Celebrating All Saints Day on XXXI Domingo, A - an Eschatological Vision of the Growing Communion of Saints, Face to Face with the Triune God

 All Saints Day Scripture Reading Summary:

While the First Reading (Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14) gives an eschatological vision of the Saints, who are in the great multitude, standing before the throne and Christ the Lamb, strong and resilient to have endured challenges, and pure, to say the least, the Gospel Reading (Matthew 5:1-12a) reminds that the Saints have been beatified first by the loving God amidst their challenges in life. The Second Reading (1 John 3:1-3) tells that the Saints are also children of God, who have latched their hope in Christ and become pure like Christ. And the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 ) reflects and sings our hearts’ desire to become saints – to receive His blessing and to see God in person in His holy place, having become pure.

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This year, 2020, the 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, coincides with All Saints Day. Usually, when a Saint’s feast day falls on Sunday, Mass is celebrated according to the Sunday Missal. No feast celebration Mass for a Saint.

Sunday is Lord’s Day for Christians– Domingo. It is Christian Sabbath to be kept holy (Exodus 20:8; cf. Dies Domini). No Saint can take a day of the Lord (Domingo) as he is greater than any Saints. However, our Lord Jesus Christ is kind and gracious to let All Saints have their feast celebrated even it falls on his day.  So, we are celebrating All Saints Day in place of the XXXI Domingo.

Those who are honored and celebrated on All Saints Day are not limited to the canonized Saints but countless anonymous saints.  According to the First Reading (Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14), the countless Saints are described as the great multitude from all nations, representing every culture, language, race, and so forth. The

Saints we honor and celebrate are from and of all nations (Revelation 7:9). Does this ring a bell to connect it to elsewhere in the Scriptures?

When the risen Jesus made the apostolic commissioning for his disciples just before his ascension, he commanded them to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). And, as described in Revelation 7:9, the Saints in the great multitudes are from every nation, tribe, people and language. It means that the Saints are also disciples first, just like Peter, James, and John, and other fishermen in Capernaum were and any of us, who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and ben catechized with the Word.

Making disciples of all nations, people of all races, languages, cultures, and so forth, as commanded by Jesus, when the first group of the Disciples is to be made into the first batch of the Apostles, also symbolized with the 153 large fish caught in the net that Peter dragged (John 21:11; cf. Ezekiel 47:10), as the number 153 is believed to represent all nations at that time.  And, Peter, the chief of the Apostles was made into a fisher of men and women (Matthew 4:19; Luke 5:10). The fish caught in the net of Peter the fisherman by the Apostles, starting with Peter’s Pentecost Speech (Acts 2:14-41) were the early disciples bound for the sainthood.  And, this net of Peter has been passed on to us since we said “Yes” to Jesus’ call for an apostolic life out of our own volition for the Sacrament of Confirmation, receiving the Holy Spirit to be empowered and Jesus’ commissioning commandment in Matthew 28:19.

We are altogether in making potential saints through our apostolic life, sharing the Word in Jesus’ Gospel with joy, as light and salt of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). This way, we are also bound to become saints, together with those whom we reach out on our apostolic missions, as the original Apostles had done. And, this is how the Communion of Saints, namely, the Church, have been formed and continues to grow to become the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-9; cf. Ephesians 5:22-27).

The First Reading also describes another important factor of Saints. And it is the fact that they have endured the period of great tribulations (Revelation 7:14)

According to the Book of Revelation, the period of the great trials comes as three sevenfold challenges: the seven seals opened by the Lamb; the seven trumpets by seven angels; the seven bowels by seven angels, spanning from chapter 6 to 16. Then, all the enemies of Christ the Lamb and his Church (his Bride, the Communion of Saints) will come out and exposed and fall (Revelation 17-18), followed by the matrimonial union of Christ the Lamb, victorious King of the Universe, and his Bride, the Church born on Pentecost, the Communion of Saints (Revelation 19), destruction of Satan and all his guilty collaborators in the Lake of Fire, namely, the hell (Revelation 20), and entering into the Kingdom, New Jerusalem, New Eden - the happy end of our exodus journey of faith (Revelation 21-22). This is our destiny as saints, joining those who have gone before us, becoming Saints, standing before Christ the King, the Lamb of God, and his throne, seeing the face of God the Father, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is upon the nuptial union of Christ and His Bride and union of the children of God with God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as Jesus desires (John 14:20; 17:21).

The journey from being disciples by becoming children of God through the Sacrament of Baptism to become apostles through the Sacrament of Confirmation to the sainthood is rather a long journey, which can take far longer than entire lifespan on earth. And, many of us may have to go through Purgatory to assure the purity – completely washing our robes with the blood of Christ the Lamb (Revelation 7:14; 22:14), while going through refining trials (i.e. 1 Peter 1:7; Isaiah 48:10).

Basically, the First Reading tells that Saints, who are worthy to stand before Christ and his throne are the faithful disciples, as well as apostles, having made themselves clean and pure, as symbolized with the white robe, washed by the blood of Christ, and refined by trials and tribulations, including persecution.

The Gospel Reading picks and reflects those who are bound to become saints but amidst trials and tribulations. It also assures that their struggles during trials and tribulations in the world are not in vain but that God is blessing them. These words in the First Reading are the opening kerygma of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and he spoke of the Beatitudes – the blessedness – what it means to be blessed. And, this beatification is what all Saints had received on their way through series of trials and tribulations, refining themselves to be pure and to become Saints.

I   Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

II  Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

III Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

IV Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnes,

for they will be satisfied.

V  Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

VI  Blessed are the clean of heart, 

for they will see God.

VII Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

VIII Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

(IX ) Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

 Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven.   Matthew 5:1-12

There are eight types of the faithful disciples and apostles reflected in Jesus’ statement of the Beatitudes: those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who seek righteousness (justice), those who are merciful, those who are of clean heart, those who are dedicated to make peace, and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness of God (God’s justice) and because of Christ. Notice that Jesus did not say, blessed are the rich and powerful and those who feel “happy”. This reminds us that blessedness (beatitude) in the eyes of God and “happiness” in a worldly sense are not necessarily the same.

 In fact, these eight representative types of beatified faithful disciples and apostles are struggling and fighting for justice of God – the righteousness and doing the works of mercy in their observation of the commandment of love. So, they are humble (poor in spirit) and gentle (meek) and compassionate enough to mourn with those who mourn.

These eight types of beatified ones, reflected in the Gospel Reading also reflect Ecclesia militans (the Church fighting against evil forces) and Ecclesia poenitens (the suffering Church) before becoming Ecclesia triumphans (the triumphant Church).

 God blesses Ecclesia militans and Ecclesia poenitens, as the Gospel Reading reflects. And, as Jesus said, the Church will enjoy great reward for going through the fighting for God’s justice and defending the truth in Christ’s teaching and enduring suffering through the refining trials and tribulations. And the First Reading gives an eschatological vision of Ecclesia triumphans, which is a preview to what is envisioned from Revelation 19 on. 

