Glory

 Feast of All Saints
Gospel
Mt 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."

+

When he descended, Moses' face was
so full of God's light, he had to wear a
veil to conceal it from the Israelites.

When God gave Moses the tablets of the ten commandments, He did so  atop a mountain, and when He spoke the beatitudes to the Apostles, He likewise did so from a mountain top. Mystics, when they are favored by the Lord revealing Himself to them, speak of being lifted up by God in exaltation, and if they are bidden to speak, find great difficulty in describing something so utterly different from the ordinary reality.

It is a bread so different, that no one can describe its savor, and some saints were surrounded by indescribably beautiful perfumes. It is not that we have never smelled such aromas, but they are not like ordinary perfume, so as to signify the divine pleasure with the beloved, and to signify the holiness of God which is beyond any virtue of men.

God dwells in His own realm, separate and different from where we live. Therefore, He is not to be found in the depths of pleasure or infatuation with self. When we realize we are in His presence, we know it is He because He has revealed Himself differently from any ordinary reality, and wherever He is, there is also peace, and joy, and holiness which delight.

We do not enjoy such a moment often, nor easily, and sometimes it transcends ordinary experience so much, it cannot be taken in altogether at once. Neither do ordinary men wish to leave or forsake such bliss, to return to the ordinary existence of men. Some have made it their life's journey, to experience that goodness again, and some had to wait until they died to find their fulfillment. Some would say it is worth any struggled to experience again.

All the saints experienced the otherness of God in themselves and in life, and they were so captivated that they were recognized as holy, "saints", from the Latin word "Sanctus".

Today we celebrate these things, and I hope whoever you are, reading what I write, can recognise that summit experience in your own life. It is a blessing.

Glory

 Feast of All Saints
Gospel
Mt 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."

+

When he descended, Moses' face was
so full of God's light, he had to wear a
veil to conceal it from the Israelites.

When God gave Moses the tablets of the ten commandments, He did so  atop a mountain, and when He spoke the beatitudes to the Apostles, He likewise did so from a mountain top. Mystics, when they are favored by the Lord revealing Himself to them, speak of being lifted up by God in exaltation, and if they are bidden to speak, find great difficulty in describing something so utterly different from the ordinary reality.

It is a bread so different, that no one can describe its savor, and some saints were surrounded by indescribably beautiful perfumes. It is not that we have never smelled such aromas, but they are not like ordinary perfume, so as to signify the divine pleasure with the beloved, and to signify the holiness of God which is beyond any virtue of men.

God dwells in His own realm, separate and different from where we live. Therefore, He is not to be found in the depths of pleasure or infatuation with self. When we realize we are in His presence, we know it is He because He has revealed Himself differently from any ordinary reality, and wherever He is, there is also peace, and joy, and holiness which delight.

We do not enjoy such a moment often, nor easily, and sometimes it transcends ordinary experience so much, it cannot be taken in altogether at once. Neither do ordinary men wish to leave or forsake such bliss, to return to the ordinary existence of men. Some have made it their life's journey, to experience that goodness again, and some had to wait until they died to find their fulfillment. Some would say it is worth any struggled to experience again.

All the saints experienced the otherness of God in themselves and in life, and they were so captivated that they were recognized as holy, "saints", from the Latin word "Sanctus".

Today we celebrate these things, and I hope whoever you are, reading what I write, can recognise that summit experience in your own life. It is a blessing.

Accusation

Ex 22:20-26
Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."

Gospel Mt 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

they gathered together, and one of them,

a scholar of the law tested him by asking,

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

He said to him,

"You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and the first commandment.

The second is like it:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

+

The brazen serpent was a source of redemption,
prefiring the crucifixion.

Jesus did not kill the Pharisees for their errors, neither did He annihilate the Sadducees for their errors. It is clear they committed errors, for He says they did. Their errors remained as long as they were held. They were virtuous in that they cherished what they believed as what God taught, but what they believed was not what God taught, and Jesus came to set the record straight.

To this point, it is plain, that errors in religious thinking are not cause or license to commit genocide, and those who do will be punished. The wrong committed by those who insist on thinking the way they do, if in error, will not be expunged, and the lives disrupted will not go into eternity without remedy. Therefore, in order to have peace in life, you must avoid these errors, and the killing conducted by those in error will be accounted.

By the same token, do not think that if you are in great pain or distress, that you have committed any sin, for Jesus was sinless, and died by crucifixion nonetheless, and those who love Him often are caught up, by virtue of their great love, in a fiery trial which will only benefit the sufferer.

In the fire of that trial, I know all too well that He nevertheless lifts me up out of myself so my suffering is crushing, and though there seem to be no reason to weep, I cannot help but weep, even within myself in darkness, silence and solitude, as Jesus experienced it. But by allowing myself to be immersed in suffering this way, His love all the sweeter for it, and I know He holds good things in store for those imitators of Himself who dare all for His love's sake.

In the room of suffering there is heard the lamentation of those in woe, but as well, the songs of angels who worship God and His love, so evident there.

