The Mystic Christian Reader

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 20-23:

Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their shouting. "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate addressed them a third time, "What evil has this man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flagged and then release him." With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 13-18:

Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them, "You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him. Therefore, I shall have him flogged and then release him."
But together they shoulted out, "Away with this man! Release Barabas to us." (Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken place in the city and for murder.)

This is an interesting bit of prose in all four gospels, and one which, I believe is harmed by the writers' attempt to either cloud the true nature of this incident or to recount an event he did not understand himself. Sometimes we are told that there was a Passover tradition of releasing one prisoner held by the Romans back to the Jewish people. This is not recounted here, and it must be understood that such a claim is entirely non-historical. It makes no sense that an occupying force, which found the Jews' insistantly monotheistic beliefs and rebellious attitude a growing nusance, would release a political prisoner in honor of the Jews' religious holiday. In other Gospel translations, this Barabas is simply referred to as a murderer or as a thief. Reading these passages, we cannot immagine why the Israelites would want such a terrible person released over the peaceful, compassionate Jesus.

The translation quoted above gives us a hint at what could be the deeper truth behind this event. It hints that the man whose release the mob was calling for in place of Jesus' was not a "common criminal" or a simple crazed murderer. He was a political prisoner, condemed to die for inciting a riot against the Roman occupiers. When we understand that the name (more accurately, the title) Barabas means "Son of God," (Bar in Aramaic means "Son of", Abbas is closely related to Abba, and means "God the Father.") we see that this man was no less than a competitor with Jesus for the title Messiah. In some translations of Mark's Gospel, this man is even called Jesus Barabas. In the Palistine of the 1st century, there were many people before and after Jesus of Nazareth claiming the title of Messiah. Jesus' falling out of favor with the people could have been due to the fact that his mission did not fit with what the people were expecting in a Messiah. They wanted a conquering hero, a G0d-man who would overthrow the Romans and the Herods, reinstitute the Kingdom of David and Solomon, and restore the Levites to the administration of the temple. Barabas, who had been arrested, Luke admits, for inciting rebellion, fit better with the mob's vision of how their Messiah should behave. Plate says he will release Jesus, and the people say "We don't want that Messiah, give us the real one back." In essence, they were asking to trade Jesus' life for the life of the man they thought was the real Messiah. In this passage, we can see that even before he died, Jesus gave his life up for the sake of others'.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 11 and 12:

Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and moked him, and after clothing him resplendent garb, he sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies formerly.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 23, verses 9 and 10:

Herod questioned Jesus at length, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 23, verse 8:

Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.

Today's reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 3-7:

Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, "I find this man not guilty." But they were adamant and said, "He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here." On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.

Today's Reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 2 and 3:

They brought charges against him, saying, "We found this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the Christ, a King." Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so."

I envision this scene as an almost Shakesperian tragedy. Here are these Spiritual leaders of the Jewish community, lying to the Roman athorites because they know Jesus hasn't broken any Roman laws and they cannot legally kill him for the Religious laws they believe he has violated. So, they make shit up. I sense a certain "sick of it all" vibration to Jesus' voice when Pilate presents the accusations to him. Jesus' phrase seems like "Whatever you say dude... Whatever you say." He knows it doesn't matter what he says, that he has very little chance of survival (God has told him already that he will die), so he just allows the major players to beleive whatever they have to in order to feel justified.

The mystical interpretation of this is clear. The divine isn't interested in "converting" us to His way of thinking. In fact, his way isn't thinking at all. Like the parable of the prodigal son, we see God letting us wander and spend our lives frivolusly. He even alows us to deny him if we choose. In the end, though, he is always willing to take us back. Even hanging on the cross, Jesus asks God to forgive those who torment him, saying "They know not what they do."

Today's Reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, 22:71 - 23:1:

Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth."

Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate.

Today's reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 66-70:

When day came the elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, "If you are the Christ, tell us," but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
They all asked him, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them, "You say that I am."

