"He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' "
The reason why many want to believe in hell, i.e. the popular concept of hell as being eternal damnation for deserving sinners, is that their thinking is the same as that of the elder brother in the story of the prodigal son.
Like the elder brother they only see the evil deeds and not the image of God in the person.
Sinners as we are, we still have in us the imag of God for we are created in God's image and likeness.
These kind of Christians would also like convicted criminals of heinous crimes to be meted with death penalty.
A genuine heart of a true Christian is one like the forgiving father in the story of the prodigal son.
Monday 25 February 2008
Tuesday 19 February 2008
The Legend of Hell
Once there was a very wicked person. He was far worse than any worst country leaders combined. When this person died he went straight to heaven where he was welcomed by everyone with so much love specially those who were victimized by his evilness. Everywhere he went, he always found some of his victims and just like anywhere he was always lavished with love and affection by them. This made him feel guilty and very uncomfortable. He just felt that he did not deserve the love they were giving him until he came to the point that he could not take it any longer. And so he went to God and begged Him to put him anywhere else but heaven. God pitied him so much and decided to create hell exclusive for him. But to God surprise other souls begun coming to Him and begged Him to let them join in.
St. Paul said Heaven is not a matter of drinking or merry making but it is about peace, justice and the joy from the Holy Spirit. A sinner is loved by God and He respect the sinner's feelings, sentiments and choices. When a sinner does not like peace or justice or the joy from the Holy Spirit definitely he would not like heaven.
St. Paul said Heaven is not a matter of drinking or merry making but it is about peace, justice and the joy from the Holy Spirit. A sinner is loved by God and He respect the sinner's feelings, sentiments and choices. When a sinner does not like peace or justice or the joy from the Holy Spirit definitely he would not like heaven.
Monday 18 February 2008
What is Hell
Hell is mentioned several in times in the Bible and Christian Churches recognised its existence. In other words there are those who would go to hell and those to heaven. Nonetheless, both groups are loved by God. Those who would go to heaven deserve heaven and those going to hell are better off in hell than in heaven. Or simply if you end up in hell it is because relative to your circumstance hell is better than heaven. The point being is that, hell is not eternal damnation as commonly believed. God is love and His love is UNCONDITIONAL. All His actions are motivated by this unconditional love, hence when God decides that a soul should go to hell it is because God loves him so much.
The pre-Vatican view of hell as eternal damnation into everlasting fire is the more common understanding of it. This kind of concept of hell made a very backward kind of Christian. A person who has such kind of belief would say to himself: 'I will do good because I don't want to rot in hell; I will attend mass because I don't want to go to hell; I will honour my parents because if I don't God will punish me into everlasting fire in hell'. Notice that the motivation is always fear of hell and the intention is purely personal salvation. Indeed a very shallow kind of faith.
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A mature Christian would say, I will do good because it is for the benefit of everyone, I will attend mass because I love to listen to the Word of God and I want to congregate with my fellow Christians, I will honour my parents because I love them and I want to let them feel how I appreciate the love they lavished to me specially when I was a baby. Note that the person motivation is purely love, hell does not even comes across his mind.
Following are two analogies that would prove that souls in hell are not being punished but rather loved.
1. Imagine yourself as very dirty, i.e. your smell is very bad and your appearance is that who haven't bathed for so long. Then you find yourself in the company of very clean people. Do you think you would be comfortable in their company? Of course you wouldn't. You would rather be in the company of others who smell and look like you.
2. Heaven is just like learning how to read. A person who devoted much time in learning how to read and having learned so would be very happy when someone would give him some very nice books as gifts. On the other hand a person who did not bother learning how to read would never appreciate gifts in form of books. In similar manner a very sinful person would never appreciate heaven.
The pre-Vatican view of hell as eternal damnation into everlasting fire is the more common understanding of it. This kind of concept of hell made a very backward kind of Christian. A person who has such kind of belief would say to himself: 'I will do good because I don't want to rot in hell; I will attend mass because I don't want to go to hell; I will honour my parents because if I don't God will punish me into everlasting fire in hell'. Notice that the motivation is always fear of hell and the intention is purely personal salvation. Indeed a very shallow kind of faith.
