Christian Healing Fellowship

Sunday School For Adults: Introduction

2010-04-11T18:45:00.005-04:00

Most of us learned of the Bible as children or if we came to seek religious instruction later in life we were also given a beginners view of the stories and moral lessons found there. Yet, anyone who takes on the serious task of reading the Bible for themselves soon realizes that this great collection of literature, history, and wisdom is not composed of quaint children's stories and easily understood moral instructions but is laced throughout with sex, violence and moral conflict. There are in many places conflicting information that if not placed into context will lead the seeker further form the goal of understanding the lessons found in this remarkable collection of writings which span thousands of years. Understanding the source of these conflicts is the key to understanding the messages passed down to us from the ancients as they evolved on their path which is also, in the final examination, the same as our own.

Adult Education on the bible

In the following series we are going to present an adult education course on the Bible. We are not interested in doctrine but in knowledge and wisdom. It is not our hope to change the way you believe but to expand understanding about where your beliefs may have been derived. It may surprise some of you to find that many of the conflicts of doctrine that divide us within the Judeo-Christian faiths have roots going back many thousands of years. When we were children we dealt with conflict in childish ways. Today, in a world of new understanding based on scholarship, fresh archeological discoveries, and linguistic refinements of our understanding of ancient languages we have an opportunity to come to terms with old conflicts in optimistic hope of greater unity.

For our main text we will loosely follow The Bible for Dummies by Jeffrey Geoghegan, PhD and Michael Homan, PhD. This well researched book will provide interesting facts and structure around which we can form our speculative discussion. Yes, we are going to muse rather than defensively hide behind scripture to support dogma. There is only one proof of Divinity and it is in the actions of daily life not in triumphant interpretation of scripture over heretics. There is only one triumph which we can be assured of and that is the ascendancy of mercy and justice. Neither of these qualities exist in disputation. Those who seek to win the doctrinal battle lose sight of the one truth that unites us all. Not that we should not engage in active confrontation against evil but that we that we should avoid rhetorical posturing and concentrate on real action towards being the guardians and promoters of God’s Sovereignty on earth.

We hope that you will enjoy our journey from Creation to Revelation and join in the conversation along the way.

Just what is the Bible?

Is it the written word of God? It was not all chiseled on stone. The collection of works we call the Bible was not written by a single individual or even a group of individuals who singular views:

“The Bible includes legal texts, history, poetry, philosophy, music, personal correspondence, and prophesies. Those who wrote the Bible were also a diverse bunch, and include shepherds, kings, farmers, priests, poets, scribes, prophets, and fishermen (to name a few). There is also quite a moral diversity among the biblical authors, from morally upright citizens, to, let’s say, morally challenged individuals. For example, among those contributing to the Bible, you find traitors, embezzlers, adulterers, murderers, and – brace yourself – ancient IRS workers (yes, we were shocked too).” The Bible For Dummies p.10

So does this mean it is not the written word of God? No, of course not. But we would be wise to admit that all sacred literature reflects the inner nature of God’s creation, man. But what makes the writings found in the Bible so special? Well, for one, they represent traditions dating back thousands of years. Then too, the diversity of material is extraordinary. But what is really amazing is the story of hope, faith and spiritual evolution that is interweaved throughout the entire volume we now refer to as “The Bible”.

Where It Came From

The Hebrew Bible which Christians refer to as the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The Torah, which Jewish tradition tells us was written by Moses, makes up the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Again, Jewish tradition tells us that the other books were written by ancient authors who lived close to the time of the events which they described. There are several reasons why this simple assumption should be questioned which we will go into as time goes by and we look deeper into the individual works of both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian writings.

Torah means “instruction” or “law”. This does not exactly define Torah for us even though we think we have a pretty clear idea what those two words mean. The problem is that we know what those words mean to us today living in our world with our current world view. What id those words mean 2000 BCE, 1000 BCE, 500 BCE or 100 CE? Did the words mean the same to a prince, a priest, or a pauper? Most of the words we read in the ancient books of the Bible have a different meaning to us today. We are steeped in Greek abstract concepts to such an extent that we can only with difficulty think in concrete terms and ancient Hebrew was very, very concrete. Unlike our language which we snap together like Lego Blocks out of root phonemes the basic block of Hebrew was the pictographic character. Aleph was a bull’s head. Bet a floor plan of a tent, Gimel was a foot for example. Like hieroglyphics each letter had a concrete significance that the meaning was derived from. There were no vowels. Pronunciation was memorized by the students as taught by the Master. “Instruction” was a mystical process where the revered teacher imparted the sacred knowledge of sounds and symbols to gifted students. This occurred in a world where almost no one could read. There were no printing presses spewing out written material, no television advertisements with witty slogans, no bill boards lining the roads, there was nothing at all of this world of written words we are literally surrounded with everyday. The master was not just another teacher in a classroom somewhere, he was a wise saint to be revered and emulated in every way. His path was the path of orderliness which the diligent student tried to follow as closely as possible. The Torah was not just a bunch of laws; it was the holy path on which the diligent masters and students participated together in the passing on higher wisdom from generation to generation. Learning to read, write, and understand the special meanings of the words of the Torah as it was taught by your special master, of whom you were not even worthy to tie his sandal laces, was a most sacred privilege, it was a holy experience each step of the way, and it was extremely rare in the world thousands of years ago.

Large portions of the Bible are comprised of special poetry that was intended to be chanted. Hebrew poetry differs from what we are used to, it plays on repetition of sounds and subtle wordplay in ways that are spectacularly invocative. The powerful poetry of the opening lines of Genesis is Shakespearian in its masterful rhythm and resonance of tones. It reminds me of Macbeth’s “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble “, for indeed, these lines of the creation when chanted in Hebrew are among the most mystical and captivating verses known to mankind. Like so many other parts of the Bible this section stands alone in it’s beautify and spiritual significance. The fact that we can hold the Bible in our hand all neatly printed and bound does a real disservice to our understanding of the tremendous breadth, depth, and height of the conceptual container required to contain even a small portion of the rich treasures that lie between each letter of each word within its covers.

The Potential of a Vessel

2009-10-27T17:10:00.005-04:00

The transitional stage of a seeker is like the chrysalis stage of a butterfly, the last repose before the glory and ascendance to full maturity. The external appearance tells little of the great potential that lays hidden.

What is that potential?

It is the potential of a vessel, which is the ability to accept, contain and distribute God’s Love. The Holy Spirit trickles deep within the aspirant: As a small stream etches a path into rock the Spirit of God begins to increase the aspirant’s capacity to contain divine energy. The divine energy of any sacrament is the Love of God made manifest by the outpouring of evolutionary gifts of the spirit.

A Prayer for Enlightening the Mind

2009-06-16T18:18:00.003-04:00

From THE IMITATION OF CHRIST by Thomas A Kempis

Enlighten me, good Jesus, with the brightness of internal light, and
take away all darkness from the habitation of my heart. Restrain my
wandering thoughts and suppress the temptations which attack me so
violently. Fight strongly for me, and vanquish these evil beasts--the
alluring desires of the flesh--so that peace may come through Your
power and the fullness of Your praise resound in the holy courts, which
is a pure conscience. Command the winds and the tempests; say to the
sea: "Be still," and to the north wind, "Do not blow," and there will
be a great calm.

Send forth Your light and Your truth to shine on the earth, for I am as
earth, empty and formless until You illumine me. Pour out Your grace
from above. Shower my heart with heavenly dew. Open the springs of
devotion to water the earth, that it may produce the best of good
fruits. Lift up my heart pressed down by the weight of sins, and direct
all my desires to heavenly things, that having tasted the sweetness of
supernal happiness, I may find no pleasure in thinking of earthly
things.

