The Holy Spirit – Fr. Thomas R. Harding, Th.D.

Alfa et omega. The beginning & the end by Sint-Katelijne-Waver via Flickr

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

Because 1998 was the year of the Holy Spirit it is important that we emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in the PLAN OF GOD and in this period of the history of the Church from the First Pentecost until the end of time and for all eternity.

In the Apostles’ Creed we say: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.”

In the Nicene Creed we say: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

There are Biblical texts dealing with the Spirit of God from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. We will mention a few of the familiar ones.

In Genesis 1:1-2a:4a we read “In the beginning, God created heaven and earth and the earth was void and empty and darkness was on the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved over the waters. Then God said ‘Let there be light’, and there was light God saw how good the light was.” This is actually the second account of creation by the Priestly author of a later date.

The first account by the author known as YAHWIST because he referred to God as YAHWEH is in Genesis 2:4-7 where we read: “At the time when God made the earth and the heavens while as yet there was no field shrub on the earth and no grass of the field had sprouted, for the Lord God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil but a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the suiface of the ground The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life and so man became a living being.”

The YAHWIST has no interest in the formation of cosmic light or the sun, moon and stars as Father George Montague says in his book entitled The Holy Spirit: Growth of a Biblical Tradition, because his interest is restricted to the earth and the things that immediately touch human life: water, earth, the sown land, animals, woman. His interest is centred in man who is ADAM for the ADAMAH, earthman from the earth.

Other popular texts from the Old Testament referring to the Holy Spirit or adaptable to His action are as follows:

In Isaiah 11:2-3. we read: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him; a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength. a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” There is no explicit mention of piety in this text but it may be included in the opening words of the quotation. At any rate these Isaiah gifts are the general characteristics of the Messiah who is to come and, we hope. of his future followers who receive the Holy Spirit and His gifts in Baptism and Confirmation.

In Jeremiah 31:31-33, we read: “I will make a new covenant… I will put my law within them and I will write it upon their hearts.”

In the prophet Ezekiel 36:26, we read, “I will give you a new heart and place a new Spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.”

In the prophet Joel 3:1-2, we read: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Even upon the servants and handmaids, I will pour out my Spirit.”

As we say in the Nicene Creed: “He” that is, “the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets.” He truly spoke through all the prophets of the Old Testament and through Jesus Christ, the Priest, Prophet and King of the New Testament!

The Holy Spirit by His Inspiration is the Principal Author of the books of both Testaments. And yet it is difficult to find a direct quotation from the Holy Spirit Himself in the Scriptures. There are many indications of the Holy Spirit speaking in the New Testament:

MATTHEW 10:19-21 “When they hand you over, do not worry about what you will say or how you will say it. When the hour comes you will be given what you are to say. You yourselves will not be the speakers; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you..” This is commonly referred to as “the Dabitur Vobis” which translated into English means: “It will be given to you.”

Another oft-quoted text in this regard is JOHN 3-8: “The wind blows where it will you hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone begotten by the Spirit.”

The text of Paul to the Romans 8:26-27 is very comforting for all of us: “The Spirit too helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech. He who searches hearts knows what the Spirit means, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints as God Himself wills.” Again St. Paul says in I Corinthians 12:3 just before he lists the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit: “And no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Spirit.” So when you pray, be open to the Holy Spirit and He will take over. Invite Him to take over and your prayer life will improve immensely.

Thus the Holy Spirit is constantly in communication with the Church and with her members from within. We are Temples of the Holy Spirit and since He is dwelling within us, we receive His messages directly in our minds and hearts and it is our obligation to accept them and act upon them.

The Holy Spirit in The New Testament

In his constitution on Confirmation in 1971, Pope Paul VI said the New Testament shows how the Holy Spirit assisted Jesus Christ throughout His whole Messianic Mission:

1) At the Annunciation the Angel Gabriel said to Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and that which you conceive will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

2) On receiving the Baptism of John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist said: “I beheld the Holy Spirit descending upon Him like a dove and it stayed upon Him!” John 1:32

3) After His Baptism, St. Mark said: “He was led by the Spirit into the desert and He was in the desertforforty days and forty nights, being tempted the while by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts and the angels came and ministered to Him.” Mark 1:12-13

4) Teaching the people of Nazareth, He showed by what he said that the words of Isaiah referred to Himself: “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Luke 4: 17-21

5) He later promised before He suffered that “the Holy Spirit would help them to bear fearless witness to their faith before persecutors.” Luke 12:12

6) The night before He died, He assured His Apostles that “He would send the Spirit of Truth upon them from the Father.” John 15:26

7) After His Resurrection, He promised the coming descent of the Holy Spirit: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down upon you and you Will be my witness in Jerusalem in all Judea and in Samaria and even to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8. He had told them: “not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father.” Acts 1:4

8 ) After praying for nine days in the upper room: “the Apostles and the disciples with Mary, the mother of Jesus and the women and the brothers were ready to receive the Spirit ” Acts 1:13-14

9) On the tenth day it is reported: “When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. They were all filled with the Iioij’ Spirit and began to talk in other languages as the Holy Spirit enable them to speak.” Acts 2:1-4

10) The Church was born and the believers began to preach the Good News: “There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious people who had come from every country in the world. When they heard this noise, a large crowd gathered. They were all excited because they heard the believers talking in their own languages. In amazement and wonder they exclaimed: “These people who are talking like this are Galileans! How is it then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native languages? We are from Parthia, Media and Elam from Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia; from Pontus and Asis, from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene. Some of us are from Rome, but Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism and some of us are from Crete and Arabia -yet all of us hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done.“ Acts 2:5-11

Titles of the Holy Spirit

1) Advocate: “These things I have spoken to you while yet dwelling with you. But the Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and will bring to mind whatever I have said to you.” John 14:26 Advocate means lawyer, one who pleads our case.

2) Paraclete: “But I speak the truth to you; it is expedient for you that I depart For if I do not go, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7-8 Paraclete means “Comforter”, one who gives strength.

3) The Spirit of Truth: “But when the Advocate has come, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness concerning me.” John 15:26

4) The Love of God Personified: “And hope does not disappoint because the Love of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Father Bernard J. F. Lonergan, S.J., the great Canadian Theologian uses this text to contrast the Apostles’ love of God before and after the coming of the Holy Spirit on the First Pentecost. For example, Peter loved the Lord with a human love on the first Good Friday and he denied Him three times during the Passion. However, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, he loved the Lord with the love of God, or with divine love and thus he was able to face persecution and he even asked that he be crucified upside down because he was unworthy to die like the Lord.

There are other titles for the Holy Spirit such as: Comforter, Sanctifier, the promised One of the Father, and the Inner Teacher, the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son.

