We'd like to hear from you bill crumley THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A QUESTION BUT A RESPONSE FROM ONE OF OUR READERS. IT IS IN REFERENCE TO AN ITEM ON OUR WEB SITE. THE ITEM IS ENTITLED "JESUS' DIARY" HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO READ IT AND ENJOY IT.
Dear BC,
Not having completely read all your entire previous work but having read the newest I wanted to share with you how great I think it is. I think Jesus loves it ,and you. How could He not. You probably wrote the first on line time line on the world wide web in history. Jesus loves when you use truth and try to share his story with more people.You are so unique b. I am so proud to know you and to know how you have tried over the years to keep emphasizing the truth of God's love and His forgiveness. As for me I am so grateful that you have been allowing yourself to respond to His call so consistently. You show me and everyone else much love. And after all isn't that what He is all about.
P.S. It is excellent in every way!
Peace and Love,Thewomathewel.
ADULT QUESTIONS
I have a question that no one can answer, so I thought maybe a priest could explain it. My friends and I had a discussion about Ash Wednesday this year. All of our calendars, including our church calendar, say it is the last Wednesday of February. However, the first Wednesday of March is 40 days before Easter, and should be the correct Ash Wednesday, right? Even the phone book and Internet say I was correct on the date. I thought maybe you could help better than anyone else.
Thank you, Emmie M. Boudreaux
The 40 days of Lent are the 4 days between Ash Wednesday and the first Sunday of Lent plus the Monday thru Saturday of the other 6 weeks of Lent. In other words, Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday minus the 6 Sundays. This comes from a time when the days of Lent were all considered fast days. Sunday was not a fast day even in Lent.
Originally Lent was the six weeks of Lent. It started on the first Sunday of Lent. Somewhere in our history we decided to add the 4 days from the previous week so there would be 40 days of Lent to commemorate the 40 days Jesus fasted in the desert (gospel for the first Sunday of Lent) as well as the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the promised land.
What is the meaning of the title "Son of Man" used by Jesus in the gospel?
The title is a reference to a quote in the BOOK OF DANIEL. Daniel says "one like the son of man will come". The context is a dream of Daniel in which he sees four beasts. It is the "son of man" who destroys the beasts. The beasts most probably represent the four major civilizations surrounding the Hebrews about 200-250 BC. Some scripture scholars doubt that Jesus actually used the title himself but that it was a title given to him by the gospel writers.
It could have been very dangerous for Jesus to use that title. By using that title Jesus might attract many of the zealots who wanted to overthrow the Romans and eliminate what they regarded as evil empires all about them.
Actually Jesus did give people a solution for dealing with these empires. But it was not a political or military solution. Jesus' church is still present and active. All of the political empires of his day have long gone. So it is not at all strange that Jesus' followers when they wrote the gospels many years after Jesus' death would see Jesus as the "Son of man" from the prophecy of Daniel.
Whether or not Jesus in his day went about claiming that title is debatable. To do so could be dangerous. Especially when we realize that the Roman emperor had become very paranoid about people trying to overthrow him. There is no doubt that the apostles and early church saw Jesus in that role and had little difficulty applying that title to Jesus.
WHY DO OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES NOT BELIEVE IN THE "REAL PRESENCE" AS CATHOLIC DO?
Some do believe. I cannot tell why others do not. However, I would like to say that the "real presence" is not a particularly "Catholic" or even "Christian" concept. This concept pre-dated Jesus Christ. The sanctuary lamp, the tabernacle both symbols we use to vividly illustrate the "real presence" are actually Hebrew symbols prominent in the Old Testament. Recently I was in a synagogue in Utica, Mississippi. The first thing I noticed was a large veiled tabernacle and a large lit sanctuary lamp. In the tabernacle was the law. It is this which represented and still represents the real presence of God to the Israelite. The lit sanctuary lamp was a reminder of that presence.
The "real presence" is not a particularly Catholic concept. Like so many of our symbols it is Old Testament in its origin. Both Matthew and Mark record that upon the death of Jesus "the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom".