Snatch me up and deliver me from all the passing comfort of creatures,
for no created thing can fully quiet and satisfy my desires. Join me to
Yourself in an inseparable bond of love; because You alone can satisfy
him who loves You, and without You all things are worthless.

The Holistic Basis of Life

2008-12-07T19:02:00.001-05:00

The greatest and perhaps most secret blessing comes as a sacred birthright to every living creature from the least to the greatest without limitation. The degree to which anyone receives this ultimate treasure is entirely dependent on their willingness to abide by the natural contract that binds all spirits of flesh. This holy contract, written in the precise language of the soul, binds us together, from the least to the greatest, in sacred co-existence with all of life and permits us to enjoy that fountain from which flows unlimited vitality.

There is a mysterious unseen world, which persists without boundaries, that our flesh bound senses are denied access to, in which all living creatures share a single glorious spiritual connection. The wonderful truth, the great news that should be shouted from the roof-tops is that we are not, never have been, and never will be alone.

Forget that existential nonsense that we are alienated beings in a lifeless universe. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are, whether we care to believe or not, interconnected with all life. Not only are we connected to all other life forms on Earth, we are capable of maintaining contact with life beyond our terrestrial existence. No, not space aliens, but rather with a loving, caring, Heavenly Family.

The Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Communion

2008-07-27T15:47:00.005-04:00

Major Doctrines

If asked what have been the major interpretations of the doctrine of the Real Presence over the years I am afraid that unless I have access to some detailed notes I would be in great trouble. Remembering names and dates have never been my strong point. So let me just outline, mostly for my benefit, the concepts involved which I am more likely to recall when asked, after which I then I can encourage anyone who wants a more detailed explanation to consult an authoritative reference for themselves.

Basically there are four different views; the Real Objective Presence, Receptionism, Virtualism, and Zwinglianism। Those who believe in the Real Objective Presence believe in the presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Host after it has been consecrated. Those who do attempt to explain the Real Objective Presence fall under two categories; those who hold to transubstantiation and those who believe in consubstantiation. The former holds that the bread and wine are entirely changed into the Body and Blood of Christ even though the outward appearance remains the same. With Consubstantiation the bread and wine remain but they coexist with the Body and Blood of Christ. Receptionism holds that the bread and wine remain unchanged during consecration but the faithful receive the body and blood of Christ in the communion though the virtue of faith. The doctrine of Virtualism states that the bread and wine remain the same but being sanctified they become the sacramental Body and Blood of Christ. Zwinglianism teaches that the bread and wine are mere symbols used in remembrance of that event which took place at the end of the Last Supper.

Now, having said all that, I admit I am still confused as might also be anyone who wished an explanation from me on this topic. To clarify things I would like to visit upon what I believe is the real significance of the Holy Host, how it is brought into being, and how extraordinarily correct Archbishop Wedgwood was in his interpretation of this matter.

What Do Liberal Catholics Believe

So, what do Liberal Catholics mean when they say they believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Communion?

We teach that in the Holy Eucharist the substance of the bread and wine become linked, or polarized, on the Life of the Christ and become literal outposts of His Life and His Consciousness. -Teachings of the LCCI

To the Liberal Catholic the Presence is objective and real but not of carnal significance. The consecrated Bread and Wine are the vehicle through which through which Christ expresses His Life and blessing.

My Understanding

I view the blessing of the Host as the magical unification of the congregation and the surrounding environment with Christ. This occurs through a collective acknowledgement of the bounty of God’s blessings and sacrifice as expressed in the participation in the celebration and adoration of the Holy Communion and by the operations of the Priest or Bishop, who acting in the role of Christ repeats His formula as was ordained by Him and initiated by His original intention and sustained by His continued intimate presence. The celebrant of the Mass serves as a specially prepared physical vessel, prepared by the character received in his ordination, through which passes the Grace of our Lord to the physical species of bread and wine. The bread, which is made from the many individual grains gathered together from many hills, represents the body of Christ, that is, the true church; the gathering of all faithful. The wine represents the cost of Divine Love, the true and lasting sacrifice, which is dispensed to us freely by God, that Holy Sacrifice in which we are invited to join to our eternal salvation by partaking of the cup that Jesus accepted as the true Son of the Father:

We lay before Thee, 0 Lord, these Thy creatures of bread and wine, in + token of our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; for here we offer and present unto Thee ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a holy and continual sacrifice unto Thee, that we, who are very members incorporate in the mystical body of Thy Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, may hear that His most joyful voice: ‘Come unto Me, 0 ye that be blessed of My Father, and possess the kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world,’ through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God throughout all ages of ages. R/. Amen. -Ordo Missae

The bread and wine are not ordinary symbols because the meaning and purpose that Jesus conveyed to His disciples transcends mere word play. Our sustenance is maintained at a cost. Both the grains of the bread and the grapes of the wine were once very much alive, growing in the field; the harvest of their life was the giving up of life that really belongs, as does all life, to God:

We adore Thee, 0 God, who art the source of all life and goodness, and with true and thankful hearts we offer unto Thee this token of Thine own life-giving gifts bestowed upon us, Thou who art the giver of all. -Ordo Missae

It is not about normal substances but about the Spirit of Holy Communion which we strengthen when we gather together by participating in this most holy ritual. It is not just the bread and wine that undergo spiritual transubstantiation but all the participants of the sacred feast who also change in their inner attributes. Just as the Bread and Wine are changed by the operations on the altar the congregation is changed by their active cooperation by intentionally partaking of the Holy Host. Christ, through the Priest as His earthly minister bestows the Grace of God which is concentrated in the Bread and Wine. That Grace, now under the veil of the physical limitations of the Bread and Wine, has been made suitable for reception by the physical participants who share in that Most Holy Sacrament of our Lord’s Body and Blood. The miracle that occurs on the altar happens under the God’s Law which to man is magical or as Archbishop James I. Wedgwood succinctly states ,“The magic, so far as it is magic, is Christ’s, not the priest’s, and we accept it with all reverence and gratitude.”

It is because of our limitations that we do not see that all that surrounds us as a continuum. The bread and wine never had an existence separate from the world in which they exist. It is only man’s blindness that causes him to suffer from separation from unity with all life. The blessing of the Host takes advantage of that continuum to link the Grace of God to the Bread and Wine which then becomes the vehicle, as Jesus was when he occupied an earthly body, for the bestowal of Grace from the smaller manifestation of individuality to the greater manifestation of the assembly of the faithful. Who was Jesus the person? He was not a just collection of atomic particles. He, like all physical emanations, maintained a set of distinct intentions which activated those basic elements of which he and all creation is composed. He, unlike all others contained a very transcendent set of intentions one of which was that we should continue to sustain ourselves from those gifts which He, Christ, offered to His disciples. His intention is the catalyst which alters the base intention of the host into the Divine Eternal Intention within the Holy Host.

Within substance theory there is a view of substance as being defined by a bundle of attributes. I posit that the attributes of bread are caused by the intentions of bread which are for the most part the same intentions of all matter except it also has the added potential benefits that may be derived from the attributes of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, enzymes, etc that make up its structure. None of these attributes are changed by the actions on the altar. Yet, we may attest that there has indeed been a change by the very evidence of experience. The miracles that have been recorded from the beginning are not attributes of ordinary bread but are the attributes of Christ’s Intention. To still call it bread and of the same substance would be a great blunder. The Bread has become Christ because it contains God’s Intention just as Jesus was Christ. His body is defined not by its accidental form but by the mysterious Holy Will which is housed there in.