Symbols of the Holy Spirit

1) A Dove: The dove has long been a sign of peace, gentleness and hope. “And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form, like a dove. A voice came from Heaven: ‘You are my Son, the Beloved with whom I am well pleased” Luke 3:22

2) Wind: The word SPIRIT is etymologically from the word BREATH or WIND. Invisible and formless, the wind can caress us or overwhelm us with its power. “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

“And when the days of Pentecost were drawing to a close, they were altogether in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind blowing and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Acts 2:1-2

3) Fire: Fire consumes and purifies, warms us and lights our path. “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them and a tongue settled upon each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts, 2:3-4

4) Water: Water cleanses and refreshes, yet its power can carve a mountainside. “Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty; but the water that I will give shall become a fountain of water springing up unto life everlasting.” John 4:13-15

“On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, ‘Whoever is thirsty should come to me and drink As the scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in me, streams of life-giving water will pour out from his heart Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. At that time the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not been raised to glory. John 7:37-39

This text is used to illustrate the growth in the Spirit in those who are living The life in the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and the Church

God the Father’s plan was to raise all the members of the human race to a participation of the divine life. When Adam sinned, He did not abandon human beings but sent His son Jesus Christ into the world as the Saviour and Redeemer. Christ inaugurated the Church, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. He is the HEAD OF THE CHURCH.

When the work of redemption was completed, God the Father and God the Son sent God the Holy Spirit into the world that He might continually sanctify the Church and guide her until the end of time to preserve her from error and all dangers. The Holy Spirit, who is the Soul and the Life of the Church, gives her infallibility and indefectibility. He makes sure that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic for all time to come.

Moreover, each member of the Church receives the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation along with His Gifts and Fruits and all the other wonderful effects of these sacraments. (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Vatican II, Numbers 2-8 )

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

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The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting

Resurrection of Christ by Noel Coypel via Wikipedia

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).

It is good at this time of the year to read the accounts of the Resurrection of the Lord in the four Gospels and in the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. He appeared over a period of 40 days and then ascended into Heaven. St. Matthew describes four apparitions, St. Mark six, St. Luke five, St. John seven and St. Paul six. That makes a total of twenty eight.

I like the account of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15:1-12, he wrote: “For I delivered to you what I also received, that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead and that He appeared

1. To Cephas
2. After that to the Eleven
3. Then He was seen by 500 brothers and sisters at one time, many of whom are with us still but some have fallen asleep
4. After that He was seen by James
5. Then by all of the Apostles
6. And last of all He was seen by me as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the Apostles and am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the Grace of God I am what I am and His Grace in me has not been in vain.”

He was chosen by God as the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Jesus Christ raised other people from the dead in His lifetime. In the cases of His friend Lazarus, the Son of the widow of Naim and the daughter of Jairus, resurrection was a kind of resurgence or a return to the same kind of life which they had just left.

The Resurrection of Jesus is different. It is a breaking through to a new life in God, living in a glorified body which is no longer vulnerable or mortal. Jesus, who died and rose, now lives on for us in the Divine Sphere. As St. Paul in 1 Cor. 15:45 says: “Scripture has it that Adam, the first man, became a living soul, the last Adam, Jesus Christ has become a life-giving spirit.” For He promised that we too will rise.

Not only did God raise Jesus, the man from the dead, but He let Him be seen by many witnesses over a period of forty days and it is on the evidence of these witnesses that our Faith and our Church depend. The accounts of His appearances indicate that His Resurrection is that of an embodied Being, living now in a Glorified Body. In today’s Gospel it is encouraging to note that “They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and He took it and ate it in their presence.”

St. Paul describes a Christian as one who believes in the Resurrection of the flesh. St. John describes a Christian as one who believes that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. The two mysteries are related. The Resurrection is the Incarnation perpetuated but in flesh that is incorruptible, life-giving and universally extended to all.

Regarding the age-old questions of life, death and resurrection, I have often wondered just what happened at the moment of death. What happens to the soul? Is it asleep or awake? If asleep does it stay that way until the Angel Gabriel’s call and the sound of the trumpet of God on the last day? Does the soul then wake up to rejoin it’s body wherever it may be and then hurry off to the valley of Jehosaphat for the General Judgment?

I would like to think that when the soul leaves the body, it is awake and that it is fitted with a glorified body for after all, man is by nature a spirit informing a body, not a ghost or a disembodied spirit.

The Dutch Catechism reports that the departed soul is awake and this is logical because we pray to the Saints. On the question of the time when we are reunited to the body, the Dutch Catechism says we imagine Heaven to be a vast Assembly Hall, full of spiritual souls where only two places are bodily occupied, those of Jesus and May, for Jesus ascended into Heaven and Mary was assumed into Heaven. However, the Dutch Catechism does not reject the opinion that God can supply newly arriving souls with bodies.

Ladislaus Boros, S.J. has written a great deal about the questions of death, resurrection, the risen body and heaven. On the question as to when our resurrection takes place, he says we have to take into account two questions.

First, Revelation states that the resurrection is an event coming at the end of time (1 Thess. 4:16). Second, the severance of the soul from the body is utterly unnatural for the soul. The soul is meant to inform a body in order to function naturally. Is God supposed to hold back the soul artificially until the resurrection of the body at the end of time?

Ladislaus Boros, S.J. shows how Karl Rahner, S.J. tries to unite these two factors in an hypothesis which is very attractive, if not entirely satisfying. Rahner comes to the conclusion that the separation of the soul from the body in death is not a complete break from matter. On the contrary, at the moment of death there arises for the soul a new and essential closeness to matter. The human soul in death does not become A-COSMIC, that is, out of this world, but it becomes ALL-COSMIC, that is, everywhere present in the world and in the universe. We profess our faith in the Apostles’ Creed that Jesus Christ descended to the dead to announce the Good News of Redemption to the souls of the just waiting there and then He ascended into heaven and brought them with Him.

The Resurrection of Christ by Raphael via Wikipedia

Rahner says that the resurrection of the body may take place at the moment of death, but it is not yet perfect. The risen body needs the transformed, glorified universe as its sphere of being. We can experience our bodily resurrection in its full perfection when the world and the universe have entered into the state of glory at the end of time.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin says that God by His Almighty Power can destroy the whole universe and immediately restore it in its state of Glory at the end of time. Thus the glorious transformation of the universe at the end of time would also be the final perfection of the resurrection of the body which already occurred at the moment of death.

Traditionally, Theology has listed the qualities of the Risen Body as splendour or radiance, subtlety or the ability to pass through walls, the doors being closed as Jesus did after the Resurrection, agility or the ability to travel instantaneously from one place to another in space and outer space, and impassability or being free from injury, suffering and death.

We will leave these questions with God for the time being, but it is interesting to think of the possibilities. Remember St. Augustine said: “We are Resurrection people. We are Alleluia people.” And St. Paul says: “We have not here a lasting city. Our conversation is in heaven.” And we profess our faith in the Apostles Creed: “I believe in the resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting.”

Praise and Thank the Lord!

* * * * *

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

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DVD Review – The Murder of Mary Magdalene: Genocide of the Holy Bloodline

Reality Films

Title: The Murder of Mary Magdalene: Genocide of the Holy Bloodline (DVD)
Genre: Religion, Conspiracy, History, Occult
Production Company: Reality Films

Synchronicity is a hard thing to prove. It’s even harder to prove a given theory by citing a series of perceived synchronicities. And this is exactly what Dan Green sets out to do in The Murder of Mary Magdalene: Genocide of the Holy Bloodline.

