Jesus never used physical violence to make a point.”
Can you post a blog from 2003, an article written but never published? My writing from then may have been ahead of its time so, this is an introduction to it explaining why it is relevant now. The title of this blog is a quote from that article; the article will follow this introduction. The article is a review of a bible study I attended in 2000 in preparation for my pilgrimage to Rome for World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II.
The Pope preaches the Gospel. It is a message of peace. Pope Leo has never ended a war and never started one. The President puts on displays of power. It is a message of war. President Trump has ended wars according to him, and waged war without end. They are opposing each other. This is the state of American freedom today.
Both the Pope and the President are American. Both of them are free today. One of them has a freedom guaranteed by the blood of Jesus that separated the hold of sin on his soul. The other has a freedom which only extends as far as human power can evade the sins of his soul.
So that I am clear, I do not underestimate the power of mankind to evade the wages of sin until the worlds end. The world ends every day for someone though, and one day it will end for you. Let me extend the gift of the Father to you, a gift of eternal freedom beyond worlds end. I’ll explain how in this article.
Father Gerard Beigel’ Bible Study by Brian Smith
In the year of 2,000 together we were called to make a pilgrimage to the Father, some just in heart but others in person, especially the youth. I joined among the youth going to W.Y.D. To prepare myself I attended Fr. Gerards bible study. He taught us that we had to be reconciled with the Father to celebrate the “Year of the Father; the Jubilee Year.” This meant a conversion of heart was needed, a cleansing of heart. Without this we would be separated by sin; with a pure heart we are in communion with the Father. Then loving others is a fruit produced and seeing the way of the Father a gift.
Hearts of fire
The heart is not only an organ but also a spiritual ember responsible for kindling our whole being. It is responsible for love, kindness, and joy, or cruelty, hate and deceit. The condition of the heart determines whether what you’re learning has an effect on you or not. The heart is the place where you will journey to the Father thorough the grace of Jesus. If you do not pray with the heart, you may never get there. You may travel a great distance for nothing, if not in the Lord. The way could get longer if you don’t start here. This is where we must choose. Is it religion, which offers the inner view, or psychology the worldview. This is also the difference between a tourist and pilgrim. Holding his love pierces the hearts of the faithful; God must be part of your heart. Jesus intercedes with the Father for the faithful, reconciling them.
As a Catholic we are called to keep the center of our faith, and our life, the Eucharist. The heart is the center of our being. This is different from the way the world calls us to be. The world would have our center as our head, our brains. An example is given us in architecture. In the world the skyscraper is an icon for greatness. However, with a religious view it is a monastery, or a mission house. Notice how all of these have a garden, well, preau, or a cloister in the center where people go for silence. There is peace at the heart. Skyscrapers have busy lobbies or elevators usually, and you may know the tension of a cramped elevator ride. There may be a rest area on a balcony, likely designated for smoking. Malls often have a center for people, like monasteries, but the difference being the materialism surrounding it, instead of the cells that surround a cloister. Friars have set up shop in malls to make the shopping environment better, thus the community around the mall. Residential areas can be good, with parks or greenbelts. These can inspire piety and prayer providing a place to retreat that is free of distractions.
If you have trouble with distractions carefully turn to God and pray for them. To experience the Father, you must have a clean heart. Try to imagine the eye of the heart. Like, your interpretation of things, and yourself. How is the lamp within? (or nous in Greek.) Is it: glowing, could it shine a little more, do you have enough oil, is it dark, what is the focus of your heart? You should be giving love to others, illuminating them, and your focus clear, seeing the way of the Father. Jesus transfigured upon Mt. Tabor is our example of this, “This is my Son, listen to him,” (Matt. 17:1-9.)