As it is true with the Bread it is also true with the Assembly. The quickening that they experience is reception of the Light of God as they experience Holy Communion:

Mankind lives in illusion and separateness until it awakens the Light within so that it becomes one with the Universal Light without and is reintegrated consciously into the mystical Body of Christ. Our Lord is ever thus scattering the fragments of His Life upon the altars of His holy Church, so that we, participating in that Life, may quicken and fan within ourselves the flame of our own inner divinity. -Wedgwood

The preparation includes much more than just reciting a blessing. The Mass is an ascending path that takes the participants through the processes of cleansing, enlightening, and finally union with God. This path is followed by mental and emotional attunement to a series of physical acts with physical articles which occupy physical space. Yet that which transpires is a spiritual cleansing, a spiritual learning, and a spiritual union. It is a necessary physical path that takes us to union with our Creator for we ourselves are bound to this physical plane:

The outward and visible sign, in the case of Holy Communion, is the taking of physical sustenance. This places our hearts and minds into accord with the idea of receiving our soul’s sustenance. It is the physical token of the spiritual gift. By appealing to our senses it rightly orients our consciousness for the attentive reception of the higher gift. -Wedgwood

It is like the requirements for good radio reception. Even though radio waves are propagated widely they cannot be received unless there are a certain physical elements which are able to vibrate at frequencies that are the same or harmonious with the signal. An antenna with a tuning circuit composed of capacitors and inductors can be designed to resonate near the desired frequency when in the presence of the signal activity. This may be compared to the purification process in which the environment and participants are brought into closer harmony with higher consciousness. But the radio signals that are broadcast from our various stations are more than just electromagnetic radiation they contain information that is modulated onto the carrier signal. In the case of an AM signal that information can be detected by the addition of a diode to our circuit. This is much like the process of learning that contributes to our illumination. It is constructive teaching which develops our discernment so that we are able to detect wisdom from the background information. But, alas, still we as humans cannot hear what goes on in an electronic circuit. For us to able to truly experience the broadcast as it was intended to be heard we need a transducer; in the case of our radio receiver that function is performed by a speaker which changes the electro-magnetic energy into mechanical energy which then we can hear as sound. It is the transducer that bridges two different modes of energy. The Holy Host, the Body and Blood of our Eternal Mediator, is a transducer between the Glorious Kingdom of God and our mundane mechanical existence.

Now having laid out this modern metaphor lets revisit those views of Real Presence. First let us look at the relevance of Zwinglianism. Is it sufficient to have a speaker setting isolated on a shelf in your living room to derive gratification from honoring the great sounds and voices that once resounded from its conical structure? The sentimental clinging to an inanimate and disconnected object is perhaps more akin to idol worship.

It has been stated that Receptionism holds that the bread and wine remain unchanged during consecration but the faithful receive the body and blood of Christ in the communion though their virtue and faith. This would have us believe that it is the energy of the listener that activates the speaker. It is as if the speaker remained silent as it was not connected to the circuit but it did not matter because the imaginative listener heard the music anyway.

With Virtualism we have a great notion that the speaker is the same speaker when activated as when inactive but is of higher value being connected. That may be true but there are measurable changes that occur within the magnetic coil and paper cone of the speaker when excited which are caused by the presence of an electromotive force. If we were to attempt to accurately measure the physical dimensions of the paper cone we will find that it is changing so rapidly during each millisecond that at best were can only describe it in terms of probability. In fact the entire he tuned circuit from the antenna to the speaker no longer can be considered as an isolated entity but it is now part of a larger system that includes the broadcast station and the entire radio magnetic lobe propagated by the transmitting antenna.

In the case of Transubstantiation it is possible to understand that the speaker is no longer a speaker, so to speak, for it has become the part of the substance of the radio station; that is a component of a larger system. The formerly static entity is sufficiently different from the new object whose molecules are now dancing in patterns than occupy a much different signature in time and space and now brings the listener into an intimacy not possible with a disconnected object. Thereby with some metaphysical semantics it can be determined to be something quit substantially unique. This line of logic unfortunately does not rule out the simple notion that the unchanging design of the speaker itself is still a factor in the quality of reception thereby giving the speaker a co-substantive role. In my mind the hair splitting here clouds the importance of what this all means.

If the bread and wine were changed into fairy dust it would not be of any import as long as it remained isolated from our world. The relevance to any change that occurs is that we are part of it for not only do we who participate in the liturgy have active roles in doing this work but we are further bidden to join in the intimacy of consuming the consecrated Bread and Wine being fully aware that they are so much more than common bread and wine. We accept them as the Body and Blood of Christ. This is a hard teaching indeed for those who do not understand the inner meaning and are left with the repugnant proposition of cannibalism. They would need to understand that the Body and Blood here referred to is not related in specie but in semblances between two very different worlds.

When Jesus raised the cup and said, “This is my blood”, what was he referring to? The wine? No, the bread and wine were simply instrumental to His drawing to the attention His disciples to what they needed to understand in that late hour that was essential for their spiritual sustenance. It was the ‘This’ that was important:

‘Twas God the Word that spake it;
He took the bread and break it;
And what the Word did make it;
That I believe and take it.’ -Attributed to Queen Elizabeth I

“This’ is what He meant. It was not the wine but His holy Intention which flowed from Him to the wine then to those who shared the experience in that room. The substance which is offered to us is a Blood of entirely different specie than the blood that flows in our veins. Our blood, which is an amazing miracle, sustains our bodies but it is limited to our corporeal functions; the Blood of Christ is the greatest of miracles for it is unlimited and everlasting. Analyzing, debating, and claiming understanding is perhaps a worthwhile pastime for theologians but it is of little use on the altar. That which works simply works. We turn on our radios and are pleased to hear music. Who has ever adequately explained magnetism? For all our science the magnetism that activates the speaker in our radio it is still a great mystery. Fortunately we do not need to understand magnetism to be able to make use of its properties. How much more so is the mystery of Christ? Fortunately perfect understanding is not required. The gift of God’s Grace is freely given to all who partake in the Holy Communion.

Works Cited

Teachings of the LCCI; http://www.liberalcatholic.org/teachings.html.

James I. Wedgwood, The Presence of Christ in the Holy Communion. San Diego, California :St. Alban Press

Ordo Missae The Holy Eucharist of the Liberal Catholic Rite in Latin and English. San Diego, California: St. Alban Press

Like a Righteous Angel

2008-05-13T19:31:00.003-04:00

Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like."
Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel."
Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying whom you are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out."
And he took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?"
Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up." Gospel of Thomas 13

Jesus seemed concerned with the way he was perceived by his disciples when he said; "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like" If he was so concerned, when he was here among us, that those close to him perceived him correctly then perhaps this passage speaks more directly to those who have never seen him. It is most interesting that when Peter says he is like a righteous angel, Jesus does not correct him. Nor does he correct Matthew who compares him to a wise philosopher. However, when Thomas calls him master, he is immediately corrected and accused him of drunkenness. Perhaps Thomas was so full in his awe that he no longer thirsted for the truth.

Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent." Gospel of Thomas 28

Now we do not know what Jesus had to say when he took Thomas away for a private talk but it can be assumed that poor Thomas was very rigorously corrected. "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me,” can only mean that if the other disciples knew the severity of his mistake that they too would have punished him.

