This Advent, I have been doing a wonderful devotional series. It has streaming videos which are available a few per week throughout the season. As I watched and learned a great deal more about the connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament, I found myself suddenly able to articulate something I have felt for a long time.
There is a simple reason the study's author was able to make the connections he did; he went to the documents we have access to from the Early Church. Who better to understand John's Gospel and the Revelation of John than his students? The Apostle John taught Polycarp, Polycarp taught Irenaeus. We have letters written by Irenaeus.
The writers of the New Testament scriptures wrote in the context of the established Church. Jesus was a rabbi. In His time, that meant He taught by word of mouth, and students of rabbis memorized the things their rabbi taught. (This was also the pattern others in the ancient world used to preserve important knowledge) The Apostles memorized what Jesus taught them word for word. As they spread the Gospel, they taught these things to the new Christians. Initially, the Church operated entirely upon the oral teaching (or oral tradition) of the Apostles. The Gospels were written, then, within the context of the established Church. The New Testament was written with the intended audience of Christians who were within the established Church. I say all of this to reinforce my point; the oral tradition Jesus passed down through the Apostles is just as important as the written word.Understanding the context in which the scriptures were written and who they were written for (the intended audience) helps us gain insight into their meaning.
What occurred to me is that trying to interpret scripture outside of the Apostolic Tradition is like trying to drive a lopsided lorry; imagine you have goods you need to transport and the only truck available is missing a wheel- there are only three wheels instead of four. Now, you might get the goods to the intended location, but the trip is going to take longer and be fraught with difficulty. That is the best case scenario. It's just as possible that you won't make it. Without Apostolic Tradition, you are driving the lopsided lorry, but there is an alternative. You can study scripture within the context it was written in by pairing it with Apostolic Tradition. In this way, you are putting a spare where that wheel is missing.
I have been discovering that the Early Church Fathers teach us a great deal more than I had previously realized. For example, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus wrote about the Virgin Mary and drew parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament scriptures. These connections are important, as they help us understand what the author intended.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Start by Reading
As I am sure one gathers from the title of my blog, I am a Christian. If you follow my blog, you know that I am specifically a Catholic Christian. I am writing today about a phenomenon common to all of us.
I am very enthusiastic for my faith and enjoy sharing it with others. I am also very enthusiastic about scripture (the Bible). I often see postings on blogs and social media sites. Some are very good and feature thoughtful commentary on whatever they are covering. Some are not. These posts are invariably trolled. The trolls are the worst.
The thing that drives me bonkers every time is when people make things up and say they come from scripture. There are two ways I most often see this occur; either the person claims to be quoting the Bible when they aren't or they quote the Bible but add in their own commentary which has nothing to do with the scripture they quoted.
When someone says "the Word says" or "the Bible says" and does not include a scripture reference, that is reason to be wary. I have caught this tactic many times. Something just doesn't quite look right about the quote, and a quick check using an online concordance reveals that it isn't actually scripture. Respectfully pointing out the mistake often brings a deluge of insults. That's a very Christian way to handle it, right?
Then we have the armchair commentators. They like to choose a phrase or two from here and a phrase or two from there and then string them together with their own words in such a way as to force the scripture into their theological viewpoint. If you look up the quoted verses and read the passages they belong to, they actually say something entirely different than armchair commentator claims. If you would like to be insulted by these types, all that is necessary is to quote the entire passage they pulled out of context.
It bothers me when people claim to be following scripture, but they don't actually know what the scriptures say. It bothers me that so many are out there claiming to have understanding when they haven't gone to the trouble to actually read the scriptures themselves.
The point I am trying to make is that since the Bible is readily available and most of us are literate, Christians should take the time to actually read the scriptures and learn what they say for themselves. When I have seen so many people offended by the mere suggestion that they read the scriptures for themselves to gain an understanding of what they say, I know there is a problem. To that I say this "If you can't be bothered to read the scriptures, stop posting online as if you know what they say."
I am very enthusiastic for my faith and enjoy sharing it with others. I am also very enthusiastic about scripture (the Bible). I often see postings on blogs and social media sites. Some are very good and feature thoughtful commentary on whatever they are covering. Some are not. These posts are invariably trolled. The trolls are the worst.