Sin within sin
If you are functioning rightly, you are in the light, you have a biblical mindset that allows feelings to be expressed, truth to abide, and a clear vision of reality. If you are not, you are in the dark, you have a worldly mindset, and instead of expressing feelings you do whatever feels good (Luke 11:34-36.) Change starts with purgation, purification, of the known sins. This is after a conversion, or an examination of conscience that has led to repentance. The blood of Jesus conquers all sin. Running down the cross it pierces the depths of our hardened heart. The first layer of the heart, the crust, was hardened by worldly things, vanity, and materialism. Then the second layer our desires; order comes to our jumbled desires. A third layer, which covers the depths of the heart, was sin itself but no more. Underneath there is the God shaped space we filled with other things and have tried to deny Him. In the sacrament of confession, we are reconciled with the Father through the intercession of Jesus, and the space is cleaned out and renovated. As a fruit of that we do our penance, out of obedience, out of love. It is a light in the world we radiate, and illuminate dark paths once again, paths that led us to unity, unity with the Father, with his Son in communion. This unification allows us to see as he does.
It may help to understand how we fall in sin, so as to keep our purified heart in the light. St. John of the ladder mapped this out, from temptation to action. First some provocation happens: like snake temptations in Eden (Genesis 3:1-7.) Then how we respond, our coupling, is the second step. No sin yet has befallen us though. Jesus was here too, especially in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11.) Our third step into sin is assent. At this point it is sinful as we confess in mass, “I have sinned in my thoughts…” If we are captivated by sin, this is the fourth step; by not turning back from to God we fall deeper. There is still hope to lessen sin before it goes on. His blood was shed to forgive the multitudes captivated by sins. The fifth step is outward sin, called disordered passions. The assent has become an action and affects the community.
Here is the desert father’s map of the progression of the eight-capitol sins: gluttony, to lust, to avarice, to anger, to sadness, to aecidia, to vainglory, to pride. Remember it is up to us to choose to combat sin. Example Gluttony: likely the first sin we encounter. As a baby when all we can do is eat. Hence it is the first sin we encounter later in life. And hence it is first on the list. Balance is vital: too much, too little is not right. We cannot do it alone. God’s grace is necessary.
We must remember our unity with the Father through Jesus, and that he died for all. There were three times when Jesus used wine in his miracles: first at the wedding feast (John 2:1-11), second in the Passover supper (Matthew 26:27-28), and the sour wine on the cross (Matthew 27:48). He shouted out, “it is finished,” referring to the new covenant, as his blood poured out forgiving the sins of the multitudes. In the old covenant the blood of sacrifice was of animals. The new covenant blood was Jesus’. This new covenant is written on the hearts and minds of men, whereas the old were written upon Moses’ stone tablets. You can read them in prayer, these covenants. The Gospel, New Testament, new covenant is the same in all religions of Christianity. The New Testament was put together three hundred years after Jesus’ death. This is a good work for it gave us tradition.
Many want to know how to be saved. To be saved means to be justified. Faith is obviously a requirement, but works are also a need. Luther protested, arguing that only faith is necessary for salvation. Faith produces good works; good works are a fruit of faith. This leads to sanctification, and sanctification to justification. Then comes salvation, heaven. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20.) In the gospel of Matthew from chapter five, verse seventeen through the end of the chapter Jesus speaks about various good works. It is also important to keep focused on the goal, it is not making it to Rome, or becoming a priest, getting married, or whatever work you are focused on but getting to Heaven. Doing the good will of the Father is also being. The absolute goodness of God is required, keeping even the smallest of the commandments. I can think of nothing more challenging. It is possible with God: to love the neighbor as yourself, and to love God perfectly.
This is the way to heaven. Jesus leads us, by example and words. “If you would be perfect…” this is the first step, “go sell your possessions, and give to the poor….” It sounds harder with each step, “And come follow me,” but easier when you do it (Mark 10:21.) His giving sanctifies him, good works. “And you shall have treasure in heaven.” With faith and sanctification, you’re justified and have earned treasure in heaven, after that you are ready to follow Jesus to salvation.
So, the way to the Father is about choice, using our free will. The criterion of Aquinas is about this, “In choosing what to do there are three considerations: realizing your choice, uniting your action with your intention, all with a realization of the circumstances.” Simply do good and avoid evil. Goodness has entered our history. Perfection is our calling (see Matthew 5:48.)
“Jesus has touched us, joined us to his perfection,’ said Fr. Gerard, ‘and aiming at the moral life reaches the Father. So, we are called to be his disciples. Respond to Jesus. Hear his call. Choose to leave everything to follow him. Sell or give your possessions, keeping only what is necessary, so that you are not a burden to others but a blessing. Act upon your call; speak the word of God, proclaim the Gospel as he did. Heal the sick, as missionaries; feed the poor; forgive those who offend you and pray for them. Seeing the world as the Father is possible! Learn the parables, the presence of the Father, realize the need for Jesus. Repent and pray for understanding. Pursue understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom.”
