EXPERIENCING RADIANT LOVE - Don Hanley’s Blog #65

I’m afraid the concept and meaning of love in the 21st century have been used carelessly and now, seem to have no meaning. In the 21st century, we frequently hear, “I Love my car.” Or “I just love the way she walks or . . . ”

So, when we say that we must live a life of love as Jesus lived it, it conveys no meaning, or, at least, no meaning that resembles what is meant when we say, “Jesus loves us.” The Greek language helps us here – they have a particular word for the radiant, life-giving love that Jesus talks about. It is AGAPE – it is different from EROS = which is romantic or passionate love. Eros is the exclusive love that brings a male human together with a female human, and together, they help to keep humanity from dying out. I hope my Nazarene group will be open to discussing agape when I visit.

It must have been several weeks since my last visit, when I found only John, Mary, Ruth, Joshua, Julie, and their new baby boy, Isiah. John, who had gone to Jerusalem, informed me that Peter and Paul had visited Jerusalem several weeks earlier. They were still arguing about whether the new non-Jewish followers of Jesus’s teachings needed to be circumcised. Peter said it was essential, and Paul declared requiring it was a hindrance and opposed making it - a requirement. Mary was confused by the disagreement. She felt that Peter understood and fully lived the radiant love that Jesus lived, and she hoped his followers would likewise have the same experience. She thought that Paul was still learning and had a way to go to fully experience Jesus's radiance. She was sure Jesus never believed that everyone must be circumcised. After all, women could not be circumcised as men were, and she was sure many more women fully lived Jesus’ radiant love. Of course, she stated this privately only to the small flower garden group. She asked me, “Don, did this Hitler fellow also kill Jewish women?”

“I’m afraid so, and he said he wanted to rid the world of these creatures.”

“Why did he choose to eliminate only the Jews?”

“Oh, he also wanted to rid the world of dark people from Africa, homosexual men and women, Gypsys, and anyone he disliked. I think Jews were the most numerous and the kind of group he could build his cult of hatred around.” I took a deep breath and added, “I am glad and proud that we, people in my country of the United States, went to war to stop the Nazis in Germany. Millions of people had a little to a great deal of Jesus’s and Yahweh’s radiant love.” John asked, “Did they all believe that they must kill the people who followed this Hitler Emperor?”

“Most did, I believe, but some helped the war effort but would not kill people.”

Mary said, “You mentioned homosexual men and women. I believe that some Jews and many other tribes hate them also.” She turned to John, “What did Jesus say about homosexuals, John?”

“I don’t remember him saying anything, but I’m sure he did not hate them or condemn them in any way. Don, what do your Christians of the 21st century say about them?” I started to answer, and I was glad to disappear this time. So suddenly. Please . . .

Keep an open mind and heart, meditate on this issue, and avoid devouring the words while still enjoying your pancakes. Oh, and give me a comment.

WAS PETER, JESUS’S OLDEST APOSTLE, THE FIRST POPE? - Don Hanley’s blog #63

After returning to the 21^st Century, I immediately realized I had failed to ask Peter whether Jesus had appointed him the first Pope. I mean the one supreme person who would lead the early Christian church and be followed by carefully chosen future popes or spiritual leaders. That question would have been even more critical about a hundred years ago, but it was still necessary. I just learned that our present Pope, Francis I, has appointed over 20 new Cardinals who will elect a new Pope soon. Francis still had a role in determining what Catholic people believed was proper behavior – like birth control, homosexuality, the appointment of bishops, and qualifications of candidates for priesthood, such as having women priests, and many other practices. 

My feelings were answered quickly as I sat with Mary, John, Paul, and Peter that night. I was glad Mary was always there for our gatherings, for we men needed the feminine touch that the Church still required. I remembered an old seminary prof. who often said, “The wheels of the Church turn very slowly, gentlemen.” Two thousand years seemed too slow for me. Mary put out her hand to me, and I took it. I kissed her on the cheek and then touched the hands of the three Apostles. I told Peter, “I am so glad you are still here, Peter. I failed to ask you what Jesus said to you so that you and the others accepted the idea that you, Peter, were the number one person to make sure his mission and message stayed alive for all mankind.” 

Peter looked at me with astonishment. “Did Jesus say that I, alone, would be responsible for telling all followers of Jesus exactly how to live and what to believe if they were to be faithful followers?” I nodded and noticed that Paul nodded and looked interested, and John and Mary paid attention and shook their heads a bit. Peter said, “First, where did you get a wild idea like that?”

I’m sure I looked more than a bit astonished and wide-eyed as I answered, “Well, uh, first, I’m from the 20th century, and I have been a Catholic Christian follower of Jesus all of my life and all followers like me have been taught that you, Peter, were the first Pope – the supreme leader of the Church. John and others have said that Jesus put his hand on you and said, ‘You are Peter, the Rock, upon you I will build my Church.’ I quoted Matthew’s Gospel to him. “What do you make of this?”

