The totality of Jesus teaching can be likened to a wheel, which is a perfect circle without beginning or end. A wheel has a hub, which is the central structure where the perfect number of spokes radiates, and an outer rim, a rigid frame that receives the spokes, as its circular design interlinks the spokes with each other. Each part has its function, the totality of which gives integrity and materiality to the wheel. Without the hub and the rim, the spokes lose connection with each other, the same with the hub and the rim without the spokes. Each part, strategically interconnected with each other, gives strength, stability, and a utilitarian purpose to the wheel. The same can be said of the Gospel. Jesus’ revelation has a core that corresponds to the hub and from this, the numerous teachings radiate like spokes of a wheel. Thirdly, it has an outer rim that interlinks these teachings in one united whole. This unity founded on fullness cannot be subdivided nor taken apart from each other, for each of Jesus teaching clarifies and strengthens each other. None is dispensable, nor secondary in importance to others. Thus, it is of paramount importance to understand that acceptance of the Gospel is acceptance of each and every message, and that each one is integral to the whole Doctrine of Christianity. Like in a wheel, an incomplete number of spokes weakens it, as selective compliance to the Gospel of life weakens Christianity. It cannot be an “ala carte” Faith, meaning, consume what is pleasing and easy but disregard the unpalatable especially those that challenge the believers to go outside of their comfort zone. This much preferred zone is where the “I” reigns supremely, the “I” who wanted to be a god at any cost, which after all was the temptation that Satan proffered to Adam. Jesus emphasized the importance of accepting his word, in thought, word and deed, when he said: “Anyone who hears my words and put them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock. When the rainy season sets in, the torrents come and the winds blew and buffeted the house. It did not collapse; it had been solidly set on rock. Anyone who hears my words but does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sandy ground. The rain fell, the torrents came, the winds blew and lashed against his house. It collapsed under all this and was completely ruined.” (Matthew 7- 24- 27) And yet, over and above the integrity of the whole doctrine is the fact that each teaching without exception draws strength from the core of Jesus’ revelation, which allows each message to be understood and faithfully lived. Without this core message, the whole doctrine falls apart, exactly what happens to a wheel without a hub. So, what is the core of Jesus’ Gospel that allows it to be the living reality throughout the ages, in all the corners of world to which it shall be proclaimed in accord with the Father’s plan? Jesus said: “I solemnly assure you, no one can see the reign of God unless he is begotten from above.” “How can a man be born again once he is old?” retorted Nicodemus. “Can he return to his mother’s womb and he born over again?” Jesus replied: “I solemnly assure you, no one can enter into God’s kingdom without being begotten of water and Spirit.” (John 3: 3-5) This miracle of grace is called spiritual rebirth, which is the foundation of the Good News of salvation. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for mere mortals because it is beyond the power of the creature from dust to live by, let alone understand. It is radical, revolutionary, counterculture and above all, a death sentence to the self who wants to be a god. It is beyond man’s intellectual faculty, outstanding as it is, for left on its own, it cannot fathom the depth of God’s wisdom, for after all, the Gospel of Life is the wisdom of God hidden through the ages and revealed in these last days through our Lord Jesus Christ. One scene in Jesus’ ministry, amongst many, is a good example of the limitations of the mind. Here, Jesus discoursed on the Bread of Life which had this logical effect: “After hearing his words, many of his disciples remarked, ‘This sort of talk is hard to endure! How can anyone take it seriously?’ From this time on, many of his disciples broke away and would not remain in his company any longer.” (John 6: 60) Head-spinning, mind boggling words from a madman, they must have thought! The power of the Gospel can only be unlocked through, with and by the grace of God, which is available to those who have undergone spiritual rebirth. Without this gift, no man can fathom the meaning of the words nor the power to live according to its radical teachings. Without it, man would still be walking in darkness, in a land of gloom overshadowed by death. Spiritual rebirth is the divinely ordained failproof remedy for the curse that Adam’s sin of disobedience brought upon himself and the whole of mankind; as it is the perfect cure for man’s erring heart, unfaithful and unloving, right from the start. This divine initiative is unmerited and an eternal testament to God’s overflowing unconditional love for man, which reaches its dazzling realization in the heavenly Jerusalem. Jesus said: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6: 44) The Father’s act of drawing each believer to his Son is never accidental as the gift of spiritual rebirth is never a half hazard act like a flipping of a coin. Simon Peter’s leap of faith when he professed the divinity of the Messiah, was his response to the grace given him by the Father-- to know and to believe. Jesus said: “Blest are you, Simon son of John! No mere man has revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 16: 17) This new life of grace, triumphant and everlasting, flows directly from the redemptive cross of Jesus where blood and water poured from his pierced side, which opened the flood gate of heaven for the outpouring of the Father’s ultimate gift, his Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, which began on Pentecost. These two events, Jesus’ salvific act, which culminated with his Resurrection, which in turn cleanses man of sin by the water of baptism and the descent of the Spirit on the baptize, are the cornerstone of Christianity and the fountain of eternal life for all believers. This is what it means to be begotten from above, as these two events lived as one supernatural reality changes the trajectory of human life. Jesus