Offering an alternative history to the story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Green weaves an intricate tapestry of symbols, codes and clues to support his belief that Mary Magdalene was murdered to prevent word from getting out that she and Jesus Christ were much closer than commonly believed.

This is the kind of film that gets traditional religious persons up in arms. Similar claims made in The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) led to that book being banned in strongly Catholic countries such as the Philippines.

Likewise, Dan Brown’s fictional The Da Vinci Code (2003) sparked off a lot of heated debate and its overall content was deemed “offensive” by many Catholics.

Sociologists and Religious Studies professors like John Gager say that whenever the beliefs and practices of an out-group get a bit too close for comfort to those of an established in-group, members of the in-group get upset. The in-group then wants to better define its boundaries, which may lead to exclusion, condemnation or, as we’ve seen in the often grisly march of human history, persecution.

According to this theory, it’s the similarity of the two groups that riles the established in-group. Radically different out-groups lacking some kind of thematic overlap with an entrenched in-group are usually ignored. But when an out-group hits a nerve by getting too ideologically close to the in-group—that’s when sparks fly.

This dynamic apparently took place between the early Christians and the Gnostics. And a similar kind of dynamic continues to this day.

As for The Murder of Mary Magdalene‘s challenge to the traditional Christian story, I found this DVD far more a Jungian-style treatise than a flaky religious rant. If anything, it’s a testament to the power of synchronicity. From watching this film, it seems that Dan Green perceived an ongoing set of synchronicities all through the research and production phases of The Murder of Mary Magdalene.

In case you’re wondering, synchronicity is a word coined by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung to point to the idea of meaningful coincidence. From the perspective of synchronicity, nothing happens by chance. And the idea of chance, itself, is taken as nothing more than a human concept.

The DVD’s special features include an author interview by director Philip Gardiner. This summarizes the film’s main points while giving a biographical sketch of Green. Here, Green’s eyes sparkle whenever he talks about the synchronicities he encountered during the film’s production. And that’s something pretty hard to fake.

What did go through my mind, however, was a question. Not the central question posed by this film – was Mary Magdalene murdered? – but another one regarding the interpretation of synchronistic events.

No doubt, Green believes he encountered genuine synchronicities. But we’re compelled to ask if Green’s interpretation of those inner-outer experiences is more about his own personal journey instead of a universal truth about the supposed unwritten history of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

We can’t know for sure, of course. But the question does arise.

On the cinematography side, viewers will enjoy the UK’s archaic Lincoln Cathedral, along with many other sacred treasures so very well presented in this film.

The Murder of Mary Magdalene: Genocide of the Holy Bloodline was the perfect antidote to the mid-February grind of Canadian winter. Whether or not you agree with its conclusions, this is the kind of film where you can just sit back and let it take you away.

Chances are the only folks who’ll find it upsetting are those who aren’t really comfortable with their beliefs anyhow. It’s a button pusher. But only if  buttons are there to be pushed.

—MC
Revised from original review published March 22, 2010.

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Hell or Heaven: Firsthand Authors Describe Your Fate

Image via Wikipedia

Our earthly existence demands that we plan for our future in the best way that we can. We must conduct our affairs in this life in a prudent manner regarding investments, education, insurance and such to guide us towards the goal of safety and contentment. But what about a strategy regarding the afterlife when our brief stay on this planet is over?

Bill Wiese and Don Piper are two authors who describe in vivid detail the ultimate outcomes of our worldly lives in books respectively entitled “23 Minutes in Hell: One Man’s Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in that Place of Torment” and “90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life”. The aptly named books describe firsthand the reality of two extreme destinations one of which lies ahead of each of us according to our own freewill choices.

Wiese’s “23 Minutes in Hell” began at 3:00 a.m. on Monday, November 23, 1998 when he found himself being hurled through the air completely out of control before landing in what appeared to be a prison cell. He was “fully awake and cognizant” throughout the entire event during which he was led to experience a peril well beyond what can be imagined in this life.

“There is never any peace of mind. No rest from the torments, the screams, the fear, the thirst, the lack of breath, no sleep, the stench, the heat, the hopelessness, and the isolation from people.” Bill adds that “this place was so terrifying, so intense, and so hostile that it would be impossible for me to exaggerate the horror.” The hideous, seething creatures together with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness made one trapped in a “sea of tormented souls”.

The other end of the spectrum is explained by Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven” which describes his experience while declared dead after his car was struck by an eighteen-wheeler at about 11:45 a.m. on January 18, 1989. He was greeted in the heavenly realm by what he called a “celestial welcoming committee” of incredibly joyous people whom he had known previously that had passed on from earthly life.

Piper described the sensational level of bliss by stating that “everything I experienced was like a first-class buffet for the senses. I had never felt such powerful embraces or feasted my eyes on such beauty. Heaven’s light and texture defy earthly eyes or explanation. Warm, radiant light engulfed me. As I looked around, I could hardly grasp the vivid, dazzling colors. Every hue and tone surpassed anything I had ever seen.” Don was in another dimension and felt “fully alive” in a state of awe that human words are not capable of expressing.

The hell and heaven experiences of both authors are precisely in line with another source that has displayed irrefutable accuracy over time. This book is a compilation of 66 works written by about 40 authors over the course of approximately 1,500 years in three different languages on three different continents. The book that calls one’s attention to what awaits all in the afterlife is called the Bible.

The evidence is clear that the Bible gives harsh descriptions in regards to the reality of the “damnation of hell” ( Matthew 23:33 ). It warns of “everlasting destruction” ( II Thessalonians 1:9 ), “place of torment” ( Luke 16:28 ), “fire that never shall be quenched” ( Mark 9:43 ), ), “weeping and gnashing of teeth” ( Luke 13:28 ), “where their worm dieth not” ( Mark 9:44 ), “everlasting fire” ( Matthew 18:8 ), “outer darkness” ( Matthew 8:12 }, and “lake of fire burning with brimstone” ( Revelation 19:20 ) to name but a few of the wake-up calls regarding the “danger of hell fire” ( Matthew 5:22 ).

Heaven, on the other hand, is a place where “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more” ( Revelation 7:16 ) and “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” ( Revelation 21: 4 ). It will be an indescribable “eternal weight of glory” ( 2 Corinthians 4:17 ) for those who cherish and abide by the Bible’s teachings. It will be a place of pure love beyond our finite comprehension.

Bill Wiese gives his support and states that “the Bible is far more unique than any other book written. It has been scrutinized by an endless array of scholars, historians, archeologists, scientists, mathematicians, and the like for thousands of years. There have not been any discrepancies or errors that could not be cleared up with good scholarship.”

Bill supports this claim by listing quotes from both acclaimed scholars and respected historical figures who support the absolute reliability of the Bible. Don Piper is also one who conveys his full conviction with respect to the truth of the Scriptures without question.