The thing that drives me bonkers every time is when people make things up and say they come from scripture. There are two ways I most often see this occur; either the person claims to be quoting the Bible when they aren't or they quote the Bible but add in their own commentary which has nothing to do with the scripture they quoted.
When someone says "the Word says" or "the Bible says" and does not include a scripture reference, that is reason to be wary. I have caught this tactic many times. Something just doesn't quite look right about the quote, and a quick check using an online concordance reveals that it isn't actually scripture. Respectfully pointing out the mistake often brings a deluge of insults. That's a very Christian way to handle it, right?
Then we have the armchair commentators. They like to choose a phrase or two from here and a phrase or two from there and then string them together with their own words in such a way as to force the scripture into their theological viewpoint. If you look up the quoted verses and read the passages they belong to, they actually say something entirely different than armchair commentator claims. If you would like to be insulted by these types, all that is necessary is to quote the entire passage they pulled out of context.
It bothers me when people claim to be following scripture, but they don't actually know what the scriptures say. It bothers me that so many are out there claiming to have understanding when they haven't gone to the trouble to actually read the scriptures themselves.
The point I am trying to make is that since the Bible is readily available and most of us are literate, Christians should take the time to actually read the scriptures and learn what they say for themselves. When I have seen so many people offended by the mere suggestion that they read the scriptures for themselves to gain an understanding of what they say, I know there is a problem. To that I say this "If you can't be bothered to read the scriptures, stop posting online as if you know what they say."
Monday, August 22, 2016
What is Often Missed
I enjoy music in many of its permutations, and I often listen to Christian music because it can be edifying. Listening to a contemporary christian station this morning, the angst and seeming uncertainty really struck me. Why are these christian people struggling to recognize the presence of Christ? Why do they constantly feel that their actions are unworthy of their calling to be Christlike? Why does it seem that the music is a continuous attempt to hype themselves up into the appropriate emotional state? They sing about what Jesus has done for them, but not about what Jesus is doing in them. It brought to mind a passage in 2Timothy 3; "..having a form of godliness, but denying its power,....always learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth". The real revelation began to come for me when I stopped trying to take some hidden meaning out of everything. Some things in scripture are meant to be understood quite literally. I cannot think of any way to logically get around the fact that Jesus was being literal in John 6 when He said "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life". That is a tough teaching. In fact, that is what the people who heard Him said at the time. How does that play out? How can it be literally true? The cool thing about God is that He doesn't have a human mind, nor human limitations. What He says simply is. He said "let there be light" and it existed. How exactly? We haven't figured that out yet. The best our most brilliant minds can come up with, knowing that there was a time when literally nothing of the observable universe existed, is that since it is, it must have caused itself to be. Wow. great insight there, guys. This is the truth that goes over the head of virtually everyone regarding the Gospel: Jesus is an eternal being, existing within the Trinity always, but existing as a man, too, in a finite time. Although He existed as a man who lived, died, and rose from the dead, He was also eternal in nature. When He made of Himself a sacrifice for mankind's sin, the effect was eternal. That means it stretched back to the beginning of time and forward to the end of time. If one looks at the sacrificial process in the Old Testament, one sees that the person who is repenting must take part in the sacrifice. They were sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice and renewed their friendship with God by eating a portion of the sacrifice in God's presence. In this way, what Jesus did and said at the Last Supper begins to become clear. Jesus was the word that brought everything into existence, and He can change the very substance of things. When His words bless the bread and wine, the bread and wine become what He proclaims it to be; His body and blood. This substantive change makes it possible for us to receive Him in a real and substantive way. The reality has a further importance, though. When we receive Jesus in substance, we also receive His transforming power. The fallen nature within us can be transformed into the divine nature He gives. We can, through this grace, be the good and perfect creatures we were meant to be. Rather than constraining us, this frees us to be everything good that we are. We do not have to be in constant angst, wondering if we are worthy, wondering if we are forgiven, wondering if anything we will ever do will be good enough. Jesus provided, through His Church the means by which we can be sure we are forgiven, sure He is present with us. This is the truth of the Gospel that seems to so often be missed.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Discovering What Was There All Along
I have been part of a number of Christian denominations. To make a long story short, through scripture study, prayer, learning Church History and applying my mind to finding the truth, I ended up back where I began; in the Catholic Church. I understand that there are many wonderful Christian people across the gamut of denominations; each of us must work at our own level of understanding and out of our own experiences to progress in our spiritual journey. I have recently seen some interesting things happening among my Protestant friends as they progress in virtue and knowledge.
