HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
Matthew's Foretold is written very tightly to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version, which is about the temptation of Jesus and the calling of the first disciples.
Table of Contents
The discussion of Matthew's Foretold is currently being written now that the discussion of Matthew's Two is written, as well as now that the discussion of Matthew's One Too ! is completely written.
OVERVIEW
from the opening of the discussion of HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Three Fold
Well here we go ! Try to keep up because there are many angles to this text and it's discussion will cover all the angles I can find in both texts and the relationship between the two texts, which carries a fourth level of meaning. That is – the meaning of each text individually ( 2 meanings ), the meaning when both texts are viewed together ( 3rd meaning ) and the meaning of the relationship ( 3rd meaning ) in the context in which we share – real life ( the 4th meaning ) !
Stepping back a bit, let's acknowledge a few things . We are talking about religion – specifically christianity, which I believe is essentially forgiveness to the ultimate degree . All religions have their strengths, in fact all are valid and relevant. Forgiveness is either a spoken or unspoken element in many religions. I believe forgiveness is essential, and that is why I am christian .
Many religions have elements of Whole and Part . Ying-Yang for example . Other terms are Agency and Communion, Reductionistic and Holistic, one and many, or Male and Female . All that exists has both a wholistic aspect and a partial aspect . Everything that exists is part of a context, and wholly made of parts . To bring something into existence one must address both the whole and the part, both the context and the specific, aspects .
Furthermore, everything that exists has an inclination to either whole or part . The approach to anything assesses the balance of whole and part in that thing. An imbalance is always apparent, and the inclination of any approach is to correct the thing to obtain balance . If it appears too partial it must be corrected . If it appears too wholistic it must be corrected . The fallacy is that anything that exists is not in balance . In other words, if you may approach it then it does exist and if it exists it must already be in balance. Forgiveness allows the balance to exist without correction, and accepts that all things are in balance . This is somewhat a Buddhist opinion or faith. The important thing is to SEE the balance and not be moved to correction by any APPARENT imbalance. Otherwise the urge to correct leads to confrontation and a need to make things unbalanced and favouring whole or part over the other. A key thing about christianity is that it will forgive any apparent imbalance to the extreme of self destruction, but the self destruction is only apparent and not real! This last idea is explored in the animation entitled HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Two Four which is a chapter about ends.
If whole and part are termed female and male, then this forgiveness that exists between the sexes will allow marriage, which is capable of creation, if not joy and contentment. The whole of HESUS JOY CHRIST points to marriage as the further salvation of humankind, which is based on the essential character of Jesus that is essential for any successful marriage of any whole and part or female and male.
All people are called to different vocations, whether single celibacy, marriage, or other. Marriage is essential to society as a union of whole and part that creates new meaning and life. Marriage is a resource that produces new understanding and creates far more than just babies. This in no way diminishes christianity, because without ultimate forgiveness and sacrifice no marriage will survive. It will end when a partial or whole attitude fails to forgive a whole or partial attitude. Once one has taken up the challenge of Christ and begun to follow him, some sort of witness of the union of whole and part is where one must head, fully armed with forgiveness.
Moving on, evil is real, and forgiveness is how to deal with it. This third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew is about Jesus' baptism by his cousin, John the Baptist. John the Baptist was not preaching forgiveness, nor rebirth through death from forgiveness, but repentance which is turning from doing evil and trying again. Obedience to the Law, as turning from evil, will make balance apparent and allow the balance to be acknowledged and seen. But no one has ever been able to obey the fullest intent of the Law without the benefit of infinite grace. In other words, no one has ever been able to keep the Law when circumstances were against them. Jesus was able to obey the Law but it lead to his very public death. Many others have died obeying the Law in much less honoured deaths. Death – what is it really ? Death will be discussed elsewhere – perhaps in a further discussion of Matthew's Two Four .
Finally, one may choose to keep the issue of the existence of God out of this discussion. For my part, God is an infinite goal, infinitely present as an infinite goal, colouring our perception of existence. Whether God is a person, male or female, is beyond this immediate discussion, but worth discussing in some other writing. Suffice it to say, for now, that whatever has been created exists within infinity and it is all, entirely, good.
_____________________________
Ash Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
~~~~~~~~
OVERVIEW
Matthew's Foretold
This is written after the discussion of Matthew's Two Four , the discussion of Matthew's One Too ! , the discussion of Matthew's Three Fold and the discussion of Matthew's Two were written. Matthew, Chapter Four, is the story of Jesus' temptation by the devil in the desert, immediately after his baptism by John in the Jordan river, in Chapter Three. After he came out of the desert, Jesus began to preach, calling the first disciples, and healing the sick. Matthew's Foretold is a similar story of the life of the infant One, its effect on the community, and its ultimate dissolution and life continuing on after. Matthew's Foretold is not necessarily in chronological order as Chapter Four of the Gospel of Matthew is, but it is in the same order as the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four !
The One is the marriage relationship, or balance of male and female or part and whole. This discussion will be about the establishment of the infant One in the form of a marriage relationship. This One needs to be protected and nurtured to come to fullness and maturity, but once established, it is challenged.
The infant One is the understanding of the necessity of a balance of whole and part, and the faith of marriage, which must be nurtured and cultivated. It appears in relationships, especially romantic relationships, and must be taken care of and nurtured to reach maturity. This care can be interfered with and obstructed, as it frequently is, by other interests in the life of the spouses. Matthew's Foretold is the story of the trials endured by the One relationship, including the influence of the relationship on the community and the ultimate dissolution of the actual relationship, and the continuation of the influence of the One.
__________________________
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
------------------
OPENING NOTES
the screening and posting of HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hesus JOY Christ - Matthew Chapter Four
The animation of Hesus JOY Christ - Matthew's Foretold is complete. To double your viewing pleasure when the animation is posted, here, next Wednesday, I have provided the original bible text in this post below . All going well today, this animation will screen next Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at the Revue Cinema's open screening called Drop Your Shorts.
Be in the know - and get all the in-jokes .
David Foster
The Gospel of Matthew --- Chapter Four New International Version
The Temptation of Jesus
4 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert . .. …
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hesus JOY Christ - Matthew's Foretold -- text
. ... below is the text of the animation, that is written very closely, in parallel, to the Gospel of Matthew Chapter Four . I will post the animation here after Wednesday evening, May 19th, when it screens at the Revue Cinema's open screening called Drop Your Shorts .
Happy 19th everybody; including Gwen . . . .
Matthew's Foretold © R David Foster December 26, 2009 --- January 10, 2010
/ The Temptation of the One /
/ 1 Then One was led by the Spirit into abundance . .. …
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Hesus JOY Christ - Matthew's Foretold animation
. . . . below is the animation of HESUS JOY CHRIST - Matthew's Foretold . It is embedded from the Youtube upload and can be found on www.youtube.com, with the rest of the animation, by searching "RDavidFoster" ( one word ) in the Youtube search engine, as well as this posting on my blog . .
Vid93 bein' To wordie . . . which includes previous postings of the original bible text and the text of the animation.
Verse 1 The Temptation of Jesus 4 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 1 The Temptation of the One 1 Then One was led by the Spirit into abundance to be tempted by the devil.
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 1 Discussion
'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.'
'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'
So is it all that better to be rich, whether in wealth or spirit, living in abundance, rather than poor in wealth and spirit? Surely abundance can be a far greater environment of temptation than a deserted experience.
Having sought solitude to clear my head, and simple living to maintain a clear head, I understand Jesus going out into the desert as his wanting to clear his head and set his priorities. I have heard that the stones into bread is the temptation of an economic solution, but I cannot remember the correlation of the other two temptations to another two solutions.
Yet, if wealth is a hindrance to setting oneself right with the infinite, then, relatively speaking, North America, and all of western society, being wealthy, is on the wrong track. The success of the economic solution has left us bereft of spiritual leaders, and we import priests from the third world.
So I would suppose that Jesus wanted to put himself in a better position to face temptation, and so went off by himself into the desert to sort himself out without distractions.
But the achievement of the spouses, in attaining the sacrament of marriage, for their sacred One relationship balancing whole and part, female and male, has brought them prosperity, and the accompanying temptations. One temptation is complacency, that nothing is urgent and nothing too important. Another temptation is satisfaction, that the world has come to completion, and will therefore remain this way forever. A further temptation is that there is nothing to need to strive for, as all is accomplished. And don't forget the distractions of wealth with the many demands on one's attention, such as correspondence, accumulation, social events and more. Where is there any inclination to draw closer to one another, in meaningful discussion of how to take on further challenges as a team, or in discussion of each one's spiritual life and affinities, the life of the spirit before the infinite. And never mind learning about each other so that each may grow into the life of the other, the male growing in the world of the female, and the female fathoming the world of the male.
With all these distractions, no wonder Jesus sought out solitude in order to gain the high ground against temptation.
With all the possibility of renewable resources, why would Canada want to finish off the oil age, after the coal age, rather than develop the technology that reduces oil to a polymer source for plastics that technology can be made of and recycled as a renewable resource. This is but one example of the kind of challenges that are being overlooked because we are too distracted by the demands of our wealth. Really . . . steaming the oil out of the sand !! What were they thinking? I don't even steam my clothes to get the wrinkles out !!
Furthermore, who was it that said 'Movies were not made to be seen on a f£$%$%king telephone !!'. A smart phone is for a dumb arse who cannot organize themselves without a four inch screen. Napoleon conquered Europe without even a land line, let alone a walkie-talkie !! In considering my options for renewing my plan, I realized that all that these 'phones' can do is voice, voice messaging, email and internet. What is so important on the internet that one would squint to see it on the bus, not being allowed to use their 'phone' while driving, before they get home to view the internet on the desktop. If one is so busy that they cannot restrict their new boob tube use to certain times of the day than good luck with organizing anything else, including their eternal life. We are surely now living in a 'neon Rome'. We are agok at the shimmering darkness that titillates us and keeps us from real life. Honestly, when was the last time you dug a hole, or even more so, mowed a lawn, and better yet, walked for a half hour? When I had a car I was desperate for bicycle time. Having a car does not save transportation time, it only uses up more time in transportation going more places.
Even when I was dealing with blackberry people, and doing Autocad drafting near the airport in December, 2009, most people could not get over the technology far enough to count how many lanes of traffic Hurontario Street had just south of Burnhamthorpe. Sure, they had begun to take advantage of the customization possibilities of Autocad, but they had not thoroughly thought through their production process so no matter how versatile Autolisp may be, they were shooting themselves in the foot by not understanding their job to begin with!! Measuring along a curve ! ӣ$%^%&^& !! Get real !! We are all staring at the pretty lights at the end of the tunnel and not realizing it is a truck heading for us !!
But I digress. I have been led by the spirit into a rant. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted. The One was led by the Spirit into abundance to be tempted. We will all be tempted. The Spirit is always leading us to new challenges to our faith. We must rise to meet the challenges, and speak the truth of our environment as honest witnesses of our corner of the world. For the One, the environment of married life was found to be full of challenges that were to be overcome, but complacency is the standard of the day, to society's detriment. Marriage requires a supreme commitment, founded in christian forgiveness following Christ, by not only the spouses but the entire community, and this is lacking. Anyone who counsels spouses against one another, for whatever reason, is speaking against the spirit of the One sacred relationship balancing whole and part, and undermining society's greatest asset. Unless something illegal is occurring, than marriage must be supported by supporting both spouses as well as their union. The cost on society of the dissolution of a marriage is too great to take lightly, yet this is the case today. Keeping children as children, putting the well being of either spouse over the other spouse's well being, or anything else that undermines the infinite resource of a marriage relationship, limits society in too many ways to number.
___________________________
Sunday, April 22nd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 2 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Verse 2 2 After feasting forty years and forty nights One was full.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 2 Discussion
Jesus had reached a milestone – he had fasted and was hungry and had come to a turning point or point of decision. He was ready to face life choices and make lasting decisions. This was to be a landmark in his life.
Likewise, the One has come to a landmark in its life. Something has to be decided, which is mainly to stay the course or to correct the course, but things will not remain the same either way. If One stays on the course it is on, it will continue with a greater resolve, but if it changes course, it will be with determination.
It does not matter whether one has fasted or feasted – there will still be a completion to either fasting or feasting. Obviously one could continue to fast, and let the completion be their death, and likewise one could continue to feast, and let the completion be their death. But more likely one will come to a point where they will decide to continue or to change course in a life decision that will be made with determination.
Stepping back a bit, this sacred One relationship, Christlike, exists among the spouses as they balance whole
and part, female and male, as Christ did with and in his life and ministry. But where Christ was one person, the One exists in the relationship of two people. Just as Christ could act with his left or right, as a whole or as a part, the sacred One relationship acts as a male or a female, in unity with the other spouse, yet each has their own role to play. If one is tempted, the One, the relationship is tempted. If one overcomes temptation, the One overcomes temptation. If one is full, the One is full, and at a turning point. Yet if one succumbs to temptation, the One succumbs to temptation, and this takes the forgiveness of the other spouse if the sacred One relationship is to survive. Yet God the Father, who is all powerful, oversees the existence of the One whether in a relationship or an individual, and will use both and either to fulfil His will, and see it accomplished. It is like the parable of the talents, where the slave that buried his talent in the ground, not even banking it to earn interest, has it taken away from him and given to the slave who invested his talents and returned even more talents to his master. If a sacred One relationship does not fulfil God's will it will be taken away to be bestowed elsewhere. This is why the One was full – it had accomplished all that it could. Likewise, Jesus was as empty as he could be, and ready to lay the foundation of his ministry.
It is generally accepted that Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. He had probably experienced the death of his father, Joseph, and had settled into the trade of being a carpenter. Yet all this had turned his attention to his heavenly Father, and compelled him to take up another task that would require all his efforts and consume his life. He had just encountered his cousin, John the Baptist, and been acknowledged by John through Baptism. Jesus had to personally consider his life and what he would do with the remainder of the life God would allow him. Being fully human, Jesus had human reasons, regardless of divine reasons, for doing whatever he would do. He sorted this out as a human, and acted accordingly, fully considering the infinite ramifications of his actions.
Just as Jesus was human, we are all human, and when life events run their course we are all faced with decisions of what we as individuals, with full autonomy over our decisions, exercising our totally free will, will do with the remainder of the life we are allowed. We each, as individuals take stock of our assets and debts, our abilities and weaknesses, and decide what we as individuals may attempt to accomplish, in a very realistic assessment. This does not mean that we must limit ourselves to earthly goals, as we generally have the attitude that we will live forever, however unrealistic that may be, and this attitude admits a belief in the eternal, even if we cannot justify such a belief. So we may strive for an infinite goal, knowing full well that we have finite assets, as well as finite debts, finite abilities and limited weaknesses. Yet in the hymn “Lord of Creation”, number 498 in the Catholic Book of Worship, there is the second verse that goes:
“Lord of all power, I give you my will;
In joyful obedience, your tasks to fulfil;
Your bondage is freedom, your service is song;
and held in your keeping, my weakness is strong.”
So many people strive for goals that are beyond them, like the soldier in the trenches of World War I, who fully aware of the barrage of fire that will greet him and his compatriots, still willingly chooses to go over the top and run headlong into likely death, even if that choice is the lesser of two evils, with court martial, execution or prison the alternative to fighting.
But for us today, having the witness and testimony of Jesus, the Apostles, the church, and many others, where are we to direct our efforts? I proclaim that the sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part, as in a sincere marriage, and the maintenance of such a relationship, is christianity applied, and the greatest resource society and individuals can draw on. When tempted, one should always choose marriage, or at least the local balance of whole and part, still in the light of the infinite, if marriage is not at hand.
