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The Good Shepherd and The End of the World

May 21

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By Fr. Thomas R. Harding, Th.D.

This homily has been posted with the direct and generous permission of the late Fr. Thomas Harding, Th.D. (1918-2005).

There are some great quotations in the readings today. In the First Reading, Isaiah 25:9-10:

This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in His Salvation.

In the Responsorial Psalm, Psalm XX111, the most familiar of all the 150 Psalms:

The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul.

In the Second Reading, the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians 4:19:

I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.

In the Gospel of Matthew 22:

when the invited guests did not come to the Wedding Feast of the King’s son, the King told his slaves to go out and invite everyone whom they met so the wedding hall was filled with guests” “And so it will be when Christ the King will invite everyone into the Kingdom.

Thank God we have the Good Shepherd, Christ the King as Our Saviour.

His Second Coming will mark the end of the world, as we know it. For some time now we have been threatened by terrorism and world-wide conflict. We can’t help but wonder if the “end of the world” is near. How and when will the world end?

There are many eventualities. We generally think of the end of the world as a Sidereal Cataclysm, a doomsday,¹ a day of wrath and so we do not look forward to it.

There are so many stars hurtling about and brushing past. There are so many exploding worlds on the horizon, so surely by the implacable laws of chance, our turn will come, and we shall be stricken and killed or at least we shall be left to face a slow and lingering death in our earth-bound prison.

Meanwhile, apart from this possibility, we are ever more threatened by internal dangers, by biological or chemical warfare, by weapons of mass destruction in the hands of evil people, by onslaughts of microbes, by organic counter-evolutions. Sterility, wars, revolutions, pollution of the earth and water, the atmosphere, the stratosphere; there are so many ways of coming to an end.

So to sum up, there are eventualities. We have turned them over in our minds. We have read descriptions of them in the novels of the Goncourts, Robert Hugh Benson, the works of H. G. Wells, modern science fiction,² Star Wars, or in the scientific treatises of famous men and women.

Each of them is perfectly feasible. We could at any moment be crushed by a gigantic comet, and equally true, tomorrow the earth might quake and collapse beneath our feet. Or some individual or group could trigger a nuclear war to annihilate us all. Or we could be the victim of global warming, of gas emissions or the toxic poisons of industry, while leaders of businesses and governments could drag their feet in facing up to the warning of Kyoto Protocols and postpone their action until the year 2010 or 2020 for the sake of profits. That may be too late.

However, we have higher reasons to be sure that these things will not happen. Surely the Lord, the Good Shepherd, the Mighty Watch Man will intervene and come rattling His keys to rescue us all. Surely this is in the hands of God and His plan for the end of the world will be fulfilled.

As a matter of fact, the End of the World will be a Triumph of Christ as it is identified with His Second Coming. Christ has already put His plan into place. The last days come in two stages.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ marked the first stage. By these saving acts, Christ introduced into the world and into human history the final order of things. The new creation has begun. We already have eternal life.

The second stage will be the second coming of Christ. But I have good news for you. Before that there will be the “Golden Age of Peace”. Evil will have been reduced to a minimum and disease and hunger will have been conquered; the war on poverty will have been won and people will be living by the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount and there will be unanimity, love and peace among men, women and children on earth.

Then Christ will come on the clouds of heaven, accompanied by all the Angels in great power and majesty to judge the living and the dead.

For as lightning comes from the east and shines even to the west so will also the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:27).

By the way you can read the prophecy of the Golden Age of Peace in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 11:6-9 and in Chapter 65. It is described metaphorically as follows:

Wolves and sheep will be together and leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lion cubs will feed together and little children will take care of them. Cows and bears will eat together and their calves and cubs will live in peace Lions will eat straw as cattle do. Even a baby will not be harmed if he or she plays near a poisonous snake. On Zion, God’s Holy Hill there will be nothing harmful or evil. The land will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the seas are full of water.

So cheer up. The Golden Age of Peace lies ahead. As Pope Paul VI said on one occasion: “No more war. War no more.” Everything is in the hands of God.

May George W. Bush, Tony Blair, the United Nations, Saddam Hussein and people of all nations join together in praying to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for the “Golden Age of Peace” to come Amen! So Be It!


References in Sacred Scripture to the Golden Age of Peace

Isaiah 11:6-9, 65:25
Joel 3:10
Mica 4
Zechariah 3:10
Revelation 20:6
2 Corinthian 12:2-6
Revelation 9
Isaiah 4
Matthew
Ezechiel

Notes

¹ In the original manuscript: dooms day

² In the original manuscript: scientific fiction

This homily is not to be copied, duplicated, modified nor distributed in any way

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Lets Compare Prayer Vs. Meditation

Apr 30

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St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church.

St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Author: Dinah Jackson

Christianity has taken a beating in recent years while Buddhism and especially the ‘Zen’ flavor of it, has become rather chic. I state that just as an observation from the crowd of Westerners I’ve hung out with and from media in general. I’m not writing here to promote or defend either religion, but hopefully to shed light on a couple of things and demystify others.

It seems that in the West growing numbers of people have begun to view their Judeo-Christian background with suspicion. Some of the complaints are that it’s too full of guilt and punishment, and that the mythology behind it is just not believable. Other people see Zen as a breath of fresh air as it does not require that you believe in God or facing eternal damnation, and it doesn’t seem to have much in the way of dogma.

Both views are of course, shortsighted. The Judeo-Christian ethic offers people a unique tome of wisdom and stresses an understanding of a God that is loving and forgiving, not angry and punishing, though there is that side too. Real Zen on the other hand is a sect of Japanese Buddhism that is famous for its asceticism, rigorous disciplines, and physical deprivations. Simply, it’s not at all the laid-back meditative practice Westerners mistake it for. It also has a rigid moral code that must be obeyed, and prayers (sutras and mantras) are evoked several times a day. I’m just trying to say here that what the one seems to be, the other really is, and vice versa. They are both religions after.

