Jesus is the Way
(July 14 to September 3, 2012)
The Two Wills
July 14, 2012
Jesus
At Baptism, I speak and say. “This is the role I want this creature to fulfill in my Mystical Body. This is where I assign them.” There are two wills. They are always united because I and the Father are one. My Father’s will has a plan for every creature and my will assigns a baptized person a place, a role, a task, a function in my Body, the Church.
The person’s inner search has two parts – to discover the powers of nature, the talents placed within by the heavenly Father. But this search will take the person only so far along the road. The person will walk the road of earth and will discover their career and their family. However, the supernatural will be closed to them and their great role in my Mystical Body will never be fulfilled.
I am the Way and everyone must find me. He who finds me, finds life. A new life opens up, with new goals that last forever. Sometimes, these new goals tear down the goals of nature. Nature stores up possessions, but the new goals distribute and give away. Nature protects the body. The new goals subject the body and do not place bodily health as a priority. All is new. This is what I will explain.
The One Road to Life
July 15, 2012
Jesus
So many do not know the road that leads to life. It is hidden from their eyes. They never awaken to faith. They believe that they have gained everything when they have grasped the things of earth. But earth passes away. The things of earth slip through their hands. Even if they are held on to, they cannot satisfy. Clinging to earth can never satisfy. Instead, another voice whispers within, “Come this way”. So many do not hear that voice. It is drowned out by their passions. Others hear the voice, but do not grasp its importance, as if it were just one road among many. Others see the importance but they falsely misjudge that the price is too high. They cannot see that this is the priceless road, the only road the leads to life.
Yes, all must understand. Earth has many, many roads but only one road leads to life. “I am the Way”. All must search for me. “Whoever finds me, finds life”. This life is so different and those who have found this life know that, before, they were empty. I can be found. “Seek and you shall find.” I said this about myself and the new life. My first disciples asked, “Where are you staying?” “Come, and you will see”, I answered (Jn.1:37-39). That will be our next teaching.
Tomorrow Never Comes
July 16, 2012
Jesus
Do not take anything for granted. You must search for this new life and you must not put off the search until tomorrow. Tomorrow is too late and tomorrow never comes.
To find me, to come to me and to stay with me must be the deepest passion of your life, like an all-consuming fire. Anything else is not worthy of me and will never find me. Search for me in the morning and night, in the good times and the bad. If you put off this search, something else will take its place. Instead of the all-consuming fire, you will be consumed by trifles and by goals that are unworthy of you.
So, come, let us set out, leaving everything behind. The heavenly Father will provide for us on this journey to find life.
The Goal of the Kingdom of God
July 17, 2012
Jesus
Do not swerve to the right or the left, and allow no distractions to blind you even for one moment. Your eyes must be on the goal because eternal life or eternal death depends on this. The world does not preach to you as I do. The world holds out its favors and says, “Choose among them. They are yours. The price is right.” In this way, you spend yourself on trifles and have nothing to show for it. I preach that you must sacrifice, that you must “Lose your life” and that all is to be given away for the kingdom.
“The kingdom of God”, that is your goal. This kingdom waits for you. It already comes into your heart if you want it. This kingdom is life, fullness of life. The greatest moment in a person’s life is when they find some goal that is worth living for and dying for. For every human being, without exception, that goal is the kingdom of God. Nothing else will do. Anything less is not worthy of you and cannot fill your heart created by God.
Walking in Darkness
July 18, 2012
Jesus
When you walk away from the kingdom, you walk in darkness, like someone who has turned their back to the sun. As you continue to walk away, life becomes cold and dark, because it is a life without the sun. Finally, it is night and the person wonders what to do.
They need only turn around. The sun has not moved. Yet, so many forces say, “Keep moving. It is better ahead. You will come out of this” but all of this is a lie. Time is wasted. Opportunities to return are squandered. Even the memories of what it was like to live in the light vanish. No stirring for the light exists. The person is dead even though they are still alive.
The world is filled with these persons from whom the Spirit of life has long since departed. That is why I give these messages. I hold out a ray of hope. This is a final chance, the choice before the final moment when I will come for you. Repent now and live again.
The Restless Human Heart
July 19, 2012
Jesus
I would like to speak about another matter. The human heart is restless and never satisfied. It searches and finds, but realizes that it cannot hold on because time constantly moves on. The moment of possession is over. The human heart moves on to its next goal. So, there is a constant searching, finding, possessing and then, what is possessed does not fill the heart. Life moves quickly from one stage to the next and man is never settled because God has made the human heart too big. Pile all that earth can give into your heart and it is like a drop of water sitting in a desert.
You are made for the infinite and for the timeless and you will never find either of these on earth. Everything on earth is limited, and even the limited good fades away. It’s either no longer attractive or no longer available and then death sweeps everything away. O, foolish man, you try to fill your infinite, immortal heart with what is limited and passing. This is the cause of your endless restlessness.
God’s Inner Stirrings
July 20, 2012
Jesus
I must lift your eyes up to a different goal, one that is hidden from your sight but not difficult to see, if only you try. Your heart has other stirrings. These are not the senseless passions or the selfish drives for power. These stirrings lift you up, and are placed there by my Father. They do not overpower you like your passions, nor do they overwhelm you like your inner drives. They invite you. They wait respectfully at the door of your heart. They knock. They do not invade. They patiently stand outside, hoping that you will open your heart.