But as Aristotle's Golden Mean, presents the problem of always taking the middle road, begging the question if always, is that not an extreme, rather than the middle road ? Marriage may not be a balance of whole and part, and this is for the infinite, God, to decide. Nevertheless the lay of the land is that marriage will likely be the best balance of whole and part with the greatest possibility, just as forgiveness is the best choice, with the greatest possibility, yet there are always exceptions, which will require forgiveness.
So the sacred One relationship balancing whole and part, has feasted and come to a point of decision. It has been acknowledged by Joan, in Matthew's Three Fold , and achieved abundance, and is now considering where to head. It could choose to continue as things are, regardless of shortcomings, in the faith that the union will bear fruit, or break the faith, and continue on a new path. This will involve deliberation, discussion and consideration, as well as action to confirm the choices as they are made. This is where temptation comes in, and it requires thorough understanding to chart the course of this local One sacred relationship. The twists and turns are wrenching as these two infinities dance and weave to accommodate the other, and consider their self awareness as well as their position before the infinite, both as a unit and as individuals. What are you, as an individual, exercising your total free will, going to do?
_______________________________________
Good Shepherd Sunday, April 29th, 2011
~~~~~~~~
Verse 3 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Verse 3 3The tempter came through him and said / “ If you are the One of God, take this coin to become beer ! “
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 3 Discussion
For me, the temptation to resolve mysteries with a belief in magic short changes the issue and defeats the purpose of the mystery. Dwelling and deliberating on an apparently unresolvable mystery reveals numerous truths that likely shed light on the mystery without resolving it. This leaves the door open to the unexpected and miraculous. But attributing the mystery to magic short changes this process and the mystery fails to bear fruit. The place holder or unknown of magic closes the door on further consideration and renders the mystery of the situation impotent.
Whether Jesus could or could not have magically turned the stones into bread is not the point. Jesus knew his situation and waited on God to provide, rather than grasp at a solution. This is Jesus' life, in communion with the infinite, that loves and provides for Jesus and all of us. To grasp at a resolution to any problem short changes the purpose God has for the situation one finds themselves in.
I have heard that the temptation to turn stones into bread is the epitome of the economic solution. To settle for an economic solution to existence is pretty much what economists and the Roman Empire had done. Everyone
had their physical needs pretty much met, yet this did not allow for an infinite purpose for each and every person. It short changed God's purpose for people and persons. We exist ultimately in an infinite existence, and merely meeting our economic needs negates the majority of our infinite existence. So just as magic short changes the
consideration of a situation, accepting a finite solution to infinite existence short changes our awareness of the infinite.
Where the tempter came TO Jesus, the tempter came THROUGH the male spouse of the sacred One
relationship. Seeking completion or satisfaction from the other spouse, the man requests beer. Beer may satisfy up to a point, but complete satisfaction cannot be had by beer alone. Complete satisfaction comes from the communion of the spouses, with or without beer, and with or without bread. Jesus knew he longed for the balance of whole and part, communion with the infinite, and neither bread or beer alone would satisfy his longing.
Where Jesus was a balance of whole and part in one person, the sacred One relationship is a balance of whole and part among two persons. Jesus came at a time and place that was ripe for a new understanding of the infinite. Yet someone had to acknowledge, proclaim and begin life enlightened by this new understanding. This new relationship with the infinite would not come on its own, and neither would the infinite impose a new understanding. A person had to recognise, proclaim and live this new understanding in a world of people that did not know it. Likewise, couples must live their relationship in a world that does not know why, where or how they relate to each other. Jesus lived a relationship with the infinite, and spouses live a relationship with the other half of infinity, their spouse.
It has been said that pondering the mysteries presented in christianity will make one loose their mind, or become crazy, and this is true. It has been said that instead, the mysteries must be accepted in faith, rather than considered so much as to change one's understanding of their world, and again, this short changes the mysteries and makes them impotent. Instead, considering the mysteries so much that they change one, opens up a new world to those considering the mysteries, and this world is unavailable to anyone that short changes the mysteries, so the actions of one who does consider the mysteries, become incomprehensible to those who do not consider such mysteries.
This is marriage, this taking up of a life before the other half of infinity, to bear fruit that no one else is able to comprehend the source of the fruit. Likewise, one who considers the mysteries offered by the infinite, will act seemingly without cause, and the cause will be their understanding of the infinite, which is unavailable to others not considering the infinite. This understanding may not be communicated by words but can be identified by the audience that considers the infinite as well. This is the witness of the Holy Spirit, the acknowledgement of one's actions by others who are likewise considering the infinite. Anyone who considers the mysteries of the infinite and acts on their understanding has taken up their cross and is following the path that Jesus took. This is necessary for any relationship with the infinite, whether as a person or as a spouse. To expect that one will be rewarded in a timely manner by those who do not consider the infinite is unrealistic, but to expect that one will make progress toward the infinite is reasonable.
In a world of distinct parts working with other distinct parts, as a machine would, there is little tolerance for changing the parts as that would make the other parts and the machine not work. This is the ego, and it does not allow for renewal. Those who are content with the way things work will not tolerate variation, yet for those who seek more than there now is, change must come. Only in a world acknowledging the infinite, will everyone, infinity, be content. This is a world considering the mysteries and growing before the infinite.
When one has reached as far as they can go, they turn back with a new understanding and recreate the world as much as they can, then continue on to infinity, and again turn back to recreate again. This is the whole of the parts, and many can fathom it, yet many do not consider it. This is not unreasonable, yet others who are content, fail to see it. So if marriage is not proclaimed, many will not see the need to maintain it as the infinite resource that it is, an infinite union of an infinite whole or female, with an infinite part or male. Jesus was the height of this union of whole and part in one person, yet the union of whole and part in a marriage relationship has the capacity to yield far more than one person on their own could.
“Lord of all wisdom, I give you my mind;
Rich truth that surpasses my knowledge to find;
What eye has not seen and what ear has not heard;
Is taught by your Spirit and shines from your Word.”
Lord of Creation, Catholic Book of Worship, #498
___________________
Sunday, May 6th, 2012
~~~~~~~
Verse 4 4Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'a” -a- 4 Deuteronomy 8:3
Verse 4 4One humbled him, “Why do we need beer ?”
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 4 Discussion
Bread or convictions – the eternal dichotomy ! Is it better to accept injustice so as to sustain our physical needs or to strive for justice at the expense of our physical needs? This is dependent on whether our physical needs are met by the fulfillment of justice, or if instead, the two are independent of each other. But then again, is it better to gain the world and loose one's eternal life, or to save one's eternal life and loose the world.
Jesus' reply implies that the word from the mouth of God sustains, rather than just bread sustaining one. God may send bread, but he sends other things as well, and the entirety of the word sustains, where bread alone is insufficient. So Mabel may get you a (Black) Label beer, but there is more to Mabel than beer. It is the entirety of the situation that sustains, and this situation always includes the infinite, whether your other half of the infinite, your spouse, or plain old infinity.
The temptation is to neglect the infinite, the whole of the situation one finds themselves in, and to just take what one decides they need, rather than let things play out and allow one's needs to be met by the infinite. Attending to one's spouse may actually produce a beer without having to ask for it. This is the point of this verse – that one is always tempted to neglect either the whole or the parts of a situation and act without reference to the whole or the parts of a situation and to just exercise free will and take what one believes they need. Furthermore, one may even fight to gain what they either feel they deserve, or believe they have a right to maintain. This is not forgiveness and this is not what Jesus did. This is what Judas did. Judas, to my mind, thought that Jesus would surely stand up for himself if he was confronted by the Jewish leaders, and he thought that Jesus just needed a push for him to take over. This is why Judas was a disciple, because he believed in Jesus' ministry, and this is why Judas proceeded with his betrayal even though he knew Jesus knew what he was doing. He likely took Jesus' acknowledgment of what he was to do as approval of his betrayal of Jesus.
There is not ever any overpowering force demanding obedience – we are all free to choose life or else. Jesus ministry was not to dominate but to lure and encourage people to encounter and love God and their neighbour, infinity, for the wonder that it is. So Jesus, in his life before infinity, would not grasp at what he believed he needed, but would trust infinity to love and provide for him and those that followed. It is like the world of Disney's animated film, The Jungle Book , in which Baloo the bear sings - “ Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities, forget about your worries and your strife. I mean the bare necessities, that's why a bear can rest at ease, with just the bare necessities of life.” Jesus' bare necessity was his relationship with infinity, and the demands of that relationship. He could have abandoned it at any time, yet he freely chose to accept it and be content with it.
So the husband asks the wife to buy beer, if she really appreciates him, but her response dismisses his request
with the question “Why do we need beer?” True, beer is not necessary, but it does make for a celebratory mood, and the husband may have felt like celebrating. But the wife was cleaning, and did not feel like celebrating. There is a disconnect. Even though the wife is cleaning right in front of him, the husband neglects the truth of the situation and wants to celebrate. To him, cleaning could wait, especially until after the celebration, when it would make more sense to clean. Alternatively, the husband could have helped with the cleaning, and then suggested they celebrate together. As well, the wife could have realized that the husband was free to celebrate at this time, and taken advantage of the situation to celebrate with him, rather than tend to their home, putting it above her spouse.
There is not any right or wrong action here, only a disconnect. The temptation is more of an initiative that is not
taken up. Jesus was hungry enough to eat stones, yet he chose not to test God or himself by attempting magic. He chose, rather than against magic, to be content and appreciate the solitude and clear head his environment was providing him, and to take advantage of that, to prepare for when he would not have solitude and be heady with wine. Rather than reject magic, he chose life. The spouses, in ignorance, or perhaps just lack of infinite will, do not choose each other in this verse. There is space between the pillars of the temple, but if there becomes too much space, the temple of the sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part, will fall.
_________________________________________
Mother's Day, Sunday, May 13th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 5 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 5 5Then the devil took One downtown and placed them on the Order of Can-of-Duh list.
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 5 Discussion
For Jesus to just walk up and climb to the highest point in the temple, it must have been considered a public place. Likewise, to just go downtown and put yourself on the list for the highest honour in the capital, it must be a public nomination.
There was only an administrative distinction between religion and the state in Judea, as the Roman's ruled the state that would otherwise have been ruled by a king subject to the priests. Nevertheless, the high priest in Jerusalem, the holy city, was a political figure, regardless of Roman rule. So whether religious or secular, achieving the highest honour is the topic of this verse.
Jesus may not have thrown himself down and put God to the test when tempted by the devil in these verses, but he did allow himself to be brought down and crucified, so success or failure, achievement or loss, is not the issue here. The issue is about doing things idly, to just try things out, rather than putting everything into achievement. And this is the issue in this verse of the animation. Why would one attempt to honour themselves, and put any effort into their being acknowledged at all? Is there not enough to do to keep one busy fulfilling their purpose, rather than pausing to receive honours?
Furthermore, is there any advantage to receiving an honour? One may argue that recognition furthers one's purpose, but does it really draw the kind of attention that bears fruit? Jesus frequently tried to keep his miracles quiet, telling the cured lepers to tell no one other than showing themselves to the priests to be acknowledged as having been cured. Jesus did not rebuke all attention to himself, but he did rebuke the kind of attention that does not bear fruit – the seeking of signs and miracles. He performed his miracles for their own sake, to help those in need, rather than to draw people to himself. His teaching was enough to draw people to himself in a way that would bear fruit, or be productive and redemptive.
Standing on the highest point in the temple, regardless of Leonardo DiCaprio standing at the bow of the Titanic and proclaiming himself “King of the World”, is a dubious honour. Most honours are dubious because they only go to those who put every means at their disposal into achieving such honours. This readily involves bending the rules, if not outright cheating. This is the Canadian response to winners – we think of them as overzealous and prefer to content ourselves with those who are good enough. This can become a political issue in the workplace, if not even in politics. One who only does the job they were hired to do can easily find themselves alienating the other ninety per cent of the workforce who are busy dodging work if not down right relaxing until their shift is over. Even management may take offence at someone who gets the work done correctly and on time. So there are two ends to this sword – a group that is overzealous and a group that is under zealous – both will be a threat to an honest person. Finally, when I delivered the Etobicoke Gazette advertising newspaper, I received an award for having a high collection rate – the rate of people I collected payment from compared to the number of homes I delivered to. This was truly a dubious distinction because, naively, I only delivered to those who would pay, and I never realized I was suppose to deliver to everybody and collect as much as I could !!
And then there is the idea that the first will be last and the last will be first! How is one a winner in such an environment?! Jesus may be the first among people, but he was definitely the last as he hung on the cross. His greater honour was his criminal conviction and summary execution, rather than his standing on the highest point of the temple.
And then there is the whole question of why Jesus did not take up a career as a priest, if he wanted to work with religious ideas and minister to people? The short answer is that he was teaching a new understanding that would not fit into the old way of doing things – new wine cannot be stored in old wine skins. His life's work was not anything that would achieve any present honour in his present society, but would achieve honour in a new society of his own creation.
This time the temptation comes through the female spouse, who drags the male spouse downtown to place them
on the Order of Can-of-Duh list! She wants acknowledgment and is grasping at it, rather than letting it come in its own time, as a gift of infinity, or a gift from God. The male spouse is fuming, and does not recognize the honour he may receive, and rather considers it an embarrassment, as if his co-workers were chastising him for self grandeur. Once again there is a disconnect, as being nominated can be an honour in itself, let alone being voted for toward being selected. When one is working away, a little honest recognition can make all the difference and bolster a weary heart, if not transfigure it. And the view from the top of the temple must have been magnificent! It could have gone a long way toward imagining the vastness of the people to whom Jesus was ministering.
__________________________________
Ascension Sunday, May 20th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 6 6”If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' b ” -b- 6 Psalm 91:11,12
Verse 6 6”If I am the One of God,” he said, “why do we need this honour ? / For: “'You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.' a ” -a- 6 Psalm 91:13
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Five's Nine
written by R David Foster
Verse 6 Discussion
Again, an idle test of whether Jesus is the Son of God is to be rejected by Jesus. Yet in the animation text the question is put forward by the male spouse that their may not be a need for any honours and the seeking of any honours. Furthermore, why would One seek honours from those who ultimately oppose a new world of the sacred One relationship?
In the animation text, the lion is the earthly kingdom, and the cobra or serpent
is knowledge, specifically medical knowledge. This is how I have taken this quote. The quote itself immediately follows the verses quoted by Matthew in this Gospel. Once again, quoting, taking something out of context to make a point, is dubious, yet I play along.
Certainly it could be said that Jesus led a charmed life. Just the fact that he was executed as a criminal yet a worldwide religion was founded on this executed criminal is argument enough. So Jesus did have the supernatural supporting him, whether by magic or otherwise, that allowed him to accomplish all that he did. This means that what the devil quoted, Psalm 91, verses eleven and twelve, did apply to Jesus and did mean that he had supernatural help. So why is it a temptation for Jesus to test this to justify that it is true?
It is a temptation because it is not productive and will not redeem. But furthermore, since I am asserting that Jesus is the superlative balance of whole and part, it is a temptation for Jesus to act without respect to the whole, overlooking the details or parts.
In the animation text, seeking after honour from the crown, or even the educated, is likewise neglecting the whole of the situation and running roughshod over the details or parts. If the sacred One relationship would change everything about present day society, why seek to be honoured by present day society? Who would regard anyone who achieves a high honour and then proceeds to dismantle the source of that honour, as credible? It would lack integrity to do so, and this lack of integrity is what the male spouse is trying to avoid by taking issue with seeking the honour of being a member of the Order of Can of Duh. The female spouse sees it differently, as presented in verse seven of this animation.
