Tender Mercies, from Beginning to End [Divine Mercy]

CatholicExchange.com ^ | April 18, 2009 | Doreen Truesdell

[Salvation]

CyberAnt, not trying to convert you, just asking you to conside the last paragraph here.

Homily of the Day

Are You Missing the Most Important Part?

April 18th, 2009 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Acts 4:32-35 / 1 Jn 5:1-6 / Jn 20:19-31

A man bought the very last seat for the Superbowl.  It was a rotten seat, closer to the blimp than to the field, but early in the first quarter, he noticed an empty seat on the 50 yard line. He scrambled down and somewhat furtively sat in the seat.  “Excuse me,” he asked, “is anyone sitting here?”

“No,” said the man on his right.

“That’s incredible.  Who in his right mind would pass up a seat like this for the Superbowl?”

“Well, actually,” said the man, “the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to be here with my dear wife, but she passed away. This is the first Superbowl in twenty years that we haven’t been together.”

“How sad!” said the other fellow. “But couldn’t you find someone to come with you, a relative or a close friend?”

“No,” said the man, “they’re all at the funeral!”

+           +            +

That fellow was missing something — in the head and the heart — and he didn’t even notice.  It happens all the time.  It happened to the apostles.

For three years, Jesus had tried in hundreds of different ways to prepare them to face his death and not be afraid of what came next.  Think of all the miracles: Raising Lazarus from the tomb, silencing the storm at sea, feeding the 5000, healing countless lepers.  All that and so much more should have made them confident that Jesus was bigger than death and that death would have no final power over Him.  But it didn’t work that way.

On Easter morning Peter and John had seen the empty tomb and Mary Magdalene had talked with Jesus nearby.  But still they didn’t get it.  Paralyzed with fear and despairing of the future, they hid in a locked and darkened room and did absolutely nothing.

And so, on Easter night, Jesus came to them and tried yet again to free them from their fears.  “Here,” he said, “look at my wounds.  Touch them.  It is I: Jesus.  I’m not a ghost.  I’m alive, and whoever believes in me, even though he die, will live with me forever.  So don’t ever be afraid again!”Jesus has spoken those very words to each one of us.  But have we heard him in our hearts?  The patterns of our lives can give us an answer: Are we serene, hopeful, and of good spirit even when our troubles come in large doses?  Sometimes we are, but often we’re not.  So how deeply do we really believe in the Resurrection and what it promises us?

What stories do our faces tell?  Stories of crushed spirits or frightened hearts?  Hearts untouched by our risen Lord whom we haven’t dared to trust or hope in?  Sometimes that’s what our faces reveal.  Isn’t it a mystery how many sad and grouchy faces find their way into churches?  How can that be if we really believe Jesus is risen?

Remember the old story about the grandpa who asked his grouchy twelve year old granddaughter, “Are you happy, dear?”

“Oh yes, grandpa,” she replied.

“Then why don’t you tell your face!”

+           +            +

Jesus is risen, to walk with us till our journey is done and then to carry us home.  If we dare to trust him, every day of our journey can be a happy one — no matter how rocky the road.  That’s the wonderful life God wants for us here and now.  So why not tell your face and your heart!

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm ..?? Why don’t you ask God - since it’s HIS kingdom.

[CyberAnt]

Since your statement proves to me you know NOTHING about what’s written in the Bible .. If you had kept silent, your ignorance would have remained hidden.

[CyberAnt]

You have misinterpreted what I said - AGAIN!

[Petronski]

I wasn’t quoting the Bible. I was quoting Martin Luther.

[Petronski]

...you know NOTHING about what’s written in the Bible...

[big'ol_freeper]

It’s a done deal.

The fatal flaw of the protestant heresies....license to excuse oneself from one's behavior.

It would take a severely demented individual to come up with that kind of theology...say someone like Luther.

[CyberAnt]

Excuse me .. JESUS SAID, “IT IS FINISHED”

I was just quoting Jesus.

My understanding of the Bible is not “protestant heresies” .. my understanding is exactly what Paul taught us in the letters to the churches.

The desciples said it this way, “We believe, therefore we speak”. I speak that which I believe. If you don’t believe the same way .. that’s your priviledge .. but to condemn me for believing it .. that’s outrageous.

Even though God provided Jesus as our sacrifice, “... once, for all ...” - that doesn’t mean I believe it’s okay to continue on in your sinful ways, or to continue to commit sin when you know it’s wrong. And .. anybody who thinks I believe that .. does not know me and they are, therefore, “speaking falsely” against me.

[CyberAnt]

And .. who made you judge and jury ..??

[CyberAnt]

Well then .. I was correct .. Luther did not write the Bible and I would prefer to quote what GOD says rather than someone else’s opinion of what GOD says.