If you invite them in, they will bring a freshness and true life. If you invite them to stay, they will totally cleanse your house of all that destroys you. They want to stay. They do not leave unless you reject them. These stirrings do not serve themselves but they bless every heart that welcomes them. As you receive their blessings, your eyes are opened. The old ways are set aside. The new is much, much better. Your heart is at peace. Your body has what it needs but its desires are now subject to you, and not you to them.
Once this is accomplished, you are ready to dream of what you can do. You are ready to set out on your journey, on the road that your Creator has determined and willed for you, but which you yourself must also choose. I will speak of that the next time.
God’s Attractions
July 21, 2012
Jesus
The world has many paths and you see these with your bodily eyes, ponder them with your human intellect and choose them by your free will. This is the way of earth. But your heavenly Father also has a path for you that he has planned and for which he has formed you. This is the way of heaven and the Creator has placed a voice within you that says, “Come this way. Walk by this path”. Other possibilities must be cleared away. Other attractions must be rejected. Otherwise, this voice grows weak. Other voices clamor for your attention. They, however, speak only to your superficial desires, offering to you goals that will pass away. The Creator’s voice is quite different. His is the voice of the heart, of the spirit, of the soul, of the person.
Yes, you are a human person, made in the image of your Creator, and as a person, you have a destiny, a purpose that cannot be gained by following your instincts (as the animals do). You must hear and follow your Creator’s voice that speaks so clearly within you, if you would only listen. I will teach you this the next time.
God’s Voice
July 22, 2012
Jesus
Did your earthly father speak to you? Did your mother speak to you? Certainly they did. You needed voices from the adult world. You were a child, recently born into this world. You were walking and talking and discovering your little world. At this point, you needed a voice that guided you. Otherwise, you would have touched the hot stove, or used the sharp knife and cut yourself. So, God provided adult voices that helped you and made for you a path of light. All through the years, the adult voice is meant to be there until you are grown and ready to walk your own path. All of this the heavenly Father has provided.
Are these the only voices you are meant to hear? Would the Father provide all these voices – parents, teachers, relatives and counselors – and himself be silent? Would he entrust you to human voices only, when these could lead you astray or push you onto paths that were not meant for you? Does an earthly parent just turn you over to others or do they watch carefully those who influence you and correct whatever is harmful?
The Father created you as a person. He provided earthly voices to speak on his behalf, but he does not turn you over. You are his creation from beginning to end. He who created you in his own image and likeness, wants to form you in that same likeness. This is the purpose of God’s voice. (Without this voice, you cannot become a full child of God.) Only by this voice, can you become fully a child of the Most High. That will be our next lesson.
The Voice of Jesus
July 23, 2012
Jesus
When mankind hears the voice of God, then light comes to his intellect, and the forces of good invade his will. He is carried along to moment of decision. The decision always lies in the free will of man, but God’s voice carries him to that moment when he can freely act and choose what is right.
What if that voice is silent or cannot be heard? Then, man has the greatest difficulty in doing what is right. He still remains free, but to choose the good is so far away that only superhuman efforts made only by a few actually succeed. The great mass of mankind is doomed to failure because they do not hear the heavenly Father’s voice.
This is the current state of mankind and I will use this gift to shift the whole atmosphere. Mankind will hear my voice not only in these written words but in the words I will speak within each heart and in many other ways. This will be an age of God’s word in which man will be drawn so close to goodness that he is free again to choose what is right.
The Themes of Jesus
July 24, 2012
Jesus
My voice is drowned out by the cacophony of voices that scream so loud, each trying to sell their wares and get attention for themselves. The marketplace is filled with voices which use every possible means to gain a hearing.
How can I be heard when the human heart is immersed in a marketplace filled with noise. O reader, you must come aside. There is no other way for you to hear. You must come to a quiet place. I will lead you, if you would only follow me. This is the first inner drawing of my Spirit. He leads you away. The voices of the marketplace sell earth’s goods and speak of earth’s events, but none speaks of eternal life. None speaks of the greatness of the human soul created by God. None speaks to you as a human person, created by the infinite God for an eternal destiny. These will be my themes. You will not hear them elsewhere. Let us begin along the Sea of Galilee.
The Invitation
July 25, 2012
Jesus
The Father had placed a truth in my heart that I had to proclaim. The kingdom was at hand and I had to announce this to all of Israel. I needed helpers. So, as I walked along the Sea of Galilee, I saw Peter and Andrew, and I invited them to follow me. I, then, saw James and John, and invited them, also.
These were the first four. They had taken their first steps into the kingdom of God. That was where I was headed and they were coming with me. Right now, I invite you to come. I will relive with you the scenes of the gospel. You will see them come alive before your eyes, as I saw them and experienced them. Stay with me and I will take you into my kingdom.
The First Four Disciples
July 26, 2012
Jesus
I looked at these four men. The Father had led me to them and their quick response lifted up my heart. Would others respond that quickly and with total self-giving? These four were quite special, upon them I would build my Church. This was a good beginning.
