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.