Jesus had no problem with being identified as a righteous angel or a wise philosopher but did not like the label ‘master’. Why? Was it because angels and philosophers raise men but masters diminish men? He was trying to get his followers to be like him but Thomas remained in subservience to the image of Jesus not to the Father. Jesus kept teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven and Thomas was confused by the appearance of their earthy relationship. As a wise philosopher he corrected him.

His disciples said, "When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?"
Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the son of the living one, and you will not be afraid" Gospel of Thomas 37

Jesus was not revealed to Thomas because of the “garments” that prevented him from seeing. Clothing in Jesus’ time, just like today, is the symbol of our status. The way we dress identifies who we are just as titles identify who we are. Doctor, teacher, master, or priests are labels that are worn like clothing but they do not tell us anything about who the wearer really is. In fact the garments that we wear can support the false-self that keeps us from God and estranges us from our fellow man. Like a righteous angel, Jesus was bringing God’s truth to Thomas. Holy angels are not our masters. We are not to worship them. They are themselves solely devoted to God and we would be well advised to follow their example.

How the Teaching of Original Sin Misses the Mark

2007-12-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

If we were to take the story of Adam and Eve literally we would be hard pressed to explain many details. Ignoring that we have a talking snake and a seemingly less then omniscient God, if Adam and Eve were the first people then who did their descendents have children with; their unnamed sisters? Literal interpretations have led to some seriously erroneous conclusions regarding women, mankind, the role of the serpent, and the very nature of God. If on the other hand we view this tale from within the perspectives and purposes of the ancient storytellers and the expectations and associations in the minds of the ancient audience we have a wondrously magic tale which explains the relationship of men and women and also which invites investigation into a most secret wisdom. Whereas the sterile literal interpretation has allowed a host of unsupported mythical accretions to breed, the hidden meaning, in its virginal purity, remains fenced in a secret garden, ever flowering like the Tree of Life. Where one has offered the inky stain of original sin and the corruptness of women the other offers precious pearls of ancient wisdom and an indication of mankind’s special partnership with God.

The first mention in the Old Testament of sin is in the story of Cain and Abel. Nowhere in the story of the Garden of Eden are used any of the many words in Hebrew for the different types of sin. So, we are obliged to infer from the context of the story and not the actual words used by the recorders of this tale if we are to find evidence of sin. In examining the text for clues of sin we must first come to an understanding of what constituted sin in the culture in which this story was first told. In the case of Cain we first encounter the Hebrew word “chatta’ah” which means “offence” or perhaps “habitual sinfulness” where God counsels Cain as to the reason why his sacrifice was not sufficient. Interestingly the actual slaying of Abel was not called a sin by God. Is this perhaps because Cain was too primitive to understand the nature of his act? It is Cain himself who said to God “greater is my punishment than I can stand”. The word “punishment” is translated from the Hebrew word “’avon” which is also used to mean morally evil or sin.

The next reference to sin is in reference to the men of Sodom who were evil, “ra”. They did chata’ah, which is also an offence against God. The hard hearted Pharaoh did “chata” against the wishes of God which means to miss the mark. He pleaded for his “chet’” or crime to be forgiven (Exodus 10:16-17). Another word that is translated as sin is “chazaq” which means hard, strong, or violent. In Exodus 34:7 we are told that our Lord forgives perversity “’avon”, rebellion “pasha”, and violent behavior “chazaq”. In Leviticus 5:18 we find “shgagah” the sin of ignorance. In Leviticus 26:40 we have “ma’al” treachery. In Number 25:1 we find “zanah”, to commit adultery.

We can dispense outright with the sins of adultery, perversity, treachery, or violence as they just do not fit the story line. Surely no one could charge them with a crime as when Pharaoh broke his promise to let the Israelites go. There is no mention of them being sworn not to eat of the forbidden fruit. They were simply enjoined not to eat thereof. Neither does the charge of rebellion really fit. The serpent raised Eve’s curiosity by telling her some very intriguing facts and undermined her trust in the truthfulness of God. When she partook of the forbidden fruit and did not die it actually proved, at least in immediate terms, the serpent was absolutely correct. Following truth is not rebellion but the natural progression that follows from having higher cognitive abilities. Curiosity and the ability to reason were attributes that were given Adam and Eve by their Creator. Attributes which reflected the Creator Himself. Rebellion infers discontent with the status quo; there is nothing in the story to indicate that Adam and Eve were unhappy living in the Garden of Eden under God’s leadership.

Chatta’ah and chata’ah are formed from the Hebrew root word “chata” which means to miss the mark. Did Adam and Eve miss the mark? To miss the mark they first would have had to have been involved with aiming at a target. Adam’s purpose in life and also Eve’s as his helpmate, as it was given by his Creator who placed them there, was to till the garden and tend to it. We are not led to believe that they failed in any way in this fundamental task.

Perhaps theirs was a sin of ignorance, “shgagah”, that is, of not knowing that it was good to obey God as they had not yet eaten from the fruit that would give them the capacity to discern what “good” is; a sort of Catch 22 sin. So, just for the sake of debate, let us have our prime progenitors plead guilty to the later. What was the consequence of their sin? Was the sin committed in the garden passed on to us today?

In Exodus 20:5 we find that God visits the iniquity of fathers who hate him unto the third and fourth generation. So we see that God does not continue to punish the descendants of even those who hate Him past the fourth generation. So where did the notion of sin passing down to us from Adam come from?

“Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world and by sin death: and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.” Romans 5:12.

In Romans we are told that by one man sin entered the world. In the Greek New Testament the word “sin” is “harmatia” which like “chata” means “to miss the mark”. Notice that the above verse says that sin entered the world. It does not say that sin entered Adam and his children. To the Greeks the term also had another meaning as it was used in classical literature to mean a fatal flaw. The latter Christian Greek scholars probably thought of the story of Adam and Eve in this light but to the Ancient Hebrews the abstracts of Greek philosophy were entirely foreign concepts. If we look back at the original story we see that God does make some changes that affect the lives of the participants.

To the snake, which is never called evil but simply most cunning, the worst punishment was dispensed. Even today we can plainly see that snakes still go about on their bellies as they were so cursed by God. However there is no indication that God continued to hold snakes in low esteem as they were His agents in punishing the grumbling Israelites wondering in the desert. In fact the brazen image of a snake on a pole was specifically ordered to be made by God as protection against the poison of fiery serpents and this Nahustan was kept for a long time as one of the sacred objects in the Arc of the Covenant. The snake, like Prometheus, was punished for bringing knowledge to man.

Since the time of the early church many have blamed Eve for man's downfall. She was portrayed as the weak one who gave in to temptation and then used her wiles to cause Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit.

…….you are the devil's gateway: you are the unsealer of that (forbidden) tree: you are the first deserter of the divine law: you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God's image, man. On account of your desert----that is, death----even the Son of God had to die. (Tertullian)

This is totally absurd. God told Adam not to eat of the tree in the center of the garden when Eve had not even been created yet. She was made of his flesh so he, as her senior partner in one flesh, was responsible for not only his actions but hers also. She was tricked by the craftiest of all creatures and was motivated by the prospect of wisdom. Eve only gave the fruit to Adam and the immature Adam just blindly followed.

Eve was not bitterly cursed as was the snake. Yes, her sorrow and conception was increased. And she would now experience pain in childbirth. To make things even worse she would now feel desire for her husband and who now would rule over her. But did she really sin? When confronted by God she said, “The serpent beguiled me”. The serpent was known as the most cunning of all creatures. God created the serpent and God placed the serpent into the garden. If I left my little child alone with a baby sitter whom I knew no one trusted I would be held responsible not my child if they got into the liquor cabinet! The serpent was not the Cat in the Hat who appeared from nowhere; God placed him there. It was also He who also placed the forbidden tree there.

