Parable Of The Rich Young Man

Notwithstanding what Jesus told the rich young man to sell all he owned to give to the poor [1], giving in the Gospels does not mean the relinquishment and transfer of wealth, but the giving of love to one another and to God.  It is only when one desires to be perfect does one need to be without possessions to follow Christ which was what Francesco d'Assisi chose to do.

Most people are so obsessed with possessing and possessions that when they read a parable that says, "go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven," [2] they immediately focus on what they own now and what they would expect after they die, which is to have treasure in Heaven, because they have given what they own to the poor.

Another interpretation is to place the focus on the poor who would themselves become rich after receiving everything the rich man had to give them (imagine the rich man is as rich, if not richer than Bill Gates with $76 billion [3] or $76,000 million).  If that rich man gave all he had evenly to 76,000 poor people, he would have created 76,000 new millionaires who would then get together and give their aggregate $76 billion, if they all desired to be perfect and follow Christ, to another 76,000 poor people who would then repeat the process because they too, would want to follow Christ and be perfect, and so on, until all the people in the world would have become millionaires once until the last 76,000 would have no more "poor" people to give to, in which case, they would simply decline to accept the money or take it and burn it to stay poor and follow Christ.  Presumably, they too would find treasure in Heaven even this last group had no poor people to dump their wealth onto in order that they would have treasure in Heaven.

So what happens to a world of poor people?  Do they all wait to die so that they will have treasure in Heaven?  Jesus said that the man would have treasure in Heaven if he sold all his possessions and gave to the poor but He did not say when he will have treasure in Heaven.  Is he to assume that he will have treasure in Heaven after his death?  Can one not enjoy treasure in Heaven as soon as one forgoes all one owns and follows Christ during one's life?  Of course one can, just look at the life of Francesco d'Assisi after he no longer lived the life of the son of a wealthy merchant.

Will a world of poor people who follow Christ turn earth into Heaven?  I imagine that can be possible if none of them falls into sin, but how realistic is that?  People may not have riches, but they will still have jealousy, arguments, complaints and so on because following Christ is not easy.  Loving unconditionally is not easy.  Being San Francesco d'Assisi is not easy.

Short of wishing to be perfect, short of having heavenly treasure on earth, the rich man decided not to sell his possessions to give to the poor and follow Christ.  He wanted to hold onto his billions.  Holding onto one's billions does not disqualify one from entering Heaven, but having one's billions makes it difficult for one to experience Heaven on earth.  Only by detachment from wealth can one truly be free and experience Heaven on earth, and only by having faith can one be a follower of Christ and find in Him the treasure He spoke of in His parable of the rich young man.

To follow Christ means to love unconditionally like Christ had loved His Father, His disciples and all of us by dying on the cross.  To love unconditionally means to give of oneself to others, not just by throwing money at the poor, even though the poor would benefit by having money in this material world that is contaminated by envy and greed, obsessed with social justice, is hypocritical with respect to fate's inequalities and opportunities, takes for granted God's gift of life and even disrespects it.

In this day and age, money alone, without the love of God, seems to satisfy a great number of people, poor and rich alike.  That, to them, seems to be enough.  They are not unlike the rich man who went home with his wealth, without following Christ.



[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19%3A21-22&version=NIV
[2] Ibid.
[3] http://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2014/03/03/forbes-billionaires-full-list-of-the-worlds-500-richest-people/

Parable Of Woman With Two Coins

"As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" [1]

Quoted above is the parable of a widow with two small coins.  She gave all  that she had to live on.  In other words, she had no more means to continue living, to pay for shelter, to purchase food and to pay for medication when she needs some [2].  In short, she had given up everything she had in order to sustain her life and it would not be long before she would die.

This is a parable that no Catholic priest would dare to touch because it undercuts the Church's most fundamental teaching which is to give to the poor.  This widow was poor.  That is clear.  She had no husband to take care of her (she was a widow) and she did not have a job (I do not believe in those days women had jobs that pay, those women who were not engaged in the world's oldest profession).  And what did Jesus do?  He observed.  He did not intervene by showering her with gold nuggets, or by asking His disciples to feed her, to wash her clothes, to give her a place to bathe and to give her shelter for as long as she lived. 

Why did Jesus not help her when He could easily have with a miracle?  He did not because He did not want to denigrate Her love for God that she expressed by her putting her two coins into the temple treasury.  By giving up her last coins, she had expressed an irrevocable willingness to sacrifice her life for the love of God.  Why did putting coins into the temple treasury represent such a sacrifice?  Metaphorically speaking, the temple's treasury has only one treasure: God, and it was to God that she had given her last two coins, the last hours of her life.

No Catholic church today, and certainly not the Vatican, wants a donation from this woman, not because she was poor and would take pity on her, but because she was not rich enough to give them enough support to their lifestyles.  Her two lousy coins are diddly squat to them and they could care less about her sacrifice.  But not Jesus.  Jesus saw immediately her love for God, a love so great that she would give her life for, a love that foreshadowed Christ's love for His Father that ultimately led Jesus to His own death on the Cross.

Hypocrites from the pope down ought to face the fact that they have no right to tell anyone to give to the poor until they themselves have become poor, and are willing to give up their lives (not lifestyles) for the love of God as did the widow who gave up her two coins, her means to life, in essence her life, for her love of God.




[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21:1-4
[2] http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/daily-life-and-practice/medicine-in-the-ancient-world/

General Financial Planning, Tax Planning, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning -- What Else?

The common denominator underlying an overall financial plan, a tax plan, a retirement plan and an estate plan is money.  These plans are important for they allow one to maximize for oneself and one's family funds that are necessary to meet daily living expenses, educational expenses, health care expenses, insurance expenses, entertainment expenses and so on.  Volumes of materials have been written by all kinds of experts on these topics, brokerage, hedging and advisory business have been built around them, and people have dedicated their entire careers to them.

As helpful as these plans can be in one's life and in the lives of one's beneficiaries, they are worthless after death.  The majority of people do not spend time working on a plan to take with them beyond the grave even though beyond the grave is an eternity for every soul.

If one is willing to spend so much effort to plan for one life that ends, and the lives of one's descendants (subject to the rule against perpetuities [1]) that will end [2], why does one not plan for one's soul after death that does not end?  That plan, if properly planned and executed during one's life, will inure to benefit to one's soul in perpetuity.  Conversely, if it is not, then one's soul will not be fulfilled for an eternity.  That certainly does not sound good and ought to serve as an urgent reminder for everyone to consider a plan for the soul [3] in this life so that it would bear fruit in the next.



