REVELATION: THE 144,000 CONCLUSION

While imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, more than nineteen centuries ago, the Apostle John received an extraordinary vision that took him on a spiritual journey far into the future. As his supernatural vision unfolded, twelve vital keys were revealed. Each key is a clue that helps solve the longstanding mystery surrounding the 144,000. Together these twelve keys form a body of unimpeachable evidence that finally reveals the identity of this fascinating group of people.

The 144,000 are sealed with the holy Spirit as servants of God. They are an exact number of people who have been redeemed from among men. They stand on Mount Zion--the New Jerusalem, a city of whose dimensions are multiples of twelve and which has the names of the twelve tribes inscribed upon its gates. The 144,000 are destined to rule from this magnificent structure. They are the first fruits--spiritual Israel--God's true Church. They will rule alongside Christ, as kings and priests throughout the millennium, and beyond, for all eternity.

The 144,000 are those who have not allowed themselves to be defiled by the false doctrine, superstition, and practice of the counterfeit religions of this world. They are virgins--clean and pure--ready to marry Christ at His return. They are part of a better covenant with better promises--heirs to a better citizenship and a better resurrection (Hebrews 8:6, 11:16, 11:35).

The 144,000 are the first resurrection, raised up to work personally with Jesus Christ. The final members of this elite group will be finally chosen before God executes His wrath on the Earth. These will join the New Testament apostles, ancient prophets, righteous kings and holy people of God from all ages. They will be Christ's bride. They will be His friends and coworkers for eternity.

The rest of mankind will come up in another resurrection. Unlike the first resurrection of 144,000, this resurrection will not be limited in number. Rather, it will be a multitude that is so vast it cannot be numbered by men. Because of God's love and never ending mercy, He desires that all people who ever lived on earth be saved. The Apostle Peter tells us that: The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).

God loves all mankind, no matter what color or culture. No matter how squalid our lives once were, He loves us all. For this reason, He will give every man and woman a chance for salvation. Once God makes that chance available, most of mankind will likely be brought into the family and Kingdom of God by choosing to live His way.

A REWARD WORTH WORKING FOR
Although the vast majority of mankind will one day be saved, the greatest rewards are reserved for the 144,000. Jesus will marry only one bride. At present he is working with a comparatively few number of people who will be included in the 144,000--the elite group that will be His bride.

At the same time, He is preparing a wonderful home in excited anticipation of His bride to be. The New Jerusalem will be the home of Christ's beloved wife. This magnificent edifice will contain the palatial estates where God the Father, Jesus Christ, and His bride will live and work for all eternity.

The future of the 144,000 is truly staggering to the imagination. It is a future more glorious than anything the human mind could ever conceive. Compared to it, the material rewards and physical pursuits of this life pale into utter insignificance. Nothing else can equal the promise of such a wonderful and stupendous future.

This incredible future has been the motivation of the faithful men and women of God throughout history. They were willing to give their lives, if necessary, to attain this goal. They understood the magnitude of what God is offering. Do we?

Abraham looked to a city "whose builder and maker is God"--the New Jerusalem! The inspired prophets of old also envisioned the time of the Kingdom, and they were fueled by this same hope. It is what transformed the Apostles--men who once ran in fear--into men willing to die if necessary, to continue preaching the gospel message of the Kingdom. The apostle Paul also confirmed that this future, which God offers us, is worth more than any sacrifice we might make. He writes: I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ (Philippians 3:).

Winning Christ means having the exhilaration of working directly with God the Father, and Jesus Christ. Imagine the excitement of eternally sharing an intimate relationship with Jesus, discussing intimate details of his projects, hopes, and dreams for man and the universe. Imagine enjoying God's sense of humor, and sharing in the pleasures He experiences. For those who are called during this age, it is more than the opportunity of a lifetime. There is nothing greater, and nothing more compelling. Christ explains: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 4:44-46).

Christ is saying that in comparison to what God will give His servants, no sacrifice is too great. It would be worth losing literally everything we count valuable in this life, if it means gaining the Kingdom.

At present, among those who enjoy this glorious atmosphere at the the throne of God are the twenty-four elders. These magnificent and glorious beings, who apparently act as advisers at God's throne, are so awed by the decisions and judgements they witness that they cast their crowns before God in praise. These twenty-four elders are not simply programmed to do this automatically. Instead, this is a spontaneous reaction done in deep and profound admiration (Revelation 4:10).

Is it possible that in His Kingdom, Christ will include the 144,000 in His decision-making process, much as a man counsels with his wife? The thought of being able to think and plan with the very God of the universe is more than thrilling! This thought should inspire Christians everywhere, lifting our imaginations to the very heights of God's throne.

A NEW BODY
Each individual included in the 144,000 will be given a new body to complement his or her position and office of responsibility in the Kingdom. Christians often wonder, "What will this new body be like?"

Paul explains that what is sown in corruption will be raised in incorruption. What is sown in weakness and dishonor will be raised in power and glory. These weak, corruptible, physical bodies will be changed into powerful, glorious, spirit bodies (I Corinthians 15:42-44). The new spirit bodies will shine with the brilliance of the sun and stars (Matthew 13:43; Daniel 12:3).

Just as stars vary in brilliance, some spirit bodies will shine much brighter than others. God designed life so that the physical reflects the spiritual. Therefore, Paul explains that each spirit body has a different glory, as do the sun, the moon and the stars (Romans 1:20; I Corinthians 15:40-41).

In this life, some have more beauty than others. Some people are blessed with hair and skin that seems flawless-their bodies sleek and beautiful, the differing beauty of each human being pictures the fact that each person in the resurrection will also differ in glory.

Human beings can be very beautiful, but God is much more than beautiful. He is glorious. He radiates a resplendent glory, majesty, and dignity so awesome that humans cannot look upon Him and survive. Christ's hair is white as snow, and His feet appear as brilliantly burning brass. Looking into the face of Jesus as He now appears, is likened to looking into the very heart of the fiery sun (Revelation 1:15-16).

God is offering those who will be the 144,000 this same kind of glory. Paul describes the change that will take place in the resurrected Christian. He says the Christ will: Change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself (Philippians 3:21).

Those who are a part of the 144,000 will have greater glory than the great multitude. They will be more beautiful to behold. As John writes in his first letter: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is (I John 3:2).

When the 144,000 stand before Christ, He will perform a miracle in each one. He will put each person's reward in their body. It will be visible--evident to all. The apostle Paul explains: For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (II Corinthians 5:10).

Our spiritual reward will be reflected in our body. Even in this life, to a greater degree than most people realize, a person's body is a reflection of who and what he or she is. Most psychologists realize that personality traits, talents, and abilities are tied to a genetic code that is reflected in the physical body.

In a similar way, our spirit bodies will reflect who and what we are in the family of God. Depending on the gifts that God has given us, and what we do with those gifts, our new spirit bodies will shine brightly, radiating a beauty and brilliance befitting our reward.

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
With the realization that all we will become depends on what we do in this life, we should be more diligent in our quest for the Kingdom of God. If we truly comprehend the glory of the first resurrection, it will become our consuming desire. We should, and yes, we must, seek it with all our might and with all of our strength (Matthew 6:33).

We cannot allow anything to stop us from pursuing this most magnificent quest. The problems we experience, the setbacks we endure, the pain we suffer--these are nothing compared to the glorious future God has in store for us. As Paul writes: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:16-18).

Unimaginable glory can be yours, if you have been called to be one of the 144,000. The glory which shall be eventually given to us is worth any sacrifice--any effort. Make up your mind now to push toward the "finish line" in this extraordinary race. Pick up the pace and give your whole heart to seeking God's Kingdom. Commit all resources to it!

Do not let down! Even if you have let down in the past, even if you have failed miserably in some way--don't quit! Instead, commit yourself to overcoming. Fast often to draw close to God. Talk to Him in prayer on a continual basis. Listen to what He has to say through reading and meditating on His Word. Strive to fill your thoughts with the mind of God. Work at truly understanding and living God's perfect, spiritual laws of liberty.

SEEK HIM WHILE HE CAN BE FOUND
There now exists a window of opportunity for each of us who has been called. There is still time for us to change our lives. There is still time to overcome, and to succeed in attaining the first resurrection.

The time is coming, however, when the window will be closed. The door will be shut, and there will be no more time left (Revelation 10:6; Matthew 25:1-5). There will be no more time to overcome, and no longer a chance to qualify for this magnificent reward. Notice Gods warning: He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give every man according as his word shall be (Revelation 22:11-12).

Right now is the time to begin to DO more and to BE more. Now is the time to prove to God that you belong in His Kingdom. Now is the time to give God reason to finally say about you, as He did Abraham, "Now I know." Seize the moment! Give God the best that you have. Use this remaining time to rededicate your life to God, and strive to develop the qualities of the 144,000.