Here we have scriptural evidence of the ancient question of Jesus' true paternity. Was it divine, or was he Joseph's son? This is a question which plagued Christianity from its very earliest days. It is a question which was silenced for many centuries, but which has arrisen again in the popular dialogue because of the popularity of The Da Vinci Code. It is interesting to see that in this passage, when challenged directly about the nature of his divinity, Jesus answers that it doesn't matter what he says becuase they aren't going to listen to him anyway. The word used Luke (in Greek) is Christos (The Annointed), but the Hebrew word the Sanhedrin would have used, Messiah, had different implications then than we as Christians give to it today. Messiah was like God's embassador to Earth. The Messiah would be a temporal ruler, like King David, who ruled and spoke as God. This was a vision modeled after the Pharaohs of Egypt... God and King, Messiah, Pharaoh is Horus.

Jesus and God had other plans, other ideas for the world. They didn't want a world where people worshiped the King, but where God ruled from the throne of every human heart. Jesus couldn't answer the questions of the Sanhedrin because they weren't capable of understanding what he was really talking about. In fact, they'd proved that by bringing him to this secret trial. He'd spoken publicly in the Temple for many days and they'd heard him give sermons on the Torah.

My favorite phrase here is Jesus' "From this time on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God." This is a phrase that can help give us deeper insight into Jesus' true nature. I would recomend using this phrase as a focus for a centering prayer session. Open your heart to what Jesus is saying here, and deeper insights are bound to be made clear.

Today's Reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 63-65:

The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him, saying "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they reviled him saying many other things against him.

This passage is the beginning of the "Passion" proper in the Gospel of Luke. It is here that Jesus' physical suffering at the hands of strangers begins. In the following days, we will experience the growing physical pain and emotional sorrow experienced by Jesus.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 60-62:

Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly."

This is one of those places in the bible where my own conception of "how it happened" doesn't really match well with what is going on in the Gospel. When we combine this reading with Friday's and Saturday's, it's difficult to get a sense of the layout of the room or the order that things occurred. It seems to me that this notion of Peter "following at a distance" and joining the guards at "a fire in the middle of the courtyard" of the "house of the high priest" is clouding some other event. Could it be that Peter was present at the trial of Jesus and actually testified against him? If Jesus was indoors with the Sanhedrin and Peter was in the courtyard, how could he "turn and look at Peter," without being led outside? This is how the event is usually portrayed in art and film, but it's not really what's being said by Luke. In Luke, we get the sense that they're all in the same room. Since I do not consider the Gospels to be historical documents, I don't think it's worth much time trying to figure out these issues. More likely, aspects of the "historical" kind (layout of the high priest's house, Jesus being led out into the courtyard by guards) are omitted by the author becuase their purpose is not to leave an historical record of Jesus' life, but to tell a spiritual parable of his own.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 56-60:

When a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said, "This man too was with him." But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
A short while later someone else saw him and said, "You too are one of them;" but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
About an hour later, still another insisted, "Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean." But Peter said, "My friend, I do not know what you are talking about."

This is one of those fundamental moments in the New Testament. Jesus' chief disciple has abandoned his Master, and denied that he even knows Jesus in order to save his own ass. Remember, this story is not really about a bunch of Jewish Palestinians who lived 2000 years ago, but is really about us and about our quest to find God in our own hearts. This story tells of the devotee of God who, when presented with the dark night of the soul, abandons the quest, denies his love for God, and returns to the material world. In fact, in the 21st chapter of John, we find that Peter and many of the other disciples have returned to their previous way of life (namely, making a living as fishermen) until they are reawakened by the appearance of the resurrected Christ.

We are Peter when we become bored with meditation, when our practice is dry and lacks experiences, and we decide that it might be more fun to play Gamecube or watch a movie before bed instead of praying and meditating. The best part of this story, however, is that from the ashes of his denial comes a new Peter, reawakened at Pentecost, and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Like the Father in the tale of the Prodigal Son, Jesus will never deny us, no matter how many times we deny him. If we are sincere seekers, and we fall, He will be there to pick us up when we are ready to begin again. But he leaves it up to us. When we make the choice to return to Him, he is right there to help.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 54 and 55:

After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 52 and 53:

And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, "have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.