As for prayer or meditation, studies indicate that both are very good for you both emotionally and physically, and it would be wise to have a daily regime of one or both daily. There is Christian meditation too by the way, and Zen prayer as well. Go figure.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/lets-compare-prayer-vs-meditation-4038170.html

About the Author

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who enjoys writing about Pokemon and travel. We have every Pokemon plush that you can imagine. We have hundreds of Japanese Pokemon charms, figures, pokedolls, plush toys, plushies, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, charms, straps, dice bags, and thousands more very rare Japanese Pokemon items. Direct from Japan to your door.

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The Dislike of Catholicism: Understanding the Holy in the Catholic Tradition, 3 – Theological reasons

Apr 16

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Soufrière Catholic Church

Soufrière Catholic Church (Photo credit: waywuwei)

1 – Introduction
2 – Theory and method
3 – Theological reasons
4 – Social and political reasons
5 – Psychological reasons
6 – Philosophical and historical reasons and conclusion

Sociologists and philosophers, alike, say the Catholic religion generates ‘truth claims.’ The idea of a truth claim gives us a convenient way to talk about a given set of beliefs without necessarily advocating or dismissing them. Non-Catholics often say that Catholic truth claims are not eternally given but, rather, culturally and politically motivated truths—that is, relative truths.

Infallibility

The notion of Papal infallibility is probably one of the biggest reasons why people dislike Catholicism. But educated Catholics realize that only two Catholic truth claims are deemed infallible while most others are less authoritative, and merely disseminated as general guidelines for good moral behavior. Many lay-critics of Catholicism don’t realize that not every Catholic teaching is forwarded as an eternal, unchangeable truth. Instead, Catholic theologians say the Church’s teachings have various levels of certainty. And Papal infallibility only applies to these two dogmas:

  1. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s sinless birth (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)
  2. Her bodily assumption into heaven (Dogma of The Assumption)

All other Catholic teachings are not infallible.¹ So it’s just wrong to say that all Catholic teachings are infallible when they’re not. True, some Catholics say that infallibility includes all of the Church’s teachings. But these fanatics – and that’s what they are – are a vocal minority that the majority of sober scholars, Catholic or not, would readily dismiss.

Papal Authority

Some non-Catholics say that even two (allegedly) infallible declarations are good reason to dislike Catholicism, a religion that endorses Popes who, from the critics’ perspective,  are mere pretenders to the throne of truth. This is variation on the above reason why people dislike Catholicism. Some just don’t believe in any kind of Papal infallibility whatsoever. And the fact that only two dogmas are deemed infallible makes no difference. These people want none of it.

Christianity as a Stereotype

A third theological reason why people dislike Catholicism is based on a misunderstanding and, arguably, unclear thinking.

Many use ‘Christianity’ as  a blanket term for all different types of Churches, organizations and individuals calling themselves as Christians. If I say “I’m a Catholic,” sometimes it’s like waving a red flag in front of people who dislike Evangelicals, Fundamentalists and Televangelists, and who really don’t know the difference between these forms of Christianity and Catholicism. It’s just one big amorphous dislike for all things Christian.

However, differences among Christian denominations (and even among individual believers within each denomination) are tremendous. In Ireland, for instance, Protestant and Catholic youth gangs engage in violent clashes. And as CNN’s Anderson Cooper once pointed out, some Christians align themselves with the Green movement while others are out to make greenbacks.

Falling Short of the Ideal

People also dislike Catholicism because of churchgoers who inevitably fall short of the Christian ideal. Some Catholics sharply criticize and even denounce one another. Mean-minded gossip and talking behind another person’s back is not unheard of in Catholicism, even though Jesus tells us to love one another. As in most spheres of humanity, pettiness and hypocrisy are alive and unwell in Catholicism, which is a turn-off for many.

Private and Public

With a little probing it sometimes becomes clear that a given Catholic’s private beliefs are quite different from his or her apparent beliefs as publicly expressed at the Mass. After all, human beings are social animals and usually don’t want to rock the boat. But arguably just as important, most Catholics believe in the necessity of liturgical structure. Structure affords unity and continuity amidst inevitable points of disagreement.

So Catholics with their own private beliefs are not necessarily just toeing the line at the Mass. They could very well be respecting the need for structure while perhaps secretly believing in (and doing) their own thing—e.g. using birth control, engaging in homosexual relations, having affairs or premarital sex.

On the need for structure, learned Catholics point out that even the very first Christian disciples disagreed on certain issues (Acts 15: 1-21; Galatians 2: 11-14; 1 Corinthians 3: 1-23). So there’s a need, they believe, to outline a clear set of teachings to carry the Catholic ship of salvation through all storms of disagreement.

Judging a Book by its Cover

Another reason people dislike Catholicism has to do with their perception of what it means to be ‘alive in the spirit.’ Some non-Catholics say the Catholic Mass looks or feels quite dead. Catholic parishioners apparently behave like robotic victims of a Roman cult, just going through the motions, not really thinking nor believing in what they profess during the Mass.

With few outward signs of ecstatic joviality or other emotional displays, critics wrongly assume that apparently wooden Catholics are spiritually dry and unhappy. These critics really have no appreciation for the possibility that Catholics may experience a very high and delicate kind of interior sweetness, healing and joy.

By way of contrast, Catholics, especially contemplative ones, may see non-Catholic forms of easily recognizable joy as commendable and perhaps even of Christ. But these manifestations of the spirit are usually subjected to the analysis of discernment, which tries to determine if they’re possibly of a different interior quality than the sacramental graces afforded through the Catholic Church.

Catholics are instructed to respect other religions. And the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said that she “loved” all religions while being “in love” with her own. Along these lines, the existence of worldwide Catholic Missions speaks volumes. Why would Catholic missions exist if the majority of Catholics did not believe that their religion was best? And would not many of these Catholics base that belief on how their religion made them feel?

Jesus as another teacher

Another theological reason many non-Catholics dislike Catholicism is that Christ is taken as just another teacher, not unlike the Buddha or the Hindu god Krishna. This critique often comes from contemporary Gnostics. For them it’s a mistake to insist on Jesus’ uniqueness. And the highly structured Catholic liturgy just gets in the way of their supposedly genuine, gnostic spiritual experiences.