TWELVE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
The Scriptures reveal twelve keys that identify the 144,000. These keys are the character traits that qualify these individuals to attain the first resurrection. Therefore, these are literally our keys to God's Kingdom. We must recognize who and what God is, and the incredible price He was willing to pay to redeem each individual. We must see that our real value lies not in our material possessions, or even our own talents and abilities, but in what God is creating within us.

We must strive to be led by the Holy Spirit which seals us. We must become faithful servants of God--not servants of the self, or Satan. We must live up to our covenant name--Israel.

Before God will allow us to rule over others, we must first allow God's Spirit to rule over us. We must study to understand God's law and meditate on how to apply it in everyday life. We must then strive to live by that law. We cannot permit ourselves to be defiled by the doctrines, and practices of this world's counterfeit religions.

We must seek to emulate God's holiness, and work at keeping ourselves pure. We must strive to follow Christ in every way--to think and act as He would in every situation.

To be His firstfruits, we must eliminate hypocrisy, and become a people who are completely sincere. We must become what Christ saw in Nathanael--a people who live without guile.

TWELVE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE IDENTITY OF THE 144,000

KEY------ATTRIBUTE---------APPLICATION
(1) They are sealed---Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit
(2) They are servants of God---God's servants are converted, obey Him, and will be resurrected
(3) They are a precise number, consisting of 144,000--Their number is a factor of twelve picturing divine government
(4) They are spiritual Israel---Spiritual Israel is the Church
(5) They stand on Mount Zion before God's throne---They stand at the base of New Jerusalem in Heaven
(6) They sing a song no man can learn---They are the only ones in the first resurrection
(7) They have not be defiled by women---They have not accepted doctrine from the false churches
(8) They are virgins---They are qualified to marry the High Priest, Jesus Christ
(9) They follow the Lamb---They are Christ's followers
(10) They are the firstfruits---This is the first resurrection
(11) They are redeemed---They accepted Christ, overcame and are resurrected
(12) They are without fault,having no guile---They lived without deceit, and raised as faultless

The 144,000 are sealed by the Holy Spirit in their foreheads (minds). Revelation 14:1 shows that this sealing is done by writing the Father's name there. Jesus' very last prayer was that His church would be kept--preserved, guarded--in the Father's name (John 17:11). This suggests that the 144,000 are set apart, and thus protected (in an eternal sense), by God's work of building character in them, as God's name identifies and defines His character.

So, like those is Ezekiel's day who "sigh and cry over the abominations that are done," the 144,000 will be sparred the terrors of the Day of the Lord because they have proven their sterling character before God. Their sealing is obviously based on their spiritual condition rather than their physical descent.

They are also called "redeemed from among men,...firstfruits to God and the Lamb" (verse 4). This can only mean that they are those who take part in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6; I Corinthians 15:23). They are a special first "crop" of God's harvest, who are given special rewards and privileges because of their struggles in overcoming of Satan and their sins--Hebrews 11:35 calls it "a better resurrection".

The 144,000 are a unique group of people who overcome their sins and grow in character, and their reward is to live and rule forever by the side of Jesus Christ."

RUN THE RACE
We are now living in the lull just before the storm of the last days. It is a time of sifting in the Church. God is separating the wheat from the chaff. It is a time of final decision-making about who will be accounted worthy for inclusion in the 144,000.

The Scriptures tell us plainly that judgement is now upon the Church (I Peter 4:17). God is watching and making decisions about where we will fit in His Kingdom, or even if we will fit there at all. Our purpose should be to dedicate ourselves to proving to Him that we do!

This time of proving ourselves has been compared to running a race. The Apostle Paul makes this analogy to convey the urgency of this critical time in our lives. He writes: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain (I Corinthians 9:24).

Not all who run this race will reach the finish line, and not everyone who is called will automatically be chosen. Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Christ is very selective when it comes to choosing whom He will marry. Many run the race, but not all will obtain the prize. The apostle Paul reaches down and pulls from his vast personal experience in order to give us an important warning message. He writes: And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we are incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway (I Corinthians 9:25-26).

Some will be castaways! Paul realized that even he could be disqualified. For that reason, he ran the race with diligence. He worked to bring himself into subjection to Jesus Christ in all things. While there is yet time, we must also run the race. The end is nearer than before. We must be diligent, and continue to run with renewed zeal.

HANG IN THERE
Far too many in God's church today seem willing to let the prize slip through their fingers. Some are completely turned off to the Church. They complain that the Church has wronged them or failed them. Perhaps they have been hurt by the ministry or offended by another Church member. Some have simply been disappointed by their own failure to measure up.

Others have become distracted by the pressures and cares of this world. They have been caught up in careers, investments, and the pursuits of this physical life. In this age of spiritual indifference, few pay real attention to the spiritual anymore. Many have become weary of well-doing and have begun to let this precious calling slip through their fingers. What about you?

Perhaps you have seen the poster that captures the image of a somewhat frantic little kitten suspended in mid-air, while desperately clinging in wide-eyed panic to the most precarious of paw holds. The caption under the kitten reads, "Hang In There, Baby."

Many of us have felt like this kitten during difficult times in our Christian walk. Sometimes the trials we face while striving to live God's way can make us feel as if we are desperately holding on for dear life, but we cannot afford to give up. We must hang in there! The following story is a fitting illustration of this point: Off the coast of New England many years ago, a fishing boat was being tossed about in a rough sea. Suddenly, a seaman noticed a young man clinging to the mast, lashed by the biting wind. In horror, the seaman ran to the Captain and exclaimed, "Look, Captain, it's your son up there in grave danger. If he lets go he'll be dashed to pieces!" The Captain looked up calmly and replied, "He won't let go. He's my son! He won't let go!"

In the story, the Captain knew what his son was made of. He knew that he would not let go. What about your Captain, Jesus Christ? Does He know that you won't let go? Will you let go of the magnificent calling God has given you? Is there anything that could cause you to let go of the fantastic reward God offers to those who endure to the end?

The understanding of God's Word that you have been given is priceless. You now know who the 144,000 are. You now know what it will take to be counted among them. Let this knowledge motivate you. Realize that you are being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with absolutely fabulous rewards that will last for all eternity. Recognize what has been laid at your feet. Pick it up and run with it. Overcome! Strive to be worthy of your calling and be chosen as one of the 144,000.

This information relates to the end of time as we know it and includes information on the 144,000, or the servants of God who will be sealed and set apart from the rest of humanity at the end of time. Jesus' explanation of the 144,000 states: They are of the tribes of Israel, 12,000 of each tribe (verse 4). In Galatians 6:16, the church is called "the Israel of God," so this separation into "tribes of the children of Israel" may be a spiritual designation rather than physical lineage, meaning that these 144,000 will be of a spiritual nature rather than only descendants of Israel as we know it. So that being said, everyone can be included in this number! Take the time now to bow your head and go deep inside of yourself and put yourself out there humbly to God. We must subject ourselves to Jesus Christ and hold steadfastly to our belief of being saved.

Jehovah, Lord most High, I put my life in your hands and ask to be included in this 144,000 and pray that every human being may come to rely on You and You alone. I worship You from the bottom of my heart and hearken to hear Your Word. Thank you for all you have done for me when I pour out my heart to You. I only pray that EVERY HUMAN can know You as I know YOU!

REVELATION: THE 144,000

The book of Revelation clearly reveals twelve distinct keys that identify the 144,000. Each key is a characteristic that unmistakably proves that this unique assembly is the first resurrection in its entirety--but what about the great multitude? Are they not also in the first resurrection? Doesn't the Bible state that they attain this reward, having gone through the Great Tribulation that comes on the whole world? The Apostle John continues his vision, he states: After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues...These are they which came out of a great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-14).

Many read these verses, and assume they refer to the Great Tribulation which comes upon the whole world at the end of the age. Armed with this assumption, readers may then conclude that the great multitude must be a part of the first resurrection.

All the evidence, presented thus far, has shown that the 144,000 are the entirety of the first resurrection. They are spiritual Israel, the redeemed, and the firstfruits. Therefore, the great multitude cannot be part of the first resurrection.

If this is true, then what does the Scripture mean when it states that the great multitude come out of great tribulation? The answer is found in the fact that there are different tribulations mentioned in the Bible. One type comes upon individuals, another upon specific churches, and one is a worldwide ordeal that lasts three and one-half years at the end of man's misrule. Which of these does the great multitude experience?

THE GREAT TRIBULATION THAT COMES ON ALL THE WORLD
The word "tribulation" has a wide range of usage in the New Testament. In the broadest sense, it means any difficulty or trouble. In all but one case in the New Testament, the word "tribulation" is translated from the Greek word "Thlipsis," which can mean "trouble," "pressure," "affliction," "anguish," or "persecution."

