Jesus, My Mentor

Book excerpt: Jesus, My Mentor is about the spirituality of Jesus, how Jesus lived with God as described in the gospels, and how Jesus' way of relating to God and the world can be a positive and satisfying spirituality for us today. A spirituality modeled by Jesus offers us a way of coming to know the God of Jesus, not as a frightening or distant deity, but the God who opens a way when there seems to be no way, who is at home in the world we call home, and who welcomes us back whenever we are lost. With Jesus as mentor and guide, Kater takes readers on a modern pilgrimage to understand the good news as Jesus knew it. He explores the stories, parables, and prayers of the gospels in the context of their time and their message for us today. He seeks to dispel some popular misconceptions about the Christian understanding of God and the world, and shows us that Jesus' understanding is both easily visible and an attractive alternative. Focusing on how Jesus approached God and shared his understanding with others, Kater emphasizes Jesus' passion for life and the importance of hope and commitment for living fully. The spirituality of Jesus is not hopelessly out of date, but continues to offer a vision of life with a loving God that gives hope and meaning to us as it did to Jesus and his friends. When we let Jesus be our mentor, we do not find God in our solitude, but in community with one another.