In the new covenant Jesus has given new meaning to old testament concepts. Animal sacrifices, which had been to a very large degree eliminated by the time of Jesus, were replaced by his sacrifice. The Passover was given a new meaning when Jesus took the bread and wine used in the meal and told his followers to repeat this act "in memory of me." Jesus also gave new meaning to the Law. In chapters 5 to 7 of Matthew's gospel Jesus first recites the beatitudes which give a deeper meaning to the law. Then he takes each point of the law and gives it a deeper meaning.
So, it was quite logical for the early Christians, who were almost exclusively Jewish, to take these Old Testament symbols, use them, and give them a new meaning. But the "real presence" is first and foremost a Jewish concept.
For more on the link between us and the Old Testament look at Our Old Testament Roots
Recently someone at Bible study asked:
Did the Ark of the Covenant also contain some manna from the days the Israelites wandered in the desert?
I remember being told that when I was in school as a youngster. Over the years I have found no support for that statement in any of the Old Testament books.
Recently I came across this quote from the Letter to the Hebrews. It says of the Ark of the Covenant "In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant." Hebrews 9:4
A footnote to this verse tells the reader: "Neither is there any Old Testament support for the assertion that the jar of manna and the staff of Aaron were in the ark of the covenant."
I think we have to go with the original texts from the Old Testament which do not mention the manna. There is no agreement over who wrote Hebrews or when it written so there is no way we can back to other writing of the same period or the same author. It was not written by Paul but seems to have definite Pauline thinking. Persons suggested as possible authors include Appolo, Aquilla, Barnabas, or Priscilla.
Recently someone asked:
WHY DID GOD THE FATHER WAIT SO LONG BEFORE HE SENT HIS SON JESUS?
Maybe he didn't wait so long. Time for God is not measured as we measure time. The scriptures tell us: "With God a single day is as a thousand years."
However, maybe God didn't wait even a few days of God's time. It is possible that God had sent his son hundreds. even thousands, of times in the past and no one recognized him.
In the sixth chapter of John's gospel Jesus explains the concept of the Eucharist. In the end everyone leaves. There are just a few of the most loyal followers left. Jesus asks them if they also wish to leave. Peter says no we have nowhere else to go. What would have happened to all the work of Jesus if they had left?
It is not enough for God the Father to send a redeemer. Someone has to follow that redeemer. Someone has to believe. Somone has to take the time and the trouble to pass on that truth to others.
If Peter and the others had left, we would not even know that God sent a redeemer two thousand years ago. Our belief and our response is as important to the work of God as God sending us a redeemer. If we do not believe and do not take the trouble to pass on that belief future generations will not know of Jesus and the Father.
Recently at our bible study the following question emerged when discussing the baptisms performed by John the Baptist
Since baptism was not performed at the time was John the Baptist told by God to go and baptize?
Perhaps. We are not sure of that, however. What is important to note is that at the time of John baptism was not considered that extraordinary. When the Pharisees (in John 1:23-28) came to John the Baptist they questioned by what right he baptized. They did not question the rite of baptism itself. They merely questioned where John got his authority to baptize. Actually baptism was a rite that had been introduced by some rabbis after the end of the Babylonian Exile. The rite was introduced as an initiation rite for new members. So, baptism had become an accepted practise by the time of John the Baptist.
Rabbis were teachers. Any learned person in the community could be a rabbi. Jesus was often referred to as rabbi but Jesus had no official position in the synagogue. Jesus and later Paul were often invited to speak in synagogues on the sabbath. Neither of them were located in a single place. Neither of them headed up local synagogues.
The following comment was made recently at bible study:
"It was very presumptuous of the devil to tempt Jesus ... he could not possibly have won."
Two things. One temptations usually come from within us. Jesus was only experiencing the natural temptations any human person would experience. After a long period of fasting,, he was hungry and would want bread. After fasting for 40 days and being in touch with God there would be a natural exhilaration and sense of power and glory. There would also be a natural sense of being on God's side and God protecting him. The devil simply played on these natural emotions of Jesus and tried to direct them in a sinful way.
But Jesus had been led by the Spirit into the desert. If the Spirit was not leading Jesus and he was tempted, he could well have fallen.
The second point is we need to read this passage not simply on a literal level. The passage refers to the Exodus and Passover. All three response of Jesus refer to this event. They describe the manna in the desert, the revolt of the people against Moses when they had no water. The middle quote is from Moses as he was about to die. He tells the people that they will soon enter the promised land. They are not to forget God when times get good.