[1] http://www.lexisnexis.com/legalnewsroom/estate-elder/b/estate-elder-blog/archive/2012/07/24/the-often-misunderstood-rule-against-perpetuities.aspx
[2] Technically the life of a charity, an educational or religious institution with enough money is an on-going concern that does not end, but for the purposes of this entry, it does, for it will end when the world ends and the world, according to the Bible, will end.  According to science the world will also end when the sun (a star) dies [see http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve/ ]or when the earth (a planet) dies [see http://www.astrobio.net/news-exclusive/signs-of-life-on-dying-planets/.]
[3] How shall one call this sort of plan?  An Eternal Soul Plan? A Resurrection Plan? Toward The Living Christ Plan? Hell Avoidance Plan? Anti-Satan Plan?  Incidentally, I do not  recommend making a livelihood by selling one's expertise in crafting any such plan, whatever it is called, for Heaven is not for sale, and is never on sale, and neither is Hell on sale or for sale because Hell's door is always open and its one-way single entry is free!

The Changing Definition Of Good

In the secular world, good means different things to different people at different times.

In the field of technology, something is good only when it is changed every so often -- it does not matter if the change, commonly known as upgrade, is for the better or for the worse.  Technological  change is always good because change allows the providers to gather more data and to make more money, to market the newness to make more money, and to make obsolete the past to make more money.  It does not matter if in the process, time is wasted and resources are consumed, mistakes are made and the environment is ruined, change is always welcomed as a good thing.

In the spiritual realm, good is constant.  The actions of Christ arose from good.  The good from Christ has remained good and will continue to be good.  The good as defined by the actions of Christ does not change.

The good that Christ had defined, by His humility, forgiveness and love, not by Satan's pride, thirst for justice and violent vengeance, is the constant good all must strive to achieve, not by changing the definition of good but by changing ourselves to be good like Christ.

Different Cultures, Same Language

This entry is inspired by the same cousin who inspired my last entry.  This was the cousin whose "husband" (technically boyfriend) said they were having communication problems that compelled them to seek therapy.  My cousin explained that they were having communication issues because they come from different cultures.

To be sure, both are Americans, born and grew up in the United States of America, although my cousin has Asian parents and her "husband" has blond hair and I think, blue eyes.  I agree with my cousin that upbringing can impact how a person thinks and behaves because mine is a bifurcated life, having been brought up in Asia and having my formative years being molded by Caucasian monks in Illinois.

My bifurcated life is a plus for me because I see things from both sides.  In the beginning, I saw differences which I attributed to differences in culture that were difficult to bridge.  I was wrong.

As time went by, what difficulties I had with differences, the mature me realized, had nothing to do with culture at all -- not one iota.  All the differences and the difficulties have everything to do with one's Free Will in making choices in life, choosing between good and evil, between following Christ and falling for Satan.

When everybody chooses to be like Christ, there will be no differences or difficulties, but because Satan is always present with Its temptations to imprison us, to detract all from following Christ, conflicts have thus become inescapable and integrated into our lives.

Despite Satan's sweeping influence, there is one thing Satan is unable to take away from any of us, and that is love.

Everybody in the world needs love, even those who have been hardened by life's circumstances.  When there is love between any two people from any two diverse cultures, religions, ethnicities and upbringings, the kind of love that emanates from deep down in the heart where God resides [1], they speak the same language and are in unity.

Those who believe in God have hope that unity between any two persons and among all peoples are possible, and know that the ultimate unity is with God and the path for anyone to be eternally united to God is through Jesus Christ.


[1] Satan battles continuously to evict God from deep down in a person's heart.  It succeeds only when the irrevocable choice to reject God forever is made.

Spousal Communication

I met a cousin over the weekend.  She told me that she and her husband [1] were seeing a therapist.  I asked her and her husband what was the one main reason, the first that came to their minds, that necessitated therapy.

Before I continue, let me disclose that I am biased against  the need for therapy. [2]  Why does anyone need therapy when the Lord is always there to help, and when Our Mother, Mary, is always listening to our prayers and interceding for us, and when Jesus will always answer Her intercessions because of His love for Her.

My cousin seemed to be at a loss for words when I asked the question, but her husband answered that they were having a problem with communication.  My cousin agreed by saying that each person would make assumptions and those assumptions are not communicated.  In the course of the few minutes we were sharing, I asked if I could suggest something.  They agreed to hear me out.  I told them that they did not have an issue with communication.  I cannot imagine two educated and intelligent individuals, neither of whom was hard of hearing, would have a problem communicating with each other.  So I told them that there are three things that they have to have to resolve their issues: humility, charity and love.

I explained that humility comes from within, and must begin with the individual.  Then comes charity.  That is when one person gives to another.  After that comes love which is a union of two persons.  I said that was the most important of all, except for the love for God.

She admitted that she did have pride and said that I was good, and that I should be a shaman as we were walking into the room where the wedding guests were dancing.  As the music grew louder and louder and our speaking voices became more and more inaudible, I left her by saying that until you become Catholic (I actually meant that until she believed in God), then we can talk more.



[1] Technically, he was not her husband but her boyfriend even they have been together for years.  In this entry, I have taken the liberty to reclassify their legal status and therefore this entry is fiction.
[2] At one point in my life, I was in the depths of depression.  I had thought seriously about seeking a therapist.  Then I thought, what could the therapist do that God could not?  I knew that God could help me.  It was a difficult choice seeking help from a health care provider in Heaven, Who was invisible to me (and still is), Who did not speak to me (and still do not), and in Whom I must believe with all the faith that I had, which I determined at the time was only a tiny part of me.  The choice was a conscious one and deep down I knew I was right by putting by my entire hope in God that I would be healed, filling that tiny part of my entire being that was my faith.  The pain did not disappear instantly, but I felt the courage to go on, as difficult it was, I forged ahead, pains and prayers (and tears) all at the same time, and over time, I felt better and better, until one ordinary day during an uneventful moment, my pains left me silently, without notice, and never came back.

Did Jesus Play Any Sports?

Jesus did not play sports or other games when He was growing up.  It was pointless for Him to play since He would win every time.  Being the Son of God, He was perfect and could not lose.

On the flip side, no one would want to play against someone who always wins.  Could Jesus not at least pretend to lose from time to time so that His companions and opponents would want to continue playing with Him?  Of course He could, but letting someone win on purpose is to deceive and Jesus does not deceive.

Jesus did not come into this world to play games, to win and to put us to shame (as if making us feel inferior is a sport that delights Him) but to unmask us and expose the games we play, to mend us and make us whole, to prepare us to join Him for an eternity in Heaven.

What Did Jesus Do For Fun?

Was Jesus' life all work and no play?  Jesus was only twelve when He said to His Mother Who was looking for Him: "'Why were you searching for me?'" [Jesus] asked. "'Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?'" [1]  Prior to that incident, nobody wrote about the life Jesus led as a boy.  As a matter of fact, no one bothered recording His teenage years either, or His years as a 20-something young man until His Mother asked Him to turn jugs of waters into wine at the wedding at Cana [2] when Jesus was about 30 years old [3].