Before his arrest, Jesus had become a popular preacher in the temple courtyard. Some of the Sanhedrin had openly debated him, but his popularity with the people prevented them from charging him openly in public. These verses of Luke from the Passion of Jesus (Luke 22 and 23) are some of the most historical-sounding in the Bible. It's difficult to look at them allegorically. But from a big-picture perspective, the stories of Luke from the Last Supper to Jesus' Burial are our story. They are the story of our struggle over fear. We are Peter as he rejects Jesus in the temple courtyard. We are Mary Magdalene and Jesus' Mother at the foot of the cross, mourning the loss of Love and Compassion in the world. We are even Judas, as he betrays his Master with a kiss.

Spiritual practices demand a great deal from us. Time to do them, a commitment to the type of life they compel us to lead, and the doubt and fear and darkness that arises when the Splendors of deep meditation seem to dry up for long or short periods and we seem lost. St. John of the Cross called these times "the dark night of the soul," and it is these times which we find expressed in the life of Jesus during the Passion. This period is represented in the liturgical year on the "three days" (actually 1 1/2 days) from Friday afternoon (Good Friday) till Sunday Morning (Easter) of Holy Week. St. John expressed his vision of Jesus' crucifixion in a sketch. In this sketch, Jesus seems to be hanging from the cross, almost being dragged down by the weight of the world's sins. It is these times when faith is most required. Faith is often defined in terms of what we cannot see, with emphasis on John 20:29. However, the Indian saint Paramhansa Yogananda defined Faith as the conviction of God's existence that comes with personal experience. John 20:29 can still apply here, however. I believe that when addressing Thomas, Jesus speaks not to "blind faith," in believing in something even though one has never seen it (aka: never having experience the Truth of the Living Christ), but faith in that even though you cannot see God now, He has not abandoned you, and is still present with you, even if your inner sight is diminished. It is in these times that we must hold onto the blessings of past inner experiences and remember that when Christ returns and we have powerful experiences again, they will be all the more cherished because of their absence.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 49-51:

His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, "Lord, shall we strike wia a sword?" And one of them struck the high priests servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of this!" Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.

This verse seems to confirm my suspicions about an earlier verse we examined. Jesus' claim that the disciples must "sell sell their cloak and buy [a sword]," seems in direct opposition to today's passage, where he prevents the disciples from fighting with the High Priest's men. When one of the disciples (Peter) cuts off the ear of an attacker, Jesus even uses his powers to heal the wound.

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 47 and 48:

While he was still speaking, a crowd aproached him and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 45 and 46

When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief. He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test."

Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 43 and 44:

And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.

Again, we see Jesus' humanity. The angel appears in his inner sight, and he know's God's answer, but also knows that God will grant him the power to complete the task set before him. Jesus prays and focuses his mind with all his Willpower. His efforts are so great that he "sweats bullets," like man carrying a heavy weight in the hot sun. Here, we see that while God may ask us to do things that seem impossible for us, He will never abandon us. No matter how difficult it may seem to say and live "thy will be done," if we continue to live this phrase, God will bless us with the strength to meet His every challenge.

Today's reading from the Little Black Book comes from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 39-42:

Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not undergo the test." After withdrawing about a stone's throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still not my will but yours be done."

We are often told of Jesus' innate Godliness, of his being born with full knowledge of his purpose in life, and that he never in his life committed a single sin. In this passage, while Jesus prayed to our Father on the night he was betrayed and taken into custody by those who hated him and conspired against him, we are shown a true and deep reflection of the side of Jesus we are often meant to forget... His pure humanity. Jesus was a human, just as we are. Yes, he was the Master. Yes, he lived a live filled with the sublime wisdom of God-Realization. Yes, perhaps he even did know God's will from his birth. But here... here... on the Mount of Olives, we are shown a man. A man with fears, with doubts, and with a request from his father to avoid physical suffering... After all, hadn't God saved Isaac at the zero hour, and stayed Abraham's hand? Jesus' test is different than his forefather Abraham's, however. He passes this test with the words "not my will, but yours." Perhaps even more than his death on the cross, those words were his greatest achievement in life, for if we knew nothing else of Jesus' life but this phrase, and lived our lives by this phrase, we too could look upon the Zohar (splendor) that is the face of the One, True, and Ever Living God.