I shared with them all my thoughts, the dreams which the Father had put into my heart. I told them that the kingdom was at hand and that this was a time of urgency. The message was not new to them. They had heard this same theme from John, the Baptist. He had prepared their hearts, as he did for many others.
I brought to them a fullness, a clearer explanation of all the powers of the kingdom. They did not regret their decision to leave everything behind. They had found the kingdom, the pearl of a great price and the treasure hidden in the field.
To you reader, I give the same invitation. Come, follow me. Read these messages and you will see the kingdom of God waiting for you if you follow me.
Driving Out the Unclean Spirit
July 27, 2012
Jesus
Our first step was the synagogue. The Father led me there but now all was new. The Spirit of the Lord was upon me. I was not just to attend. I had to speak and proclaim. Inside me, I also experienced a great faith that the power of God would manifest itself if I were just faithful to my inner anointing.
So, we entered the synagogue and I began to teach. There was present a man with an unclean spirit. Suddenly, this evil spirit began to manifest itself, asking, “What have we to do with you? Have you come to destroy us?”
I felt sorry for the man. Until now, his problem had been concealed. Now, the Evil Ones had to be cast out. With just a word, “Quiet. Come out of him”, this was accomplished. All were amazed. The Father had wasted no time. The new powers of teaching and driving out evil spirits were on full display.
I was concerned about my four disciples. They were strengthened by the encounter. Then we went to the house of Simon and Andrew.
The First Healings
July 28, 2012
Jesus
They said that Peter’s mother-in-law was ill with a fever. They quickly thought of these new powers of the kingdom and asked me to heal her. I rebuked the fever and she got up and served us.
The time was short because soon the people would be bringing their sick. Suddenly, I was no longer alone. The two parts of my ministry were quickly taking form. I cherished those closest to me and I enjoyed the enthusiastic response of the crowds. But always, the clouds loomed large. The future would not be this easy.
I had a Baptism with which I must be baptized – the suffering on the cross. And, I had a fire which I had to cast in the whole world. How anxious I was, until that was accomplished. But for now, the beginnings were filled with special joy. The people and the sick were gathering outside the house.
The Crowds Gain Hope
July 29, 2012
Jesus
They came from near and far, all with a desire to be freed of their illnesses and afflictions. It should never have been this way. Illness and evil possession did not exist in the beginning. Earth had taken on what the heavenly Father never intended.
The signs of evil were everywhere, especially in the daily hopelessness of these overwhelming problems. Now, they had a glimmer of hope. The power of the kingdom was restoring the world to how it was in the beginning. The power of God was flowing out from my ministry.
The results were astounding. All were set free from the Evil One and all were healed by the Holy Spirit.
Touring the Villages
July 30, 2012
Jesus
Where do I go from here? I did what I always did at Nazareth. I sought the Father’s will in the solitude of prayer. He did not fail me. He showed me all the towns and villages of Galilee. “Go to these”, he said, “and I will bless you there as I have in Capernaum”.
When Simon and the others discovered where I was, they had quite different ideas. “The people are awaiting you. They want you to return”. The heavenly Father had already set my course. I had to follow his words. “No”, I said, “I must tour all the towns and villages of Galilee. All must know that the kingdom is at hand”. So, we set out, leaving behind the people who were so willing to receive me and going to towns where I was unknown. However, the Father had told me to do this and said that he would bless my work. His kingdom within me was drawing me into the great mysteries which are contained only in his will.
Always the Same Message
July 31, 2012
Jesus
At each town, I saw the true plight of the people. They were poor and sick, with so many needs. In the midst of all these problems, what was I to bring to them? I had to be faithful to the anointing of the Father. I did only what the Father wanted me to do and his voice was so clear within. “Tell the people that the kingdom of God is at hand. This is the time of fulfillment. They must repent and believe the good news”.
I did not vary the message. In every town and village, I told them what the Father said to me. The results were overwhelming. So many did hear and did believe. Many followed me from village to village and quickly I knew what I needed to do.
Choosing the Twelve
August 1, 2012
Jesus
Many followed but certain ones showed the strongest desires to be with me. I had to put them in groups and define who they were and what I wanted them to do. The first four were Peter, Andrew, James and John who had been with me from the very beginning. They were the rock foundation, the core of the disciples. Then, there were others who also stood out.
As always, I came before the Father in prayer, placing before him all the names and diverse personalities. I decided on twelve, really three groups of four, each with their purpose and functioning.
So, I called them to myself. To these, I would commit so many personal resources of time and energy. Once I got them into place, there would be other groupings. Also, there were the holy women who slowly were drawn, one at a time.
A Community Formed by Rigors
August 2, 2012
Jesus
Always, we were on the move, with little time to serve personal needs. All of this formed my little company of disciples. The deprivations demanded by this constant traveling bonded them together in the spirit of sacrifice.
We were isolated from others, not by any walls, but by the very harshness of the demands. Many would follow us closely for a while and enjoy the gift of our community, but only a few saw it in their heart to continue with us day after day.
So, without much direct effort, the community of my apostles and disciples was formed by the very rigors of this life of being a traveling preacher. How I appreciated their daily sacrifices and how I rejoiced in their companionship. They were my buffer and my consolation because each day I had to start anew, going to another village and proclaiming the kingdom to people who had never seen me. These disciples were my great inner joy.
