I can imagine there are many, probably including this pope, who would disagree with my thoughts on poverty. This entry is for them. It is not my intent to upset them more than I already have or change their set minds, as if they even know or care that my blog exists, but rather to provide an alternate perspective for thought and discussion.
Poverty is not a disease. It has lasted through the ages and cannot be eradicated by donations of money or property. I will go so far as to say that poverty is a way of life, preferred by those living in it, but despised by those self-righteous people who believe they are demigods with the power to cure all the societal ills on this planet that are caused by everyone else but themselves.
If these self-righteous demigods today were in existence in the days of Herod when Christ was born to the Virgin Mary, they would throw up their arms, fight for social justice for this poor and persecuted family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. How could these evil people, they would ask with indignance, subjugate such a nice family to such persecution and such dire living conditions. This family and families like them must be saved from their unfortunate circumstances. The pope and the priests would stand on their pulpit and demand an end to persecution and an end to poverty. This pope would rush to the stable with his entourage and kiss Christ in front of the cameras after a his security detail has cordoned off the stable for his safety. Hypocrites would stand with the pope and castigate the world for the plight of such families and would then go back home after their speeches and photo opportunities to the comfort of their safe and pampered lifestyles.
They would use this one family of three, prop them up and save them from their wretchedness, by putting them into some kind of housing, but not certainly not equal or better than their own, to show the world their compassion and the good they have done. I suppose there are acts more repugnant that this but I cannot think of any at the moment.
The need-to-feel-good-about-themselves demigods are always looking a battle to fight against an undefined enemy that they truly but sadly and wrongly believe that they are not a part of because they need to continue to feed their rapacious appetite for their sense of self-righteousness or self-proclaimed holiness. The one undefined and ever-present enemy is poverty. To them, it is a chronic disease which no amount of money would be able to cure. They do not want poverty to go away. If poverty is eradicated, they would lose the very source that they rely on to mask their ugliness within, then they would have nothing to do but to examine each other and themselves. One can only imagine the bitter in-fighting within this group with each person trying to outshine the other measured in degrees of righteousness or holiness. Who among them is truly righteous or holy they would argue and they would peer into each other's closets for "skeletons" to tear down one another. To avoid this ugliness, they innately know that they must stand united to make permanent, by any means necessary, poverty as well as what they perceive to be injustices in this world.
What are the injustices in this world, what is poverty, as defined by those who clamor the loudest? As it turns out, definitions are relative to the standards of living and mores of the time that are continually changing and redefined as a result of such changes. [1] For example, water that is not filtered and crystal clear is a sign of poverty even though the water is potable and sustains life, and children without laptops are underprivileged even though Jesus, Cai Lun, Michelangelo, Beethoven, Gutenberg and Einstein had all done quite well without computers.
And what about the lives of the poor? Should those who are suffering from hunger and disease be left alone when the rest of the world has more food and medicine that they need? I am not so heartless as to say that they ought to be left alone but I am not so capable as to have the means to help them all. What I would like to ask is why are people poor? Why do people give birth to children when they know that their babies will suffer?
Despite the state of poverty that people are in, they still give life. That proves my point that life, no matter how difficult, is still precious, that love, no matter the condition of the surroundings, still exists. Mothers still love their children, no matter how poor, and no matter how painful life could be, both mother and child still cherish theirs.
And are the lives of the wealthy that much better? What about those who are living a life of lies who have sold their souls for money? What about those who make so much money who have become addicted to drugs and alcohol? What about those who have so much successes who still feel unfulfilled or those who overeat who still do not feel full? And what about those who have so much power who still feel impotent? Why would a poor family of father, mother and child who enjoy the love they have for each other and for God want to trade their poverty for a life just like the rich and famous and powerful? Why should they be made to upgrade their lives just so that the self-righteous hypocrites who dance to their "unfortunate" plight can feel good for a while?
What would Christ say to these self-righteous hypocrites who pity Him, His poverty and His family, who unilaterally decide to make arrangements to give Him and His family a "step-up" in living standards? [2] I imagine that He would say something like: "Away from me, Satan!" [3]
[1] I describe the changing standards of living and mores of the time as changes rather than improvements because I am not sure the changing living standards or gay adoptions are improvements. My questions are: are we, as a people happier, more caring about each other, living more in accordance to the natural laws and the precepts of Christ and loving God more dearly as a result?
[2] Of course, such a benefit comes with the condition that Joseph, Mary and Jesus be filmed, showing the before squalid conditions and the after new and improved ones so that the documentation can be used to foster good-will for these hypocritical "do-gooders."
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A1-11
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Love - Not Money - Is The Key To Heaven
The love that opens the gates of Heaven is a pure love. Pure love is a non-possessive love, a love that does not soil another person's image; rather it is the soil that fertilizes a person's Free Will and nurtures it with prayer and care, and kindness of heart, so that Free Will could gradually grow in beauty and strength necessary to defend itself from the grotesque and powerful temptations of Satan and will its way toward a patient, forgiving, loving and expectant Father Who is our Creator.
In order for man to comprehend fully pure love, he has to surrender his heart to God just as the Blessed Virgin Mary surrendered hers willingly and perfectly without reservation. That is an impossibility for we, unlike the Blessed Virgin Mary, are tainted with Original Sin whereas She is without Original Sin. [1] The fact that we could never fully comprehend pure love does not mean that we are incapable to comprehend a part of it, to the best that we are able to given our unique graces, granted to each of us by God individually, despite our common limitation of Sin.