 The Gospel Reading on the Beatitudes also promises the rewards given to those who are beatified amidst their struggles in fighting and suffering on their way to the victorious sainthood to stand before the victorious Christ the King and his throne. They will enjoy the rewards of comfort, mercy, fullness, and the privilege to be the children of God in order to inherit the Kingdom that Christ reigns, where they also see the face of God.

 The Second Reading (1 John 3:1-3) picks on purity from the First Reading, symbolized with the white robe, washed by the blood of the Lamb, worn by the multitude of Saints (Revelation 7:14) and one of the eight types of those who are beatified, as reflected in the Gospel Reading – those who are blessed for their pure hearts (Matthew 5:8).

 This purity is a mark of the children of God, who steadfastly anchors their hope in Christ, according to Paul in the Second Reading. Being the children of God is a character of those who are blessed to make peace, as reflected in the Gospel Reading (Matthew 5:9). Hope in Christ also goes with forbearance to endure trials and tribulation to be refined for purity, which become a new character, moving from Ecclesia militans and Ecclesia poenitens to Ecclesia triumphans, as Paul indicates in Romans 5:3-4.

 As written in 1 Corinthians 13:13, hope goes along with faith and love to make up the theological virtues, in which love is above the other two virtues. Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9), and we wait for the hope of justice by faith through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:5), and God of hope will fill us with peace and joy as a result of believing that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). And, peace and joy that God of hope will fill us through our conviction for the Holy Spirit to keep us in hope also come with love, as well as patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as all of these are in the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

 Being the children of God, anchoring hope in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, receiving faith as a gift of the Holy Spirit, filled with peace, joy, and love, as well as patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we long to see God face to face (1 John 3:2), and this is reflected and sung in the Responsorial Psalm’s refrain: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face, a song of those who are of pure heart (Psalm 24:4). And Jesus has said, “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God  (Matthew 5:8).

 And, yes, when those who are beatified amidst of their fight and tribulations for God’s justice and truth, for their purity, endure and make it all the way to the sainthood, not only they stand before Christ the King and his throne but also see God face to face (Revelation 22:4)?

Wouldn’t we want to meet our Maker and Love, face to face? If so, then, we shall not lose our hope in the shuffles of trials and tribulations but endure with forbearance until we celebrate the victory and attain the necessary purity to become the Bride of Christ and complete Communion of Saints, filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, especially love.

Cross-Shaped Line Dance of Love - Crossing Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 until Christ the King Returns: 30th Sunday A

Here we come! We are now on the 30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time on Liturgical Cycle A, which ends with the week of the 34^th Sunday, which is also known as Christ the King Sunday. We will meet the Lord Jesus Christ as he is coming soon (Revelation 6:16; 3:3,11; 16:15; 22:7,12, 20). And on the 34^th Sunday (Christ the King Sunday), we will celebrate the Parousia. At the same time, we will also be reminded that the judgement will follow his return at the eschaton , as reflected in the Gospel Reading for the 34^th Sunday, A (Matthew 25:31-46; cf. John 5:29; 16:8; 19:29; Revelation 14:7; 20:11-13). What will come besides the judgement upon Christ the King’s return is the consummation of the Kingdom, into which we will be ushered in, passing the judgement (Revelation 21-22).

So, this is where we are heading.

And, the below is the path we have come through recent Sundays Gospel Readings to reach the 30^th Sunday.

From the 25^th Sunday to the 27^th Sunday, we reflected on the Kingdom, which is coming with the King to start heightening our attention to the eschaton as the current Liturgical Cycle’s conclusion draws nearer.  For our reflection on the Kingdom, we have read the three vineyard parables (Matthew 20:1-16 – 25th Sunday; Matthew 21:28-32 – 26th Sunday; Matthew 21:33-43 – 27th Sunday) and one wedding feast parable (Matthew 22:1-14-28^th Sunday). Because we are coming to an end of a Liturgical Cycle, Sunday Gospel narratives are also drawn from the words of Jesus during his last days, as it is the case from the 26^th Sunday on. The Gospel Readings for the 29^th Sunday (Matthew 22:15-21) and the 30^th Sunday (Matthew 22:34-40) directly address how Jesus was challenged and how he fended off traps set by his challengers.

 Jesus has been tested for his interpretation of the Law by Pharisees and  Herodians on paying tax (Matthew 22:15-22)(29th Sunday) , by Sadducees on marriage and resurrection (Matthew 22:23-33), by a scholar of the Law, one of the Pharisees, on the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:34-40)(30th Sunday), and in return, Jesus asked the Pharisees about their view on the Messiah (Matthew 22:41-46).

Starting with the Decalogue (Exodus 20:2-17), the Law that Jesus was challenged to interpret had been given to the Israelites through Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20:1-31:18) and even after coming down from the mountain, in response to the Israelites’ fall to the golden calf idolatry (Exodus 34:1-35:3), before building the Tabernacle.

With all this in mind, let’s delve into the 30^th Sunday Scripture Readings: Exodus 22:20-26; Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40).

A main running theme across these readings is love – the love between God and His most beloved: the humans. We can see throughout these readings how the love runs between God and the human and how it brings us closer into union.

Think of dance - a kind of dance that brings a man and a woman closer and closer – more intimate as the two continue on dancing. 

As a man initiates with his first move toward a woman to get on going, God has initiated the dance of love with us by creating us in His image (Genesis 1:27) and infusing His breath of life into us (Genesis 2:7). Otherwise, we would be nothing but an unanimated object, molded dirt with no life. Thanks to His breath of life, infused into us, we have gained the living soul and thus have become animated to enjoy the dance of love with God. And, our dance hall used to be Eden.

But we quit dancing with God as Satan tempted us to dance rather with him. Perhaps, Satan was jealous of God because we were dancing the love with Him in Eden, until Eve and Adam were fooled by him. So, we began the dance of sin with Satan, and lost our dance hall, Eden. We have been drifted away from God, upon losing Eden. We have been like a bunch of lost sheep as we continue with the dance of sin with Satan.

Did God, who started everything with His love, give up on us? Of course not! As Paul has written, love never dies (1 Corinthians 13:8).

So, God has made countless attempts to pull us from the dance of sin – to pull us away from Satan’s snare. So, He has sent numerous prophets to dance with Him again. So, we returned to Him and resumed the dance of love with God, quitting on the dance of sin. But, again, through Satan’s tricks, we fell back on dancing with Satan.

We have gone back and forth between God and Satan – alternating the dance of love with God and the dance of sin with Satan.

God wants us to dance with Him solo. As we have read in the First Reading for the 29^th Sunday, Yahweh is the only God and there is no other God or god, period (Isaiah 45:5), reflecting the First of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:22). And, this is why we must love God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). In fact, Jesus cited this commandment to love God above all and with all our heart, soul, and strength when he was challenged by a scholar of Law, as in the Gospel Reading (Matthew 22:37). So, putting Exodus 20:22 and Deuteronomy 6:5, we must understand that we cannot fool around with Satan, wasting our life for the dance of sin with him. God, who is love (1 John 4:8, 16), wants us to dance the love only with Him.  

