OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS SEMINARY – COLLEGE
NOVALICHES, QUEZON CITY
CHRISTOLOGY
JESUS: A TIMELESS TEACHER OF A TIMELESS TEACHING
(An Expository Analysis on Jesus’ Teaching Ministry)
Keneth
D. Marquez
III
– AB Philosophy
Bro.
Robert Manansala, OFM
Professor
12
October 2012
I.
INTRODUCTION
“A teacher affects the eternity. No one can
tell where his influence stops.”
Teachers are the ones who mold us to become
better people. They are, including our parents, the first ones to teach us to
do what is good and to avoid what is bad. The foundation of our personality, at
the very first place, is influenced by our teachers. We might not be aware of
it. But, we should always remember that we were with our teachers when we first
counted numbers, when we first read a word, a phrase, and a sentence and when
we first faced the fear of standing on the stage to show our talents, needed to
be nourished. It is very clear that our teachers and our parents supported us
during those times.
“A teacher affects the eternity. No one can
tell where his influence stops.”
I have been
in school for several years and I am thankful to God, for I am able to
recognize the importance of teachers in continuing my journey. Surely, teachers
will be present until I finish my studies and until I receive my diploma and a
certain degree, as well. Their influences, in my own conviction, would not be
easily neglected. They will certainly be remembered and their teachings and
knowledge they shared with us will be helping us in facing the challenges,
struggles, and trials we are to face. Most of the time, we can observe that a
successful individual would say: “I thank my teachers, for without them, I
would not be in the position where I am now.”
“A teacher affects the eternity. No one can
tell where his influence stops.”
With all these in my mind, I have realized
that teachers really help us to attain our goals, to reach our aims, and to
fulfill our dreams in life. This is, basically, the very reason why I choose to
know more Jesus through his teachings. It really motivates me to know him
better as a teacher; for I believe that his teachings would really give us a good
influence throughout our life as Christians. Also, I believe that his teachings
would contribute a lot to guide our journey toward the fulfillment of our
goals.
Jesus is a teacher whose teachings are for
all his brothers and sisters, the children of God! Everyone must learn from him,
for he is the way, the truth, and the life.
The main goal of this paper is to help the
readers learn and understand the teachings of Jesus and to see and realize
their significance for all of us, faithful children of God. The researcher is
hoping that as he and the readers realize the importance of Jesus’ teachings,
they would find more concrete guidance on how they ought to live, and would
discover a deeper inspiration to ponder more Jesus’ teachings, to love more
Jesus and to be more Christ – like, the very aim of our Christian life. We, as
faithful, are Jesus’ followers and we should really know his wisdom through his
teachings that would really change our lives.
This paper would be focusing, of course, on
Jesus ministry as teacher. Also, this paper will consider the when, where, what
and how Jesus did teach. This will be followed by the researcher’s personal
insights, conclusion and simple reflections about the said paper.
Jesus
is a great teacher! No one can tell where his influence stops.
II.
JESUS’
MINISTRY AS A TEACHER
“You know the word (that) sent to Israelites
as he proclaimed peace though Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has
happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John
preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He
went about doing goo and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was
with him.”[1]
“At
around the age of thirty,”[2]
“Jesus public ministry begins with Baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist”[3]
and “he subsequently began a mission to Israel as a charismatic preacher and
healer.”[4]
Basically, Jesus can be considered as a teacher and a miracle – worker since
“all of the traditions about Jesus emphasize two aspects of his ministry;
teaching and healing.”[5]
However, we will not be focusing on the miracles he did but on his teachings
only.
As
Jesus of Nazareth begins to teach, some of his listeners “thought that Jesus
was like one of the scribes, a person who (is) going to engage in interpreting
the law.”[6]
Also, some people “apparently expected Jesus to be like the Pharisees or other
pious laymen, who went beyond what was required of the law in their personal
lives.”[7]
But, for me, Jesus is more than or beyond those expectations and we will surely
know the reasons why as we continue to explore this paper.
