My Blog/jyojyo

If we go back once more to the story of creation, we
carefully annotate that the air that is the ‘breath’ is the spirit of God. When
God created man on the sixth day, God breathe unto his (man’s) nostrils the air
that gives him life. It was life that was hovering over the face of the waters
and it was God from His breath that gives the air. Through the breath of God,
which is the “Spirit” referred to as “life”; Adam was shaped in human form
having flesh and bones, created according to the image and likeness of God.

The Word or the Latin word “Verbum” is the deliberation
proclaimed by the Spirit as God spoke and it took human form as it dwells in
the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Word cannot be made evident in flesh
without the Spirit. Likewise we can say that Jesus who is the Word was
manifested in human form through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Word who is Jesus was availed as the company of the
Father even from the beginning, to indicate well, it became apparent in the
episode of creation. John 1:1 however says, “In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” As we may continue further, in
John 1:2, “He was in the beginning with God.”

Jesus was authentic as God from the beginning and was
actualized as the Son of the Father with him being conceived in Mary through
the Holy Spirit. In the beginning while God contemplates, He derived from
within Himself an awareness that the Word was within Him empowering Him that He
is aware that in Him as a company deep in His heart was the begotten Son being
the Voice nurturing deep within Him who is spirit.

God somehow communicates to this inner Voice and regarded
him as the preconceived presence of an only begotten Son until somehow He took
it as a person more than an entity though prevailing as the Word with whom He
can share all His sentiments and even regarded the Word within Him as a friend,
even a companion entwined with His own spirit, the spirit Holy Ghost. The
companion which is the Word or ‘Logos’ was existing as part of the Father being
his own ‘blood’, and prevailed as one whom the Father can share His love to in
which the Son that existed from the beginning reciprocates also to the Father’s
love.

Somehow, the “Verbum” has never existed as a mere flow
back of thoughts or an inner longing. It was distinguishably a different
existence though emanating as part of God being One with Him. Likewise it can
never be denied that the Word gives love to the Father consoling him, making
God not alone in the beginning but with the Word keeping him company as they
are embraced by the love of the Holy Spirit who invigorates their sentiments to
each other.

If we take a gaze at the story of Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego in the book of Daniel, even before Jesus was conceived in the womb of
Mary, he though a spirit took liberty to manifest in human form as a form of
theophany. Likewise this wasn’t a lone situation. The God in theophany wrestled
with Jacob and broke his thigh as this being who fought with Jacob was in the
form of an angel. God as another theophany spoke to Moses by the burning bush.

Thus, the Word that was with God from the beginning (John
1:1-2) did not remain an inner voice from the heart of the Father but somehow
in a way as evident in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as he took
liberty to accompany them and was also visible as human in form, was derived
and viewed as an existence apparent and intelligible not limited to a Vast Form
or a Voice. The Word that spoke to God turned visible and apparent to the
Father’s vision, with God being omnipresent or of unlimited existence. It
became in friendship with the Father subject to each other’s sentiments though
is one with Him, they having one spirit. Thus, the Father had been one with the
Son who shares his spirit and later was manifested in human form where the
Father indwelt in this body making God having both spirit and flesh (Malachi
2:15), 100% human and 100% Divine, with Jesus sharing Divinity with the Father,
as they empowered by the Holy Spirit make a Triune God or a Trinity.

At the time of the prophets and patriarchs, in the Yahwist
belief, God manifested as the Father. Likewise, in the New Testament, the Son
was introduced as one who acknowledges the Father, where after Jesus, the Holy
Spirit as comforter continued his mission as ‘He’ spoke in churches through
tongues, interpretations, prophecies, and enlightenment and insights.

Going back to the story of creation, the Father speaks as
if He is talking to someone. Being God, he can make it easy for Him to regard
Jesus as a reflection whom he could visibly see like through a mirror or a pond
even though they existed as one spirit having separate assertions. Somehow, the
begotten-ness of Jesus being the Son of the Father is eternal but Jesus
manifesting as a human born according to the Law, likewise conceived by Mary
through the Holy Spirit to fulfill the prophecy makes sonship in flesh having a
beginning as Jesus was born through Mary.

With the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit different
from each other though one in Deity or Divinity, baptismal then was a baptism
in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), him being God, but observing well that God is
in triune or a Trinity, the Church chooses somehow even from the beginning to
baptize in the name of Jesus in a Trinitarian Formula: “I baptize you in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) as
taught by Jesus himself. Thus the present Pope Benedict declares last March
2008 that Catholics should baptize in the Trinitarian Formula “I baptize you in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”, and that
baptism that has addition or with different paraphrasing from this formula by
Catholic priests are invalid. If you are baptized in Jesus name in the
Trinitarian Formula, you are called a Christian meaning a follower of Christ.

- Jyotisman Nearu Upendra 

Lazarus was brought to life by
Jesus with Martha having faith in Christ and in the resurrection of the dead.
Martha wasn’t somehow aware that Jesus would raise Lazarus to life right at
that moment and not in the resurrection of the dead somehow in the days ahead
eventually in the designated time mentioned in the scriptures which is in the
last days. Jesus obtained power from the Father for after weeping, he prayed
loudly to the Father and summoned Lazarus to come forth.

