What Jesus said about ... (series)

 What Jesus said about ... love.

"Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37

And that’s where the problem lies. Love your neighbour as you love yourself. It’s almost too difficult for some people; and do you know why?

It’s because too many people just do not love themselves. Yes … that’s right … they don’t really love themselves.

They find faults with themselves and see no reason to like or love who they are. Many have a problem with their self-image or about their character in some way.

They think they don’t look pretty enough for today’s society. 

And it is not just our physical appearance that some of us find cause to dislike; the shape of our nose, or our ears or whatever else we think is wrong.

Some people don’t love themselves because they feel inadequate in some way or other. They feel they’re too shy perhaps, or not bright or clever enough like their friends, or not successful as others at work or in business.

Many people sadly conjure up any reason they can think of which erodes their self-confidence, their self-esteem, and leads them not to like or love themselves. 

So ... where do we go from here? First of all: Learn to love yourself. 

You are a creation of God. Jesus taught us to call Him Father. So we are His children. In His eyes we are perfect. There are no rejects from God's production line.

Once we learn to love ourselves, regardless of the imperfections we wrongly believe that we have, we will then start to love other people. And by love, we mean "caring" for other people. And by "caring" we mean doing something about it when we meet someone needing our help, our care and our love. Not passively caring from the comfort of our situation.

And as we learn to love our neighbours as ourselves; so too will we love God our Father. 

Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

We cannot possibly love as Jesus has loved. He is Divine. We are not. But it should not stop us from trying.

God loved us so much that He did something about it.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Why God, Why?

 

My good friend, Mevely, on her Blog recently, asked for prayers for the family of a baby who died aged 15 months.

When something so tragic happens, it is no wonder that it shatters our very existence and puts our faith to the ultimate test. It is not possible to imagine how the parents and close-relatives of the infant feel or how they can cope with such a tragedy.

We question our very God and, in anger perhaps, we tell Him "it is not fair", "it is not right that such a baby should die".

It is understandable and right to be angry with God in such circumstances. He can take our anger. After all, He took it when hanging there on the Cross.

He understands that our anger is the result of our frustration, our grief, and our bewildered confusion of the traumatic events that have befallen us. He understand that it is our grief expressing such feelings and not a rebellion against Him. He understands our instant reaction and, just like any loving parent, He forgives and continues to love us.

Our reaction in such events is perhaps no different to Martha's and Mary's reaction to the death of their brother Lazarus. You will recall that they rebuked Jesus for not being there to save Lazarus. John 11:3-7 onwards.

Our great pain and grief are further compounded if we have been praying for the sick child. "Why did God not answer our prayers?" we ask. "Does He not care?"

The reality is that God does care. Just as He cared when His only Son died a most horrible death on the Cross. Jesus may have felt abandoned at the time. That was His humanity speaking. Just like our humanity reacts to tragic events such as the death of a baby. But in all truth God was there on the Cross suffering the same agony as Jesus did. Just like God is there, at the death of a baby, or of anyone of His beloved children.

We never know why God answers some prayers and not others. If God answered all prayers there would be no more funerals in the world. Our role in such circumstances is, as best we can, even if we do not understand, to accept His will. He never asked us to understand; only to trust Him that He knows what He is doing.

Our secondary role is to be there for the bereaved family and friends. To offer practical help if we can and our prayers and love. We should avoid such platitudes as "God wanted an Angel in Heaven", or "the baby is looking down on you with love ..." These do very little to alleviate the great pain the family are already suffering and add nothing to help in the situation.

There are no easy answers on how to react or behave in such circumstances. By just being there for the family, in silence even, we could offer more support than words can tell. 

We never understand the "why?" it has happened. But the Good Lord has His reasons, and in all humility, (however difficult), we should accept it in good faith. 

Perhaps such tragic events are an opportunity for all of us to pull together and support each other in such heartbreaking times.

Let us, in prayers and brotherly love, use such tragedies as an opportunity to help and support one another and live our example as children of God.

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... hell.

"I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, He is the one you must fear!" Luke 12:5

Jesus has often warned people about the dangers of going to hell. One of His graphic descriptions of the place is in His parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus at his gate.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ Luke 16:19-31.