When the disciples asked Jesus about the end of the world, the Savior used this word, "thilipis" to describe the time of terrible trouble called the "Great Tribulation." The Lord answered them, saying: For then shall be Great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:21).

The Tribulation that Christ speaks of in this Olivet Prophecy occurs only one time in the whole history of mankind. It is so awesome, frightening, and destructive that if God did not intervene, there would be no flesh left alive on the earth (Matthew 24:21-22).

This Tribulation is a three and one-half year period of Satan's wrath, beginning shortly after the armies of the beast surround Jerusalem and the abomination that makes desolate is set up (Matthew 24:15-16). It culminates in Christ's triumphant return to rule the earth as King of kings.

This end time Tribulation is perpetrated by a political, military leader the Bible calls the beast. This beast leads a united Europe, fueled by religious fervor. This combined European power forges an awesome military machine that will control Eastern Civilization. It will destroy any opposition, whether it be military or religious.

This Great Tribulation will span the entire globe, but it primarily focuses upon the modern day descendants of Israel. As Jeremiah states: Alas! for the day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it (Jeremiah 30:17).

The modern day descendants of Jacob, including the United States, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, will suffer more than any other people ever have. They will experience an even greater time of trouble that the Jewish people suffered during world War II.

Eventually, the other great powers, such as Russia, India, China, and Japan will be pulled into the fray, but only at the very end (Revelation 16:12). Small groups in many third world countries, described in Revelation seven as "every tribe and tongue," may be little affected by the Tribulation until the day of the Lord. This "day," which lasts an entire year, is God's wrath. It will affect all the inhabitants of the world.

Some believe that this is the "Great Tribulation: from which the innumerable multitude emerge. However, such a belief contradicts all the previous evidence that makes it clear that the 144,000 are the entirety of the first resurrection.

Consider the fact that the majority of those who lose their lives in the end time Tribulation are physical Israelites. The description of the great multitude as being "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," cannot possibly apply to a group primarily composed of Israelites.

Is it possible that the tribulation which the great multitude comes through is not the Great Tribulation that engulfs the whole world at the end time? Could it be that the Bible be speaking of another type of tribulation?

TRIBULATION EXPERIENCED BY SPECIFIC CHURCHES
The Bible also speaks of tribulation that is to come on specific churches. The messages in Revelation, chapters two and three, were sent to seven Churches on a mail route in Asia Minor. Each of these individual churches were representative. Each pictured the entirety of God's Church during a specific era of time as history flowed down through the centuries culminating at Christ's return.

The first church on the route was Ephesus, and Christ explained that this church experienced tribulation (Revelation 2:9). This tribulation was the persecution by the Jews and the martyrdom perpetrated by the Roman Emperor Nero.

Jesus also predicted ten days (years) of tribulation that would fall upon the church of Smyrna (Revelation 2:10; Ezekiel 4:6). This was actually fulfilled by a ten year persecution against Christians instituted by Diocletian in 303 AD and abolished by the edict of toleration in 313 AD.

Christ further threatened Thyatira, representing the Church during the Middle Ages, with "great tribulation." Jesus Christ said: Behold, I will cast her (Thyatira) into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds (Revelation 2:22).

The "great tribulation" spoken of in the above verse was actually the Crusades and the inquisition, not the Great Tribulation which will come at the end of the age. It is not the tribulation the great multitude experiences, nor is it the one to come on the entire world at the end of the age. The great multitude come out of a kind of tribulation different than either of the two types mentioned thus far.

TRIBULATION ON INDIVIDUALS
While imprisoned and suffering on the island of Patmos, John spoke of being a companion to other Christians who were in tribulation (Revelation 1:9). In another case, Christ explained to His followers that Christians should expect tribulation simply because they were required to live in this world (John 16:33).

Paul also suffered many difficulties and troubles as he performed God's work of preaching the gospel. As a result, this great apostle reminded believers down through the ages that Christ's followers should also anticipate tribulation. Paul taught Christians: To continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

While tribulation is certainly part of the Christian life, non-Christians are by no means exempt. Suffering occurs in even greater degrees to those who know nothing of the truth. Paul states that every person who does not obey the truth will suffer tribulation.

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the gentile (Romans 2:9).

It is this kind of anguishing tribulation from which the great multitude emerges. Rather than being firstfruits, the great multitude is all the rest of mankind who are not now called to salvation. They are not God's true Church, and are not sealed with the Holy Spirit during this life. Instead, they are those who, in their lifetime, have experienced the tremendous suffering that all mankind has endured throughout the ages--the consequence of sin.

OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION
Every generation has suffered tribulation in its lifetime. Violence has covered the globe. Terrible atrocities have been endured, but also perpetrated, by virtually every race and religion throughout the history of mankind.

Jews, Albanians, Rwandans, Kurds, Armenians and Africans, to name just a few, have all suffered terrible tribulation during their lifetime--some even the specter of genocide. Many who will read this are facing some sort of suffering and tribulation of their own even now.

Beginning with Cain and Abel, man's history has been a parade of violence, and a path of blood. Since mankind was evicted from the garden of Eden, and cut off from God, the character of our world has not changed. In the last four thousand years, the world has only known some two hundred and fifty years of relatively calm and peaceful times!

The vast numbers of people, since the time of Adam and Eve, have experienced tribulation of one kind or another! All have borne some of the heartache, pain and suffering that this present life brings. All have witnessed the terrible ravages of illness and disease such as smallpox, cancer and AIDS, and more recently mankind's latest affliction, SARS. Everyone eventually loses loved ones, and everyone eventually comes face-to-face with his or her own death (Hebrews (9:27).

In the course of human history, there have been millions who have suffered terrible upheavals of nature. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, bitter cold, scorching heat and floods have exacted a heavy toll in the form of human lives. Many have lost everything.

The earth naturally responds to the anguish mankind has brought upon it. From God's perspective, the planet actually groans with the suffering of this world. It convulses within itself as a consequence of all the destruction inflicted upon both it and mankind (Romans 8:22-23).

In addition, the vast majority of people on earth exist in suffocating poverty and oppressive squalor. Most inhabitants of the west have no idea of the tribulation that afflicts those who live in third world countries on a daily basis. For many millions of people around the world the greatest challenge, each day, is to find enough food to survive one more day.

The tribulation this world suffers is a direct result of man's human nature. Man's greed and self-centered way of life have caused pain to everyone. None have escaped the tragic consequences of living in Satan's world (II Corinthians 4:4; James 4:1-6).

This is the kind of great tribulation the innumerable multitude comes out from. It is the tribulation each person experiences from living in Satan's world.

Although Satan is prevented from influencing the world during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, he is once again loosed at the end of the thousand years. He will once again create the kind of suffering that man has repeatedly known for 6,000 years. He will influence men to wage war.

Christ will put down this rebellion, but people will again suffer under the devil's power and influence. Those who live at this time will be required to overcome his sway, both in the world and in their personal lives.

This is what the Scripture means when it states that the multitude come out of "great tribulation." It is not speaking of the Great Tribulation that comes on the whole world just prior to Christ's return. It is speaking of the tribulation that each person experiences while living in a world influenced by Satan, both during the first six thousand years of human history and the "little season" when Satan is once again free to sway the minds of men.

The great multitude is a collection of all those who will be saved after a second resurrection. All those who lived and died without knowing the true Jesus Christ will be raised.

They will be given physical life at the end of one thousand years of God's Kingdom, and with that new life, their real and first chance at salvation. This is their time of judgement (Revelation 20:5-6; 12). During this time, the great multitude must overcome Satan's influence. In this way, they follow the example of the 144,000, but are called at a different time and for a different purpose. They are not called now. They are not called to be Christ's bride, or to have rulership roles in the Kingdom.

They will receive salvation and have eternal life, but not the same reward as those who are called to the first resurrection. For this reason, they are not called firstfruits, or Israel. Instead, they are called the "great multitude." Their story is a fascinating one, and it also proves the identity of the 144,000.

WHO REALLY RULES THIS WORLD?

Most people would answer the above question with a single word--God. But significantly, nowhere does the Bible say that either Jesus Christ or his Father are the real rulers of this world. On the contrary, Jesus said: "The ruler of the world will be cast out." And he added: "The ruler of the world is coming. And he has no hold on me."--John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.

So the ruler of this world is in opposition to Jesus. Who could this be?

A CLUE FROM WORLD CONDITIONS
Despite the efforts of well-meaning humans, the world has suffered terrible throughout history. This causes thinking persons to wonder, as did the late editorial writer David Lawrence: "'Peace on earth'--nearly everybody wants it 'Good will toward men'--almost all the peoples of the world feel it toward one another. Then what's wrong? Why is war threatened despite the innate desires of people?"