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A mature Christian would say, I will do good because it is for the benefit of everyone, I will attend mass because I love to listen to the Word of God and I want to congregate with my fellow Christians, I will honour my parents because I love them and I want to let them feel how I appreciate the love they lavished to me specially when I was a baby. Note that the person motivation is purely love, hell does not even comes across his mind.
Following are two analogies that would prove that souls in hell are not being punished but rather loved.
1. Imagine yourself as very dirty, i.e. your smell is very bad and your appearance is that who haven't bathed for so long. Then you find yourself in the company of very clean people. Do you think you would be comfortable in their company? Of course you wouldn't. You would rather be in the company of others who smell and look like you.
2. Heaven is just like learning how to read. A person who devoted much time in learning how to read and having learned so would be very happy when someone would give him some very nice books as gifts. On the other hand a person who did not bother learning how to read would never appreciate gifts in form of books. In similar manner a very sinful person would never appreciate heaven.
Hell Exists Becausee God Is Love
Many people (in fact most of them are catholic or non-catholic christians) believe in hell because they wanted to see their enemies and the people they despised e.g. world leaders and dirty politicians to rot in hell.
An authentic Christian will always wish for the salvation of all. This has been clearly demosntrated by St. Maria Goritti when on her death bed was asked if what she would like for her murderer and (attempted) rapist, she answered, "I want him to be with me in paradise."
To believe that God punishes the sinners in hell denies the idea tht God is merciful, loving, kind and forgiving.
To believe that people who died in mortal sins go to hell denies the idea that God is just. What would happen then to non-catholics who do not go to confession. How about those who would normally repent but died before they were able to so.
To believe that people in hell suffers physical pain and torment denies the truth that the soul is purely spiritual i.e. physical feeling is not proper to it.
To believe that many people would go to hell because many of US are sinners is an insult to God's creating power. How can an all knowing and all powerful God who created people in His own image and likeness had actuallY created lots of craps.
IF HELL IS REAL AND GOD IS LOVE THEN THE ONLY REASON WHY HELL EXISTS AND WHY SOME SOULS ARE SENT THERE IS THAT BECAUSE GOD LOVES THOSE SOULS. MAYBE THEY ARE NOT HAPPY IN HEAVEN AND BECAUSE GOD WANTS US ALL TO BE HAPPY HE CREATED HELL SO THAT THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE HEAVEN HAS ANOTHER OPTION.
An authentic Christian will always wish for the salvation of all. This has been clearly demosntrated by St. Maria Goritti when on her death bed was asked if what she would like for her murderer and (attempted) rapist, she answered, "I want him to be with me in paradise."
To believe that God punishes the sinners in hell denies the idea tht God is merciful, loving, kind and forgiving.
To believe that people who died in mortal sins go to hell denies the idea that God is just. What would happen then to non-catholics who do not go to confession. How about those who would normally repent but died before they were able to so.
To believe that people in hell suffers physical pain and torment denies the truth that the soul is purely spiritual i.e. physical feeling is not proper to it.
To believe that many people would go to hell because many of US are sinners is an insult to God's creating power. How can an all knowing and all powerful God who created people in His own image and likeness had actuallY created lots of craps.
IF HELL IS REAL AND GOD IS LOVE THEN THE ONLY REASON WHY HELL EXISTS AND WHY SOME SOULS ARE SENT THERE IS THAT BECAUSE GOD LOVES THOSE SOULS. MAYBE THEY ARE NOT HAPPY IN HEAVEN AND BECAUSE GOD WANTS US ALL TO BE HAPPY HE CREATED HELL SO THAT THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE HEAVEN HAS ANOTHER OPTION.
Saturday 16 February 2008
High in God
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 17,1-9. Maybe these moments are fortaste of heaven, something that we can look back every now and then specially when we are feeling low. Something which can give us hope to carry on in this valley of tears. Yes we couldn't make a tent and stay there forever, maybe not yet but the real thing is actually much much better. |
Tuesday 12 February 2008
40 Days
One way of keeping from being a 'fundamentalist' i.e. taking the bible literally is being able to discern the themes used in a passage which had already been used in some other passages.
