Daily Postings

Every now and then you get a glimpse of Jesus when he is tired.  It’s an interesting little part tucked away in the gospel story.  You see him after a particularly busy session sound asleep in the boat as he and the apostles are crossing the lake.  In spite of the violent storm which nearly capsizes the boat, he is so tired he sleeps right through the storm.  You see him on another occasion feeling the power draining from him when the woman who needed healing touched his robe.  They may be only a couple of occasions but they make one realize that Jesus’ ministry was very draining and stressful for him, and was physically as well as psychologically demanding. And yet he is always so gracious and accommodating.  Never once do you see him cutting his day short or taking a day off. One day people contacted his mother and his relatives to come and get him because he was beside himself, which meant he was pushing himself too much and people were afraid he was going to have some kind of a breakdown.  His mother and family came to see what was happening and he was clearly embarrassed and expressed it in his comment.  But, it was a good example of how he pushed himself without consideration for his need to rest.  He just keeps moving on and on like a bulldozer in low gear, holding out until the end of the day, when he retreats to the hills to commune with his Father and get a good night’s sleep.  It may be a little detail but it gives us a good insight into an aspect of Jesus’ personality which shows how much he is like ourselves, and which endears him to us. 

What does Jesus see in little children?  Their sense of wonder at seeing something for the first time; their joy when someone gives them a simple gift; their unawareness of evil;  their fascination at seeing another tiny child like them for the first time; their wide-eyed delight at seeing a bird or animal for the first time; their complete trust in those they love; their complete lack of cynicism; their embracing life and all its beauty and wonders with total abandon; their simple faith that so easily believes in God, and guardian angels, and saints whom they have never seen or heard yet still believe they’re real; their unquestioning belief that heaven is real though they have never seen it.

Jesus promised that unless we recover that childlike simplicity of soul, our imagined wisdom and cynicism jeopardizes our entrance into heaven.

There were times when Jesus felt very much alone, especially on days when his enemies were plotting to trap him in his speech into saying something that could be used against him in court.  These cleverly worded traps were of such a serious nature they could end in the death penalty, like insinuating that the people should be free of Roman rule, or encouraging people to disobey the religious law.  When authorities are unhappy with a subordinate and in devious ways try to build a case against the person, the victim is aware and because the scheme is done secretly the person is left to his imagination as to what is going on.  In Jesus’ case, he was way ahead of his enemies.  He knew what they were plotting, but it still affected him, not because he couldn’t outfox his enemies, but because they had the diabolical help of Satan to undermine Jesus’ ministry by undermining people’s faith in him, and threatening the people if they insisted on following him.

When a good person is popular because of his goodness as Jesus was, he can understand the details of the drama that is being plotted.  The problem for him was that there was no one he could share it with, and at those times he could feel very much alone. You catch glimpses of him every now and then by himself either sitting by the seashore seemingly just gazing across the water, but it is easy to tell he is in deep thought, and it comes out in just a passing comment to the apostles later on, “Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees!” which revealed nothing to the apostles as to what the remark was supposed to mean.  But it is easy to tell he is preoccupied by enemies continuous plotting and it troubled him.  He may have wanted to share his concern with the apostles but knew better.  They would never be able to understand the concern.  They had no idea.  So, he dropped the subject and later on shared it with his Father when he was alone in the hills behind Capernaum.

Inability to share pain because you know there is no one who could understand it is difficult, and that was a big problem for Jesus, and he carried that aloneness with him all during his public life.  I am sure we all go through periods in our life when we carry that painful burden and there is no one with whom we can share, or is willing to let us share.  So, you carry the burden alone.  That is when we can realize that Jesus, having gone through the same experience, will always be there waiting for us to share with him what we are going through.  You will find him to be a wonderful companion and warm friend, as we realize what a very  real friend he can be.                                                                                                        

