The best in us...
Philosophers once asked: Is this the best of all possible worlds that God has created? There is a longing in everyones heart to transcend what nature offers us. We are thirsting for something that is simply not there and so we question, we probe, and wonder. Hence, the question, Is this the best possible world that God has created?
What I love about the Sacred Scriptures is its blatant frankness. What you see about man and woman in every age is what you get. It does not attempt to hide or sugarcoat things. It is an open book wherein God meets man and man meets God. It is the meeting place of the fallen man and a God who fell in love with men.
And so, I come to examine myself in all honesty. Like St. Francis who asked at Mount La Verna, who are you O Lord and who am I, I likewise probe what is inside my conscience. And I found not a hint of the best possible world. Filth, sin weakness and what not.
The answer to the perennial query of man is found in the man...Jesus Christ and none other. He makes the best possible world so possible and within our reach. Why? Because he brings forth what is best in us. The best in us is found in us for we are made according to the image and likeness of God. A God whom Jesus brought into the world...the Father of forgiveness, mercy and compassion. He is the God that can make impossible things possible.
A New Way of Being/Transformation
And who is this God...He is the one who brings out the best in us. Think of the Last Supper he was in grief because he perfectly knew the chain of events that would ultimately bring to his demise. One among his closest is going to betray and another would deny him. Yet, his response is not typical of a man of his times. Peter upon realizing his mistake repented and was shown mercy. It was the same mercy and compassion that brought forth was is best in Peter. It is only though love that we are transformed and love as St. Maximilian would say, alone creates. Indeed, charity can create the best possible world. It creates that world by re-creating man and woman into the image and likeness God wants him/her to be. The formula is simple but not simplistic:
This is the lesson that I drew from the Last Supper account. Jesus once more gives us the hope that the best possible world is truly possible. Jesus leads the way...let us follow Him and let Him inspire us to give the best in us for He has already and constantly given Himself for us in His self-giving love in the Holy Eucharist.
Holy Tuesday 2016
Philosophers once asked: Is this the best of all possible worlds that God has created? There is a longing in everyones heart to transcend what nature offers us. We are thirsting for something that is simply not there and so we question, we probe, and wonder. Hence, the question, Is this the best possible world that God has created?
It was not long ago that the answer came to me in an unexpected place. The philosophers were right in asking this particular question, but the answer does not lie in philosophy as such...It lies somewhere and that somewhere else is in God's Word...in the Scriptures.
What I love about the Sacred Scriptures is its blatant frankness. What you see about man and woman in every age is what you get. It does not attempt to hide or sugarcoat things. It is an open book wherein God meets man and man meets God. It is the meeting place of the fallen man and a God who fell in love with men.
Take Peter for example, he openly claimed "Lord, I will die with you," and for some hours later he was already denying the Lord. There are many others, Judas, the Pharisees, scribes, kings, and so on. These men were undoubtedly chosen by God and yet they dismally failed. Certainly, the company of these men would not make the best possible world let alone a perfect world.
And so, I come to examine myself in all honesty. Like St. Francis who asked at Mount La Verna, who are you O Lord and who am I, I likewise probe what is inside my conscience. And I found not a hint of the best possible world. Filth, sin weakness and what not.
But let not our probing end. Now we focus our searchlight not to ourselves but to Jesus, the authentic Jesus in the Scriptures who hopelessly fell in love with men. We read " on the night he was betrayed he took bread...chalice...take this all of you for this is my body...blood...which will be given up for you. This is His unthinkable response - to the betrayal of Judas, his response to the denial of Peter - total, unconditional, free self-offering. With His response, the best possible world is not far from being possible.
The answer to the perennial query of man is found in the man...Jesus Christ and none other. He makes the best possible world so possible and within our reach. Why? Because he brings forth what is best in us. The best in us is found in us for we are made according to the image and likeness of God. A God whom Jesus brought into the world...the Father of forgiveness, mercy and compassion. He is the God that can make impossible things possible.
A New Way of Being/Transformation
Jesus during the Last Supper has transformed everything. He has shown us a new way of doing things, an all new way of BEING. Again Scriptures is brutally frank when it comes to revealing who God is. He is a God whom Jesus has brought into the world, no more no less.
And who is this God...He is the one who brings out the best in us. Think of the Last Supper he was in grief because he perfectly knew the chain of events that would ultimately bring to his demise. One among his closest is going to betray and another would deny him. Yet, his response is not typical of a man of his times. Peter upon realizing his mistake repented and was shown mercy. It was the same mercy and compassion that brought forth was is best in Peter. It is only though love that we are transformed and love as St. Maximilian would say, alone creates. Indeed, charity can create the best possible world. It creates that world by re-creating man and woman into the image and likeness God wants him/her to be. The formula is simple but not simplistic:
Give your best and receive what is best in others. In other words: To draw what is best in others is to be the best you...
This is the lesson that I drew from the Last Supper account. Jesus once more gives us the hope that the best possible world is truly possible. Jesus leads the way...let us follow Him and let Him inspire us to give the best in us for He has already and constantly given Himself for us in His self-giving love in the Holy Eucharist.
Holy Tuesday 2016
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