MAKING SENSE OF THE SACRED

I have discovered four questions that have caused me to sit up and take notice of the world around me. In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) last week, I thought of how reality fits together, even if I don’t see any connection at the moment. This is actually the fourth question that I must ask and answer before I die. To review, the six questions are:

• What is the purpose of life?
• What is my purpose within that purpose?
• What does reality look like?
• How does it all fit together?
• How can I love fiercely?
• You know you are going to die, now what?

QUESTION ONE: What is the most powerful thing that we know of in this universe?

https://www.businessinsider.com/hypernovas-are-the-most-powerful-thing-in-the-universe-2014-9

Some say the most powerful thing in the universe is a hypernova. In terms of energy, it far surpasses anything we know of on earth. But wait, how powerful is the hypernova when compared to say a human, any human?

Ask yourself this question, “What hypernova knows that it knows?” Using this criterion, a human, any human, is more powerful than any natural power. It is the power of the mind, the power to ask why and to seek out what is real that is truly powerful. Why is that?

QUESTION TWO: Are humans the only ones in the universe that knows that we know? Probably not, but we base thought on the hypothesis that probability favors there being some form of life out there. Professor Frank Drake even designed an equation to show the probability that life exists in the universe. https://www.space.com/25219-drake-equation.html

Ask yourself this question, “Wonder if we are the only sentient species in all of the universe? What does this say about the purpose of life?”

QUESTION THREE: Of everything that is living (being) on earth, why are humans the only ones to have free will that is not tied to nature and the ability to know that we know? Baboons don’t make good politicians, although when you look at the House of Representatives these days, you would swear some act like monkeys.
Ask yourself this question, “Why are humans the only sentient life form that we know of?” Is there a reason that happened? We not only have a nature that is above the animals, we have the ability to choose. Why is that? Who gave us that freedom?

QUESTION FOUR: Why do some people live in three universes (physical, mental and spiritual) while others only live in two (physical and mental)?

It is only in the three universe approach to reality that we can fully answer the six questions each human must ask and answer before they die.
Ask yourself this question, “Of all humans, why do some people use their ability to choose, to include Faith and the possibility of loving fiercely, while others choose to make themselves gods?” To live in three universes, you must use your free will to do so. In all of the universe, why do humans have the ability to choose? Choose what? Adam and Eve chose what they thought was good but it turned out to be a false choice, one we inherit to this very day.

In Genesis 2-3, Adam and Eve chose to live in two universes rather than accept three universes with God as its center. In Philippians 2:5-12, God sent his only Son, Christ, whom St. Paul calls the second Adam, to become one of us so that we would have the choice of two universes or three. Read what St. Paul says about our ability to choose three universes and the consequences of that choice.

Romans 5 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Results of Justification5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have obtained access^[b] to this grace in which we stand; and we^[c] boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we^[d] also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. ⁸ But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.^{[e] 10} For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. ¹¹ But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.Adam and Christ¹² Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— ¹³ sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. ¹⁴ Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. ¹⁶ And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. ¹⁷ If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.¹⁸ Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. ¹⁹ For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification^[f] leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

LEARNING AND DISCUSSION POINTS

• It is not by accident that humans find themselves on this rocky ball of gases.
• It is not by accident that we are tied to this planet for seventy or eight years if we are strong.
• It is not by accident that, of all living things, humans have the ability to know that we know.
• It is not by accident that we have the ability to choose.
• One man and women, our human archetypal parents, choose poorly (chose two universes and the consequences of that choice being work, pain, and ultimately death).
• It is by free will that God chose to send His Son, Christ, to give us the ability to select to live three universes (restoring the possibility of everlasting life with God as it was in the beginning).
• It is no accident that Christ came not only to tell us that we are adopted sons and daughters of the Father but show us the meaning of love in three universes. He bid us only to love one another as He has loved us.
• It is no accident that Christ was Baptized in the Jordan to new life and bid us do the same.
• It was no accident that Christ suffered, died and rose again to restore the Old covenant into a New one, one that is open to all humans but also one which demands an act of the free will to enter.
• It is not by accident that Christ asked the Advocate to be with us in each age to allow us to keep alive the good news of salvation until the end of time.
• It is no accident that Christ left his followers the responsibility to be fragile stewards of His body and blood (Real Presence) by the forgiveness of sins and by making all things new.
• It is no accident that Christ restored all things and is the way, the truth, and the life for those who love Him.
• Now, we are adopted sons and daughters of the Father, capable of approaching the Father through Christ.
• Now, we can call God Father, Abba with Christ.
• Now, we can offer to the Father the honor and glory due His name, through, with, and in Christ. By ourselves, we are sons of Adam (living in two universes) but with Christ, we inherit the Kingdom of God…Forever.

Because of this great love for all of us, praise be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever. The God who is, who was, and who is to come at the end of the ages. Amen and Amen. –Cistercian doxology