I believe that the more we indulge in the discovery and exercise of pure love, the more we are able to expand our understanding of it, the more we are able to cast its fertile soil far and wide, and that by our example and our words of sincerity, the hearts and souls that are still parched by the empty promises of today's "golden calf" [2] -- worthless pieces of currency paper signifying the collective debt of a bankrupt people -- would be quenched by the salvific blood of Christ.
However worthless such pieces of paper are to the salvation of souls, people around the world are still eating and drinking and indulging in revelry around their "value" just as the Jews of Exodus ate and drank and got up to indulge in revelry around their golden calf. [3]
More iniquitous than worshiping money is the belief that throwing it at the poor, wherever they are around the world, will bring donors salvation. [4] It may have the effect of relieving the pains of poverty by the recipients and the pains of guilt by the donors temporarily. However, this relief is not permanent, not for the benefactors, not for the beneficiaries. What emerges afterward is the reality that existed before. Nothing much in fact changes, and nothing will change until love reigns, love that is pure, non-possessive and unconditional. It is the giving of such love that will unlock the gates of Heaven, love that is rooted in prayer and care and kindness of heart, to those around us. [6], [7]
[1] The Latin words I use to end my Salve Regina in describing the Blessed Virgin Mary are: O clemens, O pia, O dulcis, O sanctissima, inviolata, intemerata, O pulcherimma. See http://lemomentdepaix.blogspot.com/2013/08/salve-regina-hail-holy-queen.html
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+32
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exod%2032:2-Exod%2032:6
[4] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A33-46&version=ESV In this passage, line 40 (Matthew 25:40) states, in part, "as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." "A difficult and important question is the identification of these least brothers. Are they all people who have suffered hunger, thirst, etc. (35,36) or a particular group of such sufferers? Scholars are divided in their responses and arguments can be made for either side. But leaving aside the problems of what the traditional material that Matthew edited may have meant, it seems that a stronger case can be made for the view that in the evangelist's sense the sufferers are Christians, probably Christians missionaries whose sufferings were brought upon them by their preaching of the gospel." [Emphasis original] [5] I agree. It would be unreasonable that Christ expected the world's poor be fed, quenched, clothed and housed including those who might be full of hate, bitterness and thanklessness despite all the good they have been given, including the gift of life. In fact, Christ said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." See http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A20&version=NIV Christ did not say: "Blessed are the poor, you are my brother, even if you reject God, and you have to do nothing but ask the world that you be fed, quenched, clothed and housed for yours is the kingdom of God." But that seems to be what the Catholic priests and popes are demanding these days, social justice and equality for all, without regard for the preciousness of life, no matter how difficult, and every person's capacity to love, no matter how destitute, because so many of these religious live indulgent lives that they feel so guilty that they have to demand that those less fortunate be fed, quenched, clothed and housed just like them, except most of them do not do it themselves. Instead, they sit on their thrones and ask others to do what they should be doing themselves, become the least of Jesus' brothers. Perhaps they think that by asking people to give to the poor and by delegating their work to care for the impoverished to others would be enough to cleanse them of their guilt for taking the vow of poverty, living in conditions and having the kinds of power that the poor they advocate so passionately for could never hope to have. I just hope that for every true follower of San Francesco d'Assisi among them hundreds of hypocrites would be forgiven and reach Purgatory.
[5] The Catholic Study Bible: The New American Bible. Donald Senior, gen. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. Print.
[6] It is far more difficult to express such love to the homeless around us, those who are near us, who know us, who wants to prey on us, who are hateful toward us, who want to take advantage of our goodness than to provide care to the very poor in this world great distances from where we live with whom we do not have a personal relationship.
[7] When we are able to give this kind of love, it is important that we do not allow it to mutate and become possessive or conditional. It is equally important to step away humbly, gently but firmly from those attracted to such purity and wishing to contaminate it or hating you for it.
In order for man to comprehend fully pure love, he has to surrender his heart to God just as the Blessed Virgin Mary surrendered hers willingly and perfectly without reservation. That is an impossibility for we, unlike the Blessed Virgin Mary, are tainted with Original Sin whereas She is without Original Sin. [1] The fact that we could never fully comprehend pure love does not mean that we are incapable to comprehend a part of it, to the best that we are able to given our unique graces, granted to each of us by God individually, despite our common limitation of Sin.
I believe that the more we indulge in the discovery and exercise of pure love, the more we are able to expand our understanding of it, the more we are able to cast its fertile soil far and wide, and that by our example and our words of sincerity, the hearts and souls that are still parched by the empty promises of today's "golden calf" [2] -- worthless pieces of currency paper signifying the collective debt of a bankrupt people -- would be quenched by the salvific blood of Christ.