So what guidelines are to be followed to enter the gates of heaven and avoid the described torments of hell after reading “23 Minutes in Hell” and “90 Minutes in Heaven” and the most popular book in the history of the world? The answer is clearly to pay close attention to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as the only “mediator between God and men” ( 1 Timothy 2:5 ) to gain our heavenly triumph.

Both Bill Wiese who suffered the anguish of hell and Don Piper who had to leave the indescribable bliss of heaven to an agonizing recovery believe that their lives are meant to tell the world of the consequences that await us all. They are using their experiences to warn anyone and everyone about the realities of what they lived through. They also wish to share the truth that the only way to escape the eternal and hopeless trappings of hell is a commitment to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

My own unfortunate life events are what led me to find this truth. I have suffered the effects of having been comatose for 11 days, walked away from a burning car wreck, been struck by a Mack truck and have escaped a handful of other potentially deadly or crippling circumstances. Failure has certainly not been a stranger in my life in other ways as well. I share a belief with the authors that my experiences in this life are meant for salvation on both a personal level as well as for readers who simply need to get right with God through Jesus Christ.

My advice? Find and join, if you haven’t already, a true Christian church that bases its teachings strictly on the verses contained in the Bible. Avoid at all costs any “feel good” or watered down alternatives that compromise the truth for the sake of profit or political correctness. Finally, believe the words of Jesus in John 14: 6 of “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Your eternity depends on it.

( Bill Wiese’s “23 Minutes in Hell: One Man’s Story About What He Saw, Heard, and Felt in that Place of Torment” and Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life” and the Bible can be purchased at http://www.christianbook.com )

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Brian is the part-owner of E-Connors Enterprises which builds and manages websites. He is also an author by hobby who writes about a variety of topics from business to spirituality.

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Saint Francis of Assisi, His Life and The Prayer of Saint Francis

Image by pjhodges via Flickr

By: JamesMurray

Saint Francis was born in the small town of Assisi, Italy, in the year 1182, a town 90 miles north of Rome. The story of his life is both fascinating and inspiring, and who lived in simplicity and poverty; a passion for the Gospel and Jesus Christ. A story of holiness and love of God; Saint Francis gave up his own self to become a “Mirror of Christ.”

Saint Francis was often pictured amidst birds and animals in a time when animals were treated very cruelly with little value. Saint Frances understood that respect begins with the lowliest of all creatures. The genuine holiness of Saint Francis is shown in the respect and great love he had for all these creatures created by God. Saint Francis would be considered the first advocate for animals, a man before his time, about 700 years to be precise.

Saint Francis lived and preached a life of poverty and love of God to all men. Although, Francis did not, however, start his life that way; in fact, the life of Saint Francis of Assisi is a “riches to rags” sort of tale. Francis was neither poor nor saintly in his youth. A wealthy merchant’s son and a wild young bon vivant with refined tastes, especially one who enjoyed good food and drink. Francis was also a troubadour, composer and performer who loved to sing, and who also loved fine clothes.

Francis dreamed of an adventurous life of chivalry and knighthood, and at the age of 20 when the town of Assisi fought Perugia, Francis joined in the battle. But, he was wounded, captured and spent over a year in a Perugian prison dungeon where he got sick and contracted malaria.

Ransomed by his father, and released from the Perugian prison a more reflective Francis returned to Assisi. The languishing prison experience with the suffering and distress; the sickness finally overtook him and Francis felt the first stirrings of a vocation which were awakened; to peace and justice. Francis completely changed his life; starting by giving all he owned to the poor. He became poor because Jesus was poor. Francis helped the sick and the lepers, and preached a message of poverty, humility, and joy. Francis spent years wandering, preaching, and singing canticles, hymns from the Bible.

In Francis’s time, the Catholic Church embodied the strictest type of hierarchy; Francis preached a humble faith, much closer to the life of Christ. Francis set up a community to live by his ideals and to led a simple life with his simple message. “The love of God for us, through Jesus, and our response to love God through Jesus by loving others.” Saint Francis combined the contemplative life with an active one to bring the gospel to the people. Francis is a Saint of All Ages. His message to the world is a timeless one, as relevant today as it was back then. Saint Francis is second only to Jesus Christ, and no other individual has ever made such a positive influence on the Church and the world.

The Classic Prayer of Saint Francis:

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;
to understand, than to be understood;
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
Amen.

This simple prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi provides a path to follow in living, life’s conduct and character; in ones thoughts, speech and actions within ones day to day relationships with other fellow human beings and with all life on this earth and in this world.

Saint Francis was born in Assisi; he was a poet, singer, wild youth, and saint, and his tomb is in a crypt below Saint Francis Basilica, a popular pilgrimage and tourist site in the rolling hills of Umbria in Assisi.

Look for my many articles on the Internet under James Murray Author for more information or email at jjmurray007@yahoo.com.

About the Author

James Murray is a successful writer and online Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in seo and sem strategies. His numerous articles found on the Internet, provide useful and factual seo and sem information and insight. Some of his websites are http://www.atclickbank.com , http://www.seo-worldwide.net

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Saint Francis of Assisi, His Life and The Prayer of Saint Francis

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Christian Principles — Five Steps to Discernment

Image: Toby Hudson via Wikipedia

By: rmharrington

Discernment is a critical component of a balanced Christian life. We want to know how to respond to a given situation. God says that we must help the needy, yet he also says that a sluggard shall beg for his bread. The bible says that God hates a lying tongue, yet the harlot Rahab was counted faithful for the lie she spoke on behalf of Joshua the son of Nun. God gave us over six hundred written laws, then slipped grace through the front door. How do we bring it all together in a balanced package?

Christians can discern when and who to help. We can know when to speak in tongues and when to seal our lips, when to submit to authority and when to stand on the truth, when to dance and when to weep, when to expound and when to remain quiet. Yea, we can know how to pray for our hurting brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can know when to speak reproof, and when to speak comfort.

Here are five steps that will guild a Christian into a discerning walk.

Desire prayer

Discernment requires three key elements: 1) Knowledge, 2) Wisdom, and 3) Understanding. Without accurate information, our judgments are always lacking justice. Without wisdom, we do not know how to apply knowledge. Without understanding, we do not allow for human failure, thus we act without grace.

In the book of Proverbs, we are told to cry out for knowledge, and to lift our voice with a plea for understanding. Remember how the author of Proverbs, King Solomon, began his reign by asking God to grant him wisdom. He wanted to discernment so that he might rightly judge the people.

Step also into the New Testament for moment. See the Lord’s half-brother, James, write words that tell us that those who lack wisdom should ask of God for he will grant it. Discernment comes about through prayer and seeking.

If you wish to judge matters with discernment, then desire prayer, for God responds to your seeking.

Learn From The Gifted

The bible speaks of the gifts of the Spirit. Notice that discerning of spirits is among those gifts. See it here as it is written:

“To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues,” (1 Corinthians 12:10).

