Some striking oxymorons include: Hell's angels, act naturally, found missing, almost exactly, "Now, then", pretty ugly, exact estimate, and jumbo shrimp. There was a time when we got by calling these paradoxes, but some grammarian wanted a definition that was a "little more on" (don't get me started).
In the bible we are struck by famous oxymorons that are expressive of deep truths. The Lord can melt our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh, for instance. Then there is the living rock, the cornerstone, upon which the church is built.
You and I are called to be "living stones". In a homily entitled "Oxymoron" Fr. Brendan McGuire tells us: "We are called to be the living stone, as in living and dynamic; and we are called to be spiritually based in the foundation of Jesus Christ.
"He is meant to be our roots; He is meant to be our stability [We] are always about Jesus Christ, the foundation, the cornerstone."
That is one tall order! How can we come close to living up to that challenge? The Season of Pentecost can teach us and change us. It starts with the Ascension of Jesus, an event which makes the Spirit in our lives possible.
When Christ was on earth as a human, he was bound by the same physical laws you and I are subject to. He could only be in one place at a time. In a sense Jesus could not be the all present, all knowing God the Father, while He lived in Galilee.
After the Resurrection and Ascension events we can sense, even with our limited human minds, that it is now possible for the Spirit of Christ to "enliven" our hearts of stone and make them live.
Powerful things happen when we invoke the help of Jesus as we pray, sometimes with laying on of hands. We can expect answers to prayers; Jesus promised as much, especially where two or more are gathered in his name (Matthew 18:20).
It is mind-boggling to imagine what we might be capable of after our resurrections. Not to be limited by physical dimensions? Travelling through locked doors? "Holy rolling stones, Batman!"
Even here and now, St Paul tells us, "Neither death nor lifenothing that exists, nothing still to comecan ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Jesus Christ" (Romans 8:39). The clearest message is that God loves us! Realizing that one truth can change our lives.
Jesus said, "I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice" (John 16:22). One writer explains this by saying that Jesus looks upon us even now. He lets his face shine on his servant (Psalm 13:4).
Look upon me Lord, let your face shine on your servant; save me in your kindness (Psalm 13).
