Are you Traveling up to Jerusalem?
Mark 10:32-34
Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz
32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 "They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again."
Are you traveling up to Jerusalem? The question is asking about your spirituality. What is your spiritual life? There are many ways in which to increase your spiritual awareness and blend it into your life. The Holy Spirit is always with us. Thus, the Divine is in us. The LORD breathed life into Adam, and his breath brought each of us to life. Our spiritual quest throughout our lives should be to strive to learn everything possible about the LORD and come as close as possible to our Messiah Jesus Christ.
Spiritual life is manifested in physical life as long as one is alive. It is possible and desirable to integrate the two. A person's words and actions should emulate the love and grace the LORD gives to us through Jesus Christ.
In the Kabbalah, the mysticism of Judaism and Christianity, the Tree of Life developed by Rabbi Lauria (the Ari) has the LORD at the top of the "tree." A person starts the journey by looking "up" to the top of the Tree. There are ten sefirot in the Tree, and each movement up is a spiritual experience. "The Ladder of Ascent" is a book written in the 1600s that describes the spiritual ascent. It is not an easy ascent but is undoubtedly worth every movement of your time and effort. A spiritual bonus is that you can experience some of Heaven on Earth if you decide to do the climb.
How does a disciple of Jesus Christ travel up to Jerusalem? One way is to start with the Bible. The Bible offers a view of the LORD. The grace and love of the LORD are found in the pages of the Bible. Biblical passages dealing with punishment are a learning tool for us to digest and absorb to avoid the mistakes of people in the past. It is said that people either learn from history or become destined to repeat it. Spiritual growth occurs by moving away from sin and towards acceptance of the lessons of the Scriptures. Everything in the Bible is there for our spiritual growth. As you grow spiritually, you will be confronted with new understandings of the Bible. Sometimes it will be frightening because what you discover in your spiritual growth may contradict what you were taught to believe. Do not let that possibility concern you. The LORD knows that as each person grows spiritually that transformations in understanding occur. It is essential to be open to new possibilities and new learnings.
As you continue to read and understand the original meaning of the LORD's word, the Sefirot of the Tree of Life shines upon you. There are many spiritual avenues that a person goes through to reach Jesus. Everyone goes their way. Therefore, you have to discover your journey. The narratives of the Bible will enhance your spiritual journey in ways that you do not know yet. Reading a passage for the second, third, or tenth time will give you additional spiritual insights.
The LORD is vast, and His Bible is extensive. A pious Hebrew who attends Sabbath services will hear the Torah read once through every year. Therefore, the rabbis say that there are at least seventy layers to the Torah. Each time a narrative is read, the Holy Spirit will touch you differently and excitingly. The Bible is a living document. It will touch your spirit in many different ways.
Then you need to experience the world that the LORD created for us. This Kingdom, called Malkhut, is the only place where the physical world and the spiritual world touch each other. Therefore, there are material objects, customs, and religious beliefs that may help you feel the spirit of the LORD. People use prayer ropes, rosary beads, prayer cloths, and other physical items that help them feel the LORD's presence.
Whatever you need to help you get in touch with the spiritual world is what you need to have. Religion is a vehicle that contains prayers, liturgies, and physical objects that help people feel the touch of the LORD. May you find that which enables you to feel the presence of Jesus Christ in your life. May the Holy Spirit bless you in your travels up to Jerusalem, the holy city of the LORD.