In the garden, in the evening, the darkness settles gently over it, the Lord is suddenly present, and the fragrance of His holiness is everywhere to comfort those who love Him, and to immerse the beloved in love in which one learns to forget altogether. In this is my hope, for I have spent more than enough evenings in the throes of His love, even in spite of my sins and faults.

Trust the judgement of the Lord; though you may think you have sinned, and are accused of wrong, it is the Lord who chooses to believe in your innocence, so you may approach Him fearlessly and in bliss, redolent of His love. If you have wronged, He will speak to you so you may be forgiven and judgement never enter into the picture. Blessed the person who allows the Lord to believe in them. Blessed the Lord who desires us to be blameless and does not hold our errors against us. Bear the cross as it is, and believe that your time on it is measured, and when it it is appropriate, will end.

Can I be mistaken in what I perceive and feel in my hands and feet or in my heart? I feel His wounds and I feel His pain and I love Him as He is in all His endeavors. It comes when I am free to suffer for Him and do not have to deal with the world at the moment, and so I am at peace that enduring the pain is of value to the Lord as an occupation in itself since He is finished with the cross, and only allows Himself to be fixed to it again in order to be about the business of the salvation of His children.

I know there is evil in the world, and its intent is nothing laudable. But I also know the Lord is victorious and completes all His initiatives. The world will be freed of evil, and though demonic beings roam through the world lost forever, I think they are here for longer than three days of darkness, and we ought to enclose ourselves in His love to worship Him until we are free to roam about the world ourselves. Great damage and destruction may be done, but remember that He created the universe in its entirety, and can do it again as well. One day the lion will lay down with the lamb and not fear the terrible teeth of the beasts. Believe in His good deeds and look forward to all He does for us until the ending is upon us. Trust in Him that all things will be arranged as He likes.

Accusation

Ex 22:20-26
Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."

Gospel Mt 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

they gathered together, and one of them,

a scholar of the law tested him by asking,

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

He said to him,

"You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and the first commandment.

The second is like it:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

+

The brazen serpent was a source of redemption,
prefiring the crucifixion.

Jesus did not kill the Pharisees for their errors, neither did He annihilate the Sadducees for their errors. It is clear they committed errors, for He says they did. Their errors remained as long as they were held. They were virtuous in that they cherished what they believed as what God taught, but what they believed was not what God taught, and Jesus came to set the record straight.

To this point, it is plain, that errors in religious thinking are not cause or license to commit genocide, and those who do will be punished. The wrong committed by those who insist on thinking the way they do, if in error, will not be expunged, and the lives disrupted will not go into eternity without remedy. Therefore, in order to have peace in life, you must avoid these errors, and the killing conducted by those in error will be accounted.

By the same token, do not think that if you are in great pain or distress, that you have committed any sin, for Jesus was sinless, and died by crucifixion nonetheless, and those who love Him often are caught up, by virtue of their great love, in a fiery trial which will only benefit the sufferer.

In the fire of that trial, I know all too well that He nevertheless lifts me up out of myself so my suffering is crushing, and though there seem to be no reason to weep, I cannot help but weep, even within myself in darkness, silence and solitude, as Jesus experienced it. But by allowing myself to be immersed in suffering this way, His love all the sweeter for it, and I know He holds good things in store for those imitators of Himself who dare all for His love's sake.

In the room of suffering there is heard the lamentation of those in woe, but as well, the songs of angels who worship God and His love, so evident there.

In the garden, in the evening, the darkness settles gently over it, the Lord is suddenly present, and the fragrance of His holiness is everywhere to comfort those who love Him, and to immerse the beloved in love in which one learns to forget altogether. In this is my hope, for I have spent more than enough evenings in the throes of His love, even in spite of my sins and faults.

Trust the judgement of the Lord; though you may think you have sinned, and are accused of wrong, it is the Lord who chooses to believe in your innocence, so you may approach Him fearlessly and in bliss, redolent of His love. If you have wronged, He will speak to you so you may be forgiven and judgement never enter into the picture. Blessed the person who allows the Lord to believe in them. Blessed the Lord who desires us to be blameless and does not hold our errors against us. Bear the cross as it is, and believe that your time on it is measured, and when it it is appropriate, will end.

Can I be mistaken in what I perceive and feel in my hands and feet or in my heart? I feel His wounds and I feel His pain and I love Him as He is in all His endeavors. It comes when I am free to suffer for Him and do not have to deal with the world at the moment, and so I am at peace that enduring the pain is of value to the Lord as an occupation in itself since He is finished with the cross, and only allows Himself to be fixed to it again in order to be about the business of the salvation of His children.

I know there is evil in the world, and its intent is nothing laudable. But I also know the Lord is victorious and completes all His initiatives. The world will be freed of evil, and though demonic beings roam through the world lost forever, I think they are here for longer than three days of darkness, and we ought to enclose ourselves in His love to worship Him until we are free to roam about the world ourselves. Great damage and destruction may be done, but remember that He created the universe in its entirety, and can do it again as well. One day the lion will lay down with the lamb and not fear the terrible teeth of the beasts. Believe in His good deeds and look forward to all He does for us until the ending is upon us. Trust in Him that all things will be arranged as He likes.