It would be reasonable to assume that Jesus was under the watchful eyes of both Mary and Joseph while growing up, especially after the incident in Jerusalem when He was only twelve [4], and that He learned carpentry from His adopted father.  It would also be reasonable to assume that Jesus knew from the beginning that He would be crucified around 33 years old.  Therefore, at 12, Jesus was probably anxious to start doing what He was put on earth to do before the time came for Him to die.  That would give Him 21 years of ministry with miracles.  That amount of time was apparently too long according to His Mother Who took Him home and sheltered Him from the world.  Hence, nothing in the life of Jesus was recorded in the Gospels after Jesus' first appearance at 12 until He was about 30 [5] when His Mother decided that it was time for Her Son to become known to the world, by asking Jesus to perform His first miracle at Cana.

During the "missing" years when Jesus was sheltered by His Mother, how did Jesus spend His time?  There were no television and no electronic gadgets but there was an amphitheater in Tiberius, Israel, [6] probably for gladiatorial and other athletic and artistic events.  Did the Holy Family have their own seats and season tickets?  I doubt that the Holy Family ever attended any of those events, or that Jesus was ever there with His peers.  I also doubt that Jesus was ever bored.  Why?  Because Jesus is not of this world.  Why would any form of worldly entertainment amuse Him when He is from Heaven where He has seen everything from the beginning to timeless eternity?  Why would Jesus be bored for even one moment when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit from Which complete fulfillment springs, and when Jesus, Himself the Son of God, is part of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost?  In fact, He would probably find all forms of entertainment a total waste of time and resources when the alternative is complete fulfillment in God.  In other words, Jesus, being the Son of God, the source of complete fulfillment, why would He find any human form of entertainment fun especially when such fulfillment is only temporary, and when every moment of His time on earth was already being lived in complete fulfillment? [7]
 
Jesus did not need to do anything for fun.  He was at all times completely fulfilled.  Man is the one who is not ever completely fulfilled because of Sin and is desirous at all times.  Fun is one of his desires and fun he will find [8].  The desire for fun Satan is pleased to give to all, the kind of desire that does not satiate, but generates a craving, an addiction, so much so that it can bring ruin to the body and the soul.  This is the direct opposite of fulfillment in Christ which heals the body and lifts the soul to Heaven.



[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:41-52
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2:1-11
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+3:23 and http://www.neverthirsty.org/pp/corner/read1/r00325.html 
[4] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:41-52  
[5] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+3:23
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95IQn_UbDbo 
[7] Even when Jesus was betrayed, scourged, humiliated and nailed to the cross, suffering until His death, He was at every moment completely fulfilled because He was fulfilling His Father's Will.  By doing so, He laid the path to lead us from Hell to life everlasting (only if one chooses it freely).  Can anyone think of a more fulfilling life? 
[8] When man has a desire, man will ceaselessly find a way to fulfill that desire.

What Did Jesus Eat And Drink?

To ask what Jesus ate and drank is to assume that Jesus, the Son of God, did eat and drink, that he ate because he was hungry, and that he drank because he was thirsty.

We know for certain that Jesus was thirsty on the cross when He said, "I thirst," [1] and that He did drink when He said, " I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom." [2]  That, however, does not tell us what exactly Jesus was thirsty for (on the cross) or what fruit of what vine He had been drinking and will again drink in His Father's Kingdom, but it is assumed that the vine Jesus was referring to was grapevine and the fruit was grape.  The liquid Jesus drank could therefore be fresh or fermented grape juice (wine).

Did Christ drink water?  It can be assumed that He did but then again, He was known to be able to turn water into wine [3].  If Jesus preferred wine over water, He could easily have transformed water into heavenly wine.  Fathered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus might not have needed water although blood and water flowed from His side on the cross: "one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." [4]  Christ probably drank water as well.

Did Christ eat?  Jesus was human so it can be assumed that He became hungry and ate.  How do we know what Jesus liked to eat?  We do not but one entity that knew was Satan.  In the desert, Satan told Jesus: "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." [5]  Bread, therefore, can arguably be Christ's favorite food.  If it is not, why would Satan ask Christ to turn the stones into something He disliked; instead, It could have tempted the hungry Jesus to turn the stones into something He liked, perhaps a gourmet feast.

Based on Satan's choice of bread in Its temptation of Jesus, Jesus was probably not a foodie and did not eat very much and when he did eat, He probably ate simply.  I imagine that He was lean and His diet consisted of only bread, water and wine.

However, in the Gospel of Luke, the only time Jesus was said to have eaten fish took place after the resurrection. [6]  Whether or not the account that Jesus ate fish can be verified, Jesus' consumption of fish took place not  when he was in the flesh as a human but in the flesh as the resurrected Son of God.  For the purpose of this entry, this distinction, whether Jesus ate any meat of any kind before His crucifixion or only after, is important because this entry is about what Jesus ate and drank during his life, not His life after death.

No where else in the Gospels do they tell what Jesus actually ate, not even when He multiplied five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed a large crowd. [7]  Jesus only told his disciples to give the people something to eat, not that He needed to eat anything at all.

Jesus came into the world to offer us the bread of life, his body, and wine, his blood for the forgiveness of sins but not to consume what the world has to offer.  He came to serve, not to be served.  He came to attend sheep, not to profit from the flock.  He came to give, not to take.  What He has to give is eternal life to all; what Satan wants is to take that away from everyone.

When Jesus rejected Satan's temptation of bread, He showed us what we eat or drink is not at all important.  What He had to eat and drink was not important to Him, nor was it important to Him what people ate or drank.  What the world has to offer is for our flesh to consume until it is hungry again.  What Christ offers fulfill our soul and it will never again be empty.


[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A28&version=KJ21
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%2026:29
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2:1-11
[4] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn++19:34
[5]  http://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%204:3
[6] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A36-43&version=NIV
[7] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+14%3A14-21%2CMark+6%3A30-44%2CLuke+9%3A10-17%2CJohn+6%3A5-14&version=NIV

Judas Iscariot - The Handsome Devil

A quick search of images of Judas Iscariot as imagined by artists over the centuries did not show him to be a good-looking man.  I suppose humans have a tendency to portray the villain to be wickedly ugly, or to think that wickedly ugly faces have a tendency to be evil.  To think otherwise I suppose is the exception.  If I were to imagine what Judas Iscariot looked like, he would be the handsome disciple who became wickedly sinful.  Furthermore, I imagine him to be the disciple Jesus loved second  most, after John [1] whom I imagine to have an angelic face full of boyish innocence.