The thing that prompted this blog is the scripture verse postings that I have seen lately on Facebook from my friends. The theme of personal responsibility and future judgement of believers keeps popping up. This theme never seemed to come up in sermons at the Protestant churches I attended. The focus always seemed to be how Jesus forgives everything. Nonetheless, my Christian friends are coming to the conclusion that there is more to salvation than saying a formulaic prayer.
For example, I saw this passage from Matthew 12
33 “Either declare[w] the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 [x]You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil. 36 [y]I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
It is apparent that my friend realizes that the words we speak are important, that we (believers) will be judged for the things we say.
On another occasion I saw Luke 9:62 quoted.
Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
This passage implies that we are supposed to continually progress in our spiritual lives and not go back to our old ways.
The Catholic view of salvation is that it is an ongoing process which begins with baptism and continues throughout our lives as we cooperate with the grace God offers us and progress to become more and more Christlike.
As a Protestant I was taught to view being saved as the moment where I asked Jesus to be my savior. The focus of instruction was to learn scriptures and pray, but there was seldom an exhortation to stop sinning. I even had some get angry with me for suggesting that it is possible to stop sinning altogether by God's grace.
It seems, however, that my friends are discovering in the words of Jesus an exhortation to think, say, and do the things He commands. As Luke 6 tells us;
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? 47 [o]I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. 49 But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”
The foundation on which our faith holds is doing the things which we know are right, following Jesus by doing what He said to do. This is not a new and novel idea, but I see in my friends' growth that they are discovering by experience what was there all along.
The thing that prompted this blog is the scripture verse postings that I have seen lately on Facebook from my friends. The theme of personal responsibility and future judgement of believers keeps popping up. This theme never seemed to come up in sermons at the Protestant churches I attended. The focus always seemed to be how Jesus forgives everything. Nonetheless, my Christian friends are coming to the conclusion that there is more to salvation than saying a formulaic prayer.
For example, I saw this passage from Matthew 12
33 “Either declare[w] the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 [x]You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil. 36 [y]I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
It is apparent that my friend realizes that the words we speak are important, that we (believers) will be judged for the things we say.
On another occasion I saw Luke 9:62 quoted.
Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
This passage implies that we are supposed to continually progress in our spiritual lives and not go back to our old ways.
The Catholic view of salvation is that it is an ongoing process which begins with baptism and continues throughout our lives as we cooperate with the grace God offers us and progress to become more and more Christlike.
As a Protestant I was taught to view being saved as the moment where I asked Jesus to be my savior. The focus of instruction was to learn scriptures and pray, but there was seldom an exhortation to stop sinning. I even had some get angry with me for suggesting that it is possible to stop sinning altogether by God's grace.
It seems, however, that my friends are discovering in the words of Jesus an exhortation to think, say, and do the things He commands. As Luke 6 tells us;
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? 47 [o]I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. 49 But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”
The foundation on which our faith holds is doing the things which we know are right, following Jesus by doing what He said to do. This is not a new and novel idea, but I see in my friends' growth that they are discovering by experience what was there all along.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
One Coherent Point
In my previous post, I spoke of my problem with people using scripture to "prove" their point, while never actually making a coherent point. Lest I be accused of being unable to make a cogent point of my own, I will give an example here.
An idea which seems to be popular, but viewed in various ways is the notion of a "rapture". It makes great fodder for fictional franchises. It has been used as a scare tactic to proselytize. I don't consider it to be a biblical doctrine, however.
The scriptures used as proof texts for the "rapture" don't seem to say what is supposed by those who are proponents of the rapture idea when placed in context. For example, in I Thessalonians chapter 4; the Apostle Paul instructs his audience to live self-controlled, worthy lives. Verses 13-18, of which verses 16-17 are used to "prove" rapture theology, speak of life after death and are written as an encouragement not to lose hope because some will die before Christ returns. It seems clear by reading it literally that the raising of the dead and the raising of ALL who are left are both part of the same event, that is the return of Jesus, when He will judge everyone (the living and the dead).