To redeem us from the dance of sin with Satan back to the dance of love with Him, God has sent His only begotten Son – because he so loved us, even though we have defied, betrayed, and disappointed Him countlessly (John 3:16), by incarnating Himself as the Logos in the human flesh (John 1:1) of Jesus, taking the flesh of Mary the Immaculate by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35) to be with us (John 1:14), as Immanuel to fulfill Isaiah 7:14. To bring us back to the dance of love with Him, God the Son in Jesus shed his blood on the Cross and it is also the blood that represents the Divine Mercy (Diary of St. Faustina, 299) and the blood that washes our wedding garment (Revelation 7:14, cf, Matthew 22:11).

God, this time, has shown how strong His love for us is. It is strong enough to have us in matrimonial union with Him through the dance of love with him towards the eschaton, upon the return of Christ the King (Revelation 19:6-9).

Do we want to be at this heavenly wedding with the King upon his return? Then, we must love God with everything in us – with all our heart, soul, and strengths, as Jesus cited Deuteronomy 6:5 as the supreme commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).

But, what is so interesting in the Gospel Reading is that Jesus parallels this supreme commandment of loving God to the second important one, to love our neighbors as ourselves, citing a portion of Leviticus 19:18 (Matthew 22:39). Jesus puts Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 in juxtaposition – as two sides of the same coin to state that these two important commandments of love make the foundation, upon which the entire Torah and prophecy depend (Matthew 22:40).

In the Gospel Reading, Jesus reminds us that the dance of love with God, reflecting Deuteronomy 6:5, which is associated with Exodus 20:22, also directs us to do the dance of love with our neighbors, reflecting Leviticus 19:18.

Why these two commandments of love come together through Jesus?

Remember, we ourselves and our neighbors have been created in God’s image out of His love (Genesis 1:27). And, to show His love, he “kissed” us and infused His life through His breath (Genesis 2:7) so that we can dance the dance of love with Him – so that we can be in matrimonial union with God the Son, Christ the King, the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9).

And by putting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 as the complete twofold commandment of love, we can image the Cross. Our dance of love with God (Deuteronomy 6:5) makes the vertical part of the Cross, while our dance of love with our neighbors, who share the same image of one God as ourselves, (Leviticus 19:18) makes the horizontal part of the Cross. So we know that Jesus the Son has transformed the Cross from the Roman symbol of shameful criminal execution into the powerful sign of invincible love.

So, as we continue the dance of love with God and with our neighbors, while drawing ourselves all together with the neighbors to God as one, responding to Jesus’s desire expressed in John 14:20 and 17:21, we expand this dance of love further with neighbors who do not yet know God, who is love, as the Thessalonians, who began the dance of love with God and with one another upon Paul’s evangelization, as reflected in the Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10). And, the First Reading reminds us that loving God through loving our neighbors means to extend our dance of love to foreigners and other vulnerable populations, such as those who are poor, widowed, and orphaned (Exodus 22:20-26).

When we read and reflect the Gospel Reading on the 34^th Sunday (Matthew 25:31-46) to celebrate the return of Christ the King, we focus on the intersection of the Cross, where Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 cross. We will deepen our understanding on why loving our neighbors as ourselves can be a way of loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength.

The dance of love we enjoy with God through our fellow neighbors, who bears the same image of one God as ourselves, solidifies us as one in order to be in one union with God the Father through the Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit, as the Son is one with the Father (John 14:20; 17:21, cf 10:30), It is the rock-solid love that is invincible and immortal. So, we praise God, who is this strong love, singing the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51).

Let us keep the dance of love – vertically and horizontally – with God and with our neighbors to keep the Cross, until we meet the Lord, our Christ the King on Parousia.

“Be Not Afraid!” - Remembering and Celebrating the Life and Papal Legacy of St. John Paul II

As written in the Gospel Reading to commemorate St. John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła), John 21:15-17, recalls, the risen Lord asked Peter to care for and feed hissheep. In this the Lord Jesus Christ is fully entrusting Peter to pastor his sheep on his behalf. On 16 October, 1978, Cardinal Karol Józef Wojtyła of Krakow was chosen as the 264^th Pope (263th successor of St. Peter) and on 22 October, 1978, he began his papal ministry to take care and feed the sheep of the Lord as Pope John Paul II.

Though Pope John Paul II was a successor of St. Peter, his outreach on his papal mission from 1978 until 2005 was comparable to St. Paul’s extensive mission in the Greco-Roman world in the first century. No other Pope has logged as many miles as John Paul II has. He visited 129 nations on 104 trips during his 26-year reign. This shows that St. John Paul II had the fiery zeal, like St. Paul, to evangelize the whole world, rather embodying these words of Jesus: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Mathew 28:19-20)

In addition to taking care of and feeding the sheep of the Lord in his sheep pen, the domain of the Church, as Pope, St. John Paul II has made extensive outreach mission trips to make more disciples out of all nations to bring what the Lord has called “other sheep”( ἄλλα πρόβατα/alla probate)into the sheep pen of the Good Shepherd (καλός. ὁ ποιμὴν/kalos o poimen) (John 10:16).  So, he reached out to a nation where Catholics make up a tiny portion, such as Japan, where Catholics constitute less than 1% of its population. He was the first Pope to visit Japan, as well as Pakistan, which is another nation where Catholics are in great minority.

Wherever St. John Paul II visited, as St. Paul and St. Peter did, he sowed the life-giving seeds, namely, the Word of the Gospel, to make disciples – to bring other sheep. And to bring sheep lost in communism back to the Lord’s sheep pen.

Communism tried to destroy Christianity and make the ground of the Christian faith too acidic to grow again throughout Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, as a result of St. John Paul II’s tireless and resilient pastoral outreach efforts to sow the seeds of the Gospel and to re-fertilize the ground for the seeds in this region, including his native Poland, Christian faith grew strong and the strengths of this faith growth knocked out communism, as the mustard seed’s growth overthrows a large mulberry tree into the sea (Luke 17:6).

This way to restore Christianity in Eastern Europe by St. John Paul II’s steadfast commitment to the power of the Gospel is reflected on how the Lord’s care restored Zion after the Babylonians had turned this holy city into the land of desolation and abomination, as described in the First Reading (Isaiah 52:7-10) to remember his life and legacy.

Certainly, the papal ministry of St. John Paul II had to overcome countless daunting challenges for its successful completion – just as St. Paul and his companions on missions had to face so many trials. Nevertheless, St. John Paul II never lost his zeal, as St. Paul never lost it, in spite of all adversaries. And, it is attributed to the phrase that St. John Paul II has cited ever since the day one of his papal ministry: Be not afraid. 

In his homily for the Mass of the inauguration of his pontificate on 22 October, 1978, St. John Paul II said:

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ's power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows "what is in man". He alone knows it.