Why do I out on a limb to say that Judas was the second most beloved disciple of Jesus?  I do this because it came to my mind, and I will make the case here.

Peter, whom Jesus relied on as the bedrock of His universal church, was a beloved disciple to be sure, but not the second most beloved.  Peter was the fisherman.  I see him as rugged, tall and strong, a straight-forward, no-nonsense leader, a virtuous man who spoke his mind, even though he denied Jesus three times when he was in fear of his life after Jesus was arrested [2].  He was the "go-to" guy for Jesus.  We all should have someone like Peter in our lives, trustworthy and always reliable -- almost always reliable -- Peter did fall asleep at the Garden of Gethsemane [3].  Peter was very good but Peter was not perfect.  He would be the third most beloved disciple of Jesus.

Then why would I put Judas Iscariot above Peter as Jesus' second most beloved even though he was the one who betrayed Jesus in the end?  Precisely because Judas Iscariot was the betrayer, he had to be the most dear to Jesus after John because by having someone so dear to Jesus turn against Him, Jesus would be most hurt.  The pain Jesus felt was truly indescribable when Judas gave Jesus his final kiss, a gesture so intimate, so tender and so close to the heart, a gesture that Judas had repeated so many times before out of his genuine and intense love for Christ.  This was Judas' last kiss, a kiss of betrayal so painful that Jesus said with unconditional love [4] and without spite [5], with His heart full of pain, "Judas, how can you do this—betray the Messiah with a kiss?" [6]

Even though Jesus knew ahead of time Judas would betray Him, the rest of the eleven disciples did not. [7]  John, the most beloved disciple, was not a suspect, nor was Peter, the born leader.  Judas Iscariot was also not a suspect because he was the second most beloved disciple based on my analysis, and he was not wickedly ugly which based on human's prejudicial nature would have made him culpable in the eyes of the rest of the disciples.  In my mind, Judas' good looks gave him the credibility he needed to present his offer to the chief priests to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. [8], [9]


[1] http://www.guidedbiblestudies.com/topics/johndisciplejesusloves.htm
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+26:69-75
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026:36-45
[4] Unconditional love is the only kind of love Jesus has.
[5] Even Jesus knew Judas would betray Him as the last supper, He still washed Judas' feet.  See http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13:1-17, especially http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A10-11&version=NIV .  Jesus is never spiteful.
[6] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A48&version=TLB
[7] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2022:7-23
[8] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14:10-11
[9] According to one analysis online (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_30_pieces_of_silver_in_the_21st_century), adjusted for inflation, the thirty pieces of silver in the 21st century is worth about $13,000 USD.  No Jewish chief priest is going to give someone wickedly ugly claiming to be Jesus disciple US$13,000 to identify Jesus.  After all, how difficult was it to identify Jesus?  Was He not often seen preaching to a large crowd and performing miracles?

Fr. Joseph Aythna's Sermon On "Love" And "Lukewarmness"

I was riveted to my television when Fr Joseph Aythna, CPM [1], [2] began his sermon, broadcasted on Monday, May 19, 2014, on EWTN.  This was the first time I ever heard him speak even though I had seen him on ETWN before.  He was articulate, his sermon was succinct and his points were powerfully made. 

At 33, Fr. Joseph Aythna took the love of God to heights that stirred my soul.  His sermon is worth a listen.  It is available on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrH9zimsM_A   The part beginning at approximately 12:57 is, in my opinion, one of the high points of his sermon: "So the biggest misfortune in our life is not pain, not suffering, or sickness or even death itself but a lack of love, a lack of especially in Jesus Christ."  He then spoke about "lukewarmness" and the antidote to it which is to pray for "a holy stubbornness, never to quit in the advancement of spiritual life.  We are all called to the perfection of love...."


[1] "The Fathers of Mercy (Latin: Congregatio Presbyterorum a Misericordia, C.P.M.) is a Catholic religious institute of missionary priests, founded by Jean-Baptiste Rauzan in early 19th-century France."  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fathers_of_Mercy
[2] Father Aythna's biographical page:  http://fathersofmercy.com/priests/fr-joseph-aytona/

The Rosary In Latin With Monsignor Guido Marini

This entry updates the one entered on August 14, 2013.  The link that leads to Monsignor Guido Marini saying the rosary in Latin is now on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ9kxk_RlmI [1]


[1] Catholic Devotions on Youtube uploaded a recitation of the rosary in Latin but the pronunciation of some of the words are different from the Monsignor's.  Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9g9dCZ_sc   Since Latin is a "dead" language, no one really knows for certain the proper pronunciation, so I have developed my own preferences.  For example, I like pronouncing "Dei" as "day-ee", with just a hint of "ee", a very short one, not an elongated "eeee" and not just "day". The two-syllable pronunciation of "Dei" parallels that of "die" which is pronounced as "dee-a".  Listen to it here: http://www.forvo.com/word/et_resurrexit_tertia_die/  Support for the two-syllable pronunciation of "Dei"can be heard here as chanted by The Daughters of Mary & Bishop Joseph Santay at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJJoUfgfmRA  Please do not pay attention to the Pater Noster prayer before the chant (better to mute it) because I think the Latin there sounds awful, but I do thank the person for uploading the chant that followed.

A Moment Of Peace

Each of us here has been given a life, a moment in the endlessness of time, so let us all from every corner of the world celebrate our moment together in peace.

Time To Build Some Arks?

As the world's climate warms, sea waters will rise, and beach communities will be underwater, giving way to new waterfront properties that were not waterfront properties before.  If global warming is taking place at an increasingly alarming rate, melting the ice in Greenland and in Antarctica, a large portion of the world's population that live near the water may have to migrate, but where?  How about into something that can float, like an ark, a yacht, a cruise ship or a naval aircraft carrier?

There is no need to be alarmed.  Rising ocean waters is the least of man's problems.  It is man's modern lifestyle that is contributing to the demise of the planet, exploiting its resources for profit and self-gratification while poisoning its air and its water.  If people would live like Francis of Assisi, the skies over China will be blue again, the air over Pakistan will be clean again, the coral reefs will thrive again, obese people will go the way of extinction, cancer rates will drop and the overall health of humans will improve.  What will be a waste of time and resources and an exercise in futility is having a traveling pastor advising anyone on the effects of earth's changing climate.

Muslim Religion Hijacked

I have never read the Koran but I cannot believe that it advocates violence.  A discussion on the internet gives support to my assumption. [1]  My first hand experience also tells me that Muslims are people just like all other people.  I spoke with many (in English) during my visit to Turkey some years ago and found them to be friendly and helpful to a traveler who had lost his way [2].