Silence

Silence, except my mind is never silent. This apartment complex houses over 300 other people like me, and the freeway a short distance away, is never silent, never still, never quiet.

If you like silence or at least quiet, situations in which something is always running just below the threshold of conscious hearing is an annoyance. Yet for someone wishing to follow the call of the Master to seek Him in silence has a problem is he is afraid to be alone, especially in silence.

It may drive you mad, not that silence is so hard to handle, but because you would think  a God who called a man might say something more often, so he does not feel ill at ease or, even worse, as if he has offended the one whose call he is trying to answer.

You might wonder why a God would do such a thing, but He does have a sense of humor; all intelligent sentient beings do. But don't think His sense of humor is the same as yours - it's not. And what might tickle the Lord of Heaven above might not be taken the same by His creatures, because He is nothing like them, and at the same time universally the same, so that one can draw at least one conclusion; all who are called heard the call in the stillness, in the silence, and in many cases, endless darkness, dying for a ray of light and hope and a little genuine peace in which everything is resolved. There is nothing worse than when such things are not resolved.

Must we go to the grave and suffer all the changes of leaving earthly life behind, only to feel like we got off the train at the wrong stop and do not know where we are?

He will be along shortly, and you can take it up with Him. Undoubtedly the first thing you'll notice is the smile on His Face ....

Silence

Silence, except my mind is never silent. This apartment complex houses over 300 other people like me, and the freeway a short distance away, is never silent, never still, never quiet.

If you like silence or at least quiet, situations in which something is always running just below the threshold of conscious hearing is an annoyance. Yet for someone wishing to follow the call of the Master to seek Him in silence has a problem is he is afraid to be alone, especially in silence.

It may drive you mad, not that silence is so hard to handle, but because you would think  a God who called a man might say something more often, so he does not feel ill at ease or, even worse, as if he has offended the one whose call he is trying to answer.

You might wonder why a God would do such a thing, but He does have a sense of humor; all intelligent sentient beings do. But don't think His sense of humor is the same as yours - it's not. And what might tickle the Lord of Heaven above might not be taken the same by His creatures, because He is nothing like them, and at the same time universally the same, so that one can draw at least one conclusion; all who are called heard the call in the stillness, in the silence, and in many cases, endless darkness, dying for a ray of light and hope and a little genuine peace in which everything is resolved. There is nothing worse than when such things are not resolved.

Must we go to the grave and suffer all the changes of leaving earthly life behind, only to feel like we got off the train at the wrong stop and do not know where we are?

He will be along shortly, and you can take it up with Him. Undoubtedly the first thing you'll notice is the smile on His Face ....

Everything

See everything in the light of God, for
ir matters more than any earthly thing.

Their weapons made them strong, but they did not make them wise. God gives wisdom, and often, it is gained by constant struggle, and not without gratitude. Humility makes men wise, and humility is born of a great deal of pain.

The modern obsession with comfort and pleasure and having fun has gotten people universally into trouble, and sometimes they were lost.

Blessed is the man who sees the pain he endured and it's connection with salvation. If you recognize your mistakes, sometimes the knowledge gained can make a happy time, for joy comes out of great pains and sufferings borne with a strength just barely sufficient for the need.

The longing to be lifted up is the grace of God embracing you, giving you a reason to live, and a reason to endure. He reveals Himself when seeing Him will do the most good, and not go to waste or be squandered on trivialities.

Unless we are reduced to such straits, we will not sail where He needs us to go, for the waves break over the reef and you can clearly see the danger of being pounded on the coral, hard as rock and sharp as shark's teeth.

The way you went in, is the way you must go out if you want to venture on.

The most terrible sting is sometimes the man you loved the most, or whom you thought was a true friend. But there are times people like to play games, and the play causes a great hurt. They may not have intended so much pain, but there it is. What we do with it shows the Lord who we really are. To continue to be the gentle, loving creature who so captured Jesus' Heart is to triumph, and He doesn't mind lifting up someone who has suffered greatly, so he knows the love of God toward them without a doubt.

It is important to be true to one another, for God gives us our friends, and true friends invariably need us. Some people are willing to throw away friendship because the game of power is so compelling they can't say no to themselves, and instead, they are more than ready to destroy, invade and kill, even though having what they want means it will be totally laid waste. Woe to a man who casts away divine friendship for power and profit. It paints a man in the lousiest colors there are.

God is above the pettiness of politics and power, or empires and marketplaces. The little  people of the world suffer because they do not have the knowledge that brings power. Instead God gives them knowledge of Himself, and they would not trade it for anything.

When God is all we have, we should be grateful for what we have because it is no mean thing. What God gives, no man can take away, but he can give it away himself, and sob without comfort as he sits in the dirt of the floor pondering what he lost.