In
other respects, Jesus may have appeared to be a prophet, for “he often (speaks)
directly of the will of God for the people.”[8]
However, “rather than using the prophetic formula, ‘thus, says the Lord,’ Jesus teaches on his own authority. He
(speaks) in aphorisms, parables, and beatitudes – typical wisdom speech – and
called God Father.”[9] As
we look to Jesus a teacher, we should consider what Ben Witherington says:
“There a more universal to his (Jesus’) teachings.”[10]
Thus, we could also consider his “a wise teacher who used the methods that wise
teachers use. His primary audience was made up of ordinary people who lived in
first century Galilee. For them, he had a message of hope.”[11]
A. WHEN AND WHERE DID JESUS TEACH?
“In a very summary of historical
reconstruction of Jesus’ life, we can say that he was a native of Nazareth in
Galilee and son of Mary. He was raised in a pious Jewish family in the usual
way, and throughout his public life he lived the religious life of a pious
adult Jew, praying regularly each day and participating in the religious events
associated with the Temple and synagogues.”[12]
-
G. Vermes
When did Jesus teach? Basically, it was
during 30 AD and it took place during the Roman Empire where “period of
conflict in which Israel struggled for survival”[13] took
place. In this particular time, Jesus has existed and we could presuppose that
this certain period of time contributed a lot in the years of Jesus’
preparation for his ministry.
Upon picturing the
people in the context of Jesus’ time, I am convinced that Jesus learns about
the people’s needs. We all know that Jesus grew up in Nazareth, where vice and
crime were so common. Which is why, Nathaniel and, perhaps, some people said:
“Can any good thing come out from Nazareth?”[14] Jesus
saw the sinfulness: the selfishness, corruption, cruelty, and rebellion against
God. So, we could really say that Jesus saw that men and women were slaves of
sin.
“According to
Mark, Jesus worked as tekton, usually
transtated as carpenter.”[15] Jesus
worked with Joseph, who is also a carpenter. Since, being a carpenter during
his time was also marginalized, he hears, perhaps, the man wishing for freedom
from the Roman Government. But, Jesus know that political freedom would not
solve their problem which is why, he wants to reform the religious aspect of
the people. What people needed was freedom from the sins that ruled their lives.
He had come to the world to bring them freedom as the angel would say to
Joseph: “You will name him Jesus – because he will save his people from their
sins.”[16]
Where did Jesus
teach? “Jesus traveled about Galilee and Judea preaching the Kingdom of God and
teaching with authority.”[17] Here is a
map that shows where Jesus preached:
|
SOURCE: GOOGLE.COM
(accessed October 09, 2012)
|
However, in some
accounts, we could find other places where Jesus taught like “Jerusalem and
Samaria.”[18]
B.
WHAT DID JESUS TEACH?
“From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[19]
“The kingdom of God (is) the heart of Jesus’ teachings… Jesus (is) a
prophet of God’s kingdom, for his goal (is) always to give them (his listeners)
glimpse of the kingdom of God.”[20] “(The
‘kingdom of heaven’ was Matthew’s typically Jewish substitute expression. As a
sign of reverence Jews avoid using the name of God.)”[21] Also,
the kingdom of God was the central theme of John the Baptist.
The
expression “kingdom (or reign) of God would evoke images of God ruling over the
people.”[22]
This is widely used Old Testament Notion. On the other hand, “the kingdom of
God (or of heaven) in Jesus’ preaching (is) a specific way in which he
announce(s) the new form of God’s salvation.”[23] In
short, “kingdom of God for Jesus is a new world. One gathers that that new
world is on earth. In it humankind will experience various blessings.”[24]
Here is the
further explanation of Fr. Carlos Abesamis, SJ:
“As we shall see more clearly later, for the biblical people, heaven is
not the firmament above. It is not earth below. Kingdom of God is earth, a new
earth. In the phrase ‘kingdom of heaven,’ the word heaven is used to substitute
for the word of God. Kingdom of heaven then is not heaven! Kingdom of heaven is
a new earth! It is identical with kingdom of God.”[25]
To learn more
about the kingdom of God, Thomas Rausch considered four dimensions of Jesus’
preaching of the Kingdom of God.