said: “Flesh begets flesh, Spirit begets spirit.” (John 3: 6) In other words, mortality begets mortality and immortality begets immortality. The sin of Adam was a mortal wound that inflicted death on all men. The wounds of Jesus, on the other hand, are life giving, welling-up to eternal life as Jesus said: “The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve—to give his life in ransom for the many.” (Mark 10: 45) Paul wrote: “Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life again.” (1 Corinthians 15: 22) This new life in Christ begins at the moment of acceptance of Jesus as Lord and God. An example was Cornelius and his companions while receiving the good news of salvation from Peter. “Peter had not finished these words when the Holy Spirit descended upon all who were listening to Peter’s message.” (Acts 10: 44) Immediate liberation from sin and sealed by the Spirit of power that conferred on Cornelius and companions the freedom of the children of God to one end—to do his will here on earth. Jesus said: “I give you my assurance, everyone who lives in sin is the slave of sin. No slave has a permanent place in the family, but the son has a place there forever. That is why, if the Son frees you, you will really be free.” (John 8: 34- 36) The redemptive work of Jesus, his passion, death, resurrection, and his ascension to heaven completes the first part of God’s plan for the salvation of man. The second part is as Jesus said: “Yet I tell you the sober truth: It is much better for you that I go. If I fail to go, the Paraclete will never come to you, whereas if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16: 7) After the resurrection, Jesus told his disciples: “Wait rather, for the fulfillment of my Father’s promise, of which you heard me speak. John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1: 4- 5) “When the day of Pentecost came it found them gathered in one place. Suddenly from up in the sky there came a noise like a strong, driving wind which was heard throughout the house where they were seated. Tongues as of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them.” (Acts 2: 1- 4) This is the totality of the Father’s plan for the salvation of man, which man must in turn must accept in thought, word, and deed. It is freely given, which man’s free will can either accept or reject. To accept it is to undergo a spiritual rebirth and thus begin the new life with Jesus, clothed with power from on high that allows the disciple to follow Our Lord by being true to his precepts. He said: “Thus it is written that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. In his name, penance for the remission of sins is to be preached to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of this. See, I send down upon you the promise of my Father. Remain here in the city until you are clothed with power on high.” (Luke 24: 46- 49) Paul wrote: “God is the one who firmly establishes us along with you in Christ; it he who anointed us and has sealed us, thereby depositing the first payment, the spirit in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1: 21- 22) “You must know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within—the Spirit you have received from God. You are not your own. You have been purchased, and at a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6: 19- 20) The sacrificial death of Jesus cleanses man of sin and enables him to receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit as it is written: “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour a portion of my spirit on all mankind.” (Acts 2: 17) This duality, the cleansing and the indwelling, the purchasing and the anointing, the redemption and sanctification, seals the believer and empowers him to live a life for God. This dramatic conversion, a 180-degree turn, aptly described as born from above, was Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. It is the same experience for believers, like stepping from darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. Paul wrote: “He says to Moses, ‘I will show mercy to whomever a choose; I will have pity on whomever I wish.’ So, it is not a question of man’s willing it or doing but of God’s mercy.” (Romans 9: 15- 16) Rejoice and break into songs, for now is the time of fulfillment of the promise, now is the time of mercy, now is the time of the last days of man. God’s loving generosity-- the giving of his Son as a sacrificial offering and the sharing of a portion of his Spirit is the concluding chapter in the story man, which began in Eden. This generosity entails the sharing of his divine power with the creature though from dust but born from above, the power to do good and to triumph against his mortal enemy, Satan with his legions of fallen angels. Jesus said: “See what I have done; I have given you power to tread on snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy, and nothing shall ever injure you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice so much in the fact that the devils are subject to you as that your names are inscribed in heaven.” (Luke 10: 19- 20) But the Twelve who were newly indoctrinated in the faith, misunderstood this power as Luke recounted: “The Samaritans would not welcome him (Jesus) because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, would you not have us call down fire from heaven to destroy them?’ He turned towards them only to reprimand them. Then they set off for another town.” (Luke 9: 53- 56) This dual act, like a coin with two faces, the cleansing with the blood of the Lamb and the anointing with the Holy Spirit is nothing more than God re-creating man into his likeness, his original intent in Eden but temporary defeated by sin. This cannot be separated from each other for they represent the oneness of the divine plan. Man cannot say ‘Yes’ to one and ‘No’ to the other. To accept the redemptive death of Jesus on the cross is to accept his resurrection and the promise of new life it proclaims, which can only be had with the Paraclete. To say “Yes” to the cross is to say “Yes” to being the temple of the Holy Spirit, as Paul puts it. This equates to living a life pleasing to God, in accord with the commands of our Lord, a life not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Cleansing but without the indwelling serves no purpose as cleansing without the commitment to live according to the Spirit brings no