He kept St. Peter in his mind as he delivered these words to the Lord’s sheep throughout the world. St. John Paul II reminded that St. Peter’s mission completed in Rome. And, as the 264^th St. Peter, St. John Paul II began his papal ministry and mission from Rome. As St. Peter had to overcome his own fear on his mission, after being asked and entrusted by the Lord to feed and care for his sheep, as reflected in the Gospel Reading to celebrate St. John Paul II (John 21:15-17), so had this 263^rd successor of St. Peter. And, he had overcome it by citing the Lord’s encouraging words to Peter when he was terrified to be drawn in the stormy sea (Matthew 14:27). For Peter to overcome his fear, he had to open his heart to let Christ and his power in. So, St. John Paul II said in the homily, “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ” to overcome adversaries on the mission.

“Be not afraid!” – this encouraging phrase given to Peter in fear by the Lord was also said by Moses to Joshua, reminding that God will go before him and will never forsake him as Joshua will continue on his dangerous mission (Deuteronomy 31:8), echoed by these words of Jesus to Peter and other disciples for their commissioning as the first batch of the Apostles: Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Let us remember how St. John Paul II relied on the  Lord as he embarked on his extraordinary outreach pastoral mission, constantly reminding, “Be not afraid!”, because the Lord is always with him and us and always lead his and our way of mission, as he was called and as we are called.

St. John Paul II, pray for us – for our courage and strengths to overcome fear!

Imago Dei - Jesus Has Paid for the Price for What Belongs to God to be Repaid

The Roman coin with the image of Caesar on belonged to Caesar. So, it was used to pay tax to Caesar. Then, what about the beings with the image of God (צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים /b'tzelem Elohim – imago Dei)? Namely, whom do we belong to, having been created in the image and light of God?

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“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Matthew 22:21) .

This was the response of Jesus to the Pharisees and the Herodians, whom he called hypocrites, when they asked him if it is lawful for the Jews to pay census tax to Caesar.

Whether to pay census tax for the ruler of the land seems like a no brainer question. If you were a Roman official or a collaborator to the Roman imperial government, this is not even a question as it is non-negotiable and not even an option. Jesus was asked with this Roman tax question not to be tested his civic knowledge for an insult. As Matthew indicates (22:18), the question was given with malicious intent to trap Jesus in his answer so that those who find Jesus to be nuisance would have a legitimate reason to have Jesus either with the Roman authorities or in Jewish religious authorities. The question was meant to force Jesus either to his “yes” or “no” response.

If Jesus had answered “yes”, then, he would be regarded as unfaithful to God. Why so?

Because Caesar represented the pagan foreign power, the Roman Empire, which ruled Judea, the last remaining Jewish nation. To the Jews in Judea, Caesar means the invincible powerful foreign pagan power, ruling them and their nation. In the Roman imperial cult, Caesar was regarded as “divus” (the divine).  Thus, to the Jews who observe the Torah, Caesar could be regarded as a foreign god. Therefore, by paying tax to this foreign pagan power, it would be considered as a violation of Deuteronomy 6:13, which Jesus cited in his response to Satan’s temptation attack, “It is written: the Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10). The Jews were prohibited from serving Caesar, though he was divus ruler to the Romans. Paying a census tax would mean to serve this foreign pagan divinized object, Caesar.

Then, what if Jesus had answered “no” to the Roman tax question?

By answering “no”, the Herodians, who enjoys the benefits from their collaboration to the Roman authorities, would report Jesus to their Roman boss, the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate.  They would report Jesus as a dangerous preacher to the Roman Empire by opposing to pay tax to Caesar, as if he would commit treason against Caesar. Remember, this tax question was given to Jesus with an evil intent to portray Jesus either as an enemy to God or as an enemy to Caesar.

Of course, Jesus did not answer in anyway the Pharisees and the Herodians would have wanted to trap. Rather, he first asked them to show him the coin they use to pay the census tax. And, he asked them whose image and inscriptions on that Roman coin. They answered, Caesar’s.  So, Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”, as if he were telling, “Duah! Why do you guys make things so complicated just because you want me to get in trouble? Back off!”

The above is what you have probably heard from a homily given by your priest or deacon at Mass on the 30^th Sunday on Cycle A as its Gospel Reading is drawn from Matthew 22:15-21. Now, let’s go a bit further from here.

When my brother in Christ and coworker in God’s vineyard, Dr. Leo Jaboni and I were co-teaching on the Gospel text, Bro. Leo reminded that Roman coins had an image of Caesar but each of us, as God’s most beloved Creation, has the imago Dei (צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים /b'tzelem Elohim - the image of God), as it is written in Genesis 1:27.  According to Jesus, the Roman coin belongs to Caesar for having his image on it. Therefore, it was used to pay the census tax to Caesar. Now what Jesus would say to us for having the imago Dei in us with the inscription of His love? To whom do we belong, for having the imago Dei with the inscription of His love?

This is a no-rocket-scientist question to reflect and humbly reminds us of our true identity.

In the Filipino Tagalog culture, self-identity, known as “kapwa”, is understood only in its object relation to another being.  As the beings with the imago Dei with His inscription of love, our true identity is found only in relation to God, to whom we belong for His image in us. Our “kapwa” as Christians is rooted in our relation to God – in our belonging to God, for the imago Dei in us.

Before Original Sin, committed by Eve and Adam, we, the humans, were with God in Eden, as His most beloved Creation, given His life through נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (nishmat chayyim), breath of life (Genesis 2:7). As a man and a woman in love kiss, God put His mouth  and breathed on אֲדָמָה (adamah) (dirt from the ground) molded in His image, infusing His נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (nishmat chayyim) נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים (nishmat chayyim)(breath of life) into אֲדָמָה (adamah) (dirt from the ground) molded in His image to form us, as אָדָם (adam)(human), as נפש חיה (nephesh chayyah)(living being with soul) because of the צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים /b'tzelem Elohim (imago Dei )(Genesis 1:27, 2:6).

Imagine Genesis 2:7 in juxtaposition to a husband kissing his most beloved wife, infusing his love into her. And, in return, what does the wife to her most beloved husband?

This is another no-brainer, non-rocket-scientist question. Of course, the wife will infuse her love to him, in return.

What the imago Dei in us remind us is this intimate relationship that we are blessed to have with God, the Creator, to whom we belong to.

The sin of Eve and Adam has separated us from God, as symbolized with the loss of Eden. However, our core identity  - our belonging to God – the imago Dei with God’s inscription of His love is not erased from us.

We have been like circulating coins in market places in the world. But, we do not belong to these markets. We do not belong to the world, either – unless we willfully erase the imago Dei in us.

As we circulate through the world, we collect dirt and we become dirty. And this may make us forget the צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים /b'tzelem Elohim (imago Dei ) in us.

God wants all of his “coins” that belong to Him back. It means God wants all of His most beloved Creations back to him as He is one with the Son through the Son (John  14:20;17:21; cf. John 10:30), as guided by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15).

Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.

So, the Roman coins with the image of Caesar were repaid to Caesar as they were due through taxes. On the other hand, we, bearing the imago Dei in us, are to be repaid to God. And, the Son has paid for this repayment through his blood on the Cross.

By tempting Eve and Adam to Original Sin, Satan had snatched God’s “coins” from Eden, and Eden was lost.