(1) The kingdom of God is “event not place.”[26]
The expression kingdom of God (basilea thou theo) should generally be
translated ‘reign’ or ‘rule’ of God”[27] or
“dominion of God”[28] as what
Pope Benedict would say. It pertains not to a place but to an event. “The
kingdom of God is what to come.”[29]
(2) The kingdom of God is an “eschatological tension.”[30]
In the preaching of Jesus, the preaching of Jesus about the reign of God
has eschatological tension, for it is both present and future. “The kingdom is
present now, even if in a small way, in the mustard seed, the yeast, the hidden
treasure and the pearl.”[31] Surely,
some of Jesus’ words confirm that “Kingdom as Present.”[32] For
instance, “Jesus tells the Pharisees: “the kingdom of God is among you.”[33] However,
there is also a clear dimension to the kingdom of God. “In the Our Father, the
disciples are to pray, thy kingdom come; this expression in more abstract
phrase the eschatological hope that God would come on the last day to save and
restore his people.”[34]
(3) The kingdom of God calls for an “immediate response.”[35]
If we are going to observe teachings of Jesus, we can see him as a
person calling for an immediate response. In Mark’s Gospel, the message is
summarized as “repent, and believe in the Gospel.”[36]
(4) There is a relationship “between the kingdom and Jesus.”[37]
“Jesus embodies the kingdom.”[38]
Parables and sayings would tell us that the Kingdom of God is present in the
person and ministry of Jesus, as well. He is the incarnation of God’s Kingdom.
According to
Daniel Harrington, S.J, Jesus in the Gospels “never define(s) the kingdom of
God. Nor (does) he ever provide a theological treatise on the topic. Instead,
he communicate(s) his vision of the kingdom through short stories in a way that
engage the imaginations of his listeners, and he invite(s) them to think about
various aspects of God’s kingdom.”[39]
Lastly,
we should not forget that, according to Pope Benedict, “the kingdom of God is a
theme that runs through the whole of Jesus’ preaching. We can therefore
understand it only in light of that preaching as a whole.”[40]
C.
HOW DID JESUS TEACH?
Jesus of Nazareth
uses several ways to express his teachings. He is able to teach the people
through his sayings and parables, through his sermons, and through debates and
symbolic actions.
(1) THROUGH HIS SAYINGS
One of the very common forms of teaching in Jesus’ time is the
“collection of wise sayings or proverbs.”[41] Which
is why, Jesus teaches through his sayings. However, “not all the sayings or ‘logia’ of Jesus come from Jesus
himself. Some of those attributed to him by the evangelists may have been popular
proverbs that Jesus adopted in his teachings.”[42]
“Rudolf Bultman gives a list of such proverbs turned into sayings of
Jesus by the Church.”[43] They
include the following:
If a kingdom is
divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided
against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And is Satan has risen up
against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him (Mark
3:24-26).
But no one can
enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the
strong man. Then, he can plunder his house (Mark 3:27).
For whoever wishes
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his self for my sake and that
of the gospel will save it (Mark 8:35).
No one who sets a
hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of
God (Luke 9:62).
How hard it is for
those who have wealth to enter kingdom of God (Mark 10:23b).
It is easier for a
camel to pass through (the) eye of (a) needle that for one who is rich to enter
the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25).
Let the dead bury
their dead (Luke 9:60a).
Enter through the
narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction
and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted
the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14).
But many that are
the first will be last, and (the) last will be first (Mark 10:31).
Nothing that
enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out
from within are what defile (Mark 7:15).
Amen, I say to
you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it
(Mark 10:15).
For everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted
(Mark 10:15).
You justify
yourself in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of
human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
When someone
strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone
wants to go to law with you over you tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should
anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles (Matthew
5:39b-41).
Love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly
Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to
fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what
recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you
greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the
same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:44-48).
Thomas Rausch commented that “There was something intrinsically
challenging about the preaching of Jesus; his language is disturbing,
unsettling, a language which afflicted the comfortable and comforted the
afflicted and the disadvantaged.”[44] Well,
this is, I think, the wisdom of Jesus from his sayings.
(2) THROUGH PARABLES
“There is no doubt that the
parables constitute the heart of Jesus’ preaching.”[45]
-
Pope Benedict XVI
Basically, Jesus used often the parables in teaching about God’s
Kingdom. The word parable derives
from the Greek verb paraballo, which
means ‘to place on thing beside another.’ A parable is a form of analogy that
seeks one thing to illuminate one reality by appealing to something better
known.”[46] Which is why, Jesus tries to meet the people
who listen to him in their own lives and to use their common experiences as
tools to help them understand what he teaches – the kingdom.