Now Eve was bootstrapped from Adam but Adam himself was recently formed from the dirt. His character clearly demonstrates his low level of maturity. What was the first thing that he did when God confronted him on his behavior? He blamed the woman and also God for giving her to him. God did not curse Adam for his listening to his wife but He did bitterly curse the ground. The ground was so cursed that Adam now must work hard to feed himself. Adam and the ground, which in Hebrew is “adamah,” are now linked in a struggle for the life of humanity where the pain of hard labor of tilling the soil and the pleasure of good harvests are an immense the part of the knowledge that was withheld from them in their infant state as they were kept within the fence of the Garden of Eden.

When God counsels Cain, who is angry because the fruit of the ground which he offered was not sufficient, he says, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?”(Genesis 4:7) What did He mean by “do well”? He meant that if Cain accepted his task of tilling the soil, with the sweat of his brow, with contentment then he would be accepted in his sacrifice. The issue was about Cain’s demeanor and not as some have said a defect in the type of his sacrifice. Cain’s punishment was that he was never to succeed at farming again, for the soil would not yield its strength for him. And here is the key to a great mystery. How do we get the soil to yield its strength?

And he called his name Noah, saying, "This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." Genesis 5:29

How did Noah bring comfort? He simply obeyed God and survived the flood along with his family and all the animals. He could have done many other things and came up with all kinds of excuses. In the eyes of his neighbors his actions of building a huge box and filling it with animals must have appeared very strange. Noah cared more about God's will than what his neighbors thought and we all benefited. The flood covered the earth and replenished the strength of the soil like the yearly flooding of the Nile. With the success of Noah God made another change in man’s chances of survival; He gave man permission to eat meat:

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. Genesis 9:3

Man now had an additional protein rich food to supplement his diet which reduced his dependence on the fertility of the soil. Noah brought comfort to man by reducing the sweat of his brow; he would now have more time to spend on other things. More importantly, Noah demonstrated that by listening to God and following His guidance that God will protect man and replenish the power to the soil.

But there is another level to the story. One not very well hidden except by the obfuscation of those who view sex as bad and women as wicked. The fact is that the story of Adam and Eve is full of sexual references, but the story is almost universally presented as if we are all a bunch of kindergarten children. And this is the root of the concept of the inherited sin of Adam; sin which stems from the cultural shame of those who heard this story from outside of its original tradition. Eve, who reaches sexual maturity sooner than Adam, as all women do, is seduced by the snake like penis and partakes of the forbidden fruit, that is, she initiates sexual activity. She then seduces the still latent Adam. Natural hormonal processes are then triggered and they enter into biological adulthood. This is not their fall but a progression of the human race into adult reality where they now have the potential to finish development into fully realized beings. If it was not for the snake which God placed in the garden there would have only ever been two very underdeveloped humans.

And then there is again even another level of meaning to this great story. Ironically they choose to hide their unexpected tumescence from God by sewing together fig leaves to gird their loins:

“Biblically, the tree of life is the Sycamore, which appears often in the Scriptures. To most, this suggests the western Sycamore, the Plant tree (Platanus). However, the ancient Egyptians also regarded the Sycamore as their sacred "tree of life," and so the idea that this is the Platanus Sycamore must be questioned, as that species is not indigenous to the Nile Valley. In reality, the Sycamore of the Bible was the wild Fig tree, dedicated to fertility, joy, and the afterlife.” Mythical Plants of the Middle Ages

To the ancient Egyptians the Tree of Life linked this world with the underworld:

“The Sycamore tree is often depicted dispensing food and drink of immortality, symbolizing the perpetual renewal in the after world. The sap and the fruit of the Sycamore symbolizes mercy and compassion.” The Sycamore Tree, (Emphasis mine)

They covered up their outward imperfection but remained inwardly imperfect because they did not also eat of the fruit of Tree of Life. It was a superficial act in which they attempted to look good to God but for God this was not about appearances but about something that was much more important. There is a curious passage in the New Testament in which Jesus does a seemly capricious act:

“And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.” Matthew 21:18-19

Why would he do this? Because he hungered for the fruit of the Tree of Life and nothing else would satisfy. A tree that did not yield fruit was false. The fig tree that he encountered did not have the fruit of “mercy and compassion” which are the very qualities of his Father in Heaven.

“O HOLY Spirit, who hast taught us that all our doings without love are nothing worth, pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before Thee; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Son, one god for evermore. Amen.” LCC Liturgy

Mercy and compassion are the qualities of divine love, that singular essential element of the great commandment to love God and your neighbor as yourself. This is the quality that raises the Adam made of the dirt out of the confines of the earth and into the Kingdom of God. Whereas the snake represented physical love, that is hunger or lust, the dove represents spiritual love. When the dove returns back to the Arc with an olive branch it is a sign that man has once again been accepted by God and is now allowed to reconnect with the soil which is his source and his destiny.

Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The consequence for Eve was she would now bare children (good) in pain (evil). She would desire her husband (good) and he will rule over her (ouch!). Adam, on the other hand, must work the cursed soil (aching back pain) to eat (pleasure and sustenance) every day. The land will also grow thorns and thistles (painful experience) among the herbs (edification). Adam is left in world of trial and error. Whereas in the garden there was only one sin now every step from the right path resulted in evil. Each step on the road of knowledge had a potentially painful lesson. Adam's task is to learn to discern the herbs from the thorns and painfully separate enough food to sustain his lowly life. It would be an endless task if man was to be forever limited to his own guidance.

Jesus came to his ministry with full understanding of both man's nature and his own:

“And behold, one came and said to Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? And He said to him, Why do you call Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments”. Mathew 19:16-17

Now Jesus with all his following and his royal linage could have said something quite different but instead he said the truth. Man is not good, not even great men such as he are good. Life (the ultimate good, from the Tree of Life) comes from following God's commandments. They are the only guidance that will bring power to the land like the good that was in Eden.

Jesus demonstrated with his very life to both man and God that lowly man can follow perfectly the will of God. It was against all the pressures that could have given him an excuse not to be obedient. He demonstrated to God that man can be worthy of the Tree of Life.

Jesus proved that man can be morally mature and righteous. God, because of the obedience of one man, a man who became his First Spiritual Son, restored access to the Tree of Life to all those who follow Jesus' path of obedience to His word; He restores it to those who are willing to become children of God. Jesus saved us from the spiritual death, which is separation from God’s power and grace, by showing us how to overcome our uncaring mineral nature. The ground we till no longer needs to be cursed except as we ourselves curse it by the hardness of our own hearts.

When the prodigal son learns his lesson he returns to the father. What would have been the results if the father had kept coming to him and giving him more money beyond his inheritance? Would the son ever mature in his understanding of the father. How many children today are brought to base behavior by the indulgences of their parents? No young adult is saved by keeping them immature but only by the growth of their own responsibility. The mature choice is to follow the path of the word of God. We can choose to be His true children, obeying His loving counsel and no longer hide behind falseness because now we understand our connection with our Creator; or we can go some other way; through the thorns and thistles of error:

But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is the type of Him who was to come; but the free gift shall not be also like the offense. For if by the offense of the one many died, much more the grace of God, and the gift in grace; which is of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. Romans 5:14-15

Looking back on the teaching of original sin maybe it is just to ask if it was not God who sinned. Did He miss the mark when He placed Adam and Eve together in the garden with the serpent? Did he expect different results? Surely this could never be, an omniscient God not knowing the potential consequences involved. He must have known something about the nature of man after all He created him in His own image. Surely the nature of the serpent was well known. God must have known all about the forbidden fruit for He Himself had knowledge of good and evil. The more likely explanation is that everything unfolded exactly as God had planned. The proscription against eating the forbidden fruit was most likely never intended to be permanent. It was just necessary to give them enough time to physically mature so that they would be fully prepared for the rigorous environment that waited for them outside of the protective fence of the garden. We have to admit Adam and Eve really did quite well!