To learn how to teach, you follow those who are gifted teachers. To learn discernment, find someone who has that gift, and then follow his methods. Even if you are not called into the full gift of discernment, you can gain a measure of skill. Scripture says that we should desire the gifts of the Spirit. It is expected of us that we should discern between the right and wrong, good and evil, spirits of truth and spirits of error. The beloved disciple John, in the first epistle that bears his name, teaches us to try the spirits so that we know from whom they come.

To grow in discernment, one must learn to follow gifted Christian leaders.

Maturity

In first Peter, we are told to desire the milk that we might grow. This leads into a later statement that says those who believe in Jesus shall not be confounded. Confusion is evidence that discernment is lacking. Look also at Ephesians 4 and Hebrews 5 which, when taken one behind the other, will teach us to put away the ways of sin that we may walk with humbleness. A strong Christian walk that is coupled with grace and mercy leads to great discernment.

To live a discerning Christian life, you must travel a path that leads to consistent spiritual growth.

Study The Ways of a Disciple

In 2 Timothy 2:15-16 the bible tells us to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”

See how that study brings about a discerning of those things that must be avoided. In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul prays for the people. His words seek that they should be blessed in an abundance of love coupled with knowledge, and the judgment that is necessary to approve all things. The implied truth is simple: Paul is praying that these people will study and follow the course that he has set. Disciples are those who seek out the truth in all matters. Disciples know the word of God.

To acquire true spiritual discernment, a Christian must engage in a deep level of bible study that is accompanied by the wisdom of mature leaders.

Depend Upon the Holy Spirit

Some Christians believe that they only need the Holy Spirit. This is a false conclusion. The Holy Spirit works through the scriptures, and teachers, and prayer, and the individual efforts of each person. We can and must depend upon Him to teach us and lead us. Jesus said it this way:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come,” (John 16:13).

Yet the discerning Christian will take these words in balance with all of scripture. We understand that we have, according to 1-Cor., within us the mind of Christ. For this reason, the words of scripture and the teachings of good leaders are not foolishness to us. Thus we identify, through the Spirit of God, those who can guide us in wisdom, truth, and discernment.

If you would experience spiritual discernment, put your trust in the Holy Spirit as your guide; yet forsake not these other things.

The Burden

I have written to Christians, people who know Jesus as Lord and Savior, people who were once completely blind and without any sense of spiritual discernment at all. Now, we walk a new way, growing and maturing, still struggling, but always gaining.

Perhaps you have need for spiritual discernment, but you realize that you do not know Jesus as your Redeemer. Speak now the words that are in your heart. I know the emptiness that you feel. I too was once there. Call upon the name of Jesus Christ and you too shall be saved.

About the Author

Hi,

Thank you for reading my articles and stories. My goal is to glorify God, lift up the name of Jesus, and to provide quality-reading material.

Get a free ebook on The History of The American Indian at:

http://getread.jobshopesolutions.com/

Maybe read about hope at: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2542279/dry_hope.html?cat=34

Thank you again.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Christian Principles — Five Steps to Discernment

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Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up!

Redondo Beach Jesus Man with Van: Marshall Astor

by Anagarika Eddie Rock

“Follow not what wise men say, follow instead in their footsteps.” (Old Zen Saying). Meaning that in order to reach the levels of elevated consciousness that these wise men achieved, you must live the life that they did, or, “Follow in their footsteps” in order to reach those lofty plateaus. Only reading and following their words doesn‘t work.

If you look, not necessarily at what Christ said but the life that he led as depicted in the Bible – He was not a family man. Nor was He a businessman, or a politician, or nationalistic. All of that Old Testament stuff; procreation, obedience, commandments is for a different audience, an audience that was not capable of understanding for themselves and had to be told what to do by an authority figure.

The New Testament, which according to the Gnostic Gospels (conveniently excluded in the few hand-picked Gospels of the Catholic Church that originated Christianity) portrays Christ as leading a simple life and trying to show us how to find peace within. And that we are all Sons of God.

But contemporary Christians do not follow in Christ’s footsteps. Instead, they take selective, self-serving quotes out of the Old Testament that supports their thirst for accumulations of material and psychological things, and open the floodgates to acquisition, ambition, wealth and accumulation.

Old Testament views proclaim the accumulation of stuff as a spiritual pursuit, where just the opposite is true. Accumulations, whether they be large screen TVs, large families, large beliefs, stock portfolios, or large egos, are a burden on the human mind. Accumulation does nothing but induce fear into a mind that is naturally fear free.

I believe that Christ knew and understood this perfectly and tried to indicate by His life how to live, which is simply. But when one conveniently uses the Old Testament (old consciousness without personal insight) to justify their desires, and only uses the New Testament (new consciousness with personal insight), to justify their belief that whatever they do is excused by their faith in Christ, then you have a situation where they are not following in the footsteps of their teacher.

The old argument is that Christ was not here to teach, but simply here to save us. Therefore, we can do pretty much as we please. That’s very convenient, and that’s fine if that is what you want to believe, but I posit that if you look at a life filled with accumulations, including the accumulation of material things, strong opinions, unyielding spiritual views and the super egos that result, you will find a deep level of stress and unhappiness cloaked in a deluded, trance-like belief that all is happiness.

This is Old Testament consciousness with no insight. This is delusion compared to the enlightening ideas of the New testament, according to the Gnostic Gospels. I think that Christ knew that desires and attachments to things that we accumulate eventually cause disappointment and unhappiness, and tried to show us another avenue by the way he lived His life.

The religious wars that have resulted from tight, unyielding views have been anything other than happiness. And the current atmosphere of hatred between Christians, Moslems and Jews, openly expounded upon in the media, will only lead to a nuclear war.

Then we all lose. And I’ll just bet that the religious chicken hawks that are now squawking behind their safe computers that this conflict is our destiny as prophesized in the Bible will be the first to pee their pants when the mushroom clouds rise above their neighborhoods! There is a concept and a reality about proclaiming the desire to join God in heaven!

For Christ’s sake! Christ was trying to teach peace! Don’t you get it? In absence of material things, of strong opinions, of unyielding spiritual views and super egos . . . is love! Yes! Love cannot happen until those other things go away! You cannot love your neighbor as long as you have strong opinions and unyielding views, because you will try to persuade the poor chap to believe your way. Only then will you love your neighbors; when they give in and you can control them.

You know, Christian monks and nuns (not priests and preachers) understand this; they live a life of poverty A Buddhist monk or nun, when they take on the robes, give away their families, careers, relationships and possessions in trade of three simple robes and a begging bowl. Why? Because they understand, at a very deep level, what it’s all about, and it’s all about letting go. This was what Christ was trying to teach us – letting go!

Letting go of everything is the true happiness. This is the basis of true generosity and loving you neighbor – which is a complete happiness that we, as human beings, can achieve because when we hold onto our material things, strong opinions, unyielding spiritual views and the super egos, we are always afraid that things will change. And in fact; everything does change. Material things come and go, our opinions will be challenged endlessly, our spiritual views will change as we mature, and our super egos will diminish as we age and experience the realities of life.

