You who believe, be helpers, in the cause of God. As when Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples, ‘Who will help me in God’s cause?’ They responded, ‘We shall.’ Surah 61:14
Jesus is believed by Muslims to the most important prophet after the Prophet Muhammad. Born of the Virgin Mary – after whom an entire chapter of the Qur’an is named – Jesus is endowed with the power to heal the sick and raise the dead, and destined to return at the end of times. Jesus is mentioned by name 25 times in the Qur’an, and is also referred to as the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of Mary, the Word of God, or depending on the translation, Jesus as A Word from God.
And what is that Word? Jesus is to show forth the glory of God, calling people to worship God alone, without any claim to divinity for himself. “Only God is He, beyond Whom there is no god, the Sovereign, the Sanctified, the Source of Peace, the Trustworthy, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Irresistible, the Supreme… the Originator, the Shaper of Forms; His are the Most Beautiful Names” (See Surah 59:23-24).
Even though Muslims and Christians disagree on the divine nature of Jesus, they share much in common. Much like Jesus who preached the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, the faith of Jesus expressed in the Qur’an emphasizes the gifts of humility, mercy, and righteousness as blessings. Souls who want to help in God’s cause will look to the deeds that they send forth for tomorrow because those deeds will tell them whether they are living by the purity of their heart (Surah 59:18).
Jesus reiterates the same when he continues in the Sermon on the Mount by saying, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Our faith is reflected in what we treasure most in life.
Jesus’ life whether told through the Gospels or through the Qur’an encourages “helpers” to align their hearts with eternal values. And the best way to help in God’s cause is to embrace surrender to God’s ways as a posture of grace which gives us the courage and commitment to defend justice and the dignity for all.
Our surrender in faith becomes the compass that guides our efforts in helping in God’s cause.
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In yesterday’s Reflection Day 27, I wrote about three girls being adopted by a young couple. I continue with their story:
A few weeks after the girls’ baptism, their dad’s father, a Presbyterian minister, was invited to come to the church as a guest preacher. Presbyterian clergy wear beautiful black, flowing robes, and he came in his finest and preached a great sermon about all the ways we are the work of God’s hand… God with us, not just God above us or beyond us, but God within us, born into our souls.
At the coffee hour, still dressed in his robe, we gathered around to speak with him about his sermon, and the oldest daughter, now six years old, kept coming up to him, kicking him in the shins. The mom and dad kept pulling her off her grandfather, saying, “Sweetheart, we don’t kick people.” She persisted. The grandfather knelt down and said, “Honey, it’s me, Papa.” And the little girl, with wide eyes, said, “Papa!!” and ran to her grandfather’s outstretched arms.
Her father leaned down and asked, “Who did you think he was?”
“The judge.”
Of course, black robes, lecterns, people sitting in rows in court, and decisions made by words. I love this little girl’s tenacity. She will always be for me an example of perseverance, endurance, even prayer. Not overwhelmed by the injustices her young life had endured, this little girl was protecting her new-found family, kicking the threat of the judge away; she so tiny, so mighty, risking it all, helping in God’s cause.
And then, there’s the action of the grandfather bending down, at her level, and saying, “Honey, it’s me, Papa.” Abba, Baba.
Both Muhammad and Jesus remind us that God as the only Judge is always resurrecting everything.
Never mind your weakness; it is the very thing that qualifies you. Never mind your feelings of inadequacy; it is God’s work within you.
Make yourself available to the presence of Divine Love. Be aware. What matters is that God has chosen you; God claims you as God’s own.
Day 28: Reflection
How are you being shaped by the Heart of the Sustainer to be one of the helpers in God’s cause?
