THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. 6-27-21
THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHERE THE LITTLE GIRL WAS DYING, WERE LAUGHING AT JESUS. THEY WERE MOCKING HIM BECAUSE HE SAID: THE CHILD IS NOT DEAD. SHE IS ASLEEP. “WHEN THEY SAW JESUS TAKE THE CHILD BY THE HAND AND HEARD HIS WORDS: "LITTLE GIRL, I SAY TO YOU, ARISE.” WHEN THEY SAW THE BLOOD RETURN TO HER CHEEKS; WHEN THEY SAW THE LITTLE GIRL WALK AROUND AND EAT, THEY WEREN’T LAUGHING ANYMORE.
THEY ASKED THEMSELVES: WHO IS THIS WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD? PETER, THE APOSTLE, COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION: "YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” PAUL THE APOSTLE COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION: "FOR ME LIFE IS CHRIST AND DEATH IS GAIN.
CHRISTIANITY IS THE RELIGION THAT JESUS FOUNDED 2000 YEARS AGO. CHRISTIANITY IS THE RELIGION THAT INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.
CHRISTIANITY IS THE ARCHITECT THAT DESIGNED A WORLDVIEW LIKE NO OTHER THE WORLD HAS KNOWN. THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT GOD, ABOUT SPIRIT AND MATTER, ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL MAN AND WOMAN. IT TRANSFORMED LIFE FOR WOMEN, THE WEAK THE ILL, THE AGED AND THE CHILD.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW PREPARED MANKIND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSITIES OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION OF THE MODERN AGE.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW HAS BEEN GUARDED AND PRESERVED BY THE ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SUCCESSOR OF PETER THE APOSTLE.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW BEST EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF HUMAN SEXUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN FOR LIFE. THIS WORLDVIEW BEST ENVISIONS THE TRINITY OF PERSONS IN THE FAMILY MODELLED AFTER THE TRINITY OF PERSONS IN THE GODHEAD.
THE BOOK OF GENESIS DOCUMENTS THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING IS MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE AND THAT HUMAN BEINGS WERE CREATED WITH REASON CAPABLE OF EXPLORING GOD’S WORLD. THAT ALL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS COME FROM GOD AND CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY.
THE SYNOGOGUE OFFICIAL AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE STANDING AROUND IN THE LITTLE GIRL’S BEDROOM LOOKED IN AMAZEMENT AT JESUS. COULD HE REALLY BE THE SON OF GOD? JESUS SAID TO THEM: “DO NOT BE AFRAID, JUST HAVE FAITH."
WHAT IF JESUS WAS TRULY THE SON OF GOD. WHAT WOULD THATMEAN?
IF I HAVE TAUGHT YOU ANYTHING IN 40 YEARS, I HOPE YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT FAITH STATEMENT ABOUT JESUS CHRIST IS THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD. HE IS GOD IN HUMAN FLESH.
WHY WAS THE CROWD UTTERLY ASTOUNDED WHEN JESUS RAISED THE LITTLE GIRL FROM THE DEAD? SOME THOUGHT HE WAS JUST ANOTHER RABBI—JUST ANOTHER PREACHER—JUST ANOTHER DO GOODER—JUST ANOTHER GOOD MAN.
IF JESUS IS NOT GOD THAN HE COULD NOT BE A GOOD MAN. HE WOULD BE A LIAR AND A FRAUD, PRETENDING TO BE THE SON OF GOD. YOU CANNOT DISMISS JESUS AS A GOOD MAN. AND WALK AWAY IN GOOD CONSCIENCE. HE WON’T LET YOU.
A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN SOMEONE ASKED POPE JOHN PAUL II- IS JESUS THE SON OF GOD? THIS IS WHAT HE SAID:
“DESPITE SOME COMMON ASPECTS CHRIST DOES NOT RESEMBLE MUHAMMAD OR SOCRATES OR BUDDHA. HE IS TOTALLY ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE. HE IS THE ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANKIND.”
WHY IS THE DIVINITY OF JESUS SO IMPORTANT? ALL THE FOUNDERS OF WORLD RELIGIONS ARE DEAD. JESUS IS THE ONLY FOUNDER OF A WORLD RELIGION WHO IS STILL ALIVE. HE IS THE ONLY PERSON TO WALK AWAY FROM HIS OWN GRAVE BY HIS OWN POWER.
IF YOU STUDY THE RECOGNIZED RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF ALL TIME, JESUS OF NAZARETH — AND JESUS OF NAZARETH ALONE —CLAIMED TO BE ETERNAL GOD.
MOSES DID NOT CLAIM TO BE GOD. PAUL WAS HORRIFIED WHEN PEOPLE TRIED TO WORSHIP HIM AS A GOD. MUHAMMAD INSISTED THAT HE WAS MERELY A PROPHET OF ALLAH. BUDDHA DID NOT EVEN BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF A PERSONAL GOD, CONFUCIUS WAS A SKEPTIC; ZOROASTER WAS A WORSHIPER, BUT HE WAS NOT WORSHIPED.
AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANS HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS’ DIVINITY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIED TO DEFEND THE TRUTH THAT HE PROCLAIMED: “I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE. HE WHO SEES ME SEES THE FATHER.” “NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME."
HANNAH ARENDT, A GERMAN- AMERICAN POLITICAL THINKER OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WROTE, IN HER BOOK, THE ORIGINS OFTOTALITARIANISM:
“HISTORY RECORDS THAT THE TRIUMPH OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE DAY OF THE RESURRECTION IS FINAL. WHERE ARE PILATE AND HEROD WHO DISMISSED HIM AS A FANATIC? WHERE ARE THE PHARISEES, THE SADDUCEES, THE SANHEDRIN, AND THE HIGH PRIESTS WHO CONDEMNED HIM TO DEATH? WHERE ARE THE ROMAN SOLDIERS WHO SCOURGED HIM, CROWNED HIM WITH THORNS AND NAILED HIM TO THE CROSS? WHERE IS THE CROWD WHO SCREAMED “CRUCIFY HIM”?
THEY HAVE ALL RETURNED TO THE DUST OF THE EARTH. HE ALONE IS VICTORIOUS. WE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM CAN SAY : JESUS IS ALIVE
WHEN WE CELEBRATED THE 2000 ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OFJESUS, POPE JOHN PAUL Il ASKED THIS QUESTION: “WHY DO WE NEED JESUS CHRIST? THIS IS HIS ANSWER:
"CHRIST REVEALS THE TRUTH ABOUT MAN AND MAN'S LIFE ANDDESTINY. HE SHOWS US OUR PLACE BEFORE GOD AS CREATURESAND SINNERS. HE REDEEMED US THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.”
WHY IS THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST SO IMPORTANT? WELL, IFTHE FOUNDER OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION WERE ONLY A MAN THERE WOULD BE NO URGENCY FOR US TO ACCEPT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. IF THE FOUNDER OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION WERE ONLY A HUMAN BEING, WE MIGHT ADMIRE HIS TEACHING BUT WE WOULD NOT BE OBLIGED TO FOLLOW IT. AS IT, IS WE ARE OBLIGED TO FOLLOW HIM IF HE TRULY IS GOD.
THOUSANDS, AROUND THE WORLD TODAY ARE WALKING AWAY FROM THIS ANCIENT FAITH. THEY WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. THEY WANT TO CANCEL CHRISTIANITY. TH EY WANT TO REPLACE CHRISTIANITY BY A BENIGN ATHEISM. THEY WANT TO RUN THE WORLD BY THEMSELVES. THEY ARE SO SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP OURSELVES ORDERLY AND PEACFUL WITHOUT GOD.
ACTUALLY, THE HISTORY OF MANKIND DEMONSTRATES JUST THE OPPOSITE. HUMAN BENGS CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT RELIGION. WE WILL PRACTICE SOME KIND OF RELIGION, TRUE OR FALSE. IF A PERSON DOES NOT PRACTICE TRUE RELIGION, HE WILL PRACTICE A PSEUDO-RELIGION. MAN WILL WORSHIP THE CREATOR OR HE WILL WORSHIP SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IN CREATION. THIS IS THE ORIGIN OF SUPERSTITION. SUPERSTITION EVENTUALLY LEADS TO VIOLENCE.
DO IT YOURSELF RELIGION WAS ATTEMPTED IN FRANCE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY DURING THE FRENCH REOLUTION, IT WAS A TOTAL FLOP.
DO IT YOURSELF RELIGION WAS TRIED IN GERMANY, RUSSIA AND CHINA IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. NOT ONLY WAS IT A FLOP BUT IT ENSLAVED AND KILLED 100 MILLION PEOPLE.
ANTONIO GRAMSCI, WHO DIED IN 1937, WAS ONE OF THE FATHERS OF CULTURAL MARXISM, THOUGHT THAT HE FOUND THE RELIGION THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY CANCEL OUT CHRISTIANITY. HE SAID: "SOCIALISM IS PRECISELY THE RELIGION THAT MUST OVERWHELM CHRISTIANITY." SOCIALISM WILL TRIUMPH BY FIRST CAPTURING THE CULTURE VIA INFILTRATION OF SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, CHURCHES AND THE MEDIA.
HAVE YOU NOTICED THE RAGE OF PERSECUTION AGAINST THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD TODAY?HAVE YOU NOTICED THE SPIRIT OF THE OLD PAGANISM AND MATERIALISM THAT IS ARISING IN OUR SOCIETY? SOME OF THE PAGANS ARE SO UNCOMFORTABLE WITH GOD AND RELIGION THAT THEY CAN’T WAIT TO CANCEL OUT THE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW.