Jesus does his miracles in perfect timing and without haste. If we
may recall, he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights after he was baptized to be in
warfare before the Devil who tempted him three times. Far from the character of
Jesus, the Israelites on the other hand became impatient when Moses stayed for
40 days and 40 nights in

Mt.

Sinai

to receive the
commandments of God, that they decided to make a golden calf, which they would
worship.

Even facing temptation to be inhuman with the Devil saying, “I
will give you even all the wealth in the world if you would only bow down and
worship me,” Jesus did not crave for power. Likewise, he saw his mission as an
occasion to obey the will of the Father. In a different occurrence, we observe
that many influential people try to insinuate an episode that could help them
manipulate situations intensified by some famous scenes in the society or acts
displayed. But the gospel is clear about trying to subdue our human nature, and
God does his best to prevent us from acquiescing to temptation. Somehow, one
thing we can learn in this assertion is this: “We should not allow ourselves to
be exposed to temptations even the slightest temptation like what was occurring
in our thoughts.” One abdication to temptation can really destroy yourself even
your faith.

We should not allow temptation to overcome us. Likewise
considering this occasion that the Holy Spirit allowed Jesus to be tempted
three times, we also have to fast and pray to overcome eventual temptation. For
us to be clean vessels of Holy Ghost indwelling, we need to be empty not
necessarily of food, but of sins by confessing these to the priests.
Accordingly, to obtain clean water in the glass, we need to empty it of dirty
water and wash the glass for us to have a new pour of clean water. Referring to
ourselves, the grace of God makes us pure. Jesus knowing that he will be
tempted by the Devil, fasted. Though the Devil is wise, we must even be wiser
enough. Always think of God in the hour of temptation, where in this moment, we
must affirm to ourselves that God really protects us.

We must have the resistance to fight against temptation. Herein,
we have to exercise the moment of self-denial where we die to our sinfulness,
which we must confess our sins. We in this occurrence are reminded that
Christ’s wants us to get rid of temptations. Likewise, it is all right for us
to be tempted because through this occurring in our life, we are even
strengthened of our faith as temptations and trials are part of our lives.
Somehow in this occurrence, God as stated in the scriptures will never allow us
to be tempted beyond what our strength can bear that we may become triumphant
against temptation.

Prayer helps us to encounter God, as fasting otherwise symbolizes
self-denial, and giving alms makes us generous as we share love to others much
more to the beggars. In a relevant situation, happy is the man who fasts that
he may give some to the hungry. Gradual penance is the fidelity to our
vocation. In the season of Lent, we need to practice the acronym ASH:
Almsgiving, Self-denial, and Holiness. When temptation occurs, sometimes we
think only of our selves. We should instead look unto Jesus that gives us
salvation, and helps us turn away from temptation. We need also to give up if
possible everything that we may gain everything for God.

We need to give some to others that we may symbolically exercise
generosity before the eyes of God just like giving our part in our love
offering. We should simply be generous even with our forgiveness to those who
have offended us. Whosoever loves God but does not forgive his brother, whom he
sees, does not truly love God since God cannot be seen. We should not let the
sun go down with our anger remaining in us.

The only means for us to be forgiven is to surrender our sins to
God by unveiling this to the priest that he may give us the necessary
absolution, for as whomsoever sins Peter and somehow Abraham forgives, as same
as whomsoever sins, by hierarchy of the Church, the priests absolve, are
forgiven by God. Say to the Lord Jesus, “Lord, I repent, forgive me of my
sins,” as you also say to the priest, “Father, forgive me for I have sinned, my
last confession is…” Likewise we need to repent in order that we may be
forgiven of our sins and we should also comply our penance. In accordance with
this, if we want to be forgiven, we must also learn to forgive not only others
but our very selves since we get sick because of wrong sentiments.

Let us forgive one another especially ourselves for the
resentments and other ill feelings we harbor to other persons or to our selves.
This is required from us if we want to enter heaven. It is not necessary to get
back the love we are expecting for we must continue to love even unloved. If
one cheats us, we should not worsen the situation by being a traitor to them
and react negatively because of the words thrown to us. It is wrong to say, “I
love you in the event that you would love me.” This is a conditional love. We
should love even in the absence of money. To fail in this process is bribery.

We should affirm others that it is worthy to love them even if
they no longer love us. God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten
Son. Love is God, and God is love. Do not rejoice over the sufferings of
others. The love of God is perfect and eternal. We should even love more even
if we are hated, even if others become disloyal or worse a traitor to us for
love is sacrifice. We should love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul,
and love others like we love ourselves.

“Conditional relationship is business,” says a Charismatic speaker
named Sis. Rose de Pedro. In that way we cannot taste real love. She asserts,
“We need freedom from arrogance and we should eat up our pride for us to give
love to others even to those whose hearts were hardened.” We should continue to
love even though how heavy we receive pain from others.

-Jyotisman Nearu Upendra