Today's Little Black Book reading comes from the Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 22, verses 35-38:

He said to them, "When I sent you forth without a money bag or sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No, nothing," they replied. He said to them, "But now one who has a money bag should take it, and likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, 'He was counted among the wicked;' and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment." Then they said, "Lord, look, there are two swords here." But he replied, "That is enough!"

This is a very deep and symbolic verse. It would seem that Jesus is contradicting his earlier speeches, found in Matthew 6, where he speaks of going out in the world with nothing and trusting fully in God's Will to provide for us. It also seems to contradict his teaching about turning the other cheek, but is perhaps in tune with his saying "I come not to bring peace, but a sword." It seems that at the end of this verse, Jesus chastizes the disciples for taking his speech on swords literally. In both these sayings, the sword referred to is the "sword of discrimination," which cuts through illusion and reveals our true self. The "cloak" which we must sell to buy a sword is our "security blankets"... Seeking self-identity in outward things (personality, likes and dislikes, and in possessions). Jesus says he is "counted among the wicked" because when a True Teacher comes to us, we are forced into the uncomfortable position of being faced with the parts of ourselves which are out of sync with God, and of giving up those habits and behaviors that get in the way of a pure relationship with Him.

(image from The Compass Newsletter)

The Diocese of Saginaw, MI produces a "little black book" each year at Lent. The book contains readings for each day of the Lenten season, and is a very good tool for turning the mind inward. The book asks that the reader take 6 minutes out of each day to focus soley on God. I will be posting each day's Bible readings from the "little black book" here with either no commentary, or minor commentary. I would love to see the comments on these readings grow, to see what others reading these posts think about the verses. If anyone would like to order some of these books, and support this really wonderful work, here's the link.

Here's a newsletter article about the books from The Compass

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, verses 31-34:

"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." He said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you." But He replied, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you even know me."

For me, this passage is a lesson in forgiveness and the Power of a Spiritual Master to affect the lives of his disciples. Jesus tells Peter that He has prayed for Peter, and even though Peter will deny Jesus and loose his faith to fear, Jesus' prayers will intercede in fate (in Peter's Karma) and pull him back up. Jesus' prayers are so strong, in fact, that Peter will rebound and become the person that the other disciples can lean on (their "rock") in their time of trial. This passage also illustrates the Master's capacity for lovingkindness and forgiveness. He knows Peter's faith will fail, but he does not resent him or stop interceding to the Father on Peter's behalf.

When studying a verse, remember to look at it in context. Read the whole chapter and get a sense of what's being said in light of other events. Context is EVERYTHING.

Given up TV or movies this Lenten season? Looking for something to fill the void of time and turn your thoughts toward God? The Rosary is a perfect devotional tool for any Christians looking to deepen their relationship with God and with Jesus. It is also a beautiful way to take time out and focus our hearts and minds away from the material world, and onto the spiritual world. This "refocusing" is the true goal of Lent.

Praying the Rosary has become a practice of refreshment and joy for me. For those who were not raised in the Catholic tradition (like myself) or are unfamiliar with the prayer, it is simple in its form, but endless in its depth. In many ways, it is not unlike the practice of mantra meditation which is used by countless millions in China, Southeast Asia, and on the Indian subcontinent. In its essence, the rosary is a repetition of Divine Names: Mary, Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and the sacred word Amen.

The Dominican Rosary (the most commonly found form) consists of a circle of 5 "decades" (sets of 10 beads) separated by 4 larger or more spaced-apart "Our Father" beads. To illustrate our deep cultural relationship between these prayers and the beads of the Rosary, it is worth noting that the very word bead is derived from the ancient Saxon word bede, which meant "prayer."