THOUSANDS, AROUND THE WORLD ARE BEING PERSECUTED FOR TEACHING THIS ANCIENT FAITH. MANY IDEOLOGIES SUCH AS ATHEISM, AGNOSTICISM, MARXISM, SOCIALISM AND FASCISM ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO CANCEL THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW THAT DEVELOPED THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION. THE PRICE OF CANCELLATION MAY BE THE END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. IT IS NOT THE END OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
JESUS SAID TO THE CROWD: “SHE IS NOT DEAD. SHE IS ASLEEP”. CHRISTIANITY IS NOT DEAD. CHRISTIANS ARE ASLEEP.
FOR 71 YEARS I HAVE TRIED TO TEACH THE MEANING OF THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WORLDVIEW IS THE ONLY HOPE FOR OUR WORLD BECAUSE IT IS GOD’S PLAN—NOT OURS.
FOR 71 YEARS I HAVE TRIED TO REFLECT THE ALL-EMBRACING LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED. THE WORLD IS IN NEED OF HIS LOVE AND HIS MERCY TODAY.
I WEEP ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED BY THE SECULAR CULTURE AND THE SECULAR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY. THEY ARE IN THIS WASTELAND OF EMPTINESS. MANY OF THEM ARE SUFFERING DEPRESSION AND ADDICTION AS THEY STRUGGLE TO FIGURE OUT THE MEANING OF THEIR LIVES WITHOUT RELIGION. ROBBING THEM OF THEIR WORLDVIEW SOCIETY HAS REDUCED
THEM TO CYPHERS. THEY CALL. THEM NONES. N O N E S
I DO NOT JUDGE THEM I WEEP FOR THEM.
JESUS SAID TO THE SYNOGOGUE OFFICIAL: “DO NOT BE AFRAID.
JUST HAVE FAITH." I APPROACH THE CANCEL CULTURE WITH FAITH
AND HOPE.
ONE SIGN OF HOPE COMES FROM THE EVANGELICAL WORLD. A THEOLOGIAN BY THE NAME OF FRANCIS BECKWITH, WAS A FORMER CATHOLIC WHO SPENT 32 YEARS IN THE EVANGELICAL
MOVEMENT. HE ADVANCED TO THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT OF THE EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND PRESIDED OVER 4300 PROTESTANT THEOLOGIANS.
THROUGH AN OPEN MIND, PRAYER, GOD’S GRACE AND SEVERAL
YEARS OF INTENSIVE STUDY, MR. BECKWITH CAME TO A POINT WHERE HE ASKED HIMSELF: WHY AM NOT A CATHOLIC? HE EVENTUALLY RESIGNED FROM HIS OFFICE AND CAME BACK TO
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
REFLECTING ON HIS OWN EXPERIENCE AS A YOUNG CATHOLIC MAN, MR. BECKWITH OFFERED THIS INSIGHT INTO THIS MASS DEFECTION BY YOUNG PEOPLE. HE SAYS:
“WHAT I NEEDED, AND WHAT MANY OF US DESIRED, WERE INTELLIGENT AND WINSOME AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST WHO KNEW THE INTELLECTUAL BASIS FOR THE. CATHOLIC FAITH, WHO
RESPECTED AND UNDERSTOOD THE SOLEMNITY AND THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS BEHIND THE LITURGY, AND WHO COULD EXPLAIN THE RENEWAL MOVEMENTS IN LIGHT OF THESE."
OBVIOUSLY, HE DID NOT FIND WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SPENT 32 YEARS SEARCHING, BEFORE HE FOUND THE ANSWER TO HIS QUEST FOR TRUTH.
MANY OF OUR BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION OF MR. BECKWITH. WHO WILL GUIDE THEM?
IT IS OUR CHALLENGE AS PRIESTS, DEACONS, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS AND UNCLES NOT TO GET ON THEIR BACKS BUT TO PRAY FOR THEM AND TO LEAD THEM TO A SOURCE
THAT CAN RESOLVE THEIR DIFFICULTIES AND DOUBTS.
JESUS SAID IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: “I MUST WORK THE WORKS OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS STILL DAY. THE NIGHT WILL COME WHEN NO MAN CAN WORK.
WHILE I STILL HAVE A LITTLE DAY LEFT IN ME, I WOULD LIKE TO BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY YOUNG ADULT WHO IS SERIOUSLY SEARCHING FOR AN INTELLECTUAL BASIS FOR HIS OR HER FAITH. I WOULD CONSIDER IT A PRIVILEGE TO BE A CHANNEL OF GOD’S GRACE TO ANY SINCERE INQUIRERER. MAY GOD GIVE ME THE STRENGTH AND THE ENERGY TO
CONTINUE TO WORK IN THE VINEYARD. THE HARVEST IS HOPEFUL.