ’s present heavenliness with complete lack of concern for ongoing human suffering. Consider, “In all their (Israel’s) distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.” (Isa 63:9 cf. Ex 3:7) When the exalted Lord says, ““Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”” (Acts 9:4), we hear the holy utterance of a Person who inspired what he embodies “ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor 12:15-26). Jesus no longer carries in his glorified body memories of the trauma of his earthly afflictions (unlike: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score), but to suppose that the living Lord has chosen to have no recollection of his earthly trials de-potentiates his ability to “save to the uttermost” (Heb 7:25) through his heavenly intercessions. Jesus as a glorified human being has no residue of earthly trauma because he carries the memories of those dreadful events in his perfect holiness as past events now triumphed over completely. The exaltation, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:55-57), applies firstly to Jesus himself (Rom 6:9).
Our High Priest (https://recreatedinchrist.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/t-f-torrances-theology-of-priesthood-and-eucharist-an-upheaval-in-theological-studies/;https://bradhambrick.com/lewisonjesus/)
The great High Priest in Hebrews has complete empathy with those suffering under trials. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (4:15) This is Jesus who, most common emotion, is to have healed and delivered through “compassion” (Matt 20:34; Mark 1:41; 6:34; Luke 7:13; 10:33; 15:20) cf. https://www.sowespeak.com/post/the-emotions-of-jesus . As a glorified human being Christ carries this attribute into his ongoing ministry as exalted interceding High Priest (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). Though this prayer-ministry the exalted Jesus exerts the triumph of the humility and meekness of God over all traumatising powers (Phil 2:5ff; 1 Pet 2:23). Tragically the High Priestly office of Christ is bypassed by most non-liturgical churches (https://anglicancompass.com/what-do-you-call-an-anglican-pastor/) in preference for the language of “apostle”. Which is biblical, but only if such apostles are humble, meek and interceding men/women like Jesus!
Churchly Intercession
What is Christ’s anticipated outcome from the “high theology” set out in this teaching. The scriptures quoted above plus the ongoing history of the Church suggest the unquestionable answer is INTERCESSION. The exalted Lord invites his beautiful Bride to beautify herself progressively (Isa 61:3; Eph 5:26-27; Rev 22:1) by sharing in his glorious intercession according to the mode of his own post-traumatic glory. Such are the hallowed “groanings too deep for words” (Rom 8:26). Jesus was healed by resurrection and ascension into the heavenly life of God to intercede for a lost world and to share this splendour and glory with a mature Church. As “church” commonly refers to the church of a city (Acts 8:1; 13:1; 15:4, 22; Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; Rev 2:1 etc.), made up of many congregations united in her Lord and Lover (John 17:20-26; Eph 4:4-6), he is calling his Church to more united intercession across the boundaries of denominations and spiritualities we have constructed.
Conclusion
The practical prayerful unity of the Church in every city depends on us revelling through a revelation of the Post traumatic intercessory state of our Saviour. In Christ “the winter is past” (SoS 2:11) freeing us from our past distresses so that “in him” we might prayerfully share in the anguish of others for their final healing. This must be the holy goal of our earthly intercessions in union with our heavenly Lord.
Incarnation
Brilliant eternal Glory
Shiningly extended into
Before time
Where only God is.
Light of triune God
Bound together by
Pure Love and belonging.
All contracted into frailty
- Squashed into intensity.
Tiny fingers let go of infinity.
Flesh taken into God
And formed is
The only God-man.
Echoes of praise!
Lights up the Universe
Shows itself
To humble
Sheep minders.
Ponder and wonder young Mary.
Worship and gifts
Humble and Wise.
Let’s lay down hearts
In adoration
For
God’s Love has created a way.
Father’s goodness in the face
Of Christ Child.
Child sent – willed
By Love.
Glorious Gift beyond thanks and praise.
Spirit of Christ
Impel us to wonder.
Sanctify our homes, loved ones, our lives.
Reveal external eternal Glory
It’s perfect Love and obedience.
Faithful, Sacrificial Love
Burst our souls with Joy’s power.
Then Awe silence us
In reverent
Peaceful
Thankfulness.
AMEN