There is another passage in the Bible, though; one which recounts the words of Jesus himself that makes me think that I would rather be one of the ones "left behind" than one of those taken. From Matthew 13:
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear." *
It seems pretty clear here, by Jesus' own word, that the ones "left behind" are the righteous. The ones who are taken away have a sad fate.
While the notion of Christians being spared difficulty is attractive, it is simply not based upon the scriptures. Instead, we find that persecution and martyrdom are often the lot of those who dare to take up the cross and follow Jesus. We also know that in these sufferings we may count ourselves blessed. As Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5:
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. *
I hope that by using scripture to demonstrate this single point, that I may spur others on to take a more critical look at their own arguments.
* New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
An idea which seems to be popular, but viewed in various ways is the notion of a "rapture". It makes great fodder for fictional franchises. It has been used as a scare tactic to proselytize. I don't consider it to be a biblical doctrine, however.
The scriptures used as proof texts for the "rapture" don't seem to say what is supposed by those who are proponents of the rapture idea when placed in context. For example, in I Thessalonians chapter 4; the Apostle Paul instructs his audience to live self-controlled, worthy lives. Verses 13-18, of which verses 16-17 are used to "prove" rapture theology, speak of life after death and are written as an encouragement not to lose hope because some will die before Christ returns. It seems clear by reading it literally that the raising of the dead and the raising of ALL who are left are both part of the same event, that is the return of Jesus, when He will judge everyone (the living and the dead).
There is another passage in the Bible, though; one which recounts the words of Jesus himself that makes me think that I would rather be one of the ones "left behind" than one of those taken. From Matthew 13:
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear." *
It seems pretty clear here, by Jesus' own word, that the ones "left behind" are the righteous. The ones who are taken away have a sad fate.
While the notion of Christians being spared difficulty is attractive, it is simply not based upon the scriptures. Instead, we find that persecution and martyrdom are often the lot of those who dare to take up the cross and follow Jesus. We also know that in these sufferings we may count ourselves blessed. As Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5:
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. *
I hope that by using scripture to demonstrate this single point, that I may spur others on to take a more critical look at their own arguments.
* New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Quote Scripture, and be Applauded
I recently watched a video by a well-meaning individual. She was applauded as if she told her viewers something significant. I don't understand the response. The woman simply read a bunch of contextually unrelated scriptures and said she had proved her point. I couldn't figure out what the point was supposed to be.
I guess, for me, there has to be some intellectual basis for a claim that you are explaining something. I don't pull scriptures out of their original context and intent because that seems presumptuous on my part. Even if I ascribed to the idea that each person can interpret scripture to their own desire, it would not make the YouTube ramblings of many coherent.
The woman on this video claimed to be explaining the difference between God's peace, joy, light, etc. and Satan's counterfeit version. She quoted scriptures, said that shows it, and moved on to the next "point" without ever explaining the first one. I read the scriptures and put them in context, but even out of context, the "point" never revealed itself.
I knew another woman who proclaimed herself a pastor, prophet, and healer. She frequently posts scriptures which she uses improperly. We used to be friends. I used to make little comments to put the scriptures she quoted in context. She became very angry with me for pointing out what is obvious to anyone who thinks about it for more than three seconds. She was frequently told how "insightful" she was, even though all she did was take scriptures from their original context and apply them to something unrelated.
The only thing I can figure is that, if you are a protestant, all that is required for people to applaud your "knowledge" is that you quote some scriptures. It doesn't matter if they have anything to do with what you are saying. You don't have to form a cogent intellectual argument. Just quote the Bible and you will be applauded for your "insight".
The only insight I gained is the sure knowledge that I was correct in leaving Protestantism behind. Unfortunately, many people leave Christianity behind entirely because they can't see why they should blindly follow such ideas. I personally could not check my brain at the door to simply go along with everything I saw and heard behind the doors of the protestant church.
In Jesus Christ, in the Gospel, truth and faith were one. I found that the Catholic faith, as it is taught in the Church's magisterium, touches on intellect, the spiritual person, and the physical person.
It is good to study scripture. It is good to be able to appropriately quote scripture. It is an insult to use scripture improperly to garner attention for yourself. It is an insult to God to applaud those who improperly use His word. He gave us brains so that we could use them intelligently!