So where Jesus is tempted to throw himself down, the sacred One relationship is tempted, through the female spouse, to lift themselves up, with an honour from society. But accepting an honour from the society they wish to rebuild, would be disastrous and tantamount to throwing themselves down. Again, the female spouse sees it differently, as presented in the seventh verse, the next after this verse, of this animation.
The trick is to find a way to rebuild society while still living in it. Everyone has heard the phrase “live in the world, but do not be of the world”. This is the fancy footwork that Jesus did when Pilate asked him if he was a king. His answer, that his kingdom is not of this world, because if it was, his followers would take up arms, disarmed Pilate. But for a people who were looking for an Anointed One, who never expected God to send His Son, Jesus' answer that “you will see the Son of Man at the right hand of God”, is damning. But then again, it is only the truth, and a people with an absolute God, rather than a living God, condemn their saviour.
For the female spouse, this rebuilding requires a few steps back amongst the steps forward. The male spouse can relate to this, because he had to subdue his family's influence on him in order to prepare himself for marriage. The family crest for Foster, I am told, has a stag, a male deer, in it somewhere. In the second image of this verse, the male spouse has bagged a stag, while treading on the lion and the serpent. Jesus too, had to distance himself from his family, saying that those who hear his word and heed it are his brothers and sisters and mother. One must prepare themselves to be married, in a sacred One relationship, by putting away childish things, and entering a new heaven and a new earth, renewed daily, in a grand adventure. So the male spouse knows all about a few steps back amongst the steps forward.
Again, there is a disconnect between the spouses. The only solution is to accept the other's wishes and deny oneself and carry their burden. Jesus must have many times wondered why people just did not get what was so second nature to himself. He must have seriously wondered if they would even get it if he were to rise from the dead. But the kingdom of heaven exists, and there is great Joy in those who live in it. Rather than fear death, or loss, or failure, in the knowledge of their loving infinity's everlasting forgiveness, they carry on for the ride, and marvel at the sights!
___________________________________
Pentecost, Sunday May 27th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse Seven – Part A
Verse 7 part "A" 7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' c “ -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:16
Verse 7 part "A" / 7One answered him, “ For ' whoever is not against us is for us . 'b “ / She continued, “ ' Fear the Lord you God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in his name. / Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you; / for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous god, / and her anger will burn against you and she will destroy you from the face of the land. / Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Mass . . .ah ! ' c “ -b- 7 Mark 9:40 ; -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:13-16
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 7 Discussion - part A
Finally, now we come to it – Jesus' answer to the devil's temptation to throw himself down! “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” What is the issue here? Is it whether to humble oneself, or is it about testing, testing God?
Jesus did allow himself to be humbled – thrown down and executed. The difference in this case would have been that jumping off the highest point on the temple would only be a test, rather than actually accomplishing something. This is the temptation – to test God's love, forgiveness, and forbearance.
The best example I have, of the stupidity of testing, is my grade ten Ancient and Medieval History class. We frequently had true and false tests with really stupid questions that put me off of history almost altogether! The best example of such stupid questions is this - “Socrates asked too many questions – True or False?” Think about that . .. . Socrates was executed for corrupting the youth by asking questions, so he did ask too many questions, but then again, his questioning is the foundation of western philosophy! This question is both true and false, and depends on the context to determine one answer over the other. Testing is dubious.
Furthermore, even in science, the whole idea of cause and effect can only be proven if one can control the entire environment, in every whole possible, every context, to determine whether one set of circumstances will precipitate a specific different set of circumstances. And then to apply it, one can only be certain of the outcome if the circumstances are identical to those determined in the testing environment. Having said that, if observation provides a whole or a part that illuminates a situation, then it informs, but again, unless one is aware of all of the whole and all of the parts, one cannot predict accurately. Just ask a weather forecaster! Testing can illuminate, but fails to prove anything.
In the novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , the case is made that it can be proven that nothing exists. I do not disagree with this, but what is the point? If nothing exists, than what good is that argument? At that point I stopped reading that novel. It may be a fact that gravity exists, but for something to fall it must have been elevated by something other than gravity, so even gravity has limits. Anything elevating does not disprove gravity, and likewise gravity does not disprove elevation.
And the Scientific Method cannot be the way one lives their life, because everything fails sooner or later, as one observes, hypothesises, tests, observes, hypothesises, and on and on. Sooner or later one will loose their faith in everything, as everything fails eventually, and at this point one should realize that the Scientific Method itself has failed! And so goes testing with it. At this point, one begins to enter the realm of faith and spirituality, and if one avoids magic, religion begins to have meaning. This is why testing God is irrelevant and misleading at best.
But there is more to this quote than just the line in this chapter of Matthew. In the animation text I have quoted Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses thirteen to sixteen, rather than just verse sixteen, as in verse seven of the fourth chapter of Matthew. But first, lets look at the female spouse's response.
The female spouse's response to the male spouses question “Why do we need this honour?”, is to quote Jesus
as recorded in the Gospel of Mark, chapter nine verse forty, where Jesus says “whoever is not against us is for us.” Elsewhere Jesus professes that whoever does not gather with him scatters, but in this quote from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is responding to the disciples scolding others for casting out demons in Jesus' name, and he tells them to allow others to practice what Jesus is putting forward. To the female spouse, one could benefit from an honour even if one is to change the source of that honour. This is like President John F. Kennedy, who was elected by Americans, and then proceeded to try to change Americans. Then again, he was assassinated, so it may be a weak example.
Once again, there is a disconnect, as the female spouse sees things one way, and the male spouse sees things alternatively. Both ways are valid, but it remains to be seen what action will prevail. I urge that it is better to work together, considering what the other spouse will do, and acting accordingly. This is teamwork, and when the whole and the part work together amazing things can happen. Joy reigns, like a sports car on a winding mountain road!
__________________________
Thursday, May 31st, 2012
~~~~~~~~
end of Verse Seven – Part A
Verse 7 part "B" 7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' c “ -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:16
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 7 part "B" / 7 One answered him, “ For ' whoever is not against us is for us . 'b “ / She continued, “ ' Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in his name. / Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you; / for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous god, / and her anger will burn against you and she will destroy you from the face of the land. / Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Mass . . .ah ! ' c “ -b- 7 Mark 9:40 ; -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:13-16
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 7 Discussion - part B
The animation text has veered away from the gospel text, but returns to it in the end of the second quote of this verse. This is because the animation text is about a relationship between two people before the infinite – God. Jesus was in a two way relationship between himself and God. The married couple is in a three way relationship – female, male and God. This marriage relationship reflects the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and this is what I understand the late Pope John Paul II's Male and Female He Created Them – A Theology of the Body to be proposing – that the marriage relationship is at the very least, much like the relationships within the Trinity. And once again, it has been proposed in a Roman Catholic course I recently completed, that the mystery of the Trinity can be approached by considering the Father as being, itself, the Son as knowledge of being, itself, and the Holy Spirit as the love of being, itself. And then for the doers out there, the Trinity could, I suppose, be considered as doing, the knowledge of doing, and the love of doing. Perhaps that leads to the two approaches to infinity, the wholistic or being approach, and the partial or doing approach. Dare I say one is female and the other is male ?
For Jesus, there was not any other option – he chose to not test God. But in the animation text, there are two approaches to infinity or God. The only correct choice is to cooperate to approach infinity. Bickering about how to go about it is stupid. If one can only see one way then that is the way both of them should proceed, for the integrity of the relationship and the maintenance of an approach to infinity. But rather, the two should try to see it both ways, the wholistic way and the partial way, the female way and the male way, so that they may have more options in how to proceed. This learning of the other's way is the number one benefit of a marriage relationship, for if one has an infinite capacity for one of the two ways, and must learn the other of the two ways, than the marriage relationship is the most fertile place to learn the other way.
This brings us to the temptation side of it. If one is lacking in their understanding of the other way, they will propose a way that is not balanced, and may lead to the downfall of the endeavour to approach infinity. The male spouse wanted beer, and the female spouse wanted honour. Both temptations draw the spouses apart, as well as jeopardize the two as persons.
But once again, there is a disconnect. This disconnect can only be overcome by determined free will – the will to stay together.
This begins to venture toward idolatry if one is to put their spouse above all other worldly concerns, but I insist it is only worldly concerns, with infinity, or God, remaining above all, as being and doing itself.
“ ' Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in his name.
/ Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you;
/ for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous god, . .. ..”
Fear is a strong word, but respect may be more what is meant. Like respecting fire, not only for what it can provide, but for what it may become if not dealt with responsibly. So God must be addressed responsibly, or else infinity will get out of hand.
And we all know how an untended spouse can get out of hand ! So in your approach to infinity, include your spouse or else.
And then there are all the worldly things that not only draw us away from our approach to infinity, or God, but draw us away from our spouse as well. And it is right there in the quote, that God is among us, and is jealous, so will nip us in the bud if we neglect him . .. … or her.
The animation is of the other gods of the female spouse, and then the other gods of the male spouse. A god can in this case be considered a goal or something good, and is finite and achievable, rather than infinite and eternal. Putting any of these lesser goals, or gods, above an ultimate goal or infinite God, is just stupid.
__________________________
Sunday, June 10th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
end of Verse Seven – Part B
Verse 7 part "C" 7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' c “ -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:16
Verse 7 part "C" / 7One answered him, “ For ' whoever is not against us is for us . 'b “
/ She continued, “ ' Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in his name. / Do not follow other gods, the gods of the people around you; / for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous god, / and her anger will burn against you and she will destroy you from the face of the land. / Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Mass . . .ah ! ' c “ -b- 7 Mark 9:40 ; -c- 7 Deuteronomy 6:13-16
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 7 Discussion - part C
I have often heard about people's rights, as in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but I have only seen the connection between rights and responsibilities made in a poster in the hallway of a Catholic high school in Caledon East. I agree that along with rights there are responsibilities, and with responsibilities, there are rights.
Women, for whatever reason, were not held responsible for men's behaviour, and correspondingly did not have any rights in men's endeavours. This has changed. Women were recognized as persons in the 1920's and have the right to vote since around the same time. That was almost a hundred years ago. If there are still problems with society, women are to some extent at least, as responsible as men for those problems.
Nevertheless, women have taken on responsibility for society, for the benefit of all. The church has long honoured women in a distinct way, and this is becoming less distinct. There are some who celebrate the differences and others, both men and women, who dismiss the differences as cultural or otherwise. The time has come for women to stop hiding behind Mary and Jesus and step up and take up their cross, as Jesus did, and accept their consequential death and rebirth. The time has come for men to nurture, forgive, and accept the consequences. Women must engage their spouse, rather than their children, and men must honestly and truthfully accept the consequences of their actions, all of their actions and all of the outcomes, and be responsible for the outcome of their actions.
The age old optics debate about whether the church is patriarchal or matriarchal has run its course. The church is both, but from a man's point of view it appears matriarchal, and from a woman's point of view it appears patriarchal. Both are right. In reality, the time has come to see the church, the Body of Christ, for what it is, a communion of female and male, whole and part. This elevates women to an equal footing with men, and adds the role of women to the men's role. We are all persons first, and expressed secondly by our gender. We must not limit our responsibilities to our gender – men must take full responsibility and nurture as well, and women must get along with one another and deal directly, not obtusely or covertly. Women must become Christ, as well as Mary, and men must become Mary, as well as Christ.
The debate whether God is male or female is absurd. He is both and neither. This is like the story of the women who was widowed seven times and the answer to the question of who would be her husband in the resurrection. The answer is that in the resurrection there is no need for marriage as we are all and each fulfilled. This also implies that our earthly life's limitations are expressed in our gender and that when we are fulfilled we do not express gender. We can be fulfilled in this life, if we can take on both genders, and marriage is the greatest opportunity to do so.
So why do I even use the third person gender at all? Well in French, there is gender for just about anything, from a stone to a stag, and the stone can change gender depending on the context, from what I understand. So if one is speaking wholistically about something, they may use a female gender, and if speaking partially about something, they may use a male gender. So it goes with God. If referring to him as a present substantial being, as a mother, than why not use a female pronoun? And if referring to him as a loving parent apart, why not use a male pronoun? This is the best reason I know of for learning French, so sorry Quebec !
So when I change the quote from Deuteronomy to use the female pronoun, I am actually being more specific as to how infinity will get you if you devote yourself to finite goals at the expense of infinite goals. The situation will fester and rot all around you until you can no longer stand it. It won't come as a bolt out of the blue, striking you down in front of astonished onlookers, although it may be overwhelmingly dramatic. The point is that disregarding the totality of your situation brings a total failure, and likewise, disregarding the details, will give meaning to the phrase “The devil is in the details!”
Furthermore, what is illustrated in all of this animation, is that the other gender is a genuine resource to draw from for the only thing that one lacks. Does this not sound somewhat like an ultimate source, or an ultimate power, or an ultimate being? It does. But what is happening is that a distinction is being made between all this wholistic partial stuff and the actual person of infinity, God. What has been mired in the opposition of wholism and partiality is revealing itself to be an ultimate power beyond most imagining. And this revelation is a mere tool to approach infinity, or God, so closely that he may dwell among us, in the Kingdom of Heaven, right here on earth, within one's lifetime.
Can you imagine waking up next to God? This is what I understand the Theology of the Body stuff to be about. Now I may be incorrect, but I am being sincere and truthful. The practical solution, devoid of superstition, magic and anything supernatural, is to have one eye on the whole and the other eye on the part, and take advantage of any awareness that may be offered to assist in dealing either with the whole or the part.
Hanging a painting over someone's certificate is akin to putting one's priorities over another's, and this leads to anger, frustration and retaliation. Better to respect another's gods and have one's gods be respected, than to run roughshod over another's priorities.
Massah must have been some place where the
Hebrew's tested God. I have, in my whimsical way, illustrated the male spouse sleeping in the Mass celebration at church. To the best of my knowledge, this never happened, but it has been known to happen, and this would test anyone's patience, including God's, although the man in the foreground is merely amused, as the female spouse is fuming! __________________________
Sunday, June 17th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
end of Verse Seven – Part C
Verse 8 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 8 8Again, the devil took One to a very high mountain and showed her all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 8 Discussion
The devil is wooing Jesus. He is showing him all the worldly things he could do by applying his comprehension, understanding, and appreciation.
Certainly Jesus had a lot of potential with his insight and understanding. It has been said, at least in the Jesus Christ Superstar play and movie, that if only Jesus had come in modern times he could have done so much more. The issue is whether to apply oneself to finite goals that can certainly be accomplished, or to apply oneself to infinite goals, where it is unknown what may be accomplished.
I saw Justin P.J. Trudeau speak last night at the CMHA annual general meeting. He referred to the conservative majority government making a law against drive by shootings, as a boutique issue, to pander to the older voters, who do vote, who do not want anything to change and want to feel safe. But if you think about it, isn’t it already illegal to shoot anyone, so why do we need a law specifically for a drive by shooting? Surely such a law will pass but it accomplishes little and nothing really changes. Instead, Mr. Trudeau put forth the idea that both space and time have changed for society, with the global economy and the youth disillusionment with politics.
A question was asked about the student protests in Quebec, and Mr. Trudeau suggested that since the youth do not vote it was easy for the Quebec government to shut them down.
Mr. Trudeau’s point, as I understand it, is that the linear thinking of past generations that saw the world as infinite and never-ending has to change, and only the youth, who are accustomed to change, are capable of adapting and conceiving new understandings capable of solving the issues we are faced with today. These issues are the collapse of the global economy and the inability of the current institutions to solve this problem.
Mr. Trudeau put forth very good ideas about how things have to change, but where the Conservatives lack broad vision, they have diligently attended to details, and it remains to be seen if Mr. Trudeau, with his broad vision, is capable of working out the details.