How someone who is religious could sentence a pregnant woman to be hanged to death because she happens to be Christian and is married a Christian man is beyond comprehension. [3]  This applies not only to those who believe in Allah, but also those who believe in God.  No one can forget the crucifixion of Jesus.  Although no direct evidence can prove that the Jewish leaders where behind the crucifixion, they certainly were powerful enough to stop it by testifying on behalf of Jesus' innocence [4] but none of them bothered to do so.

All major religions, and minor ones too, have been hijacked at one time or another by extremist followers who kill in the name of religion.  Muslim is the major one at present, but it is not the only one at present.  There is another "religion" called secularism.  It, too, kills. [5]



[1] http://muslimmatters.org/2010/02/21/is-islam-a-violent-religion/
[2] By means of a photo in a travel book and finger-pointing.
[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27424064
[4] Jesus' innocence is certainly debatable from the perspective of the Jewish religion.  After all, Jesus did not come to live by Jewish law but to show everybody the way to eternal life.
[5] It kills by allowing abortions; it "kills" by passing laws that violate the laws of nature; it "kills" by profiting at the expense of nature;  it "kills" by distancing Christ from the people He came to save.

The Look Of Eyes

Regardless of their size, shape or color, the eyes can sometimes tell what a person is like.  Unfortunately, I do not spend time reading what they say because I would rather know people by who they are.  Of course, I have been disappointed, so perhaps I should make a conscious effort to read people's eyes.

I am neither a mind reader, nor am I good judge of character.  I like to assume that everyone is good because I believe that God is in everyone, even though there are those who have set God aside and have made room for the enemy. 

I think that those who have set God aside have eyes that do not accept light and therefore reflect light.  People whose eyes reflect light will not let others look into their souls.  They have shut God out and they have shut others out.  Their eyes are like glass when you look at them.  You see a set of eyes with all of its functions intact, but you see nothing else.  You see nothing else because the person with such reflective eyes are hiding their truths.  Generally the deceitful ones who lie with a straight face have such eyes, as well as the judgmental ones who have form opinions of you before you utter your first word. [1]

I also think that those with eyes that emanate light from the soul have God as their center.  People with eyes that emanate light draw people in, and when you look at them, you see more that just eyes, you see depth in those eyes, and through them, you can see into the soul.  These are people who are generally trustworthy, but some may be rather aloof. [2]  I think their aloofness is a defense mechanism for their self-preservation, so that they would not be exploited or taken advantage of in one way or another because by showing their souls, they become vulnerable.

Of course, in between these extremes are looks of all kinds, and looks of eyes that change like a chameleon, so in reality, there are no hard and fast rules but those outlined are general ones, perhaps too general to be useful.

Since this world is in a constant struggle between the good ones and evil ones, between those with eyes that emanate light and those that reflect it, who will win?  Of course in the end, good will triumph over evil, not so much that evil is vanquished, although in some cases that could be true, but I think in most cases, evil is transformed by good into good.  In other words, those with eyes that emanate light will over time soften those with eyes that reflect it, so that vulnerability will eventually be exposed.  These occurrences are likely to take place often because the hardened ones can see just how beautiful eyes that emanate light are, how pure and loving vulnerability is, and would like to be so transformed.


[1] Pretty eyes can be reflective of light too.
[2] The deceitful ones can be aloof too because they do not want anyone to get too close for fear that their dirty secrets may not be safe.

Is Original Sin A Part Of Human DNA?

In past entries I have labeled every incarnate a sinner, other than Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In this entry, I analyze my blanket supposition, beginning at the moment of conception.  Let me start with Mary's.

Mary is the Immaculate Conception. [1]  "The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin." [2]  What that means is that Mary's constitution was not tainted in any way by her ancestors, Adam and Eve, who ingested the Forbidden Apple, the Apple that God expressly said not to eat [3].  However, that does not  mean that She was free from temptation -- She was not.  She was as vulnerable as Eve was in the Garden of Eden to Satan's advances but this "new Eve" was incorruptible and inviolate.

Similarly, Jesus, the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and without Original Sin, was not free from temptation.  He was partly a descendant of Adam and Eve [4]: partly because Mary was but the Holy Spirit was not, and it was the Holy Spirit Who conceived Jesus.   Like His Mother, Jesus was as vulnerable as Adam in the Garden of Eden was to Satan's enticements.  This "new Adam," like the "new Eve," was also incorruptible and inviolate and had rejected Satan attempts to ruin Him. [5]

No other human besides Jesus and Mary has ever been conceived without Original Sin.  For this reason, it is correct that all descendants of Adam and Eve are labeled as sinners.  But does that mean that every baby, at the moment of birth, has sinned?  I do not think so, but it does not take long for it to do so, by demanding with screams and tears until its selfish needs are satisfied [6].  How inconsiderate!  No doubt a harsh standard for an infant, but for this and many other far more egregious sins that will almost certainly be committed as it grows up, death and decay of the flesh are the consequences, and death and decay await all incarnates. [7]

Since I do not believe that an infant has sinned at the moment of birth, it is therefore conceivable that it could grow up without sinning at all.  Such a possibility is remote, but I nonetheless want to indulge in this theoretical possibility to wile away time, and take a closer look at this theoretical child who does not sin, but who is nonetheless born with Original Sin.

Like Jesus and Mary, this child would be vulnerable to temptation by Satan but unlike Them, would live and die with Original Sin.  Therefore, after death, this person would not be resurrected or lifted up to Heaven.  Original Sin causes the deceased body to remain on earth, and sinlessness allows it to remain incorrupt.

What label would be put on such a sinless child born with Original Sin?   A sinless saint, perhaps, a saint that is very unlike John Paul II and many other dubious saints, and even unlike a true saint like Francis of Assisi, who had sinned before he was called to serve Christ but who was transformed by God's grace.  Is there such a sinless saint that had lived or lives?  I do not know, but of the few saints that I read about, Bernadette Soubirous may come the closest in my opinion. [8]

Assuming that Bernadette Soubirous had never sinned, her DNA still had Original Sin.  Having Original Sin in one's DNA does not  mean one has to sin or one necessarily sins: one is only a carrier of Adam and Eve's Original Sin.  Only when one chooses freely to sin  does Original Sin manifest itself as a cancer that grows, to the delight of Satan, until one chooses freely to repent, and to pray to God for salvation of the soul, so that the spread of the sin can stop, and the healing and forgiveness can begin.