In this story Jesus makes the point that not only does hell exist, but it is also a place of eternal fire and that there is a great chasm between hell and Heaven; implying that once there you cannot get out.

Today, many people do not believe in hell, or that it is a place of fire. They scoff at the very idea and don't even believe in the devil.

So we need to ask ourselves: was Jesus lying when teaching about hell? Or was He using imagery that the people of the time would have understood? Like when He said, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2

And if we are spirits, (souls), then do we need a physical place such as a house or a burning fire?

All these questions, and more besides, are academic and many wiser people than me have debated them over the ages with no satisfactory explanation.

So, how about my views as not such a wise person: Perhaps hell is a place where we will know for certain that God exists. We will witness His eternal limitless love for mankind, yet we will be forever excluded from that love.

What do you think?

"If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell." Matthew 5:30

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... Heaven.

"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2

Jesus mentions Heaven several times in His teachings but there is only one description of the place as quoted above. He describes Heaven as a place with many rooms. This is because it was the only imagery that the people of the time could understand. They had seen many mansions and palaces so to describe Heaven in such terms would engender an image and a place that they would all long for. Certainly better than the place with acrid smell and burning flesh and gnashing of teeth which He describes graphically on many occasions.

If you were to die today, are you sure you will go to Heaven? And what do you expect to find when you get there?

God, Jesus, The Holy Spirits and the Saints and Angels are spirits. They exist in an invisible world. We are immortal spirits too, (souls), inhabiting a temporary body which in time will decay and turn to dust. The implications here are that when we go to Heaven we will not need a physical place with many rooms and hot and cold running water and a mini-fridge with drinks and chocolates.  

Some Christians also believe that at some stage our souls will re-unite with our bodies and we will live for eternity in these new bodies without blemish, illness or whatever disabilities we may have. I have often asked why will we be re-united with our bodies; and as yet got no satisfactory answer. But that aside, one would ask, if we are to have a body will we need a physical place like a mansion to live in?

Another reference to Heaven by Jesus deals with the immediacy of getting there. 

"And He said to him, (the thief crucified beside Him),  “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.

He did not say you'll be with me at Judgement Day, or after spending some time in Purgatory, or at any other future date. He said: today.

Other references to Heaven deal with our attitude towards it and how to get there. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field. Also, the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl. Also, the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. Some fishermen throw their net out in the lake and catch all kinds of fish. When the net is full, they pull it to shore and sit down to divide the fish: the good ones go into the buckets, the worthless ones are thrown away. It will be like this at the end of the age: the angels will go out and gather up the evil people from among the good and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth." Matthew 13:44 onwards.  

 

AMAZON LINK HERE

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... greed.

Then He said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:25

Oh dear ... how relevant is this to today's society I wonder. 

We live in a generation greedy for everything; fun, entertainment, happiness, riches, possessions, good looks, fame, celebrity and everything else besides. They want it all and want it now. It's as if it is a birthright that everyone should have plenty with the minimum of effort.

We measure peoples' success in life by the kind of job they have. The size of their house and where it's located. Their cars, their holidays abroad, and other possession like jewellery, designer clothing and so on and so forth.

Greed is certainly not a new phenomenon. It always existed. But I guess it is more noticeable now with communications being so much more available through TV, radio and social media on the Internet. We see other peoples' haves and we want them also. 

We all want to be successful, rich and a celebrity idol loved by everyone - it seems. Very few are just happy with what they've got. And they certainly seem to ignore the most precious treasures they have ... like their health, their families, their real friends ... until it's too late. And greed consumes all. Even their faith.    

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... enemies.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5: 44

Now that's a difficult one. What does it really mean?

Let's make it clear that we all have the right, a duty even, to defend ourselves and our loved ones. Sometimes this can be done by distancing ourselves from the ones who hurt us. We can seek professional legal advice and take appropriate action as necessary.

But what if the enemy is a violent person or another nation? There are times when defensive action is necessary to stop the aggressor doing harm to us or our loved ones. 

When Christ taught us to love our enemies He did not mean give way to every attack or act of aggression. The Old Testament describes many wars between the Israelites and their enemies. And today, there are instances when a nation has to go to war to stop evil. 

So, how do we "love" our enemies as Christ commanded? 