God had tried and tried to recover these stolen “coins” with His image and inscription, by sending prophets. But, those who had erased the imago Dei killed these prophets, who made the efforts to bring God’s “coins” back to Him on His behalf.

So, God sent His only begotten Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit through Mary the Immaculate, and the Son paid for this redemption of all God’s “coins”.

So, we are fully repaid by the blood of Jesus. Where are we now? Do we find ourselves in God’s coffer or still circulating somewhere in the world? If the latter is the case, do you hear God’s calling, “Turn to me with all your heart…”(Joel 2:12) , “Return to me…”(Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 3:7)? All we have to do is to make a turn from where we are in the world and go back to God, to whom we belong to, from whom we have received the breath of life (נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים /nishmat chayyim). And, as we return to God, we shall be with Him as Jesus the Son is one with Him.  Otherwise, life would be meaningless as reflected in Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 ( cf. James 4:14).

Being in unity with God, whom we belong to, is what our identity – kapwa , as defined in our relation with God, is about and what the צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים /b'tzelem Elohim (imago Dei ) in us reminds us.

To Whom Do You Pledge Your Alliance? - Lesson from Jesus' Response to Caesar-or-God Dilemma-Invoking Question: 29th Sunday, A

 As the end of this Liturgical Year (which ends with the week of the 34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time) draws near, we have been reading the Gospel narratives of what Jesus taught and argued during his last days in Jerusalem, upon his entry into this holy city, where David placed the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:1-19) and where his son, Solomon built the first Temple (1 Kings 6:1-37). So, why did Jesus come to Jerusalem at that time? To build another Temple in his name, because he is God, God the Son of the Father? No. He came to this holy city to die on the Cross and to be raised from the dead to fulfill what had been prophesized in the Old Testament about the Messiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).

Jesus made a triumphant entry into the City of Jerusalem, riding on a donkey colt, while the crowds were welcoming by waving palm branches to fulfill Zachariah 9:9 (Matthew 21:1-11), reflected on Palm Sunday.  Upon his entry to this holy city, according to Matthew, Jesus first cleansed the Temple (Matthew 21:12-16), which had turned into a “den of thieves”(Matthew 21:13; cf. Jeremiah 7;11). This “disturbance” to their “business-as-usual” by Jesus certainly cemented the motive of the hypocrite religious leaders to kill Jesus as they were threatened by his presence and teaching. But, they had to come up with a good reason to kill without having their own hands tainted by his blood.

The cleansing the corrupted Temple was just an “appetizer” for what Jesus came to Jerusalem for. It is to shake up not only the Temple but also those who have corrupted the Temple and did not serve God’s people as God had willed, namely, false shepherds (Zechariah 11:15-17;  cf. Jeremiah 23:1). Thus, Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem and its Temple in his last days means that the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) has come to directly confront false shepherds to start unfolding God’s judgement against them. Therefore, you find Jesus the Good Shepherd arguing with chief priests, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and so forth – false shepherds, until his death on the Cross.

With the above background in mind, let’s review how the Gospel readings toward the end of the Liturgical Year to reflect Jesus’ last days’ arguments against false shepherds and teaching on the eschatological importance are and see to whom he was speaking to.

26th, 27th, 28th Sundays	Matthew 21:28-32 ;21:33-43;22:1-14	Speaking to the chief priests and the elders on the Kingdom of God and their problem with vineyard parables and the parable of king hosting wedding banquet for his son
29th Sunday	Matthew 22:15-21	Speaking to the Pharisees and the Herodians on fulfilling obligation to God and Caesar
30th Sunday	Matthew 22:34-40	Speaking to a Sadducee scholar of law on the greatest commandments on loving God and neighbor
31st Sunday	Matthew 23:1-12	Speaking to his disciples and general public on humility
32nd Sunday	Matthew 25:1-13	Speaking to his disciples on vigilance for the parousia with the parable of the ten virgins
33rd Sunday	Matthew 25:14-30	Speaking to his disciples on stewardship with the parable of the talents in connection to the parousia
34th Sunday (Christ the King Sunday)	Mathew 25:14-30	Speaking to his disciples on the last judgement on our deeds of faith in connection to the parousia

Now, we are on the 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, on Cycle A, which will give its way to Cycle B in 4 weeks. As noted above, the Gospel Reading is taken from Matthew 22:15-21.

In this Gospel narrative, it is indicated that the chief priests and the elders prompted the Pharisees and even Herodians to attack Jesus with a tricky question to trap.

Shortly after Jesus cleansed the Temple, the chief priests and the elders made an inquisition to him on his authority, asking, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?(Matthew 21:23).  Jesus’ response to this was to give them a pop-quiz-like riddle about the origin of John the Baptist on condition to tell them of Jesus’ own authority, if they could answer his question to them. Jesus put them in a dilemma.

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”(Matthew 21:24-25)

If they answer “heavenly origin”, then, they would be accused of not believing in a man sent from heaven. On the other hand, if they answer “human origin”, then they were afraid of losing their authority to the public as they regarded John the Baptist as a prophet and listened to him. But, they did not, as Jesus later pointed out through the parable of the two sons of the vineyard owner, as read on the 26^th Sunday (Mathew 21:28-32). Either way, they would be trapped by this question and their hypocrisy would be exposed. So, they declined to answer. And, Jesus told them that he cannot tell them about his authority (Matthew 21:23-27).

Perhaps remembering this, sent by the chief priests and the elders, who were hard hit by Jesus’ tough question in response to their inquisition on him, the Pharisees and the Herodians came together to Jesus to trap as he had trapped the chief priests and the elders. But, not to sound confrontational or threatening to Jesus, they used flattery akin to argumentum ad superbiam fallacy (Matthew 22:16), asking Jesus, “Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not”(Matthew 22:17). It is like telling Jesus, “Hey, sir, we have heard so many great thing about you.  So, we know you can answer this question and enlighten us”. Of course, Jesus know why they were asking such a question with a little sweet talk, as well as their true malicious intent as to give him a revenge for what he did to the chief priests and the elders. So, Jesus called them “hypocrites”(Matthew 22:18).

Though he was well aware of the hypocrites’ trap, Jesus did not respond to their questions on the lawfulness with no answer, though that was how the chief priests and the elders did to Jesus’ question on the origin of John the Baptist to them.  But, the way Jesus answered to their question utterly defied their expectation to trap him. The question they asked Jesus was to have a justification to put Jesus in trouble either with the Roman authority or the religious authority.

If Jesus answered it is not lawful for pious Jews to support Caesar by paying tax to his empire, as the Pharisee would prefer, then, Jesus could be reported to the Roman authority as an enemy of Caesar. Conversely, if he answered it is lawful to pay tax to Caesar, as the Herodians would want, then, Jesus would face tough religious inquisition to be punished according to the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees hate the Romans and those who submit to the Roman authority, but the Herodians are those who like to benefit from their loyalty the Romans, who occupy their land. The latter are called the Herodians because they are close associates of Herod Antipas, Caesar’s puppet king of the Jew. Herod Antipas is a son of Herod the Great and executed John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1–12).  How ironic it is that those who hate each other come together to trap Jesus with the very reason why they hate one another.

