What is a motif in life? A motif may be defined as a singular, finite element that unifies the whole. A leitmotif is the dominant and recurring theme in life as is seen in a musical concert. Given this definition, a motif in life is an event or fact that is able to unify and extol our life to its true potentiality. For this reason, we may choose the resurrection of Jesus from the dead as our leitmotif to enhance our life in its entirety. Our life has dimensions beyond this temporal, material world that is designated by 'eternal life'. What is important is to insert the dimensions of eternity into our present life. How this is possible without assistance from the one who has passed through the human condition to transform it through death and resurrection?
Death means a complete disconnection from this world by means of the dissolution of our body. Our body and the five senses, so to say, chain us to this material world in such a way that our soul is 'imprisoned' in it. The soul needs its own kind of air to 'breathe' and it is supplied by the Spirit bestowed on us as a result of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is why we should adopt the resurrection as the motif of our own life. Jesus knew very well the human tendency to see and interpret everything from models acquired from this world and its ways of thinking.What is more, the preferred mode of understanding of even divine mysteries was by extraordinary events and miracles that people at the time of Jesus wanted miracles to believe in him. Jesus discouraged them from running after miracles, as we too sometimes do, and advised them to stick to the Word of God and its realization in the history of the world. He was clearly exasperated by the demand of the people for a sign that he denounced them as an evil and adulterous generation (See Matthew, 16: 4) or as a wicked generation (See Luke, 11: 29) for whom no other sign than that of the prophet Jonah was going to be given. What was the sign of Jonah who was sent by God to preach repentance to the inhabitants of the great city of Nineveh? As Jonah stayed in the belly of the great fish for 3days and 3nights, the Son of Man was to be in the heart of the earth for 3days and 3nights (See Matthew, 12: 40).
The call of Jonah by God and his response indicate what God expects from us and how we respond to the call addressed to each of us. Since God loves all of humanity without any reservation, his preoccupation is to save all for which time and again suitable means are devised by Him and entrusted to a few chosen ones. Jonah was such a chosen person and as he was to proclaim the Word of God to the people of Nineveh, he was called a prophet. The message he was to communicate was a simple one, that of repentance by the people of Nineveh who displeased God through their sinful life. If the people refused to listen and mend their ways, God was going to destroy the great city of Nineveh as He did with Sodom and Gomorrah. Jonah thought of running away from his mission as he knew that God being so loving and forgiving, at the very first signs of repentance from the people, he was going to forgive them making a fool of himself. He wanted to deliver a message if that brought honor and glory for him, irrespective of the welfare of the people. God took action to teach him proper lessons at each of his attempt to rebel and do his own will even in a mission that was merely entrusted to him by God. Staying in the belly of the great fish was for Jonah the means to feel completely helpless and get rid of his attachments to the world and his self-will. Staying in the heart of the earth for Jesus was the culmination of his detachment from the world and his own self-will, having surrendered himself completely to the Father's Will. While Jonah was chastened to fulfill God's Will, Jesus was raised up from the dead in order to be a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians, 15: 45). To come under the spell of the risen Jesus should be our constant wish and prayer for which let us adopt the resurrection of Jesus as our motif in life.
Death means a complete disconnection from this world by means of the dissolution of our body. Our body and the five senses, so to say, chain us to this material world in such a way that our soul is 'imprisoned' in it. The soul needs its own kind of air to 'breathe' and it is supplied by the Spirit bestowed on us as a result of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is why we should adopt the resurrection as the motif of our own life. Jesus knew very well the human tendency to see and interpret everything from models acquired from this world and its ways of thinking.What is more, the preferred mode of understanding of even divine mysteries was by extraordinary events and miracles that people at the time of Jesus wanted miracles to believe in him. Jesus discouraged them from running after miracles, as we too sometimes do, and advised them to stick to the Word of God and its realization in the history of the world. He was clearly exasperated by the demand of the people for a sign that he denounced them as an evil and adulterous generation (See Matthew, 16: 4) or as a wicked generation (See Luke, 11: 29) for whom no other sign than that of the prophet Jonah was going to be given. What was the sign of Jonah who was sent by God to preach repentance to the inhabitants of the great city of Nineveh? As Jonah stayed in the belly of the great fish for 3days and 3nights, the Son of Man was to be in the heart of the earth for 3days and 3nights (See Matthew, 12: 40).
The call of Jonah by God and his response indicate what God expects from us and how we respond to the call addressed to each of us. Since God loves all of humanity without any reservation, his preoccupation is to save all for which time and again suitable means are devised by Him and entrusted to a few chosen ones. Jonah was such a chosen person and as he was to proclaim the Word of God to the people of Nineveh, he was called a prophet. The message he was to communicate was a simple one, that of repentance by the people of Nineveh who displeased God through their sinful life. If the people refused to listen and mend their ways, God was going to destroy the great city of Nineveh as He did with Sodom and Gomorrah. Jonah thought of running away from his mission as he knew that God being so loving and forgiving, at the very first signs of repentance from the people, he was going to forgive them making a fool of himself. He wanted to deliver a message if that brought honor and glory for him, irrespective of the welfare of the people. God took action to teach him proper lessons at each of his attempt to rebel and do his own will even in a mission that was merely entrusted to him by God. Staying in the belly of the great fish was for Jonah the means to feel completely helpless and get rid of his attachments to the world and his self-will. Staying in the heart of the earth for Jesus was the culmination of his detachment from the world and his own self-will, having surrendered himself completely to the Father's Will. While Jonah was chastened to fulfill God's Will, Jesus was raised up from the dead in order to be a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians, 15: 45). To come under the spell of the risen Jesus should be our constant wish and prayer for which let us adopt the resurrection of Jesus as our motif in life.
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