In response, the Vatican recognizes any partial truths in non-Christian religious figures and their associated teachings but firmly disagrees with the belief that Buddha or Krishna, for example, are equal to Christ. It’s as simple as that and no politically correct or sugar-coated interfaith dialogue will change this fundamental point of disagreement. From a Catholic standpoint, it’s possible that some non-Catholic critics have yet to reach a point in their spiritual formation to appreciate the fullness of Christ as experienced through the sacraments.

Mary and the Saints

Another theological reason why people dislike Catholicism relates to Saint Mary and the rest of the Catholic saints. Misinformed Christians often dispute the supposed Catholic ‘paganism’ of praying for the saints’ intercession.

As outlined at earthpages.ca:

Some Protestants and Fundamentalists complain that Catholics have got it all wrong because, so they say, Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and Man. But these very same people freely ask their friends and associates to “pray for them” which to any thinking person is clearly a request for intercession.

The Catholic reply to this contradictory Protestant and Fundamentalist charge is that if you can ask souls on Earth to pray for you, why not souls in heaven?²

Catholicism clearly outlines its stand on intercession. Asking the saints to pray for us does not elevate them to the status of gods and goddesses, as so many non-Catholic detractors will say. This is just theologically wrong and represents another groundless reason for disliking Catholicism.

—

¹ Dr. Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Rockford, Illinois: 1974 [1960], Tan Books, pp. 8-10 » See online discussion at socrates58.blogspot.com

² See in context.

Copyright © Michael W. Clark, 2012.

4 – Social and political reasons

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Letter to God: Anagarika eddie and Michael Clark on Interfaith Unity

Mar 10

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Sky and Earth

This interview was first published in 2006 as “Letter to God: E. Raymond Rock and Dr. Michael Clark on Interfaith Unity.”
E. Raymond Rock now tends to go by the appellation anagarika eddie, and I prefer to just be called Michael Clark—MC

Anagarika eddie: Is there any possibility of humanity going beyond its opinions and beliefs, or are we destined to fight with each other forever? If God commanded you to come up with something that would satisfy all beliefs, yet enlighten all minds, what would you suggest?

MC: That’s an interesting question. I don’t know the answer for sure. Some believe that, as the New Testament suggests, there ultimately will be a period of peace. But in my view it’s hard to know if this is just prophetic symbolism or something that will actually happen on Earth. It seems our human personalities inevitably come into conflict with one another. But as free beings we have a choice as to how to deal with that. We can see conflict as an opportunity for mutual understanding and growth. Or we can just react like an animal would. Worse, we can plot and scheme like devils. And don’t laugh. Because it’s no joke and many people do.

I don’t think we can always go beyond our opinions and beliefs. But I think during moments of grace we can. So if we continually turn to God for guidance, we might become better and better servants of the Divine. Some say that too much introspection is a bad thing. But I think that if you don’t know your true inner core then you’re going to be acting on the basis of some personality fragment or tangent; or perhaps on the basis of a socio-cultural, transpersonal or negative spiritual influence. If you don’t act from the center, then whatever bad you do will likely come back on you. If you act from the loving center, informed by Grace (or as Catholics would say, the Holy Spirit), then good will come back.

Anagarika eddie: You mention that too much introspection is bad. Could you expand on that a little – where does that attitude come from? Perhaps introspection is bad for those who don’t want their flock to see too clearly. The contemplative saints regarded contemplative prayer highly, discovering that the state of grace could be enhanced by Orison, which is similar to Eastern thinking that meditation creates fertile ground for enlightenment.

Since nothing else has worked throughout history (we are still killing ourselves in the name of God!) could it actually be that introspection; Orison, recollection, the dark night and unison, would enlighten our minds? And could it be that the second coming of Christ (Christ translated as enlightened mind) might be a universal enlightening of many people, instead of an individual Christ this time around?

Thank you for your answers. I’m trying to find a common denominator among all religions that would transcend beliefs, yet not disparage any religion. What other hope do we have? A Muslim will rarely become a Christian; or a Buddhist a Muslim. Perhaps introspection – meditation and contemplative prayer – could be an answer. Perhaps Christ was trying to teach us how to go within, but the original Church Fathers (no different from today), perhaps stressed the emotional side of Christianity, feeling that the deeper teachings should only be reserved for monks, thinking that the masses weren’t ready. Maybe it was more important to build a religion in those days than free their flock from the fear of God, and the fear of themselves, both of which are laid bare by deep prayer.

MC: Ah, but I said that “some say” too much introspection is a bad thing. That’s a little trick I learned over the years. It doesn’t necessary mean that too much introspection is bad. It’s just a useful way to bracket a statement. It means that some people believe it’s bad, those people not necessarily including myself.

However, I do believe that in my own life, anyhow, it’s good to keep some kind of working and flexible balance between contemplation and outward activity. Although I tend to be more contemplative and less visibly active than most. I think everyone has to strike their own balance here. And also, to keep renegotiating it.

My feeling on the Christian saints is that most of them reached very high levels of Godly awareness. But it came with such a price. They suffered for every grace received. And of course, their suffering wasn’t only for their own purification, but also for the redemption of other souls. St. Faustina Kowalska’s Divine Mercy Diary is an excellent book about the power and importance of (contemplative) prayer. If you haven’t read it already, I would recommend it.

As for the differences and similarities among world religions when it comes to mysticism, this is a rich and fascinating topic. It’s really hard to know for sure what another mystic experiences. Some believe they all come to the same type of “ah-ha” experience. Others, like Rudolf Otto and C. G. Jung, stress that the grades and qualities of encountered numinosities may differ. Myself, I find that the most intuitive folks in my hometown are scattered across the board. It could be a woman working in a dollar store. It could be the postman. It could be a businessperson with whom I just have a passing conversation. And it could be a priest too. While the vast majority of priests adhere to the standardized approach, I sometimes wonder if in private they have their own thoughts on certain issues. Would they be human if they did not?