rebirth. Jesus told the cautionary tale of a man who was cleansed of unclean spirit but whose soul, ‘swept and tidied’, remained unoccupied. The unclean spirit returned with seven spirits more evil than itself. (Matthew 12: 43- 45) The Spirit prevents this fate from happening to the baptized, which is worse than not knowing Christ, as the knowledge of Him makes a person the target of the evil one but not without heaven’s assistance, as the Spirit strengthens the soul to valiantly fight the deceiver. This is the theme of Jesus’ parable of the silver pieces in Matthew 25: 14- 30. “The case of a man who was going on a journey is similar. He called in his servants and handed his funds over to them according to each man’s abilities. To one he disbursed five thousand silver pieces, to a second two thousand, and to a third a thousand. Then he went away. Immediately the man who received the five thousand went to invest it and made another five. In the same way, the man who received the two thousand doubled his figure. The man who received the thousand went off instead and dug a hole in the ground, where he buried his master’s money. After a long absence, the master of those servants came home and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five thousand came forward bringing the additional five. ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘you let me have five thousand. See, I have made five thousand more. His master said to him, ‘Well done! You are an industrious and reliable servant. Since you are dependable in a small matter I will put you in charge of larger affairs. Come, share your master’s joy.’ The man who received the two thousand then stepped forward. ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two thousand and I have made two thousand more.’ His master said to him, ‘Cleverly done! You too are an industrious and reliable servant. Since you are dependable in small matter I will put you in charge of larger affair. Finally the man who had received the thousand stepped forward. ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘I know you were a hard man. You reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not scatter, so out of fear I went off and buried your thousand silver pieces in the ground. Here is your money back.’ His master exclaimed, ‘You worthless, lazy lout! You know I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter. All the more reason to deposit my money with the bankers, so that on my return I could have had it back with interest. You there! Take the thousand away from him and give it to the man with the ten thousand. Those who have will get more until they grow rich, while those who have not, will lose even the little they have. Throw this worthless servant into the darkness outside, where he can wail and grind his teeth.”
The lord in the story is Jesus. The “going away on a journey” was Jesus after the resurrection when he ascended to heaven and took his seat at the right hand of power. “No sooner had he said this than he was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took him from their sight. They were still gazing up into the heavens when two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking up at the skies? This Jesus who had been taken from you will return, just as you saw him go up into the heavens.’” (Acts 1: 9- 11) The “return after a long absence” is his second coming. At this point in time, the 21st century, Jesus has been gone for more than 2000 years. His return is the inescapable event that is rightly heralded by birth pangs, exhibited both in heaven and on earth. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish, distraught at the roaring of the sea and the waves. Men will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the earth. The powers in heaven will be shaken. After that, men will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with great power and glory.” (Luke 21: 25- 27) The servants who were entrusted with funds in silver pieces are the believers in the household of God. All knew, without exception, their responsibilities including the servant who received the least amount as attested by his self-incriminating statement: “I know you were a hard man. You reap where you did not sow and gather where you did not scatter.” Central to the story are two words, funds and abilities, which are two different matters. The funds in silver pieces belong to the master and it is out of the goodness of his heart that he shared his wealth with his servants. The servants have inherent though different abilities, not unknown to the master, as this knowledge guided his decision on the amount that each one receives. Abilities equate to God-given natural gifts like intelligence and creativity, and natural virtues like love and devotion, courage and bravery, loyalty, among other things. They are not spiritual, which means that they are common to all men of various persuasions. Since they are natural abilities, the measure is not the same for everyone. Some have greater intelligence than others or blessed with creative imagination that fuels inventions; some are more loving, more tender, more nurturing; some are braver while others have weak knees; some have problems focusing on goals while others exhibit high degree of determination. Even the work quotient has varying measures of success for different individuals, as some are laid-back and while others are hard working. Some are born with leadership qualities while others are more on the follower-type. There is a scene in the Book of Judges that drives this point. The Lord tested the ten thousand volunteers of Gideon’s army against Midian, saying, “Lead them down to the water and I will test them there.” There are those who lapped up the water raised to their mouths, but many soldiers knelt to drink the water. (Judges 7: 4- 6) The men’s instinct decided on who would fight the battle of the Lord, as the first group who lapped up the water raised to their mouths were chosen. The many who were sent home were lacking in the one winning trait of a good soldier, which is vigilance. Certainly, they have other natural qualities, good for the performance of the other needs of the tribe of Israel but not on the field of battle where the chosen few were given the grace to vanquish Midian. Here and in the parable of the silver pieces, the adage, “Grace builds on nature” remains the operating principle. Those with