“That doesn’t sound right.  Jesus never talked like that. That sounds more like Matthew – Matt probably wanted to make sure that he would not become the first leader of the followers. I do remember Jesus telling me that I should keep his followers together and stay connected and helpful to one another. His basic message is simple: All people everywhere are born with the power to love and help one another. To realize and use that power, we must live a life of creativity and compassion. I believe He believed people often did not allow themselves to be as loving and kind as possible.  Jesus never made statements or commandments other than the ‘love oneself and one another’ commandments that everyone must follow.  John, what do you think about this?” John said, “I agree with you, Peter. Jesus did not want to make demands on us; we should be compassionate and kind to one another. I know he was very disappointed with Judas, but I never heard him ever condemning him. And Peter, I’m so glad you apologized to him after you denied knowing him when he was arrested. That had hurt him greatly, but he forgave you easily, did he not?” Peter, looking at the ground, murmured, “Yes.”

There was a relatively long silence, and I hesitantly broke it with: “So, if I understand this leadership issue, Peter, Jesus did designate you as the one He hoped would continue his journey and his healing message of radiant love among his followers. Would you agree?”

“Yes, I would agree with that, and I must insist that it was not his words that were the most important but the practice of spreading the knowledge and the practice of being kind, compassionate, and connected. Jesus did not want to be an icon of any kind, nor to be adored or worshipped, but for his followers, he should be a conveyer of the human and divine love that he hoped he had shown.” John nodded in agreement. And, for the first time, it seemed that I disappeared in a timely fashion . . . 

Be like Peter and radiate your kindness and compassion, and don’t just talk about the words and radiate!

SON OF GOD - Don Hanley’s blog #62

I have lived my entire life being devoted to Jesus, whom I believe was and is the Son of God. And I am also happy to learn that I, too, am a son of God. I don’t think I will ever feel bold enough to be able to put a capital “S” in front of Son - when I say I am a son of God, too.

I learned that Jesus wanted all humans to realize that they had the power to connect with others. He inspired me to live and be like him, to realize my giftedness to love and connect with others, and not be afraid to live as fully and happily as possible.

Now, this was NOT taught to me in my religion classes – from First grade in my two years in Catholic elementary school through post-graduate theology classes that I was required to take to become a priest. What I learned in the First grade was that I was a weak and sinful person who must understand that I must turn to the Son of God named Jesus, His Father who lives in Heaven, and the Holy Ghost (later changed to Holy Spirit). All three of my Gods were rather ghostly figures I could only think of as fearsome fellows out to get me. I was repeatedly told that I must obey all their dictates and rules. And these commands I must and could learn as they were taught by the priests and nuns and in the books (catechisms) they recommended and commanded that I read.

I learned that my brothers and sisters (I had seven of them) learned similar lessons, as did many other Catholic kids and even non-Catholic Christian kids. I saw several movies that depicted priests and nuns who were far kinder and more compassionate than the ones I had encountered, so when I was twelve years old, I decided to become a priest. And then, as a priest, I would change how Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit were operating in our earthly worlds. My blog editions are my feeble attempt to tell a different story about Jesus, His Mother, and His close followers. Please allow your mind and spirit to roam free and share it with me and any other thoughtful person.  And, of course, feel free to disagree with me whom a bishop condemned/ordained me a Free Thinker. I will share some ideas with Mary, John, and whoever is visiting.

A new and older fellow with Mary, Paul, and John was in the flower garden. I kissed Mary on the cheek, and she took my hand and said, “Don, I would like you to meet Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples.” I put out my right hand to Peter, who took it with his right hand and helped me sit between him and Mary. He said, “I have been discussing you with John, Mary, and Paul. It seems that I am blamed for starting an organization that has strangled and tangled up all of Jesus’s teachings.”  He said this with a smile, so I guessed John and Mary did not portray me as a destructive thinker.

I was glad to learn that Mary and John were seeing me as a friend and ally and not, in any way, an enemy. “Yes, Peter, you are in all the histories of the Christian Catholic Church as the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. A top-rated book entitled ‘Shoes of the Fisherman' depicts a fictitious 20^th-century Pope who, it seems to me, was more like you, Peter, than all the recent Popes. Many of the Popes from about 300 to 1900 were more like political kings than followers of Jesus.”

“I don’t understand most of what you just said, Don. You will need to help me understand.” He said this genuinely and questioningly, and I really liked him very much. I spent the entire time talking about the history of Jesus’s teachings since the Apostolic times. Paul joined Peter as one of my two students. It seemed like hours later that I finally just disappeared during our discussions. So now . . .

Keep nurturing your heart and opening your mind, and avoid eating the menu and enjoying and sharing your banquets.