Clashing with Jerusalem
August 2, 2012
Jesus
A new factor suddenly came on the scene – the Jerusalem factor. Scribes coming from Jerusalem brought their learning and their hostility. They were always there, listening carefully to catch me in my speech.
At times, they would show themselves to confront me in debate. Time and again, I clashed with them. Soon, the crowds caught on and enjoyed to see their so-called wisdom overturned. But I knew the forces of evil were much deeper and defeating them in a debate would not put the axe to the root. Nothing touched their hearts and they were just waiting for their chance. In Galilee, the climate was favorable to me. The people wanted to hear about the kingdom.
However, I knew that my trip to Jerusalem would be quite different. There, the scribes and temple leaders would manipulate the crowds. So, their daily presence was always a reminder to me of the hostility that I would have to face when I came to Jerusalem. The future contained some inevitable events. I would go to Jerusalem. I would face hostility and my preaching would clash with the temple leadership. For now, I had the crowds, with their overwhelming needs and their great enthusiasm.
The Heavenly Father’s Wonders
August 3, 2012
Jesus
For now, I plunged into my ministry, day and night preaching the kingdom. The Father poured out signs and wonders to confirm my words. The two went together. I preached the word and the Father confirmed the word.
The clearest example was the paralytic brought on a mat by his four friends. When I declared that his sins were forgiven, some scribes claimed I was blaspheming because only God can forgive sin. The Father confirmed my power in the sight of all by raising up the paralytic. When he picked up his mat and walked, all believed that I had power on earth to forgive sins.
This is the way it was every day, the great difficulties of a traveling preacher, the criticism of the scribes, the joy of the people and the great signs and wonders. My disciples saw all of this, but often they did not understand and I had to take them to task for their lack of faith.
Trusting The Heavenly Father
August 4, 2012
Jesus
One day, my disciples were even arguing among themselves as to who was the most important. Had they been with me all this time and still did not understand? I had to place a child in their midst and tell them that they must receive the kingdom as a child does. The kingdom is totally a gift from the Father and all boasting and claims to deserve the kingdom are out of order.
We continued on our mission. The disciples were of good will and loyal, but they were confused and not understanding at all. This will do for now but ahead, they will encounter difficulties that will crush them. There is nothing I can do. That time will come. For now, the crowds grow greater and the signs and wonders increase.
The crowds seldom leave me alone. From morning to night, they seek me out. They follow me, even into the countryside. My only solitary time is at night, when I slip away in the darkness to speak to my Father. Oh, where is this going? What lies ahead? I trust the heavenly Father who has anointed me with the Spirit to accomplish his works. All I know is that I must complete his task, wherever that will be and whatever it will cost me.
The Growing Hostility
August 5, 2012
Jesus
I can see the growing hostility. More scribes from Jerusalem are coming. They prepare ahead of time. Their questions are meant to entrap me. Right now, I am still in friendly Galilee, where the crowds always take my part. They are my wall of defense. The scribes can come only so far and then they must retreat. However, when I go to Jerusalem, it will be quite different. They will control the crowds and their opposition can grow much sharper.
The Pharisees are different. They oppose me for religious reasons, believing that I set aside too many rules which they so cherish. They are blind guides but their hostility is not as deep or as sharp or a dangerous as that of the scribes.
Everything is in the Father’s hands. He will lead me. I must trust him. The work must be accomplished. The people are sheep without a shepherd and the kingdom is so close at hand.
Sacrificed For the Kingdom
August 6, 2012
Jesus
In human life, nothing is secure except what is in the Father’s hands. Life changes. Days come and go. Those who were with us, pass away. This is the nature of human life, always hurtling ahead, sometimes at a dizzying pace. Nothing can be totally controlled. Too many unknown factors enter in. So it was in my ministry. I put myself on the edge. I held nothing back. All was sacrificed for the kingdom. I trusted the heavenly Father and he alone guided my steps, even when his path led to my death.
I had a work to accomplish and I did not know exactly how the mystery would end. I could only walk the path each day. “Today and tomorrow and the next day”, I said. That is how I lived in trust. I allowed each day to flow into the next.
Faith
August 7, 2012
Jesus
My mission was to preach that the Father’s kingdom was at hand. The Father was going to intervene in human history and break into the human scene. The separation of God from man, which had happened in the beginning, was about to be ended. A new bridge to heaven was to be built. A new relationship of God to man was being established.
This relationship was to take place in the heart of everyone, but all had to believe. Faith was the central issue. For those who believed, the Father would establish his kingdom in their hearts. Those who did not believe could not be rescued. They remained isolated from God, sharing in the fallen nature of all mankind. By lack of faith, they closed the doors of their hearts to the kingdom that was so imminent and had to be announced. This was a task and I gave myself fully to preaching the message.
Who Do You Say I Am?
August 8, 2012
Jesus
Amid all these events, I had to define what the Father was doing and the central definition was who I was and what was my relationship to the Father. I could not define this for the crowds. They would totally misinterpret what I would reveal.
So, I led my disciples to the outer regions of Galilee, toward Caesarea-Philippi, and I opened the question, “Who do people say I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets”. Then I asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah”.