However worthless such pieces of paper are to the salvation of souls, people around the world are still eating and drinking and indulging in revelry around their "value" just as the Jews of Exodus ate and drank and got up to indulge in revelry around their golden calf. [3]
More iniquitous than worshiping money is the belief that throwing it at the poor, wherever they are around the world, will bring donors salvation. [4] It may have the effect of relieving the pains of poverty by the recipients and the pains of guilt by the donors temporarily. However, this relief is not permanent, not for the benefactors, not for the beneficiaries. What emerges afterward is the reality that existed before. Nothing much in fact changes, and nothing will change until love reigns, love that is pure, non-possessive and unconditional. It is the giving of such love that will unlock the gates of Heaven, love that is rooted in prayer and care and kindness of heart, to those around us. [6], [7]
[1] The Latin words I use to end my Salve Regina in describing the Blessed Virgin Mary are: O clemens, O pia, O dulcis, O sanctissima, inviolata, intemerata, O pulcherimma. See http://lemomentdepaix.blogspot.com/2013/08/salve-regina-hail-holy-queen.html
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+32
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exod%2032:2-Exod%2032:6
[4] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A33-46&version=ESV In this passage, line 40 (Matthew 25:40) states, in part, "as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." "A difficult and important question is the identification of these least brothers. Are they all people who have suffered hunger, thirst, etc. (35,36) or a particular group of such sufferers? Scholars are divided in their responses and arguments can be made for either side. But leaving aside the problems of what the traditional material that Matthew edited may have meant, it seems that a stronger case can be made for the view that in the evangelist's sense the sufferers are Christians, probably Christians missionaries whose sufferings were brought upon them by their preaching of the gospel." [Emphasis original] [5] I agree. It would be unreasonable that Christ expected the world's poor be fed, quenched, clothed and housed including those who might be full of hate, bitterness and thanklessness despite all the good they have been given, including the gift of life. In fact, Christ said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." See http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A20&version=NIV Christ did not say: "Blessed are the poor, you are my brother, even if you reject God, and you have to do nothing but ask the world that you be fed, quenched, clothed and housed for yours is the kingdom of God." But that seems to be what the Catholic priests and popes are demanding these days, social justice and equality for all, without regard for the preciousness of life, no matter how difficult, and every person's capacity to love, no matter how destitute, because so many of these religious live indulgent lives that they feel so guilty that they have to demand that those less fortunate be fed, quenched, clothed and housed just like them, except most of them do not do it themselves. Instead, they sit on their thrones and ask others to do what they should be doing themselves, become the least of Jesus' brothers. Perhaps they think that by asking people to give to the poor and by delegating their work to care for the impoverished to others would be enough to cleanse them of their guilt for taking the vow of poverty, living in conditions and having the kinds of power that the poor they advocate so passionately for could never hope to have. I just hope that for every true follower of San Francesco d'Assisi among them hundreds of hypocrites would be forgiven and reach Purgatory.
[5] The Catholic Study Bible: The New American Bible. Donald Senior, gen. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. Print.
[6] It is far more difficult to express such love to the homeless around us, those who are near us, who know us, who wants to prey on us, who are hateful toward us, who want to take advantage of our goodness than to provide care to the very poor in this world great distances from where we live with whom we do not have a personal relationship.
[7] When we are able to give this kind of love, it is important that we do not allow it to mutate and become possessive or conditional. It is equally important to step away humbly, gently but firmly from those attracted to such purity and wishing to contaminate it or hating you for it.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Sin - The Great Equalizer
It bears repeating that our most precious gift is life. [1] As we all know, we are all endowed with different attributes. We judge human attributes relative to each other but we never seen to compare any of them, not even the most valued, against life itself until we at precipice of death. Only then do we wake up to the true value and beauty of life. By then it might be too late to regret.
If we are constantly aware of how precarious life is, then we realize immediately how insignificant the gifts of talent, intellect, beauty, physical prowess, wealth and personal sufferings [2] are relative to the gift of life. Sadly, we so often take life for granted. Since we do, many of us become envious of others with desirable attributes because we are blind to the fact that even the most desirable attributes of a person are nothing compared to the life of one who seemingly has none.
Perhaps the one who has none of the desirable attributes could be one of the most envious although he/she could feel the most blessed because he/she has life, a life that he/she could live in holiness and with unconditional love. How many people can admit to living a life like that? And how precious such a life would be compared to a life filled with successes, accolades and wealth of this world?
Perhaps the people who can best answer the question are those whose lives are filled with successes, accolades and wealth. Who among these can honestly say that he/she is fulfilled in every way? Is it not true that many of these people are still searching for fulfillment? Are they not still trying to expand their conglomerates, gain more attention or accumulate more wealth? I always wonder what go through the minds of these people at night when the lights are out and the world around these people fall silent. Are they troubled by worries, kept awake by anger or tormented by thoughts of vengeance? If they are, then truly how "rich" are their lives? Or are they truly happy because they have attained heaven on earth?
My guess is that no person can say that he/she has attained heaven on earth but most every person has gone through, or is going through hell on earth. [3] Of course, hell is a little different for each one of us just as each one of us is a little different from every other. But hell is Hell; it does not matter whose hell it is, no one likes being in Hell.
Hell is self-willed. Hell does not come upon and envelops person--a person embraces Sin in all its splendor and enters Hell freely. Hell is one place that welcomes the rich and the poor [4], the gifted and the ungifted equally. The tickets for entry are sins of all kinds, and they are free.
So people, especially those who believe they have been short-changed by God for having less than someone else on the planet, do not despair. Sin is the great equalizer and Hell is the destination. There, everyone is tormented; everyone is miserable. There, Satan is able to give what God does not give to man--equality. [5], [6].
[1] Life is a gift from God. It has two basic components: flesh and soul. That is not all. We are also given talents and abilities of different kinds and in varying degrees. The most important of these is love. As impossible as it sounds, we all have the ability to give unconditional love. It is priceless. For anyone who is poor or hungry or out of work or in need of help, if he/she can give unconditional love to all his/her neighbors, then he/she will be never feel poor, or be hungry or be without assistance. Who in this world would not care for someone who loves him/her unconditionally? I cannot think of anyone unless that someone is fully possessed by evil.
