2234AFC081922 – Next in line, please.
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Luke 13:29-30 – “29 Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
¡Que la bendición esté siempre con ustedes y que Dios los bendiga, Amados! (May blessing always be with you and may God bless you, Belovéd!) We have already arrived at the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. This week we look at the next segment of Jesus’ resolute journey to Jerusalem. He knows what awaits him there and if he continues toward that goal, he will have to endure tremendous suffering in order to experience profound joy. In this part of the Gospel of Luke, we have several statements from Jesus that are difficult to understand; yet, understanding them is essential to being able to fully live an authentically Christian life. To do that, I want to show you a small portion of a very large painting created by Rico Fonseca in 1972 CALLED “The Miracle.” [i] He is “known as artist of Greenwich Village, N.Y. An artist since 1965, world-known from Lima, Peru; in America since 1961. Unique montage style of historical periods of time, also various other styles. Sell reproductions and originals.” Rico and I have discussed this image, and so I want to share with you this little story about the content:
It was like a dream. Perhaps that is the only way to explain it, but it does not explain the what or why or how of the dream.
I gradually became aware that I was standing on a long, irregularly-winding stairway that wandered through the universe. It seemed I was wearing a hooded white robe with very large sleeves. I was facing down the stairs, hands folded in front of me and inside my sleeves. I saw another person in front of me, but facing away, on the next stair down. I could not fathom our purpose for being there. I knew, somehow, we had been there for a very long time. I had no idea why we were standing like that, but as I looked farther down the stair, it seemed to me that perhaps some of the other figures were facing up the stairs. This made no sense whatsoever, so I just continued to stand there. If there was anyone behind me, I didn’t care. I figured they had pretty much the same view I had and pretty much the same understanding as well.
Then something astonishing happened. The figure standing in front of me suddenly turned around! For a moment or two our eyes locked. The expression on the person’s face was originally perplexed. Gradually it changed as if a new awareness had slowly but surely occurred. That was quickly replaced by an expression of great JOY. It was beautiful! I no longer cared why I was on the stair. All I wanted was to look upon that beautiful, joyful face. And in just another moment, the direction of this person’s joyful gaze shifted from my face to something or someone over my shoulder. The intensity of JOY in that face continued to grow – in fact, it seemed like there was light coming from or reflected by this dazzling countenance before me. I was totally fascinated. And completely mystified.
Why had s/he turned around? Why the beatific smile? What was it behind me that made this beautiful person so happy? I stared for … God only knows how long. It must have been a long time, because eventually I realized it was not only the face that glowed, but the whole figure. The robe was scintillating with layers and patterns of incredible light. The more I looked, the more I felt JOY welling up within me as well. At one point, I felt compelled to turn around and see what was behind my shoulder. I shifted my position a tiny bit to the right, and perceived the person two-steps-down was also facing up the stairs. I could not see the face, but I could see the same intense lights coming from that person’s step. I wanted to turn around and see! But I did not want to look away either!
After another very long while, my JOY took on a different character. It was all interwoven with PEACE. Everything I saw, everything I felt, everything I knew was JOY and PEACE. My awareness grew more acute, and I began to understand that not only was there something absolutely extraordinary behind me, but also there was another figure behind me. I was thinking, “Why are we standing here like this?” The figures farther down the steps were getting brighter, and the stairway itself twisted, and turned, and bent as the universe was flexed by an unseen Power. I began to be more inclined to turn around. Then, quite suddenly, without really intending to do so, it happened.
I was flabbergasted by what – who – I saw. It was another figure dressed like me. My eyes must have widened as I saw the shocked look on this other person’s face. First surprise, then fear, then wonder, then awe swept back and forth between us. I just stood there staring, and met the stare of my newest companion. Then, slowly at first, but with gathering force and speed, I realized that I was supposed to turn around and see what had been seen by my earlier companion – another face. But, I recalled, that person looked past me to someone or something else. What was it? Who was it? Could I see it too? I flicked my eyes to the left for a millisecond and saw something; but what? More stairs, more figures, a cross, a throne, strange creatures, and …. Something or Someone was also there. I took one last good, hard look at the face before me and then looked beyond to a glorious sight. I cannot describe it. It filled me with such JOY that I felt as if I were glowing with JOY and PEACE. Now it made sense.
The person who was behind me and is now in front of me has someone behind them. If the person in front of me turns around, the JOY and PEACE will keep going up the stairs. When the last person on the top stair turns around and the only thing left to see is the Source of that JOY and PEACE, we will all march up the stairs and into that JOY and PEACE. Then, most truly, the last shall be first and the first shall be last but all shall be present in the Presence of The Lamb from Whom we receive All that is Good.