I guess, for me, there has to be some intellectual basis for a claim that you are explaining something. I don't pull scriptures out of their original context and intent because that seems presumptuous on my part. Even if I ascribed to the idea that each person can interpret scripture to their own desire, it would not make the YouTube ramblings of many coherent.
The woman on this video claimed to be explaining the difference between God's peace, joy, light, etc. and Satan's counterfeit version. She quoted scriptures, said that shows it, and moved on to the next "point" without ever explaining the first one. I read the scriptures and put them in context, but even out of context, the "point" never revealed itself.
I knew another woman who proclaimed herself a pastor, prophet, and healer. She frequently posts scriptures which she uses improperly. We used to be friends. I used to make little comments to put the scriptures she quoted in context. She became very angry with me for pointing out what is obvious to anyone who thinks about it for more than three seconds. She was frequently told how "insightful" she was, even though all she did was take scriptures from their original context and apply them to something unrelated.
The only thing I can figure is that, if you are a protestant, all that is required for people to applaud your "knowledge" is that you quote some scriptures. It doesn't matter if they have anything to do with what you are saying. You don't have to form a cogent intellectual argument. Just quote the Bible and you will be applauded for your "insight".
The only insight I gained is the sure knowledge that I was correct in leaving Protestantism behind. Unfortunately, many people leave Christianity behind entirely because they can't see why they should blindly follow such ideas. I personally could not check my brain at the door to simply go along with everything I saw and heard behind the doors of the protestant church.
In Jesus Christ, in the Gospel, truth and faith were one. I found that the Catholic faith, as it is taught in the Church's magisterium, touches on intellect, the spiritual person, and the physical person.
It is good to study scripture. It is good to be able to appropriately quote scripture. It is an insult to use scripture improperly to garner attention for yourself. It is an insult to God to applaud those who improperly use His word. He gave us brains so that we could use them intelligently!
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Easter after being in Israel
Last Autumn, my husband and I went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel). We had always wanted to go, and really looked forward to the trip, but we were unprepared for the ways in which we would be irrevocably changed by the experience. (We were also unprepared for the sheer volume of walking, but that is another story)
We arrived in Tel Aviv after a very long flight. The airport was massive, but we managed to get through customs and collect our baggage with no hitches. Then, we met a man from the travel agency which was handling our trip, who introduced us to our tour guide for the duration. We were incredibly blessed to have as our tour guide, Makhoul, who was formerly an archaeologist for Israel's department of antiquities.
We arrived at our hotel, and the atmosphere was warm; we felt at home with the staff right away. During our stay, we had some thought-provoking conversations with the staff and learned much about the living situation for Israelis. People in the US cannot imagine the impact of racial/religious tension in Israel. It is simply an everyday struggle for many, one they would like to see come to a end. The more radical elements of each group complicate matters for those who desire peace. Peace is never taken for granted in this land, it is greatly desired and sought after.
Peace became the theme of our trip. Peace among men. Peace with God.
We went to Jerusalem and entered the palace (now underground and still being excavated) where Pilate tried Jesus and condemned Him to death; we stood in the very place they put His cross upon His back, the place Jesus began His walk to Golgatha. We saw many sights in Jerusalem, visited churches and chapels which had been erected hundreds (often more than 1,000) of years ago to commemorate the life of Jesus. We saw the pool where He healed the lame man, we walked the Via Dolorosa. We climbed to the place Jesus' cross was erected and saw the bedrock riven by the earthquake when He died. You cannot imagine the impact it has unless you have been there. Another day, we walked the Palm Sunday Road. We saw the place Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane where silent witnesses (the olive trees) still stand living, many 3,000 years old. We touched the rock where Jesus prayed in agony as He took on the world's sin. We stood in the cistern (next to a basement torture chamber) in Caiphus' house, where they lowered Jesus to spend a night in total darkness. We entered the Upper Room where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and tried to prepare his disciples for what was about to happen. Everywhere, we could smell the scent of olive trees, rosemary, and date palms. The fragrance of Bouganvilea mingled with those fragrances along with aloes and mustard and mints in many places.