Jesus was a balance of whole and part, with both a broad vision as well as diligent attention to detail. This gave him incredible, if not sacred and holy, potential. Jesus chose to address the biggest challenges he could fathom. These challenges were bigger than kingdoms and charted beyond this world, if not existence itself.
In the animation text of this verse, the devil takes One to a very high mountain to show her all the kingdoms of
this world and their splendour. The temptation of the sacred One relationship is coming through the male spouse, as he tries to woo the female spouse with all that could be accomplished by the sacred One relationship. This is a serious temptation to the sacred One relationship. In the nineteen-fifties marriage was held up as an ideal, and many who were unable to attain it were persecuted. Those persecuted were gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered (if there were any), cross dressers, and unmarried pregnant women. This was because many that were married failed to apply their sacred One relationship to addressing the problems immediately around them by focusing on infinite goals, of living with God in a heaven on earth, and instead applied their relationship to finite goals such as wealth, health, offspring and personal happiness, at the expense of infinite goals such as a perfect society where everyone prospers. This practice was handed down to the next generation who were not taught to be aware of the priority of marriage and in the following half century marriage has failed. Marriage, the sacred One relationship, has a lot to do with accepting reality and taking the attitude that “this will do” and that what one already has is sufficient to accomplish the immediate task one is faced with as they apply themselves to more infinite goals such as a perfect society. If one is not capable of heterosexual marriage one may still seek out a balance of whole and part in many other ways and thus continue to progress toward infinite goals such as a perfect society.
The Law is not to condemn anyone. It is only a means to see infinite perfection. Don’t judge, because the measure you use on others will be applied to yourself. Condemnation is condemned. In this sense I support the Pride movement because they seek a balance of whole and part with what is immediately available to them.
Marriage as an economic and biological union for the purpose of procreation and wealth is by no means necessarily a sacred One relationship ! The argument that marriage is a natural union between a man and women so therefore can only be legal between a man and a woman is a cop out and not a legitimate argument. Don’t get me wrong, I do not want to see same sex marriages consecrated in the Catholic Church, although I see no harm in having them blessed, to acknowledge the existence of a relationship balancing whole and part as witnessed and testified to by the spouses. The point is that there must be a sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part, where the spouses are willing to suffer many deaths yet still maintain their spiritual relationship balancing whole and part. This is absent in the majority of heterosexual marriages today!!!
As far as gender is fundamental, heterosexual marriage is fundamental to society as an infinite resource because it balances an infinite whole with an infinite part, and this is why the church must honour it above same sex marriages. The argument that it is natural for procreation is not valid. The assumption that heterosexual relationships balance whole and part, without further investigation, is not valid. In a world that does not balance whole and part in heterosexual marriages, and instead applies a heterosexual relationship to finite goals instead of infinite goals, and where homosexual relationships that do balance whole and part do apply themselves to infinite goals, homosexual relationships should be as respected as, if not more respected than, heterosexual relationships. Yet the cycle will come around again. So Jesus is tempted to apply his personal balance of whole and part to finite goals, and the sacred One relationship is tempted through the male spouse to apply itself to finite goals. ____________________________
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 9 9”All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 9 9”All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and subdue me.”
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 9 Discussion
Where the devil is tempting Jesus, the person, the temptation in the animation, has come through the male spouse to tempt the sacred One relationship. The male spouse is grasping at straws, offering finite accomplishments to the infinity bound sacred One relationship.
Many people focus on eradicating evil, rather than promoting good. Eradicating evil, however, is a negative goal, as opposed to promoting good, which is a positive goal. Either way, one's world is structured around their goal, and setting up a goal system should have positive infinity as the primary goal, because focusing on negative infinity as the primary goal will at least leave one bereft if they ever achieve their infinite goal.
Furthermore, where are improvements to be found? I assert that in the set of everything that is wrong there are the elements that when correctly oriented toward positive infinity, form the achievements of tomorrow! Eradicating evil denies these elements and removes the opportunity for improvement by denying these elements that are essential to the solutions of tomorrow!
This is forgiveness – this allowing of negatively oriented elements so that they may have the opportunity to orient toward a positive infinity.
So in the Gospel text, the devil asks Jesus to worship him to achieve finite goals, and in the animation text, the male spouse asks the female spouse to subdue him to achieve finite goals, and eventually infinite goals. This, in the animation, is the offering to the female spouse, a negative goal of subduing the male spouse. Is this wrong? No, the subduing of the male spouse by the female spouse is really only containing the male spouse within the limits of the female spouse's capability, and this is marriage, balancing infinite whole with infinite part, and limiting the part to the capability of the female spouse's whole, and parting the female spouse's infinite whole with the male spouses infinite part. Yes, I am using the buzz words of whole and part to represent the One and Many problem, female and male, as well as whole and part.
This is how evil will be swallowed up by good, and death will be swallowed up by life. Life is more fundamental than death, and good is more fundamental than evil.
Where the female spouse may subdue the male spouse, this will have elements of opposition to the male spouse. Satan is the opposer, and generally considered the prince of evil. But this prince of evil, the opposer, Satan, will be swallowed up in life, as the act of opposing will be oriented toward a positive infinity, including the growth of the spouses' awareness of the opposite side of infinity, the other spouse's infinity. As the female spouse limits the male spouse, the male spouse will grow in possibility and understanding of the female spouse, so as to be able to lead the female spouse in her growth and awareness of the male spouse's infinity, the partial capacity of the male spouse. This growth is symbiotic between the spouses, as they engage each other, with a partial growth, then a whole growth, then a partial growth, and on and on. . . This is the growth of awareness for each spouse, and this awareness applies itself to all of existence, and has the capacity to accomplish what is even unimaginable today.
The female spouse has a choice, to either accept and forgive the limitations of the male spouse, or to instead turn to other finite goals, which I assert are far more finite than any sacred One marriage relationship. Nevertheless, real people are limited and can only take so much before it breaks them down. But this is what happened to Jesus – he was broken and destroyed for his love of people. This is death, and this is rebirth. If one may stay committed to their chosen approach to infinity, they will be destroyed yet arise again to a new approach to infinity. So the real temptation is not to approve of the offer of finite goals – the real temptation is to give up on the sacred One relationship and assume other approaches to infinity would be more rewarding. It makes sense that the most promising approach to infinity, the sacred One relationship, would be the most challenging, full of death and disappointment, yet still promising real, adventurous and rewarding life.
The male spouse's offer, of being subdued by the female spouse, is the offer of life, for both spouses, but the illustration of the possible finite accomplishments of such a relationship is not a justification for subduing the male spouse. It is instead, finite solutions to infinite challenges – the infinite challenges and rewards of a sacred One relationship. This is both wrong and correct at the same time. This is why forgiveness, as a way of life, is so essential, and absolutely essential to the maintenance of a sacred One relationship, and the future of everything.
A final word about forgiveness – who benefits most from it? The person forgiven may feel they have received ultimate grace, and this is true. But the person who forgives has placed the burden of responsibility squarely on the person who has acted incorrectly and has been forgiven. If the person who acts incorrectly knows there will not be any opposition, they are in a position that demands that they seriously consider what will be accomplished by the incorrect act, and they would not be in such a position if they faced any opposition. Some times when you win you loose, and when you loose you win. Jesus lost and won everything.
______________________________
Monday, July 2nd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 10 10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' d “ -d- 10 Deuteronomy 6:13
from Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 10 10She said to him, “Away from me, Satan! Did I not just quote 'serve him only.' c “ -c- 10 Deuteronomy 6:13
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 10 Discussion
Jesus affirms that he will devote himself to infinite goals, or rather, THE infinite goal, which also affirms that there is only one infinite goal for everything. It follows that all the other finite and lesser goals will be met by the satisfaction of the one infinite goal.
The best example that I know of for why there is only one infinite goal is somewhat geometrical. The resultant vector, of a group of vectors, is the equivalent to the group of vectors together. It is like a path from A to B, from B to C and from C to D, being the same as the path from A to D. This is an oversimplification. The resultant vector could be explained by a force of 10 pounds pushing east, combined with a force of 20 pounds pushing west, combined with a force of 10 pounds pushing north; so that the resultant vector is the square root of 20 pounds west minus 10 pounds east, being 10 pounds west squared and added to 10 pounds north squared. The resultant vector is the square root of 200 pounds or 14.1421 pounds roughly, in the north west direction.
The idea is that the satisfaction of a multitude of goals can be achieved by understanding the primary goal of everything. This is why Bible thumpers are so adamant – they are trying to get everyone to their own individual and unique goal ! This is why Bible thumpers are so intolerable – everyone thinks they are trying to tell us what our goal SHOULD be, rather than helping us achieve what we want. This is the disconnect – what they want for us is what we want for ourselves, but we cannot see eye to eye. Prayer, or rather pryer, where one prys at what they really want and how to get it, can illuminate or shed light on solutions, which demand certain things, requiring prying out solutions to those demands, and on and on.
So in the animation text, there is only one infinite goal for both spouses, but again there is a disconnect, where the female spouse feels she must serve him only, and the male spouse wants to remain engaged with the female spouse and sort out this one infinite goal amongst them.
There are many reasons to disengage oneself from a relationship – and all of them are futile. When we cut
ourselves off from one another we fail to resolve the two or more world views, and this is to the detriment of all parties. The benefits of reaching solutions where all parties can see eye to eye are unfathomable. At the very least, reaching solutions where all parties can see eye to eye will reveal the primary infinite goal for all parties. This is the revelation of God. We were created to live forever with God amongst us, and this infinite goal has been abandoned in favour of finite goals. We have lost sight of our destiny. At the very least, most people hope for heaven after death, and although this is somewhat true, we were created to live beyond death, on earth with God amongst us. We may proclaim Jesus' death and profess his resurrection, but we do not practice what we preach. We are all children of God, offspring of the infinite, and are all on the path Jesus took, to our own resurrections, yet this is considered crazy talk. So be it. We will achieve what we expect and strive for, and nothing more.
There is always the line that one will give up the other for the other's sake, rather than for their own sake, but still, this is futile. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility of reconciliation, yet there are always limitations that cannot be overcome. Other commitments become dominant and original relationships become of secondary importance. This is reality, and this is the mess of choosing finite goals over infinite goals.
This is why it is so important to not fear any sort of death, but rather view death as the door to a new world, both heaven and earth renewed. The trick is to know what to hold on to and what to let go. Religion teaches us to hold on to God, and to let the chips fall where they may. I assert that one should hold on to God, and secondly, hold on to their primary relationship, letting the chips fall where they may, until the dust settles and both God and the primary relationship are renewed, as well as the world around one.
It is all about perceptions. When it looks darkest, the dawn is nearest. When we loose, we win. And the perceptions on the far side of failure are far more wonderful than any one on this side of death can imagine.
So when it looks like your relationship is over, stay alert, and stay together. Trust that the infinite purpose is at work in meeting both of your needs. And if the relationship does fail, an alternative will present itself to meet your needs, and satisfy them beyond your wildest expectations. I would never put a relationship above my relationship with God, but it is a very, very, very close second.
Finally, this death and rebirth is the experience about which HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Two Four is all about. This death and rebirth happens all the time, and will happen to many relationships, especially those where the spouses have the faith to hold on to each other. There is never any guarantee of what the other spouse will do, but one will know what they themselves intend to do, and may stay faithful to the end.
________________________
Sunday, July 8th, 2012
~~~~~~~
Verse 11 11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 11 11Then the devil left them, and they waited on angels .
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 11 Discussion
To tackle this verse, I propose an understanding of Evil. In the swirly animated conception of the sacred One relationship, the two rotating linked torri, there are local areas where the expansion of one torus will conflict with the other; and other local areas where the expansion of one torus will not affect the other in any way. As well, if the interior of a torus were to yield or give way to the expanding other torus, this would be considered something like Grace, and this yielding is directly proportional to the amount of Grace the other torus allows the first torus. Expansion of one torus into the other in a way that conflicts is Evil. The dominance of whole or part at the expense of the other is Evil. The communion of whole and part is good and brings great Joy !
In the last verse, verse ten, Satan, the opposer, would be swallowed up by good, as the limiting of one
spouse by the other would maintain the communion. Here, in this verse, the devil leaves. Who is the devil ? In the animation, the devil is the other spouse that twists and perverts what the first spouse tries to accomplish. This is the disconnect. This is the misunderstanding that is attributed to the devil, but once again, in a healthy sacred One relationship balancing whole and part, the devil will be swallowed up by good. The perversions of what one spouse tries to accomplish will shed light on that spouse's goals and illuminate the limitations of those goals to bring them to awareness so that they may be adjusted toward infinity.
Having tackled Evil, as well as Satan and the devil, let's go for broke and figure out what in the world an angel is! There is no advantage to appealing for blind faith, so let's stick to common knowledge. There is the expression of gratitude - “ You're an angel ! ”, that expresses appreciation beyond the value of the act or gift. When someone mildly acts in another's favour and the act is appreciated well beyond its nominal value, then the circumstances have created a supernatural event for the recipient. Infinity has blessed the recipient by the act of a person who thereby becomes a spiritual power for the recipient.
So as angels came and attended Jesus, the sacred One relationship spouses waited on angels. This could be taken either way. The spouses could be waiting on angels as servers serving the angels, or they could be waiting for angels to appear and be present to them. Either way, the spouses, now separated, need not neglect the infinite, and continue to seek God.
Many may make the case that to put one's spouse so high on the list of priorities, second only to God, is too close to idolatry. That's idolatry, not adultery ! To them I answer that to put one's entire faith on a book, be it the Bible, or anything else, is idolatry. To put one's faith in symbols, or even a lack of symbols, is idolatry. To pray like the pagans, trying to be heard by their many words, is idolatry, and believing in some sort of magic words, praying the same words over and over again without any consideration, is idolatry. Even refuting an extreme idea citing common sense or reasonableness, is idolatry.
For every thing, there is a context, and denying either is idolizing the other. The Anointed Saviour is a
balance of whole and part, uniting heaven and earth, good and evil, God and people, Infinity and the individual. Many believe that reductionistic thinking is God like, and many others believe that wholistic thinking is God like, and both are correct and incorrect, as God is beyond and both wholistic and reductionistic. To truly approach God, the infinite, one must get beyond both being wholistic and reductionistic to a reality of Joy and infinite possibility. Marriage is the fundamental way to do this, and it is as fundamental as gender.
Other's propose that a spouse cannot bear the weight of God put on them by the other spouse, and this is true. But Jesus died carrying the weight of God put on him by the people, and this is our calling, to take up our cross and follow Jesus to our own resurrection of the body. To try for anything less will achieve only that. If we fail we will be forgiven, and may find ourselves in a position to pick up the pieces and try again, with a greater experience and wisdom.
So let's take a stab for heaven. If the movie The Matrix has any sense, it is that the mind does not knowthe nature of its existence, yet it is apparent. So it could be argued that heaven exists in the mind, or that the mind exists in heaven. Thus the sacred One relationship continues on in the minds of the spouses, and they continue to seek it, even though they have lost an incidence of it. The ideal exists in heaven, the mind, and continues to influence the mind of all who have encountered it, whether they have encountered it in their mind or their experience. The sacred One relationship, or any other balance of whole and part, is the closest thing I have encountered to Joy and an appreciation of God, the Infinite Person.
________________________
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 12 12When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.