When we hold tight to these things, even such things as nationalism, politics, and religion, we become tight inside; our hearts become cramped, fearful of someone challenging us, another country, another religion, another political view or party.

And we become fearful, which leads to hatred and anger. We become uncertain because deep inside, beyond a conscious level, we really are uncertain about whether or not our opinions are true.

It’s easy for us to give away things that we have no use for anymore, old clothes or old appliances, but not as easy with things that we still treasure.

Only when we no longer treasure the values of the Old Testament which bring us conflict, and discover the real meaning of the New testament, which brings peace, can we throw away those old values without a second thought.

If we can live a simple life, just enough to get by on, we will naturally begin to see the needs of others, and we will help them. And after we have enough money to live modestly, we begin to take care of the needs of others.

And as we relinquish all the stuff that we once thought made us happy but instead made us fearful, angry and hateful, we find ourselves slowly becoming really Christ-like in our actions and lifestyle. We become loving and generous instead of confrontational, striving and ambitious.

This is true generosity, where we follow our hearts and not our heads. This is the true happiness.

Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary www.dhammarocksprings.org 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.

He lived at Wat Pah Nanachat under Ajahn Chah, at Wat Pah Baan Taad under Ajahn Maha Boowa, and at Wat Pah Daan Wi Weg under Ajahn Tui. He had been a postulant at Shasta Abbey, a Zen Buddhist monastery in northern California under Roshi Kennett; and a Theravada Buddhist anagarika at both Amaravati Monastery in the UK and Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand, both under Ajahn Sumedho. The author has meditated with the Korean Master Sueng Sahn Sunim; with Bhante Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia; and with the Tibetan Master Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. He has also practiced at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Zen Center in San Francisco.

Article Source: Amazines.com

Mysticism and the Idea of Sainthood, Part 1: One or Many?

physics-and-mysticism-vF

Originally uploaded by Ladyslc

Copyright © Michael W. Clark 2008.
All rights reserved.

The word ‘mysticism’ speaks to a variety of age-old occurrences reported among most world religions.

In his 1963 classic, Mysticism in World Religion, Rev. Sidney Spencer discusses the idea of ‘interior perception’ as an aspect of mysticism.

Spencer says that the chief commonality among mystics is their claim to be in contact with the transcendent “which typically assumes the form of knowledge, often described in terms of vision, and of union.”

He also suggests that mysticism is essential to not only religion but the future of humanity. But Spencer cautions against generalizing the claims of mystics without sufficient facts. To do so, he says, could be misleading.

Ninian Smart discusses religious experience within a global-historical context and, heading in a similar direction as Spencer, draws the analogy of sports: To claim that all sports are essentially the same is dubious at best.

Smart believes it is equally unwarranted to say that all different forms of religion are essentially the same religion or, for that matter, that all different types of mysticism may be boiled down to a single mysticism.

It is, I think, useful to distinguish between religion and religions, or to put it another way between religion and a religion. This is similar to the distinction between sport and sports. A religion is a given tradition of a religious kind, and so religious experience is often picked out by considering crucial experiences in the lives of those who belong to such traditions.

Critics of Smart’s view maintain that his analogy is unjustified because mysticism deals with God, of whom there is only one.

And some New Age and so-called ‘politically correct’ thinkers seem to denounce anyone trying to analytically assess and soberly compare different religious truth claims, insinuating that to do so is religious ‘fascism’ and so on.

For some It’s almost as if it’s a great sin to think about religion instead of mindlessly accepting the idea that all religious experiences are exactly the same.

Counter to this prevalent bias, Geoffrey Parrinder argues

The important distinctions in mysticism are not so much between the layman and the expert as between the assumptions and the objects of the mystical quest. It is popularly said that all religions are the same though their differences should be evident to unprejudiced eyes and part of their fascination is their diversity.

Parrinder highlights Martin Buber’s distinction between mystics who erroneously believe they are God (I-It) and those who genuinely relate to God (I-Thou). To say there’s no difference, Parrinder says, “is like telling a lover that his experience of embracing his beloved is the same as embracing the hedge at the bottom of the garden.”

Indeed, it’s seems quite reasonable to question whether one person’s experience and understanding of that which they believe is God differs from another’s.

To draw another analogy, imagine an hypothetical ancient or medieval astronomer who recognizes the galaxy Andromeda for what it is. He or she doesn’t see Andromeda as a magical being or mysterious cloud but as a galaxy. If the preconceived ideas of local dignitaries are challenged, they’d likely decry the astronomer’s claims and possibly administer the punishments of the day.

This is similar, of course, to the actual situation of Galileo, who was faced with not only incredulity but house arrest for the rest of his life by a power base of unenlightened elites.

And not unlike short-sighted dignitaries of former times, today some thinkers see themselves as open minded but instantly close off if their pet paradigm is challenged.

Perhaps these regimented folks are not called to consider or possibly it’s just too scary for them to envision a broader canvas.

—

¹ Sidney Spencer, Mysticism in World Religion (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1963: 9). A footnote to my article Krishna, Buddha and Christ briefly mentions the idea of interior perception as described by Catholic saints.

² Ninian Smart, “Understanding Religious Experience” in Steven Katz, ed., Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis (New York: Oxford University Press, 1978: 11). On the same page Smart rightly adds that many religious experiences happen “out of the blue” to people of no particular tradition. He also notes that conversion experiences often occur “at the frontier between non-belonging and belonging to a given tradition.” Thus “we should start with traditions in pinning down religious experience [but] we should not confine religious experience to this area.” Interestingly, the Catholic understanding of conversion experiences is that a person is a Christian in “seed” form before he or she becomes fully aware of this.

³ Geoffrey Parrinder, Mysticism in the World’s Religions (Oxford: One World, 1995: 192). Parrinder also critiques aspects of R. C. Zaehner’s sometimes unreasonable views about mysticism as expressed in Mysticism: Sacred and Profane (Oxford, 1957).

⁴ Ibid.

Proceed to Part 2: Mysticism, Science and Politics

Demand of public apology by Paramount and Viacom gathering storm

             Hindu Leader Rajan Zed

Special to Earthpages.org

Calls for public apology by Paramount Pictures and its parent Viacom on issues surrounding “The Love Guru” movie, started by acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed, are gathering strength.

Now Nevada Clergy Association (NCA); which is composed of Christian (various denominations), Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Bahai, Native American, etc., clergy; has joined others in asking for Paramount/Viacom apology.

In a statement issued in Nevada (USA) today, Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr., NCA President, said, “We urge Paramount and Viacom to issue a general public apology over this issue, which will help heal the wounds of seemingly perturbed one-billion-strong Hindu community”.

Rev. Savoy, who is himself a well-respected Head Bishop of International Community of Christ, said in this statement, “We are dismayed at Paramount Pictures, presenter of this movie, for backtracking on their promise to protesting Hindu brothers-sisters, which we consider an unethical business practice. We are also appalled at Paramount and its parent Viacom for utter disregard of the protesters and making no efforts to have an open civilized dialogue with protesters and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution, who have been stressing that this movie denigrates Hinduism and Hindu concepts.”