[1] Mary is the Immaculate Conception because She said so, to Bernadette Soubirous on Thursday, March 25, 1858.  See http://www.catholicpilgrims.com/lourdes/bg_lourdes_conception.htm
[2] http://www.catholic.com/tracts/immaculate-conception-and-assumption
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3
[4] http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Luke/Jesus-One-Who-Comes
[5] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+4:1-11
[6] While Satan has the patience to wait for us to step on the down escalator to Hell as we enjoy ourselves along the way, with one instant gratification after another, It wants us to grow in impatience and impulsiveness from the very beginning, so that we would not stop to smell the roses, to see God and the beauty of God's magnificence.
[7] The one exception to a natural death would be Jesus because He is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Arguably he would never die naturally, but since He was crucified, one can only speculate.  Because neither Jesus nor Mary had Original Sin, Their flesh did not decay.  Jesus resurrected.  Mary was lifted up, body and soul, into Heaven.  Read about the Feast of the Assumption here:  http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Assumption.htm
[8] http://www.catholicpilgrims.com/lourdes/bb_bernadette_body.htm 

Joel Osteen's "It's Not Over" Sermon

I happened to catch Joel Osteen's sermon on TBN entitled "It's Not Over" delivered on May 11, 2014.  I wish I could get a copy of it in print but since I think the pastor delivered it without referring to any notes, a printed copy probably does not exist.  However, it is on the May 11 video: #616, It's Not Over. [1]

It was not so much Joel Osteen's wonderful anecdotes that captivated me, although I always enjoy listening to them -- it was the way he weaved into this sermon God, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Seth [2], Jesus and His resurrection and the blood of Christ that is continuing to redeem us from Satan that was absolutely astounding.  The audience was clapping and screaming with approval.  This was definitely a masterpiece, a miracle sermon, a sermon that I imagine was divinely inspired.  Joel Osteen is truly blessed! [3]


[1] http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/ThisWeeksMessage.aspx  Next to May 11, click on It's Not Over and the video will play.  How long this video will be available I do not know.  It is worth a listen. 
[2] I did not know who Seth was until I heard this sermon.
[3] One does not have to be Catholic to be blessed, and certainly one does not have to be a priest to give good sermons.  I wish that Joel Osteen will one day talk about the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but that would make him "too Catholic" but I do not suppose there is any harm in that.  I am glad that where the Vatican mouthpiece and the mouthpieces of many cardinals and priests seem to be failing the universal "Catholic" church, someone else (a "samaritan" of sorts in an analogous sense) is stepping in to lead the sheep to the Shepherd.

Mother's Day Reflection - The Prayer Of Fatima

The selfless love of a mother for her children has a sort of grandness that approaches unconditional love.  Perhaps on occasion a mother's love reaches the ultimate grandness but praising this grandness would have to be in a separate writing.  This entry is dedicated to a Mother's unceasing love for all Her children, including the ones who are egregiously sinful.  I find this unfailing love apparent in the prayer of Fatima taught to all by Our Lady of Fatima.

As translated, the words of the prayer follow:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. [1]

Our Mother in Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, was born without sin.  In terms of DNA, She is the closest to all of us sinners.  As holy as the Blessed Virgin Mary is, Our Holy Mother is not God. [2]  As such, the Blessed Virgin Mary knows our weaknesses first hand, our predisposition to Sin and all of its variations and Satan's constant influence upon each of us to turn us away from God.  Because of Her understanding of our nature, which is also Her nature but without Sin, the Blessed Virgin Mary is most compassionate and She is our best and most incessant intercessor before God, not only for those who strive to live a good life, inasmuch as possible, to love and Jesus loves, but also for the worst of sinners, those who persecute others, torture others, kill others in contradiction to what Jesus has taught.

It is on the words of the prayer of Fatima that I reflect this day, Mother's Day, and on how grand the love the Blessed Virgin Mary has for all her children, so much so that our Holy Mother could pray to intercede for the souls of those evil children of Hers who had greatly sinned against the souls of Her other children who suffered under the will of the evil ones, to have their sins forgiven and to save all  souls from the fires of Hell. [3]


[1] http://www.santorosario.net/english/fatima2.htm (in English) and http://www.santorosario.net/english/fatima3.htm (in Latin).  Note:  The version in Latin uses "inferiori" in reference to hell.  I personally prefer to say "inferni" rather than "inferiori."
[2] The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of Jesus Who is part of the Holy Trinity, and we acknowledge Her as the Mother of God.
[3] I suppose that would even include Judas who betrayed Her Son, Jesus, and those who conspired to have Christ crucified. 

Mother's Day

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  While we celebrate with (or think of) the one who gave us life, we must also remember to give thanks to the one who intercedes for us in Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Mother of all.

There is a saying in Chinese about mothers and children.  My translation is lousy but it goes something like this: One mother, nine children; with mother, ten hearts. [1]  The meaning is apparent.  Even though all the children come from the same mother, none of them thinks alike and not one has the same mind as the mother.  So each of us is unique, and all of us together as a human family is multifaceted.  And being that we are all made in the image of God, then God is all of us combined, and is beyond that sum total.  And that sum total has not ended as new souls are incarnated every day, each with a different mind, a different talent and different imaginations.  How wonderfully complicatedly unfathomably perfect God truly is!

Below is an example that is down to earth, so to speak. It is an article entitled, "Confessions from the blond, black sheep of the family -- a mom among boys" by Brooke Lefferts [2]:

Before I had kids, I thought my perfect family would be two boys and a girl. I pictured my daughter and I having the close relationship I share with my mother. We would go shopping, get manicures, and whisper secrets. She would borrow my clothes and I’d tell her and her friends about all the stupid adolescent mistakes I made, while we ate cookies we baked together.

But that wasn’t to be.

I ended up with three high-energy boys (ages 8, 10, and 14) and a husband, who all are obsessed with sports and winning. I often wonder how someone who grew up on books, TV, and movies and still doesn’t understand how to get a first down in football ended up with a permanent seat in the bleachers.

I'm the blond-haired black sheep in my family. I’m a girl.

When I had my third healthy baby boy, any smidge of disappointment about his gender was quickly replaced with gratitude and relief.

While I was a pretty clueless teenager and young adult, I bloomed into a capable, confident mother. I knew how to parent boys and I was on a roll. Throwing a girl in there may have disrupted my swerve. Plus, the chances of me screwing her up were extremely high.

I believe you get what you’re supposed to get.

There are benefits to being the only chick in the house. There isn’t a ton of drama, and my guys don’t hold a grudge. None of them really care how I look and so far, they don’t judge me.

So I find my moments with my boys. I may not love the 24/7 sports engagement…their dirty, smelly, slovenly ways…or their complete disregard for my feelings most of the time. But I’ve found common ground with each of them.

My oldest is a huge gossip. His uncanny ability to listen to two conversations at once and remember details about people and events serves us both well. He loves to hear any story I tell — old or new-- about strangers or friends. We’re both fascinated by people and why they do the crazy things they do.

My middle son is my sensitive, deep thinker. The other day we curled up on the couch and watched the coming of age movie, “The Way, Way Back,” and when the bittersweet ending came, both of us sobbed. He snuggled with me under a blanket and we watched the entire roll of credits, tears splashing down our faces.

