St. Thomas Monastery on Villanova Campus, Villanova, PA
WRITERS of the 4 GOSPELS show us that...Christ is truly DIVINE, truly the PROMISED SAVIOR of the world...& that He is truly HUMAN! They stress that XP’s REACTIONS are very much like our own. Our Lord reacts just the way we would react in similar situations.
AT TIMES CHRIST displays all Human Emotions. When He Cures the withered Hand of a man the Scribes & the Pharisees say He shouldn’t cure on the Sabbath...so Christ clearly shows ANGER & DISAPOINTMENT at their....“Hardness of Heart.” (MT 23:23,....& LK 5:21. ANGER at times can be Justified.....as when XP made a whip & drove the money changers from the Temple in MT 21: 12ff“ “He cast out all who were buying & selling in the Temple...& He overturned the tables...& seats of those who sold the Doves.”
SCRIPTURE AUTHORS give us a Realistic...& moving Portrayal of the Son of Man. They clearly show that Our Lord IS HUMAN just like us...in every way except SIN! There is an Infinite CONTRAST & GAP between GOD & MAN. GOD is ONE...3 Persons in ONE God...so God is UNITY. God is NOT Complex...not made of parts. GOD is e isETERNAL with NO BEGINNING & NO END. He is the CREATOR of ALL THINGS!
“CHRIST IS THE IMAGE of the Invisible God.....the first born of every creature. “For in Him were created all things in the heavens & on earth...things Visible & things Invisible.” “All things have been created through...& unto Him.....& in Him all things hold together.”....Col 1:15-18. MAN on the other hand...has a Beginning....& an End....Birth & Death...& He is composed of many parts. MAN is FINITE whereas GOD IS INFINITE!
OUR LORD WAS TEACHING the people the GOOD NEWS of His Gospel that had the Ring of Truth. They were being taught...” by one having Authority....& not like the Scribes.” Christ challenged their Beliefs & Customs...& many didn’t like it. “Many of them were saying he has a Devil...He has gone MAD!” as it reads in JO 10:20
“I ADJURE YOU by the Living God....tell us whether you are the Christ...the Son of God. The High Priest tore his garments saying he has Blasphemed...what further need have we of witnesses. Now you have heard the Blasphemy. What do you think? They answered he is liable to death.” MT 26:65
CHRIST PAID THE PRICE for teaching us the Truths of Heaven through His Arrest, Torture & Death on Calvary’s Cross. Oh, they knew Christ was Human all right! This is what the Scriptures clearly point out. The Divine Christ is also the Human Christ....the God made Man....in the INCARNATION....born of the Virgin Mary....who is called the Mother of God.
AT ANY MOMENT Christ could have Willed to stop his Passion & Death on the Cross, but He didn’t. He willed to Die on the Cross for us....to show how much He Loves us...because His Gospel is so True & Important for EVERY SINGLE one of us to “GET INTO HEAVEN.” Many don’t want to listen to theTeachings & Truths of Life & Death.
WE READ in MT 13:13) “His Disciples asked Him why do you speak in parables?” to you ...(Apostles & Disciples)...it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven......but to them it is not given.”
I SHALL CLOSE this important message with the PROPHECY OF ISAIAH:....IS 6:9-7:“Isaiah prophecy...is fulfilled in them....which says:
Listen as you will...you shall not see Sluggish indeed.....is this people’s Heart
They have scarcely heard with their Ears....They have firmly closed their Eyes
Otherwise...they might see with their Eyes...& hear with their Ears...& Understand
with their Hearts...& turn back to Me.....& I would HEAL them”
OUR LORD POINTS OUT.....MANY PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO BE HEALED!