He congratulated Rajan Zed “for his successful campaign” against the Hollywood movie “The Love Guru” and thanked him for “effectively creating this debate and awakening the future filmmakers to be more sensitive to the feelings of devotees when dealing with faith related issues”.

Rev. Savoy further said, “We at NCA are for free speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith is something sacred and attempts at debasing it hurt the adherents. Hollywood should be more conscious while handling faith related subjects, as cinema is a very mighty medium and it can create stereotypes in the minds of some audiences. We are concerned that today it is Hinduism; tomorrow Hollywood might attempt to mock another denomination/religion, which can be very painful to the faithful.”

Sometime back, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu religious leaders, in a joint signed statement, described Paramount’s backtracking on their promise to protesting Hindus as “un-Christian, un-Hindu, un-Buddhist, un-Jewish, etc., besides being unethical.”

Meanwhile, various other organizations, including Universal Society of Hinduism, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Hindu Alliance of India, Shri Ramayan Pracharini Sabha, Sanatan Sanstha, India Heritage Panel, have also demanded public apology from Paramount and Viacom.

Rajan Zed launched the protest movement against “The Love Guru” in March, saying that it appeared to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously.

Jesus Christ

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). It is not to be copied, duplicated, modified nor distributed in any way.

In the Gospel of John 4:5-42, Jesus was sitting by the well. He asked a Samaritan woman, who came to draw water, for a drink to quench His thirst. A long conversation ensued and finally the woman said to Him: “I know that the Messiah is coming (who is called the Christ). When He comes He will proclaim all things to us. Jesus said to he, I am He, the one who is speaking to you.”

Who is this Jesus Christ?

The Apostle Creed answers:

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born to the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

The primary and best source of our knowledge of Jesus Christ is, of course, the four Gospels which all agree on the essence of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

• First, that He is the Messiah and the Prophet.

• Second, that He is the Son of God and that He became Man.

• Third, it is as Man that He is Our Redeemer, Our Saviour, Our High Priest, the Head of the Church, and the Just Judge that is to come.

In addition to this agreement of the Four Gospels on the identity of Jesus Christ, each of the four has his own individual emphasis on His Character and Personality.

Matthew portrays Jesus as the Great Leader by giving His six great discourses

1. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7).
2. The Missionary Discourse on the spread of the Kingdom (Mathew Chapter 10).
3. The Sermon on the Coming Persecutions and Rewards (Matthew 11-12).
4. The Sermon on the Parables (Mathew 13).
5. The Sermon on the Church (Matthew 18).
6. The Last Discourse and the Triumph of the Kingdom (Matthew 24).

In addition to these discourses, since Matthew was living in Jerusalem he wrote primarily for the Hebrews so Matthew presents Jesus Christ as the Fulfiller of the Messianic Prophecies of the Old Testament.

Mark portrays Jesus Christ as the Mysterious God Man

1. The central point of Mark is the Person of Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ is a Person of Mysterious origin and great Power.
   (a) The voice of the Father said “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased “(Mark 1:11).
   (b) The Spirit as a Dove also descended upon Him. (Mark 1:10)
   (c) Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:28).
   (d) Jesus is the Lord of Nature. (Mark 4:35-44).
   (e) Jesus has power over demons. (Mark 9:13-28).
   (f) A frequent refrain of Mark is: “They brought all the sick and the possessed to Him and He healed them all. (Mark 6:53-56).
3. Jesus Christ is a Person of humility and suffering.
   (a) He suffered at the hands of the Jewish Leaders. (Mark 14:1).
   (b) He suffered at the insensitivity of the crowds. (Mark 4:12).
   (c) He suffered from the obtuseness of His followers. (Mark 3:21)
   (d) He rejected the false notion of the Messiah as a temporal King. (Mark 6:1-6)

Luke presents Jesus Christ as the Friend of the Poor, the Lost, the Suffering

St. Luke was an artist and physician and he was close to Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit. Thus he wrote the Gospel of the Infancy and Childhood of Jesus Christ and the Apocalypse, the Gospel of the Holy Spirit.

1. A Friend of the Poor such as the Shepherds and He listed the 8 Beatitudes. (Luke 2:8-20 and 6:20).
2. A Friend of the Lost such as the Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son and the Penitent Woman. (Luke 15:1-7; 15:11-32; 7:36-50).
3. A Friend of the Suffering and He healed all who asked Him. (Luke 4:33-44).

John presents Jesus as the Incarnate Word and he emphasized
the Divinity of Christ

1. The Christ of the fourth Gospel is presented more theologically than in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

2. In the Prologue to his Gospel, he describes the Majestic sweep of the Second Person from Heaven to Earth and back again to Heaven with the Redeemed of the World. (John 1:1-18).

3. John describes Jesus as the Light of the World. (John 8:12).

4. The Promise of the Eucharist. (John Chapter 6).

5. He gives the Last Discourse and the Prayer for Unity at the Last Supper. (John Chapters 14, 15 and 16).

6. He describes the Resurrection of Jesus. (John Chapter 20).

Jesus Christ in Theology

1. Jesus Christ is true God and true Man.

2. He has Divine and Human Nature.

3. As a human being, He has a human body and a human soul.

4. In that union of the divine and human natures in Jesus Christ, there is just one Person, the Divine Person, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

5. In the Prologue to John’s Gospel, we read: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him.” (John 1:18). We cannot know God as He is in the present order, but we can know God as He is in human form as He appeared in Jesus Christ, the God-Man.

Jesus Christ in the Secondary Sources

There is also the Life, Character and Personality of Jesus Christ in the Secondary Sources such as Lives of Christ, Works on the Spiritual Lfe, Great Biographies, Inspiring Histories, Records of the Martyrs, Subtlest Theology, Sublime Poetry and Literature, Great Art and Music.

I have enjoyed the Lives of Christ such as Karl Adam’s The Son of God (very theological), Constant Fouard’s Christ the Son of God (very scriptural), Archbishop Alban Goodier’s The Public Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ and The Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ (very scriptural), Abbot Marmon’s Christ in His Mysteries (very mystical) and the popular Lives of Christ by Fulton Oursier, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Malcolm Muggeridge, Francois Mauriac, Fyodor Dostoevski and the pictorial version of Georges Rouault with text by Jacques Maritain entitled Art Through the Ages.

Many have derived benefit from films on the Life of Christ such as: The King of Kings, Quo Vadis, Ben Hur, Godspell (meaning Gospels) and the controversial versions like Jesus Christ Superstar, Jesus of Montreal and The Last Temptation of Christ.

Some have also derived benefit from musical compositions such as those of Mozart, Beethoven, Cesar Frank, Handel and the great masses. Many have been inspired by the masterpieces of art of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Albrecht Durer, Salvador Dali and the Dutch Masters.
Even though adults cannot understand it, teenagers have been touched by the Musical Hair in the sixties. With their long hair, they were imitating Jesus Christ as we discover in the words of one of the songs in the musical.

My Hair like Jesus wore His Hallelujah,
I like it Mary loved her Son,
Why doesn’t my mother love me?