[big'ol_freeper]

Nice try. “It is finished” are different words (and meaning) than “Its a done deal”, so you could not having been quoting.

[Alas Babylon!]

And .. do me a favor - stop trying to feed me your Catholic doctrine - I’m not a Catholic and I have no intention of ever being one. I’m a Christian (a follower of Christ) FIRST - and a part of a congregation second. The denomination where I attend church is irrelevant.

You come on a Catholic thread, posting your doctrine, in opposition to what the thread concept is about, and then you demand the favor of not being "fed Catholic doctrine"?

Perhaps you should have just said nothing, or simply "X"ed out of the thread when it became apparent that it was about "Catholic doctrine".

BTW, Catholics are Christians, just like Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, etc.

[OpusatFR]

“Hmmmm ..?? Why don’t you ask God - since it’s HIS kingdom.”

Exactly. It is His Kingdom. His Kingdom is not bound by Time. God lives and creates in His Eternal Now. His creatures on earth are bound by time, not Him.

Everything that is to us, past, present and future is NOW for the Almighty. What you do in the future is NOW. What you have done in the past is NOW. As you live this very moment and read this is the closest you will get to the Eternal Now in this lifetime.

The rebellion of Lucifer and the angels is NOW.
Adam and Eve is NOW.
The Crucifixion is NOW. The Resurrection is NOW.
The Ascension is NOW.
Your assent to Salvation is NOW.
The Final Coming is NOW.

But not in our bounded Time. We are incapable of understanding the Eternal Now, which is God’s mercy to put us in a frame of reference we can understand which is a past, present, and future.

[CyberAnt]

“... We are incapable of understanding the Eternal Now, ...”

Unfortunately, Paul said it a little differently: “It has been given unto you to know the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom”.

Paul was talking to born again Christians. We aren’t born with that knowledge or even born again with that knowledge .. it comes from dedication and devotion to studying the Word of God after we become a Christian.

Paul also said that it was impossible for the “world” to know or understand the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “Ask of my Father whatever you will, in my name, and He will give it to you”. Certainly a Christian has the right to ask God to help him understand the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom .. and God will be only too happy to oblige.

[Salvation]

Thanks for that tidbit.

[CyberAnt]

ROTFLOL!!

Whatever!

[OpusatFR]

“Jesus said, “Ask of my Father whatever you will, in my name, and He will give it to you”. Certainly a Christian has the right to ask God to help him understand the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom .. and God will be only too happy to oblige.”

You are tripping into a trap believing that you can be privy to God’s knowledge just for the asking.

Better men and women than you or I have fallen into gnosticism by thinking what you posted.

[CyberAnt]

So .. you’re saying God never speaks to you .. is that the problem ..?? and because it’s not happening to you then it can’t possibly be happening to me .. is that it ..??

Or is it a case of just plain old jealousy because I believe God can and does speak to me .. and some of the things He’s told me were mind-boggling in their simplicity, but so enlightening.

Example: I wrote a Christmas play and my son and his wife who are children’s pastors presented the play at their church. As I was driving home that evening .. God began explaining to me that when Jesus went down into Hell to suffer our punishment for us, and then God summoned all his power and raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus proceeded to paralyze the devil and then Jesus paraded him through the caverns of Hell, making an open show of him (the devil). Then, as Jesus departed Hell, and stepped over into Paradise - who do you think was the first person to greet Jesus ..?? It was Joseph - the man who married Mary (Jesus’ mother).

The more I thought about that event, the more I wondered how Joseph felt being a witness to the fulfillment of God’s promise. What a blessing that must have been; what a reward for Joseph’s faithfulness .. and it also made me wonder if fathers really understand how important their role is in the life of a child.

I don’t know why people are so afraid to believe that God wants to speak to them. After all, God created us .. certainly He wants to talk to us .. and if He doesn’t .. then why did He bother creating us in the first place?

As far as my “thinking” that Jesus’ statement is true .. I’ve ask God for some hard things .. things which were granted to me. If other people don’t have the same amount of faith I have to believe God wants us blessed .. then that’s their problem .. and it has nothing to do with gnosticism .. it has to do with jealousy.

[OpusatFR]

“I’ve ask God for some hard things .. things which were granted to me. If other people don’t have the same amount of faith I have to believe God wants us blessed .. then that’s their problem .. and it has nothing to do with gnosticism .. it has to do with jealousy.”

Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”

He didn’t say, “Give us Your knowledge God.”

Jealousy has nothing to do with it. Being envious of another’s spiritual good is a severe sin.

Looking for voices to answer your questions is very dangerous spiritually.

Does God speak to me? Yes, on occasion and rarely when I need to know something about my walk.

This is all I will say on that matter.

I wish you well on your walk.