HEY ALL YOU MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GO - Don Hanley's blog #60

Before I get into the Messiah question, I want to know what John says about the prayer, Our Father. I understood Jesus Himself wrote it.

Only Mary, John, and Paul were sitting in the garden when I arrived, and it looked like they were waiting for me. That felt good as I touched each one of them. I had gotten used to touching people affectionately since I began my Nazareth visits. I think more folks back in the States should do that – along with dancing and singing. Anyway, I asked John about the Lord’s prayer. He wasn’t sure what prayer I was referring to, and I recited the English prayer I had muttered too quickly a million times: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Amen.

I didn’t recite the ending that had been added centuries later – "...for Thine is the Kingdom" and so on.

John rubbed his chin, “I remember that prayer. It has some beautiful sentiments, and I think it is probably the same prayer Jesus asked a few of us to help him with it during his last year of life. Of course, none of us knew then that it would be his last year, so I think we came up with these words – they sound less two-worldly than your version. Anyway, it goes like this.

OUR FATHER WHO IS COMPLETELY FULL OF LIFE, WE HAVE YOU IN OUR LIVES AND OUR HEARTS. MAY WE CONTINUE TO USE YOUR STRENGTH AS WE WORK TO SUSTAIN OUR LIVES. AND MAY WE HAVE YOUR ABILITY TO HELP THOSE WHO HARM US AND OTHERS AND INSPIRE US TO DO AS WELL AND EVEN BETTER THAN WE DO NOW - FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS. AND GIVE US THE ABILITY TO SEE WHERE AND WHEN WE MAY FAIL SO WE MAY AVOID FAILING TO DO WHAT IS MOST LOVING.”

I, Mary, and Paul clapped when John was finished, and Paul said, “I think all of you, even you, Don, have had the Father’s energy; I’ll say ‘grace,’ as you have helped me these past many weeks. I hope I can keep those words in my mind and my heart. John, do you have them written down?”

John smiled and said, “Paul, I have them written in my heart.” He chuckled, adding, “I will write them down in Hebrew and Greek. How’s that?” He paused and said, "The one you recited for us, Don, is shorter and easier and also beautiful, so, let's keep both of them."

Mary smiled when she said, “Don, you told us that you even have a prayer directed to me—as if I were some God. Please tell Paul about that one and let me tell him what I think. I’ll let myself be embarrassed.”

“How about hearing me sing it?” I looked around at my trio of friends, and they nodded. “There are many musical versions, and I like this one best. I’ll sing it in Latin, but our translating angel will translate it for you, Mary, and John. Paul will understand it. I sang Gounod’s Ave Maria.” I’ll write the English version for this writing: “Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed art thou among 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.” 

The three listeners clapped and congratulated me on being able to sing it so well. Mary nodded and said, “I love the song as you sang it and dislike being called the ‘mother of God’. I am the mother of an extraordinary guy and proud of him. I still believe that he has tuned into our Father, and we can tune into Him and Our Father by loving and having compassion and being co-creators of and for all creation.” She slowly made eye contact with us, and we all held hands. 

I said, "Mary, how about this idea: all women who are mothers should be called 'Mothers of God' for they are the care-givers of the presence of a person who is a Son of God or Daughter of God?"... before I could hear their responses, I Againthe first time, I disappearaed. So, please . . . 

Make a special place in your heart for all creation and be one with it. And don’t just worship words on a page, but radiate love for all that IS.

FINDING GOD = ENJOY YOUR PANCAKES AND LIFE! - Don Hanley’s blog #61

Ever since I first saw that horrifying picture of GOD the FATHER sitting on a marble throne above the altar in our church before I was six years old, I have been searching for an understanding of God. Indeed, I kept thinking, he could not look or be like that terrible picture. Now, at age 91, I’m still searching. And I know there cannot be a picture but a creative force that can enable me to live a full life.

I have had the wonderful experience of becoming a friend of a Zen priest and teacher. I was having breakfast with him recently, and as I poured syrup over my pancakes, I asked him, “How do Zen Buddhists characterize God?” He looked at me and answered, “Enjoy eating your pancakes.”

Seeing me looking more than a bit confused. He smiled and continued, “In Zen thinking, we do not need a clear picture or understanding of God to have a full life and do the right thing.” I told him of my experience with the word “right” – right must be in the Bible or traditional and official Catholic teachings. He replied, “It is not ‘right’ because of some pronouncement, commandment, or declaration from outside us but the thinking and the urging within us that allows us to sustain our lives and our connections to other persons and all creation. We are congruent with ourselves and with all there is.”