greater abilities were given more funds while those with little received smaller amounts, and all proper to their abilities to use them. Grace does not negate free will thus it follows that the recipients must have the abilities to employ them and in so doing, all grow to maturity but on varying levels and all according to God’s will, as his will is expressed by the different work assignments or vocations in his vineyard. Paul wrote: “The body is one and has many members, but all the members, many though they are, are one body. God has set each member of the body in the place he wanted it to be.” (1Corinthians 12: 12, 18) Each member has received innate abilities proper to their function, as these determine the “amount of funds” needed to bring their vocation to fruition. The three hundred who have the innate quality of a soldier, out of the 10,000 soldiers of Gideon, were given the grace to complete their task, which could not have been done without heaven’s help. This brings us to the second point about grace. Grace allows victory but without the sting of sin. Surely the chosen few could not claim victory as their own, as their miniscule number was a testament to the action of grace and thus sparing them from the sin of pride. In the same way, all vocations are dependent on grace from above, as innate ability without grace is not a formula for success, nor grace without abilities and both are gifts from God, one natural, the other supernatural. Grace works with nature by transforming it. Natural abilities through the action of the Holy Spirit become the seed-ground of spiritual virtues needed by the disciple to bring about the fruition of his vocation, the breadth and depth of which represents his supernatural life in Christ. This is essential to the mystery of spiritual rebirth. The person remains the same on the outside, but the interior dynamics have been transformed and spiritualized, very much like the analogy of the wind told by Jesus. The wind is invisible and only its power is observable. “The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone begotten of the Spirit.” (John 3: 8) The laudable trait of stubborn determination transforms to the virtue of singleheartedness even in times of trials and adversity; physical love and filial devotion transform to charity and a chaste love for one’s neighbor; the celebrated quality of industriousness transforms to the virtue of diligence and constancy, needed for the performance of the radical demands of discipleship. The inborn gift of intelligence, once transformed by grace and imbued with godly wisdom synchronizes with the mind of Christ, which opens-up realities inaccessible to a mind on a natural plane. Even the enviable condition of happiness, much sought-after but always transitory as it is dependent on things without, gets a revolutionary transformation to the internal state of joy founded on peace and love, ever sustaining the soul’s journey to God, as this supernatural endeavor is fraught with tribulations that probe the heart of its true allegiance. These virtues and many others, gifts of the Holy Spirit, are the marks of the authentic disciples who have been transformed by grace, not instantaneously but gradually into the likeness of the one he is called to follow, the God-Man, the perfection of life who is leading his flock to fullness of life, here and in the hereafter. Yet, it is also true that the grace that leads to victory, which at every turn calls for change and renewal, is a challenge to live with, as they do not change the world without. They are not meant to catapult the disciple back to Eden before the advent of evil where everything was good and godly but rather to triumph over evil by doing God’s will with heaven’s assistance through these spiritual gifts. The cross to be borne, laid on one’s shoulder by the heavenly Father, is an impossible task without these gifts, more so, as the cross must be carried in the footsteps of Jesus who leads his disciple to their personal Calvary where each unique vocation finds fulfillment, as this is the locus where virtues are tested to the max, allowing their purification like fire tried gold. The cross without Calvary is contradictory to the radical demand of death to oneself, as this place of ignominy awaits the true lovers of God, who willingly embrace death in faithful witness to the God who died to give them life. Obviously, these virtues are in direct opposition to the flesh, as these virtues are the nails that crucify the sinful flesh to the cross of Christ, as their exercise is the concrete living out of self-denial. Jesus said: “If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in my footsteps. Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16: 24- 25) As shown in the parable, all received “funds” regardless of abilities though in varying amounts. None was left disfranchised, and everyone was given a chance to prove their worth as a servant. Not only that, they were also given a good amount of time to deliver a profit before the final accounting. This parable, like all the other parables of Jesus teaches spiritual realities. Every aspect of the story is easy to comprehend, up until one dive below the surface to find the spiritual meaning. It is noteworthy that the master’s decision to leave funds to his servants goes against the regular norm in the natural order unless the gifted servant has reached a position of trust in the household and yet all were given funds regardless of ability. Thus, the crux of the matter is the meaning of “funds” that the master entrusted in various measures, five, two and one thousand silver pieces. The “funds” stand for the one spiritual gift that Jesus left to all believers as he had promised: “Yet I tell you the sober truth: It is much better for you that I go. If I fail to go, the Paraclete will never come to you, whereas if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16: 7) This treasure is Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit, send through him from the Father and the one true wealth of all believers, just as he said--“within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1: 5) This baptism as God’s elect is the meaning of the phrase, “begotten of the Spirit” (John 3: 8) or “begotten from above”. (John 3: 3) It is the divine power that propels the believers to leave behind the old ways of living in accord with the flesh and to embrace the new life proclaimed by the Gospel. It is the power that clothe the Christians from on high as witnesses of Jesus and to fulfill his command: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8) The Holy Spirit is the ultimate spiritual gift that seals every believer as a member of the household of God and workers in the vineyard of the Lord. God the Holy Spirit scrutinizes all things even those hidden in the hearts of men and bestows gifts proper to each person’s abilities to use them. As God is a generous giver, the various spiritual graces and virtues do not come in trickles or piece meal. They, in fact, come in a “package deal” but only to a certain extent, again as shown in the parable. Those who labored to generate profit were given more funds so as to progress more in grace, while the lazy one who came empty handed lost the little he had. Paul wrote: “There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to another the power to express knowledge. Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing, and still another miraculous powers. Prophesy is given to one; to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of interpreting the tongues. But it is one and the same Spirit who produces all these gifts, distributing them to each as he wills.” (1 Corinthians 12: 4- 11) This is the mystery of life in the Spirit that moves according to God’s plan with man’s cooperation as one with the gift of free will. Only God can probe the heart and weigh its devotion; only he can bestow or take away and his judgment is unerring. Amongst those he has given life, he alone chooses the manner by which the person will give glory to him through the fulfillment of his will, as each one is prepared even before he or she was born, giving each one all the necessary abilities on which grace could build on, for there is no happenstance in the plan of the Almighty. The only thing left is the time of revelation when the person receives the call to go forth and bear fruit, as when this happens the unveiling is gradual, starting always with the grace to hear the call. As in the parable, the response of the person determines God’s next move, as the gift of free will remains inviolate. This is the mystery of God’s wisdom, wrapped in the innumerable and unforeseeable tomorrows, guiding each Christian toward the fulfillment of his or her reason for being, done in faith, hope, and love. Jesus said to Ananias as he sent him to Saul: “You must go! This man is the instrument I have chosen to bring my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I myself shall indicate to him how much he will have to suffer for my name.” (Acts 9: 15- 16) Another reality expounded by the parable is that Christians can grow in the Spirit depending on their choices as this growth is manifested by the gradual maturation of virtues. In the scene where the child Jesus was found in the temple, Scripture has it: “Jesus, for his part, progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.” (Luke 2: 52) Jesus grew in grace and wisdom and in the scene before the temptation in the desert, Luke wrote: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit”. At Saul’s baptism, Ananias said: “Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight and to be filled by the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9: 17) In the same way, one can lose the Spirit as shown in the story of the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. The Lord picked David as Saul’s successor and at his anointing, it is written: “Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.” [1 Samuel 16: 13] On the other hand, “The spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul” [1 Samuel 16: 14] because he disobeyed the command of the Lord. Jesus’ statement about the Holy Spirit, “you do not know where it comes or where it goes” speaks of the mysterious movement of the Spirit in the lives of his followers. Unbeknownst even to the person and yet His presence empowers the baptized to response in accord with God’s will. Jesus said: “When men take you off into custody, do not worry beforehand about what to say. In that hour, say what you are inspired to say. It will not be yourselves speaking but the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 13: 11) Saint Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit right from the start, as he was set aside for a very important task, which was the propagation of the new faith in the pagan world, wrote: My message and my preaching had none of the persuasive force of “wise” argumentation, but the convincing power of the Spirit.” (1Corinthians 2: 4) In the same way, all who are called to carry the cross, rightly termed as vocation which is fitted well to one’s in-born abilities, are given varying amount of funds depending on the weight of the cross, enough to sustain the journey to Calvary, for without the grace from on high, no vocation can find its fulfillment. This is crucial, as the disciple cannot carry the cross in whichever way he chooses, as the command is to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, ever leading him to self-annihilation. This too is a mystery that the Spirits reveals in the fullness of time to each cross-bearer and usually in stages. No one is given the whole blueprint of God’s plan at one go, as vocation has many nuances that the mind cannot perceive or comprehend unless enlightened from above. Even Mary, preeminent amongst all women, received hers in stages, beginning in her private room in Nazareth when she was just a teenager, announced by the archangel Gabriel and seconded by her cousin Elizabeth and the babe John in her womb; in the animal shelter in Bethlehem, announced by the shepherds and the three wise men; in the temple at Jesus’ presentation, announced by Simeon and Anna; at the very foot of the cross where her son hang, barely alive, as she cling on every word of the Messiah; and finally, to her own experience of Jesus’ glorious resurrection, ascension and ultimately to her baptism of fire on Pentecost. Mary could not have known the cross and the glory that awaited her when she said “Yes” to the angel Gabriel, nor the breadth and depth of her most unique vocation, being a teenager when she began her journey to fulfill her birthright as the