Rico told me that was how he understood it as well. If you look for those figures in the white, hooded gowns, you will see that the stairs on which they stand wind way back to the point of being just a thin line (look at that line at about the level of the outline of Jesus at his left ear). That’s “billions and billions” of souls. But can you guess what else?
There is more! Luke 12:1c-3 – “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be be proclaimed from the housetops.” (↔ Music Link) In this passage Jesus calls out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They have remolded Truth and Law to enhance their status among the people. All their little dirty tricks they had used will be exposed, and very soon the Truths they have attempted to conceal will be shouted from the rooftops in broad daylight as the Gospel sets the World afire with the passion of the Holy Spirit. Those who deem themselves of the greater and topmost status will be counted among the lowest and bottommost status.
Have you ever wondered about the “Heavenly Banquet?” When we die will we be spirits in heaven waiting for the resurrection? “Signs point to yes.” But, after the Resurrection, will anyone ever be hungry in Heaven, and will there be food and drink to feed them? “Unknown at this time. Try again later.” (After the Resurrection is my guess.) All I have in my upstairs database is “Blesséd are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (See Matthew 5:6)
There is yet more, Belovéd! John 14:6 – 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Look again at the image and at the silhouette of Jesus. Do you see the children going through? Do you see the line of Saints going through? In that silhouette, is Jesus facing you or walking ahead of you? How many of those Saints on the stairs found JOY and PEACE while looking for Jesus and his Father in Brahman? “Unknown at this time. Try again later.” (After the Resurrection is my guess.) You see, that’s God’s decision, not ours, so however anyone finds Jesus means someone found him somehow, and that’s what it’s all about: Repent and believe the Gospel. (↔ Music Link) It’s in the APP. Belovéd, I LOVE that APP because I LOVE the God who made it. If we don’t use it, we lose it – and everything else!
There are so many folks these days who believe they can save themselves, or even that there nothing to save because when you’re gone, you’re gone, and you’re not coming back. Alas and alack, we have no say in that. I’m going to stick in a fairly long passage from last week’s Gospel. It will demonstrate that when it comes to God’s commands, the rules are the rules. Look around the world, watch the evening news (if you can bear it), and see how many MILLIONS of people are determined to go to Hell because of their lack of chastity and love of immorality, or their penchant for the murdering of innocents, or ensnared in pride, envy, lust, and greed. We who stand on the stairs are divided from them because Jesus (who IS God) says so:
Matthew 10:34-40 – 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword [of division].
35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. *
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
*See Micah 7:1-8 which Jesus references here and also in Luke 12:51:53
No one comes to the Father except through me. If we wear the insignia of Christian on our shoulders, we are in the King’s Army so “Onward Christian Shoulders,” the Church of God. When we are ready, we will hear from him: Luke 22:28-30 – 28 “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“God would not cut us off like that. He is a God of Love and Mercy.” True; but only if you accept his Love and Mercy by following the rules. Our ancestral parents intentionally disobeyed ONE of those rules. The result was manifold:
- They learned the difference between Good and Evil
- They lost the privilege of direct communion with their Creator
- They were exiled from Eden
- They entered into a very prolonged war against Satan
- They gave up Eternity with God and earned for themselves and for us the wage of Sin which is Death.
So, my Belovéd Watchers on the Stairs, who among us is next in line? I keep listening for my number to come up, but it just might be that someone will turn around to see me behind them on that stair and give me the stair stare. I certainly thank you for your patience in getting this far and I will leave you with this:
A Prayer for Help Psalm 12:1-4, 8
1 Please help me, Lord! (↔ Music Link)
All who were faithful
and all who were loyal
have disappeared.
2 Everyone tells lies,
and no one is sincere.
3 Won’t you chop off
all flattering tongues
that brag so loudly?
4 They say to themselves,
“We are great speakers.
No one else has a chance.”
8 But all who are wicked
will keep on strutting,
while everyone praises
their shameless deeds. Remind you of anyone we know?
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible. Used with permission.
PS: The latest “Health Crisis in the World” is not the Monkey Pox. The crisis is in how many have come forward to be vaccinated because their “lifestyle” (more like “death-style”) makes them susceptible or even compromised by the disease. These likely will not be present in the Presence of The Lamb from Whom we receive All that is Good. They are standing in another line on another stairway.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
[i] “The Miracle” an original painting by Rico Fonseca, © 11/25/1972 Rico Fonseca. Contact https://www.universalartprints.com/