[2] Personal sufferings are a gift and if one internalizes that, he/she is well on his/her way to God.
[3] It is important to draw a distinction between the gift of suffering and being in hell. The gift of suffering purifies the soul--it is a gift from God. Contrast it to the torment of hell which is self-willed--it is the abuse of the gift of Free Will from God.
[4] The poor here means those without means but who are mean to God, abuses God's gifts and rejects God, not the poor in spirit.
[5] Why desire equality? Is the gift of life-flesh and soul-good enough? It that not a gift that is being gifted equally, a gift that is the most desirable and the most precious along with Free-Will that comes with it? Why desire justice? Is justice not a concept of human intellect? Is not human intellect fallible? Therefore, is justice not equally fallible? Who can judge what is fair and what is not other than the One Who give us flesh and soul, Who knows where we came from, who we are and what free choices we will be making and where we will end up? The secularists and the fake Christians believe that social justice brings peace. They cannot be more wrong. Social justice never brings peace. Love does. Love never errs because it is rooted in forgiveness. Justice always errs because its seed is vengeance, and vengeance is always wrong.
[6] The man who thinks that he is righteous and wants to bring equality and justice to this world (because he is in a position of power) has the same desire as Satan. The man who so wants is a fool and a pawn of Satan because the more he tries to bring secular equality and justice to people without God's love, the more the scales of equality and justice become ever so finely calibrated that they will never be in balance, leading to more and more strife and more and more evil. In a society where everyone suffers, everyone is equal and all seems just. This kind of society is truly Hell on earth, and its advocate is Satan incarnate.
If we are constantly aware of how precarious life is, then we realize immediately how insignificant the gifts of talent, intellect, beauty, physical prowess, wealth and personal sufferings [2] are relative to the gift of life. Sadly, we so often take life for granted. Since we do, many of us become envious of others with desirable attributes because we are blind to the fact that even the most desirable attributes of a person are nothing compared to the life of one who seemingly has none.
Perhaps the one who has none of the desirable attributes could be one of the most envious although he/she could feel the most blessed because he/she has life, a life that he/she could live in holiness and with unconditional love. How many people can admit to living a life like that? And how precious such a life would be compared to a life filled with successes, accolades and wealth of this world?
Perhaps the people who can best answer the question are those whose lives are filled with successes, accolades and wealth. Who among these can honestly say that he/she is fulfilled in every way? Is it not true that many of these people are still searching for fulfillment? Are they not still trying to expand their conglomerates, gain more attention or accumulate more wealth? I always wonder what go through the minds of these people at night when the lights are out and the world around these people fall silent. Are they troubled by worries, kept awake by anger or tormented by thoughts of vengeance? If they are, then truly how "rich" are their lives? Or are they truly happy because they have attained heaven on earth?
My guess is that no person can say that he/she has attained heaven on earth but most every person has gone through, or is going through hell on earth. [3] Of course, hell is a little different for each one of us just as each one of us is a little different from every other. But hell is Hell; it does not matter whose hell it is, no one likes being in Hell.
Hell is self-willed. Hell does not come upon and envelops person--a person embraces Sin in all its splendor and enters Hell freely. Hell is one place that welcomes the rich and the poor [4], the gifted and the ungifted equally. The tickets for entry are sins of all kinds, and they are free.
So people, especially those who believe they have been short-changed by God for having less than someone else on the planet, do not despair. Sin is the great equalizer and Hell is the destination. There, everyone is tormented; everyone is miserable. There, Satan is able to give what God does not give to man--equality. [5], [6].
[1] Life is a gift from God. It has two basic components: flesh and soul. That is not all. We are also given talents and abilities of different kinds and in varying degrees. The most important of these is love. As impossible as it sounds, we all have the ability to give unconditional love. It is priceless. For anyone who is poor or hungry or out of work or in need of help, if he/she can give unconditional love to all his/her neighbors, then he/she will be never feel poor, or be hungry or be without assistance. Who in this world would not care for someone who loves him/her unconditionally? I cannot think of anyone unless that someone is fully possessed by evil.
[2] Personal sufferings are a gift and if one internalizes that, he/she is well on his/her way to God.
[3] It is important to draw a distinction between the gift of suffering and being in hell. The gift of suffering purifies the soul--it is a gift from God. Contrast it to the torment of hell which is self-willed--it is the abuse of the gift of Free Will from God.
[4] The poor here means those without means but who are mean to God, abuses God's gifts and rejects God, not the poor in spirit.
[5] Why desire equality? Is the gift of life-flesh and soul-good enough? It that not a gift that is being gifted equally, a gift that is the most desirable and the most precious along with Free-Will that comes with it? Why desire justice? Is justice not a concept of human intellect? Is not human intellect fallible? Therefore, is justice not equally fallible? Who can judge what is fair and what is not other than the One Who give us flesh and soul, Who knows where we came from, who we are and what free choices we will be making and where we will end up? The secularists and the fake Christians believe that social justice brings peace. They cannot be more wrong. Social justice never brings peace. Love does. Love never errs because it is rooted in forgiveness. Justice always errs because its seed is vengeance, and vengeance is always wrong.
[6] The man who thinks that he is righteous and wants to bring equality and justice to this world (because he is in a position of power) has the same desire as Satan. The man who so wants is a fool and a pawn of Satan because the more he tries to bring secular equality and justice to people without God's love, the more the scales of equality and justice become ever so finely calibrated that they will never be in balance, leading to more and more strife and more and more evil. In a society where everyone suffers, everyone is equal and all seems just. This kind of society is truly Hell on earth, and its advocate is Satan incarnate.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Your Gift To God
Everything you have is God's gift to you [1], what you do with it is your gift back to God.
