THIRD ADOLESCENCE & BACK TO NAZARETH–Don Hanley’s blog #99

The Third Adolescence is our growing phase, spanning approximately from age twelve to twenty-five. This is the time when a person begins to take on a separate and unique identity, often driving their parents batty. I was glad to hear the professor state that this phase of human development lasts until age 25, not 18. But the news media – print and television – continue reporting 18-year-olds as ‘men’  and ’women’ rather than boys and girls.

An 80-year-old Vietnam War veteran told me he was drafted into the army at age 20 and was sent to Vietnam. He said that if he had thought what he thinks now, he would have gone to prison rather than go into that war.  Art Buckwald, a news columnist at that time, wrote that the way to end the war was to draft 35- to 50-year-old men, rather than 18 to 26-year-olds. Buckwald realized that 18 – 25-year-olds were still boys. I finally got the answer to my question, “What’s the matter with those guys?” as I watched the newsreel showing hundreds of men, really boys, marching and saluting Hitler in 1943. They were impressionable boys taught to obey their teachers and other ‘masters’. As I write this, I am aware that we, here in the U.S., now have a similar kind of ‘master’ and training program in place in our schools—and in too many families.

Reflecting on my own young life, I realize that I did not have a well-nurtured infancy and childhood, and I began to feel like a young adult when I was eleven. I ignorantly began to have disdain for those ‘silly’ students who seemed to play around all of the time. I even worked as a student and did find some awkward ‘joy’ in learning. Of course, I received many ‘attaboys’ from teachers and other adults.

I took a break from my writing and decided to take a nap. I was happy to have a dream that took me back to the first century after Jesus was murdered, and here’s the wondrous dream: I’m back visiting with Mary, Jesus’s mom, and John and their current visitor, Peter, Jesus’s oldest pick to be an apostle. Mary greeted me with her usual warmth, “Well, Don, we have missed you for a while. Welcome back to Nazareth, and this is Peter, whom I think you’ve met.” I nodded and she continued, “Peter told us that he has somehow been appointed the lead follower of my Son’s apostles and other followers, and he was telling John and me about a dream he had last night. Peter, please start over so Don may hear it from the beginning.”

Peter did, “Well, Don, I had a very revealing dream that we may all learn from about our friend, Jesus. As you may know, I was a dismal coward when the Romans arrested Jesus, and I am very ashamed of that. I had a dream that corrected that for me. In my dream, after Jesus died there on the cross, I ran up to Mary…” Peter nodded to Mary and continued, “…as she was crying at the foot of the cross where Jesus was still hanging, although he had died.” Peter stopped and wiped away his tears, and then added. “In my dream, an archangel came to Jesus as he awaited his execution in the Roman cell and said, “Jesus, you are beloved of God, our Father, and he is giving you a choice – you may avoid this horrible death on a cross if you choose to accept a gift of a weapon that all of your followers may use to kill in seconds. They can kill in seconds all of those who do not believe in you, Jesus, and your message, or refuse to follow Him. All you need to do is say ‘yes’ to this proposal and use it to rid the world of those who do not believe in you and your message instantly. If  you say ‘Yes’ to this gift, you will avoid the terrible execution the Romans have for you.” 

The angel did not need to wait for Jesus’s response, for immediately, Jesus said, “I desire that all humans and all God’s creation are united in a bond of Love with Our Father. I, and I hope. all of my followers will choose to die for me and  my message of love and for our God, our Father, rather than kill for us.” The angel did not look disappointed when he vanished.

I was amazed by the dream and said, “Peter, thank you very much. I love that dream, and many of Jesus’ followers throughout the centuries have made the same choice that Jesus did. Many choose love, and, unfortunately, many choose to kill for Jesus. I left Nazareth before I could thank Mary and Peter. Now . . .

Take a moment and look at your own choices and your opportunities to say ‘yes’ to Jesus’ message of love – and don’t just eat the menu.

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!