Knowing all this, the way Jesus answered was to ask them to show him a coin they use to pay tax to the Roman authority. So, they showed a Roman coin with Caesar’s image and inscription on. And Jesus asked them, whose image and inscription. They answered, Caesar. Then, Jesus simply said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”(Matthew 22:21) and they simply left in astonishment (Matthew 22:22).

To those who want to trap and kill Jesus, he is still untouchable. He is way too smart for them to catch with inquisition and dilemma question of “either or”.  So, it actually too a betrayer, Judas, who sold him for 30 silver coins (Matthew 26:14-16).

So, what is a point of this Gospel narrative (Matthew 22:15-21) on the 29^th Sunday?

Separation of the Church and state?  To learn a technique to argue and handle a trapping question of dilemma in argument?

Remember, the Gospel Reading corresponds to the First Reading. So, we need to look how we can relate Gospel Reading (Matthew 22:15-21) to the First Reading (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6).

The First Reading text reminds us of God’s supreme power, even over a mighty king of a nation, like Cyrus, who defeated a powerful empire, Babylonia.  Because of His power over everything in the universe, including kings of all nations on earth, God put this pagan king of Persia, to make His will for His people done. Unbeknownst to him, Cyrus functioned as a servant to God’s will to give the Israelites a fresh start upon their return to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. To Cyrus, this was simply for his empire. But, to God, it was for Him – His mercy on His people, though He had to chastise them for their past unfaithfulness through the Babylonian seize of Jerusalem and their exile in Babylon.

To Cyrus, it was simply his administrative business to send the Israelites back to Jerusalem from Babylon and allowed them to rebuild their Temple and worship their God. To God, it was for His will.

Now reflect this on the Gospel Reading and its punch line: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”(Matthew 22:21).  And, transpire your reflection on this to Christ the King Sunday (34^th Sunday).

For now until we depart this world through death, we have dual citizenship: citizenship as indicated in your current valid passport and the ultimate citizenship of God’s Kingdom.

Remember, for the last four Sundays, we have reflected on the Kingdom through Jesus’ vineyard parables. On this Sunday, we ask ourselves in reflection, to whom we are truly loyal or which citizenship matters most. Remember. Whose power and authority is greater? God or most powerful person of a nation, where you find your earthly citizenship?  And, as Jesus did, you can also answer this without getting caught in a dilemma between the Church and a state or God and head of state. Perhaps, a lesson from this reflection of the Gospel Reading and  the First Reading for the 29^th Sunday can be applied in dealing with a dilemma between Creation and evolution.

The Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b) shows Paul’s joy over the Thessalonians coming to believe in God, a fruit of his mission of evangelization bearing a fruit. In this, he also expresses his gratefulness for the Thessalonians working hard with their faith in Christ, coming together fraternally to form an ekklesia.  Yes, this is in God’s will. But, what about the Roman authority and the religious authority, which Paul was in before his conversion? To these authorities, what Paul was doing in the name of God deserved a punishment.  This is why Paul was persecuted both by the Roman authority and the religious authority.  Though he made a legal appeal to Caesar, according to the applicable Roman law as a Roman citizen, Paul did not chose Caesar over God to save his life.

Now you know what to take to your heart on the 29^th Sunday as we are fast approaching to celebrate Christ the King on the 34^th Sunday.

Remember, to whom we give glory and honor in singing the Responsorial Psalm (96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10). 

Let us pray that the head of state of a nation in which you hold earthly citizenship works as a servant of God as His power and authority  are above all. And, our apostolic calling is to make this a reality for the sake of the Kingdom. 

                                                      *****

Who gives you eternal  life? 

Whose Kingdom is the greatest?

Whose Word is not subject to change?

God or Caesar (or whoever like him)? 

Nada te Turbe , Solo Dios Basta, - Let Nothing Disturb You, God Alone is Enough: Psychospiritual Counsel of St. Teresa of Avila, reflected in "The Interior Castle"

 El 15 de octubre es la fiesta conmemorativa de Santa Teresa de Avila (Teresa de Jesus), la primera doctora de la Iglesia.  We celebrate the memorial feast of St. Teresa of Avila, a.k.a. St. Teresa of Jesus, the first female Doctor of the Church), on October 15.

Santa Teresa dijo, "God alone is enough "(solo Dios basta) in her famous prayer, "Nada te turbe"(let nothing disturb you). This echoes what is said in Isaiah 45:5, " Yo soy el Señor y no hay otro; fuera de mí no hay Dios”( I am the Lord and there is no other, there is no God besides me).

This saying of St. Teresa of Avila is also echoed in what St. Ignatius of Loyola famously said in his Sucipe Prayer, "Tu amor y tu gracia, que ésta me basta"(your love and grace, that is enough for me).

¡Sólo Dios, de hecho! ¡Sólo Dios basta! ¡Sólo Su amor y gracia bastan!

With this, nada me faltará (nothing lacks, therefore, I shall not want)(Psalm 23:1). Por lo tanto, ¡Después de todo, Dios es amor!  ¿Qué más necesitamos entonces?  ¡Sólo Dios, de hecho!   Sólo necesito a Dios, mi Señor, mi Buen Pastor.

                                                         *****

St. Teresa of Avila (Santa Teresa de Jesús) sure understood these words of Jesus, spoken at the beginning of his Last Supper Discourse, to her heart: ” No se turbe vuestro corazón; creéis en Dios, creed también en mí”( Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me)(John 14:1). And, these words of Jesus to his disciples on the night before his death must have resonated throughout her heart, mind, soul, and body, when she faced the Inquisition and persecutory attacks against her and had to endure suffering. So, these words of Jesus were reflected in her prayer, known as “Nada te Turbe”(Let Nothing Disturb You), during very difficult time in her life.

Nada te turbe, Nada te espante, Todo se pasa, Dios no se muda,

La paciencia, Todo lo alcanza; Quien a Dios tiene Nada le falta: Sólo Dios basta.

Eleva el pensamiento, al cielo sube, por nada te acongojes, Nada te turbe.

A Jesucristo sigue con pecho grande, y, venga lo que venga, Nada te espante.

¿Ves la gloria del mundo? Es gloria vana; nada tiene de estable,Todo se pasa.

 Aspira a lo celeste, que siempre dura; fiel y rico en promesas, Dios no se muda.

 Ámala cual merece Bondad inmensa;pero no hay amor fino Sin la paciencia.

 Confianza y fe viva mantenga el alma, que quien cree y espera Todo lo alcanza.

 Del infierno acosado aunque se viere, burlará sus furores Quien a Dios tiene.

 Vénganle desamparos, cruces, desgracias; siendo Dios su tesoro, Nada le falta.

 Id, pues, bienes del mundo; id, dichas vanas, aunque todo lo pierda, Sólo Dios basta.

 

Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away: God never changes.

 

Patience obtains all things; whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.