Your body is the temple of God -- keep it healthy, strong and beautiful. [2]
[1] Everything includes all the joy and all the sufferings.
[2] The body is not to be fed, drugged, inebriated, caffeinated, starved or otherwise indulged excessively.
Your body is the temple of God -- keep it healthy, strong and beautiful. [2]
[1] Everything includes all the joy and all the sufferings.
[2] The body is not to be fed, drugged, inebriated, caffeinated, starved or otherwise indulged excessively.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Shepherd Who Became The Lamb
In the Gospel of John 10:14-18 Jesus said, "14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." [1]
If I had read this passage before, which I probably had, it did not mean anything. This time around, I understand it and I just love it. Allow me to explain.
To begin, it is noteworthy that these are words that Jesus Himself said. He introduced Himself as the "good shepherd, not the "lamb of God" as John the Baptist described Jesus in John 1:29 and again in John 1:35. [2] Is it not interesting to note that Jesus did not say that He was the "lamb" but instead said, "I lay down my life for the sheep"? [3] In this one sentence, it is apparent that Jesus never thought of Himself as a "lamb" or a "sheep" but the "Good Shepherd" Who was willing to "lay down [His] life for the sheep [He knows]." [4]
Why did I put brackets around a quote and insert my own words? That is because I want to underscore the first part of Jesus' sentence: "I know my sheep and my sheep know me--" [Emphasis added] [5] To me that means Jesus was not referring to just any sheep but only His sheep specifically. Which sheep are His and which are not is as difficult a question that no one can answer as what does God look like. As usual I do not shy away from answering impossible questions. I think that Christ is not letting just any sheep be become part of His flock but only sheep that will follow their Shepherd. For sheep that wander off freely by themselves because they do not care for a shepherd or believe that they can do without one or do not like the Good Shepherd they have are not sheep that Christ will care for in His sheep pen. I do not think Jesus is going to chase after sheep that leave out of their own Free Will just as the father did not forbid his prodigal son to leave with his half of the inheritance or go after him when he was squandering his wealth to bring him back and lock him up. [6]
What kind of sheep, then, is Jesus going to have in His flock? The answer is in the passage first quoted above. They are sheep that "will listen to my voice" and "other sheep that are not of this pen." [7] I love this. This is so deep that no Jew at the time had any clue what Christ was talking about. [8] Many thought He was a demon while others disagreed because demons cannot heal the blind. [9] However, none of them thought that Christ was actually saying to Jews everywhere, then and in the future, that they were no longer the only sheep that were chosen for His pen, that there would be other sheep not of "this" Jewish pen. With six simple operative words--"other sheep not of this pen"--the Good Shepherd flung wide open the gate of His sheep pen to welcome all other non-Jewish sheep and among them pig-loving ones that will listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him.
For those who will listen to the Good Shepherd, whether Jew or gentile, they will be part of His flock, His "one flock" under "one [S]hepherd" [10] and for this one flock, the Shepherd had laid down His life.
"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." [11]
During consecration of the bread and wine at a Catholic Mass, the priest says: "(Priest) On the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you....(Priest) When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all men so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me." [12] And at the breaking of the transubstantiated bread, the priest says: "(Priest) Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace. (All kneel down)" [13]
The Catholic Church believes that Christ is the "Lamb of God". The use of "lamb" to describe Christ is consistent with the words of John the Baptist quoted in footnote [2]. In obedience, I ought to attempt to conclude in favor of the Catholic Church that the "Lamb of God" is a proper description of the transubstantiated bread into the Body of Christ despite that Jesus said clearly, four times, that He, the Good Shepherd, was to lay down His life [14] without mincing words, without speaking metaphorically or parablolically. [15] Of course, I would much prefer all Catholic priests to substitute "Good Shepherd" in lieu of "Lamb of God" at the breaking of the transubstantiated bread. On the other hand, Christ, being humble and gentle, can be appropriately described as God's lamb, the perfect lamb [16] to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of Sin and to be raised up on the third day to triumph over death so that the rest of the lambs and sheep that are part of the Good Shepherd's flock can have eternal life.
[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-18
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NIV
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A11-32&version=NIV
[7] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[8] I am not saying that the Jews at the time were idiots. They did not know or did not want to believe that Jesus was the One Who came to fulfill the prophesies of the Old Testament. Are not the Jews, the few who are still patient believers in Judaism, still waiting for their Messiah? In fact, the Messiah did come. The Jews did not like what they saw and heard wanted Him crucified. By then Jesus had already said enough to give the world the New Testament and a New Covenant that "fulfills God's marital vows to His people. He has become 'one body' with them in the Church. This covenant is renewed in each Eucharist, as we are joined intimately to His Body." See http://www.salvationhistory.com/studies/lesson/covenant_the_new_and_everlasting_covenant, Section V, subsection E, paragraph 24 (paragraph 24 is not numbered - it is counted)
[9] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A19-21&version=NIV
[10] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[11] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A23-26&version=NIV
[12] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/liturgy/holy-mass/the-liturgy-of-the-eucharist/
[13] Ibid.
[14] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-18
[15] The word "parablolically" is not an adverb found in a standard dictionary. Since I am neither standard nor normal, I took the word "parable" and made it into an adverb.
