7/25/2019 Book Report Jesus Today

1/2

Jojimar Kenneth M. Gonowon February 6, 2015Pre-Postulant

Jesus TodayAlbert Nolan

Introduction

The author of the book is Albert Nolan. He is a Dominican priest from South Africa, played asignificant role in the church struggle against apartheid. His first book, Jesus before Christianity, has sold

almost !",""" copies. This book is an edition published in #aryknoll, Ne$ %ork by &rbis 'ooks

publication in ("").

Thirty years ago Albert Nolan $rote *Jesus Before Christianity, a classic about the political

conte+t of Jesus mission. -n this book, he looks at Jesus spirituality and its releance to our times. He

outlines the signs of our times / the hunger for spirituality, the crisis of indiidualism, globali0ation, and

deelopments in science after 1instein / to accentuate $hy $e need the radical freedom of Jesus.

Summary

Nolan $rites $ith so much emotions about the mysticism of the man from Na0areth / his

e+perience of union $ith 2od as Abba / and ho$ it $as connected to his prophetic mission. 3rom this,$e can see the mission of Christ is so much connected $ith the $orld. Tying Jesus4 o$nself to the $orld.

This connection of spirituality and a passion for 5ustice gies Christians a model to follo$ in daily life as

they go through the process. Nolan affirmed that Jesus did not re5ect the la$ of the Torah, but relatii0ed

and fulfilled it $ith such statements as 6The Sabbath $as made for humankind, and not humankind for

the Sabbath.6 The la$s $ere intended to guide and help the people not be suppressed by the la$s.

Jesus $as considered as a reolutionary especially in challenging his disciples to moe beyond

the limitations of the blood family to the broader family of 2ods kingdom. 2irded to$ards selfless loe

to$ards humanity, Jesus perfectly displayed ho$ to do things in a special $ay. Although he $as radically

critical of the $orld, he neer singled out indiiduals for blame, condemnation, or hatred, no matter $hat

they did. He $as also a healer and reitali0er, an aspect of his ministry that the author considered $hich is

ery essential.

-n this book, Jesus perfectly introduced things on ho$ to become human. He demonstratesguidelines in order for us to become at peace. His practice of silence and solitude led to an inner peace

and tran7uillity as Nolan says. He sa$ himself and his mission clearly 8 missionthat $as not only on the

cross itself but the process on the $ay to Calary. Nolan $rote that Jesus $as grateful to 2od for all the

blessings in his life. And he proclaimed that the child $as a model of humility, trust, $onder, and

playfulness. Although Jesus neer used the $ord detachment, he e+emplified it in his ability to let go and

not cling to things, ideas, people, places, and tradition.

-n the final part of the book, the author reeals the $ays in $hich Jesus $as practiced unity, an

important element of liing a sanctified life on earth. -t is based on loe9 a loe that is true and genuine.

His life on the gospels displayed an incredible relationship 8 A relationship that does not choose

and a relationship that is not selectie. -n the ministry of Jesus, $e sa$ ho$ Jesus $as endo$ed $ith the

life of loe that came from the 3ather. -t is an e+pression of His ultimate loe for mankind through Jesus

Christ.

3irstly, *Jesus $hole life $as an e+pression of this unconditional loe. :e sa$ ho$ he reached

out to all the indiiduals he met, $hether they $ere rulers or beggars, saints or sinners. 1ery indiidual

person is loable, no matter ho$ hypocritical he or she might be. 2enuine loe is al$ays unconditional.6

This practice of unity led to empathy $ith others, an ethic of sharing and generosity, and a radical

freedom. 3or Jesus, freedom $as not an end in itself but a means to complete serice to 2od and others.

&nce $e commit ourseles to the path of unity it $ill lead to great and $onderful things962ods :ork sometimes appears to be ery slo$. ;erhaps that is because $e do not al$ays

appreciate the immensity of $hat $e are inoled in. %et, precisely because it is 2ods :ork, the future is

1olan, !lbert ".,Jesus Today: A Spirituality of Radical Freedom, p.51

7/25/2019 Book Report Jesus Today

2/2

secure. There is hope for the unierse and for each of us as indiiduals. :hen - die, my ego, my false self,

$ill be destroyed once and for all, but my true self $ill continue foreer in 2od, the Self of the unierse.6

This book is really a big help in understanding on ho$ Jesus4 ministry intert$ined $ith others and

presented a genuine loe to all humanity. -t gears us to$ards mysticism of his spirituality and sho$s ho$

it leads to unity $ith 2od and all the creatures.

Critique

The author displayed a marellous transparency of e+emplifying Jesus4 ministry and loe for allhumanity. He clearly narrated and affirmed Jesus4 characteristics and alues that $ould be a guide for

Christians to lie a better Catholics. Although $e are girded to$ards the historical Jesus, it is more

important to see ho$ Jesus completes the la$, relate $ith it and lie $ith it. -t is not also focused on $hat

$e think about the Jesus but $hat he did in the $orld and for humanity that perfectly e+emplify and

reflects the loe coming from 2od.

ReflectionJesus is stupefyingly free. How extraordinary who Jesus was! He gae His ownself yet He is lie the lamb

who so "uiet to endure all the pain for the sae of the whole world.

#$o be one with them% is to be one with Christ

#&araming naghihirap na tao ngayong panahon ngayon. 'umabay pa dito ang pagtaas

ng bilihin% pagtaas ng petrolyo lalong lalo na ang pagtaas ng bigas! These $ere the statements of the

people $ho are no$ e+periencing difficulties in life especially financial aspects. Although people are

e+periencing this kind of scarcity, they did not gie their hopes. They neer gae up in such kind of

issues. %et money plays an important role in the society, $e may neer hae the basic necessity if $e do

not hae financial support. :e may neer buy our personal utilities, if $e do not hae money in hand.

Through this ie$ of reality no$ a days, people are obliged to put their money in a budgetary form. 'ut

reality check, there are some in our community does not hae the money to budget. They hae this idea of

#isang ahig% isang tua.These are the people $ho do not hae the space and aenue $hen it comes to

money. #uch $orse $ill be is $hen they do not hae $ork to hae an income. These people seek and

need attention especially $hen it comes to $ork. 'ut someho$, let us first understand the conte+t and the

situation of the person or community. :e must be immersed to the reality of poerty or $hat they haee+perience. -f $e do that, someho$, $e are trying to put ourseles in their point of ie$. Although $e

cannot e+haust their feeling or $e cannot gie a grasp of $hat they feel at least in a little $ay, $e tried tobe one $ith them in total submission into poerty.

- e+perienced the $ay they hae used to lie. -t $as in my apostolate in 'ecause there are things that $e cannot all possess. They hae a happy family. They hae lands to

$ander. They hae trees to shelter. They hae crops to eat. They do not hae money yet they do hae

resources. They are not poor, for my part yet they are rich in the aspect of family and enironment. The

enironment proides them to lie in a simple life.

A sense of remorse $as struck my inner spirit. Jesus lie $ith people $ithout anything onHis pocket, $ithout a shelter but He e+tends His hand to other for the sake of mankind. -n liing, $e must

lie a simple life and harmony $ith our family makes our lies more meaningful and $orth liing $ith

the spirit of 2od $ithin our hearts.