The memory of these places, the sounds, the smells, came back so powerfully as I listened to the Gospel readings on Holy Week. I understand in a whole new way what Jesus went through during His Passion. Having seen and knowing as never before, I still cannot comprehend why God did what He did nearly 2,000 years ago. I know that I am more in awe of the sacrifice, amazed at the economy of His every word and action, deeply touched by the simplicity in which He conveyed deep things to the people He spoke with. Most of all, am grateful for the peace I experience in my soul. I am at peace with God as never before, and most of the time I am peace with all those around me. This is what it was all for. For each of us to experience peace with God, peace with ourselves. We are meant to understand our unique worth in the eyes of our maker and in the eyes of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are meant to grow and prosper in that peace. If there is any way in which I can repay a small portion of the love that has been given to me, I want to do that.
Many I know think that Catholics believe that we can somehow earn Heaven by the things we do. We do not. We know that Jesus did what only God could do for us. We also know that God considers every act of charity we offer other people to be an act of kindness toward Him. As we walk through this life, we seek to cooperate with the grace that can perfect us and make us exactly what God wants us to be.
Easter will never be the same. Peace has never been so perfect in me.
We arrived in Tel Aviv after a very long flight. The airport was massive, but we managed to get through customs and collect our baggage with no hitches. Then, we met a man from the travel agency which was handling our trip, who introduced us to our tour guide for the duration. We were incredibly blessed to have as our tour guide, Makhoul, who was formerly an archaeologist for Israel's department of antiquities.
We arrived at our hotel, and the atmosphere was warm; we felt at home with the staff right away. During our stay, we had some thought-provoking conversations with the staff and learned much about the living situation for Israelis. People in the US cannot imagine the impact of racial/religious tension in Israel. It is simply an everyday struggle for many, one they would like to see come to a end. The more radical elements of each group complicate matters for those who desire peace. Peace is never taken for granted in this land, it is greatly desired and sought after.
Peace became the theme of our trip. Peace among men. Peace with God.
We went to Jerusalem and entered the palace (now underground and still being excavated) where Pilate tried Jesus and condemned Him to death; we stood in the very place they put His cross upon His back, the place Jesus began His walk to Golgatha. We saw many sights in Jerusalem, visited churches and chapels which had been erected hundreds (often more than 1,000) of years ago to commemorate the life of Jesus. We saw the pool where He healed the lame man, we walked the Via Dolorosa. We climbed to the place Jesus' cross was erected and saw the bedrock riven by the earthquake when He died. You cannot imagine the impact it has unless you have been there. Another day, we walked the Palm Sunday Road. We saw the place Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane where silent witnesses (the olive trees) still stand living, many 3,000 years old. We touched the rock where Jesus prayed in agony as He took on the world's sin. We stood in the cistern (next to a basement torture chamber) in Caiphus' house, where they lowered Jesus to spend a night in total darkness. We entered the Upper Room where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and tried to prepare his disciples for what was about to happen. Everywhere, we could smell the scent of olive trees, rosemary, and date palms. The fragrance of Bouganvilea mingled with those fragrances along with aloes and mustard and mints in many places.
The memory of these places, the sounds, the smells, came back so powerfully as I listened to the Gospel readings on Holy Week. I understand in a whole new way what Jesus went through during His Passion. Having seen and knowing as never before, I still cannot comprehend why God did what He did nearly 2,000 years ago. I know that I am more in awe of the sacrifice, amazed at the economy of His every word and action, deeply touched by the simplicity in which He conveyed deep things to the people He spoke with. Most of all, am grateful for the peace I experience in my soul. I am at peace with God as never before, and most of the time I am peace with all those around me. This is what it was all for. For each of us to experience peace with God, peace with ourselves. We are meant to understand our unique worth in the eyes of our maker and in the eyes of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are meant to grow and prosper in that peace. If there is any way in which I can repay a small portion of the love that has been given to me, I want to do that.
Many I know think that Catholics believe that we can somehow earn Heaven by the things we do. We do not. We know that Jesus did what only God could do for us. We also know that God considers every act of charity we offer other people to be an act of kindness toward Him. As we walk through this life, we seek to cooperate with the grace that can perfect us and make us exactly what God wants us to be.
Easter will never be the same. Peace has never been so perfect in me.
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