Many of my friends wonder why I don’t get more upset with the Church and with all that is going on in the Church, with all the scandals involving clergy, bishops, some Vatican officials and many influential lay people.  First of all, I do get upset because I want to see the Church as perfect and as the shining reflection of Jesus to the world that needs him. But. Over the years I think I have finally understood more deeply Jesus’ attitude towards the Church.  On one occasion he refers to the Church as a field wheat, in to which an enemy sowed weeds.  Those weeds don’t grow up in one place.   Weeds, those people grow everywhere.  Another realistic parable refers to the Church as a catch of fish.  In the catch there were the bad fish, not just a few but many and they had an unpleasant odor. The fish were scattered all throughout the catch. But, Jesus also said the Church is like a precious gem, and on another occasion he referred the Church to a priceless pearl, a treasure for which we should be willing to give up all else  to possess.  The Church is no different now from what it was in the time of Saint Paul.  Those early communities were not shining models of integrity and holiness.  There were false prophets, scheming teachers and officials, vying with others to run the communities, some even competing with Saint Paul.  There was immorality, not only among the people but among some leaders.  Throughout the whole history of the Church it has been no different.  As the Church grew in ever increasing numbers, the scandals became more noticeable and very graphically recorded for history, mostly by historians hostile to the Church.

So, today, the Church is no different from what it was like in the early days of Christianity.  There will always be sinners, along with the saints of heroic lives in the Church.  If the Church is doing its job, it will always attract sinners struggling to be better.  By Jesus’ own divine providence he made the Church his living presence throughout history, and promised that he as well as the Holy Spirit will be with the Church until the end of time and would never abandon it.  The Church is like a huge passenger ship crossing a vast ocean.   The passengers may not all be nice people, and the crew may be not the best, but when the ship is guaranteed to bring everyone to their destiny that is what is important.  And Jesus guaranteed that with his Church, not that the people or the leaders would all be saintly, but that in spite of the lack of holiness of the members and the leaders, His presence throughout the journey guarantees safe arrival at its destination.           

We all find fault with what goes on in the Church and we can get discouraged.  It is like our country.  We may find fault with the politicians and our political leaders and the way the country is run, but, we wouldn’t think of leaving the country because we know there is no place on earth like the way our country is structured and what we can make of our life here.  It is the same with the Church. It is what Jesus gave us, and will always have the special guarantees Jesus with what Jesus blessed it.            There is nothing like it in its tenacity to what Jesus taught, but priests and bishops have a lot to learn in how to treat people and in the rules they make, and how to treat ordinary people with humility and respect.

It is interesting watching the apostles and their relationship with Jesus for the whole span of years that they were together.  What is interesting is that Jesus accepted them as his friends, and there is little evidence that Jesus pressured them to change their way of acting or speaking. As a result the relationship between them and Jesus is casual and relaxed, and we see little change, if any, during the whole three years.  Their manners are rustic and unrefined.  Their conversations are earthy and fail to show any of the fine teachings of Jesus. They show no awareness whatever of his divinity and when he talked about his being arrested and turned over to the pagans to be executed, they criticized him for speaking ridiculously.  Even at the Last Supper when he again told them he was going to die, they still did not believe it, but they did start talking about who would take over and be the leader of the group.

This says a lot about God and how he views us. Jesus apparently was not overly concerned about their external behavior and their earthy speech.  It seems to be a heart-warming trait in Jesus, helping people to feel welcome and relaxed in his presence.  You hardly ever see him criticizing anyone, he rarely puts pressure in people to be proper in their speech and in the way they acted and treated one another and treated the people.  I think Jesus wanted them to change from within, and to understand how beautiful was the way of life he was teaching.  This change didn’t come until after the coming of the Holy Spirit and spending all that time with Jesus’ mother as she taught them more than they knew over the previous three years. It must be that same casual mentality that he has with all of us.  He made us and he understands us, and loves us as we are and is content to wait until we understand and then, hopefully we will change.