If you read closely you would find that some stories in the bible used similar themes, for example the link of marriage to a story about a man meeting a woman in a well, or the different elemets present in a story about calling, like the appearance of an angel, the element of fear, etc.
Another commonly used theme is bible stories is the number 40. This number appeared several times in the Bible, among which are the 40 years in the wilderness, 40 days and 40 nights of flood, etc.
Jesus faster for 40 days and 40 nights and during those times he overcame the temptation of the devil.
Whether he stayed in that dessert for 40 days or not, it does not really matter. What is important is that when we fast we become spiritually strong that we are able more to resist temptations. It's just like building spiritual muscles.
If you read closely you would find that some stories in the bible used similar themes, for example the link of marriage to a story about a man meeting a woman in a well, or the different elemets present in a story about calling, like the appearance of an angel, the element of fear, etc.
Another commonly used theme is bible stories is the number 40. This number appeared several times in the Bible, among which are the 40 years in the wilderness, 40 days and 40 nights of flood, etc.
Jesus faster for 40 days and 40 nights and during those times he overcame the temptation of the devil.
Whether he stayed in that dessert for 40 days or not, it does not really matter. What is important is that when we fast we become spiritually strong that we are able more to resist temptations. It's just like building spiritual muscles.
Monday 11 February 2008
The Principle of Embararssment
At one point John and James (the sons of thunder) requested Jesus to call 'heavenly' reinforcement in order to conquer their 'enemies', isn't that sound embarassing to ask for being Jesus' apostles?
One criterion to know whether a particular event in the bible had actually happened is the principle of embarassment.
Thi principle takes into account that the mere fact that the event was embarrassing then it could have actually happened for no one would write something that would put Jesus and his followers in an awkward theme unless it actually happened.
One criterion to know whether a particular event in the bible had actually happened is the principle of embarassment.
Thi principle takes into account that the mere fact that the event was embarrassing then it could have actually happened for no one would write something that would put Jesus and his followers in an awkward theme unless it actually happened.
Sunday 10 February 2008
Thursday 7 February 2008
Take up his cross daily
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,22-25.
He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?
Commentary:
This is a classic example that the author had just put something in the mouth of Jesus, i.e. "take up his cross daily."
Why should Jesus be refering into his cross when he was not yet crucified.
Did he abosolutely know that Judas will betray him and that Pontius Pilate will order his crucifixion, because he is God and therefore he knows everything.
If that's the case then Judas and Pilate and the other member of the gang were just playing their roles in the script and thereby not accountable for their evil deeds. Such is absolutely contradictory to Christian understanding of man's freedom.
But whether Jesus said it or not is actually not an issue. The message of this pericope is that one should be willling to sacrifice or suffer when necessity arises, not willing the suffering per se but willingness to suffer for the greater good. For example if it is necessary to put your life and the life of your family at risk because you need to stand as a witness against someone who is a big person in the government, then so be it. You don't have to worry because after the cross there is always a resurrection.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,22-25.
He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?
Commentary:
This is a classic example that the author had just put something in the mouth of Jesus, i.e. "take up his cross daily."
Why should Jesus be refering into his cross when he was not yet crucified.
Did he abosolutely know that Judas will betray him and that Pontius Pilate will order his crucifixion, because he is God and therefore he knows everything.
If that's the case then Judas and Pilate and the other member of the gang were just playing their roles in the script and thereby not accountable for their evil deeds. Such is absolutely contradictory to Christian understanding of man's freedom.
But whether Jesus said it or not is actually not an issue. The message of this pericope is that one should be willling to sacrifice or suffer when necessity arises, not willing the suffering per se but willingness to suffer for the greater good. For example if it is necessary to put your life and the life of your family at risk because you need to stand as a witness against someone who is a big person in the government, then so be it. You don't have to worry because after the cross there is always a resurrection.
Wednesday 6 February 2008
Truth and the Bible
God is Absolutely True.
Jeus is the Way the TRUTH and the Life . . .
Jesus is God
The Bible is the Word of God
but the Bible is not God.
The truth in the Bible is a relative one. It is true in as much as it can bring people to faith. Not everything in the Bible is true in the sense that some of them were just creations of the authors though they might have some reference to an event in history.