For each of fifty decade beads, the Ave Maria (Hail Mary) is recited:

Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

For each of the "Our Father" beads, the Our Father or Lord's Prayer is recited, along with the doxology:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

...and the "Fatima Decade Prayer," (also called the "Oh My Jesus") a prayer for Jesus' intercession in the lives of all people on Earth:

Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, specially those in more need of your mercy.

These prayers are repeated at their respective beads while four sets of five "mysteries" from the lives of Jesus and Mary are meditated upon.

• Here is a link to a good basic instructional site on how to pray the Rosary.
• For an even more interesting experience, try the Fatima.org creation, the "Perpetual Rosary Online"
• To hear a free recording of the rosary recited, click here (hosted by Beliefnet.com)
• To get a set of your own beads, head over to the Franciscan Rosary House or Easter's Catholic Books & Gifts

Give this amazing devotional tool a try, and I'll give some examples of ways to deepen your practice in another post.

My friend Travis just linked to a collection of his father's sermons which were put up online by a relative. Travis' dad is a Chruch of the Brethren minister. I took a click over there to check them out. There's some really inspiring stuff there. It'll only take a few minutes to read one. Go ahead, you need a little inspiration.

Sermons of Edward Poling 2002-2006

What's the big news today? Crash won the Oscar? It'll be in the 50's in West Michigan this week? No. The big news that I read today is that Pope Benedict has opened the philosophical and dogmatic door for women to take "roles of leadership" in the Catholic Church. He hasn't actually come out and say that the Church will start ordaining female priests, but in an organization that took 400+ years to apologize for calling Galileo a heretic, this is a move in the right direction. Here's the full article in the Washington Post (commentary follows):
--------------------------------------------------------

Pope Indicates Openness to Greater Role for Women

Reuters
Friday, March 3, 2006; 9:03 AM

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict has indicated that women might be allowed to have positions of greater responsibility in the ministry of the Catholic Church but reaffirmed that they could not become priests.
The Pope's comments were found in a transcript released by the Vatican on Friday, a day after he made them in a closed-door meeting with priests from the Rome diocese.
Weekly Roundup

During the meeting, which took the form of a question and answer session, a priest asked why the Church could not let women have more "governing" roles.

In the conclusion part of his answer, the Pope said: "Nevertheless, it is right to ask oneself if more space, more positions of responsibility, can be given to women, even in the ministerial services ...."

The Pope did not elaborate on types of positions women could hold in the Church or in its governance.

Women's groups have for years been asking for more positions of responsibility in the Vatican departments, where nearly all positions of power are held by men. But the Pope made clear that there could be no change in the Church's ban on women priests. The Church teaches that it cannot ordain women as priests because Christ willingly chose only men as his disciples.

Those in favor of a female priesthood say Christ was only acting according to the social norms of his times.

The late Pope John Paul was adamant on the issue, saying the Church did not have and never would have the authority to change the rule against women priests.

In his response the pope listed well-known women, including Mother Teresa of Calcutta and several women saints, whom he said had served the Church with distinction.
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To me, there is a much more interesting, more mystical thing going on here than just the church's overdue recognition of the holiness of women and the understanding that the female human is just as inherently holy as the male. As wonderful and righteous as this is, the more interesting thing is to see the power of The Christ and the Holy Spirit at work in the Papal throne.

Cardinal Ratzinger, while serving in his roll as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (essentially the modern manifestation of High Inquisitor), became the scourge of mystical theology, excommunicating brilliant liberal theologians such as Matthew Fox and closing the debate to new, mystical, and ecstatic readings of scripture. While this announcement about women doesn't liberate him fully from these past decisions, it proves to me once again that the ways of God and the Spirit are mysterious and beautiful.

Most liberally minded theologians, myself included, felt that the choice of Ratzinger as Pontiff was a reactionary one. It was believed that this decision would finally roll back the last of the forward momentum of liberalism created by Vatican II, which had been loosing ground step-by-step since John Paul II's coronation. However, there is a firm belief within the Catholic Faith that it is not the college of cardinals, but the Holy Spirit itself which chooses the Pope, and when that choice is made, The Christ takes some form of residence in the newly crowned Pontiff.