The great revelation began to unfold. What the crowds believed about my person was not important. What the disciples believed was vital because this would become the core and center of faith. They must understand who I am and what the Father did when he had me become flesh.
The Suffering Messiah
August 9, 2012
Jesus
I let the disciples rejoice in this revelation. I rejoiced, also. They had been faithful to me even before I revealed my identity. So, their great surprise was also my great joy. Quickly, however, I had to address the full reality. I would be a suffering Messiah who would gain his glory by a very cruel death after horrendous suffering.
So, I told them that I would have to suffer. Poor Peter, filled with the Father’s wisdom one moment and then filled with his own ignorance the next. Peter protested that this would never happen to me. I had to correct him on the spot. The rock of my Church had quickly become a stumbling block to the others. “Get behind me, Satan.” He was no longer speaking the revelation of God but his own foolish wisdom.
This episode ended an important moment in their formation. They knew that I was the Messiah and that I would suffer. The whole matter was set aside. We had to return to the crowds.
Sent Out Two By Two
August 10, 2012
Jesus
The days and nights continue to be filled with the incessant activity demanded by the great needs of the crowds. Since so many villages had not yet heard the message, I felt that it was time to share my task and my powers with the twelve.
So, I sent them out, two by two, to go before me into the towns. They would alert people that “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”. To show the presence of that kingdom, they would heal and drive out demons.
It was all so simple and they did exactly as I asked. They enjoyed success and returned rejoicing. In these early days, even with the great hardships, there was much rejoicing. And I rejoiced with them, to see Satan falling from the sky and losing his power. Soon, however, the clouds would form again, in an ever more powerful way.
The First Crisis
August 11, 2012
Jesus
We were constantly on the move, going back and forth across the Sea of Galilee. However, the message was always the same. There was no need to change it. This was the basic message. The Father had decided to send me and I declared to all that I was the Bread come down from heaven and whoever would eat of this Bread would live forever.
Many took issue with these words. As I told them that I had seen the Father and had come down from heaven, many murmured. As I went further and told them that they had to eat my Flesh and drink my Blood, many walked with me no more. This was the first great crisis in my ministry. Those who had believed in me and had walked with me, were now leaving me, abandoning what they had accepted.
As always, my concern was for the twelve and I had to ask, “Will you also go away?” Peter responded as their head and spokesperson, “Lord, to whom else shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” It was settled. We had survived the first major crisis. Another would follow and then another.
The Growing Clouds of Violence
August 12, 2012
Jesus
I tried not to look down the road but it was difficult not to see what was looming on the horizon. The clouds were gathering. More accusers were coming forth to challenge me. Even the twelve grew disturbed, thinking that sometimes my criticism was too harsh. They did not see that all of this would lead to my death.
What was I to do? I could only move ahead. I had no control over these clouds. They would form themselves and then cast down their rain of death when the occasion was right. Until that happened, much had to be accomplished. Yet, I could never fully avert my eyes from a situation that was obvious to all. My enemies wanted to destroy me and they clearly had the power to do so.
For me, it was always a question of my apostles. How would they handle this darkness when it came full force against me? How hard I tried to prepare them!
The Beloved Disciple
August 13, 2012
Jesus
The apostles were caught up in a different stream. Three times I warned them that suffering and death awaited me, but the intoxication of the crowds and the enthusiasm was too much for them. They even saw themselves as sitting at my right and my left in my kingdom. Little did they realize that at my right and left would be two crucified thieves.
The days had their own purposes. The people were taught and healed but there was always the gaping wound of my passion. Only one disciple really understood. He was beloved to me. He was out of the limelight, always in the shadows, never pushing himself forward, but I always had him at my side.
He understood my deepest feelings. He grasped that all of this would suddenly collapse. As he later wrote, “The grain of wheat falling into the ground must die, or it remains only a grain of wheat”. What a clear image of what had to happen!
The Holy Women
August 15, 2012
Jesus
Then, there were the women who accompanied me. What a joy they were. Each had been set free and drawn into the light. They lived in the light and encouraged one another. They gave me their hearts. A woman waits and sees, but once her heart speaks to her she gives herself, totally and completely.
They were welcome to travel with us. All of humanity was being restored in our little company of disciples. They were being trained so they could be models for the early Church. Among them was perfect purity, because the divine presence was so overwhelming. They experienced a new way to relate to each other. The greatest was to serve. The powerful were to help and not exploit.
I saw the crowds coming and going, receiving their blessings and then moving on, and I saw my company of disciples, learning a new way of living. The sinfulness of their culture was being taken away. A newness was taking place. They spoke to each other differently. They put aside their selfish, and sometimes even lust-filled desires, so that charity would not be destroyed. “Love, one another” I would always say. That is all I ask of you. The holy women brought a love that only women can bring.
The Death of the Baptist
August 16, 2012
Jesus
All was quickly coming to a boiling point. The greater enthusiasm and the larger crowds only sparked greater jealousy. The clash was inevitable. The question was where and when. Then came the news. John the Baptizer was killed. Death suddenly became very real. These forces were not imaginary. Even this peaceful man was swept away.