In one glimpse, a person might tell us that parable and allegory are the
same. However, Adolf Julicher, who “published a two – volume work on Jesus’
parables (Dei Gleichnisreden Jesu, 1899;
2nd ed. 1910),”[47] gives
us a radical difference of the two. The former has statements “explained as
figures intended to veil a mysterious content hidden behind the literal
meaning.”[48]
On the other hand, “Julicher, for his part, sharply distinguishe(s) Jesus’
parables from allegory; rather than allegory, he say(s), they are a piece of
real life intended to communicate one idea,
understood in the broadest possible sense – a single salient point.”[49]
Basically, “as employed by Jesus, the parables (is) neither an illustration of
moral teaching, nor an allegory, nor a teaching that could be translated into
non – parabolic truth. In most cases his parables tell about ordinary human
life, with God and God’s reign forming the plot of the story rather than a
particular component of it.”[50]
If we look at the New Testament, Gospels particularly, we can see a lot
of parables used by Jesus. Now, let us expose some of those.
“The parables in Matthew 13 are, first of all, stories. They concern a
farmer who sows seeds, a small amount of yeast, a tiny mustard seed, wheat and
weed sown together in a field, buried treasure, a precious pearl and a
fishermen casting their dragnets.”[51] “Mt
13:44-46, (for instance), preserves two parables in which the characters take
quick action. A day laborer digging in a field finds a treasure. He quickly
buys the field for himself. A pearl merchant finds a really valuable pearl so
he sells everything else in order to get it. We can understand both of these
things that human beings might do in extraordinary situations. Jesus us telling
us that the kingdom creates that type of situation.”[52]
Pope Benedict gives us the “three major parables from the Gospel of
Luke.”[53] He
believes that their “beauty and depth spontaneously touch believer and
nonbeliever alike again and again.”[54] The
first one is the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The passage “You shall love
the Lord you God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
strength, and with all your mind; and you neighbor as yourself”[55] reminds
us that we should create a community of solidarity. The next one is the parable
of the two brothers (the prodigal son and the son who remained at home) and the
Good Father. It shows us that God is loving and merciful to us, even we
stumble. What matters most to him is our return to him, for He “overjoyed when
what has been lost returns.”[56] The
last one is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
To end up this section, we can also reflect that Jesus is “the primary
parable of God’s reign not only and in what he said during his ministry, but in
who he was and what he did. Indeed, the parable is the Gospel in miniature.”[57]
Lastly, the parables, as what Pope Benedict would say, “are ultimately
an expression of God’s hiddenness in this world and of the fact that knowledge
of God always lays claim to the whole person – that such knowledge is one wife
itself, and that it cannot exist without repentance.”[58]
ENACTED PARABLES
Daniel Harrington, SJ, in his book JESUS:
A Historical Portrait, says: “In addition to parables, wisdom sayings and
controversies, Jesus taught by symbolic actions”[59] that is
called most of the time as enacted parables. Triumphal entry to Jerusalem (Mk
11:1-11) and the cleansing of the Temple (Mk 15-19) are some of its examples.
(3) THROUGH SERMONS
“What is this Sermon? With this great discourse, Matthew puts together a
picture of Jesus as the new Moses in precisely the profound sense that we saw
earlier in connection with the promise of a new prophet given in the Book of Deuteronomy.”[60]
-
Pope Benedict XVI
Basically, “the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew
5-7) is a summary of Jesus’ teachings.”[61] “Its
ninety-nine verses stand in contrast, however, to the thirty verse of its Lucan
parallel, the sermon on the plain (6:20-49).”[62] On the
other hand, the Marcan sermon in parables, 4: 1-33, may reflect the same
recollection.”[63]
“The Sermon begins with a series of
beatitudes in which Jesus declares some unlikely persons to be happy or
fortunate.”[64]
The Sermon on the Mount is “addressed to the disciples”[65] while
the Sermon on the plain is addressed “to the disciples and the crowd.”[66]
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirsts for righteousness, for they will be
filled. Blessed are the merciful; for they will receive mercy.”[67]
“Of the poor, Jesus says that they are blessed because the reign of God
is theirs. Of the hungry and those who mourn, he says that they are blessed
because they will be satisfied and comforted. Each of these statements is addressed
to a group of people existing in some form of misery and oppression; it
declares that they will experience a future reversal and compensation because
God will act on their behalf (theological passive) though the arrival of the
divine reign.”[68]
Moreover, “the Sermon on the Mount is not a social program per se, to be sure.