That can teach us something.  When we start to take ourselves seriously we begin to pressure ourselves to become holy very fast.  We have to learn things gradually and to be in peace.   The Holy Spirit will lead us at the pace he chooses, not at the pace we choose.  In the meantime, enjoy his presence and his thoughts and dreams which he share so endlessly with us.  So, we should relax, go slow, pray often mostly by just thinking of Jesus during the day, and caring for those you meet along the way, as well as those in your midst who are homeless or are hurting in some way.

The times in our lives when we most need God’s help is when we are faced with difficult problems that demand a decision. Often the first reaction is one of panic. When people act in panic it is usually for a quick fix which is often a tragic mistake. The jails are filled with people who panicked, lost their courage and made a decision that did not solve the problem but made a mess out of a situation that with God’s help and patience and calm approach to the problem could have eventually be resolved in a way that was reasonable and acceptable. There is no problem that does not have a solution and in many cases, a number of possible solutions. The key in handling a difficult problem is not to panic, and make up your mind that you are not going to resort to anything that is not honorable or violates your integrity. From then on you can count on God’s help. Jesus promised he will always be with us in the most difficult times. He meant it and we can count on him. So, then pray and as St. Teresa of Avila counsels, “Pray as if everything depends on God, but work as if everything depends on you.” God is always there, but you have to trust, and be patient. God doesn’t jump just because you are in a hurry. He’s the one that God; we’re just the creatures. He is never in a rush. He can put everything on hold until the time is ripe; then he makes his move, so don’t be pushy. Then get advice from people who are knowledgeable, and discuss all the options and analyze where each one can lead. Then eventually you will find one or two or more that will work. There may not be a perfect solution but make a decision that you can at least live with and be proud that you were faithful to your integrity and honorable before God. If your solution did not solve your problem completely, remember you can always make corrections in the days ahead, but at least you can live with yourself.

One extraordinary trait in Jesus which I never noticed before is his persistent focus on his ministry.  It is as unswerving as a laser beam.  Once you notice it is intriguing because I have never seen such determined pursuit of a goal in anyone else’s life.  To call it an obsession would be demeaning of something noble.  The trait is rare and in Jesus it is a mark of a divine simplicity. He has come for a purpose and not to waste time or even enjoy life, which, however, he did in the course of every day.  Life was fascinating, a novel experience for him.  Each day was different and his keen observation of everything around him, especially people and their unique and varied traits, made each day like a child’s view of life for the first time.  He knew life the way we know life and he understands how it affects each of us in different ways.  But that understanding and observation was part of his work, his mission. 

The apostles and their friends spent time doing other things but with Jesus he never veered  from his course.  It’s as if he knew from the first moment of each day what his agenda would be for that day, and as soon as he and his little band were ready they started out on the journey for the first place.  When he arrived he went to work immediately, healing and teaching all day long.  And as they are walking along he talks about what he is trying to accomplish, and the obstacles that are in the way, and how those obstacles are the very leaders who were put in place by his Father to support him.  And he tells them the exact plans they have to destroy his work, the work given to him by God himself, his Father.

As  you read and listen, it strikes  you that you are getting a glimpse into the divine mind of Jesus, and how it schedules each day with precision.;  There are no days off, no time for worldly distractions, no time for vacations. Time is short and there is much to be done.   It is fascinating to watch Jesus with this information in your mind because it is so clear once you notice it.  That we should bed so focused on the missioin Jesus gives us to accomplish for him, like the mission the Father gave him.                              

I too have struggled with the issue of same-sex marriage, and in the beginning I approached the idea from a purely logical perspective, since the sexes were created to produce offspring.  But then, if a man and a woman loved each other, theoretically there would be no logical reason to justify a man and woman marrying if they could not produce offspring.  That conclusion would be unthinkable, which led met to the conclusion that if a man and woman who could not have children were allowed to marry, why should it be illegal for a gay couple to marry?