I withdrew with my disciples. The news shook my being. The timetable moved up. The Evil One, through those whom he controlled, was already at the door. Having disposed of John, I was his next target. If he could get us both off the scene, then all preaching about a coming kingdom of heaven would be silenced.
I felt it was too early. The message had not gone out to all the villages, the disciples were still so unprepared. Yet, I could not deny the evidence. Death had struck down the prophet who had prepared the way and soon it would cut me down in the vigor of my life.
We must move quicker. I formed the seventy-two and gave them the same powers and commission as the twelve. I sent them out two by two. For the first time, I began to sense that I would not get to visit all the towns of Israel before my death. I can only do the Father’s will, one day at a time.
The Anointing at Bethany
August 17, 2012
Jesus
The inevitable day had come. The Passover was near and I had to go to Jerusalem. We had been there before, but this would be quite different. Before, I went in a private and hidden way to the feast. Now, there was no need for secrecy. Indeed, it would have been impossible. My name was known everywhere, even though many in Jerusalem had never seen me. Now, came the hour.
We made our way south from Galilee to Jerusalem. The apostles knew that this time would be different, but their minds were filled with visions of glory. This would be the Messianic entry amid the acclaim of the crowds. These images filled their minds. When I talked of suffering and death, they could not imagine that happening.
We arrived at Bethany, at the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, whom I had raised from the dead. How peaceful was my soul in this setting. Then, while at dinner, Mary anointed me with costly nard. Judas protested about using the money for the poor. The apostles themselves, wondered about the wisdom of this action, but I quickly told them, “She has done this for my day of burial”. Still, they did not understand that during these days, I would be the real Passover lamb, of which the first lamb was just a symbol.
Palm Sunday
August 18, 2012
Jesus
No one could imagine the scene that suddenly and spontaneously unfolded. I rode on a donkey, an animal of peace. I had thrown off the clock of secrecy. It was no longer needed. The moment of the divine revealing of the most sacred mysteries had come. It was my entry into Jerusalem.
All were there for the feast days, the highlight of the religious year. Roman soldiers were everywhere. This is the stage, the world-stage that the Father himself had arranged. Every prophet goes to Jerusalem to be killed. The shadows of death were everywhere. Just how they would overcome me, was not yet clear, but the Father wanted me here. He wanted me to come, to present myself to all the people, and to allow them to proclaim me as the Son of David.
This was the scene on the streets of Jerusalem but the important decisions were taking place in the hearts of the temple leaders. They were not acclaiming me nor giving me titles. They were plotting to destroy me. The drama had begun. Now, all the scenes will take place. Nothing can stop my inevitable death.
Visiting the Temple
August 19, 2012
Jesus
I went straight to the temple. It was late and few were selling and buying. That will wait for another day. The goal had been achieved. All the people knew I was here. Everything had been public – my acclaim, the complaints of the Pharisees, and the chants about my relationship to King David.
The apostles were ecstatic. They had accompanied me on the road to this Jerusalem stage and were enjoying the limelight. When this scene becomes the world’s greatest tragedy, they will try quickly to get off the stage, much to their own shame.
My death is close but they fail to see the ominous signs. They look at the crowds. I look at the leaders. They see the enthusiasm. I see the plotting and realize that the heavy hand of suffering and death will soon fall upon me. The die is cast. The secrecy has been removed. I must obey the Father. My teaching this week will confront the temple leaders and they will know that I am talking about them.
Cleansing the Temple
August 20, 2012
Jesus
The next day, we returned to Jerusalem from Bethany. This was the fateful day, when the Father plotted out my every step. I went immediately to the Temple to teach. There, the crowds had gathered and awaited me. But the teaching had to wait. First, I had to purge the temple.
The scene overwhelmed me – all the animals and all the money. The temple was my Father’s house but they had turned it into a den of thieves. Suddenly, the Spirit came upon me, the same Spirit who drove me into the desert for forty days. I could sense his power welling up in me and I acted with abandon, not worrying about the consequences. I had to cleanse my Father’s house.
This was accomplished swiftly, the many tables overturned and the animals all scattered. Then I taught the people and returned to Bethany. The great confrontation had taken place. I challenged the temple to become “a house of prayer”. The leaders refused that invitation. I would have restored the temple. I would have filled the temple with God’s glory, as happened when Solomon dedicated it. The leaders did not want my glory but my death. What more could I do for my people, when their leaders rejected me?
Holy Week in the Temple
August 21, 2012
Jesus
The rest of the week was spent in controversy. The crowds would gather and I had to confront the policies of the temple leadership. I told the parable of the tenants who refused to pay their rent and who mistreated and even killed the messengers of the owner. Finally, he sent his son, but, even the son they killed. The owner had only one choice – he had to remove those tenants. These were the Jerusalem leaders and they knew I had spoken the parable about themselves.
The battle lines were set and the crowds were in the middle. Their size and enthusiasm worried these leaders and, although they feared the crowds, the need to kill me grew greater each day. The course ahead was inevitable. I could see the Father’s hand and all that he had revealed to me about what would happen in Jerusalem. I could only withdraw with my disciples and prepare for the Passover Supper.
The Last Supper
August 22, 2012
Jesus
This was the night, the special night when all that had been promised would be given over. I would give over myself into the hands of my apostles by the mystery of my Body and Blood, and I would be handed over by Judas into the hands of my enemies.