But it is only when the great inspiration it gives us vitally influences our
thought and our action, only when faith generates the strength of renunciation
and responsibility for our neighbor and for the whole society – only then can
social justice grow, too.”[69] In the
following sections, Jesus gives us the rules “regarding three practices of
piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.”[70] Also,
he gives us a sample prayer – the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus, in the end of the
Sermon, challenges us to put these into practice.
“In all, the sermon is neither a
perfectionist’s code, nor an interim ethic, nor an expose’ of the impossible
ideal, nor a utopian dream, nor a new Torah. It represents rather the Matthean
Jesus’ radical demands for the transformation of human life in God’s kingdom.”[71]
(4) THROUGH DEBATES
Jesus know that he has the authority because believes that he gets it
from the Father. He knows that the grace is coming from His Father. Which is
why, he is able to say striking arguments against the people who test him.
“Another common teaching form that very likely reflects the practice of the
historical Jesus is the controversy and the conflict story. These are short
narratives in which someone, often with hostile intent, approaches Jesus with a
hard question.”[72]
Those situations are giving Jesus an opportunity to show his wise teaching and
show that he has the truth that opposes the false arguments of the people who
want to trap him. “Examples can found in Matthew 22: 15-46 where Jesus debates
about praying taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, the greatest commandment in
the Law and the identity of David’s son.”[73]
D. SUMMARY OF JESUS’ MINISTY AS A TEACHER
Jesus
begins his teaching ministry during 30 AD after his baptism. He teaches most in
Galilee and Judea. Also, he does his ministry in Jerusalem and Samaria. The
center is the Kingdom of God (or of heaven). He is able to use several ways of
teachings; through his sayings, parables, sermons, and debates. Jesus’
teachings touch the heart of every person who listens to him. He is truly a
wise and a good teacher.
III.
CONCLUSION: MY PERSONAL LOOK AT JESUS
Upon doing the research, I just allowed
the moment given by Lord to guide me in discovering more the identity of Jesus,
particularly in his teaching ministry. This particular quest for Jesus’
ministry as a teacher helps to establish my personal look at Jesus. This
realization is something that is not coming from me but a grace coming from the
Father. I find this paper a means for me to have another way of following Him;
to ponder his teachings, for how could a person follow Him without knowing the
things he teaches. There are several points that will show how I look now to
Jesus as a teacher.
A.
JESUS: A PARADIGM OF A GOOD TEACHER
As I
look at Jesus, I can say that Jesus gives everyone a chance. Think of the tax
collectors and prostitutes. Surely, there is hope for those who some perceive
as the least able or willing of students if a teacher will be Christ – like.
Also, Jesus speaks of truth in humility and straightforwardness. It is very
nice to see teachers with this kind of personality, for it will really contribute
a lot in the development of one’s knowledge. Jesus told stories with lessons.
In our context today, a teacher should help a student to derive certain lesson
in every lesson he/she may give in order for a student to apply it in his
everyday life. This should be inspired also by the teachings of Jesus. Most
importantly, the teachings of Jesus, the Great teacher, manifest an important
fact that all of us must remember: Knowledge is nothing without its companion,
wisdom, and wisdom comes from God. Like Jesus, a teacher should ask also for
the grace of God in order to deliver a lesson that could really touch one’s
heart. We have realized that the parable
is the one of the best teachings of Jesus. Pope Benedict says that: “Now, every
educator, every teacher who wants to communicate new knowledge to his listeners
naturally makes constant use of example or parable.”[74] Moreover,
these challenges are not only for the person having a profession of teachings
but also for all of us, for we can be a good teacher to everyone.
In a
deeper look at Jesus’ teaching ministry, I would like to derive my simple
reflections from the Gospel of John which says that Jesus is like a living
water. We can be a good teacher if we really quench the thirst of our brothers
and sisters for the knowledge as well as for the guidance to become better
people. We should be a living water that encourages them to live. Also, we can
be a living bread that satisfies their hunger to know the truth. Lastly, we
should be a good shepherd that guides the people towards good things. Another
challenge for us is to imitate Jesus who really does by himself what he
teaches. He is the living example of what he is teachings.