My little guy is my style maven. He cares about his clothes and understands the difference between clashing and matching. He’s my go-to when I need an opinion on which outfit is more flattering or cool.  When I wear something new, he actually notices, and is the first to compliment me on a haircut or new pair of shoes.

I love being the mom of three boys.

You get what you’re supposed to get, and then you find what you need. [3]

[1] Apparently this is an old Chinese saying, way before the one-child policy in China.
[2] http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/05/09/confessions-from-blond-haired-black-sheep-in-family-mom-among-boys/?intcmp=features
[3] These are words of Truth, and have more holiness than anything this new pope has said.

"The False Poor" and "Greed Calls Herself Foresight"

The titles of this entry are in quotations because they are not mine.  They are captions that are part of "THE SACRED EXHANGE BETWEEN SAINT FRANCIS AND LADY POVERTY (1237-1239)" in the book entitled Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint.  The passage, The False Poor,  is quoted below [1]:

The False Poor

     Then there arose among us some who were not of [our company], certain children of Belial, speaking vanities, doing wicked things.  They called themselves poor when they were not,  and they spurned and maligned me whom the glorious men about whom I have already spoken had loved with their whole heart.  They followed the path of Balaam of Bosor who loved the reward of wickedness,  men corrupt in mind, deprived of truth, supposing their quests to be one of piety.  They were men who took up the habit of holy religion but did not put on the new man  and only covered over the old.  They detracted from their elders and sniped in secret about the life and conduct of those who founded their holy way of life.  They call them undiscerning, merciless, and cruel.  They accused me, whom they had respected, of being lazy, crude, depraved, uncultured, lifeless, and dead.   It was my rival who did this with the greatest zeal---my rival who, putting on a lamb's clothing, hid the voracity of a wolf with the cunning of a fox.  [Emphasis  original.]

Based on my reading, the speaker in the above quoted passage was not Saint Francis of Assisi but Lady Poverty, and the rival Lady Poverty referred to was not any particular brother, but Greed.  In a later passage, Greed Calls Herself Foresight,  Greed responded [2]:

Greed Calls Herself Foresight

     "Meanwhile that savage enemy of mine, seeing this, began to become violently angry and  to grind her teeth.  Distressed at such grief of heart,  she said: 'What shall I do?  Behold the whole world has gone after her.  I will assume the name 'Foresight,' "she said, 'and I will speak to their heart, if only they will listen and acquiesce.'
     "She did this, addressing them in humble words: 'Why do you stand all day idle,  without providing for your future?  What does it profit you to have the necessities of life while you abstain from luxuries?  For you could work out your salvation and that of others with great peace and leisure if everything you needed were readily available.  While you have time,  provide for yourselves and your offspring, for people will withdraw their hand from their initial generosity and from their customary gifts.  It would be good to remain always as you are, but you cannot always achieve that since daily the Lord adds to your number.  Since [the Lord] says  "It is more blessed to give than to receive,"  wouldn't it be acceptable to God if you had something to give to the needy and were mindful of the poor?  [Emphasis  original.]

If Saint Francis of Assisi had envisioned his order to be lived in the spirit of Lady Poverty, I believe that his vision has not lasted.  Rather, I think that his order is governed more by Lady Foresight, the rival of Lady Poverty, than Lady Poverty herself.  And if this pope thinks he is taking after Francis of Assisi, he should think again.  I doubt very much that he would be one of the lesser brothers who would prepare a banquet for Lady Poverty, as described below, and join her:

The Banquet of Poverty with the Brothers

     After they had prepared everything, they persuaded her to eat with them.  But she said: "First show me your oratory, chapter room, enclosure, refectory, kitchen, dormitory and stable; your beautiful chairs, polished tables and large houses.  I do not see any of these.  I only notice that you are cheerful and happy, overflowing with joy, filled with consolation, as if you expect that everything will be given to you at your request."
     ....

     Then they led her to where they had prepared the table.  When they had led her there, she saw that there was nothing more than three or four crusts of barley or bran bread set upon the grass.  She was greatly astonished and said to herself: " Who has ever seen in past generations  such things as these!  Blessed are you, Lord God, Who cares for all things!  Everything is possible when you wish.  You have taught your people to please you through such deeds."  They then sat down together, thanking God for all His gifts.
      Lady Poverty gave the order to bring the cooked food on dishes.  Behold a single dish was brought filled with cold water for all of them to dip bread.  There was neither an abundance of dishes nor a variety of cooked foods.
      She asked that at least uncooked, aromatic herbs be brought to her.  Since they did not have a gardener and knew nothing of a garden, however, they gathered wild herbs in the woods and placed them before her.
     "Bring me a little salt," she said, "to season the herbs for they are bitter."  "Wait, Lady," they responded.  "We will go to town for some.  If they are offered to us, we will bring them to you."
      ....

     "Is there a little wine among you?"  "Our Lady, we have no wine," they responded.  "At the beginning of human life there was only bread and water.  It is not good for you to drink wine because Christ's spouse must avoid wine like poison."
     .... 
  
     She even asked for a pillow for her head.  They immediately brought a stone and placed it under her head.
     After enjoying a very quiet and healthy sleep, she quickly arose and asked to  be shown the enclosure.  Taking her to a certain hill, they showed her all the world they could see and said: "This, Lady, is our enclosure." [Emphasis original.] [3]

[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 542. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] Ibid., page 545.
[3] Ibid., pages 551-2.

The Essence of Christ

"My kingdom is not of this world," said Jesus. [1]   By His grandest miracle, His resurrection, He proved His statement to be true.

Because Jesus was not of this world, He was not interested in either politics or social justice issues. [2]  Such are matters of this world, not His.  He only concern was for the salvation of souls.

The torture, the torment and the crucifixion of Jesus together is the ultimate expression of God's unconditional love.

To enter Heaven, one must accept God's love [3] in order to join Christ in His kingdom.


[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A36&version=NIV
[2] Unlike this pope, Jesus had never been an advocate of social justice; Jesus was about saving souls, one at a time, and about giving up ownership of and attachment to all things worldly, and begging for alms while serving others.  This applies especially to the religious, like the pope.  Of course, he does not live like that.  He is definitely no Saint Francis of Assisi.
[3] Acceptance of God's love requires the rejection of Satan.  Rejecting Satan means repentance of all of one's sins, including those known only to oneself and God, and to sin no more (see http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A11&version=NKJV).