chosen mother of God. The will of God, specific to each believer, and of varying weight and gravity according to one’s abilities but all towards the fulfillment of the divine plan, the salvation of man, necessitates different gifts of the Holy Spirit. Though one thousand is less than two as two is less than five but each servant received the full measure needed to fulfill his life’s mission, a task that is consistent with his natural abilities. No one is given insufficient funds, as no one is allowed to overreach beyond his calling, as all are called to be a follower of the one who knows the Father’s will for each one. John, the Baptist said: “No one can lay hold on anything unless it is given him from on high.” (John 3: 27) And again, no believer is left out, but all received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and as such, were endowed with his gifts that allowed Jesus’ teachings to be living guide in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit is the divine life force of Christians, the seed of eternal life that God gives to each one of us. It is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed of all as Jesus said, but when the believer follows the Spirit’s lead in all faithfulness, the capacity for growth in spirituality is limitless thus, becoming the largest of plants. “It becomes so big a shrub that the birds of the sky come and build their nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13: 31) The reign of God starts imperceptibly in the heart of each believer like a tiny seed of faith and with the action of grace and the full cooperation of the believer, it germinates, takes root, and grows. If the fiat to God’s will is fully lived, then the seed reaches its greatest potential that even the birds of the sky come and build their nests in its branches, which signifies that the reign of God in the heart of the believer overflows on the temporal sphere, as the Christian is in total harmony with all of creation, sustaining it through the action of grace, of which he or she is a channel. But more than that as Jesus said in Matthew 5: 13, “You are salt of the earth.” The authentic Christians preserves the sinful world from devolving into a rotten mess, allowing it to endure till God himself puts an end to it. But for now, the cycle of life continues, as symbolized by the birds building their nests, an act that answers to God’s mandate, the multiplication of the specie. For those who are called to follow Our Lord, all the soul’s faculties-- the will, the understanding, and the memory, must be brought under the kingship of Jesus and none must remain in darkness, unconverted, unregenerated. There cannot be a contradiction in the life of a Christian as there is no contradiction in God nor in the works of his hands. For this to happen, the totality of Our Lord’s teaching must be upheld whether easy or difficult, for even if a single spoke is missing as per our analogy, the whole Gospel is compromised. To live in this state of contradiction is a sin that will earn its due punishment when the King comes for the second time where all the secrets of hearts will be laid bare. New life begins with the acceptance of Jesus as Lord and God, which is faith in action. This cleanses the convert of sin, and thus green lighting the continuance of the miracle of re-creation by the descent of the Spirit on the baptized. This bestows the power to live the life of grace by understanding and living out the teachings of Our Lord. Every teaching of our Lord is part of an interconnected link, like spokes of a wheel, providing the Christians the way, the truth, and the life to full maturity. The more the disciple embraces them without exception, the more he grows in spiritual maturity, which is another way of saying that the person is advancing in virtues, all seeds planted by the Spirit. And the more he grows, the more he dies to himself, as death freely chosen for the love of God allows the mystery of his own spiritual rebirth to persist until he grows into the likeness of his Lord and Master. This is the work of the Spirit and the response to the Spirit’s promptings will determine the end state of each one, fixed and unchanging for all eternity, that state which Jesus alluded to when he said: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places; otherwise, how could I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? I am indeed going to prepare a place for you, and then I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 2- 3) More of this in the section that deals with the joys of heaven. Another important work of the Spirit is to intercede for the disciple. This will be dealt with in the next section—Worshipping in the Spirit.
The last article in the wheel analogy, is the meaning of the rim. The rim binds the numerous parts together, allowing it to function as a unit, for without it, the hub and spokes are shaky structures that cannot serve any purpose. The Good News of Salvation has a rim, which is its binding force, allowing the believers to be true witnesses of God. This is love, which corresponds to the divine essence, and man’s truest similitude to his Creator. John in his First Epistle wrote: “The man without love has known nothing of God, for God is love.” (1 John 4: 8) Paul wrote: “If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I
am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have, to feed the poor and hand my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3) Love is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, which gives the Gospel of Jesus its undying quality and the mark of a true believer. Jesus said, “This is how all will know you for my disciples: your love for one another.” (John 13: 35) But for love to be love, it must be based on the truth, as revealed by Jesus in words and deeds. It is not a freewheeling dictum that can give any so-called lover the liberty to define its scope and manner of expression. Like in the wheel analogy, the rim is set in place by the spokes. Likewise, love is set in its place by the Gospel of life, as the Master’s precepts, taken in its totality, bars it from human manipulation. There is only one kind of love, as there is only one God. It is true that in ages past, men had projected their own ideas about the Supreme Being, rightly or wrongly. God ended this by the Incarnation of his only begotten Son, as Jesus in the clearest of terms showed God’s true essence. Love is the fulfillment of man’s reason for being that can only happen by his faithfulness to Jesus’ doctrine. Jesus said: “Live on in