TRINITY - Feast 26.May 2013

Last Sunday we put the question: Which picture of God do you recognize as the best one ?  As you praise God, which kind of God you praise ? Which God do you adore ? Trinity-feast shows a God - as we got it in the catechism - who is seen
as Father + Son + Holy Spirit: one eternal God as a Trinity of Persons.
Very difficult to understand - at leat a little bit.

1.) In normal situation we pray, we praise God without such a courageous question. But today - in favour of our future - we may have the courage,
maybe the duty, but surely the right to consider this question.

2.) We know: in history and in many persons during the life-time, the picture
of God has developped. God is not all the time the same. And this is good so. But in the times ahead which God - we will discover ?

3.) Do you like to proclaim the "God of war" (the warrior) ? Giving you victory !
The "God of revenge" ? reserving revenge to him self.  The "God of Love" ? caring
for you and for the World. The "God of Peace" uniting people and nations.
Which God is good for us, helpful and understandable ?

4.) Never forget: the world-view has changed; The world-feeling is an other one!
Sciences and cultures have developped. Which God is compatibel to such
a new world ?
As the child has grown: it sees his own father in a new light... the husband
discover a new wife in his own bride; an adult needs a new God.

5.) The question is rife: Is God a "being for ever and ever" or is God changing,
developing?  God has a new face in blossom and in automn ?
But much deeper: What is the relationship between God and the Cosmos ?  And: the evolution of God ? How we dare to see it ?
The evolution of the homo sapiens and of God are going hand in hand ?

6.) Once God dwelled in Heaven; quite far away. Today we speak about the  "transzendent and immanent God". And tomorrow: we speak about ?
Jesus has promised (Joh 16.12-15) the Spirit of truth will lead you to the
complete truth. But we have not to wait in the sense of doing nothing.
We have to search, to discover, to look for... at least all baptised people
are called up in their personal life, in their Church-community to look out
after a new - a fascinating God.

HOLY SPIRIT given or not ? ? ? Pentecost

Again and again the CHURCH proclaims: The HOLY SPIRIT is poured out.
The Holy Scripture also: since Genesis to Pentecost - Holy Spirit is given.
Why it's sooo difficult to accept this message ?
Because the CHURCH also tells us the contrary: To call and to sing:
"Veni creator Spiritus - Komm Heiliger Geist". From where comes this
ambiguity ? Why not take a clear decision ?
Since of old - people are unsure: Is God good or evil ?
And Jesus - he was also unsure ? As I got it: Jesus has proclaimed:
God is good and mercifull... but sure also in the New Testament:
it's not yet sooo clear: there are different messages too !
This ambiguity is an offer to make a decision...
And if you see God as good... than also HE has poured out his SPIRIT,
totally and for everybody - gratis, as a gift ! not for negotiation !

But on the other hand: some people are not open for the HOLY SPIRIT,
they refuse to accept HIM; they feel: He ist not given to me, at least
not enough. They didn't learn to "drink" the HOLY SPIRIT; they didn't learn
to open the eyes and the ears - they don't look at the experiences deeply.

In modern language: The HOLY SPIRIT is a POSSIBILITY / Potentiality.
And everyone has the chance to activate this allpresent Gift.
The HOLY SPIRIT is not an automat - he waits to be activated.

Let's take an example:
I, the priest, tells you in the Holy Mass four times: "The Lord be with you".
Translated I like to tell you: The intention of Jesus Christ to unite all people present be with you. Or at the end of the Holy Mass: "As you go the Lord
[the intention to unite all people in the Word] be with you".
This intention to unite - this is the experience of the Holy Spirit, it's
the SPIRIT of Jesus.
But, how much do you activate this intention as we are together to celebrate ? Do you call this intention into your consciousness ? do you activate your eyes
and ears and hand and feet to unite the people present ? Or, do you do nothing ?
Sure: if you go deeper, somehow you like it, that we all are well united - you
really experience the HOLY SPIRIT because you discover: there is a sleeping wish, intention: we may be united. But are we too lazy to activate this intention ?
Or - worse - the structure of the celebration hinder us to activate the intention
to get united ?
Pentecost: We are gratefull the HOLY SPIRIT is possible -
but let us each other encourage, to activate him/her.

 

ASCENSION: Jesus has disappeared...

It's understandable: Some of the disciples started to love Jesus quite well.
His death was a loss - painfull! And later: some Christians started to wish
to have him as a Healer under them. For all these nostalgic Christians is this
feast an call-up: to let him go! As everyone who is born into this world so Jesus
had his time and his environment and his people - and now it's over!
Sorry, we do not have him - he is not our friend, not our commrade - he has gone!
Worse: he didn't invite us, to keep contact with him after his ascension,
no invitation to phone him or sms him to heaven - his survival-advice:
"love one another"!
The Church must pay attention: not to keep Jesus back. What we may do is
to come together (in his name) and to listen to his message - and then it's up to us
to do his redeeming-work here and now. Don't invite him, to do here and now his work; accept that he has alredy done his work - his time is over! It's now our privilege to shape the time and to heal the situation.
That's why we give the "Body of Christ" into our hands; the "Bread of Life"  is
consumed into our body. The Church must accept: people of today are now here
(also in the Eucharist) and Jesus has gone!