+ The readings for mass today are more than coincidental! I would like to stop off at
the gospel passage first: Jesus berates the Pharisees and the scribes for
making impossible laws and regulations for their “flock” to follow – the people
of Israel – God’s family – and then do nothing to modify them and make them
more palatable and possible to follow. This while they themselves do whatever
they want to please themselves. This smacks of a great hypocrisy that was
rampant at that time, and is assuredly a part of our own time with the
leadership of our Church, which was built on the foundation of the Jewish
religion.
There is much in the way the
leadership conducts itself both publically and privately that needs to be weed
out, wacked, and purged. And then a purification process on authentic and
genuine excessive rules and regulations for Catholics needs to be reevaluated
and reprocessed. Now I am not talking about anything that violates true dogmatic
Church teaching. This is undbatable and unchangeable. But the minutia of
outmoded canons and prescriptions can surely be modified and made more human
and supportive in what we are all trying to accomplish and that would be:
eternal life in a kingdom unimaginable in its real Reality, but which we
glimpse when we go into ourselves and contemplate it, and reach out to other
fellow pilgrims and share our experiences and our love with them.
This takes us to the first
reading which gives us a glimpse the heavenly city that awaits, the temple and
the glory of God that fills it, lights us, and loves it! We have this great passage
from the Book of Ezekiel which mirrors the last book of the Bible: the
Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation. Thus, testifying that God has revealed to
some men what the Kingdom is really like, it’s a “peek behind the curtain!”
This being accepted as
canonical and worthy of our reflection, study and belief: I would more than
conjecture that the plethora of verifiable, and otherwise unexplainable
accounts of those millions who just in our day in age [backing up in the last
50 years to the present] have actually been to heaven and its environs due to
the advancement in medical procedures and resuscitation techniques. This very
much resembles the Transfiguration even with Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James
and John present. And of course it confirms Jesus’ own Resurrection event which
is the great breakthrough into human history of Forgiven, Restored and Renewed
Life to share forever for everyone who believes it.
There have been many studies
of NDE’s or Near Death Experiences. But the one that I like the best either in
written or audible form is: IMAGINE HEAVEN by John Burke. It is factual,
scriptural and not contrary to any Church doctrine that I know of. It of course
is not an exhaustive study, but it is very affirming and comforting for any and
all of us who face death – and we all do that – or have experienced a loss
through death of any loved one.
I should also like to encourage
any Catholic or Christians who have had a near death experience or anyone at
all – to speak out: by writing to your local bishop and asking how you could relate you experience in a way that
could benefit others in your diocese or church or world at large.
We are all going to the
wedding feast of the Lamb of God – once his Bride – the Church has been
purified and prepared. But first there is a lot of purging and recalibrating
that needs to be done: we, Joyful Servants of the Cross has this as one of our
primary prayer intentions, along with preparation for the world to be changed
at last into the Kingdom of God – with Jesus reigning as King that he is, King
that he was, and King that he always will be. What a day of awakening that will
be for a great many who think they are in charge!
THE GLORY OF THE LORD WILL
DWELL IN OUR LAND!
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