Open Minds
In Matthew thirteen, Jesus received opposition from his followers because they didn’t understand the parables. The crowd asked for new miracles instead the apostles pursued him and asked Him for an explanation. “Blessed is he who believes without signs,” (John 20:29.) Parables are like a spiritual workout for apostles, to help them see as the Father does. These were spoken because the crowds did not understand him anyway. Parables lead people to talking with God. They are a new hope, when people were turning away from Jesus, when practiced by his disciples. We too can ask Jesus to explain the parables like the apostles, in prayer, and he will reveal them to you.
We did this, with the parable of the wheat field and the darnel weeds (Matthew 13:24.) The question arose, “How can God exist, with all the troubles of the world, why doesn’t he stop them?” You’ll find that answer in this parable, growing the kingdom. Examining it we find these parts. The world is like Gods field, and weeds have been sown throughout. Being wise he waits until harvest to separate the wheat and darnel. God didn’t stop weeds from further growth once he discovered them. God gave free will to his people. The growth of the kingdom spreads blessings, and the confrontation of opposition arises. Had the weeds been torn out they may have pulled out the wheat as well. We are not to take Gods power into our own hands and separate good and evil. The world today believes it takes physical force to change things, violent power, NOT TRUE! Jesus never used physical violence to make a point, though he did get angry as seen in the temple of Jerusalem (Matthew 21:12.)
Another parable we studied is the Treasures of Great Price, (Matthew 13:44-52.) They are actually three parables all linked together. There is the Field with treasure in it, the valuable pearls and pearl hunter, and the fisher’s net. Parables reveal God working in our everyday experiences. “God is beyond our experiences; God isn’t limited to our experiences!” Fr. Gerard pleaded.
…the Father beckons
The cross has always been the center of Gods plan for creation, even before Adam and Eve were created. The two trees in the Garden of Eden were: the knowledge of good and evil, and life without sin. Life it’s history and future are the plan in time, lived out. This plan Christ lived out on the cross. He suffered the deepest desolation any man will ever suffer, to fulfill Gods plan. Jesus became man to eventually die someday. Jesus knew this, and the Father knew this too. He made something out of his life by accepting death on the cross, to redeem us. We should follow Jesus and make something of our life to glorify God, and benefit man. Think of and find the love between Jesus and the Father. Out of love for the Father, he always did his will. When he gave his life, for the first time, a man loved God perfectly. Nurture the love between Jesus and us; find your salvation in him. His love for the Father was the same for us. In doing this he called us to love the Father the same way.
Christ was taken as a prisoner, but he was always free. God lays down his life at his choice; no one can take his freedom. The truth frees us. The son frees us. His death, and seeing the will of the Father in it, is the most perfect act of freedom. To accept humiliation and imprisonment sets us free. He who possesses the sun possesses eternal life. In Christ’s obedience to the Fathers’ will, we see faith. God always followed his Fathers will, even to death. For this he won human atonement with God, (Romans 6:6.)
Remember, it is still up to us to choose to combat sin, for example anger. We must put on the armor of God, faith and love (1 Thessalonians 5:18,) to become more deeply rooted in Jesus’ sacrifice. Then wield the word of God persistently, in prayer. Anger stems from our desires that can’t be fulfilled. It is a pure and right human emotion when directed rightly, toward evil. Repressing and expressing are not the way to free of anger. Acknowledging it and walking with the Lord will dissipate it. With temptation and sin think what is dead to sin is alive to God. What we put to death in the cross is resurrected in Christ. Believe it, then repent, repent deeply. “…And wearing as our helmet the happy hope of salvation,” (1Thesselonians 5:8.)
On the last day
So ended our bible study series with Fr. Gerard. After a short time, he left our parish and became the Theology Professor at St. John Vianney Seminary, in the Diocese of Denver. As for me: I made the pilgrimage to Rome, then two years later journeyed to Toronto, and continue to follow the W.Y.D. cross.