How great were the emotions in my soul, as if the Father’s hand was moving me along in a mighty stream to which I continually said “yes”. The supper was like a drama that would be lived out millions of times until the end of history. First, the apostles had to be cleansed by my washing their feet. Then, the group itself had to be cleansed by my confronting Judas, who went out into the night.
Finally, the great gift could be given. “Take and eat. This is my Body. Take and drink, this is the chalice of my Blood of the new covenant which will be shed for many. Do this in memory of me”. The gift was complete. The apostles had been anointed with the Spirit. This would become “the breaking of the bread”, the central moment of the New Covenant. However, I had not yet paid the price, the “shedding of my blood”. That was awaiting me, but they did not realize the other events of this special night.
The Agony in the Garden
August 23, 2012
Jesus
I knew exactly where we would go – the garden of Gethsemane, that place of consolation where I frequently found rest. All the preliminary events were over. There remained only the great trial. I could no longer put it aside. The fullness of its destructive powers confronted me. I had to move quickly, taking with me only Peter, James and John, while asking the others to sit there and pray.
Quickly, the full agony began. The three apostles could see the change. I told them that my soul was sorrowful and to watch and pray. Going a little further, I could no longer hold back my pleas, “Father, if it is possible, take this chalice away from me”. No answer came. No words fell from the Father’s lips.
Soon, Judas would come with those who would arrest me. He knew this place. He was the key to my capture. I cried out again. Again, only silence. Then I uttered those words, “Not my will, but yours be done”. I would be his faithful Son until the last drop of blood was shed.
The time had come. The crowd led by Judas was here. I gathered up the sleeping apostles and awaited the confrontation.
Judas
August 24, 2012
Jesus
As Judas stood before me, all the memories flooded my soul – the first time I had seen him, the good qualities that led me to choose him as an apostle, the potential for good that lay in his spirit. Now, all of that was cast aside. Satan had his heart.
Satan and I had battled over Judas. How often I had prayed for him, knowing that his soul was at stake. He, one of the twelve, now belonged to the enemy. All his inner resources and his knowledge of my whereabouts were in enemy hands.
I called him “friend”, but he kissed me with the kiss of betrayal. This was my deepest sorrow. I had lost him. He would not be mine. Better if he had never been born. I would take that sorrow all the way to my death. It would never leave me. Satan used it again and again to torment me in my final hours. “You are the savior of the world and you could not even save one of your twelve”. Judas was free to choose. Everyone is free to choose my saving grace and all who turn away cause me the deepest sorrow.
The Apostles Flee
August 25, 2012
Jesus
The apostles were confronted by this evil. It was no longer just my words, “I will be handed over to the Gentiles”. The reality was upon them and they were not ready for the test. Peter responded in a human way, drawing his sword. But every human response to this supernatural evil was woefully inadequate. After this show of force, they all fled and I was left alone to face the darkest of nights. My passion had begun. It was just the first chapter. All my blood would be shed before the story would reach its climax.
I had done what the Father asked. I had stood solidly in his will. I would not be budged, no matter what forces came against me. Everything depended on my faithful “Yes” to the Father. I had to reverse the original “No”, so a bridge could be built to heaven.
The Lonely Night
August 26, 2012
Jesus
The loneliness of this night! Filled with the humiliations of coming before the Sanhedrin, the expectancy of coming before Pilate and the crowds tomorrow, the failure of the apostles, the betrayal by Judas and the denial of Peter. They all weighed heavily upon me. I was alone. Even the Father remained silent. I heard only my own words, spoken aloud in the silent night, “Not my will, but your will be done”. That is all I had – my own words spoken in the emptiness of my soul.
Tomorrow, in every situation, I will seek just one thing – to do the Father’s will until my death on the cross. Then, and only then, will I be able to say “It is finished”.
Judas - A Divided Heart
August 27, 2012
Jesus
Gradually, everything was set in place. I could easily see all that the Father had planned from the beginning. The crowds grew and my popularity spread. As this happened, I became more and more a target, an object of jealousy and a person who had to be eliminated. Surrounding me were these disciples. They were frail, weak and did not understand, but they were loyal. I knew where their hearts were, all except for one.
Judas was clever. He remained close but always holding back. He never fully gave me his heart. He was more an observer than a sharer. Like someone who never made a full decision, he wanted to keep his options open. He grasped what I was saying when I spoke of my death. He knew this was quite possible, given the growing hostility. He was mentally preparing for that possibility. Which side would he be on? What position would he take when my enemies were ready to strike? His heart was not totally with me. His mind and his self-interest held him back from a full surrender. He was on the fence with his options still open. That is not the heart of a disciple and he lost many of the graces that I poured out every day. A divided heart can never receive my blessings.
The Secrets of the Cross
August 27, 2012
Jesus
All of Jerusalem learned quickly what had happened. I was dragged before them as a prisoner. My accusers had the final word. They swayed the crowds. No one spoke on my behalf. I, myself, was silent when I could easily have defended myself before Pilate. The Father wanted this. I was to be the defenseless lamb led to slaughter – the real, living Passover Lamb.