There is no way we can do so as Christ did when hanging there from the Cross dying a most agonising death. This is because He was/is God and we are not. So we cannot love as He has done and shown.

But this should not stop us from trying. When we have to face an aggressor let us do so with all the power that we can muster; but let us also do it for the right reasons and with proportionate acceptable force as is necessary. Our opposition need not always be physical; but it can be in argument, debate or through the legal systems. Whatever way is necessary to stop aggression it should be done for the right reasons as intended by Christ. 

We all know the story about Jesus and the traders in the temple.  When Jesus entered the temple courts, He began to drive out those who were selling.  “It is written,” He said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” - Luke 19:45-46

This story in the Bible is often misunderstood. We see Jesus being violent and beating the money changers and traders out of the temple. His reasons may be obvious by what He said in the passage quoted above; but there is more to it than that.

In those days the people had to offer a sacrifice to God in the form of an unblemished perfect animal. It could be a pair of doves, a lamb, goat or whatever you can afford depending on your wealth and the gravity of your sin. The people gave the animals to the priests who had them slaughtered and made into a burnt offering. 

One reason for Christ's behaviour, apart from the quotation above, is that at the time the people brought their own offerings to the priests and the priests had to decide whether the animal was without blemish and perfect. If the priests decided against that animal then the people had to go and buy another (more expensive) one from the traders in the temple. Hence the collusion between the priests and the traders cheating the poor people out of their money by forcing them to buy a more expensive animal from the traders.

Jesus was angry because instead of the temple being a place of prayers, the priests and traders had made it into an opportunity to cheat and steal from the poor.

Turning the other cheek, as Jesus also taught, does not mean surrendering to evil when it comes our way. 

An eye for an eye was meant to be a limitation to aggression and retaliation; not an encouragement to seek revenge.  

In summary, as best we can, we should "love/forgive" our enemies despite their wrong-doings; but not to the extent where we let them walk all over us. Defensive action is sometimes required and legitimate.

As always, sincere prayers are the answer. Pray to God about the situation you are in and hand over the matter to Him seeking His help and guidance in every case. 

If Christ could forgive His enemies; we should at least try to do the same.

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:24.

What Jesus said about ... (series)

What Jesus said about ... kindness,

"And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it is said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:40-43 

Kindness is a difficult concept to explain. I guess it goes hand-in-hand with "loving" other people, besides your immediate family and friends. Loving, in the sense of caring for them. For example, we might see a homeless person or a beggar in the street and we might feel sorry for them. But we do nothing. Is that "caring" really? Is it kindness? We might know some elderly people living alone, and we might be "concerned" about their vulnerability and weakness; and we do nothing. Is that kindness?

Should kindness be measured by our actions and not our feelings? If so, then how many of us are not kind at all?

There's a big difference between being kind and being nice. Being nice is the way we are seen by others. We are popular, liked, good to be with, people look forward to meeting us because we are fun and the life and soul of the party.

But are we kind? What is kindness in our life and how do we portray that kindness towards others?

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” Matthew 7:12 

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... forgiveness.

Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven.” Matthew 18: 21-22

Forgiveness is an act, not a feeling. You decide, actively, that you will forgive someone who has hurt you. This means you will not seek revenge, retribution, compensation or feel resentment or ill-will towards the person who did you wrong. 

Of course, the memories will linger on. The slightest event will bring back the whole situation to your mind and will make you angry or upset once again. This is only natural. Don't worry. Use these moments of remembering again as an opportunity to actively forgive once more. Hand over the person who hurt you to God. Pray for them. You cannot possibly hate someone you pray for. Say to God, "I hand this person to your love and mercy. Forgive them for me!"

What if the person who has hurt you, and never sought your forgiveness, is now dead?

He is no longer your concern. Stop agonising about it. This person is now before God and has seen the situation in all its facets. God will now deal with the situation and that person's role in it. You should pray for that person when the memory of the wrong-doing comes to mind.

What if you need to seek forgiveness from someone who is now dead?

Obviously, it is now too late to seek forgiveness from him. But it is never too late to seek forgiveness from God. Confess your wrong-doing to God and honestly and earnestly ask for His forgiveness. Provided you are sincere and repent God will forgive you.

