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                                                          WITHIN

“A point indicates a location”.

“A line indicates a distance between two points”.

“A volume indicates a space”.

An interval indicates duration”.

These constitute the four dimensions.

We cannot measure any other dimensions beyond these four, and our concepts of reality and of real things stem from one or more of these measurements. We generally conclude that something does not “exist” if it cannot be measured by one or more of these measurements. If we talk about something existing which cannot be thus measured, we refer to it as a “myth” or a “fiction”.

To this type of subject there has been frequent reference in ancient fables, mythologies and tales about Santa Claus, extra terrestrials and the like. For many, references to God, angels, heaven, hell and life after death fall into the same category. These cannot be perceived sensibly and consequently they are relegated into the bin of non-existence. This is the situation much of the world now faces; a form of materialism which teaches that there is no limit to what we can attain and possess if we work hard enough to get it. Those who don’t take advantage of their opportunities will remain failures and poor in earthly possessions. Philosophies that place value only in materialistic pursuits and fail to see the value and dignity of each and every other human person, will sooner or later treat people as “things” or consider their own wills as divine; or both.  If the value of a person can be “measured” materialistically, or as how useful he/she is to me, then the world descends into a dog-eat-dog competition to be “top-dog”.

If, however, we consider believing that there is a dimension of the human person not measurable by our standards, a dimension of interiority which is not bound by location, length, volume or duration, and which dimension is, nevertheless “real”, then maybe we are open to the possibility of encountering with new insight into some of the most ancient philosophies of the world.

Throughout the modern history of man, we have looked outwards to the stars to read the answer to the mystery of life. Astrologers saw stories told by the constellations and magi and astrologers gave interpretations of those stories and read man’s destinies in planetary movements and the apparent location of the sun and moon through the “houses” of the Zodiak. The “signs” under which we were born and lived were seen as “significant” predictors to live by. Copernicus, Galileo and the Hubble have put those understandings away and have now caused men to develop new theories or  myths,;  String Theory, Big Bang Theory, and others to explain how this cosmos could have originated from an infinitely small point of no dimensions, exploded outwards at a presently proven accelerating rate to an as yet undetermined future. Nowhere, is any God “seen”.

Possibly, although inexplicably, if there is a God, perhaps He doesn’t require a “place” to be. The creator of the four dimensions from no thing, does not need to be confined within those four.

So where, then, is God? No where, and God is no thing. God is the Creator of time and space itself. This God must, therefore, be connected to this “original” point of no dimensions which is simply “everywhere” and “now” as distinguished from “coming” or “going”. With respect to each of us, this God must be “within”.

Two thousand years ago, a certain man was born. To all appearances and according to human ways of  measurement, this man was like all other men in every respect. As he grew, however, he began to give signs of being special in one respect. He didn’t ever seem to be subject to the common human traits of pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony nor lust. In other words, he was a very good person. But as he grew to manhood, he began to teach others about God in a way which became “offensive”, and people began to talk about him as if he were some kind of nut. His initial teaching about God was really strange to the listeners. He began to say things like, “Change the way you think about reality”, and that “the Kingdom of God is within you” and telling people to “Believe this ‘good news’”.  Very few people believed that Jesus was a true prophet from God and ultimately while he collected a small group of followers who struggled to accept what Jesus taught, at critical junctures they would abandon him to the authorities, who ultimately killed Jesus and hung him up on a cross to die.

We know that this was not the end of Jesus’ teaching, for his followers had experiences of a Risen Jesus and a commission to go out to all the world and preach this ‘Good News’”.

Believing in this good news is not the result of conclusions based upon reason. It is definitely not the consequence of scientific observation. It stems from belief in the trustworthiness of the one proclaiming it, i.e., Jesus, a very “good” man, who nevertheless deflects being called a ‘good man’ by saying, “Only One is good, the Father, the source of all that is good".

And where might we find this Jesus today? 

Within.
                                                                            Charlie Mc