me, as I do in you. No more than a branch can bear fruit of itself apart from the vine, can you bear fruit apart from me.” (John 15: 4) In truth, love is the greatest form of worship, as those re-created by the salvific act of Jesus, which was done in love, and the indwelling of the Spirit of love are given the grace to persist in love by remaining true to Jesus and his teachings. In the end, it is love following upon love, as love is the supernatural fruit of the disciple’s state of oneness with Jesus. As it is the creative force for good that started life both for men and angels eons ago, it is carried forward by man’s faithful following in Jesus’ footsteps that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the eternal kingdom of love where the blessed are gathered in the infinite circle of Love Divine without beginning or end and under the reign of the One true lover of God and men, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Works done without love are mere expressions of the unconverted, unregenerated self, and as such remain fruitless, without rhyme or reason, as they are finite acts that have no connection with Jesus, as their fruits are only intended for man’s consumption. Love and loving gives glory to the heavenly Father who commanded that men should listen to his beloved Son who gave up his life for love, as love without Jesus is a contradiction, a mere indulgence or at best, a passing passion without the godly power to change, as its impotence stems from its carnality. It touches no one other than to titillate the senses, nor does it lifts-up as it takes more than it gives, nor does it liberates for the spirit remains unnurtured, nor does it empowers as it demands fealty and surrender to its perversity, nor does it enlighten as the light of Christ does not shine on mere facsimile of the truth, and as such, it does not lead to new life and its promise fullness, founded on an abiding peace and joy. Love without Jesus is an empty show, like a clanging cymbal that calls attention to itself, as its works, though maybe many, are loudly proclaimed to win the approval of men, usually for selfish gains. For love to be genuine, it must be the overflow of divine love, as mortal creatures cannot self-generate it, as its transcendental quality allows it to persist beyond time into the heart of the Almighty where it is renewed and invigorated toward one end—to continue the work of the Creator-God in bringing creation under the banner of the King of all creation, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus made the promise when he said: “then I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be.” Jesus knows full well who are his faithful servants who diligently worked to give fruition to the gifts of the Spirit. Notably, his knowledge is derived from personal experience and not mere hearsay, for he said: “I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25: 40) It is not fidelity to religious observances neither to the lofty ideals of holiness of life but only to love of one’s neighbors that opened the gate of paradise to sinners. Rightly so, as the Incarnation of God made it possible for the Immanuel to journey with his people to the heavenly Jerusalem, as this trek to paradise by the multitudes of peoples of different tongues and creeds is defined by the charity that each one shows to his or her fellow travelers. There is no exception as Jesus by taking the least status, that of a slave when he came the first time, is now inextricably linked with the poor and lowly, the marginalized and imprisoned, the sick, the aliens. Only love breaks barrier as he did it when we were God’s enemies, so shall men be judged by his faithfulness to Jesus’ example. Love triumphs in the end as this virtue allows God to recognize his true likeness, as love abides with his essence. Whether this likeness captures all the qualities of the Almighty is not of the highest importance, as Jesus lowered the bar of his brand of justice. Just food when hungry, drink when thirsty, clothes when naked, comforted when ill, a visit when imprisoned, a welcome when he came as a stranger, was all he is looking for from his servants at the time of the final accounting. (Matthew 25: 35- 36) At first glance, this teaching looks easy but not in highly polarized societies, as deeply held values, inclusive of biases and prejudices, serve as unbreachable barriers that prevent love’s movement to anyone in the road of life. Especially challenging in the present because religion has been downgraded to mere ideologies with strong political undertones that serve to thwart Jesus’ commandment of love, which goes beyond natural inclinations. Highlighting this point, He said: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, how can you claim any credit?” (Luke 6: 32, 33) And as a warning to all pseudo-followers, inclusive of those who go through the charade of loving for purely personal gains but inwardly are empty cisterns devoid of living water, Jesus told this story: “When the unclean spirit departs from a man, it roams through arid wastes searching for a place of rest and finding none. Then it says, ‘I will go back where I came from,’ and returns to find the dwelling unoccupied, though swept and tidied now. Off it goes again to bring back with it seven spirits more evil than itself. They move in and settle there. Thus, the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. And this is how it will be with this evil generation.” (Matthew 12: 43- 45) Again Jesus was talking of spiritual realities and there are two key points in the story, namely: 1) the dwelling that is swept and tidied but remained unoccupied and 2) the return of the original tenant but this time with seven spirits worse than itself. The first symbolizes the soul. Swept and tidied means that the soul has undergone the first requisite of being begotten from above, the cleansing power of baptism. Unoccupied means that there is a failure in the second part, which is the begetting of Spirit. The water of baptism is necessary to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. These two cannot be separated as shown by Jesus’ story. The soul that has been swept and tidied must be the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of love and truth. It is a fruitless act to go through the first part without receiving the second. The senselessness of this is nothing more than the cross on