Works Cited
Tertullian: On the Apparel of Women, Christian Classics Ethereal Library
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-04/anf04-06.htm
Mythical Plants of the Middle Ages, The Tree of Life. http://www.godecookery.com/mythical/mythic04.htm
THE SYCAMORE TREE. http://www.kinfonet.org/community/centres/sycamore/Tree.html
The Liturgy According to the Use of the Liberal Catholic Church. San Diego: The St. Alban Press, 2002: The Collect for the Sunday Called Quinquagesima, p58.

The Real Value of Prayer

2007-10-31T10:38:00.000-04:00

Since our Father already knows the murmurings of our hearts before we pray we can assume that the real value of prayer is in the commitments we make during our conversation with our Lord. Our participation in this conversation elevates us through His Grace, as we trust in His Power and demonstrate our trustworthiness through our devotion. When we ask for favor, we also commit ourselves to strive to be found worthy for such favor. Then too, the light we receive through meditation comes with an obligation. An obligation to commit ourselves to put that light to good use; to improve our lives; to help those in need; to light the path for others.

The Path of Service

2007-09-04T20:31:00.000-04:00

"And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." MKJV John 17:26

A holy journey is cumulative, each step is built upon the previous steps and also sustaining the next. Ironically, each step is also a completion in itself requiring no further advancement beyond one’s calling. Also they are, as all things truly Christian, communal; that is the blessings and ordinations bestowed from Christ do not serve just the individual but flow outward to the whole community of the faithful. All the aspirations and worship from the congregation of the faithful also flows back to our Lord.

FOLLOWING THE MASTER

2007-09-04T20:28:00.000-04:00

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. " John 5:19

In these words Jesus is describing a dynamic relationship, not one based on mindless repetition of duties.

A Parable on Obedience
There once was a prosperous manufacturer of quality shoes who before leaving to attend an important trade conference in Europe spoke to his two production managers with instructions of what he wanted done while he was to be away for two weeks. "Clean, oil and check all the production equipment and make sure everything is in top operating condition."

One manager soon completed all the maintenance and repairs and spent the remainder of the time while his boss was away goofing off. He came in late, took long breaks, and spent hours joking around with the other employees. The other manager was appalled by his laziness. As soon as he made the requested repairs he launched into an aggressive production schedule. He manufactured hundreds of their traditional shoes, thinking the boss will give him a bonus for looking after the owner's interests. His part of the factory became messy with the byproducts of production, the equipment became in need of maintenance again, and the workers grew resentful.

When the owner returned he was very energized. He had just learned of the exciting new trends in shoe fashion. He had established important leads on new customers. He presented his managers with designs for an entirely new line of shoes which he was convinced would be leading items in today's market. The manager who had been lazy and irresponsible while the boss was away was now fresh and ready to go, his area of the plant was in top shape to begin the production of the new line of shoes, and the workers for whom he was responsible for were excited and ready to work.

The other manager was tired and resentful that the owner did not appreciated his hard work. In fact, he was told he had wasted a large sum of money producing last year's line of shoes which no one would want. His production line was not ready to go for it was now in need of maintenance. And his workers were disgruntled and tired.

Which manager do you suppose was given a bonus?

The New Beginning

2007-08-30T19:09:00.000-04:00

Everything just said about the transitional applies even more so with the realized. Through sacramental power the capacity of the aspirant to become a channel for the divine energy is increased. The lower self and the Higher Self are brought closer into harmony.
As the butterfly freshly emerged from the cocoon remains attached to the limb while life blood slowly flows into and inflates its newly acquired wings the deacon after his newly acquired ordination is in a period of special preparation.

Gabriel, angel of harmony and beauty.

The Lower self is spiritualized by the by the Higher Self. The harmonious occurrence of all the Archangels, that is all aspects of God, however limited these may be reflected by the aspirant.
Understanding and preparing to put into action one’s life plan is essential at this stage. The actualization of the spirit through His representatives is Christ’s plan which the aspirant should seek to harmonize with.

When We Learned to Swing: A Contemplation of Harmonic Motion

When we learned to swing, we first learned to take possession of the swing. But of course, merely sitting on the swing was not swinging. Next we had to learn to risk losing the swing, that is, the possibility of falling off the swing. As we struggled to shift our bodies to gain momentum, to achieve harmony with the natural laws of oscillation, at first it seemed hopeless. We did not understand those laws, how they applied to our behavior on the swing. By the wonderful process of learning, we eventually programmed our behavior until at last we achieved victory in the air.
That learning process involved observation of other children, who had already mastered the craft, from which we developed a model of behavior. At first that model was flawed or incomplete. "If I move my feet back and forth I will start swinging," we said to ourselves. We rocked back and forth yet did not swing. We felt frustrated and perhaps foolish. We noticed a slight oscillation of the swing that our movements seemed to cause. By a progressive series of efforts and feed backs we gained knowledge from successes and errors. Learning occurred; slowly harmonious movement became evident. We overcame our ignorance and fears and began to soar above the ground.

The stream has now etched a wider psychic channel into rock; the Spirit of God increases the aspirant’s capacity to contain and direct divine energy:

The Transition

2007-08-30T19:04:00.000-04:00

The transitional stage of a seeker is like the chrysalis stage of a butterfly the last repose before the glory and ascendance to full maturity. The external appearance tells little of the great potential that lays hidden. What is that potential? It is the potential of a vessel, which is the ability to accept, contain and distribute God’s Love. The Holy Spirit is beginning to trickle deep within the aspirant:

As a small stream etches a path into rock the Spirit of God begins to increase the aspirant’s capacity to contain divine energy.

Chamuel, angel of love and he who sees God.

The divine energy of the sacrement is the Love of God made manifest by the outpouring of blessings.

THE WORKINGS OF THE ANGELIC KINGDOM

2007-08-29T15:08:00.000-04:00

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Genesis 1:3

There is a light within a man of light
and it illuminates the whole world.
When it does not shine,
there is darkness.

Gospel of Thomas 24

Lighting the Way

2007-08-29T15:05:00.000-04:00

The Acolyte carried the taper to light all the tapers and lamps of the church. He carried that small fire with from which he shared a small flame with all the waiting wicks, each being ignited joining into a symphony of light changing dark shadows into resplendent celebration. As the Master taught, he no longer holds his candle under a bushel but allows it to shine out to the public in sacred ceremony. But the taper that he holds is a humble representation of that sacred fire that burns within. He has been baptism by fire as promised by Christ and is not weak in proclaiming, to all who join in joyful celebration, his inner light. His light ignites the hungry wicks of those who draw near. In this one small flame he illuminates the whole church.

Uriel, fire of God.

Once I attended the eighth grade graduation ceremony of the daughter of one of my wife’s friends. It was held in a Roman Catholic Church in Jackson Heights that was attached to a small convent and school. The ceremony droned on as most of the speeches were absorbed into the great volume of the Romanesque architecture. Near the end of the service it was announced that the graduates were to now each receive a candle lit from the small flame of the alter candle to be carried forth into the world. The young graduates lined up before their parents and other well-wishers. With their newly received candles illuminating their bright faces, in joyful procession they filed down the center isle marking the end of the graduation ceremony. How appropriate for the humble Acolyte who lights the hearts of those who come to receive the sacrament of Christ which each participant carries forth into the world.