Another song shows that some of the youth think that they can find precisely in Jesus the answer to their questions formulated in Hair:

Where do I go? Follow the river,
Where do I go? Follow the gulls
Where is the something?
Where is the Someone?
That tells me why I live and die.
Follow my heart beat
Where do I go?
Follow my hand,
Where will they lead me?
And will I ever discover why
I live and die, I live and die?

They also loved the Beatles. When George Harrison died recently, they revealed that he was a spiritual person and did not appreciate the time when John Lennon said they were more popular than Jesus. Then came the song “My Sweet Lord, I Really Want To Know You” by George Harrison.

Among all the secondary sources, I liked the two works of Archbishop Goodier, S.J. the best. He was from England but he became an Archbishop in India. The reason why I like his two books is because he shows how to find the true Jesus Christ in the gospels. He emphasizes His attractiveness, His winsomeness, which drew people to Him: the sinners, the sick, the blind, the lepers, the possessed, the hardened and the little children who flocked to Him. “Let the little children come to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Jesus was in demand also as a dinner guest. He was the life of the party. He was always accessible born in a cave, always on the open highways, in the market place, in the temple, no home except the mountain tops. He died publicly in a public place of execution called Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. All were struck by His courage, His fearlessness, His sublime teaching, His healing, His love for all, even for His enemies.

Archbishop Goodier points out four guiding lines in the Gospels’ portrayal of Him.

1. His absolute truth of understanding or His stamp of utter, unerring certainty and trustworthiness because of certainty. “He spoke as one having authority.”

2. His boundless tender heart, a father, a mother, a brother, a sister, a true friend. He was always meek but never weak to those who were disposed to Him. His love went out to all. It was theirs for the taking.

3. His constancy in action. He has a definite work to do, a definite life to live and death to die and never for a moment does he swerve in its accomplishment. Failure may disappoint Him but He never gives up; opposition may alter His plan but it does not slacken His effort; malice does not embitter Him, deceit, betrayal, denial, desertion, none of these things can lessen His endeavour, make His hand tremble or the feet on the mountain falter.

4. His infinite mercy goes out to all who are repentant. He always wants to forgive, to save, to heal. He does not compel people. He is gentle. He invites them to come to Him and when they respond His eyes glisten, His Heart expands. His hand opens and He releases the flood gates of Infinite Love and the Mercy of His Sacred Heart.

There are many examples of leaders who are remembered in history for good or evil. Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Constantine, Charlemagne, Napolean, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Churchill, F. D. Roosevelt, Mahatma Ghandi, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Mao Tse Tung. (Mention ladies as well). Only one stands out above all the others and is remembered in the minds and hearts of billions, Jesus Christ. Christianity is a creed, cult and code, but it is also a Person, the Love of a Person for us and our response to Him, that is, Jesus Christ, the God-Man.

Napolean, according to John Henry Cardinal Newman, may have once said to himself:

I have been accustomed to place before me, the examples of Caesar and Alexander with a hope of rivaling their exploits and living in the minds of men forever. But in what sense do Caesar and Alexander live… Their chief place is in the school room, in children’s grammars and text books. IBut on the contrary, there is just one name that lives, Jesus Christ I He has possessed the world and He maintains possession. Palaces and monuments are raised to His Honour. His Image is triumphantly displayed in all countries and on the tops of mountains.

He died but He rose again from the dead on the third day and He lives on as Christ the King in the minds and hearts of billions. We praise and thank you Lord for your unspeakable gifts.

As Romano Guardini said in his brief Creed: “I believe in you Jesus of Nazareth. You are the meaning of the World and of my ljfe.” I also like the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Have Mercy on me a sinner.”

So much for the secondary sources.

In conclusion, let us consider the appearance of Jesus Christ. What did He look like? We have our image of Jesus Christ largely from Medieval Art. But we also have the benefit of an eye-witness and of the expert on the Shroud of Turin.

First, the eye-witness is Lentulus, who was consul in the 12th year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. In the letter of Lentulus, which is mentioned in the writing of Josephus Flavius, a first century historian, he describes how he saw Jesus during His trial and Crucifixion. His report to the Emperor reveals what Jesus looked like.

Lentulus described Jesus as having a noble and lively face, with fair and slightly wavy hair, black and strongly curving eyebrows, intense penetrating blue eyes and an expression of wondrous grace. His nose is rather aquiline and His hair has never seen a scissors. His neck is slightly inclined so that He never appears to be bitter or arroganL His tanned face is the colour of ripe corn and well proportioned, it gives the impression of gravity and wisdom, kindness and goodness and is completely lacking in any kind of anger.

Second, Professor Giovanni Judica-Cordiglia, an eminent scholar of the Holy Shroud of Turin, the cloth covering the face and Body of Christ in the tomb; from it he tried to describe the appearance of the Lord, gleaned from the Shroud with his experience as a Doctor and a Professor of Forensic Medicine.

Here is his report:

The Man who was wrapped in the Shroud was a man of great beauty and uncommon stature. He was about one metre and eighty centimeters tall (approximately six feet) with a perfectly proportioned physique, lithe and harmonious. He was a standard type in the most literal sense of the phrase. His face was a very soft and gentle one, rather long and with a broad straight forehead. The nose is straight and turned slightly downwards, the cheeks are large and slightly protruding. From all the anthroprometric calculations so far made, it seems that Christ was physically in far better shape than the average man.

I can conclude that His cranial capacity was of 1575 cc, which would place Him in the Megalo Cephalic (Large Headed) category with a cranial capacity coefficient of 95 which would indicate that the weight of His brain was 1492 grams. This is far greater than the average, suggesting a person of extraordinary genius.

So much for the evidence of the eye-witness who actually saw Jesus and from the expert on the Shroud of Turin who described His appearance scientifically with his experience as a Doctor and a Professor of Forensic Medicine.

In conclusion, I wish to give the conclusions of John Duns Scotus about the Person of Jesus Christ. John Duns Scotus was a great Theologian who lived from 1265- 1308 A.D. He was a contemporary of St. Thomas Aquinas and he taught both in Italy and in Oxford, England. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II just a year ago, probably delayed because of his daring Theology.

Blessed John Duns Scotus says Jesus Christ was God’s greatest work. He taught that Jesus Christ would have become Man even if Adam and Eve had not sinned. He also taught that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity will be united to human nature for all time to come and for all eternity.

Blessed John Duns Scorns also taught that Mary, the Mother of God, was the highest creature after Christ as Man. He taught also that Mary was conceived in Her Mother’s womb immaculately. The Immaculate Conception of Mary was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Our Lady Herself appeared to St. Bernadette Soubiroux in 1858 and when asked who she was, she replied “I am the Immaculate Conception” in the dialect of Southern France which was familiar to St. Bernadette.

Incidentally, Pope Pius IX was beatified with Pope John XXIII, and Abbott Marmion of Ireland, on September 5, 2000 by Pope John Paul II, the present Pope. He probably Beatified them because of their brilliant teachings about Jesus Christ, His Mother, and the Church.

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