And once God has forgiven you this is the end of the matter. Stop picking at the situation over and again. Stop feeling guilty at your wrong-doing. God has forgiven you. By picking at the situation you are insulting God in that you are saying He has not forgiven you. That He was wrong that He forgave you. 

How do you think He feels about that? Doubting His love, His mercy and His forgiveness.

Accept His forgiveness graciously and move on with a joyful heart.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:24

What Jesus said about ... (series)

 

What Jesus said about ... anger.

Whoever is angry with his brother will be brought to trial, ... if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. Matthew 5: 22 - 24

Basically, what this means is that we should not go to church, or start praying, if in our hearts we have ill feelings and vengeance against someone else. Now this makes it very difficult for many of us - or it should. Can you honestly say that when you start your prayers you really have no angers, bad thoughts or any negative feelings against anyone? I mean, anyone? Including someone who hurt you some time ago and the pain lingers on?

There are times when anger is justified. When we are angry about something that someone is doing that is harming a vulnerable person or ourselves. We have a right to stand-up and defend ourselves or our loved ones. If there was no anger then there would not be any wars to stop evil in its many forms.

So, anger can be justified. And the hurts done to us can linger on. 

Now here's a thought. Why not include that anger in our prayers? Why not bring the situation to God? Tell Him why we were/are upset at a certain situation or individual. Tell Him how it still hurts and how you find it difficult to forgive. And ask Him to forgive on your behalf. Ask for healing and peace in this situation which is hurting you and hindering your prayers.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:24

Advance Notice

 

I am planning a series of posts about the teachings of Jesus. They will be entitled "What Jesus said about ..." The first one will be about Anger and we will explore what Jesus said and how it applies to us in today's world.

If there are any of Christ's teachings you'd like discussed here please let us know in the comments box; or write to me at the "Contact us" button at the top right of this page. All e-mails come to my office privately.

God bless.

Nun on the run

It was Friday evening and Father Ignatius was alone in the Parish House listening to his favourite classical music. He sat in his armchair by the fire, eyes closed, and with his hand slowly moving his index finger in the air as if holding a baton and conducting an orchestra. Just as the music reached his favourite piece of Verdi’s Aida … The Triumphal March … just then, the front doorbell rang and interrupted his grand moment of triumph.

He jumped off his chair, switched off the record player and said sotto voce, “OK … hold it there all of you … we’ll return to this piece presently …”

He opened the door to be confronted by Sister Martha.

“I’m not interrupting anything?” she asked.

“Oh … only Giuseppe Verdi …” he replied.

“Yes … I’ve heard him through the open window … he’s getting better under your leadership … mind if I come in?”

He moved aside and let her in.

“Would you like tea or coffee …” she said as she made her way towards the kitchen.

“Tea please,” replied the priest as he walked back to the living room.

Sister Martha was in her late sixties yet she was as youthful and energetic as anyone half her age. She lived at the Convent nearby with a dozen other nuns, and she taught at the local Catholic schools. She often called in on the priests at St Vincent for a chat and a cup of tea on her way home, especially on Fridays when she stayed a little late at the school.

Moments later she entered the living room carrying a tray of tea and ginger biscuits; the priest’s favorite, as she knew very well.

“Ah … I didn’t know we had ginger biscuits,” said Father Ignatius, “I didn’t find them earlier on when I looked …”

“Mrs Davenport has shown me where she hides them …” said Sister Martha pouring two cups of tea, “she told me if you’d find them you’ll finish the whole packet …”

A few minutes of silence later as they slowly sipped their tea Sister Martha was first to break the quiet.

“Ignatius … have you heard about Sister Cecilia?” she asked.

“No … I can’t say I have …” he replied, “what’s the problem …”

“I am not breaking any confidences Ignatius … she asked me to speak to you … she’s already spoken to Mother Superior today …”

“Sounds ominous …” said the priest putting his cup down.

“Well … she works at the hospital as you know … she’s a nursing assistant there … well, not to put too fine a point on it … she’s fallen in love with a young doctor there …

“She told me she doesn’t know how it happened …” continued Sister Martha, “they got attracted to each other and she feels she can no longer continue her vocation …”

“You say she spoke to Mother Superior?” asked Father Ignatius.