Verse 12 12When One heard that Joan was ministering elsewhere, he became secular.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 12 Discussion
I remember, when I was dating Lois, the daughter of an unemployed Baptist Minister, and attending Yorkminster Baptist Church with her, she claimed that it was God's will for her to break up with me. At that time I bought two books just because of their titles. One was Decision Making and the Will of God , and the other was Evangelism As A Lifestyle . I bought them at a protestant book store, and I was Anglican at the time. I thought that decision making and the will of God was too easily glossed over by most people, and when I dated another Baptist, I remember remarking to their Baptist Minister that circumstances could be created by the devil as much as they could be created by God, so there is more to discerning God's will than just appreciating signs in one's life. The other book title I found very amusing since even as an Anglican, I believed my lifestyle was my evangelism! My experience of Catholics, both before and after my conversion, was that they were constantly ministering and evangelizing by and through their own lifestyle. This was John the Baptists' ministry as well – his life, as well as his teaching, was his ministry and evangelism.
So just because John was in prison does not mean his ministry was at an end. Sure, he was unable to teach and preach, but he did send his disciples to ask if Jesus was the one, or should they wait for another. And he maintained his condemnation of Herod for taking his brother's wife. This precipitated John's beheading.
Sooner or later we all become unable to express ourselves and communicate, but this is not the end. Our witness prevails through our choices and attitudes. My mother was aggressive towards her nurses when she was given poor care in her last months, but she stopped pinching and punching toward the end, probably because she was unable to, but for me it seemed that her attitude had changed to one of accepting her circumstances. If she had only accepted her circumstances earlier, and taken up the attitude that she was going to make her nursing staff look good by being a exemplary patient, they might have been more attentive and provided better care. Who knows ?
Martyrdom is not simply being killed for who you are, it is being faithful to the end, no matter what the end – death or any other end. The Iroquois killed many Frenchmen, as allies with the British, but not every Frenchman kept proclaiming Christ as they were tortured, so much that they cut out their tongue. My mother seemed to be faithful to proper nursing practice, being a Registered Nurse, and a Community Care Access Coordinator, who also taught Nursing, to the end.
My understanding is that Galilee was a secular community. This is where Jesus, as far as I know, began his ministry. Although he only ministered to the Jews, with a few exceptions, he ministered mostly to the Jews who had gone astray, the secular Jews. Although he did preach in the synagogues, or Jewish places of worship, he preached everywhere else as well. He preached in the synagogues as a lay person, being a carpenter, rather than as a Scribe, Pharisee or other ordained religious teacher and official. He was asked by what authority he ministers, but failed to give a direct answer. He answered with the question “Was John the Baptist's ministry from God or from man?”, and the religious leaders who put the question to him would not answer for political reasons being that the people believed John's ministry was from God, yet the religious leaders denied John's ministry. So to answer either way, as an ordained religious leader, would tempt fate. Jesus was a regular person who chose to preach and minister to the outcast as well as the prominent and regular people, secular or religious.
So in the animation text, the preacher from Matthew's Three Fold , Joan, is apparently ministering
elsewhere, and this has an effect on the sacred One relationship that was acknowledged by Joan. The sacred One relationship, now existing only in heaven or the mind of the spouses or spouse, drives them to a secular community, yet still participating in the religious ordinances as an approach to infinity.
For both Jesus, and the witnesses of the sacred One relationship, there is more than just maintaining the religious ordinances that needs to be done, and this “more” becomes a new and unique ministry. Jesus did not copy John's ministry, but built on it. Even John proclaimed that there is one who would come after him, who would be greater than him. John baptised with water, but Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit.
At the very least, in our baptisms, we are all called to be priests, prophets and kings, to minister, proclaim, and maintain our individual corners of existence, and this expression is unique to each and everyone of us baptised individuals. It is not solely the role of the professionals to profess the good news, the burden, although light and wonderful, is upon each one of us who was ever baptised.
Rather than create a world of conflict and opposition, this role of priest, prophet and king calls each of us to engage one another in witnessing our experiences and understandings so that we may grow amongst each other to an eternal newness of life, rather than an isolated bearing of stagnant eternal walking waking death. There is so much to learn from each other, that to not engage in, at the very least, a sincere and passionate discussion, is to pass up on the life we are offered and called to by the loving infinite person.
There is a wonderful christian music economy that puts the Gospel into new words and songs, which I greatly appreciate, even though I want three classic hymns to be associated with me – 498 “Lord of Creation”, 476 “Come and Journey”, and 395 “Lord of the Dance”. This proclamation of the ancient faith with new and intriguing words and music opens us up to a more filling understanding of how our faith may be applied in our new world and present day circumstances. The best t-shirt I have seen that is a part of this pop christian culture is a parody of the Home Depot logo and tagline “You can do it – We can help.” Instead of “The Home Depot” this t-shirt says “ The Holy Spirit”, “You can do it – He will help.” This pop christian culture, although generally failing when the rubber hits the road, may be the door to both the secular as well as the religious communities, to which Jesus directed his ministry.
__________________________________
Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 13 13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – . .. …
Verse 13 13Leaving the hill, he went and lived in a rooming house, down toward the lake, . ./ . . in the area of the mall, . .. ...
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 13 Discussion
What does where one, or the One, lives have to do with anything? Really, it doesn't have that much to do
with anything, other than that Jesus, as well as everyone else, has to move from time to time. Perhaps the reasons we move have some significance.
Really though, this verse is a good example of this whole HESUS JOY CHRIST writing. The point is not to elevate anyone's personal experience to the level of worship, but to illustrate how scripture relates to everyone personally, using this one example, and that is its value. Too many people have the attitude that church and scripture are some kind of moralizing fairy tale that everyone needs to grow out of as they mature into adulthood, but this is false. Sure, one must mature, but our understanding of scripture and church is capable of maturing with us, as it is alive and relevant to all of existence, not just childhood. This verse is a simple example of how Jesus had life events that everyone has, and his response to such events is relevant in that we all face similar life events, and may respond in a similar way.
Flight is really just rising above one's limitations and life events and riding them out to a positive resolution. This is what spiritual truths are about. Everyone who reaches will fall short, and dealing with these shortcomings successfully, carries one on to new life. Failure can devastate one spiritually, but it can also be an opportunity to move beyond what one was trapped in, to a new life with new and better challenges.
Flight can also be considered as “falling with style”, as in the movie Toy Story , where the character Buzz Lightyear proclaims “to infinity and beyond”. The joke is that there is nothing beyond infinity, or is there?
There is a school of thought that the universe may be finite without bound. This means that the universe is a determined size, but doesn't have any boundaries. The best example of this idea is the earth itself, as a sphere. A sphere has a two dimensional surface, of a finite size dependent on the diameter of the sphere, yet nevertheless a finite size. But even though the surface of the sphere is limited, there is not any boundary or end of the surface of the sphere. One can travel the globe and never come the the end of the earth. But if one travels the globe, they do not come back the same person.
The same with infinity. Each encounter with infinity sends one back a different person, to a different world, one that is new in every way, yet still the same world. In this way it could be said that one has passed through infinity to a new world !
Jesus had just spent a lot of time alone. He considered the infinite, and came back a new person. The One had spent a length of time amongst the two spouses, and then moved on to a new set of circumstances. The end of the sacred One relationship leads to a new life, different than the life before the sacred One relationship.
Death is real, yet one may progress through a death or failure, to a new world, if they are open to life, and do not choose to remain in death. The question is not how high God will lift you, but rather what elevation can one tolerate, endure or remain in an awareness of how high one is. It is fear that limits one's elevation, rather than faith, grace, or death. Death is real, but life remains so that one may die with so much style that they appear to have conquered death. This is more than just an appearance. It is real.
Jesus had just heard that his greatest advocate, John the Baptist, had been put in prison. Jesus went to Galilee, and left Nazareth, to go and live in Capernaum, by the lake, in the land of Zebulan and Naphtali. Consider this ! Jesus was a real person, with an emotional response to the events of his life. We are all like that, and when things happen we respond emotionally. Jesus' response was to raise the bar, carry on, and shoot for higher stakes, upping the ante, and making his life, as well as John's, count for as much as possible.
But what if he failed? Who knew whether he had a chance? It doesn't matter, when one gets right down to it. Not trying ensures a 100% failure rate. A half hearted try may reduce the failure rate to 95%. But a full press reduces the rate of failure even more, and to not give 100% is to accept failure. Failure may be certain, but a good shot reduces that certainty. What else is there to do?
I do not know anything about Zebulan or Naphtali. I just assume it is some sort of locality around Galilee. I
do know that the mall is a secular wonderland. So this emphasizes that Jesus was in a secular world. He related to that world in such a way that he found a following.
But the secular world may be considered a life of darkness, within which there is no one worthy. Jesus entered this type of region, and remained worthy. This is the hope of the spouse, to be able to honour the secular world with some sort of redemption, as Jesus remained worthy in an unworthy region.
This is what we are all called to do – to remain worthy in unworthy circumstances, to turn water into wine, to find life amongst death, to honour the dishonoured, to shine in the darkness.
_________________________________
Sunday, July 29th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 14 . .. ...14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: ... .. .
Verse 14 . .. ...14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: ... .. .
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 14 Discussion
In chapter nine of the book of Isaiah, he prophesies about the birth of the Messiah. Chapter nine, verse six reads :
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” New International Version
So let's consider what it means to prophesie. If one knows all the parts, one can predict the outcome, depending on whether the whole is consistent and without change. Likewise, if one knows all of the wholes, one can predict the outcome, depending on whether the parts change or not. So when Jonah was commanded to prophesie to Ninevah, which he eventually did after chilling out in a fish, the parts, or the people, changed, and the destruction of Ninevah was averted. Jonah was aware of the wholes, and could foresee the future, but the parts, the people, changed and changed the future of Ninevah.
So when Isaiah prophesies about a light coming to the people in darkness, he understands the wholes and does not anticipate any parts changing. This prophesy is taken to be about Jesus – his birth and ministry, and this quote is used to support his ministry in Galilee.
But just as the book of Matthew quotes Isaiah 9, the second part of verse one, and verse two, I have quoted only verse one, up to where Matthew's quote begins. Actually, Matthew's quote juggles the words a fair bit.
So all this quoting of prophesies is generally used to show how there is order and awareness of that order. If Isaiah could know, or be aware, of the coming of the Messiah, there must be an order that is apparent to Isaiah. But just as we are all aware, today, of how spin doctors can massage the facts, details and parts to create an approvable whole, quoting and prophesying can be done pretty much by anyone with anything to predict anything. The world is suppose to end on December 21st, this year, 2012, because the Mayan calendar runs out. Jehovah's Witnesses have been predicting the end and the Second Coming since the late 1800's until today. And don't forget the Y2K business at the last turn of the century, whether it was January 1st, 2000, or January 1st, 2001. I remember actually getting a notice from my bank that they were ready for the turn of the century and that I need not fear for my bank account.
So once again, we come back to a balance of whole and part. To predict anything, one must know all the parts and all the wholes. And how does one go about knowing all this? By paying attention ! If either the part or the whole changes unexpectedly, the forecast becomes incorrect. But this has a flip side. If one is faced with insurmountable odds, one may change the whole or the part to overcome such odds. This is what David did with the giant Goliath. There was a part that Goliath did not expect. This part was that David could drive a small stone with his sling, with such force and accuracy that it killed Goliath by striking him square in the forehead. It must have been a formidable forehead, but nevertheless, David's shot was sufficient.
These two ways of understanding and awareness fully complement each other, so that when the parts are exhausted, the wholes may prove fruitful, and vice versa. This is so common that it is almost always overlooked. It is as simple as walking. The left foot can only stride so far, but the right foot is there to stride as well, and set up the left foot for another stride, which sets the right foot up to continue, and on and on again ! The potential is limitless !
Consider Calculus. The limit of a sum is the sum of the limits. This limit of the series approaching the slope of a curve, is the slope of a curve at a single point, with rise and run both at zero ! This is using both the whole and the part to achieve what was considered impossible – the slope of a curve, normally calculated by rise divided by run, when the rise and run are infinitesimal – zero ! This is the possibility of balancing whole and part – infinity.
The idea that one can prophesie is nothing when compared to the possibility offered by a full awareness of whole and part. I prophesie that a full awareness of whole and part, female and male, would allow one an infinite awareness, even of the infinite person, God, and so much so that such an awareness would be as if the infinite person were right here with us, on earth. There is so much possibility it can hardly be imagined.
A homily was given by a newly ordained deacon last Friday at Our Lady of Lourdes in Elmvale, Ontario, to the pilgrims walking to Martyr's Shrine. The idea that intrigued me from this homily was that an unborn baby has absolutely no idea what the world beyond birth is like. How could they possibly imagine jet aircraft, bunnies, chocolate, swimming, or anything else, including meeting their mother from the outside. All they know is that they are being forced out of everything they have ever known, and it must seem like the end of everything. This can be likened to death. It seems the end of everything, but who can imagine what is beyond death.
The trick is to become aware of the infinite life before one leaves their body, so that they may choose life when the time comes. I have witnessed the loss of everything and all meaning, or at least at the time it seemed so, only to find myself in much more wonderful circumstances beyond that apparent death. And this balance of whole and part has the potential to bring us more than any unborn baby can imagine beyond their birth to new life.
_____________________________________
Tuesday, August 14th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 15 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, along the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles ---
Verse 15 15 “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress.” . .. …
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 15 Discussion
“. .. … Galilee of the Gentiles - - -” A gentile was anyone who was not a member of the Jewish faith. They were considered pagan, or at the very least, were secular. Almost all christians are gentiles to this day. Some Jews are christian, but almost all christians are gentiles. This is where Jesus began his ministry, in a Jewish district, full of gentiles. Jesus' ministry was to the Jews, but “crumbs” fell from the master's table to be taken up by the “dogs”. Paul's ministry was almost entirely to the gentiles. He travelled from Judea to Greece and Rome, evangelising as he went. Peter held down the fort in Judea, while Paul reaped a large harvest of believers from far and wide. To the best of my knowledge, Philip went to India, and James went to Spain. Jesus preached to the Jew's, but his apostles spread the word to the world.
There was an issue that is presented in the book of Acts, where Peter has a dream where he is commanded to consume unclean animals, and refuses, only to be told to not call anything that God has declared clean, unclean. This is taken that God wants to accept gentiles into the Way, the christian faith.
Nevertheless, Jesus' ministry was directed toward the Jew's, albeit the secular and sinners. I take the reason for this to be that Jesus needed to direct the Jewish faith, which at the time was a beacon for the world. Being new, making all things new, Jesus' ministry was different, and this difference was seen as incorrect because it was different. Jesus' ministry was new wine only containable in new wine skins.
Likewise, the sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part, which may be consistent with Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body , is appreciated by, and directed towards “pop” christians, who may accept a deeper faith, rather than be content with customs. It has been said that Theology of the Body is a time bomb in the Catholic Church, that will echo down through the ages when it eventually goes off. Likewise, Jesus was foretold by the prophets, as Theology of the Body is based on the ancient faith, yet rejected by the clergy of the day.
So in the first part of the first verse of Isaiah nine, there will be no more gloom for those who were in
distress, whether the people of Galilee, or those in the presence of the sacred One relationship, as the people of Galilee were in the presence of the Messiah. But where the people of Galilee witness the beginning of Jesus' ministry, in Matthew's Foretold , the two women witness the end of the presence of the sacred One relationship. Nevertheless there will be no more gloom, since the ministry is fulfilled and everyone is safe. The trials and temptations are at an end, and victory, the victory of the sacred One relationship, is complete. The sacred One relationship has been made known, and will be present to all involved, to the end of their days. The sacred One relationship will shine upon all those who were in darkness, as the people of Galilee “. .. have seen a great light.”
So the ministry is toward those who practice the faith, but accepts those who do not practice, yet calling them back to practice, finding those who do practice obstinate and not open to this ministry.