Such is the mystery of the Father in his love for man, that he would sacrifice his only begotten Son, the One who lived in his bosom for all eternity. The One he sent into the world to save the world would be sacrificed on the wood of the cross.
Only this mystery could reconcile man to God. In this is contained every mystery. All the world can understand the sacrifice of the cross. This is the door into the secrets hidden in the Father’s loving heart. Does mankind want to read this story? No, it turns away and lives, instead, in darkness.
Helpers Along the Way
August 28, 2012
Jesus
Along the way, the Father provided people who would help and console – Simeon who carried my cross, Veronica who washed my face, the holy women of Jerusalem who cried over my sufferings and those holy women who had come with me from Galilee. How much each one meant to me and I have never forgotten one word, one act or one gesture of consolation that they gave to me. All is etched eternally into my memory and redounds to their glory in heaven.
So it is with earthly life. Every prayer, every sacrifice, every lifting up of a person’s heart to console me on this earth is eternally etched in my memory. This is the greatness of the Christian life – to console me in my sorrows and to give me to drink in my thirst.
The Woman and the Beloved Disciple
August 29, 2012
Jesus
There were two special people, the disciple whom I loved and my mother. In my final hours, they consoled me as no one else could ever do. Frequently, I looked at them standing valiantly at the foot of the cross. They said no words and made no gestures, but I knew what was in their hearts.
They were the two who were closest to my own heart. Their sorrows multiplied my sorrows. This is the truth about human life. The same love that consoles also increases the pain. A constant flow took place between our hearts, a flow of both consolation and sorrow.
Finally, I had to say what was in my heart. “Woman, behold your son”, and to the disciple “Behold your mother”. That was the grace of my death. A believer would share in my relationship to my mother. From this flows every gift. So, I say to all the world, “Behold your mother”. She will make you children of the Father.
Death on the Cross
August 30, 2012
Jesus
Finally, death came upon me just as it comes upon everyone. My body could no longer support life and my soul no longer had a dwelling place. It was free to enter into eternal light. Suddenly, the heavenly realms were changed. The doors of heaven were opened and I led a multitude of souls, including my foster father Joseph, into heavenly glory.
What I always believed, I saw, experienced and tasted. The will of the Father had been accomplished and now a light went from earth to heaven. What had been separated was now joined again. A new road was constructed by my human nature taken from my virginal mother. All could walk this road. I needed only to prove to the apostles that I was the way to the Father. This still lay ahead in the Father’s plan.
King of the Angels
August 31, 2012
Jesus
I entered into my glory, welcomed by all the angels and saints and united forever with my heavenly Father, an experience which every justified soul enjoys when they come to heaven. I am the first-born among the dead and those who were deceased first experienced my power to free them from captivity and to bring them into heavenly glory. These souls had awaited my coming and now they could rejoice in the fullness of God that had been denied them until I redeemed them by my Blood.
But that is not all. Finally, the angels had their king. They had seen the mystery of my birth and had announced this to the shepherds. They had witnessed my agony in the Garden, and saw my death on the cross. Now they went before me as my soul entered into its glory.
The Resurrection
September 1, 2012
Jesus
This mystery of becoming flesh was far from complete. My body, which had suffered so much, still lay in the tomb. On the third day, my glorified soul entered once again into my body, changing it into a glorified body, which could no longer be limited by the boundaries of human flesh.
The time of my appearances began. My disciples would know exactly what had taken place. These visions were numerous, sometimes to individuals and, at other times, to groups. All had the same purpose – to bring the disciples to faith that I was their Lord and God and to show them that I had entered into my heavenly glory. They would follow if they held on to my word. They were to tell the whole world, so everyone could have the same faith and be saved.
Manifestation to Mary
September 2, 2012
Jesus
There was a unique moment of my glory when I manifested my glorified presence to my mother. This is not recorded in Scripture because it was so internal to her spirit. Because the disciples needed bodily visions, I appeared to them to convince them of my rising from the dead. My mother did not need this. She was ready for the highest manifestation of my glory in the deepest part of her soul. This slightest touch of God effects greater glory than many lower gifts, like bodily visions.
Such it was with my mother and this experience cannot be described in words. Also, it is continuous and constantly growing. She went from glory to glory, a glory unknown to men and angels. She was totally hidden in me, arriving at the center of my heart. From the time of my resurrection to the time of her Assumption there was a continuous growing union of our spirits. This happened only after my human nature entered into its glory. These secrets will be on display for all to see in heaven, where every human being enters into the union between myself and my mother. How else can anyone be born to eternal life? She is the mother of all the living.
Final Moments
September 3, 2012
Jesus
A moment came when all the preliminary work of teaching and forming my disciples had been completed. I gathered them together on the Mount of Olivet. I allowed all to see me for this final time. I was lifted up to heaven, body and soul, before their very eyes. This final vision sealed their faith. They knew what to do. They had to return to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit. All was ready for the Final Age, for the coming of the Spirit who will prepare the world for my Second Coming in glory.
You must listen to the Spirit! You must invoke that Spirit. You must be baptized in that Spirit. You must allow that Spirit to lead you to me. No one enters into the kingdom of God without that Spirit. He is my first gift to all who believe. He places a prayer, deep in your hearts, “Come, Lord Jesus”. Amen.
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