“Yes … today. She told her she’d been thinking about this for about a month or so … she wishes it didn’t happen but it has … she wants to leave the convent and pursue a new life with him …

“She told me that Mother Superior was very understanding and suggested that she leaves the Convent for another one down South to give her time to think …

“But Sister Cecilia doesn’t think it will help … she wants to leave her vocation altogether.”

“I see …” said the priest calmly, “and you say Cecilia asked you to speak to me …”

“Yes … she wanted your advice …”

Father Ignatius smiled weakly.

“The poor soul …” he mumbled, “what advice can I give her Martha?” he asked rhetorically.

“When we decide to take up our vocation to serve the Lord,” he continued, “we do so after a lot of soul-searching, a lot of prayers, and a lot of training. It takes years as you know Martha … this is perhaps deliberate to give us a chance to think seriously on what we’re doing and the commitment we’re undertaking …

“Yet … despite all that … it does sometimes happen as in this case, that individuals can no longer continue their vocations and wish to leave. It happened some years ago to a priest I knew well … he has left the church and is now married with a family of his own …”

“It’s terrible …” Sister Martha said quietly.

“I suppose it is …” he replied, “as a Church we frown when people break their marital vows and divorce or separate … and I suspect this is no different …

“When a priest or nun break their vows and no longer wish to continue their vocations … it is perhaps the same as couples seeking divorce …

“Yet Martha … whilst I understand what people like Cecilia or that priest I spoke of are going through … I cannot condemn them …”

The nun looked up at him with a frown.

“I cannot condemn them, Martha …” he repeated, “I agree that it is wrong to break the vows they made freely … but at the same time … who am I to stand in the way of true and genuine love … if that is what’s happened in this case. I know it was exactly what happened in the case of that priest … I knew him very well.

“He fell in love with a teacher … he shouldn’t have … but he did … He wanted to leave the Church … just like Cecilia … He confessed to me … it was heart breaking … he told me he could not go on serving as a priest.”

“What did you do?” asked Sister Martha.

“I forgave him of course …” replied Father Ignatius, “how could I possibly withhold absolution … He was repentant and he knew that he could no longer serve as a priest … even if he gave up his lover and was moved to another Parish … He knew that he would not be a good priest and that deep in his heart he’d be a fraud … He’d be serving against his will and would be cheating the Church as well as God Himself …

“Yes …” said Father Ignatius thinking back to that event in the distant past, “I forgave him and absolved him …

“When we forgive someone else, we touch his very soul with the merciful love of Jesus Christ our Lord. How could I stand in the way of such love?

“Eventually … the bishop let him go … and as I said, he’s now married with a family.”

“What do you want me to say to Cecilia?” asked Sister Martha.

“Tell her that I’ll be praying for her …” he replied, “tell her to think about what Mother Superior advised … and that I’ll be always available if she wishes to have a talk with me … How old is she?” he asked.

“Thirty … last month!”

“She’s young and no doubt very frightened …” said Father Ignatius calmly, “I believe that whatever we do … our role is not to condemn but to forgive … She is doing what she feels is right for her life …

“Our Lord forgave many sins when He walked this earth … who am I to stand in the way of true repentance?”

MORE FATHER IGNATIUS STORIES HERE

Inspirations to live by

 

Here are some inspirational thoughts that came to mind whilst in the bath.

A wet man on the beach does not mean he was in the sea. 

The shortest day is always in winter.

In the graffiti of life you are a footnote.

A fallen tree in the forest with no witness to see it remains upright.

A bicycle with a broken wheel is not a mono-cycle.

Glasses are for seeing not drinking.

It does not matter whether your cup is half full or half empty as long as it does not leave a stain on the table.

As one door closes another opens outwards and hits you in the face.

The two words to open doors for you in life are "Pull" and "Push".

In the darkest night of your life your torch battery will have died.

If your drink tastes funny, you've squeezed a budgie instead of a lemon.

All roads lead to Rome but only in Italy.

Never leave to tomorrow what you can delegate to someone else today.

And finally ... 

During a check-up the patient asked the Doctor, "Do you think I'll live a long and healthy life then?"
He replied, "I doubt it somehow. Mercury is in Uranus right now."
The patient said, "I don't go in for any of that astrology nonsense."
He replied, "Neither do I. My thermometer just broke."