B. JESUS: THE WAY TOWARDS THE FULFILLMENT
OF OUR ULTIMATE GOAL
“The theme of the kingdom of God offers the goal
and the horizon for Christian life.”[75] We all
know that the teachings of Jesus always center the Kingdom of God. “For
followers of Jesus, the goal is the kingdom of God. Those who aspire to
fullness of life in God’s kingdom follow the teachings and example of Jesus. In
this way we may enter the kingdom of God.”[76] As
Christians, the awareness of what should be our goal is made clear to me; that
should be the Kingdom of God. In our lives, we have plenty of goals. Some of
them are short term goals and some are long term goals. However, in my own
opinion, goals should always be for the betterment of God’s people and not only
for our own benefit. These must be inspired by the teachings of Jesus. Lastly,
every goal that we aim should be towards to our ultimate goal. Everything we
aim should be a stepping stone in order for us to attain our ultimate goal.
Surely, this aim will happen if we are following faithfully the teachings of
Jesus. He is the One that gives us way towards the fulfillment of our ultimate
goal – the Kingdom of God. It is a manifestation that we are saved, if we
attain that goal. “Jesus who teaches is at the same time the Jesus who saves.”[77]
C. JESUS: A TIMELESS TEACHER OF A TIMELESS
TEACHING
“There is no doubt that the parables constitute the heart of Jesus’
preaching. While civilizations have come and gone, these stories continue to touch
us anew with their freshness and their humanity.”[78]
-
Pope Benedict XVI
It is true that, from the time of Jesus until now, his teaching is still
touching the hearts of everyone who listens and ponders it. There is really a
mystery behind this phenomenon. Human person, for me, cannot really grasp the
reason why this happens. However, as a sort of a simple reflection, I consider
Jesus as a TIMELESS TEACHER OF THE TIMELESS TEACHING because firstly, his
teachings are contextual. We can apply them to our everyday life. His teachings
are always applicable to everyone. I am still convinced that Jesus’ teachings
will remain fresh until the coming of the Kingdom of God, for his teachings prepare
us for Its coming. Secondly, it is really the Holy Spirit who inspires and
animates the faithful to embrace the teachings of Jesus. Lastly, Jesus is God.
And, God is beyond time. So, he is beyond time and his teaching as well.
SPECIAL SECTION
PARABLE
OF THE GOLDEN TREASURE
Keneth
D. Marquez
It was a cold evening Sunday, after our Night Prayer, when I decided to
review my notes in one of my major subjects in my room. While reviewing, I had
observed an absolute silence along our alley. It seemed that I was in retreat.
I turned off the fan to make my place more silent and opened the window to feel
the embrace of my friend wind. After a couple of minutes, the bell rang an
indication for us to turn off our lights. So, I immediately brushed my teeth,
washed my face, changed my clothes and turned off the light. The room was
slightly dark, for the lights outside our building were still switched on. Surprisingly,
I had noticed that the San Damiano cross in the front of my bed was illuminated
by them. So, I was reminded to pray. The ambiance was refreshing and relaxing.
My friend wind’s embrace was still at hand and it made my body free from any
stress. I feel asleep right away.
Few moments had
passed. I found myself in an alien place. I saw two men looking for a golden treasure.
I had noticed that they had the courage to find and get it. Suddenly, a
stranger came to them, giving them series of maps. The maps can be
distinguished into two categories: the luminous and glossy map and the simple
brown map, which could easily be tattered.
The proud man
chose the luminous one and he rejected the simple one while the other, the
humble one, picked the simple one. Then, they started to look for the golden
treasure. Throughout their drive, the proud man had lost his way, for he could
not see the direction. His chosen map was too bright and it blinded him. He
kept on walking though he could not see and fell down into a gloomy place.
Luckily, the simple one was able to find the golden treasure, for the simple
map was able to give him clear direction. He became contented with the simple
map and did not dream of having the silky one. Suddenly, while showing my
salute to the meek one, the bell rang - an indication for us to wake up and to
prepare ourselves for our Morning Praise. Oh! I realized that all of this was
just a dream.
Have you ever
wondered why treasure maps are always drawn on a simple brown paper? Have you
ever done some reflection about this?