Friday but without the Pentecost on Sunday; or the cleansing power of forgiveness from the cross of Jesus but without the resurrection to new life, made possible by the indwelling of the Spirit of the Almighty God. The Paschal mystery and the descent of the Holy Spirit is one continuous event, for this is the totality of Father’s plan for the salvation of man. Man must be reborn from above by water and Spirit, as only these miracles can re-create the hearts of men, so used to sinful inclinations. The worse part of an incomplete process of rebirth is exactly what Jesus said in the story—the unclean spirit driven out by the water of baptism comes back with a vengeance. The soul that has been cleansed but without the sanctifying grace conferred by the Holy Spirit, which allows the soul to be the tabernacle of God, becomes even more desirable and thus the unclean spirit comes back with seven spirits more evil, deadlier than itself. Seven is a perfect number signifying evil to the nth degree. Paul wrote: “Therefore God is sending upon them a perverse spirit which leads them to give credence to falsehood, so that all who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evildoing will be condemned.” (2 Thessalonians 2: 11- 12) In his Epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6: 23) A prime example is Judas. He was cleansed like all the rest when Jesus washed their feet but his rejection of Jesus and the gospel of salvation, prevented him from receiving this grace. The physical reception, in this case the washing of the feet, but without internal conversion, brought upon him the exact opposite, for it was the signal to the prince of darkness that he was ready to do his bidding. At the last supper, Jesus indicated his betrayer by saying: “The one to whom I give the bit of food I dip in the dish.” (John 13: 26) Judas alone understood the words of Jesus and by accepting the unleavened bread dipped in the dish, he affirmed the evil motive of his heart. “Immediately after, Satan entered his heart. Jesus addressed himself to him: “Be quick about what you are to do.” No sooner had Judas eaten the morsel than he went out. It was night. (John 13: 27, 30) A night darker than any night, as it was the total eclipse of the light of truth in Judas’ heart. By turning away from the true light, he accepted willingly Satan’ embrace, as his departure from the holy company set into motion the motive of his heart. Thus, as Jesus said, “the last state of the man becomes worse than the first,” as this accursed state was underscored by his condemnation of Judas: “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Better for him if he had never been born.” (Matthew 26: 24) These words signify the worst form of judgment, for what good it is to be given life when the soul becomes the
abode of the evil one, seven times worse than the original occupant. The latter was the instigator of the numerous temptations that Judas dutifully followed, leading him to a life of thievery. But evil is not static, as its propensity is to grow until the person is consumed by it. Judas’ life of crime ultimately led to the greatest evil that one could do, as this crime is symbolized by the seven evil spirits in the story, which is another metaphor for Satan, whose evil is to the nth degree. Jesus was right— “Better not to have been born!!” The fate of Judas is the fate of all who have rejected the good news of salvation even those who considered themselves followers of Christ, just as these will plead with Jesus when judgment had been passed. “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Have we not exorcised demons with its power? Did we not do many miracles in your name as well?” Then I will declare to them solemnly, “I never knew you. Out of my sight, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7: 22- 23) Christians by name but devil by trade, disciples by day but evildoers by night, believers on the outside but the heart harbors the enemy of truth and as Jesus said: “beautiful to look at on the outside but inside full of filth and dead men’s bones.” (Matthew 23- 27) “At the judgement, the citizens of Nineveh will rise with the present generation and be the ones to condemn it. At the preaching of Jonah they reformed their lives; but you have a greater than Jonah here. At the judgement, the queen of the south will rise with the present generation and be the one to condemn it. She came from the farthest corner of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; but you have a greater than Solomon here.” (Matthew 12: 42- 43) The state of the man is worse than the first, as those who had lived before the time of the Son of Man, proved themselves worthy by their righteous acts; just as the advent of the great revelation from above has raised the bar of righteousness to Jesus’ standard of a life pleasing to the Almighty. Jesus as a warning said: “Be on your guard against false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but underneath are wolves on the prowl. You will know them by their deeds. (Matthew 7: 15- 16) Prophets are God’s ambassador as they are tasked to proclaim messages from Him. But this office can be usurped by men for selfish motives. Their deeds that are contrary to their office, which are their calling cards, loudly proclaim the savage beast within who seeks to mislead the faithful, especially the little ones who are weak in faith. Their outward demeanor, worse when wrapped in titles worthy of respect, should fool no one. Paul wrote: “For even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel not in accord with one we delivered to you, let a curse be upon him!” (Galatians 1: 8) As Judas made money by selling Jesus and so paid dearly with his life for eternity, so too those who will pervert the Truth in the name of money and worldly power. The last state of man is worse than the first because Jesus had been crucified. The law and the prophets had already reached their fulfillment, and heaven had been opened to the sinful children of Adam. The overflowing grace has been poured on mankind by the descent of the Holy Spirit. To say “No” to the heavenly Father’s invite to a new life with the Immanuel, made possible by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, is the worst evil that man can do, deadly as in hosting seven evil spirits, which will merit judgment on the Last Day.
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