That felt so right, and I wanted to share it with John and Mary and see how it fits with what they believed Jesus taught. I sat with Mary, John, Paul, Ruth, and Julie the next night. Joshua was working with a neighbor to fix his roof. For the first time, Paul got up and hugged me just as John had done. He wasn’t used to hugging, but it felt good anyway. After catching up on one another’s weekly goings on, I shared with them my friend’s thought that to find God, we need not have any deep thoughts about God or have a clear picture of Him, but do what we need to do in our lives – from eating our food, walking with our family and friends, and, well, doing positive things that help us and others have pleasant lives. I then asked if that would fit with what Jesus believed.

Mary immediately said, “Yes. I remember hearing Joseph put himself down because he was uneducated or very intelligent. I told him he was wise, and Jesus, only about ten years old, said the same thing. Jesus said that it seemed to him that his father was very much in line with what God wanted for all of us – to be relaxed and comfortable with doing our everyday chores and being helpful. And I remember him saying, “And Dad, I have never seen you do any harm to anyone or even to any animals.” And after a minute, he added, “Well, I did see you kill a poor chicken, but I guess that is good because it helped us to stay alive.” Joseph hugged him.

Paul said, “Sometimes a parent must punish a child for misbehaving, does he not?”

I responded, “I don’t think so. My Zen friend, I believe, would say that if we are in the right way, we will not use punishment to correct a child. I imagine Jesus would agree. Isn’t that true, Mary?”  Both she and John told Paul that Jesus would agree with me. We continued to discuss what we need to do to continue being peaceful and joyous beings with others.

Usually, it was Mary, John, and me versus Paul. As usual, there was more to say, but I disappeared. So . . . 

Continue being the peaceful traveler and heartfelt friend and not eat the menu but enjoy the banquet of life.

OUR FATHER WHO IS NOT IN HEAVEN - Don Hanley’s blog #59

I'm reading a very enlightening book, QUANTUM THEOLOGY, by Diarmuid O’Murchu. I’m sure that’s not a household name. But he is a very clear writer and writes in English. The first writer who introduced me to the idea that God is present throughout reality was Teilhard de Chardin, who wrote in French and translated into English. I found it very difficult to understand, but when I read him in l960, he inspired me to stay in the seminary and continue studying for the priesthood. I liked the theory that debunked the traditional European idea that there is a three-decker universe = Earth – here, where I am sitting; Heaven – where God sits on His throne and fiddles with earthlings; and where we’ll go if we’re good, and Hell – where we’ll go if we are bad.

I wanted to ask John and Luke what Jesus had said about the nature of the Father.

I learned that Luke had returned to Jerusalem with the surgeon, and Paul was feeling better. He, John, Mary, Ruth, Joshua, and Julie were happily chatting on a beautiful day as they sat in Mary’s flower garden in Nazareth. After the greetings, I turned to John and said, “You spent many hours with Jesus, and I’m wondering how Jesus viewed our heavenly Father and told you of his thoughts.”

John glanced at Paul and said, “I’ve been talking with Paul almost non-stop about Jesus since he woke up from his coma. And I told him that Jesus only called God, “Father” and once I heard him use the Mosaic term YaHWeH as has been customary among us Jews.” Paul added, “And you said that he never talked about the Father as if he was in a place you just called ‘heaven.’ John said Jesus would look up toward the sky to indicate that he thought that the Father is above us, but not on a different plane of existence.”

Paul nodded in agreement and John continued, “He and I were both impressed by the holy men in the east who made it clear that God as they envisioned him was with us at all times and everywhere – even with all animals and all of nature. And why do you ask?”

“For centuries and even now, many Christians believe that there is a triune, or three-person God; that is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And that all three sometimes answer our prayers of petition if we are properly disposed.”

“Wow, that is something different; the first three persons are only one god, and they sometimes ‘answer’ our prayers? Do you mean perform miracles and give us some kind of special gift? Like what?” John asked, and Luke nodded.

“If I’m sick, I might pray that God will make me well. Or that Jesus will give us a boy-child when my wife is pregnant. Things like that.”

Luke looked at John and said, “Well, Jews have always done that, but it was more a prayer of hope than a petition, I think. What do you think, John?”

John nodded and said, “I agree and added that he thought some folks expected more, and if God didn’t grant their wishes, it meant that God did not love them or, more likely, that they were not favored by God. If I am talking with someone who thinks that, I try to convince them that God does not think like that.  We have encountered many people who think that Jesus will heal them if they touch him or even his cloak or something. Jesus discourages that and encourages them to love and care for others, and their lives will be positive and blessed. How do you respond to them in your day?”

“I respond the same way you do; sometimes they listen, and sometimes they even turn away from any belief in Jesus or God. Too often, they have little faith in their lovability and power and give up hope. And that makes me sad, and I was about to ask John about Jesus’s view on the Messiah, and damn it–I disappeared too soon, I often had that thought, anyway, keep . . . 

Nurturing your heart and hope. Do not eat the menus; share your banquet of hope and acceptance.