The Opportunist

An opportunist is often more sinister than one who merely takes advantage of an opportunity that happens to be within one's grasp.  The opportunist here is one who takes advantage of one who is kind, giving and forgiving, who yields even to demands that overreach or are unreasonable and whose compassion extends even to ingrates.  Such an opportunist ought to know that he is not the smart one; the smart one is the one who is "meek" for they are the ones who inherit the earth. [1], [2]  Meek is not synonymous with weak.  Meek means "humbly patient or docile," and "gentle and kind." [3]  Only a strong and smart person can be meek and knowingly permit the opportunist to have his way.  In fact the opportunist is the one who is weak, who is a parasite that feeds on opportunities without the slightest compunction, who is without the wherewithal to create and inspire, and who is stupid enough to think that success means trampling on the gentleness and kindness of others and abusing innocence for the day will come when he wits are dimmed and when others like him will devour him in the same way he has devoured others.  And when the others who are devouring are spirits of the underworld and the one being devoured is now a soul, that torment is eternal and that eternal torment is Hell.


[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.5.5
[2] Inheriting the earth does not mean having fee simple ownership over tracts and tracts of land; inheriting the earth means inheriting the happiness that nature provides for free, a happiness that is boundless and is enjoyed wholesomely with abandon.
[3] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/meek?s=t  I find the latter and obsolete definition of meek appropriate here and quoted it.

The Self-Righteous

A self-righteous person who is smart, devious, articulate, ambitious, arrogant, ruthless and power-hungry is the perfect candidate to be a leader and fully ripe to be Satan's pawn.  Satan wants to rule the world with Its pawns.  That does not mean that all Its pawns will have the same mind and act in unison.  In fact, the contrary is true.  Satan wants Its pawns to be in constant conflict.  The more destruction Its pawns release upon this world the happier Satan is because a world at war is a world of people having their inner peace, the peace of Christ, wrung out of them.  Satan wants to turn believers in God into unbelievers by taking away their hopes, their security, their peace and their love for neighbor.  When will those in power who have brought destruction, pain and death to God's children realize that their God-given talents have been hijacked by Satan to carry out Its evil agenda?  It would be too late to repent when they are in Hell and to Hell they will go if they do not wake up and turn away from Satan and follow Christ. 

Getting Away

Vacation is a time to get away, to escape from the daily grind, and the repetitive rhythm and sounds of existence.  For many who live in the crowded city, a place that sees hardly any cars and hears no traffic noises and sirens, that has no blinking lights and bright billboards, a place that allows stars to glitter at night, is a place to set aside all concerns, to relax and reconstitute the very being that one is, whose very carnal existence is fragile, temporary and ordinary.

Against the vast backdrop of Mother Nature and the universe above, nobody can claim to be special.  The human race is but a speck of dust in the course of eternity.  Man's mere existence is mundane, no matter how highly one thinks of himself or others think of him.  It is without significance or meaning.  A mere human life whose soul is not connected to the Creator is destined for nothing.  As such, man's biological process is merely part of an evolution which at some point, measured in light-years and distance, would be ancient history that is totally devoid of relevance to the then-present, in the same way as the extinction of certain creatures in the now-past whose once-upon-a-time existence we do not know of has no place in our consciousness.

However, man is not merely an assembly of cells that form and die in the course of time.  Every human has a soul that is connected to the Creator.  The incarnation of the soul is a gift and along with that gift of life is Free Will.  With the gift of Free Will, man has the choice to deny the existence of a Creator, and thus deny the existence of God.

Yet, many who do not believe in God, or hypocrites who claim they do, especially the secularists who have or have had power in this world, are the ones desperately clinging to this life they know, trying to write into history a legacy of their accomplishments.  They want the future to know about them and their contributions to the betterment of society.  These are people who thrive on the throne of power, not people of humility, and not poor in spirit. [1]

However intelligent, articulate, egoistic, proud, ruthless, devious and cunning some of those in power are, had been gifted with a soul that belongs to God.  Many have sold their souls to the Devil to realize their raw, insatiable ambition for recognition and power in this world at the expense of the public and the Truth.  Do not be deceived -- no power-hungry leader asking for your vote has any plans to serve you -- all of them are in it for themselves for selfish reasons.  Do not expect any of them to be like Christ, who came not to be served but to serve [2].  No politician has plans to die for you; instead, they expect you to die for them and if not for them personally, then for their own glory.

Not many leaders in power hold their offices for the glory of God; they are in it to glorify themselves.  They will last for as long as the lights are shining on them.  When they are switched off or turned away to light up another public figure, they are left in the dark, in the shadows belonging to the shades from the underworld.  The darkness haunts them, and they are forever trying to get an audience, begging for remnants of recognition.  Until their deaths, they are continually trying to secure a place in history, oblivious to the fact that time, whose existence is eternal, is forgetful of the past as it continuously looks ahead to the infinite future.  Only earthlings, those with no future and no hope for a Christ-filled tomorrow looks back at and yearns for the past.  Anyone who looks to the past to secure his or her future and find fulfillment in it is, in my opinion, already dead spiritually and not on the way to Heaven, to an eternal life in God.

At this point, this blogger will  be challenged immediately with this question:  You quote often from the Bible and speak of the crucifixion, are you not looking back at the past and therefore you have no future and no hope for a Christ-filled tomorrow?

Indeed, this blogger quotes often the words of Christ, but those are not words or lessons of the past -- they are words and lessons of the present that lead all to a future in Christ.

Admittedly, the crucifixion of Christ was an event that took place in the past, but the crucifixion of Christ is not so much about a death of a man, but about the triumph over the death of man by the Son of God that leads man to eternal life.  Hardly, therefore, is the crucifixion of Christ a historical event that is imbedded forever in the past to be forgotten, but is rather a present and continuing force of goodness that leads the souls of believers through the gates of Heaven toward God after death.

And when this blogger relies on the past, quoting articles and books written and published, he always strives to lift their meanings from a static place in time to give it relevance to the present, to give whoever cares to read his ramblings a Christ-filled life in the now, and eventually toward a Christ-filled eternity.

Before entering a Christ-filled eternity after death, one is able experience Christ-filled moments during life.  A Christ-filled moment is a gift by Christ of His peace.  The moment of peace [3] is complete fulfillment that one hope to have for an eternity.  To capture such a moment of peace sometimes requires one to get away, from the routines of daily cares and worries, to stand alone at a place of peace [4] in silence under distant planets and constellations, stripped of pretensions and totally vulnerable, to experience one's own insignificance in order to clothe oneself in humility before God, the Creator, to glorify the magnificence of all creation, to express with sincerity one's gratitude to be a part of God's creation and be given the gift of incarnation, and to pray with love that one would one day be united with God for all eternity.


[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+5%3A3&version=NIV
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A28&version=NIV
[3] The moment of peace is also the name of the link to this blog, Le Moment de Paix.
[4] Place of peace is also the name of this blog, Place de la Paix.