John R. Mifsud, Attard
A day for deep personal reflection (2)
"Father, Forgive them for they know not what they are doing."
How could they not know what they were doing after all the miracles he performed during his years of public life, apart from his teaching and preaching?
They had seen him walk on water, change water into wine at a marriage reception, cure a number of lepers, restore light to the blind, bring the dead back to life, etc.
Of course the greatest miracle was yet to come, that is his rising from the dead and ascending into heaven after the passion and crucifixion that he had been through!
What a merciful, forgiving and loving son of God is Jesus Christ! The big question that will affect us all forever is whether He will be equally merciful to us on the day of judgement, because we did not know (or did we?) what we were doing, considering all the opportunities we have had to know Him, offered by the Church, that Jesus Christ Himself instituted for us while on earth.
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Joe Zammit
Apr 11th 2009, 12:51
The writer of this letter has started with the excellent words: "Father, forgive them ...".
The executioners expected Christ to cry for everyone crucified had done it before him. Seneca wrote that those who were crucified cursed the day of their birth, the executioners, their mothers, and even spat on those who looked upon them. Cicero recorded that at times it was necessary to cut out the tongues of those who were crucified to stop their terrible blasphemies.
As God and Man, Christ reacted in a different way: He forgave those who had crucified him. He lived what he had preached.
carmel pule
Apr 11th 2009, 10:24
I believe that God created energy and then all natural transformations enclosed this energy in all materials which grew slowly in space including our bodies our earth and distant stars. Different cultures that formed over the long years seem to have chosen Christ, Mohammed, Buddah, Zeus etc for it is what they feel comfortable to behold and understand. Our minds come in different sizes. Those who reject God as Christ do not admit all this but God accompanies them in a form that they understand, as the necessary items they buy off the shelves of the local supermarket or the car they drive and their favourite golden watch or earrings. He is with them all the time, especially when they swollow God as food and water mentioned in these comments elsewhere. If they cannot feel Him through religious or spiritual means, they should try some scientific and mathematical understanding of the laws of the universe and if confused, keep persevering. If that is to difficult, then try and improve one's writing and the deportment one needs to be able to mix with all God's creatures especially our fellow humans whereever they come from. Just try to do without Him!!!!
Robert attard
Apr 11th 2009, 09:20
@cARMEL sERRACINO-iNGLOTT
"I ask you to look at the many intelligent VIP who profess that Jesus is God. "
I can make a list of very intelligent VIPs who do not profess that Jesus is God!!!
cARMEL sERRACINO-iNGLOTT
Apr 11th 2009, 00:01
Ceri please do not think that you have amused us ( the majority) . We pray for you to join us in heaven despite your spite. God loves you but it is up to you to try to understand that Jesus is GOD. We hurt when you write so because a soul seems not to have found the right way yet. I ask you to look at the many intelligent VIP who profess that Jesus is God.
caarmel pule
Apr 10th 2009, 21:09
When I die I have arrranged with my youngest brother for my epitaph to read " Here lay a man who wished to understand God better but coul'nt because of his ignorance, but through doing his best to understand all created materials using tools as science and mathematics and technology , he walked closer to God but never really knew Him." When I have problems, and solutions come along it is as if God spoke to me in a language that I understand. It is a nice relation withGod. I do not fully understand Him but he seems to know that I am still around. He never dicusses Heaven nor Hell and he seems to leave it to me to decide in which I want to roam in even on this erath. When I look at the intricasies and the complexity of inner and of outer space, in my case electronics, there within, seem to be God's functions and through that I am delighted that I can appreciate a little of His Powers. My body will soon decay into a form of energy as my parents and through that natural transformation I will see God in my afterlife.
ceri whitley
Apr 10th 2009, 10:06
With all due respect John,
as you so sensationally put it: "The big question that will affect us all forever " is whether or not there is a grand reception in heaven at the end of this earthly life, or nothing at all.
For those of you who do believe, however, it seems there will be no shortage of wine and merriment.
On a more interesting note, do you think the church would acknowledge Him if He dropped in a second time, and furthermore, do you think He would be very disappointed with the vast riches and wealth of the church in light of the awful poverty of some of His children?
Enjoy the days celebrations John, and go easy on the water...
Joe Zammit
Apr 9th 2009, 13:20
Christ has died for all people, whether they had lived before him or after him. He died for all. He loves us with an infinite love, always ready to forgive all our sins. When he forgives us, he considers us as if we had never sinned! He will continue to help us on earth to love God with all our life and to go and enjoy him for ever in heaven. He does not want anyone to be lost in hell for ever. Notwithstanding this, there are those who do not want him, also at the last second of their lives. They want to go to hell and so, they end in hell for ever. Whoever is in hell is there willingly. Those who want to go to heaven can attain what they want. God is always ready to give us his grace to please him all the time.
Gavin Attard
Apr 9th 2009, 10:33
John Mifsud provides an interesting question indeed.
How could they not know what they where doing after all the miracles where performed. I mean, someone who walks on water, cures the sick and dying, brought a dead man back to life, and so on and so forth. Thats pretty impressive stuff. Yet they just crucified him.... Considering that (as the story goes) a few hundred years (i think, can't remember for sure) after this episode, a meteor gliding through the sky was taken as a message from god by emperor constantine, and the roman catholic church as we know it today was eventually born from thus, one might think that Jesus miracles would have had a much bigger impact.
Maybe the miracles never happened?