[16] Putting it another way, in order to be the perfect shepherd, the Good Shepherd has to become the sheep (or lamb) in order to fully appreciate the limitations of the sheep (or lambs) so that He could to lead them effectively and safely back into His pen.
If I had read this passage before, which I probably had, it did not mean anything. This time around, I understand it and I just love it. Allow me to explain.
To begin, it is noteworthy that these are words that Jesus Himself said. He introduced Himself as the "good shepherd, not the "lamb of God" as John the Baptist described Jesus in John 1:29 and again in John 1:35. [2] Is it not interesting to note that Jesus did not say that He was the "lamb" but instead said, "I lay down my life for the sheep"? [3] In this one sentence, it is apparent that Jesus never thought of Himself as a "lamb" or a "sheep" but the "Good Shepherd" Who was willing to "lay down [His] life for the sheep [He knows]." [4]
Why did I put brackets around a quote and insert my own words? That is because I want to underscore the first part of Jesus' sentence: "I know my sheep and my sheep know me--" [Emphasis added] [5] To me that means Jesus was not referring to just any sheep but only His sheep specifically. Which sheep are His and which are not is as difficult a question that no one can answer as what does God look like. As usual I do not shy away from answering impossible questions. I think that Christ is not letting just any sheep be become part of His flock but only sheep that will follow their Shepherd. For sheep that wander off freely by themselves because they do not care for a shepherd or believe that they can do without one or do not like the Good Shepherd they have are not sheep that Christ will care for in His sheep pen. I do not think Jesus is going to chase after sheep that leave out of their own Free Will just as the father did not forbid his prodigal son to leave with his half of the inheritance or go after him when he was squandering his wealth to bring him back and lock him up. [6]
What kind of sheep, then, is Jesus going to have in His flock? The answer is in the passage first quoted above. They are sheep that "will listen to my voice" and "other sheep that are not of this pen." [7] I love this. This is so deep that no Jew at the time had any clue what Christ was talking about. [8] Many thought He was a demon while others disagreed because demons cannot heal the blind. [9] However, none of them thought that Christ was actually saying to Jews everywhere, then and in the future, that they were no longer the only sheep that were chosen for His pen, that there would be other sheep not of "this" Jewish pen. With six simple operative words--"other sheep not of this pen"--the Good Shepherd flung wide open the gate of His sheep pen to welcome all other non-Jewish sheep and among them pig-loving ones that will listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him.
For those who will listen to the Good Shepherd, whether Jew or gentile, they will be part of His flock, His "one flock" under "one [S]hepherd" [10] and for this one flock, the Shepherd had laid down His life.
"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." [11]
During consecration of the bread and wine at a Catholic Mass, the priest says: "(Priest) On the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you....(Priest) When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all men so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me." [12] And at the breaking of the transubstantiated bread, the priest says: "(Priest) Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace. (All kneel down)" [13]
The Catholic Church believes that Christ is the "Lamb of God". The use of "lamb" to describe Christ is consistent with the words of John the Baptist quoted in footnote [2]. In obedience, I ought to attempt to conclude in favor of the Catholic Church that the "Lamb of God" is a proper description of the transubstantiated bread into the Body of Christ despite that Jesus said clearly, four times, that He, the Good Shepherd, was to lay down His life [14] without mincing words, without speaking metaphorically or parablolically. [15] Of course, I would much prefer all Catholic priests to substitute "Good Shepherd" in lieu of "Lamb of God" at the breaking of the transubstantiated bread. On the other hand, Christ, being humble and gentle, can be appropriately described as God's lamb, the perfect lamb [16] to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of Sin and to be raised up on the third day to triumph over death so that the rest of the lambs and sheep that are part of the Good Shepherd's flock can have eternal life.
[1] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-18
[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NIV
[3] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A11-32&version=NIV
[7] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[8] I am not saying that the Jews at the time were idiots. They did not know or did not want to believe that Jesus was the One Who came to fulfill the prophesies of the Old Testament. Are not the Jews, the few who are still patient believers in Judaism, still waiting for their Messiah? In fact, the Messiah did come. The Jews did not like what they saw and heard wanted Him crucified. By then Jesus had already said enough to give the world the New Testament and a New Covenant that "fulfills God's marital vows to His people. He has become 'one body' with them in the Church. This covenant is renewed in each Eucharist, as we are joined intimately to His Body." See http://www.salvationhistory.com/studies/lesson/covenant_the_new_and_everlasting_covenant, Section V, subsection E, paragraph 24 (paragraph 24 is not numbered - it is counted)
[9] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A19-21&version=NIV
[10] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=NIV
[11] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A23-26&version=NIV
[12] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/liturgy/holy-mass/the-liturgy-of-the-eucharist/
[13] Ibid.
[14] http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-18
[15] The word "parablolically" is not an adverb found in a standard dictionary. Since I am neither standard nor normal, I took the word "parable" and made it into an adverb.
[16] Putting it another way, in order to be the perfect shepherd, the Good Shepherd has to become the sheep (or lamb) in order to fully appreciate the limitations of the sheep (or lambs) so that He could to lead them effectively and safely back into His pen.
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Betrayal, Suffering And Crucifixion Of Christ
Another thought on the victimhood of Christ came into mind today even though I was absolutely sure that I was done with the topic when my final analysis concluded that neither God nor Christ was a victim. That was before my last entry discussing Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux's idea of Christ as a victim of love. Nonetheless, the thought spoke and my job is to post it.
Neither the betrayal, the suffering nor the crucifixion of Christ is comedic or tragic; rather, these events taken together, as a whole, are salvific.