It seems a paradox, doesn't it? When the natural desire of peoples to live at peace, they commonly hate and kill one another--and with such viciousness. Consider the cold-blooded excesses in monstrous cruelty. Humans have used gas chambers, concentration camps, flamethrowers, napalm bombs, and other heinous methods to torture and slaughter one another mercilessly.

Do you believe that humans, who long for peace and happiness, are capable, in themselves, of such gross wickedness against others? What forces drive men to such loathsome deeds or maneuver them into situations where they feel compelled to commit atrocities? Have you ever wondered whether some wicked, invisible power is influencing people to commit such acts of violence?

THE RULERS OF THE WORLD IDENTIFIED
There is no need to guess at the matter, for the Bible clearly shows that an intelligent, unseen person has been controlling both men and nations. It says: "The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." And the Bible identifies him saying: "The one called Devil and Satan...is misleading the entire inhabited earth."--1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9.

On an occasion when Jesus was "tempted by the Devil," Jesus did not question Satan's role as the ruler of this world. The bible explains what happened: "The Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him 'All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.' Then Jesus sad to him: 'go away, Satan!'"--Matthew 4:1, 8:10.

Think about this. Satan tempted Jesus by offering him "all the kingdoms of the world." Yet, would Satan's offer have been a real temptation if Satan was not actually the ruler of these kingdoms? No, it could not. And note, Jesus did not deny that all these worldly governments were Satan's which he would have done if Satan did not have power over them. So, then Satan the Devil really is the unseen ruler of the world! The Bible, in fact, calls him "the god of this system of things. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Yet, how did such a wicked person ever come into this powerful position?

The one who became Satan had been an angel created by God, but he became envious of God's position. He challenged God's rightful rulership. To this end he used a serpent as a mouthpiece to deceive the first woman, Eve, and was thus able to get her and her husband, Adam to do his bidding rather than obey God. (Genesis 3:1-6' 2 Corinthians 11:3) He also claimed he could turn all of Adam and Eve's yet unborn offspring away from God. So God allowed time for Satan to try to prove his claim, but Satan has not succeeded.--Job 1:6-12; 2:1-10.

Significantly, Satan is not alone in his rulership of the world. He was successful in persuading some of the other angels to join him in rebellion against God. These became demons, his spirit accomplices. The Bible speaks of them when it urges Christians: "Stand firm against the machinations of the Devil; because we have a wrestling, not against blood and flesh, but against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.'--Ephesians 6:11, 12

RESIST WICKED SPIRITS
These unseen, wicked world rulers are determined to mislead all mankind, turning them away from the worship of God. One way wicked spirits do this is by promoting the idea of survival after death, even though God's Word clearly shows that the dead are not conscious (Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Ezekiel 18:4; Psalm 146:3, 4 Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) thus, a wicked spirit, imitating the voice of one who has died, may talk with that one's living relatives or friends, whether through a spirit medium or by a "voice" from the invisible realm. The "voice" pretends to be the departed one, yet it is actually a demon!

So if you ever hear such a "voice" do not be deceived. Reject whatever it says, and echo Jesus' words: "Go away, Satan!" (Matthew 4:10, James 4:7) Do not allow curiosity about the spirit realm to cause you to become involved with wicked spirits. Such involvements is called spiritism, and God warns his worshipers against it in all its forms. The Bible condemns "anyone who employs divination...or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead."--Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8.

Since spiritism brings a person under the influence of the demons, resist all its practices regardless of how much fun, or how exciting, they may seem to be. These practices include crystal--ball gazing, use of Ouija boards, ESP examining the lines of one's hand (palmistry), and astrology. Demons have also caused noises and other physical phenomena in houses that they make their territory.

In addition, wicked spirits capitalize on the sinful bent of humans by promoting literature, movies, and television programs that feature immoral and unnatural sexual behavior. The demons know that wrong thoughts if not expelled from the mind will cause indelible impressions and lead humans to behave immorally--like demons themselves.--Genesis 6:1, 2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Jude 6.

True, many may scoff at the idea that this world is ruled by wicked spirits. But their disbelief is not surprising, since the Bible says: "Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14) His most clever deception has been in blinding many to the fact that he and his demons really exist. But do not be deceived! The Devil and his demons are real, and you need to resist them continually.--1 Peter 5:8-9.

Happily, the time is now near when Satan and his cohorts will be no more! "The world [including its demon rulers] is passing away," the Bible assures, "but he that does the will of God remains forever." (1 John 2:17) What a relief it will be to have that evil influence removed! May we, therefore, be among those who do God's will and enjoy life forever in God's righteous new world.--Psalm 37:9-11; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21: 3,4.

I am very grateful to Jehovah for holding my hand each and every day and providing me with good counsel to endure what I have endured throughout the years. You (Jehovah) have provided me with manna that no living creature could possible provide me with. My undying faith in You and Your Divine Power and Universal Sovereignty over all living creatures and the entire universe, have humbled me time and time again. When I look up to the Heavens and ask for Your Divine help, You have always heard my prayers and responded to me speedily. I don't understand what I have done or not done for You to hear my prayers and provide me with the knowledge only You can provide. I know You love each and every one of us so very much, but sometimes I am baffled as to why You have given me such sweet counsel! I am forever Your humble servant and worship You from the bottom of my heart and hope that all living creatures can find their way to YOU. I WORSHIP YOU JEHOVAH AND PUT NO ONE ABOVE YOU! I AM FOREVER YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT AND INTEND TO DO WHATEVER YOU ASK OF ME. ALL PRAISES AND ETERNAL WORSHIP IS YOURS FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.

REMOVING OUR MASKS

I happened to be watching television today and heard a sermon by Pastor John Hagee on one of the religious stations. I was moved almost to tears while watching this and thought I would blog something about what he talked about. He basically was talking about the seven steps to happiness and I don't know of anyone who is not interested in finding happiness or more happiness. Sometimes happiness escapes our best efforts to achieve it and sometimes there is no concrete reason as to why happiness is so fleeting and seldom achieved. He put into words what he believed to be the cause of unhappiness. He said when you move out from under the guidance of the Almighty and move closer to sin then you will be indeed unhappy. He also said that not liking ourselves produces unhappiness, which in turn causes us to dislike those around us. which then creates unhappiness. I think we have all been so afflicted by self loathing and the inability to look at ourselves in the mirror. (Paraphrased from Pastor Hagee) We are racked with fear, self hate and panic that if anyone knew the true person behind the mask: the one who on the outside is laughing, but on the inside is crying, and who on the outside is happy, but very sad on the inside, who is well put together and confident, but on the inside is so moved by confusion that we push ourselves into a corner and cower at the thought of removing ourselves from that corner we have painted ourselves into. Who is pained by the thought of not being loved if we were really to be ourselves. But how do we better understand what God wants of us, and then how do we behave in that manner? Pastor Hagee mentioned the Beatitudes, of which had long escaped my mind throughout the years. I learned them in catholic school as a youngster, but how quickly we forget these things when so much is going on around us and in us. I will now tell you the beatitudes:

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness; sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one lot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:3-19.

This is food for thought. We may hide ourselves from the world and put on a face that is pleasing to others, but deep down inside we cower of the thought of ourselves. In this season of Christmas I would hope that myself and everyone reading this passage could peel away the false layers of who we really are and show this person to the world. I believe it is better to show your true self and not be accepted, than to alter yourself and be falsely accepted by those who do not mean anything to us.

JESUS BRINGS SINNERS BACK TO THE FATHER: RECONCILIATION

"Nothing is a sin anymore!" has become the worried comment of a significant number of Catholics. The Church seems to have become very lenient--or at least many Catholics have decided to be rather lenient with themselves.

One cause of the new outlook, among many contributing factors, is this: While the "requirements" for mortal sin are still the same (serious matter, full awareness, full free consent of the will;), these have now come to be seen in their full depth of meaning. "Full awareness" means at least an implicit knowledge of the fact than my sin is actually rupturing my relationship with God; "full consent" means that, knowing this, I go ahead anyway with a freedom that is not seriously damaged by emotion. Mortal sinfulness is seen as a kind of life-choice. It isn't something people can "zigzag" out of.

Pope John Paul II called a synod of bishops in 1983 to consider the problems facing the Church in the Sacrament of Reconciliation ("confession" is only part of the sacrament). They wrestled with the subject for weeks. Later the pope issued an exhortation that summed up his own conclusions and those of the bishops.