 

Raise your thoughts, look up to Heaven, do not torment yourself about anything, let nothing trouble you.

 

Follow Jesus Christ with all your heart and whatever happens, let nothing frighten you.

 

Do you see the glory of the world? It is a vain glory; there is nothing stable about it, it all passes.

 

Aspire to what is heavenly, it lasts forever; faithful and rich in promises, God does not change.

 

Love Him as He deserves, He is immense Goodness; but there is no true love without patience.

 

Let confidence and a lively Faith uphold the soul; he who believes and hopes obtains all things.

 

Even if he is attacked by all of hell, he who possesses God will foil its attacks.

 

Even if he is abandoned and suffers crosses and misfortunes, if God is his treasure, he will want for nothing.

 

Away with you, then, worldly goods; away with you, vain happiness; even if you lose all, God alone suffices.

 

And, there is a similarity of the above poetic prayer of St. Teresa of Avila to the below prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola, known as “Suscipe Prayer” in his Spiritual Exercises (Ejercicios espirituales).

 Toma, Señor, y recibe mi libertad,

mi memoria, mi entendimiento y toda mi voluntad,

todo mi haber y mi poseer.

 Tú me lo diste,

 a Ti, Señor, lo torno;

todo es tuyo; dispón de ello conforme a tu voluntad.

Dame tu amor y gracia, que esto me basta.

 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

 

You have given it (all) to me.

To you, Lord, I return it (all).

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

that is enough for me.

 What is common in these above prayers of two 16^th century Spanish mystics: St. Teresa of Avila and St. Ignatius of Loyola is: “Sólo Dios basta” (God alone suffices), por que, Su amor y gracia son suficientes – Su amor y gracia bastan (because His love and grace are enough)! ¡Después de todo, Dios es amor (1 John 4:8, 16)! ¿Qué más necesitamos, entonces?

 As you grow psychospirituallyin faith, as St. Teresa of Avila and St. Ignatius of Loyola did, you will have no need and reason to sing, “Nunca es Suficiente” with restless heart and tears, even though you are amidst distress. Both Teresa’s “Nada te Turbe” prayer and Ignatius’ “Suscipe Prayer” were composed when these Saints were going through very difficult time, psychosomatically and psychospiritually, in their respective lives in the 16^th century. Teresa was going through persecution and the Inquisition until pardoned by King Philip II. Ignatius was falling into existential despair, withdrawn to a cave in Manresa. Their “medicine” to cope and grow through such challenges was not found in what we know now as “mental health care” but in their faith, amplifying their sense of humility.

For St. Teresa of Avila, the way she let her faith in Christ work through her sense of humility to boost her resilience in coping with tremendous distress, turned into her journey of spiritual growth, as well as her soul’s journey into the intimate union with Christ. And, she wrote this process for her Carmelites sisters and for us all in 1577.  This writing of hers is titled, “The Interior Castle”( El Castillo Interior/Las Moradas), reflecting the spirit of her “Nada te Turbe” prayer.

 Basically, the prolonging and immense distress that inflicted St. Teresa of Avila was a result of her challenge to the Carmelites order, which was drifting away from its founding spirit. Many nuns at that time were falling lukewarm in their faith and commitment. Their vows were losing their original spiritual zest. And, it was a very difficult time of the Church, as it was also when she faced many challenges, leading to the Protestant Reformation. The distress of Teresa was a result of her efforts to reform the order that she belonged to, the Carmelites, bringing it back to its original spiritual zest, especially its commitment to poverty. Yes, Teresa’s efforts of reform was about “ad fontes”, which, in today, many liberal or progressive Catholics seem to have forgotten, perhaps, misunderstanding the spirit of the Vatican II Council.

Because of her acts out of sense of justice and fidelity to reform the Carmelites order from within, she made enemies even within the Church. Imagine what it would be like to find yourself being accused and attacked not only by those who are outside of your close faith circle but those within, those who are close to you, for doing what is just for the faith community. So, Teresa had to suffer tremendously and for a long time. In fact, it is how she let her steadfast faith in Christ work for her resilience from within and with God’s grace.

As St. Ignatius of Loyola composed his Spiritual Exercises, which includes the aforementioned “Suscipe Prayer”, out of his faith-driven coping with distress in the Manresa cave, St. Teresa of Avila wrote “The Interior Castile” amidst her prolonging distress.

According to her “The Interior Castle”, it is an exodus journey, as well as a journey of soul’s growth toward its perfection, through distress. On this journey toward perfection, we go through Seven Mansions in the Interior Castile, which is a metaphor of soul itself.  To succeed on this journey, umility is a key not only to cope with distress but also to let the soul grow through it. It is about letting go of our tendency to rely on ourselves first and accepting God’s grace more as we come to embracing God more.  Thus, the growth of the soul through distress is consummated with the full union with God in the Seventh Mansions. And in “The Interior Castle”, St. Teresa of Avila describes this full union of our souls with God through a metaphor of matrimonial union. This is the state of perfection and complete freedom – freedom from Satan’s attacks and anxieties. Is, indeed, the state of peace, which Jesus has promised, as the Prince of Peace.

Teresa always sought a refuge amidst distress in facing persecutory attacks, not only externally by those who oppose her efforts to reform the Carmelites but also internally by various assaults of evil spirits. And, one day, during her prayer, she had a very moving encounter with Jesus when she gazed upon an Ecce Homo statue.  So began her journey toward the perfection, prompted by this encounter of hers with Jesus. The journey let her out of her human tendency to rely on herself or something other than God to accept His grace and to embrace God fully.

Teresa wrote in the Sixth Mansions of the Interior Castle, to prepare soul for its full union with Christ in the Seventh Mansions:

The soul is now determined to take no other Bridegroom than our Lord, but He disregards its desires for its speedy espousals, wishing that these longings should become still more vehement and that this good, which far excels all other benefits, should be purchased at some cost to itself.

And although for so great a gain all that we must endure is but a poor price to pay, I assure you, daughters, that this pledge of what is in store for us is needed to inspire us with courage to bear our  crosses.

O My God, how many troubles both interior and exterior must one suffer before entering the seventh mansions! Sometimes, while pondering over this I fear that, were they known beforehand, human infirmity could scarcely bear the thought nor resolve to encounter them, however great might appear the gain. If, however, the soul has already reached the seventh mansions, it fears nothing: boldly undertaking to suffer all things for God, it gathers strength from its almost union with Him. (p.68  - in the Sixth Mansions)

Note that it is a very challenging journey to attain peace and freedom from all the distress – to be one with Christ in the Seventh Mansions. We must ensure tribulations, as envisioned in the Book of Revelation. We must ensure great tribulations to be at the heavenly wedding banquet of the Lamb at the eschaton.

In the section of the Sixth Mansions, Teresa wrote that self-abasement for humility is a key to endure the journey through tribulations towards the perfection in the union with Christ in the Seventh Mansions. In the below excerpts, she wants to make sure graces (favors) are from God so that the journey will not derail from the will of God. This is similar to what St. Ignatius of Loyola’s spiritual wisdom to be careful of what comes to us during “consolation” phase.