Popes have often surprised the college of cardinals and the world by chaining their "votes" on long-held ideas or beliefs after being coronated. This has historically been held as a function of the Holy Spirit in their new lives, and is one of the major symbolic reasons that the Popes take new names when they take office. A most recent surprise such as this occurred with the father of Vatican II, Pope John XXIII. When elected, the college thought they were getting an old, conservative, "transitional" Pope. What they got instead was a revolutionary who sought to bring a new life to the Catholic faith. While I cannot say that I agree wholeheartedly with the changes of Vatican II (I am a firm lover of the Latin Mass and the sacredness of its rituals), I believe that without those reforms, people such as Matthew Fox or Andrew Greely or Brother Wayne Teasdale wouldn't have even begun to speak, and we would never have had their ideas in the cultural dialogue.

I hope, I pray that our new Benedict XVI is perhaps beginning a journey of transformation which allows him to keep the things that made John Paul II great (diplomacy, peacemaking, increasing Catholic visibility), while moving into the new millennium with a sense of future and momentum rather than running from new ideas and positive changes which foster equality (a female-friendly and MARRIED priesthood).

I don't often discuss the Old Testament, for various reasons. First of all, I feel that most of these books are the most dangerous in the bible when read literally (with the possible exception of the Revelation of St. John). Second, while the books of the New Testament were written nearly 2000 years ago, the books of the OT were written MUCH earlier, and are the social relics of a world we cannot possibly understand or relate to.

That being said, the Old Testament, when looked at mystically, is a beautiful, symbolic, and uplifiting collection of documents. This past week, at the Ash Wednesday service I atteneded with my dad, the Old Testament reading was from the ten commandments (Exodus 20). As the minister was reading the verses, the commandment regarding the keeping of the Sabbath Day stood out to me in a way it never had before.

8Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. 9Six days shall you labor and do all your work; 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor the sojourner who dwells in your towns; 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the seas, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. (Lamsa, pg 88)

What stood out most to me in this reading was God's complete lack of mentioning anything about going to church or any other form of worship on the sabbath. This commandment has nothing to do with worship, and everything to do with not working. In fact, the writer of this particular list of the commandments goes to great lengths to bring home this point. Not only should we not work, but we should instruct our employees, our children, our animals, and anyone hanging around from out of town that they should also not work. Of course, it is wonderful and deserved to take a day off work (especially in those ancient days when work was WORK), a day when everyone, of all social classes is given the day to be free of labor. However, if we explore the deeper meaning of these verses, we are offered a powerful teaching on the nature of God and on the true way to worship Him "in spirit and in Truth." (John 4: 24)

In order to understand this verse mystically, we must explore the deeper meaning of "not working." Once a person progresses on the spiritual path to the point where they feel called to inward practices such as meditation, centering prayer, the Rosary or the Jesus Prayer, they usually find that while the prayer or meditation itself is spiritually beneficial, it is the resulting consciousness, a consciousness free from thoughts of the world and free from desires of the flesh, which is most beneficial. While some spiritual aspirants may become stuck on the idea of the techniques themselves, it is the consciousness they invoke which is the true goal of all true spiritual practices. In this state, the human mind is in the deepest state of "not working" which is achievable while on Earth. In this state, not only are we not moving our body about, doing physical work, but our minds are not consumed with the work of thoughts, emotions, and desires. In this state, free from identification with personal desires, we have truly STOPPED. We cannot do work, because we have lost the sense of being the "doer" in any way and given all identification of Self over to Christ.

This state is the perfection of worship. It is the kind of worship Jesus was speaking about to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well:

21Jesus said to her, Woman believe me, the time is coming, when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will they worship the Father. 22You worship what you do not know; but we worship what we do know... 23But the time is coming, and it is here, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father also desires worshippers such as these. 24For God is Spirit; and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.