In time after counseling gay persons for years, I began to understand the issue in a much more humane and realistic way.  Gay people have, like all of us, a powerful need to love and be loved.  I learned from heart-breaking incidents which I encountered that people can die from lack of love.  Love is as necessary as breathing.  And I am not talking about the physical aspect of love.  People need the companionship of someone who loves them, and is willing to commit their life to them.  That is beyond law.  That need is embedded in each of us, and a person is not whole or healthy if they do not have love in their life.  Again I am talking about human companionship of some kind or other.

When a person finds someone to love, that person feels a deep need to share their life with that person.  That is only natural.  It is a part of the way we are made.  If that person or those persons are gay, no one has the right to tell them, “You cannot do that.  That is wrong.”  To say that is what is wrong. In fact, to say that is sick, because it is like telling a person, “It is wrong to breathe. You must learn to stop breathing.”

Then once I realized that gays have not only a need but a right to love, to have a companionship with another person who is gay, and they want to spend their life together, I could understand that to be logical and important for them, and necessary.  Again I am not even considering the physical aspects of the relationship.  Now that a gay couple have decided to share their life by living together, they have made a commitment to each other.  When heterosexual persons do that they enter into a contract which we call marriage, making a lifelong commitment to each other, whether it is witnessed by a person who is licensed or not.

The next question arises when a heterosexual couple marry they are automatically given rights and privileges by the state and the federal government.  But, when a gay couple makes a commitment, thus entering into a contract with each other, they are not allowed to make it legal.  Now here is where we begin to have a problem in our country where we have a secular constitution.  Most of us are Christians and we consider Christian marriage sacred.  From the government’s point of view, with our secular constitution, marriage is merely a contract, but it is a certain type of contract that has some benefit or value to the state and to the society.  So, in recognition of this the federal and the state governments both grant benefits to married couples.  The federal government has granted over 1000 benefits to heterosexual married couples, while the states have granted another 400 benefits and privileges, which mostly involve very important tax and income benefits, though there are other important benefits that concern issues involving health and other personal and family interests.

It is only recently that some states have allowed same-sex commitments to be recognized as legal unions, with certain benefits and privileges that are granted to heterosexual marriages.  However, even though the states may grant these privileges to same-sex unions, the federal privileges are denied them.

Now we finally arrive at the real issue. In order for the same-sex couples to receive these benefits, their relationship must be approved as a legal marriage.  This the federal government has so far refused to do.  Many Christians are glad, because they think that doing that would be taking the sacred Christian meaning of marriage out of American life.  But, what they don’t realize is that the government idea of marriage is purely secular to start out with and has nothing to do with Christian marriage or Christian values.  Christian or any other religious values cannot constitutionally be the basis for our American laws.  Marriage is looked upon by the government only as far as it has some benefit for the country.  So, the government then can also quite easily decide that gay marriage is also of some benefit to the country and can with good reason bestow benefits on gay marriages as well.  And that is what the civil and human rights issue for gay people is all about.

How the relationships, whether heterosexual or same-sex, are ultimately practiced in the physical aspects is not considered part of the issue as far as the government is concerned.

In every flock of sheep, there is always one who seems to stray off on his own, never quite knowing where he’s going and before he knows it, he is way off on his own.  No even knowing where he is or how he got there, he just keeps drifting farther and farther away from the flock, which he has long since lost sight of.  

Then, lost and confused and still wandering he has dreams of all the others in his family and there is a tug in his heart to return to them.  Finally, one day he spots them in a distance and moves faster so he does not lose sight of them again. 

All during that time the Shepherd has never once stop looking for him.  He had been leading his sheep in all directions trying to find his lost lamb. Finally, he spots him way across the meadow coming towards the flock and leaves the flock in charge of the sheep dog, so he can run and catch up with his lost lamb. The frightened animal is scared and happy at the same time, until the Shepherd picks him up and places him on his shoulders and carries him back to the flock, where all are excited to see him.

We are all in varying degrees like that wandering lamb, and Jesus is always looking for us when we wander, and never gives up until he finds us and he is happier than we are when he can pick us up all bruised and hurt and scared and gently welcome us back home.

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