I think you’re right that most people will not convert from their own path. And why should they? These religions, when they work, serve to nurture the soul while keeping an individual’s cultural underpinnings in place. I tend to see religions as flowerpots. You need a pot to hold the soil. Every pot is a little different. But each grows a plant (and hopefully a flower). And just as flowers may also differ, so the look and feel of souls in heaven may differ too. Difference isn’t a bad thing at all. How boring heaven would be if it contained ten trillion daisies, and daisies only! As one person whom I spoke with through the web once put it, “there are many different flowers in the Garden of Eden.”

And this brings me back to the idea of getting in touch with the core, the center. I believe that it’s here that the heavenly flower grows. This isn’t necessarily the Jungian self where the self is an aggregate or a totality of all observable elements. I tend to think that ultimately, after all the lesser elements are pruned away through eons of purification, we shine (and mediate grace) in heaven. But I also think this takes a very long time for most of us. Hence the importance of the idea of Purgatory.

To close, I should add that I haven’t passed yet, so all this is mostly reasoned speculation. A theory. I don’t claim to really know what happens at death. Because other issues come into play, such as the nature of space, time and eternity-both on Earth and within other realms.

Thank you for an interesting question. Feel free to follow up on any of this. I generally enjoy talking about the soul and metaphysics.

Anagarika eddie: Thank you Dr. Clark for your “enlightened” discussion, rare to find these days!

As you renegotiate your personal inward and outward balance, and venture inwardly a little more, do you find yourself less interested in worldly pleasures? And when you do revisit them, just to test their power over you, do you find that they don’t hold the same mystique that they once did? What was it that Thomas Wolfe once wrote, “You can never go home?” which to me indicates the unrelenting changing nature of things, and how we can’t really count on anything in the world? It’s confusing, isn’t it, that a new reality is developing, but you can’t grasp it as you have grasped things in the past. Definitely a bittersweet experience.

MC: Yes, it can be bittersweet because for everything valuable that we gain it seems we first must lose something. This might be a golden rule. But I find that the gains really do outstrip the losses. And as we mature in the path we, as you say, don’t really want those things we once craved. Moreover, they may reappear in subtler ways. With regard to sexuality, for instance, see my article: Celibacy, Sex and Spirituality.

I also believe that most people do revisit past pleasures and interests from time to time for various reasons. Doubtfully does it ever go in a straight line. Some say that the ego dances around the self, that is, it doesn’t always rest there nor is it always perfectly aligned with it. Still, most world religions advocate – and this might get back to your initial question about syncretism – that the ego ideally is a servant of the self. But again, the understanding as to just what constitutes the self varies dramatically, I think. So one has to choose the path that’s right for him or herself. And also consider the possibility of embracing new paths.

Anagarika eddie: I read a story once about a man entering a strange house and finding a staircase, which he was compelled to climb. The further he climbed, the more fearful he became until he decided to climb back down – but all the steps had disappeared! A Great analogy of the spiritual quest.

Enjoyed your article – very well thought out and complete. My experience with Catholicism is like yours, but backward. I spent the first 35 years as a catholic, and then the next 26 meditating!

All religions seem to have their scripture as a basis, accompanied by individual experience, or the deeper side based on that scripture. I am at a point where I’m taking a worldview of it all, beyond my personal viewpoint, and I see that something is amiss. Wars are still being fought over differences in religious beliefs.

My first experience of meditation was at Shasta Abbey, a Zen monastery. The monks there didn’t teach me Buddhist scripture, only insisted that I meditate and practice silence most of the day, and because of that simple practice, my whole life was turned upside down with no teachings whatsoever. Boy, was I surprised!

Is it possible that contemplative prayer or meditation could do the same thing for others? But how do you encourage people to pray deeply, that is listen to God instead of talking? You would think that everybody would want to personally communicate with the Ultimate, but usually, we are shy in this area. Few dare to venture into St. John of the Cross’s dark night of the soul, or experiment with enlightenment.

Is it fear of seeing through our illusions, our concept of self, our beliefs? We attach to these notions and feel comfortable in them, not wanting to lose them, which is what happens when we achieve that ineffable that can only be described as the unborn, the undying; beginning less and with no end. How would you ever introduce such a practice and concept to everyday people? I don’t know the answer to this, but I tirelessly attempt to find a way to introduce contemplative prayer and meditation into everybody’s hearts.

There is that which is underneath all the divisive beliefs, and to touch that is the key. It can be touched when all our thoughts, opinions and knowing dissolves into that mysterious realm where we lose ourselves to that which is.

MC: You know, I would keep asking God for advice. I’m not sure as a practicing Buddhist how you envision the Godhead. Words and concepts can get in the way. But I tend to regard God as the creator, somehow other but immanent.

From my experience, Buddhists tend to deemphasize individuality while Catholics feel that individuality is important. But it seems that you still have some sense of an individual self, yet one which is more fundamental than the intellectual, the conceptual, the desirous and so on. That’s the core that I feel is the important commonality among all paths. As to how to get people to meditate, to contemplate, to know the Divine… this is something that I personally don’t try to rush. I see the entire spectrum as important to the total picture. So I tend to look at individuals and try to determine where they’re at, what external factors are influencing them, and so on. I guess as a doctor and educator that’s my role. I don’t see myself as a mass preacher or contemplative exemplar. But maybe someone else is! As Saint Paul put it, one body… many different members.

—–

Original dialogue: March 11-13, 2006.

Afterword

Anagarika eddie and Michael Clark look forward to reading your responses and ideas regarding the question: Is there any possibility of humanity going beyond their opinions and beliefs, or are we destined to fight with each other forever? If God commanded you to come up with something that would satisfy all beliefs, yet enlighten all minds, what would you suggest?

Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.

Michael Clark is the creator and webmaster of Earthpages.org and Earthpages.ca. He also maintains a personal blog, Michaelwclark.com.  His studies include a Ph.D. on Carl Jung’s concept of synchronicity (UOttawa), an M.A. in Comparative Religion (Visva Bharati, India), and an Honours B.A. in Psyc/Sociology (Trent U).

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The Inner Nature of Faith: A Mysterious Knowledge Coming Through the Heart

Mar 3

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English: Jesus and the Samaritan woman. A mini...

