Jesus and the Pizza Restaurant

The THOMAS Web-Zine March 2010 Issue 23

There's a recent newspaper story about a small pizza restaurant in New York City. The chef and his wife are passionate about providing excellent pizzas for the local community. All ingredients are from the best organic sources and each pizza is hand-made to order. Successful combination of toppings also ensured that each pizza was a delight.

This couple had a happy work-life balance by working only four days a week until a food critic visited the restaurant by chance and overwhelmed by the dining experience wrote a glowing article for a well-known magazine. New Yorkers flocked to this small restaurant. Long queues flowed along the street with diners having to wait hours for a table. Loud complaints were voiced not only about the queues but also at the restricted opening days. Many of those diners who eventually got a table wanted to change the simple choice of toppings and were disappointed by a refusal to alter the combinations. More frustrations were expressed at the length of time taken to hand-cook the pizza as most expected a typical fast-food service.

Needless to say the restaurant owners were disturbed and despairing at their so-called 'success' and the demands of the diners.

As is the manner of such things, those that wanted a 'new dining experience' moved onto the next recommendation. Those that were disappointed never returned. The small pizza restaurant returned to normal with the couple providing their local community with excellent food as well as those discerning diners who recognized the special nature of the place.

At this point you're probably wondering what this has to do with Jesus and 'Thomas'! This story is a modern analogy of what happened to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus can be seen as the restaurant owner whose offerings of wisdom and teaching provide us with spiritual nourishment.

Jesus travelled throughout his local communities sharing his knowledge with those that would listen. However, as his fame spread many flocked from far and wide to 'taste' his special food. Many however, were disappointed at what they heard. They did not wait long enough to understand Jesus' message, so left to find another suitable spiritual experience condemning what they had heard; Jesus said: there are many standing at the door, but the 'loners' are they who shall enter the marriage place [#75].

Some wanted to change parts; Jesus said to them: From what I say to you, are you not aware of who I am? But you, you are even as the Jews: for they love the tree, they dislike the fruit; and they love the fruit, they dislike the tree [#43]

Others carried the message forward but over time it got changed and adapted to fit the different communities until his teachings became a shadow of the original; Jesus said: If a blind man guides the being of a blind man, both of them fall to the bottom of a pit [#34]

In Thomas' we're closer to the original. But it's a difficult teaching which calls us to take time and effort to understand the deeper meanings as well as accepting it all as it is rather than 'cherry-pick' our favourite parts.

So like the diners of our story we need to be patient [#2], we need to accept the offerings [#17], we need to recognize the love taken in the preparation [# 77], and then we will be sustained and fulfilled [# 90].

Enjoy your 'pizza'!

The Thomas Web-Zine is an electronic newsletter authored by Barry McGibbon with Hugh McGregor Ross author of The Gospel of Thomas, Introducing the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus untouched by the Church, 30 Essays on the Gospel of Thomas and Spirituality of Jesus. It is published bi-monthly, and delivered free to subscribers via e-mail.

Three Circles of Concern

Frustration, irritation, anger, and worry come from our inability to accept what is as we try to make it what we want it to be. Our difficulties come in trying to identify the things that should concern us and those that don’t.

A practical solution is to view our concerns in three categories. Visualize them as three circles; at the centre is ‘those things we can change’, surrounding it are ‘those things we can influence’ and an outer circle of ‘those things we cannot change nor influence’

Those things we can change are everything that we can control. It may be a dripping tap which causes irritation, but can be fixed. When it comes to emotions, beliefs, and attitudes then we need to accept that it is only ourselves who can change. We are the ones that have the power to overcome our ahamkara; no-one else. Jesus grew up in a Jewish tradition, but we can read in Thomas how he changed; changed to such an extent that he not only became a Spiritual Master, but his teachings were so radical that he died for them. This leads us to the second circle: those things we can influence.

Those things we can influence is the power we have to alter some things. For example, we should vote in elections, perhaps withdraw our economic support from a business or organization that does not meet our beliefs or standards, or aid a friend in their time of need. This is the circle in which Jesus worked in his ministry. He talked, he illustrated, and by his presence he influenced the lives of many he came into contact with. He did not coerce, nor did he try to change people; he simply tried to influence them. Of course there were many who were not affected by his message, and in Thomas, we can read of Jesus’ frustration at their blindness. But he accepted them as those who could not be changed nor influenced.

Those things we cannot change nor influence is probably the largest circle of them all! We cannot change the weather, yet we fret when it rains or snows; we get irritated in a traffic jam but cannot do anything about it; we get angry at someone’s bad behaviour, yet rarely speak up; we worry about the state of the roads, house prices, interest rates, the economy, and the myriads of things beyond our control. Jesus lived during Roman occupation of his lands, yet he did not become a rebel, lead an uprising, complain at the price of lamb. He restricted himself to a small number of concerns.

Consider these circles of concern. Realize that there are only a small number of things which we can really be concerned about: those that we can change, or those we can influence. The rest just lead to frustration, irritation, anger, and worry.

Message from Las Vegas

It's been some time since my last entry; so first of all my apologies.

The reason for my absence is a common one: too busy with work!!! Finally I've come to a break in my project to reflect on how we get overwhelmed by the world. And of course I mean the outer world rather that our inner world which we seek to develop.