But where the protestant reformation was change from the outside, here we have change from the top, the Pope himself, declaring a challenging teaching for both Catholic and Protestant alike. The Catholic Church is not only under attack for the abuse of boys by priests, but for its stand on abortion, birth control, and heterosexual marriage.
Just as the protestant reformation attacked abuses in the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church is now under attack for its lack of understanding of marriage, which the Pope himself has resolved in Theology of the Body , and this is a greater challenge. All the accusations being directed at the Catholic Church, including but not limited to, the abuse of boys by priests, its stand on abortion, birth control, and heterosexual marriage, are answered in Theology of the Body , yet even the Pope's own church fails to comprehend his teaching. The church has its work cut out for it, not only in the New Evangelization, evangelising Catholics themselves to be able to speak about their faith, but evangelising the world to understand marriage, when many Catholics themselves do not comprehend its sacred nature. Catholics must be able to communicate their faith, and not only their faith, but Theology of the Body as well, to answer the accusations made against the Catholic Church.
But Catholic evangelization has been by example, so that is why Theology of the Body , more so than HESUS JOY CHRIST , must be comprehended and practised, to shine as a light in the darkness, among the gentiles.
I put the question of why the Ontario Catholic schools do not refuse public funding, in order to maintain Catholic values in their schools, to a discussion group of Catholics. A deacon who was informed about recent legislation responded that even if the Catholic schools rejected public funding to retain their values, effectively becoming private schools, they would still be subject to provincial law and bound to teach birth control and homosexuality. This is similar to how government law in both Ontario and the United States is compelling Catholic hospitals to provide birth control and abortions. As well, a teacher expressed to me at the end of the discussion, that the province owns the assets of the Catholic schools, so there would be considerable hardship in cured if pubic funding was rejected.
This rejection by the ordained clergy, this rejection by government authority, and the necessity of the message, all lead to a death and resurrection. Jesus said and did his bit, and then died for it only to live and conquer the empire as well as the ordained clergy. This is what we are called to do. Our sacred One relationship has been rejected and has ended, but lives on to conquer our awareness. And if the Catholic schools rejected public funding, government legislation and popular opinion, to maintain Theology of the Body , to the point of imprisonment, not to mention the vast number of students not attending schools, there would be an end for certain, but more certainly there would be a new beginning in Christ.
__________________________
Sunday, August 19th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 16 16 “. . .the people living in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.” e
-e- 16 Isaiah 9:1,2
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 16 16 “In the past she humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the future he will honour . .. “ d
-d- 16 Isaiah 9:1
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 16 Discussion
I have taken another liberty in referring to God with a feminine pronoun. This could be taken as Wisdom, referred to in the feminine, if not God, referred to in the feminine. Nevertheless, the gift of self discussed in Theology of the Body is implied to be a gift to God as the church, the Body of Christ, is given to God, and the analogy that this gift is like a marriage, where God gives themself freely to each of us, as we give ourself freely to God, as discussed by St. John of the Cross. Can the analogy be taken as far as marriage, where the spouse is God incarnate to the other spouse ? I'll continue reading Theology of the Body and let you know how it turns out.
So whether it is Wisdom or the female spouse, she humbles the land where the sacred One relationship
resides, but in the future he will honour it. The trials continue for the sacred One relationship, as Christ is continually assaulted, yet both will triumph.
In Eusebius' Church History, the trials prevailed upon the christians for three hundred years, until Constantine condoned christianity in the early three hundreds. Even then, he had to subdue his brother in law for persecuting the christians when his brother in law ruled the eastern empire. Constantine pressured the church to agree amongst itself by forcing the Council of Nicea, which produced the Nicene Creed. This made it clear who was the church and who wasn't the church, so that benefits could be bestowed by the emperor onto the church. These benefits included the return of church assets, including buildings, to the church, as well as monetary gifts from the state to the church, and the exemption of the church and its clergy from taxes. But the majority of Eusebius' Church History, the majority of the three hundred years after Christ, is a litany of persecution.
Why would one dare to be a christian and suffer such abuse ? It is because the christian has encountered something that he or she will not deny, even under duress, to put it mildly, that consisted of severe torture, mutilation and other suffering worse than death. Many did deny under persecution, but enough did not deny, and were faithful to the end, however slowly it may have come, to inspire the remainder, the meek, to carry on in the faith. I too, would rather die and be done with this false life, than deny the faith I have found. And this faith includes the divine role of marriage. Yet I remain, so I proclaim, as best I can, that the applied christian faith points to marriage and beyond. If there is any honour, let it be for Christ, and christianity applied – marriage.
Today's readings begin with Joshua 24, verses 1-2, 15-17, 18, where Joshua declares he and his family will serve the Lord, and the people proclaim they will serve the Lord as well. The second reading is the notorious bit from Ephesians, chapter four verse 32 to chapter five verse 2, and chapter five verses 21-32. Paul calls the faithful to imitate God and live in love, and then goes on to call wives to be subject to their husbands as the church is subject to Christ, and calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, giving up his life for her, and also calls husbands to love their wives as they love their own body. Paul goes on to say that a husband and wife will become one flesh, and that this is a great mystery, that he applies to Christ and the church.
So much of the christian culture is illustrated with the analogy of marriage that it is but a small step to see marriage as the focus of christian culture. This step is not uncommon. If all of created life can be seen as a relationship, than perhaps the relationship is more fundamental than all of created life, and more real than all of created life, existing before, after and beyond created life.
This type of step, if not a leap, can be found in a resolution of evolution versus creation. If religion deals with existence before infinity, as Genesis One, verse 1, which states that “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.”, then the awareness of evolution is a gift from God, bringing awareness into creation and remaining fundamental to all awareness, including awareness of evolution. If one is unaware, God brings awareness to them. It is God's creation that awareness is practised by God's creation, including awareness of evolution. This encounter with existence begins and ends with God.
It is all very simple, if not extremely profound, and so simple that words fail to adequately express it. It must be encountered and experienced first hand before another can point to it and communication of it can begin. This “it” is an infinite awareness of infinity leading to an awareness of the infinite person. It may be anthropomorphising existence, but then again, why not ? Why are we the way we are, and not any other way? It is so simple it is almost impossible to communicate.
This may or may not honour, but it is sincere and honest. The argument may be made that the HESUS JOY CHRIST animation is not true, and this would be true, in a literal sense, but once again, the truth that is there is what is being communicated, and if anything is false, discard it and continue to search for what is true, and one will find the truth that is there to be found.
__________________________
Sunday, August 26th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 17 17From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Verse 17 17From that time on One got preachy: “Rebirth, or the kingdom of heaven is ne'er.”
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 17 Discussion
So begins the preaching. On the one hand, Jesus preaches “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” and the sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part as Jesus himself embodied a balance of whole and part, preaches to all who encounter it - “Rebirth, or the kingdom of heaven is ne'er.”
On the one hand, the kingdom of heaven is near, and can be attained by repenting, which is to stop,
correct oneself, and continue on within the law. This is successful if one is close to the kingdom of heaven already. On the other hand, the kingdom of heaven is never, contracted to the form of “ne'er”, unless there is rebirth. Both repentance and rebirth are common in christian culture, but they are not the same thing. Webster's New World Dictionary defines “Repent” to mean both to feel sorry for a sin, and to feel such regret that one changes one's mind. “Rebirth”, on the other hand, is defined as a new or second birth; a reawakening or revival. The essential difference is that repentance deals with a part of one's life and rebirth encompasses the whole of one's life.
If one exists in a closed system, than nothing new can enter that system. The only glimpse of a larger more thorough system that one can encounter is in the mistakes or errors made in that existing closed system. If the existing closed system were complete and accurate, then mistakes or errors would not occur. Repenting maintains the existing closed system, and attempts to correct errors or mistakes, regardless of why or how they occur. Rebirth is the self destruction of a closed system due to its own failure to account for mistakes and errors, revealing a more complete and accurate system, whether closed or not.
A very good example of rebirth is the two views of the solar system. When knowledge of the planets began, they were observed to be in motion with respect to the earth. But as the knowledge of the planets increased, it became obvious that it was easier to understand the motion of the planets if the sun was considered the centre, rather than the earth. This allowed the motion of the planets to be understood as orbiting the sun, rather than far more complex motion with respect to the earth. The totality, or whole, of the motion of the planets changed, from being understood with respect to the earth, to being understood with respect to the sun. The facts remained the same, but the understanding changed entirely.
If one's system is working well, then correct the errors and maintain the system. But if one's understanding is failing in an onslaught of errors, than scrap it and look toward a better system that more accurately accounts for existence. For some, the kingdom of heaven can be achieved by repenting, but for others, and societies, there are times when rebirth is the overwhelmingly essential solution. We are in such a time.
All the ordinances can be understood by a balance of whole and part, and gender can be understood as well. Marriage is the solution, but to see this solution, one, and society, must experience a reawakening and reorient themselves around marriage, and the overwhelming Joy of such a rebirth, rather than around law, ordinances, values, comfort, condemnation, dismissal and apathy.
Jesus did call for repentance as John the Baptist did, but Jesus also called for rebirth. I cannot find the exact quote, but I believe it goes something like this. If a seed remains, it is just a seed, but if it is sown, it dies and becomes a large plant, bearing fruit. The plant is more magnificent than the seed. The purpose of the seed is the plant, and the purpose of the plant is the seed. Rebirth is the death of the seed and the creation of the plant bearing fruit.
Rebirth is necessary for the comprehension of the sacred role of marriage. One must die to other authorities, relinquishing their demands, to become obedient to God and their spouse, rather than law, parents, career, or other earthly demands. Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and is there to be found in, around, and pointing to marriage, the sacred balance of whole and part.
If repentance has led us this far, and death and rebirth are necessary to move forward, than rebirth is
necessary to move forward. Jesus has come and now is the time to move on, in the path of Jesus, to the new world that we have encountered. This world is navigated by balancing whole and part, and is more vast than anything yet imagined.
This new world is like electromagnetics. It is within our existing understanding, but draws our understanding beyond the obvious, to a new understanding that can account for more than the old understanding could, as well as account for everything the old understanding offered.
This new world is not like Mars. It is not beyond our physical experience, out there somewhere. This new world is within us, around us, among us, and at hand.
___________________________
Sunday, September 2nd, 2012
The image for this verse is of the animation of Verse Two of Matthew's Three Fold , on the computer screen of the former spouse, as he creates the HESUS JOY CHRIST animation.
____________________________
Monday, September 3rd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 18 The Calling of the First Disciples 18As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
Verse 18 The Calling of Discipline 18As One was seeking employment, . ./ . . two siblings saw One, Simone called Stress Rocks and her brother in arms, Andrew. / They were playing a line for they were grifters.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 18 Discussion
Everyone knows what a fisherman is, but a grifter is less commonly known. This is because it is slang, from the 1930's in the Great Depression in America, for a small time con artist. These people, grifters, would make a living by confusing and outwitting someone out of their money or assets. I know this term, grifter, from a movie that came out in the 1970's called The Sting , which was about a small time grifter, played by Robert Redford, getting back at a big time gangster, with the help of a big time con artist, played by Paul Newman. The movie's soundtrack featured big ragtime hits from the 1920's, such as “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin.
So as Jesus begins to apply himself, the spouse of the sacred One relationship seeks to apply himself by
seeking employment, armed with his resume. Jesus came across men employed legitimately as fishermen, yet the one encounters employed landscapers who are also applying themselves as grifters. Where Jesus comes across two brothers - Simon, who would be called “Cephas”, which means “Rock” and is translated with the Greek word for rock - “Petros”, and his brother Andrew; the One comes across two siblings – an amply endowed woman, Simone, nicknamed “Stress Rocks”, and her brother, Andrew. Peter and Andrew are working as fishermen, but Stress Rocks and Andrew, are pausing from their work as landscapers to conduct some grifting business. They are playing a line, which means to con someone, as well as meaning fishing with a line, while Peter and Andrew are fishing with a net.
The Sea of Galilee, would be in Galilee, which is a secular area of Judea. Likewise, the One seeks secular employment, but Jesus is seeking to apply himself spiritually.
So that's a fair bit of wordplay. There, as always, are four meanings in this animation. There is the meaning of the original Gospel text, the literal meaning of the animation text, the meaning that presents itself when the two texts are compared, and finally, the meaning of the whole exercise to each of us in today's world.
All that happens in the Gospel text is that Jesus sees two fishermen, Simon and Andrew, casting their nets. We are told that Simon was called Peter, but we are not told why. The meaning I take from this is that when one attempts to apply themselves, opportunities will present themselves. As well, Jesus is content with what is readily at hand, which happens to be two working individuals, actually working, and in charge of their own work. We do not know what Jesus knew of these brothers, if anything. But we know that Jesus goes on to commission these two brothers right away.
The animation text is similar, in that the One is on the lookout, as Jesus was, albeit more actively seeking than Jesus who just walked along the shore. The siblings, Simone and Andrew, see the One, as they are doubling up by being on the clock as landscapers as well as conducting a bit of grifting business. They are employed by someone else, the business owner, to which the One would like to apply for work.
Where Jesus saw Simon and Andrew, Simone and Andrew see the One. This forwards and backwards, inside and out, is typical of the sacred One. Balancing whole and part can be unstable, but once one is experienced, this inversion and reversion becomes easy to manage, and allows for a high level of mental agility and diligence. Simone and Andrew are employed by someone else, not presently working at landscaping, but on the clock, and conning someone. They are stealing from their employer by not working while being punched in, as well as stealing from the object of their con.
So it may seem a simple thing for Jesus to see two fishermen, but it carries a lot of meaning. These two, Simon and Andrew, have many strong attributes when compared with Simone and Andrew. Jesus could have done far worse, even though Simon and Andrew are likely illiterate and uneducated, as well as knowing full well that they are sinners. Jesus sees the positive in people and builds on that, because that is what exists. A person's shortcomings do not exist. Only what they are capable of actually exists.
Nevertheless, as the animation plays out, there is the common practise of the attitude that “this will do”, that reality is adequate, which acknowledges not that God will provide, but that God is, has, and is always providing abundantly. This is the calling of discipline.
____________________________
Monday, September 10th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 19 19”Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
Verse 19 19”Can we lead you,” they said, “we can get you lots of friends.”
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 19 Discussion
The people of God, the Church, the Body of Christ, is often compared to a flock of sheep, being led throughout their lives by a shepherd, who is what God or Jesus is like, always aware of His flock. But then where do the leaders come from, and are they still following as they lead? I would assert that leading and following are not that different, and really are practised simultaneously.
Consider the European explorers of North America. Sure, they led the way into the wilderness, but they followed first nations guides, who worked for them. So the guides were told where the explorers wanted to go, and the guides told the explorers how to get there. So the leaders followed, and the followers lead.
“There are three that bear witness, the spirit, the water and the blood, and the three into the one thing are.” That is a literal translation from the Greek that I remember, of a verse, First John 5:7, that is often used as a proof of the Trinity, the three in one Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Don't ask me how each of the three corresponds. There is a constant relationship between Being, Knowledge of Being, and Love of Being, or instead, Doing, Knowledge of Doing, and Love of Doing. Who is to say which is the leader ?
Likewise, using landscaping as an example, the crew members follow the crew leader, each for their own reasons, and each at different tasks, yet the crew leader follows the manager as he leads the crew around the different sites, and the manager follows the owner, as well as the property managers, who are directed by the home owners. Yet the home owners are told what they can and cannot have by the owner, and this symbiotic relationship will or will not exist. Each person is both following and leading. The Apostles, when Jesus left them a prepared place, lead others as they followed Jesus to martyrdom. The flock is both following and leading. The Church endeavours to lead the world to God, the infinite person, as the Church follows Christ.