Some authors in narrating what Jesus did add something that they thought would be useful for evangelization. It is false in a sense that what they said had happened may not the same as what had actually happened but they are true in the sense that readers came to know more about Jesus in a personal sense, thus making them believers.
Jeus is the Way the TRUTH and the Life . . .
Jesus is God
The Bible is the Word of God
but the Bible is not God.
The truth in the Bible is a relative one. It is true in as much as it can bring people to faith. Not everything in the Bible is true in the sense that some of them were just creations of the authors though they might have some reference to an event in history.
Some authors in narrating what Jesus did add something that they thought would be useful for evangelization. It is false in a sense that what they said had happened may not the same as what had actually happened but they are true in the sense that readers came to know more about Jesus in a personal sense, thus making them believers.
Tuesday 5 February 2008
Inspired Writer
Another common error with regards to reading the bible is understanding what does 'inspired writers' mean.
Everyone believes that the authors of the bible were inspired by the holy spirit. This is indeed true, however, some think that as inspired authors they would be able to write an account of something that they haven't witnessed. Or maybe the authors were indeed present when the event happened and then wrote an account of the event say, 50 years later. Relying on memory alone is simply not enough to write an account of the event exactly as it happened. Again some believe that being inspired by the holy spirit one would be able to remember everything that he saw even after many years had passed.
Being inspired by the Holy Spirit does not make one a magician or someone with extra ordinary power that is not present in an ordinary man.
Being inspired by the Holy Spirit means that authors were able to write something that has the power to convert a non-believer. A piece of story that has the power to bring someone to faith.
The Bible is an all time best read book because it continues to inspire people over the years. It brings them to a personal relationship to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Everyone believes that the authors of the bible were inspired by the holy spirit. This is indeed true, however, some think that as inspired authors they would be able to write an account of something that they haven't witnessed. Or maybe the authors were indeed present when the event happened and then wrote an account of the event say, 50 years later. Relying on memory alone is simply not enough to write an account of the event exactly as it happened. Again some believe that being inspired by the holy spirit one would be able to remember everything that he saw even after many years had passed.
Being inspired by the Holy Spirit does not make one a magician or someone with extra ordinary power that is not present in an ordinary man.
Being inspired by the Holy Spirit means that authors were able to write something that has the power to convert a non-believer. A piece of story that has the power to bring someone to faith.
The Bible is an all time best read book because it continues to inspire people over the years. It brings them to a personal relationship to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Monday 4 February 2008
The Bible is Not a Book of History
While the Bible contains historical elements, i.e. accounts of things that happened in the past, nonetheless it should not be taken as such.
The bible does not aim to tell a historical account of things that happened in the past but rather it aims to bring people to faith.
Once a reader starts treating the bible as a history book,troubles start coming out. For example the Creation Story of the genesis. How can the author write a historical account of something which he did not witness at all.
Reading the Bible therefore is not learning history but knowing God personally. It's not enhancing one' s knowledge about the past but enhancing personal relationship with God,
When a reader finds something in the Bible that is historically doubltful, he shouldn't be bothred at all. What is important is that one's faith deepens by reading it.
The bible does not aim to tell a historical account of things that happened in the past but rather it aims to bring people to faith.
Once a reader starts treating the bible as a history book,troubles start coming out. For example the Creation Story of the genesis. How can the author write a historical account of something which he did not witness at all.
Reading the Bible therefore is not learning history but knowing God personally. It's not enhancing one' s knowledge about the past but enhancing personal relationship with God,
When a reader finds something in the Bible that is historically doubltful, he shouldn't be bothred at all. What is important is that one's faith deepens by reading it.
Sunday 3 February 2008
The Beatitude and Global Warming
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth . . .
Living simply is the best solution to global warming.
To be meek is to be humble and to be humble is to live simply.
Living simply means less CO2 emissions. With less carbon dioxide in the air, our planet has a big chance of survival.
Walking helps a lot, not only to our planet but also to your heart.
False needs created by advertisments is making things worse. We change mobile phones every now and then, and so with our i-pods, pc's etc. In producing loads of them because of high demand, we add more CO2 in our atmosphere.
Live simply, be meek and we can save the planet.
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