I REFUSE TO BE A “GOD-FEARING” MAN – Don Hanley's blog #54

When I was back in my walking-around world, I attended a Christian, non-Catholic funeral of my lifelong friend, a dedicated Methodist. He had been a wonderful, friendly, joyous, and life-giving fellow whom I will miss greatly. The minister was much more conservative than my friend. He called John a ‘God-fearing man.’ That was a term I disliked and never used.

One time, I looked it up, and, historically, it did not mean to be afraid of God, but it did mean being very conforming to all the traditional Christian commandments – and there were hundreds more than ten. I was sure my friend John would not consider being God-fearing a compliment.

When I got home from the funeral, I picked up an inspiring book entitled Anam Cara by John O’Donoghue and read this:

A Blessing for the Senses

“May your body be blessed.

May you realize that your body is a faithful and a beautiful friend of your soul.

And may you be peaceful and joyful and recognize that your senses are sacred thresholds.

May you realize that holiness is mindful, gazing, feeling, and touching.

May your senses gather you and bring you home.

May your senses always enable you to celebrate the universe and the Mystery and possibilities in your presence here

May the Eros of the Earth bless you”.

Now, that would have been a far better thing to say than telling us that John was a ‘God-fearing man!’ I decided to take this to my next meeting with Mary and the others at our next dream meeting.

I didn’t have to wait long. I sat in Mary’s flower garden with John, Luke, Paul, Ruth, Joshua, and Julie that evening. Julie was the first one to speak, “I don’t know what that funeral guy was thinking, but as my grandma Mary would say, ‘He’s full of prunes.’” I don’t know how the translator angel said it, but everyone laughed, and I said, “Julie, you are so smart, and I agree with you.” She grinned, came over to me, and hugged me.

John said, “Jesus, as I’m sure you know by now, never wanted anyone to live in fear. He wanted us to do everything we do out of love and kindness, never out of fear or because we think he or anyone else said he or she should do it. I can’t stress that enough.” Paul asked, “But didn’t he say we must love others to get to heaven and be with God, our Father?”

John responded, “Not in the way you seem to be saying – as we must conform to some commandment, but that we do whatever we do because we are living a life of loving kindness and being one with the spirit or grace of the Father. For those who love, we don’t need to think about it; we must act just like breathing.”

John stopped, took a noisy deep breath, and said, “I just decided to take that noisy breath, but I do not need to do that every time I breathe. If I did, I would not stay alive very long. I breathe, and now, after spending time with Jesus and with Mary, Joshua, Ruth, Julie, and others, I am loving. The big difference between breathing and loving is that in love, we need others to help us keep in touch or connect with others – literally or in our memorial experience.”

Luke, John, and Paul continued to discuss what it means to be a loving person, and I was enjoying it a great deal—darn it, I disappeared.

Now, nurture your heart, breathe, and reflect on your menus. Enjoy the banquet of love, and then do something positive!