Jesus and the Samaritan woman. A miniature from the 12th-century Jruchi Gospels II MSS from Georgia via Wikipedia

Copyright © 1988, 2012 James Arraj. All rights reserved.

The following excerpts have been reprinted with kind permission from the author
» read or purchase entire book at innerexplorations.com


From Chapter Eight: The Act of Faith

If we imagine ourselves living at the time of Jesus we can suppose that we would have had an easier time believing in Him. After all, He was visible, a warm, breathing person, and we could have walked with Him and talked with Him and shared a meal. We would have lost no time sorting through the various arguments about whether Jesus existed or what He said and did, and in addition to His words we would have seen His deeds when he healed the sick and gave other signs, like at the wedding feast at Cana. And thus, it would have been easy to believe, or so we suppose.

But if we read the Gospels it becomes evident that the people around Jesus had just as hard a time believing in Him as we do today. What they gained by the immediacy of His presence they tended to lose by their expectations for an earthly messiah, and their inability to get the whole picture of Jesus that comes to us through the Gospels. But the problem went beyond this. Even the words of Jesus and His deeds did not necessarily convince or compel them to believe. No matter how many reasons to believe they had, these reasons in themselves did not add up to faith. Even though the people of his time heard the same words and saw the same deeds, they came to radically different conclusions. Some thought He was possessed by the devil, or a rabble rouser or a revolutionary. Others ignored Him and some felt He was sent by God. How could such different judgments be based on the same facts, or put in another way, what is the ultimate principle by which these judgments were made? The Gospels make the answer clear. There is a direct relationship between our interior dispositions and the way we see Jesus. We need an inner attitude of love if we are going to look at His words and actions and see in them the hand of God. And this inner attitude is not simply something we generate out of our own interior resources, but it is a gift of God. And here we return to the notion of knowledge by connaturality. Like is known by like. Sense knowledge cannot comprehend intellectual things, nor can intellectual knowledge grasp by itself the spiritual realities that St. Paul describes when he distinguishes the spiritual man from the psychic man. Reason is unable to grasp God in Himself, but only in the prism of creatures, and so there must be another principle of knowledge for the kind of knowledge that faith is. By nature we can know and love God, but in a somewhat remote fashion as an intelligent creature would love his creator. But the message of the Gospels is that God desires us to share His own inner life. He wants to establish a relationship of love and this relationship is meant to be not only the natural love with which we aspire to return to the source of all Being from which we have come, but a higher love that goes beyond the exigencies of our own nature. We have seen that on the human plane that love centers itself on the inmost reality of the other person precisely as other. It draws the lover to become the beloved in his own subjectivity. Love becomes a sharing in consciousness, and a sharing in love and knowledge.

And this is the kind of relationship that the Gospels describe. God is drawing us to Himself so we can share His inner life and consciousness. He is setting up a relationship of indwelling or intersubjectivity…

From Chapter Eight: Epilogue

…All this [the entire chapter eight-ed.] can leave us with the impression that faith is a complex matter best left to the deliberations of theologians. This is not true. In fact, faith resists our intricately woven nets of concepts because of its simplicity and depth. And in virtue of this simplicity it permeates our lives like the air we breathe, but too seldom take notice of. We think God is absent because we do not find him like one object among all the others, when all the time He is there within us as our deepest goal. We are continually being drawn by this mysterious, powerful, silent call to union with Him, and it is faith which is our response to this hidden presence. At any moment, in any place, we can go on the journey of faith, for it is that tiny, quiet reaching out with our heart to God.

The above excerpts have been reprinted with kind permission from the author
» read or purchase entire book at innerexplorations.com

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Christianity Is Best by Anthony Keith Whitehead

Jan 13

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English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ

John the Baptist baptizing Christ via Wikipedia

A note from the editor: I usually stay away from articles that are this strong. But when you think about it, so many religious writers imply that their beliefs are best (while subtly undermining others), without having the guts to come out and say so directly. So with that in mind, I thought I’d try posting this article at Earthpages.org. After all, being open-minded is to consider all views. Not just sugarcoated, diplomatic and politically correct ones.

—MC

Christianity Is Best

by Anthony Keith Whitehead

If the proverbial “visitor from Mars” came to earth looking for God, who might have a persoanl interest in him, he would have an extremely wide range of choice, taking account of all the various religions there are in the world. He would, however, surely be struck by the particular claims of Christianity, for it goes far beyond any other world religion in its view of the deeply personal nature of God’s involvement with the people he has created.

No other religion comes anywhere near the conception of a God so intimately involved with his people. Nor one prepared to offer himself to them at such individual levels and with such intensely personal relationships. Consider a few:

GOD BECAME ONE OF HIS CREATED BEINGS

Myths abound with gods taking human form. But with Yahweh it was so different. God actually became one of us in every respect except sin (2 Corinthians 5. 21) — and to do it, he left behind all the power and glory associated with God (Philippians 2. 6 – 8).

How much more involved can involvement become? Well, quite a lot! For God then proceeded to live cheek-by-jowl for thirty-three years with those he had created. Why? Simply to give them an example they could follow of the kind of life God wanted from them — and to show what was possible in their lives.

How much greater personal commitment can there be than that? Well, in fact, quite a lot! For as King he then subjected himself to his subjects, allowed them to crucify him — and all so that he could save them from their own stupidity and intransigence! (e.g. Romans 5. 18, 19).

THE GRANT OF HIS OWN POWER

Jesus, as the Christ, having suffered every ignominy possible, returned in glory to his Father’s side — and mainly so that the power which had been manifest in his own life on earth could be made available to his people (e.g. Luke 24. 49; John 16. 7). So, as God had made spiritual gifting available to a small selection of his people throughout the period covered by the Old Testament, now he made that empowering available to every one of his people, as he had promised. (Joel 2. 28 – 32. See also our book “The Empowering Of God’s People” on our web site, [address below]).

From the Day of Pentecost onwards that empowering became the potential inheritance of every Christian disciple. “Potential” because many would not bother to accept what was offered to them through a range of charisms which, in principle, is infinite.