The Healer

2007-08-29T14:47:00.000-04:00

Spiritual health comes from removing from ourselves those habits which feed the evil spirit of separateness and selfishness. It is those exact attributes that cut us off from our innate healing spirit, from the source of the Universal Medicine that flows only by the Grace of God. Remember the woman who had long suffered from the issue of blood. She was healed when she reach out in faith and connected with the mere hem of Jesus’ garment. At that moment she was no longer a lonely sufferer but a member of the Holy Union of Heavenly Attunement and she was restored to the harmony that was the original design of our Creator.

Raphael, angel of healing.

When we rebuild something we need four elements. First, we need the raw materials that meet the needs of the work at hand, and then we need competent labor, and also we need a clear plan or concept that details the nature of the original from which a supervisor can direct the restructuring. In the case of repairs to the body the raw materials may be found in fresh foods, clean water, and fresh air; the laborers are our own cells; but where do were get the plans for the work to be undertaken and how do we direct those unseen laborers that work heroically at the cellular level to maintain and refresh our bodies. Only our Creator has the blueprint for our unique life expression. Only one Master Builder can command the unseen allies of our health. By connecting with our Creator the inner doctor is released to self heal.

The Mind

2007-08-28T13:39:00.000-04:00

Is it enough just to develop one’s mind if one cannot control the processes of thought? Many highly educated people with great memories and excellent computational agility live miserable lives suffering under unbridled cognitive distortions.

Michael, who is like God.

As the Archangel Michael reflects the nature of God, Christ should be our example. May the cords of fear and illusion which entangle our minds and inhibit us from the true light of our intellect be forever cut. But which of us have the power to face our own demons, those evil reflections which raise against us as the cleverest and grandest enemy our imagination can conjure from the depths of our own torment if confronted alone in the dark. Only the Power of God can to free us from the bonds of our own delusions. Once free from our bonds it then takes real courage to share our truth with others.

Once, while employed as a truck driver I had to cover for many months for another driver’s route which was all of Brooklyn, plus parts of Manhattan and Queens. Everyday besides having to tolerate the constant irritation of heavy traffic, narrow streets and endless road construction I also went through some of the most dismal neighborhoods in New York. The chaos and despair was lorded over by the dark hooded crack dealers standing solemnly on the street corners. One day I had enough and decided that my mind did not have to be controlled by their vision of life. They controlled everyone who came near them by cords of fear and death. Just on a lark I suppose, not really being able to explain it in any other way, I started imagining everyone in Brooklyn with angel wings. It was not difficult to see some folks stooped over with enormous glorious wings and others, like the crack dealers, sported atrophied shabby pathetic wings. They all had them from the greatest to the least. Within a couple of weeks it seemed as if a miracle had begun. They all seemed to walk a little lighter as their wings had matured in grace. The crack dealers one day just vanished from the corners! Now I know this is crazy, perhaps it had more to do with politics and police operations, but how strangely coincidental. Maybe, just maybe our minds are powerful tools to change our world if only we can learn to master our own imaginations.

Be master OF mind rather than mastered BY mind.
-Zen Saying

At the Door

2007-08-27T17:09:00.000-04:00

One can only imagine what the task of the Doorkeeper of the church must have been like in those early days of the nascent church. Even the “faithful who came to worship probably at times tested his patience let alone those unbelieving rabble-rousers, who held no respect for sacred things. If permitted to enter the premises they would soon fill the atmosphere with mocking jeers and contemptuous disruptions. How did they maintain their tempers while dealing with the intemperate bands of troublemakers that roamed the streets of those ancient towns and cities?

Keeping our emotions in check when others are disagreeable is quite a task. But, how can anyone ask others to be orderly when they themselves are unruly.

The Archangel Zadkiel, Righteousness of God.

Righteousness begins with our selves. When we are unbalanced the whole world seems unbalanced. When we are justified with the Lord all his creations appear in His light; the light of righteousness.

One day, many years ago, I was filling in for the Head Custodian, who was on vacation, at a very large middle school that now occupied the campus of a former high school. Setting at his desk in the spacious office which overlooked the boilers deep in the bowels of the main building I received a call from the school secretary. An alarmed voice informed me that strange man had entered the school and was wondering the halls. The duties of an Assistant Custodian included many details that were not listed in the very long list that comprised the regular chores of cleaning and maintaining the building. Security duties usually were limited to locking and unlocking doors and making sure windows were closed but at times it would include tasks that never could be listed on a duty sheet. I quickly ascended the stairs and made my way towards the main office. As I rounded the last corner I was met by a small group of petrified staff who pointed out to me a quite unusual character standing a little way down the hall. They seemed very convinced that he was going to hurt the children. A large gnome like creature, about three hundred pounds and over six feet tall, stood motionless with his finger pressing on a brass placard mounted high on the wall across from the office on which he was staring with a singular fixation. His very large middle aged body was neither obese nor athletic but was proportioned like a somewhat pudgy two year old. Laughing in my heart, I simply took the odd gentleman by the arm and quietly escorted him out the front door. Not only did he look like a two year old but he had the mind of a two year old. He was very docile and was never a threat to anyone. I had seen him once or twice before wondering around the neighborhood; he just had never paid us a visit before. Teachers! How much education does it take to become a fool?

The Beginning

2007-08-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Genesis 1:1

God started it all by creating the heaven and earth, the spiritual and the physical. Both of them must have been of supreme importance if the very first thing He did was to cause their dual existence. From that foundation all else was made manifest.

As I ponder the way our Creator initiated this grand experience in which we all share thoughts of the following Archangel came to me.

Jophiel, beauty of God

Our understanding of what beauty is comes from our interface with the majesty of the physical world. If we look out upon the world and see anything other than sublime manifestations of the Glory of God it is because our eyes have become corrupted either by the false teachings of man or by bitter experiences which have hardened our hearts.

Many years ago, while wondering through one of those parts of town that had long suffered economic blight, an elderly gentleman started to expound to me about how much he loved the neighborhood, how really truly beautiful it was. Being the young fool that I was, all I could see was the broken glass, scraps of litter, cracked sidewalks and dilapidated buildings. It was called poverty, something to be looked down upon, even to be feared least it snatch one into its clutches, yet, he saw beauty, comfort, and a nurturing presence that I was blind to. He was illuminated and saw heaven; I blindly only saw the earth. To him it was the divine, but for me it yielded depressing silence. If there is an Archangel Jophiel surely he watched over this man.

GOD AS THE RULER OF THE ANGELS

2007-08-15T20:25:00.000-04:00

If we are to believe Holy Scriptures than we must agree that entering into the service of God is an acceptance of a role working alongside His spiritual agents. As these great beings perfectly fulfill our Lord's designs their example should our guiding light. They are His messengers; they are the voice by which we receive His instruction and guidance. Remembering back to when I was twelve years old, one day, my brother, returning from school, said with some astonishment that his Latin teacher, Mrs. Axelrod (I oddly recall was her name), told him that to learn Latin he must believe in fairies. Here today, all these many decades later, as I ponder on the threshold of learning the language of His kingdom that perhaps I too need to believe in angels to be able to gain understanding of this ancient tongue. So by a leap of faith I do, at least as an exploratory venture, accept that the tales which have survived through the centuries mostly outside of mainstream Christianity have some basis in the Holy Truth from which they have revealed themselves. But, who are these grand messengers of God which the Bible gives so little mention of, yet, are so universally believed to exist? If most of the names of the individual Archangels have never been agreed upon and only a few are mentioned by name in our Bibles how are we to understand their natures. From what information we have inherited through tales and apocrypha their general qualities appear to be individual attributes of God Himself.