As if answering the complaint that "nothing is a sin anymore," he describes the evil that is rampant in the world: the trampling of the rights of persons, above all the right to life and to a decent quality of life; the attack on freedom, especially that of professing one's faith; racial discrimination, violence, torture, terrorism; the piling up of weapons in an arms race which spends billions that could ease the undeserved misery of many human beings. The pope sees divisions in a shattered world: Between individuals and groups, nations and blocs of nations. And he says that the root of all these things lies in our inmost self. In the light of faith we call it sin.

The pope uses two Bible stories to illustrate the meaning of sin: (1) In erecting the tower of Babel, humanity sought to be powerful without God--a rival of God, in fact. (2) We find the same rivalry in Eden, when human beings set themselves up as being somehow self-sufficient, as powerful as God.

All through history this has been sin, in all its forms: exclusion of God, the rupturing of relationship with God. Sin is the disobedience of a person who by a free and knowing act does not recognize the sovereignty of God over his or her life, at least when the sin is committed.

All Christians need, in view of all this, a renewed sense of sin--a spiritual thermometer whereby we are sharply aware of the seeds of death contained in sin as well as the thousand disguises under which sin hides itself.

THE MEANING OF SIN
We try to describe the Church at its best at Eucharist. The community returns to try to re-create that ideal every Sunday. At the same time, it is a community that always needs to be saved because it is always a weak and sinful community. Some members of the Body may have become lifeless; others are seriously ill; all may have at least a slight fever.

How does sin happen in the very Body of Christ? A gradual lessening of warmth between members occurs, aided by repeated experiences of the limitations and faults of others; a willingness not to look too hard for the truth or at the truth grows. One by one people slip into a life that is partly a lie, a disorder they will not face; they are overtaken by the heady wine of freedom, the satisfaction of pleasure divorced from purpose. Things become little gods instead of creations; people become things for use and enjoyment apart from the great purposes of life.

And so it is possible gradually to move back from the circle of the community and from the Lord who gives that circle a center.

Sin is a way of life. It is an attitude that grows--just as love envelops in giving and receiving. Nothing human is instantaneous. What happens at 12:00 was already begun at 11:59 and at 9:00, growing toward fullness yesterday and last week and perhaps last year. The growth is not unnoticed--for then there would be no fault--but it is not admitted.

Often we choose sin by default: I do not do the right and reasonable thing. I need not stamp my feet and shake my fist at God; I just don't decide to do the good thing. I will not do what the words of Jesus are calling me to do. His meaning is obvious, but I refuse to hear. There is a terrible scene in the book and movie Leave Her to Heaven, in which a woman sits calmly in a rowboat, her eyes hidden by sunglasses, watching a rival drown. She sits very still, watching, doing nothing.

Sin-fullness becomes this sinful act, gradually, just as one can become drunk by letting his glass be filled again and again and never objecting.

It really isn't serious for a while. This is literally true but has led to the foolish view that something is "only" a venial sin. But nothing is just "a" sin; it is a point along the ramp going down. All sin is a gradual slipping from life to death, so gradual that when one crosses the line it is scarcely noticed--for the willingness to cross the line was present long before. The woman who watched her rival drown had come to be a murderer by many slow, sly steps.

So the community that is spoken of is not ideal because there are empty places at the table. Some may have moved their chairs to private cliques (Paul had trouble with that at Corinth). Some, in John's words, must hear Jesus say, "You have lost the love you had at first" (Revelation 2:4b).

CHURCH:THE RECONCILING COMMUNITY
By the very fact that Jesus joined people into a visible Body to be his sacrament, he "automatically" created the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For the Church is the sign of Christ's love, and therefore God's endless willingness to forgive. The Church is given the ministry of reconciliation not just for the rebirth of Baptism, but--such is the "bind" God gets into by being God--for the seventy times seven times one may lose the life once gratefully received (see Matthew 18:12).

The words of Jesus, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John 20:23), affirm the community's power to reconcile sinners. Reconciliation with the Church means reconciliation with God.

The community--somebody--must carry out the ministry of reconciliation in such a way that sinners can first be sure they are welcome back. To the sinner--miserable and alone in the most crowded room, caught in the trap of greed or hate, cold stubbornness or pride, must or mere sufficiency--someone must bring back the memory of the Father's table.

If sinfulness is a way of life, so is the life of grace. A new--the former--way of life must be entered.

First, and hardest of all, must come the admission of sinfulness: not a "mistaken judgment" or a "forgetting" or an "I didn't think...," but a simple, factual statement, with the Prodigal Son, "Father, I have sinned...; I no longer deserve to be called your son" (Luke 15:21z,c).

Real sorrow must follow--not just remorse for the self-inflicted pain and misery (for punishment is built into sin itself) but a genuine sorrow that God's love has been ignored, God's trust betrayed. Something holy and valuable has been spoiled. A consecrated body-spirit, a mind made for truth, freedom made to love, a body made to share and show the spirit's faith, a heart meant to experience the beauty and purity of life--all have been infected, abused, prostituted.

The sinner turns back to God for healing and new life."...God was [and is] reconciling the world to himself in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19a). God brings the sinner back to the table, knowing how he or she has hungered for that place. God gives the determination to change, the power to take the necessary steps, to leave the foreign country where the inheritance was squandered, to do practical things like repairing and restoring and apologizing.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation of the sign from God that the sinner is absolutely forgiven. The sign is the welcome of the community, the kindness of the priest, the certainty of acceptance, the grace of God made visible.

CONFESSION
One who has been truly guilty of mortal sinfulness must ordinarily confess the sinfulness to a priest, individually and privately, even though God's forgiveness has already been given and experienced. (Ordinarily--unless, for instance, one is unable to confess because of physical or moral impossibility such as sickness, the danger of being overheard or the like.)

This is a sticking point for many--once for Protestants, now for some Catholics. Why go to a man, the argument goes, when God has already acted? Or, in the words of the more liturgically minded, why do we need anything more than the community's forgiveness, expressed in its welcome?

We are speaking, remember, of one who truly separated himself or herself internally from the Body of Christ. It seems only common decency that one does not resume a place at table as if nothing had happened. Even the most loving of families would expect something more than that.

Confessing, like any external physical act, makes the interior act fully human. If a resolution or feeling is genuine within me, it will out. It may not even be fully mine--of me, this body-spirit unity--until I have done something external, until I have created words that make me realize what I truly mean.

Confessing is a "public" statement (even in the privacy of the confessional or reconciliation room) that (1) I am truly a sinner; (2) only God can forgive my sinfulness (3) I want and accept God's forgiveness; (4) I mean to do something about my sinfulness.

Most important of all, the voice of Christ himself becomes audible in confession--speaking to us individually about our individual sinfulness. It is the sign which, being human, we desperately need.

The actual words of absolution said as the priest holds his hands on or over the head of the penitent are:

God, the Father of mercies, by the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself, and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. By the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

THE NEW RITE
Vatican II called for a revision of the rites of the sacraments to make their nature and purpose clear. In the case of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The sinner who has been away comes back. It is no humiliation to return, for now the pain of self-imposed isolation is over. The sinner confesses privately to the priest in the course of the sacramental celebration and God gives the assurance of forgiveness through the priest's words of absolution. The community welcomes the sinner back to the table.

But even when only priest and penitent meet (in private confession), the community is there. The priest represents the reconciling community. The confessor must make a judgment for the Church. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the judgment is that the penitent is truly sorry. But it is possible that a priest may be forced to conclude that a given person is nowhere near real sorrow or purpose of amendment. The priest has the great responsibility to try to show the sinner the love as well as the truth of God; but he cannot make a mockery of the words of absolution and pretend the sinner has really returned to community life when in fact it may merely be a case of empty ritual.

Besides this emphasis on community, the revised rite insists that the word of God be an integral part of every sacramental celebration. the Bible is a kind of sacrament of God's actual living word to us today. It is not a collection of choice sayings, an interesting religious anthology. The reading of Scripture in sacramental celebrations is, or should be, a striking emphasis on the fact that the sacraments are God's actions, God's self-communication, and involve some definite expectations of us.

So the reading of Scriptures focuses our minds on God's presence and action. The words of Scripture are a communication from God, and a personal response must be given. In this sacrament, it is God giving reassurance, healing, forgiveness--but, insofar as necessary, a restatement of the DIVINE WILL and a WHOLESOME WARNING.

Finally, there is a renewed emphasis in the new rite on deepening our awareness of the full meaning of sin and grace. Confession need not be made face-to-face, but this method gives priest and penitent a better chance to get beneath the surface of sin to its roots and to make the reconciliation a felt and grace-full experience.

The priest is not a psychiatrist. He is a fellow Christian who can help the penitent see things in faith again and make personal the present love of God. He can sympathize as well as speak the unyielding truth.