What led to the betrayal of Christ was the disbelief of Jesus, the Nazarene, was the Son of God. The Jews believed and probably still believe that Jesus was a sorcerer, and that it was a joke, a cruel joke perhaps, that this man was sent by God, the God of Abraham. I remember a line in a movie (I do not remember the name of the movie) uttered by a member of the Sanhedrin who said something to the effect that nothing ever comes out Galilee [1]. Funny line. I chuckled. As it turned out, the existence of Jesus was no joke. Gradually Jesus became a threat and a nuisance to the Jews who were in power. With their money, they bribed Judas to betray Jesus.
What came next changed the world. [2] The scourging and the crucifixion of Christ Who was guiltless and sinless turned Christ into a victim, a holy, pure and spotless victim, in the minds of certain people. How tragic this must have been was probably in the minds of these well-meaning but very mistaken people, or how wasteful, how meaningless or maybe how pitiful.
Anyone who thinks that Christ is a victim and deserves the crown of victimhood [3] because He is "holy, pure and spotless" [4] ought to review what Christ said at the Last Supper: "Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, "Take and eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26). Then he took the cup of wine and said, "Drink from it all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [5]
Christ, unlike any ordinary hapless victim, foresaw His own death. The holy and victimless death of Christ ends the eternal deaths of many by His resurrection by way of His blood from His sufferings which was "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [6] This is salvific. Therefore the events that led to the outpouring of the salvific blood of Christ do not mark the tragic end of a holy, pure and spotless victim but the salvific beginning for those who continually, better yet, continuously, strive to be holy, pure and spotless like our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who knowingly, willingly and freely died for the redemption of Sin.
[1] Nazareth was "a very small village near the Plain of Esdralon in Galilee." http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/nazareth.html
[2] As an aside, what came next also changed the calender of our lives. See the answer to the question what is Anno Domini at http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100517010846AA3YHRy
[3] Christ is not the King of Victims but the Prince of Peace: "'For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, And the government will rest on His shoulders, And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)'" See http://www.gotquestions.org/Prince-of-Peace.html
[4] http://www.jesuschristpassion.com/last_supper.html
[5] http://www.jesuschristpassion.com/last_supper.html
[6] Ibid.
Neither the betrayal, the suffering nor the crucifixion of Christ is comedic or tragic; rather, these events taken together, as a whole, are salvific.
What led to the betrayal of Christ was the disbelief of Jesus, the Nazarene, was the Son of God. The Jews believed and probably still believe that Jesus was a sorcerer, and that it was a joke, a cruel joke perhaps, that this man was sent by God, the God of Abraham. I remember a line in a movie (I do not remember the name of the movie) uttered by a member of the Sanhedrin who said something to the effect that nothing ever comes out Galilee [1]. Funny line. I chuckled. As it turned out, the existence of Jesus was no joke. Gradually Jesus became a threat and a nuisance to the Jews who were in power. With their money, they bribed Judas to betray Jesus.
What came next changed the world. [2] The scourging and the crucifixion of Christ Who was guiltless and sinless turned Christ into a victim, a holy, pure and spotless victim, in the minds of certain people. How tragic this must have been was probably in the minds of these well-meaning but very mistaken people, or how wasteful, how meaningless or maybe how pitiful.
Anyone who thinks that Christ is a victim and deserves the crown of victimhood [3] because He is "holy, pure and spotless" [4] ought to review what Christ said at the Last Supper: "Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, "Take and eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26). Then he took the cup of wine and said, "Drink from it all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [5]
Christ, unlike any ordinary hapless victim, foresaw His own death. The holy and victimless death of Christ ends the eternal deaths of many by His resurrection by way of His blood from His sufferings which was "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [6] This is salvific. Therefore the events that led to the outpouring of the salvific blood of Christ do not mark the tragic end of a holy, pure and spotless victim but the salvific beginning for those who continually, better yet, continuously, strive to be holy, pure and spotless like our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who knowingly, willingly and freely died for the redemption of Sin.
[1] Nazareth was "a very small village near the Plain of Esdralon in Galilee." http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/nazareth.html
[2] As an aside, what came next also changed the calender of our lives. See the answer to the question what is Anno Domini at http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100517010846AA3YHRy
[3] Christ is not the King of Victims but the Prince of Peace: "'For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, And the government will rest on His shoulders, And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)'" See http://www.gotquestions.org/Prince-of-Peace.html
[4] http://www.jesuschristpassion.com/last_supper.html
[5] http://www.jesuschristpassion.com/last_supper.html
[6] Ibid.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Becoming God
Heaven is scarcely a place of disappointment -- in fact, there is no
disappointment at all yet there is hope, a blissful hope that our
collective Free Will will be exercised in ways that lead to God. [1]
Due to Sin, we are unable to will away our propensity toward the draw of
everything that leads us ever closer to the promise of the Serpent.
However, we are not trapped. Christ came to save all of our souls. By
His death and resurrection, He flung open the gate of Heaven that had
remained shut after Adam and Eve were banished so that man, God's most
precious creation, can have a chance to return home to have unending and
uninterrupted fulfillment.
The way is simple. We all know it. After all, Heaven is home. We came from there and we instinctively know how to go back. If we do not, Christ by His actions and His words had shown us the path. Sadly, the world has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to all that is good. We, as descendants of Adam and Eve, are not that far removed from who they were.