THE GRANT OF HIS OWN PRESENCE The relationship which the God of Christians desires is so personal that he has promised to continue to live with them and to be actively a part of their lives in several “unbelievable” (if the reader will excuse the pun) ways.

He gives himself in the form of the Holy Spirit to dwell within every baptised Christian (e.g. Mark 1. 8). This is so astounding a fact that we have a tendency to become blase about it because, when we consider its reality, it is so difficult to comprehend a God who would give himself in that way. Oh, certainly, we accept it as a tenent of our belief, but the actual reality often escapes us. Or why do so many of us apparently live such chunks of our lives without reference to him? To his advice? To his counselling? To his directing?

The “man from Mars” might be able to understand how this happens. But for us, our excuses are poor.

But there is more. God always continues with us through his Spirit, but Jesus also promised that he would be with us whenever and wherever we were prepared to gather together with other Christians in his name (Matthew 18. 20). Yet another personal touch.

Is there still more? Well, yes, but more controversially for Christians. For those who do not run away from the reality of it, as did many of Jesus’ first disciples when he initially “floated” the idea (John 6, especially vv30 – 65 and then v66 and to the end), he is physically present in the bread and wine which is consecrated in remembrance of him (e.g. all Last Supper accounts in the synoptic gospels) and which is something Paul himself accepted (1 Corinthians 10. 15 – 17;11. 23 – 32). So besides a spiritual presence of jesus there is also a physical one.

MARTIAN PERCEPTION

All this would surely present an overwhelming case to the intelligent Martian looking for evidence of a personal God. Not a god who has a multiplicity of manifestations, who is in everything and is everything but is still essentially impersonal and distant from our lives. Not a god who sends messages of violence and destruction, nor one who is represented by a mere man who can never be surpassed.

Rather he would see a God, so perfect in his justice that sin had to be dealt with, but one so infinite in his mercy that he dealt with it in the only way possible: through his own self-sacrifice. And one who loves his people so much that he cannot but live with them, daily and continuously and who is prepared to share his power and his nature with them (2 Peter 1. 3,4).

About The Author: Anthony Keith Whitehead

This article is copyright but may be reproduced providing that all this information is included

Over twenty three years in Christian healing teaching writing ministries. Wide range of secular employments before being called by the Lord into full time independent ministry in 1987. With his wife Iris he has ministered both in the UK and USA. Has written several books on healing meditation and various aspects of spirituality. Formal qualifications include: B.A. M.Phil. Cambridge University Certificate in Religious Studies Post Grad Cert in Education.

Web Site: http://www.christianword.co.uk

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2 Reasons Why God Tests Us

Jan 4

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1881 theatre programme for Patience

Image via Wikipedia

By Daniel N. Brown

We all know that athletes need endurance training for physical stamina and mental toughness. When game time arrives, he or she will be ready to do battle and will have a greater chance at victory. If the athlete does not go through the necessary preparedness, he or she may not even be allowed into the game.

It’s the same in our walk with God. We really shouldn’t expect that we can just ask God for some great position in life with out any preparation. It’s the tests and trials that He allows us to go through that are what prepare us for the greater things He has in store in the future.

There are two reasons why God tests us. The first reason is:

1. To Produce Patience

James 1:2-3 tells us, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

There is a huge misunderstanding of what the word “patience” actually means. Most people will say that it means to “wait.” But, that’s not true. If you look up the word “patient” in Webster’s Dictionary it actually means to bear trials without complaining.

God doesn’t want to hear someone complain anymore than you want to hear someone complain. Not only that, but complaining only reinforces your situation. Whatever you talk about and focus on becomes magnified.

God uses tests and trials to bring patience into our lives because He wants us to develop a good attitude. A good attitude then, will make us the kind of person God can use. We will become perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The second reason God tests us is:

2. To Make You Perfect, Complete, and Lacking Nothing

James 1:4 says, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

God sometimes allows storms into our lives to test us so that He may accomplish a purpose in us. And, that purpose is to prepare us for greater things (Psalm 107).

If you’re facing some challenges in your life today, just ask God to hold you up, strengthen you, and help you learn what He is trying to teach you.

Keep in mind that not all storms in your life are from God. Many times, you can create your own storms by making poor decisions. The best thing to do in these cases is to ask God to help you learn from your mistakes.

God can use your own storms to teach you things and use them to bring you increase. Always remember Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”

Be encouraged if things are not what you think they should be. God has a wonderful plan for your life and He may just be working on the inside of you right now. Maybe you’re just learning patience. If you’ve already learned patience, maybe patience is having it’s perfect work, making you perfect and complete, to where you will lack nothing.

About The Author

Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur and teacher of biblical success principles. Get his FREE report, “How to Receive from God” when you sign up for his FREE weekly newsletter. http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com.

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Christmas and Chanukkah, Hanuka, Chanukah..?

Dec 5

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Maccabees.

Maccabees via Wikipedia

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

The five boys and girls sitting at the table waited eagerly for the last question. This was the final round of the citywide spelling contest. These five boys and girls had spelled their way through almost an hour of increasingly difficult words. In the previous round they had all successfully spelled antidisestablishmentarianism. They couldn’t imagine any harder words than the ones they already had successfully spelled. The five of them were the best spellers in the city. They knew all the spelling rules, and all of them read a great many books. What word could the judges ask that would be so hard to spell, that only one of the five would come up as the winner?

One of the four judges stood up, looked at each one of the children very carefully, and said, “How do you spell the name of the Jewish holiday that celebrates the victory of the Maccabees in their fight for religious freedom and Jewish independence?”

Each one of the children wrote a different spelling: Chanukah, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannukkah, Hanuka.

The judges looked puzzled. First, they began to whisper to one another. Then they began to argue. After a few minutes they started shouting at one another. Finally, one of them stood up and said, “If we can’t agree among ourselves, we will have to call an expert. The best person to get would be a rabbi. Which rabbi shall we ask?”

One of the five boys called out, “I’ll get my rabbi.” The girl next to him jumped up and said, “Oh, no, I’ll get my rabbi. I’m sure he will come.”