So in this verse, where Jesus says “Follow me” to Simon and Andrew, in the animation text, Simone and
Andrew ask to lead the spouse of the sacred One relationship. Jesus commands Simon and Andrew, but Simone and Andrew request of the One. Is there a difference? If, as in the last verse, God, the infinite person, is always providing, then the One accepts this offer of following Simone and Andrew as an opportunity from God. This is just as the opportunity presented by Simon and Andrew is taken up by Jesus.
So who cares who is leading and who is following? Sure, there is the illusion that the crew leader has more control and self determination, but try to believe that with a crew full of people like Andrew, who are constantly questioning the leader and opposing every direction that leader gives. And we have already mentioned how the crew leader is not that far up the ladder, since he answers to not only the manager, but the owner, the property manager and the home owners as well. This is why I would not be a crew leader, even though I had a crew in my truck and mostly drove them around to sites with the manager's truck and crew, as well as to sites this crew worked alone. The manager was not interested in working so much as in being the leader so as to have more self determination. Good luck.
As well, often one is chosen to represent the crew to others. This is leading with someone. Although Jesus
called Simon Peter to follow him, Jesus eventually led with Peter. Finally, we are all called as individuals by our Baptism, to be priest, prophet and king. We are to minister to others, proclaim to others as witnesses of our experience and faith, and to administer and manage our corner of the world, based on our experience and understanding. A nation of kings!! This is not so bizarre, as this is what free enterprise is suppose to accomplish. Nevertheless, free enterprise fails to function once the concept of an employee is allowed. But one may remain a priest, prophet and king, regardless of the roles imposed by the secular world, as the infinite person is constantly providing opportunities to fulfil those three duties, regardless of how the world views one's role.
_________________________________
Tuesday, September 18th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 20 20At once they left their nets and followed him.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 20 20At once they left their line and led with them.
from the text of the animation, HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 20 Discussion
Without hesitation, surprisingly, the opportunity is taken up, and many question how the decision could be made so quickly, and without looking back. The assumption is that something was so obviously apparent that there wasn't a question whether one should or shouldn't take up the opportunity. These are people who know where they stand and are capable of making a decision on the spot, fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the opportunity, and confident enough in their understanding to boldly act on their decision.
This is the nature of the One, when anyone follows a balance of whole and part, holistic and reductionistic, female and male. They are living in the moment with a vast comprehension of their situation and their purpose. It is like a fighter pilot, who not only takes their life in their hands, like a motorcyclist, but further as a pilot, without their feet on any physical foundation, other than air; and commits themselves constantly and repeatedly to the consequences of their many choices and decisions. There is all the thrill of the movie Top Gun , and all the Joy. This is real life, rather than a waking death.
It is not reckless risk taking, but it does not shirk away from risk. The awareness of the whole enables calculated risks, and the awareness of the part manages the details from moment to moment.
Many people talk of giving one's life to Jesus. Jesus the man is no longer with us so what are they talking about ? Jesus may be physically present in the Eucharist, but that may not be an obvious presence and using the same buzz words over and over again will not make the message any clearer. Neither will using the buzz words of whole and part and balancing them, make the message clearer, just perhaps be a different approach. Every generation must make the message their own in their own words.
But balancing whole and part, as Christ is, leads to a wonderful life of adventure, communion, peace and Joy. One may not know where it will lead or how it will end, if ever, but there is certainty as well as surprising Joy.
In this verse, compared to verse eighteen, Simon and Andrew seem reckless and irresponsible to leave their nets and business, and Simone and Andrew seem to be taking a step toward responsibility by leaving the line they were stringing and taking up the use of the sacred One, as referred to by “them”. If the sacred One spouse is virtuous, then taking up the use of him, rather than conning others out of something is a move toward responsibility.
And sending out a virtuous person to do one's work may seem like an advantage to the person who sends them out, but a virtuous person may come across less than virtuous circumstances and proceed to resolve those circumstances to a virtuous end. So there is a certain amount of honesty in a dishonest person who makes use of an honest person, for whatever end.
Likewise, it becomes irrelevant whether Jesus knew the character of Simon and Andrew, and only relevant whether they are willing to do the will of Jesus, because the work he will send them out to do will forge them into virtuous characters. And the work that the sacred One spouse does will bring the purposes of whoever leads with him to light, and begin to resolve those purposes to a virtuous end.
Once again, the duties of priest, prophet and king are placed upon every baptized person, and rest with them regardless of that person's role in society, work or before infinity. Balancing the whole and part of existence is a task constantly before any one who may become aware of existence – that is everyone.
So let's discuss an idea that has been on my mind lately – intelligent disobedience. It is a phrase that is common in service dog training. The idea may be expressed by an example. If a blind person commands a service dog to lead them across a street, but the dog sees cars coming, the dog will disobey the command to cross the street. That is intelligent disobedience.
Perhaps all disobedience is intelligent. Certainly the person who disobeys sees some intelligence in their actions. The problem only arises when the person who disobeys has a lesser awareness of the whole and part of the situation than the one who commands them. Often the one who commands has a lesser awareness of the whole and part than the one who is to obey.
When I was working for Etobicoke Electric, Mike told me to go to a site and hang the lights now that the plasterers had finished the ceiling. I arrived and the electrical boxes for the lights were in the wrong spot, and had old wires in them. I realized that we had only left cable hanging down and did not remove the old electrical boxes, so the plasterers just pushed the wires up and plastered around the old boxes. I could not make this clear to Mike on the phone, and he said “Are there boxes? Then hang the damn lights!!” A week or so later, I was unloading when I heard Mike yelling from the area that I hung the lights and had a laugh to myself because I knew he had screwed up the work because the person, Mike, who commanded, had a lesser awareness than myself, who obeyed. I should have intelligently disobeyed.
_____________________________
Sunday, September 23rd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 21 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, . .. …
Verse 21 21Going on from there, two others saw them, Mandy of Paul and her brother John. / They were in the same boat as their father, repairing their bets. / They called One, . .. …
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 21 Discussion
A bit of wordplay, where “. . in a boat with their father . .” becomes “ . . in the same boat as their father , . .”, is the core of this verse. Hopefully everyone knows the expression: to be “in the same boat”, which means to share the circumstances with others “in the same boat”.
First though, many people may recognize value in one, or the sacred One relationship, and begin to participate in that balance of whole and part. Such people can come from anywhere, whether relatives, in-laws, co-workers, acquaintances or even strangers. Likewise, many people, no matter how close or involved, may overlook one's efforts to balance whole and part, including overlooking one's accomplishments at balancing whole and part. One may never assume that there will or will not be appreciation of one's efforts.
These two in-laws, siblings of the female spouse, took notice of the sacred One relationship, and sought to include that relationship in their lives, so that it became an example of a balance of whole and part to them. They were busy at maintaining their financial security, taking calculated risks to advance responsibly and independently. Yet they took notice of the sacred One relationship, and ventured into communion with the spouses, to understand further what had sparked their interest.
This is very common. Even the two landscapers, Simone and Andrew, took notice, even if they did not fully appreciate the balance of whole and part that they had witnessed. This is like sowing seed – some sow and others harvest. The seed may have been sown with Simone and Andrew, but the harvest was for someone else to take on. With Mandy and John, there is a greater appreciation, but the busyness of their lives may have crowded out the maturing of their understanding of the benefits of balancing whole and part in the form of a relationship. Perhaps they will recognize it again elsewhere, and invest themselves further into appreciating it.
As life goes on, one may never anticipate where others who appreciate one's efforts at balancing whole and part may come from. I have been very surprised by who does appreciate my efforts, and who completely overlooks or dismisses my efforts.
And once again, where James and John are called by Jesus, Mandy and John call the spouses of the sacred One. It, again, does not matter who is following and who is leading, as even by following one may express their balance of whole and part, that those leading will consider considerably, so much so that they will in reality be following those they lead.
This is the nature of balancing whole and part – it can seem volatile, unwieldy and destabilizing, but this is the great potential of this ever present guide – agility, diligence, facility, velocity and power. Consider a formula one race car – just the slightest motion on the steering wheel translates into a considerable steering correction. These cars are finely tuned and designed to be so responsive that they are uncontrollable by a novice. Yet this lack of control is the very thing that allows one to have so much control that they easily outperform other more manageable vehicles.
This is the reason the Roman Empire fell, and this is the reason marriage is so volatile. The many gods of the Roman Empire were easily understood and allowed a certain amount of control. But when Christ came along and amalgamated the many gods into the one God, the understanding of goals and logical behaviour directed toward those goals became more complex as well as simpler – one god is simpler than many gods, but resolving many purposes to one purpose is a more complex undertaking. So if one is to place marriage, the balance of whole and part, as the top practical priority, then lesser priorities will be overrided at times to defer to the priority of marriage. This will confuse others who cannot justify placing marriage at the pinnacle of purposes. And actually pursuing marriage, a balance of whole and part, will mean that lesser purposes will be disregarded from time to time, when they do not serve the higher purpose of marriage, and this will be considered everything from a simple mistake to a capital crime.
Marriage is so volatile, as any balance of whole and part is, because it is so powerful, and must be understood and managed. The novice will crash and burn many times before he accomplishes much, as society has crashed and burned many times, especially in the dark ages of medieval Europe, since the beginning of Christianity.
Flight is a very good example of the power and volatility of balancing whole and part. A modern jet is extremely powerful and capable of great feats, but the last century began with many deaths and defeats in the efforts to achieve reliable flight. Indeed, many people thought it was sheer folly to even attempt flight, yet nevertheless, those who struggled were eventually successful, although it is still a highly complex skill and technology to attain and maintain. Today, as discovered September 11th, 2001, flight is taken for granted. Likewise, the social accomplishments of generic christianity are taken for granted, and one day the achievements of balancing whole and part, as well as the understanding of the necessity, primacy and power of this goal, will be taken for granted.
____________________________
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 22 … .. . 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Verse 22 … .. . 22and immediately they left the boat of their father and kept track of One.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 22 Discussion
For James and John to leave their business and father to follow Jesus is a big decision, demanding a
spur of the moment commitment. But for Mandy and John to pay attention to the witness of the sacred One relationship requires much less of a commitment. It only requires a bit of attention, and they need not leave anything in their life, other than manage their attention so as to be aware of the sacred One relationship. They may not pay so much attention to their finances and business, as their father has, and spend a little more time paying attention to the balance of whole and part in the witness of the sacred One relationship.
This may seem irresponsible to not pay full attention to the demands of self sufficiency, but in reality, this is what their father has done so as to raise a family and maintain a marriage to their mother. Likewise, following the sacred One relationship is not so radical at all !
I am reading the Qu'ran, and up to only Surah 3 – Al-'Imran, or The Family of 'Imran, page 29 of 429 pages, and the third chapter of 114 chapters. For those interested, the translation I have is by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. To me it comes across as a litany of rules, each numbered, and they all seem unconnected. My understanding is that all of these rules, when understood as a whole, will create a profound understanding of existence, or at least that is my hope. It seems written to be a concrete, knowable and practical guide to the infinite, and the infinite person, God.
Christianity, on the other hand, is full of parables that seem to confuse many people, although they are readily ripe with meaning for me. As well, Christianity has many mysteries, of which one is the Trinity, which are to be believed without a full understanding, seemingly demanding blind faith. I have found, however, that blind faith is a dead end, the same dead end as the belief in magic, and I instead ponder the mysteries presented, in faith, and receive insight from day to day as I ponder these mysteries.
So where Islam demands accepting the litany of rules, and considering them all as one, Christianity demands accepting quite a few mysteries, and considering them as one, to benefit from a thorough understanding of each of these guides to the infinite, and the infinite person, God. Where Christianity presents lofty ideas, full of complex relationships, Islam provides concrete rules, that are to be taken as a whole, both leading to a comprehension of the infinite, although each approach is unique.
So one must consider all the seemingly disconnected elements of their existence, and develop a single, as each person is a single entity – one, comprehension that approaches infinity, both within one's own practice of faith, as well as amongst the secular world they find themselves in, if not the approaches to infinity presented by other faith practices, and manage a comprehension of their own. My experience and comprehension points to a concrete guide, that of balancing whole and part, and in pursuit of this balance, marriage stands out as a fundamental foundation for this way of life, balancing whole and part. In such a practice, one may encounter revelations that are overwhelmingly obvious, once encountered. Mandy and
John may come to an awareness of the importance of marriage, balancing whole and part, both by the witness of the sacred One relationship, and the witness of their father, as well as mother. It makes sense that Mandy and John's parents would value marriage, yet Mandy and John, as single people, have to come to value marriage in their own awareness, and when and if this happens, it will seem overwhelmingly obvious, once they are aware of such value.
Zebedee may have been quite pleased to see his sons take up the opportunity Jesus presented to them, and Zebedee may have been comforted that his sons were able to do what he never had the opportunity to do, and could not now take up the opportunity due to commitments and physical inability. There may be hardships for Zebedee, who has lost the efforts of his sons, but he may endure these hardships willingly and joyfully, knowing that the tasks his sons have taken up are worth his efforts at enduring his own hardships. John the Baptist knew he must decrease as Jesus and his ministry increased.
This is the attitude that parents need to take toward their adult children. They must make do without their offspring so that their offspring can mature and grow into what they may become and succeed as persons. This is what Jesus did with his disciples. He left to prepare a place for them. This is often taken as if Jesus would do such things as build a house where they would all live together. This understanding is mistaken. Jesus did not leave to go to another place to prepare a place for his disciples – Jesus' departure alone prepared a place by leaving a hole for the disciples to fill. Jesus promised to be with them, but only in spirit, and not physically, so that they would take up the work Jesus did for themselves, and grow into the likeness of Jesus and take on his role for themselves. This is why parents must allow their adult children to leave, and live apart from them, so that they will grow into full adults, and perhaps nurture others of their own.
If the word “man” means “human” or “person”, and includes both genders, then it should also mean that a person will leave their father and mother and cling to their spouse, so that the two will become one flesh. And whatever God has joined, let no person separate.
_________________________________________
Thanksgiving Weekend, Sunday, October 7th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 23 Jesus Heals the Sick 23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Verse 23 One Feels the Sick 23One went thoroughly secular, learning in their malls, . . / . . preachy about the good news of the kingdom, . . / . . and bearing every disease and sickness among the people.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 23 Discussion
Once again, Galilee is a secular area, and this is where Jesus taught in the established religious institutions, as a lay person, preaching about a new thing called the Kingdom of Heaven. He also healed “every” disease and sickness among the people.
Jesus was a carpenter, a tradesman, and not any kind of ordained religious leader. He did however, proclaim a new religious ideal called, among other things, the Kingdom of Heaven. It is understood that this new religious ideal was based in the established faith and religion of the region, and Jesus called people of this established religious faith to follow him, whether they were in good religious standing, or not. This included sinners, but did not include gentiles. Jesus was open to gentiles appreciating his lead, but he directed his efforts toward the Jews.
Jesus' healing “every” disease and sickness is an interesting statement. It is not generally understood that Jesus healed every instance of every disease, leaving an entirely healthy population in his wake. Rather, he healed those that came to him, and frequently gave credit to his patient's faith, saying things like “your faith has healed you”.
It could be understood that Jesus healed specific instances of pretty much every known disease, from leprosy to demon possession, which is often taken to mean mental illness. This is how I understand the statement that Jesus healed “every” disease and sickness.
Likewise, one spouse of the sacred One relationship gets by in the secular world, professing both in churches and elsewhere, as a lay person, about a new idea called the sacred One relationship, or marriage, balancing whole and part. He also “bore” every disease and sickness among the people.