This has been heightened for me as I write this from Las Vegas. After three weeks in what can only be described as a 'mad house' of illusion and vanity, I really do wonder if the human race is ready for the teachings of Jesus through Thomas.

There are many evangelical churches in the city and I believe, the largest Salvation Army Church in the country, if not the world. All the efforts by the various churches seem to me to be about comforting the 'fallen'; those individuals who are addicted to the gambling or other excesses.

They are also dealing with the catastrophic impact of the financial meltdown which has hit Vegas very hard. Most of all construction work on new casinos, hotels, malls has stopped --- some will say that's a good thing! On my daily journey between work and studio, I think at last 30% of businesses have closed. Every row of shops and offices have 'to let' or 'for sale' signs. There must be some very desperate workers out there.

The churches comfort the needy. But I wonder if they are also comforting their souls.

When Jesus talks about the Kingdom, he was addressing people in a similar condition as today; in trouble, needy, seeking help, wanting security. Do the churches feed these souls today, or are the focussed on the world.

Some may say that you need to respond with the current situation. I agree, but should it be the churches?; should they not preach their message without being overwhelmed by servicing the needy?; who can remind them of their mission?

The Kingdom is certainly not in Vegas, although from the look of passers-by one would think it was!

Random Acts of Kindness

Once again the above catchphrase is doing the rounds. I seem to remember the phrase being uttered a good few year ago and there may have even been a book on the subject.

Only at the weekend Random Acts of Kindness was 'pushed' at us as an alternative to giving up chocolate for Lent. We were encouraged to help others than indulge in our own 'suffering' by resisting a luxury. The implication of course, was that we can stop it after Lent!!!

Wait a minute --- Random, Kindness???

Surely Jesus' teaching is about acting in a kinder manner to ALL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

Nothing about randomness. Nothing about set periods. Nothing about selfishness.

Hope & Faith for the Credit Crunch?

It’s a difficult time for many during this financial crisis. For some the situation is so dreadful with serious consequences for their future that they look for comfort and help. This comfort is usually offered as “hope and faith” by religious folk for dealing with this situation.

Yet hope can be a obstacle or barrier. It implies reliance on some external event, or organization, or divine being, to intervene on their behalf. Such hopeful people become passive, at the mercy of events; their ‘house is built on sand’.

The ultimate hope is that at our eventual passing from this world we will enter the Kingdom of God; happy and at peace. Churches preach this topic—and its ‘sister’ faith—to encourage stoicism and endurance during all suffering. We are encouraged to cling to this hope in the future and so neglect the present.

Yet Jesus makes this clear in logion 113:

His disciples said to him:
On which day will the Kingdom come?
Jesus said: It will not come by expectation,
They will not say:
“Behold, it is here!”
or “Behold, there!”
But the Kingdom of the Father is spread out over the earth and men do not see it.

Focus your energies and capabilities on the present moment. It is in this moment that we all can take action without relying on hope and faith.

Truth in a Simple Package

One of the key teachings by Jesus is to use our discrimination: sorting the wheat from the chaff, recognizing good from bad, etc. In other words keeping our antennas tuned to everything around us.

This happened recently to me while watching a film. There was a statement made by an actor in the context of figuring-out a crime; it roughly went:

“The truth generally comes in a simple package. The more complicated we make it then the less we should believe it”.

I don’t remember what happened next in the film as my mind locked onto that statement; struck by the profoundness of its meaning. Logia from Thomas filled my mind as I remembered how Jesus was forever pressing his listeners especially his disciples, to strip away the outward forms, the complications, and uncover the Truth.

Here’s one of the great examples.

In Logion # 6 the disciples question Jesus about the various observances of their religion: fasting, praying, alms giving, and diet. Jesus appears to ignore the questions, and answers:

Do not lie,
and do not do what you dislike,
for all things are revealed before the heaven.

But in Logion #14 Jesus does respond directly to their questions (remember, Thomas was dictating this not writing a Gospel!) indicating that they will harm their spirits by such observances. He further says:

Eat what they set before you,
heal the sick among them.
For what goes into your mouth
will not defile you,
but what comes out of your mouth,
that is what will defile you.

The Truth generally comes in a simple package: be aware of everything you say as lies and deceits as well as harmful actions, destroy your spirit and your peace. Anything more complicated than this can be ignored.

Open the Box!

We all have a tendency to place things in mental boxes. Men in particular are very good at this - business, pleasure, family, hobbies, etc. Whereas women tend to have few barriers between these boxes. This is often the source of many conflicts in relationships: women see the inter-connectivity between these boxes, where men just don't!

Religion often lies in one of these boxes; to be opened occasionally, usually on a Sunday or other day of worship. Then back into the box until the next time. Are you guilty of this? Do you let the Presence fade when you step back into the 'world'??

Jesus's message in 'Thomas' was that this Life was to be lived here and now and at all times. It was not to be a box-on-the-side, but a dynamic centre from which everything was viewed and evaluated. The old-time Bible prophets used similar analogy: the Rock -- a foundation upon which everything was built.

Remove these barriers, open the boxes, let the Light shine into their dark corners, and see the transformation in your whole approach to everyday living.