Two of the other children who were also Jewish ran off to call their rabbis, and the remaining boy, who was Catholic, decided to go and call his priest.

An hour later, four rabbis and a priest had gathered together with the judges. “Why are there so many different ways to spell Chanukah?” asked one of the judges.

The first rabbi replied, “The Jewish religion does not have a list of specific things that every Jew has to believe about God. Jews believe that there are several different ways of thinking about God. If we have more than one way to think about God, who is very important, why should we have only one way to spell Hanukkah, which is much less important than God? However, in my opinion, the best spelling would be one that has eight letters in it, since there are eight days to Hannukah.”

The judges looked very puzzled. “Can a Jew do anything he wants to do?” asked one of the judges. “Doesn’t Judaism stand for anything?”

The second rabbi answered, “Of course Judaism has principles and standards. We believe in freedom, but that doesn’t mean that everybody can do anything they want. Every Jew should pay attention to the teachings of the Torah and our tradition; to the teachings of your rabbi; and to what the majority of the people in your community are doing. But within the teachings of Torah and tradition, there are many honest differences and opinions. For example, 2,000 years ago there was a debate between two learned rabbis. Hillel said that you should light the Hanukah candles starting with one candle on the first day, and adding an additional candle each day until all eight candles are lit.

Shamai, however, taught that you should light eight candles on the first night of Channuka, and then one candle less each night until there was only one left on the eighth night. Shamai believed that just as the oil diminished from day to day, so too should the light of the candles become smaller each day.

Hillel, on the other hand, felt that the Jewish struggle to survive, in spite of the many attempts of our enemies to destroy us, was in itself the miracle, and that the longer we survive, the greater the miracle becomes. Therefore, the light should increase each day, as the miracle of Jewish survival becomes greater.”

At this point the third rabbi spoke up, “Actually, there are many different ways of doing things, and many different reasons for what we do. Sometimes the differences are due to a different way of thinking about things, as in the case of Hillel and Shamai. Sometimes the differences are due to local custom. For example, in the United States, Jews eat bagels and lox, while in Israel Jews eat falafel in pita bread. Jews from Europe do not eat rice during Passover, but Jews from North Africa and the Middle East do eat rice. So how you spell Hanuka is just a matter of custom. I think all the spellings are correct, and the contest is a tie.”

Suddenly the priest spoke up, “The story of the Maccabees is not found in the Jewish Bible because their fight for freedom occurred after the Jewish Bible was written. The Book of Maccabees can be found in the Catholic Bible. So, although I am not a scholar of Hebrew, I think I’m entitled to an opinion on the spelling of Chanukkah.”

“If the story of Hanukah is found in the Catholic Bible,” asked the head judge, “why don’t you celebrate Hanuka in your church? After all, if the Maccabees had not won their fight for freedom against those who wanted to force the Jews to copy everybody else and stop being different, the Jews would all have disappeared. If the Jews had disappeared, then Christianity’s leader would not have been born as a Jew and could not have been the Messiah.. And without him, there wouldn’t be any Christian religion at all. In fact, without Hanukah, no matter how you spell it, there wouldn’t be any Christmas!”

“That’s true,” said the priest. “There wouldn’t be any Christmas if there wasn’t any Chanukah, but we can’t celebrate Channukkah because it’s not a Christian Holiday. Indeed, we don’t even celebrate Shabbat, and that’s one of the Ten Commandments. Ours is a different religion, with its own holidays and beliefs.”

“All this is very interesting,” said the head judge. “I have learned that Jews have more than one way of thinking about God, that Jews have different interpretations and customs, and that the Book of Maccabees is to be found in the Catholic Bible. What I haven’t learned is HOW DO YOU SPELL CHANUKKAH? Isn’t there any answer that is correct?”

“Yes there is,” said the fourth rabbi. “There is one correct spelling, and that is . The only correct spelling is the Hebrew way. All attempts to translate, or transliterate Hebrew words into English letters lose something in the transition. It is sort of like kissing a girl through a handkerchief. You can do it, but it doesn’t feel the same.”

“O.K.,” said the judges, “we will give first prize to whichever of the boys and girls can spell Hannukkah in Hebrew.”

As it turned out only one boy and one girl could spell in Hebrew and so they were declared the winners. But, everyone, including the judges, learned a little bit about why there are so many different ways to spell Hanukkah, and why Hebrew is the best way.

More stories for children are available at the author’s website: www.rabbimaller.com

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Did God Command Child Sacrifice?

Oct 27

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The angel prevents the sacrifice of Isaac, det...

The angel prevents the sacrifice of Isaac, detail from prekmurian book Zgodbe Sztároga i Nóvoga Zákona, 1873 of István Szelmár (close up) via Wikipedia

Author: Cory Tucholski

It is often supposed by skeptics that the God of the Bible accepts child sacrifice.

Only the most shallow reasoner could conclude that child sacrifice was commanded by God in the Bible.  Yet, the criticism is so widespread that an answer is necessary, though the charge is so stupid it deserves to be ignored.

Leviticus 18:22 says: ‘You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.’  Molech was a Canaanite god who demanded the blood sacrifice of the firstborn child, usually by burning.  God here commands the Israelites not to offer such a sacrifice.  And in Leviticus 20:2, God orders that those who make such a sacrifice to be stoned to death.

But critics point to two stories in the Bible in support of the false notion that God commands child sacrifice.  Never is the clear prohibition dealt with.  The first and most obvious story is the offering of Isaac by Abraham.  The second is the vow of Jephthah to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house — which happened to be his daughter.

The story of Abraham and Isaac found in Genesis 22:1-19 requires some historical context to understand.  While we moderns would balk at a command from God to sacrifice our own child, this was common practice in the time of Abraham.  That means it’s doubtful that Abraham would have batted an eyelash at the request, except for the lingering doubt that he might never have another child.  And that doubt is what gives us the lesson of the story — obeying God in faith, realizing that when he promises something he will bring it to pass.

Since God blessed Abraham with one child, it means that God can bless him with more.  Recognizing that, Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, hoping that God would make good on his promise of descendants later on down the road.  This shows amazing trust in God, because Abraham and Sarah tried for years before they got Isaac, even stooping to using Hagar to bear a child.