It is easy to make fun of the old "grocery list" confession, but who knows what depths of real sorrow and full awareness of the grace of reconciliation and of the need of penance accompanied by that list? At any rate, the emphasis today is where it always has to be--on the motives and attitudes that run beneath the surface, the traits of temperament that are the filter of both sin and virtue.

It is hoped that the sacramental rite can help even so-called "venial sinners" sense the seriousness of sacramental reconciliation. Even if I have not left the table, I may have pulled my chair back: I can't stand this person, or I don't want to share with that one, or I don't want to have to adapt to that one. I am thereby refusing to love my neighbor, and the life of the community is made a little less healthy. The pulse and flow of the life of the Body has be restricted.

When a community gathers for the sacrament, each member is saying to all, "I have hurt you by what I have done and by what I have not done. Show me the forgiveness of Jesus." And each member also says to all the rest by the very coming together, "I offer you the forgiveness of Jesus, who call us to be one in Him." This is reconciliation, turning away from sin and turning to God by joining the community again or joining it more generously.

PENANCE
Finally, there is "penance" to be done by each individual after celebrating the sacrament. It is not "satisfaction" in the sense of "making up" to God for our sin, for we can never do that. We can only accept divine forgiveness.

Penance is letting God change my life, particularly in the area in which I have sinned. An individuals "Penance" is balm for his or her particular needs and difficulties: to learn charity by performing an act of kindness for a person the penitent dislikes, for instance.

Thus the healing of Christ is given to all who have thrown aside their baptismal garment or have soiled it, who have let their candle go out or burn low, who have wiped the oil of their dignity off their brow.

If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us form every wrongdoing.

RECONCILIATION IS WORSHIP
The celebration of the sacrament ends with a proclamation of praise to God. Sacraments are worship, and the most natural thing for a reconciled sinner to do is to be happy about the mercy of God. This is not like leaving a courtroom where one was barely acquitted and perhaps subjected to humiliation. Rather it is the celebration of the family, especially the reunited members. No longer does it matter what I was or what I did. Shame and scandal are forgotten. Joy comes from what I am: loved to life by God.

This post is taken from Catholic faith based reading. I had wanted to put up this particular post for a long time and decided to do it today. We as humans are created in God's image and are expected to conduct ourselves in a Christlike manner. We are all sinners, as our first parents caused us to be, but that doesn't mean that we are immediately resolved of our sins merely by making a declaration to God in our hearts. That is one way to be absolved of our sins and the preceding paragraphs emphasize the other ways. Simply telling ourselves that what we have done is wrong and then thinking that God will forgive us, and then immediately resuming the same sinful actions and thinking by internal prayer that everything is forgiven is dangerous. God wants to and does forgive us, but through the Sacraments of Confession Penance & Reconciliation and a sincere desire to become the person that God intended us to be and to fulfill God's Master Plan and Purpose that He intended for all of us.

JESUS THE SON OF GOD: THIS MAN

"Glory To God In The Highest"--"Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men"--
May the angels' song of long ago
Ring in our hearts again
And bring a new awareness
That the fate of every nation
Is sealed securely in the hand
Of the MAKER of CREATION...
For man with all his knowledge,
His wisdom and his skill,
Is powerless to go beyond
The Holy Father's Will...
And When we fully recognize
The helplessness of man
And seek the Father's guidance
In our every thought and plan,
Then only can we build a world
Of peace, good will and love,
And only then can man achieve
The life he's dreaming of......Helen Steiner Rice

When we speak of the "mystery" of Jesus in Saint Paul's sense, we are thinking of him as a sacrament--a "sign" that reveals as well as hides. He is the self-revealing of God through the sign of a human body.

He is a mystery in another way also, in that there is something beyond understanding in his makeup.

He is truly God. He is truly human. He is one person. Jesus is not two persons cooperating in harmony. He is not God with a human facade, and he is not merely a human being with a very close relationship with God.

JESUS, TRUE MAN
In the course of history just about every possible heresy has been advanced by somebody. Regarding Jesus, a heresy called Docetism (from the word for "seem") held that Christ only seemed human.

Sometimes in our determination to preserve the divinity of Jesus we verge toward Docetism. We downplay Jesus' humanity, as if it were somehow absorbed into his divinity. But it is just as incorrect to deny Jesus' full humanity as it is to deny his divinity. As a four-year-old boy, Jesus did not have all future scientific and theological knowledge in his head. Like all human beings, he had to develop his body, his mind, his emotions, his character. Saint Luke tells us, "Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man" (2:52).

If Jesus were not truly man, the Bible could not say: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

We can identify with Jesus because he is one of us. He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty, to be worn out physically with work or travel, to suffer the pain of heat or cold, of a splinter in his finger or the bite of an insect. The gospels show him with all the human emotions: He enjoyed the company of friends, the innocence of children and the support of his followers. He could be fully angry, troubled, frustrated. He could be so humanly afraid and terrorized that "his sweat became like drops of blood" (Luke 22:44b)

He had a human mind unspoiled by narrowness or selfishness, one that was simply open to all reality, especially to his Father's self-giving. He had a free human will to decide to strive and give. He loved as no one has ever loved, yet as everyone was made to love.

What was different about Jesus, of course, was that he had no sin, nor any of the heritage or "momentum" of sin that we have. He was not only a true human but also a pure human. His humanity was not cramped or bent, but had only the normal limitations of space and time and finiteness. Therefore he could enjoy the song of a bird or the brilliance of a sunset or the face of a human being more deeply than we who are distracted by our own selves. The truth was more thrilling to him. To love was more intense and wholehearted.

JESUS' HUMAN KNOWLEDGE
There are people who are shocked by some theologians' treatment of Jesus' human knowledge. They hold that since Jesus was God he knew everything.

The answer does not seem to be quite that simple. If Jesus was truly a human being, his mind had to work like a human mind. It had to grow from ignorance to knowledge, from known to unknown, from depth to greater depth of understanding. Because he was human he had to grow and learn from experience--just as we do.

Jesus was one person, but his divine consciousness was not his human consciousness. His divinity and humanity were not mixed together, like wine and water.

But why didn't his divine knowledge simply flood his human mind with all possible information? We must answer that he would not then have been truly human. To be human is to face reality, seek truth, choose what is good. This means looking for the facts, considering alternatives, weighing consequences and then making decisions. That is how a human being takes responsibility for his or her life.

Jesus came among us to be fully human in every way except sin. He could not be characterized as human if as a four-year-old boy he was already aware of the intricacies of nuclear fission and the potency of penicillin.

The noted biblical scholar Father Raymond Brown, treating the knowledge of Jesus in an excellent book, Jesus, God and Man, spoke to the common objection raised to the view that Jesus had limited, human knowledge:

But when all is said and done, the great objection that will be hurled again against any exegete (or theologian) who finds evidence that Jesus' knowledge was limited is the objection that in Jesus Christ there is only one person, a divine person. And so, even though the divine person acted through a completely human nature, any theory that Jesus had limited knowledge seems to imply a limitation of the divine person. Perhaps the best answer to this objection is to call upon Cyril of Alexandria, that Doctor of the Church to whom, more than to any other, we are indebted for the great truth of the oneness of the person of Christ. It was that ultra-orthodox arch foe of Nestorianism (two persons or powers in Christ) who said of Christ, "We have admitted his goodness in that for love of us he has not refused to descent to such a low position as to bear all that belongs to our nature, included in which is ignorance."

Perhaps the clearest statement of the meaning of Jesus' true humanity is found in Hebrews: "Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (2:16-18, emphases added).

Jesus was not "tempted" as we are, by an itch or impulse toward evil. Yet to give his bread away meant that he was hungry, to work hard meant that he was tired, and to be faithful to his Father meant that he would be killed. It cost Jesus something to be the trusting child of his Father.

JESUS' VOCATION
So Jesus' growth in knowledge was gradual, as well as his growth in the love of God and his understanding of his own identity and mission. By prayer and meditation on the Scriptures, by the world and example of his parents, Jesus experienced the self-revealing love of his Father--similar to the revelation given to all human beings, but also unique: He is the Anointed One, the Messiah long promised.

How and when his Father revealed this to Jesus we do not know. What we must say is that Jesus accepted his vocation with full freedom and loving obedience. It was a responsible choice. He took his life and put it at the disposal of the Father. He let himself be totally possessed by the Father's love and power.: "My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to finish His work" (John 4:34b). He is the new Adam, not denying his fully human response to the Father's call, but opening himself completely.

His relationship with the Father is tender, intimate. His word of address is Abba--no doubt an imitation of the earliest sounds made by a baby to its parents. It is the word little Jewish children used for their father; on adult tongues it expressed warm affection. Our association with the English word Daddy may be hard to transfer to God, but that is the closest translation we can have for Abba. "Abba!" was Jesus' life.