THESE ARE SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. HOW DO THEY MATCH UP WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR ANSWERS?
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD?
It is impossible for God NOT to forgive our sins.
COULD GOD BE SOMETHING ELSE?
God could be anything he wants. God could change himself into a child. God could send a saint out take his place. However, God does not need to change because God always has a good attitude.
WHAT IF GOD DOES NOT FORGIVE ME?
It is probably because I have not forgiven myself first.
CAN GOD STOP MY NIGHTMARES?
Yes. If we talk to God about them and why we are having them. We will feel better for having talked about them.
DOES GOD GRANT WISHES?
Sometimes. It depends on what we wish for. God doesn’t give us a world we don’t already have. We can’t have everything. Our wishes need to be reasonable.
DOES GOD EVER DO ANYTHING BAD?
Most of us believe God does not do anything bad. But God does get blamed for human evil.
IF I PLANT A SEED IS IT GOD OR IS IT THE SEED WHICH MAKES THE PLANT GROW?
The seed. If God were doing it, it would grow faster.
WHO AM I?
It’s hard to talk about me. It’s easier when I do something good. Good is something you do out of your heart. I may not even know who I am, but I do need to know who I am. It is not easy for us to know who we are. God made all of us equal. But we are not the same. We need to learn to treat others equally because God loves us all the same.
WHAT IS SIN?
Something between ourselves and God and the devil. It overwhelms us. But God tries to intervene when we sin. We do have a choice. We will choose whatever is more powerful in our mind. Sin is when our choices are more powerful than God’s will. When we sin we wish could turn everything around, go back and undo it. God tries to help us. God sends angels who try to give us strength. When God gets tired, he simply can’t reach us. Then the angels take over.
ARE YOU SCARED OF GOING TO HELL?
If you are scared of going to hell then the devil already has control of you. You are scared of the devil. If you are afraid of going to hell, then avoid bad things.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SIN?
Our relationship with God is distorted. Sometimes we regret it. Other times we don’t. We know we have done something wrong. We feel bad. We confess it to God and tell God we are sorry. We will somehow have to pay for it, but God will forgive us if we ask for forgiveness.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE WILL PAY FOR OUR SINS?
Just going through life knowing we have sinned is a payment for sin. We can be frightened of our sin. That fear is a form of payment for sin. We don’t know what will happen to us. That insecurity can be a form of payment for sin. If we don’t change we can end up in hell.
IS IT OK TO SIN?
In most cases it is not. In a few cases it may be. We can find ourselves in a situation in which we do not know what to do and a bad thing seems to be the best thing to do. But we need to confess it.
CAN I HAVE MORE THAN ONE GUARDIAN ANGEL?
Yes, if I need it. An angel is a messenger of God. God can send out as many messengers as he needs. Evil Knievel probably needs more than one angel to jump the canyon. Archbishop Romero (anyone who has to suffer for the gospel) needs more than one angel.
Archbishop Romero came into the discussion because I have a picture of him in the room we met. A few minutes earlier one of the youngsters had asked who that was. They had several questions about his death. e.g. How he was killed. Why he was killed.
DO ANGELS SLEEP?
Not in the way we think, but they do rest. Angels are a pool of energy. If they have so much energy they should not have to sleep.
I TRY TO KEEP FAITH BUT I NEVER SEEM TO GROW IN GOD’S GRACE.
Maybe it is because I have been religious instead of being spiritual.
DOES ANYTHING CHANGE WHEN WE PRAY?
WE DO. Prayer gives us hope. If we have a really bad day prayer can give us the strength to go on. Prayer forms a habit. That habit can strengthen us.
WHAT IS HELL?
A very uncomfortable place. A harsh PRESENCE. It is lava hot. Hell can be anywhere (except heaven). It is invisible but real. Hell can be reversed. Fire can symbolize the Holy Spirit or it can symbolize hell. Hell is believing no one cares, feeling completely inferior and you just don’t belong, total loneliness. In hell you become more and more paranoid.
Hope you enjoyed the questions and answers, especially those of the children. We would like to hear your questions, thoughts, or answers to other people's questions. We'd like to hear from you bill crumley
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