Then God stops Abraham from killing Isaac, which is the real counter-culture surprise in this story.  Turns out that this sort of sacrifice isn’t acceptable to God; in fact, the only unblemished and worthy sacrifice is the one God provided to himself: Jesus.  Though Abraham wouldn’t have thought in those terms just yet, the foreshadowing is obvious in retrospect.

We see the same motif of sacrificing the first born in the first book of Samuel.  Hannah offers Samuel into temple service, which is the correct way to fulfill such a vow to God.

The temple service idea is behind the vow of Jephthah (Jdg 11:29-40), the second story often cited by critics who erroneously conclude that God commands child sacrifice.  Jephthah makes a public vow that he will offer whatever comes out of his house first to greet him if God delivers the enemy.  God does, and when Jephthah returns home his daughter is the first out of the house to greet him.

The fact that this vow is public indicates that his daughter very likely knew of the vow.  So if she thought that her life was in any danger, she would have made sure she was the last person out of that house when her father returned.

Whatever was sacrificed to God was considered holy and received special consideration and treatment under the Law.  Assuming she was promised to temple service, this is an effective way to disown and divorce herself from the family.  In other words, Jephthah’s daughter was intentionally thumbing her nose at her father, for whatever personal reasons she might have had.

In any event, Jephthah was a judge of Israel and would have known the law against child sacrifice.  His daughter being the first out of the house creates an unanswerable conundrum for him.  On the one hand, to fulfill his vow he would commit a sin against the Lord — one that merited the death penalty.  On the other hand, to break his vow to the Lord would equally as grave a sin as the murder of his daughter.  The responsible answer is to promise his daughter to temple service, thereby fulfilling his vow without having to commit a grave sin that would forfeit his life as well.  The lifetime temple service would fit with text telling us that she bemoaned her virginity instead of her life.

Does the Bible permit child sacrifice?  Well, in cases like Abraham and Jephthah, it seems to at least describe the action.  However, the Bible describes sin all the time without condoning it.  No one is going to point to a story like Abraham and Abimelech and say that it means God condones lying, since Abraham is called a friend of God and he lied in that story to protect himself.

So it is with child sacrifice.  Just because an action is described as having happened in the Bible does not mean that God condones it.  Both stories (Abraham and Isaac, Jephthah and his tragic vow) are clearly in the Bible to show the folly of the practice.  Especially in light of the clear legal prohibitions against child sacrifice, the viable option of lifetime temple service (as we see with Hannah and Samuel), and the death penalty to those who do sacrifice their children.  There is no excuse for practicing child sacrifice, and the act is abominable to God.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/christianity-articles/did-god-command-child-sacrifice-5335584.html

About the Author

I’m a passionate defender of the Christian faith, husband, father of two; lover of my wife, reading, chess, and philosophical theology.  Follow me on Twitter, or visit my Facebook page to learn more about God, Christianity, theology, and defending the truth.

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The Good Teacher

Oct 18

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Jesus resurrected and Mary Magdalene

Jesus resurrected and Mary Magdalene via Wikipedia

Author: alejandra

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.” And he said to him, ‘Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.’ And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Mark 10: 17 – 30

Autumn is still young, but it has already been filled to the brim with teacher-student relationships. I’m taking two classes and teaching another. Each class is a reminder to me of how difficult it is to be a good teacher… and a good student.

Take my anatomy and physiology class, for example. This particular teacher is gifted at what you might call ‘tough love.’ He challenges his students.

This past Saturday was particularly tough. We began class with a difficult exam. The exam was followed by 6 hours of class lecturing and participation. Our professor likes to interact with his students, and if you don’t know the answer to a question, you’re not off the hook. He’ll spend 10 minutes pulling the answer out of you. Most students panic when he calls their name.

As ‘bad’ as this teacher may sound, a closer look reveals the negativity lies more with the students. Amid the grumbling, angst, and exasperation over this professor’s teaching style, you can find one lost learning opportunity after another.

Case in point: many students drop his class, but those who complete his class are often some of the most knowledgeable students at the school. And he isn’t mean. He tries to instill confidence in his students, and he gives you more study guides, clues, and outright answers to test questions than any other teacher I’ve known.

He’s fond of giving this spiel over and over again:

‘I am not here to make you feel bad. I am here to help you. You might not like me for it, but I know which methods work for mastering this material. Just trust me, do what I say, and you’ll walk out of here with an A or a B.’

Sometimes I feel Jesus, the Good Teacher, says something very similar to us. ‘Just trust me. I am here to help you. I am going to give you all the answers you need!’ Yet even with countless pages of holy scripture to turn to and help from the Holy Spirit, we struggle to be God’s students.

We can see the difficulties of the teacher-student relationship in the opening scriptures. Jesus answers this man’s questions. But the man doesn’t like what Jesus says and walks away.

Had the young man stayed, he would have inherited more treasures and wisdom than he could ever have acquired on his own. But he didn’t stick around long enough. Like so many students in my class, he leaves before the learning has really begun.

How often do we feel like God has taken on the role of the impossible professor, expecting us to live up to standards we feel are unfair? How tempting is it to take out parts of the Bible that make us uncomfortable or don’t make sense to us? Perhaps you even know someone who has walked away from the faith because of a hard teaching.

If you’re struggling to embrace a teaching of the faith, I encourage you to stick around a little longer and reap the rewards of perseverance. Trust the Good Teacher with the answers you seek.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Instructing the ignorant is a spiritual work of mercy. If you know someone who is confused about a particular aspect of the Christian faith, help them find clarity.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/christianity-articles/the-good-teacher-5312954.html

About the Author

Sarah Phillips, Crosswalk.com’s Family Editor, embraced faith in Christ at an unlikely phase in her life: as a skeptical undergraduate at Virginia Tech. She now enjoys putting her VT English degree to use at the Salem Web Network by observing and reflecting on cultural trends, marriage, family life, and the human condition through the lens of Christianity. When she’s not writing or editing, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband, Corey.

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