The kingdom of God
is like a golden treasure. You can only find it in a simple treasure map for
Luke 6: 20says: “How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of God is
yours.” Surely, our brother Francis was able to choose the simple map. Francis,
himself, showed simplicity for “having nothing, yet possessing all things” is a
constant motif in his life and a paradox that springs from the Gospel. Francis’
commitment to simplicity mirrors the example of Jesus. The Goal of Franciscan
simplicity, which today is called “simple living,” is to encourage us to
prepare ourselves for the coming of the Kingdom of God. AMEN
BIBLIOGRAPHY
·
Abesamis, Carlos A Third Look at Jesus Diliman: Claretian Publication, 1999
·
De Mesa, Jose and Wostyn Lode Doing Christology Quezon City: Claretian
Publication, 1993
·
Fitzmayer, Joseph A Chrsitological Catechism Makati: St.
Pauls, 1993
·
Harrington, Daniel JESUS: A Historical Portrait Makati: St.
Pauls, 2003
·
McDermott, Brian Word Became Flesh Makati: St. Pauls,
2003
·
New American Bible
·
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From Baptism in the
Jordan to the Transfiguration New York: Doubleday, 2007
·
Rausch, Thomas P. Who is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology Minnesota: Liturgical
Press, 2003
·
Rudolf Bultman, The History of the Synoptic Tradition Oxford:
Basil Blackwell, 1963
·
Segundo, Juan Luis The Historical Jesus of the Synoptics Maryknoll, New York: Orbis
Book, 1985
[1]
Cf. Acts 10: 36-38
[2]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997), 40
[3]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 9
[4]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997),40
[5]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994),63
[6]
Ibid., 67
[7]
Op. Cit., 67
[8]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994),67
[9] Thomas
Rausch Who is Jesus?: An Introduction to
Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 77
[10]
Op. Cit., 77
[11]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 33
[12]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997), 40
[13]
Jose De Mesa, et al. Doing Christology (Quezon
City: Claretian Publication, 1998), 34
[14]
Cf. Jn 1:46
[15]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 19
[16]
Cf. Mt 1: 21
[17]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997),, 51
[18]
Jeremy Andrew Jesus’ Preaching Ministry (United
States, Image Books, 1991), 34
[19]
Cf. Mt 4:17
[20]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 33
[21]
Ibid., 25
[22]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994),28
[23]
Joseph Fitzmayer A Christological
Cathecism (Makati: St. Pauls, 1993), 66
[24]
Carlos Abesamis A Third Look at Jesus (Diliman:
Claretian Publications), 35
[25]
Ibid., 36
[26]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 85
[27]
Ibid, 85
[28]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday, 2007),
146
[29]
Juan Luis Segundo The Historical Jesus of
the Synoptics (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1985), 86
[30]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 85
[31]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 28
[32]
Ibid., 29
[33]
Ibid., 29
[34]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 88
[35]
Ibid., 89
[36]
Cf. Mk 1:15
[37]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 90
[38]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 30
[39]
Ibid., 35
[40]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 62
[41]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994), 82
[42]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 78
[43]
Rudolf Bultman, The History of the
Synoptic Tradition (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1963), 102-04
[44]
Thomas Rausch Who is Jesus?: An
Introduction to Christology (Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003), 79
[45]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 183
[46]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 34
[47]
Loc. Cit., 184
[48]
Ibid., 184
[49]
Ibid., 184 - 85
[50]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997), 52
[51]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 34
[52]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994), 80
[53]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 194
[54]
Ibid., 194
[55] Cf. Lk 10:27
[56]
Pheme Perkins Reading the New Testament (Makati:
St. Pauls, 1994),82
[57]Brian
O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH: Dimension
of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997), 53
[58]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 193
[59]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 38
[60]
Loc. Cit., 65
[61]
Loc. Cit., 36
[62]
Joseph Fitzmayer A Christological
Cathecism (Makati: St. Pauls, 1993), 55
[63]
Ibid., 55
[64]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 36
[65]
Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH:
Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls Publication, 1997), 53
[66]
Ibid., 36
[67]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 36
[68] Brian O. McDermott WORD BECAME FLESH: Dimension of Christology (Makati: St. Pauls
Publication, 1997), 53-54
[69]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 77
[70]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 36
[71]
Joseph Fitzmayer A Christological
Cathecism (Makati: St. Pauls, 1993), 56
[72]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 38
[73]Ibid.,
38
[74]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 191
[75]
Daniel J. Harrington JESUS: A Historical
Portrait (Makati: St. Pauls, 2007), 31
[76]
Ibid., 31
[77]
Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: From
Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (United States: Doubleday,
2007), 65
[78]
Ibid., 183