A Prayer for Cleansing the Heart and Obtaining Heavenly Wisdom

2007-08-01T15:53:00.000-04:00

Strengthen me by the grace of Your holy spirit, O God. Give me the power to be strengthened inwardly and to empty my heart of all vain care and anxiety, so that I may not be drawn away by many desires, whether for precious things or mean ones. Let me look upon everything as passing, and upon myself as soon to pass away with them, because there is nothing lasting under the sun, where all is vanity and affliction of spirit. How wise is he who thinks thus!

Give me, Lord, heavenly wisdom to learn above all else to seek and find You, to enjoy and love You more than anything, and to consider other things as they are, as Your wisdom has ordered them. Grant me prudence to avoid the flatterer and to bear patiently with him who disagrees with me. For it is great wisdom not to be moved by the sound of words, nor to give ear to the wicked, flattering siren. Then, I shall walk safely in the way I have begun.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas, à Kempis

Hymn of the Pearl

2007-07-31T19:11:00.001-04:00

by Didymos Judas Thomas
Translated by William Wright

When I was a little child:
and dwelling in my kingdom in my father's house,
and was content with the wealth and the: luxuries of my nourishers
from the East, our home: my parents equipped me and sent me forth;
and of the wealth of our treasury: they took abundantly, and tied up for me a load
large and yet light: which I myself could carry
gold of Beth-Ellaya: and silver of Gazak the great
and rubies of India: and agates from Beth-Kashan
and they furnished me with the adamant: which can crush iron.
And they took off from me the glittering robe: which in their affection they made for me
and the purple toga: which was measured and woven to my stature.
And they made a compact with me: and wrote it in my heart, that it might not be forgotten:
"If thou goest down into Egypt: and bringest the one pearl
which is in the midst of the sea: around the loud-breathing serpent
thou shalt put on thy glittering robe: and thy toga, with which thou art contented
and with thy brother, who is next to us in authority: thou shalt be heir in our kingdom."
I quitted the East and went down: there being two guardians
for the way was dangerous and difficult: and I was very young to travel it.
I passed through the borders of Maishan: the meeting-place of the merchants of the East
and I reached the land of Babel: and I entered the walls of Sarbug.
I went down into Egypt: and my companions parted from me.
I went straight to the serpent: I dwelt in his abode
waiting till he should lumber and sleep: and I could take my pearl from him.
And when I was single and alone: and became strange to my family
one of my race, a free-born man: and Oriental, I saw there
a youth fair and loveable: the son of oil-sellers;
and he came and attached himself to me: and I made him my intimate friend
and associate with whom I shared my merchandise: I warned him against the Egyptians and against consorting with the unclean;
And I dressed in their dress: that they might not hold me in abhorrence
because I was come from abroad in order to take the pearl: and arouse the serpent against me.
But in some way other or another: they found out that I was not their countryman
and they dealt with me treacherously: and gave their food to eat.
I forget that I was a son of kings: and I served their king;
and I forgot the pearl: for which my parents had sent me
and because of the burden of their oppressions: I lay in a deep sleep.
But all this things that befell me: my parents perceived, and were grieved for me;
and proclamation was made in our kingdom: that every one should come to our gate [kingdom]
kings and princes of Parthia: and all the nobles of the East.
And they wove a plan on my behalf: that I might not be left in Egypt;
and they wrote to me a letter: and every noble signed his name to it:
"From thy father, the king of kings: and thy mother, the mistress of the East
and from thy brother, our second in authority: to thee our son, who art in Egypt, greeting!
Call to mind that thou art a son of kings: See the slavery, whom thou servest!
Remember the pearl: for which thou was sent to Egypt!
Think of thy robe: and remember thy splendid toga
which thou shalt wear and with which thou shalt be adorned: when thy name hath been read out in the list of the valiant
and thy brother, our viceroy: thou shalt be in our kingdom."
My letter is a letter: which the king sealed with his own right hand
to keep it from the wicked ones, the children of Babel: and from the savage demons of Sarbug.
It flew in the likeness of an eagle: the king of all birds;
it flew and alight beside me: and became all speech.
At its voice and the sound of its rustling: I started and arose from my sleep.
I took it up and kissed it: and I began and read it;
and according to what was traced on my heart: were the words of my letter.
I remembered that I was a son of royal parents: and my noble birth asserted itself.
I remembered the pearl: for which I had been sent to Egypt
and I began to charm him: the terrible loud breathing serpent.
I hushed him asleep and lulled him into slumber: for my father's name I named over him
and the name of our second in power: and the of my mother, the queen of the East.
And I snatched away the pearl: and turned to go back to my father's house.
And their filthy and unclean dress I stripped off: and left it in their country;
and I took my way straight to come: to the light of our home in the East.
And my letter, my awakener: I found before me on the road;
and as with its voice it had awakened me: so too with its light it was leading me.
It, that dwelt in the palace: gave light before me with its form
and with its voice and its guidance: it also encouraged me to speed and with its love it drew me on.
I went forth and passed by Sarbug: I left Babel on my left hand;
and I came to the great Maisan: to the haven of merchants which sitteth on the shore of the sea.
And my bright robe, which I had stripped off: and the toga that was wrapped with it
from Rantha and Reken: my parents had sent thither
by the hand of their treasures: who in their truth could be trusted therewith.
And because I remembered not its fashion: for in my childhood I had left it in my father's house,
on a sudden, when I received it: the garment seemed to me to become like a mirror of myself.
I saw it all in all: and I to received all in it
for we were two in distinction: and yet gain one in one likeness.
And the treasurers too: who brought it to me, I saw in like manner
to be two and yet one likeness: for one sign of the king was written on them both
of the hands of him who restored to me through them: my trust and my wealth
my decorated robe, which: was adorned with glorious colors
with gold and beryls: and rubies and agates
and sardonyxes, varied in color: And it was skillfully worked in its home on high
and with diamond clasps: were all its seams fastened;
and the image of the king of kings: was embroidered and depicted in full all over it
and like the stone of the sapphire too: its hues were varied.
And I saw also that all over it: the instincts of knowledge were working and I saw too that it was preparing to speak.
I heard the sound of its tones: which it uttered with its whole being, saying:
"I am the active in deeds: whom they reared for him before my father;
and I perceived myself: that my stature grew according to his labors."
And in its kingly movements: it poured itself entirely over me
and on the hand of its givers: it hastened that I might take it.
And love urged me too run: to meet it and receive it;
and I stretched forth and took it: With the beauty of its colors I adorned myself
and I wrapped myself wholly in my toga: of brilliant hues.
I clothed myself with it, and went up to the gate: of salutation and prostration;
I bowed my head and worshipped the majesty: of my father who sent me,
for I had done his commandments: and he too had done what he promised,
and the gate of his heart.: I mingled with his princes
for he rejoiced in me and received me: and I was with him in his kingdom
and with the voice of joy: all his servants praised him.
And he promised that to the gate too: of the king of kings with him I should go
and with my offering and my pearl: with him should present myself to our king.
The Hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostles: which he spake in prison, is ended

2007-03-25T18:07:00.000-04:00

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

2007-03-25T17:52:00.000-04:00

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20