If the soul receives favours and caresses from our Lord, let it examine carefully whether it rates itself more highly in consequence; unless self-abasement increases with God’s expressions of love, they do not come from the Holy Spirit. Inevitably, when they are divine, the greater the favours, the less the soul esteems itself and the more keenly it remembers its sins. It becomes more oblivious of self-interest: the will and memory grow more fervent in seeking solely God’s honour with no thought of self. It also becomes unceasingly careful not to deviate deliberately from the will of God and feels a keener conviction that instead of meriting such favours, it deserves hell.  P. 82

If grace drives you back to your old self-interest, it is a red flag. Teresa reminds us that true grace from God through the Holy Spirit promotes self-abasement to prepare us to fully embrace nothing but God, solo Dios, in our fully union with Him in the Seventh Mansions for perfection.

In the below excerpts, Teresa reminds us to shut the noise in order to keep our ears to listen to and stay tuned with God’s voice to stay on course. She also juxtaposes this to staying in light, recalling how Joshua won his battle. And, Teresa reminds that we go through battles against evil attacks to meet Christ for our union in the Seventh Mansions, echoed in the eschatological vision in Revelation 19, where all these faithful, who endured all the tribulations and won the battles with Satan and his collaborators, enjoy the wedding banquet. Also, she tells this  truth: It is God the Creator who governs the soul, which she metaphorically describes as the Interior Castle.

I believe it would be easier for a person with very keen ears to avoid hearing a loud voice, for he could occupy his thoughts and mind in other things. Not so here; the soul can do nothing, nor has it ears to stop, nor power to think of aught but what is said to it. For He Who could stay the sun on its course (at the prayer of Josue, I believe) can so quiet the faculties and the interior of the spirit as to make it perceive that another and a stronger Lord than itself governs this castle; it is thus affected with profound devotion and humility, seeing that it cannot but listen. May the divine Majesty vouchsafe that, forgetting ourselves, our only aim may be to please Him, as I said. Amen.  P 82

Here, the prayer of Josue is the Book of Jashar, cited in Joshua 10:12-13

Why Teresa refers to this battle hymn that Joshua cited? It is because the journey to the matrimonial union with Christ in the Seventh Mansions is riddled with battles with evil forces of darkness.  This is as we must persevere the great tribulations, having washed our garments washed white by the blood of the Lamb, before reaching the heavenly wedding feast, as envisioned in the Book of Revelation, especially from chapter 6 to chapter 19.

Finally in the Seventh Mansions, “Todo se pasa, Dios no se muda” in “Nada te Turbe”’s first stanza is reflected in the below excerpts:

A king resides in his palace; many wars and disasters take place in his kingdom but he remains on his throne. In the same way, though tumults and wild beasts rage with great uproar in the other mansions, yet nothing of this enters the seventh mansions, nor drives the soul from it. Although the mind regrets these troubles, they do not disturb it nor rob it of its peace, for the passions are too subdued to dare to enter here where they would only suffer still further defeat. Though the whole body is in pain, yet the head, if it be sound, does not suffer with it. I smile at these comparisons—they do not please me—but I can find no others. Think what you will about it—I have told you the truth.   p123

In Chapter 4 of the section of the Seventh Mansions, Teresa wrote that the matrimonial union with God (the spiritual marriage) as the ultimate fruit of God’s grace (favor) to us with these words:

Oh, my sisters, how forgetful of her ease, how unmindful of honours, and how far from seeking men’s esteem should she be whose soul God thus chooses for His special dwelling-place! For if her mind is fixed on Him, as it ought to be, she must needs forget herself: all her thoughts are bent on how to please Him better and when and how she can show the love she bears Him.

This is the end and aim of prayer, my daughters; this is the reason of the spiritual marriage whose children are always good works. Works are the unmistakable sign which shows these favours come from God, as I told you. It will do me little good to be deeply recollected when alone, making acts of the virtues, planning and promising to do wonders in God’s service, if afterwards, when occasion offers, I do just the opposite. I did wrong in saying, ‘It will do me little good,’ for all the time we spend with God does us great good. Though afterwards we may weakly fail to perform our good intentions, yet some time or other His Majesty will find a way for us to practise them although perhaps much to our regret. Thus when He sees a soul very cowardly, He often sends it some great affliction, much against its will, and brings it through this trial with profit to itself, When the soul has learnt this, it is less timid in offering itself to Him. ......Do you know what it is to be truly spiritual? It is for men to make themselves the slaves of God—branded with His mark, which is the cross. Since they have given Him their freedom, He can sell them as slaves to the whole world, as He was, which would be doing them no wrong but the greatest favour. Unless you make up your minds to this, never expect to make much progress, for as I said humility is the foundation of the whole building and unless you are truly humble, our Lord, for your own sake, will never permit you to rear it very high lest it should fall to the ground.  p.129

Just as he wants us to remain on the right path and not get lost in tribulations,  Jesus gives us the eschatological glorious vision of our eternal destiny on the pilgrimage. To successfully complete this pilgrimage journey from the First Mansions to the Seventh Mansions as in St. Teresa of Avila’s “The Interior Castle”, we must deny ourselves, becoming totally obedient to God’s will as a salve is so to his or her master. Namely, all the distress in life shall led us to the heavenly wedding banquet, before finally ushered into the New Eden.

Keeping such a vision boosts our endurance and the abilities to persevere, withstanding temptations to give up when suffering becomes greater. For the same reason, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to let them witness the glorious vision of his Transfiguration after foretelling his death and resurrection – in the hope that the vision of the Transfiguration would keep these disciples from falling in the darkness of despair in regard to his death.

Just as a popular cliché of saying, “There is no tunnel without its end”, means, there is no suffering without its end. And, the end of the dark tunnel of tribulations is, ultimately, the magnificently glorious eschatological vision of our matrimonial union with Christ, the Lamb, in Revelation 19:6-9, followed by the vision of the New Eden in Revelation 21-22.  St. Teresa’s vision of the exodus journey from the state of imperfection with sinfulness in the First Mansions to the state of perfection, symbolized with the matrimonial union with Christ in the Seventh Mansions in “The Interior Castle”, can be juxtaposed to the journey from Inferno to Paradiso via Purgatorio in Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy”( Divina Commedia), as well as James Fowler’s psychospiritual theory of faith development.

After all, St. Teresa of Avila is not only a reformer of the Church, along with St. John of the Cross and St. Ignatius of Loyola, from within, countering the Protestant Reformation movement but also a reformer of human souls for the perfection, through her excellent allegory, “The Interior Castle”, an outgrowth of her own coping with distress. Throughout the soul’s journey toward its perfection in its full union with Christ in the Seventh Mansions of the Interior Castle, Teresa’s “Nada te Turbe” prayer resonates as a driving force forward.

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Note: The above cited excerpts from St. Teresa of Avila’s “The Interior Castle” are from its 1921 edition, published by Thomas Baker, London, with Nihil Obstat from Dom Michael Barrett, O.S.B.