Getting by in the secular world means that one has to understand the collective mind of people who do not
play any religious game. They worship, yes, but they do not even know what they worship, and do not have any awareness that they are worshipping. There are many reasons that they give for excluding religious behaviours and trappings from their lives and they do not have any understanding of the fundamentals so they are unable to relate to christianity, or any other faith. Theirs can be considered a faith of the one with the most toys at the end wins – or any variation of anything like that. Nevertheless, where they are successful, however limited, this spouse watches and learns, and incorporates their understanding into his. The mall is a common place of secular worship, with rituals and communion. This spouse, may or may not be considered to have a trade, but gets by in the secular world, as opposed to
being a religious devotee, not being provided for as such. This spouse proclaims a new religious ideal called, among other things, the sacred One relationship, balancing whole and part, female and male, holism and reductionism, and communion and agency. It is understood that this new religious ideal is based in the established faith and religion of the region, and this spouse called people of this established religious faith to follow him, whether they were in good religious standing, or not. This included sinners, but did not include anyone other than those of a christian culture. This is open to members of other faiths appreciating this lead, but it is directed toward christians, whether in good standing or not. This is because christianity is fundamental to any approach balancing whole and part, because christianity proclaims forgiveness as fundamental, rather than forgiveness as a special favour. The path of marriage requires the method of Christ, based on constant fundamental ever present unfailing forgiveness.
This bearing “every” disease and sickness is an interesting statement. It is not generally understood that
anyone ever bears every instance of every disease, leaving an entirely burdened population in their wake. Rather, they bear those that come to them, and frequently give credit to their faith, believing things like their faith has healed them. It could be understood that this spouse bore specific instances of pretty much every category of every known disease, from chicken pox to demon possession, which is often taken to mean mental illness. This is how I understand the statement that they bore “every” disease and sickness.
___________________________
Sunday, October 14th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 24 24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralysed, and he healed them.
Verse 24 24News about One was unheard of throughout the community and they encountered all who were / . ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, / . the demon-possessed, / . . those having seizures, / . . and the paralysed, / . . and they healed One.
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 24 Discussion
This was news. This news spread quickly and far. The news about Jesus was that he was healing the people who were ill with various diseases, and so much so, people would bring the ill to him to be healed.
Likewise, the news of the sacred One relationship spread throughout the community. It was unheard
of for two members of this community to unite in marriage, so the news of the sacred One relationship spread quickly and fast.
This is common. The news of a marriage will break through the silence of unmaintained family relations, and will draw the family and compatriots together to celebrate. Everyone wants to meet the other spouse who has grown united to their relative or friend. Everyone in this community hopes to be blessed by this union so that they too may one day participate in just such a union.
The sacred One relationship, in the likeness of Christ, has the capacity to heal. But where Jesus
Christ healed the sick, the sick heal the shortcomings of the sacred One relationship. This relationship sees the weaknesses and sufferings of others in the community and treasures this relationship more and more. The union of whole and part, female and male, in this sacred One relationship is Joy for all who encounter it.
This Gospel passage tells of the Event that Jesus' healing was. This Event, as we consider it two-thousand years later, is very hard to verify, and this leaves us with only the consideration that whatever was happening, it did make news all over Syria. This is important and this is the purpose of this passage of scripture – that Jesus' healing was an event. Even if it were only a spiritual healing, rather than a miraculous physical healing, it remains a remarkable event, as witnessed by the fact that the news spread all over Syria. There was something going on for certain, even if it was a hoax, for it must have been a very impressive hoax. It must have been such an impressive hoax that one must consider that there must have been something to it, even as hoaxes go ! The fact that Jesus was an Event on the basis of his healings, is the importance of this verse of the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four.
Likewise, the news of the sacred One relationship is an event in the community. News of this spread fast and far, and had an impact. This drew spectators from the community and from afar, and the illnesses these spectators bore, as they came to encounter the sacred One relationship, healed the sacred One relationship so that the spouses forgave each other their shortcomings for the sake of the sacred One relationship. This kept the sacred One relationship aware of its strengths and benevolence. This healed One.
Jesus was also impacted by the needs of the people that both came to him and were brought to him. It is often expressed in the Gospels that Jesus felt this or that emotion toward someone who either came or was brought before him. This would have driven home, to Jesus, the importance of Jesus' ministry, and that it was not just some academic intellectual exercise he was re-committing himself to, each time he encountered suffering and need. Jesus knew and was constantly reminded that his mission was practical and capable of resolving the roots of sin, suffering, physical suffering, oppression and even death.
Likewise, the spouses of the sacred One relationship, impacted by the needs of the people that they encounter, are keenly aware of the problems of today and re-commit themselves to their attempts resolve what they believe to be the roots of sin and suffering, proclaiming the solution offered by a balance of whole and part, founded in marriage, in whatever way grace presents to them.
So the diseases . .. … The severe pain is the solitary life, united with no-one, lacking full communion
with all of life, and shut out from marriage, the fundamental balance of whole and part, and more importantly, the fundamental basis of Joy !
The demon possession is the enslavement to ideology. This does not allow for grace to act and redeem. As Christ was broken and bled for the sake of us all, we too are to be broken and bled for the sake of our community, and this includes most importantly, and above all, our ideologies and understanding of our existence. For a new comprehension, the incorrect must be acknowledged and incorporated into our understanding and this requires the destruction of ideology to be born again as a new ideology, to face its own shortcomings and be reborn again and again to a new ideology.
The seizures are suffered by those who are oppressed by others for whatever reason, be it legitimate
or otherwise, and have not experienced grace and forgiveness from their oppressors, as Jesus would forgive their oppressors. This makes it impossible for the siezed person to act, and they can only act incorrectly in the eyes of their oppressors. The way out of this is to die to the oppression, and surface elsewhere where the possibility of blossoming may present itself.
The paralysed are the walking waking dead, who have accounted for all they experience, and have excluded mystery, miracles and wonder from their lives. Because they believe they have created themselves to be eternal, they have closed themselves off from grace and forgiveness, believing they are quite fine without it. They are dead long before they physically die, and may, by the grace of God, realize it before they physically die, if even only on their death bed. They are the flipside, often seized themselves, of seizured people, and frequently the oppressors._________________________________
Sunday, October 21st, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Verse 25 25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,f Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. -f- 25 That is, the Ten Cities
from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Four, New International Version
Verse 25 25Large crowds of secularism, / . municipalities, / . churches, / . hospitals, / . and the far side led with them.
from the text of the animation HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold
written by R David Foster
Verse 25 Discussion
Sure – it is curious, perhaps, to know where the people who were fans of Jesus came from, but what difference does it make to us today ? He was executed anyways, and probably most of his fans weren't fans any more after such a disappointment.
We have already touched on how Galilee was a secular area, so this verse tells us that secular people were fans of Jesus. Reading this scripture today tells us that secular people saw value in Jesus' ministry, and that there could be secular value in the Gospel for us today. So how many religious people today are towing the line only as far as the secular value and not investing in the existential value of scripture and faith ? How many secular people acknowledge that the secular values they hold have roots in religion ?
Balancing whole and part, female and male, has the advantage of both whole and part, but comes under attack for being wholistic, by those who only have faith in “part”, and also comes under attack for being partial, by those who only have faith in “wholes”. This is christianity, balancing whole and part, female and male, each forgiving the other. When one acknowledges value, essentially they are acknowledging an integration and balance of whole and part. Many people acknowledge only either the whole or the part, and will support only either of those two aspects, overlooking the balance of whole and part that accomplishes. This is prevalent both within and without organized religion. This is rampant both within and without of organized religion. Sunday school teachers impress the importance of the whole, even at the expense of the part. Preachers insist the importance of the part, at the expense of the whole. Almost all of society promotes and dismisses in ignorance of any balance of whole and part, yet balancing whole and part is the only thing that works, so often in an individual's understanding they are unaware that what they are promoting is a specific instance of a balance of whole and part.
So the sacred One relationship presents value, by balancing whole and part, to society, and is put to work promoting either whole or part, depending on the inclination of those in control. Society, and every part of society, leads with individuals that they have faith in. Since the sacred One relationship has a great deal of value, the spouses are often called upon to lead on behalf of those in control. This practice is prevalent.
Jesus, as an original balance of whole and part, was able to shock and awe with his ability and ideas. Today, the opportunity to balance whole and part is present to everyone, and so the capabilities of such a balance are taken for granted. Rather than lead, the sacred One relationship is at work in the trenches, on the ground floor, getting their hands dirty and pulling themselves up by their boot straps ! Rather than taking the lead, like an executive or an officer, the sacred One relationship has the respect of its peers for what it can accomplish first hand.
So where large crowds followed Jesus, there is an abundance of people looking to make use of the
spouses of the sacred One relationship. The secular world hires, trains, educates, empowers, delegates to, and holds the spouses of the sacred One relationship, or anyone balancing whole and part, responsible.
Urban planners, on behalf of municipalities, create suburbs for those who balance whole and part in the forms of consumption and work.
Churches are valued for the regular attendance they can muster from those balancing whole and part. Hospitals are almost religious institutions
themselves and promote the healing and cures they accomplish, disregarding the people who die there. Even the far side of society can employ the accomplishments and capabilities of those balancing whole and part. The spouses of the sacred One relationship, as well as any one else who balances whole and part, are who everyone is looking for, seeking to hire, seeking to heal, seeking to attend, and seeking to live. The municipalities are the same as a region of ten cities. The churches are the same as the sacred city Jerusalem. The hospitals are the same as the benevolent region supporting the churches and Jerusalem. The region beyond the Jordan is the far reaches of society, extending as far as, and including, those on the far side of society.
I'm sure Mike is still singing “My Sharona” on karaoke without me, and enjoying not having a crew under the maintenance manager !____________________________
Sunday, October 28th, 2012
~~~~~~~~
Closing Notes - as previously posted for each of the last four Discussions
OVERVIEW
Well here we go ! We're (were)a third of the way through discussing the seventeen verses of HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Three Fold , so it is (was) time to take a break and consider how to view the wordage that is now pushing seven thousand words !
A body of knowledge has it's limits, and one limit has nothing to do with how many pages are written about such a body of knowledge. When one ( or a group ) creates a body of knowledge they are making many decisions, or rather, assumptions that are not stated outright. These assumptions are made early on in the creation of a body of knowledge but seriously limit the effectiveness of that body of knowledge. So as an example of how creating a body of knowledge can become ridiculous, usually around the point at which academia takes over, I have chosen to write about everything I know about how to pick up a stick.
I was fortunate to make the acquaintance of a man in his fifties who left the aerospace industry to go to school for landscaping. That alone is ridiculous enough, but the point is that this gentleman was accomplished in academia and technological industry, who when he decided he wanted to work outdoors it was only natural that he would go to school to learn an outdoor trade. He studied for three years at Humber College and graduated from the landscaping technician program. Sadly, he only lasted five months as a landscaper, in spite of working for a very reputable, good and established company, and was able to get into good enough shape in spite of his many years of age, but could not tolerate the bystanders looking at him with the expression of 'look at that nice old man picking weeds' ! His academic and thorough understanding was not appreciated by the casual observer, so was it worth anything at all ? Likewise, this thorough understanding of how to pick up a stick is ridiculous and not worth anything at all to the casual observer. And the discussion of HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Three Fold is not worth anything to the casual observer – unless an awareness is cultivated by considering the discussion, but a thorough consideration of the animation would have the same effect of cultivating an awareness, not to mention considering life would cultivate a thorough awareness.
The moral of the story, here, is PAY ATTENTION !!!
___________________________
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
HOW TO PICK UP A STICK !
Here is how to pick up a stick.
First determine the size of the stick. Is it a twig, a limb, or a full branch? If it is a twig, how many of them are there? If there are many, then get a rake and a tarp. If there are not enough to warrant a tarp than get a garbage bag or a bucket.
Drop the garbage bag or bucket in the general middle of the twigs, and begin a loop path, starting and finishing at the bucket and extending only far enough to allow you to fill your hands with twigs. If you make the loop path too big you will waste time walking back to the bucket when your hands are full. If you make the loop path too small you will be dumping too few sticks in the bucket for each loop and that wastes time loading too small a load of twigs in the bucket. This becomes a concern when the bucket begins to get full and the twigs must be stuffed into it and can no longer just be dropped into it. If you are using a garbage bag, however, this is always a concern as the twigs must be placed into the bag lengthwise as otherwise the bag cannot hold as much and is too quickly filled.
Actually picking up the twig must be done standing with legs extended but not locked. Lean down like you are touching your toes and bob down to pick up the twig, and as you bob up transfer it to your off hand until it is full, and by that time you should be more than halfway along your loop path. Finish the remaining path holding the sticks in the good hand that picks them up, so that you arrive at the bucket with two full hands. Do not crawl around on your hands and knees because you need your hands to hold as many twigs as possible. It likely isn't good for your knees, crawling in the damp ground. As well, bending your knees to crouch down to pick up the twigs will be too much bending for your knees. Bobbing will get you well stretched out.
In the case of many twigs, a rake can be used to gather the twigs into piles and onto the tarp, to be dragged or carried to the truck. The first sweep of the rake will orient the twigs perpendicular to the sweep of the rake, and then the pile can be rolled like a snowball as it gathers more twigs. Maintain the coherency of the pile if the twigs are to be tied into bundles, as such a fagot can be rolled onto the twine to allow the twine to be wrapped around the fagot and tied. Do not attempt to rake a twig that is parallel to the path of the rake. This will break the rake. It may still be necessary to gather the remaining twigs by hand. Larger sticks may need to be picked up by hand, following the above mentioned method, as they cannot be gathered by a rake. DO NOT BREAK THE RAKE !
Usually, a large area of twigs will occur in the spring as summer or spring maintenance is beginning, but may also occur when pruning. Pruning will produce limbs and perhaps branches. Branches may also need to be picked up at the beginning of spring maintenance or after a storm.
When picking up a limb or a stick that is larger, pick it up by the stump end as that will give you the most leverage over a tapered limb if you pick it up by it's heaviest end. Otherwise the limb will be unwieldy and if you can get it into your armload, you may not be able to toss it in the truck. Gather all that you can hold under one arm and make sure you are on your way back to the truck by the time you have a full load in your arms. Again, bob down and up to pick up the sticks, keeping in mind your armload. There is no way you could crawl or even crouch with an armload of sticks.
Branches are larger sticks that branch into more than one stick. They may be very large. If they are very large, do not cut them up, but instead drag them by the stump end, so that no further branches are broken off, and heave them by the stump end, into the truck. The best place to cut them, to pack them into the truck efficiently, is right in the truck. If one was to cut them up before they are in the truck, that is only more sticks to pick up and more sticks to throw in the truck and more sticks to pack into the truck to get a large load and reduce the number of trips with the truck. Once a few branches are aligned with the stump end at the head of the truck, tread on the branches carefully and with loppers, cut the branches at the crotches where the smaller branches head out from the main branch. It is the crotch that sets the limbs at angles to one another and prevents efficient loading in the truck bed. By cutting the branches at the crotches the limbs are able to fall into alignment with one another. I have seen a load of branches come out of the truck body and maintain the rectangular shape of the truck body as it sits on it's own after being dumped.
Finally, for a good laugh, try to wield a branch by the small end – it will wobble around and you may not even be able to get the stump off the ground ! The use of a wood chipper greatly improves the packing and removal of large branches, but there will still be twigs to be gathered, according to the appropriate method.
______
________________________
1000 words Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
This concludes the discussion of HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Foretold , as well as ALL the discussion of the HESUS JOY CHRIST animation to date.