The purpose for discussing the humanity of Jesus and all it means is to keep Jesus from being "way up there," far above the pains and pleasures and worries of ordinary mortals. We have the absolute conviction and unquestioning faith that Jesus is true God, the eternal Son of the Father. But it is equally true that he is a real human being like us in everything but sin. "Everything" must apply to knowledge, conscience, body, emotions, memory, imagination, conversation, sleep, meals--there is no area excluded except the sinful.

It is only by keeping the human Jesus along with the divine that we can really believe that he knows from experience what our experience is. We can then join his prayer in pain or joy, in failure or success, in frustration or anger or serenity and have his empathy and sympathy--and his power to be childlike before his Father.

JESUS, TRUE GOD
Christians do not try to "prove" to anyone that Jesus is God. If Peter could not know Jesus was the Messiah unless the Father revealed it (see Matthew 16:17), the gigantic step to belief in his divinity is infinitely less possible. We believe because we have the gift of believing. And again, we must say, if that seems to the world naive and unscientific, so much the worse for the world.

So we pray the Scriptures with joy and admiration rather than with questions and concern. And there is no better place to do this than the magnificent prologue of John's Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him...And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son...No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him. (John 1:1-5, 10, 14, 18)

Passages like this are like prisms of eternity. Theology will do its best to explain, but in the end these simple and infinitely profound statements are the best way to express the mystery. The crux of the mystery is that the love of God appeared in Jesus. Not just that God made the divine love known, but the love of God appeared. Jesus is the love of God, and the love of God made visible...[It is Jesus] who is the refulgence of [God's] glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. (Hebrews 1:3a)

'THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE'
John's Gospel shows the Church's sixty or seventy years of reflection on the mystery of Jesus and leads us to the mystery of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God. In John, Jesus' suffering humanity is not stressed as it is in Mark; his divinity shines through more clearly. He speaks as the God who has destroyed evil and saved his loved ones: "If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him...Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:7, 9b).

Three times Jesus says, "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Believe me!" (John 14:10, 11, 20)

The union of the Son and the Father is one of being--and of love. To this union of divine love Jesus brings a perfect, childlike human love: "The father and I are one" (John 10:30)

What is the meaning and purpose behind all this? It is the final reason why God initiated his great plan of salvation. Just as there is a perfect union of the love in Father, Son and Spirit, so there is a perfect divine-human love between Jesus and his Father. And this is the kind of love God in Jesus and the Spirit wants for us! Jesus says, referring to his resurrection: "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you" (John 14:20).

We who like to think of God as stern and remote should be humbled and chastened by these overwhelming words:

Whosoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him...Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. (John 14:21, 23b)

Jesus concludes his profound and touching discourse at the Last Supper with these words, addressed in prayer to his father: "I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them" (John 17:26).

So the final purpose of Jesus' coming is not just to give us knowledge of the Father, but also to fill us with the Father's love and join us in a living union with Jesus and with the Father, through the presence of the Spirit. Jesus showed us what divinity is, and he showed us what true humanity is. He is God in a human way and human in a divine way. His human love is the embodiment of God's love for all of us to see and absorb.


The above post is information from Catholic based writing. I would hope that readers will take from this what I have, a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ, what He stood for and how much he sacrificed because of his deep love for all of us. I have also posted a photograph of the Shroud of Turin, which is believed to be the burial cloth that Jesus was wrapped in after he was crucified, with the picture on the right being a likeness of that shroud that wrapped Jesus Christ. Whether you believe this to be true or not, it warrants reflection. I have more information worthy of another post and will do so as soon as possible.

There are those among us who are non-believers and blasphemers, who take the Word of God and writings from the Bible to push themselves forward and to try to dominate other human beings in a satanic and demonic way. True believers of the Bible and of Jesus Christ the Son and God the Father, are not concerned with falsely showing themselves to be supreme beings, all the while using scriptural passages to lead people to certain destruction. God sometimes requests us to relay His message to people, but when we relay messages to others as an instrument of God, it is with His Divine Will and not our own! Be careful of how you use scriptures and how you "interpret" the Bible. The Bible is meant to guide us closer to Jehovah, understand God's Laws and Principles, and make us instruments of His Holy Word.

HOW TO FIND TRUE RELIGION

WHY MUST I SEARCH TO FIND IT?' SOME ASK, 'IF GOD HAS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL MANKIND, WOULD HE NOT CONVEY IT CLEARLY ENOUGH SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD GRASP IT IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR INVESTIGATION?'

SURELY God has the ability to do such a thing. But is that the way he has chosen to communicate truth?

HOW GOD CONVEYS TRUTH
Actually, God conveys his messages in a way that allows sincere seekers of truth to search them out. (Psalm 14:2) Consider the message that God delivered through his prophet Jeremiah centuries ago. It was given to God's wayward people regarding the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.--Jeremiah 25:8-11; 52:12-14.

Yet, at the same time, other prophets claimed to speak for God. Hananiah foretold peace for Jerusalem. That was a very different message from the one that Jeremiah delivered. So who was a person at that time to believe--Jeremiah or those who contradicted him?--Jeremiah 23:16,17; 28:1,2, 10-17.

To know who was right, sincere Jews needed to know Jehovah as a person. They needed to understand his laws and principles, as well as his attitude toward wrongdoing. Doing so, they would have agreed with God's words spoken through Jeremiah that "there was not a man repenting over his badness." (Jeremiah 8:5-7) Furthermore, they would have discerned that this sad situation did not bode well for Jerusalem and its inhabitants.--Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Jeremiah 52:4-14.

Jeremiah's prophecies about Jerusalem came true. The city was razed by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E.

Although the consequences of disobedience were foretold long in advance, effort was needed to recognize that the time had arrived for God to take action.

WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIAN TRUTH?
What of the truth proclaimed by Jesus Christ? Did everyone recognize it as a message from God? No. Even though Jesus was right there in the midst of the people of Israel teaching them and performing miracles, most of his listeners did not discern that he was the foretold Messiah--the Christ, or Anointed One.

To the Pharisees who asked when God's Kingdom was coming, Jesus himself said: "The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observability." He added: "The kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20, 21) God's appointed ruler, Jesus, was among them! But those Pharisees refused to open their eyes to the evidence that he was fulfilling the Messianic prophecies and to accept him as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." --Matthew 16:16.

The response to the truth proclaimed by Christ's first-century disciples was similar. While miracles helped to demonstrate that God was supporting the disciples, the truth was still not plain to most. (Acts 8:1-8; 9:32-41) Jesus commissioned his followers to "make disciples of people" by teaching them. As a result of listening and learning Scriptural truth, sincere seekers of truth became believers.--Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:42; 17:2-4, 32-24.

It is the same today, the "good news of the kingdom" is being "reached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." (Matthew 24:14) this is not necessarily being done "with striking observability"--in so obvious a way that every individual on earth will recognize it as a message from God. Yet, God's truth is recognizable and strikes a responsive chord in honest hearted individuals who want to worship God in the way approved by Him.--John 10:4, 27.

THE FACT THAT YOU ARE READING THIS SHOWS THAT YOU ARE LIKELY A SINCERE SEEKER OF TRUTH. How can you determine which religion is teaching it?

AN APPROACH THAT WORKS
Some first-century residents of Beroea were commended by the apostle Paul for the way they responded when he taught them. They did not immediately accept what Paul said as truth; still, they listened respectfully. We can learn from what the Beroeans did after hearing the message.

Note that the Bible explains: "Now the [Beroeans] were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so. Therefore many of them became believers." (Acts 17:10-12) So their search was not superficial. They did not expect conclusive results in just one or two brief discussions with Paul.

Observe also that the Beroeans "received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind." This tells us something about the attitude with which they approached their study of the Scriptures. They were not gullible, but neither were they cynical. They did not have a critical attitude toward what was explained by Paul, who was one of God's human representatives.

Consider this too: the Beroeans were hearing about Christianity for the first time. it sounded good, perhaps too good to be true. But rather than dismiss it, they carefully examined the Scriptures, checking to see 'whether the things Paul was saying were so.' Note, too, that those in both Beroea and Thessalonica who made such a diligent search became believers. (Acts 17:4m 12) They did not give up and conclude that truth cannot be found. They identified the true religion.

HOW THE TRUTH AFFECTS PEOPLE
When one finds the truth, as did the Beroeans, he is moved to share it enthusiastically. Others may disapprove, holding that it is more humble to feel that other religions could be equally correct. However, the Bible's truth--once found--instills conviction. It does not leave one wondering if truth is attainable or if all religions might lead to salvation. Finding the truth, however, begins with an earnest examination, which does indeed require humility.