Think for a moment. What was their Sin? They knew they were subordinate to God, but they wanted to know everything God knows, to have the power God has. They wanted to be God. That was a long time ago. Millennia later, we have not changed. [2] Today, little Adams and little Eves around the world still crave knowledge, not knowledge of God and the goodness of God, but knowledge that leads to power, the very power Adam and Eve desired, to control this earth and everyone and everything in it, and the universe beyond. The apple indeed does not fall far from the tree.
After accumulating so much knowledge since the fall of Adam and Eve, man still is unable to create on his own, without relying on God's procreative gift, the living cells of life and the living spirit that attaches to life. Consequently, man has to settle for something akin to life without a soul. Man has created the robot. Artificial intelligence ("AI") fueled by electricity is a marvelous invention for the convenience of life to save time in man's daily life, but to do what with it? What use is time without God in it? Time without God is an eternity with Satan. Man's seemingly unshakeable attachment to Sin will lead him there, a place no one wants to go, a place no one would wish anyone to go, no one except Satan.
Satan is happy these days. Man knows enough now to employ AI by making robots with super AI and mobility that can out-think and outperform any human, so much so that these soulless creations could run man's lives and end them without compunction. Perhaps a nuclear bomb would be a welcomed sight when armies of marching, flying and swimming robots start to wipe out the human race. Has a discussion of God just turned into a piece of science fiction? Perhaps, or perhaps not. I think not because man's quest to be God has not ended. Every modern Adam wants to have his phalanges of robots to dominate his neighbor.
Just like our first ancestors Adam and Eve, we are not satisfied with all that we collectively have been given. We have to have more: continually we hunger for more, more of something, something undefinable. Not even at the pinnacle of power is man at peace with himself. That undefinable something is spiritual fulfillment where bliss resides. That can only come from God and that can only be had when willed, freely willed, by man.
Adam and Eve never willed spiritual fulfillment from their Creator. They willed to be the Creator. That will is not one that can ever be realized unless man wills to return to God, to become a part of God. Only then can man be God.
[1] With an overabundance of bliss, there is no time for disappointment in Heaven, even when a person does not will freely to follow the path toward God. When a person ends up in Hell, he/she is the only one who would have an eternity of disappointment. Even Mary, the Mother of God Who is our tireless Advocate, is never disappointed even as one of us sins or ultimately rejects God. She is eternally blissful and prayerful in Her work to save each and every soul and She leaves to each of us the power to freely choose. Our Free Will is the foundation of Heaven's joy. Heaven rejoices because we have chosen freely for we would have used God's gift the way God intended it to be used. That is a celebration!
[2] Nothing has changed, notwithstanding any political slogan. Sin is still very well preserved and alive, everywhere.
The way is simple. We all know it. After all, Heaven is home. We came from there and we instinctively know how to go back. If we do not, Christ by His actions and His words had shown us the path. Sadly, the world has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to all that is good. We, as descendants of Adam and Eve, are not that far removed from who they were.
Think for a moment. What was their Sin? They knew they were subordinate to God, but they wanted to know everything God knows, to have the power God has. They wanted to be God. That was a long time ago. Millennia later, we have not changed. [2] Today, little Adams and little Eves around the world still crave knowledge, not knowledge of God and the goodness of God, but knowledge that leads to power, the very power Adam and Eve desired, to control this earth and everyone and everything in it, and the universe beyond. The apple indeed does not fall far from the tree.
After accumulating so much knowledge since the fall of Adam and Eve, man still is unable to create on his own, without relying on God's procreative gift, the living cells of life and the living spirit that attaches to life. Consequently, man has to settle for something akin to life without a soul. Man has created the robot. Artificial intelligence ("AI") fueled by electricity is a marvelous invention for the convenience of life to save time in man's daily life, but to do what with it? What use is time without God in it? Time without God is an eternity with Satan. Man's seemingly unshakeable attachment to Sin will lead him there, a place no one wants to go, a place no one would wish anyone to go, no one except Satan.
Satan is happy these days. Man knows enough now to employ AI by making robots with super AI and mobility that can out-think and outperform any human, so much so that these soulless creations could run man's lives and end them without compunction. Perhaps a nuclear bomb would be a welcomed sight when armies of marching, flying and swimming robots start to wipe out the human race. Has a discussion of God just turned into a piece of science fiction? Perhaps, or perhaps not. I think not because man's quest to be God has not ended. Every modern Adam wants to have his phalanges of robots to dominate his neighbor.
Just like our first ancestors Adam and Eve, we are not satisfied with all that we collectively have been given. We have to have more: continually we hunger for more, more of something, something undefinable. Not even at the pinnacle of power is man at peace with himself. That undefinable something is spiritual fulfillment where bliss resides. That can only come from God and that can only be had when willed, freely willed, by man.
Adam and Eve never willed spiritual fulfillment from their Creator. They willed to be the Creator. That will is not one that can ever be realized unless man wills to return to God, to become a part of God. Only then can man be God.
[1] With an overabundance of bliss, there is no time for disappointment in Heaven, even when a person does not will freely to follow the path toward God. When a person ends up in Hell, he/she is the only one who would have an eternity of disappointment. Even Mary, the Mother of God Who is our tireless Advocate, is never disappointed even as one of us sins or ultimately rejects God. She is eternally blissful and prayerful in Her work to save each and every soul and She leaves to each of us the power to freely choose. Our Free Will is the foundation of Heaven's joy. Heaven rejoices because we have chosen freely for we would have used God's gift the way God intended it to be used. That is a celebration!
[2] Nothing has changed, notwithstanding any political slogan. Sin is still very well preserved and alive, everywhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