FEATURES OF TRUE RELIGION
Consider the practices and teachings of first-century Christians:

*They taught that Jesus was God's Son, distinct from God himself and subordinate to Him.--1Corinthians 113; 1Peter 1:3.
*They taught that the dead will return to life by means of a future resurrection.--Acts 24:15.
*They were known overall for the love that prevailed among themselves.--John 13:34, 35.
*They did not worship merely as individuals but were organized into congregations and were united under overseers and a central body of elders that looked to Jesus as Head.--Acts 14:21-23; 15:1-31; Ephesians 1:22; 1Timothy 3:1-13.
They were zealous preachers of God's Kingdom as mankind's only hope.--Matthew 24:14; 28:19,20; Acts 1:8.

SUPERSTITION AND BIBLE TEACHINGS

A journalist refrained from flying for a year because a fortune teller had predicted that he would die in a plane accident. People from all walks of life, including politicians, businessmen, actors, athletes, and college students, resort to superstitious practices. In times of uncertainty, stress, or anxiety, they feel that such practices protect them against dangers or help them reach their goals.

Many forms of superstition are seen as quaint or as an inoffensive source of psychological support. The late anthropologist Margaret Mead observed: "Superstitions reflect the keenness of our wish to have something come true or to prevent something bad from happening. The half acceptance and half denial accorded superstitions give us the best of both worlds." Still, those determined to please God should ask themselves, 'Is superstition compatible with Christianity?"

THE SOURCE OF SUPERSTITION
Mankind in general has been plagued by fears--fear of death, of the unknown, and of what is called the Hereafter, to mention just a few. Satan, the rebel opposer of God, is determined to enslave people, and he has been feeding such fears with malicious lies, (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9) Satan is not alone in his efforts to lure people away from God. In the Bible, Satan is called "the ruler of the demons." (Matthew 12:2-27) Who are the demons? In Noah's time a number of angels joined Satan in his rebellion against God and made themselves demons. Since then, thy have been trying to influence people's minds. Superstition has been one of their devices.--Genesis 6:1; Luke 8:2, 30; Jude 6.

One of Satan's lies has provided a base for superstition. It is the belief that an invisible entity survives the death of a person's body and can come back to affect the living. But the Bible says: "As for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all." It further states that "there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom" after one dies.--Ecclesiastes 9: 5,10.

SOMETHING DETESTABLE TO JEHOVAH
Many individuals have chosen to believe Satan's lies. Yet, years ago, God gave his people the Israelites clear direction on the matter. "There should not be found in you anyone." his Word says, "who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah"--Deuteronomy 18: 10-12.

Sadly, the Israelites did not always heed this warning. For example, in the days of the prophet Isaiah, some believed that a good crop depended on appeasing "the god of Good Luck"--a superstitious belief that resulted in dire consequences. They lost Jehovah's favor and blessing.--Isaiah 65:11, 12.

Jehovah's attitude toward superstition did not change with the coming of Christianity. The apostle Paul urged superstitious people in the city of Lystra "to turn from these vain things ["vanities," or "superstitions," The Emphatic Diaglott] to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them."--Acts 14:15.

BREAKING FREE FROM SUPERSTITIONS
There are countless superstitious practices, and all of them have something in common--the lack of a logical explanation. Superstitions can, among other things, lead people into blaming their misfortunes on bad luck rather than accepting responsibility for their deeds.

Happily, many have broken free from superstition. Jesus said: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32) In reality, regular Bible study and heartfelt prayer to Jehovah God can help us develop inner strength. This can stabilize and balance our thinking, which can lead to sound decisions that prevent calamity and alleviate anxiety.--Philippians 4:6,7,13.

The Bible asks: "What sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial [Satan]?" Hence, true Christians must keep away from superstition.--2Corinthians 6:14-16.

FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS THOUGHT

TREE OF JESSE
'A shoot will sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.'-Isaiah 11:1

Jesse was the father of King David, an early ancestor of Jesus. He is often described as the first person in the genealogy of Jesus. He was the son of Obed and the grandson of Ruth, and he was from Bethlehem.

This relationship between Jesse and Jesus intrigued Church artists throughout the 11th century. One popular image was a tree growing from a reclining figure of Jesse. Each branch represented members of Jesus' family tree, such as David (symbolized by a harp),Jacob (ladder), Solomon (crown), Mary (lily) and Joseph (hammer or saw).

At the top of the tree was the figure of Jesus.

Jeremiah was called by God to be a Prophet at a very young age--somewhere in his twenties.

When God called Jeremiah and said that he was appointed to be a Prophet to the nations, Jeremiah's response is: "Ah, Lord God! I know not how to speak; I am too young." and God says, "Have no fear before them, because I am with you." (Jeremiah 1:4-8)

I AM WITH YOU.

It's one of those Who me? moments. Who, me? asks Elizabeth at the time of the Visitation. Who, me? asks Mary of the Angel Gabriel. Who, me? asks Juan Diego when Mary appears to him.

Even today, we can feel like Jeremiah when faced with God's will--too young, too unworthy, too unqualified. Good and holy works are not expected of us. They're for "Saints". But we are sons and daughters of God. We have been placed by God in this time, in history, in these circumstances, to do God's work. And we don't have to do it alone.

I WILL BE WITH YOU. God is with you now.

THE PROPHET'S ROLE
"It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you." (2Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a 16)

It is about 1000 B.C., 250 years after God led the people from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land. It took a long time for these people from different tribes to unify as a nation. The turning point in the process came when David became king.

In the passage above, the Prophet Nathan speaks to David on God's behalf, assuring the king that God will preserve David's dynasty. Nathan will speak to David several more times, but he won't always bring a message David wants to hear.

Sometimes Nathan's job seems a thankless one. Prophets in the biblical tradition do not have their own agenda. Prophets, like Nathan, let God act through them to accomplish what God wants to do, and what only God can do.

That's why true religious Prophets usually didn't want to be Prophets. It's not a career they had in mind. They simply accepted a call to be a channel of God's word, God's power, God's peace...and they let God work through them.

We can learn from this.

As a person of faith, do I simply try to use Christian principles to carry out my own agenda? Or do I turn to the Lord in what I am about each day?

Do I seek out Jesus and let him act through me? Or do I know better myself? This deserves a lot of thought.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND
Back in the glory days of David and his son Solomon a thousand years before Jesus, they had once been a great kingdom But that kingdom was no more.

After Solomon's death, civil war had split that kingdom in half--the north and the south. Then, seven centuries before Christ, the northern kingdom was overrun and was no more. Five centuries before Christ, the southern kingdom was lost. From then on, Israel was ruled over by one country after another. This was the way it was at the time of Jesus.

But Jesus did not preach the kingdom of David, Jesus came to preach that "the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God is at hand." He said it over and over. His coming marked a great turning point in the struggle against darkness. His coming was the ultimate victory over evil.

Whatever the circumstances of your life, the key to happiness and to a sense of fulfillment is this: To know that I can be a part of this great enterprise of God.

We can celebrate being part of something that magnificent.

HANNAH'S PRAYER
'My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy One like the Lord; there is no Rock like our God--(1Samuel 2:1-2)

MARY'S "MAGNIFICAT"
'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; My spirit rejoices in God my savior. For He has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is His name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear Him. He has shown might with His arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers form their thrones but lifted up the lowly...'(Luke 1:46-52)

Hannah was the second and favorite wife of Elkanah, and had trouble conceiving a child. When Hannah had visited this shrine previously, Eli the high priest had promised that she would bear a son. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son who would become the prophet Samuel.

Hannah dedicated her child to the Lord. Mary's Magnificat is said to be based on a song attributed to Hannah, and many Christians see Hannah as a symbol of Mary in the way that she offered her only son to God for his work.

There is a special focus on Mary in the final week of the Advent season. Catholics hold a special devotion to Mary, but we can approach our understanding of Mary through different doorways.

One doorway focuses on her as Mother of God. That role is based on family ties, and is absolutely unique to Mary. Nobody else is Mother of God.

Another doorway sees Mary as the first and best disciple of the Lord. The criterion for being a disciple is not based on family ties. Jesus himself was absolutely clear on that. This view of Mary as disciple also reminds us that discipleship may make for a difficult life. "You can't be my disciple", Jesus said, "unless you take up your cross and walk in my footsteps."

We should realize that Mary is the Mother of God. We might forget at times that She is also a faithful and courageous disciple of Jesus, her son. She can teach us a lot about being a disciple in our lives today.

The above post is information I read from a Catholic based book and thought that I would share it in this time of year. We are all reflections of God, whether we realize this or not. No man is an island and no man stands alone, because God is always ever watchful over all of us and tries to guide us towards Him. It is our duty to move towards God in everything that we do in our day to day lives and try to live our lives in peace and for a higher good.