Jesus of Nazareth 'Dialectic Recognition and non-Recognition' Benedict XVI

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Donald ...
To: WILLIAM ....
Sent: Mon, 2 May, 2011 21:09:57
Subject: Re: Dialectic recognize and not ...

Dialectic of Recognition and non-Recognition. Benedict xvi

Dear, William,

Thank you - we have interesting Easter events. How can I keep a Log up to date?

My Lenten Book, Jesus of Nazareth Part II, did not receive the proper monastic regularity.

Some gems surface with the aid of Index and clue on Doubting Thomas.

Some phrase of Ben xvi fastens in my brain and I puzzle away.

Maybe, I can pass it on to you and see if you can tease it out more clearly to me.

See the COPY below . . . . ..

Emboldened challenging words, dialectic, narratives, Theophanies.

I trust all goes well in Easter Tide.

Donald

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JESUS OF NAZARETH 
JESUS' RESURRECTION PROM THE DEAD

The appearances of Jesus in the Gospels

pp.265-272

The appearances that we read of in the Gospels are manifestlydifferent. On the one hand, the Lord appears as a man like other men: he walks alongside the Emmaus disciples; he invites Thomas to touch his wounds, and in Luke's account he even asks for a pieceof fish to eat, in order to prove his real bodily presence. And yet these s do not present him simply as a man who has come back from death in the same condition as before.

One thing that strikes us straightaway is that the dis­ciples do not recognize him at first. This is true not only of the two in the Emmaus story, but also of Mary Magdalene and then again at the Lake of Gennesaret: "Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus" (In 2I:4). Only afterthe Lord has instructed them to set out once again does the beloved disciple recognize him: "That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!'" (21:7). It is, as it were, an inward recognition, which nevertheless remains shrouded in mystery. For after the catch of fish, when Jesus invites them to eat, there is still a strangequality about him. "None of the disciples dared ask him, 'Who are you?' They knew it was the Lord" (2I:I2). They knew from within, notfrom observing the Lord's outward appearance.

This dialectic of recognition and non-recognitioncorresponds to the manner of the apparitions. Jesus comes through closed doors; he suddenly stands in their midst. And in the same way he suddenly withdraws again, as at the end of the Emmaus encounter. His presence is entirely physical, yet he is not bound byphysical laws, by the laws of space and time. In this remarkabledialectic of identity and otherness, of real physicality and freedom from the con­straints of the body, we see the specialmysterious nature of the risen Lord's new existence. Both elements apply here: he is the same embodied man, and he is the new man,hav­ing entered upon a different manner of existence.

The dialectic, which pertains to the nature of the Risen One,is presented quite clumsily in the narratives, and it is this that manifests their veracity.    . . . . .(later)

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----- Forwarded Message ----
From: WILLIAM  ....
To: Donald ....
Sent: Tue, 3 May, 2011 21:54:49
Subject: Re: Dialectic recognize and not ...

Dear Father Donald,

 

This is a very challenging piece of writing, on a challenging subject, and I confess that it bewildered me when I read it for the first time today - I too had too much by way of duty in the course of Lent to complete the reading of the book, ....
These are my light foot prints as I step gingerly across this vast high plateau:

 

1) Terminology - clearest meaning of the key word [dialectic] using synonyms - intuition; sweet reason; reasonableness, rationality; dialectics, logic; logical process, logical sequence, inference, generalization;distinction...

2) Benedict XVI concentrates on the distinction between Jesus as seen in His appearances (physical) and asrecognized in them (spiritual), stressing the mystery ofidentity (physical) and otherness (spiritual), determining that the distinction resides uniquely in the nature of the Risen One, the way in which He is now revealed in His two natures at one and the same time. 

3) Whilst using the word "apparitions", Benedict XVIdistinguishes between the OT "theophanies", where the angelic persons remained, in essence, spirits, and Our Lord's appearances, for Jesus is "truly man", living "anew in the dimension of the living God".

4) Benedict XVI stresses that the encounters with the risen Lord are not just "interior events" or "mystical experiences", but "real encounters with the living one who is embodied in a new way and remains embodied". Benedict XVI adds that "mystical experience is a temporary removal of the soul's spatial and cognitive limitations, not an encounter with a person coming toward me from without". In Jesus' appearances "a new dimension of life emerges, a new dimension of human existence".

Other important teaching in this chapter adds to the above:"matter itself is remolded into a new type of reality"... "spirit and blood have a place within God"... "only now the place exists in which man's immortal soul can find its 'space' and 'bodiliness' in which immortality takes on its meaning as communion with God and reconciled mankind"..."an ontological leap occurred, one that touches being as such, opening up a dimension that affects us all, creating for all of us a new space of life, a new space of being in union with God".

5) Benedict XVI writes of the "third element" of the manifestations of the risen Lord - "appearing, speaking,sharing meals" (whilst considering that Luke's Gospel passage, or narrative of Jesus' requesting and eating the fish is over dramatized), proposing that the word used by Luke to describe the meal is "of great significance", for in translation the word means "eating salt with them", making reference to the historical meaning of salt, by which a lasting covenant was established. Not merely an enactment representing, or recalling, the Feeding of the crowds or the Last Supper, Benedict XVI teaches that this is "a sign of new and everlasting life" and "points to the risen Lord's new banquet.. a covenant-event... expressing an inner bond between [the Last Supper] and the risen Lord's new table fellowship [the eternal banquet]". As salt was used at every sacrifice, Benedict XVI teaches that different meanings come togther here: "covenant renewal, the gift of life, and purification of one's own being for self-offering to God".

Thank you for drawing me into this complex chapter, for I have now come to a degree of understanding of the teaching of the mystery.

I am quite in awe of the mind of Benedict XVI, the depth of his understanding of the mysteries of faith and the intensity he brings into his interpretations !

.... in Our Lord,

William

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Dear, William,

Many thanks.

The wheels are turning from your impetus
and we are both "in awe of the mind of Benedict XVI, the depth of his understanding of the mysteries of faith and the intensity he brings into his interpretations !"

For the moment, these Emails are Posted while the 'dialectic' reveals and 'the third element' begs for the creative grasp of Benedict XVI.

Thank for the synonyms of 'dialectic' of the pillars. Maybe this suggests the bridge of the 'third element'. 

The computer facility of the digital reading and re-reading, under-lining, high-lighting, helps the way to Benedict's high paths.

God does not ration his gift of the Spirit. Jn 3:36

Donald

COMMENT Bl John Paul II

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Anne Marie . . .
To: Fr Donald . . .
Sent: Mon, 2 May, 2011 23:55:00
Subject: Re: [Dom Donald's Blog] Blessed John Paul II Youth Rally PRAYER

I loved the words of your blog, but the pictures were perfect.
Well done.

Sent from my iPad

On 2 May 2011, at 17:12, Fr Donald <domdonald@sacmus.org> wrote:

Sunday, 01 May 2011

Blessed John Paul II Youth Rally PRAYER

Sunday, 01 May 2011

Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday – Solemnity

Introduction to Mass.

The Mass begins with the Blessing of the Water, the Asperges, as will be on every Sunday of Paschal time. It is the reminder of Sacrament of Baptism and of those who received Baptism in the Easter Vigil.

It is Divine Mercy Sunday and full of sign of life.

It is the Month Mind of Brother Aidan. I used water at the cemetery this morning as the turf of the grave has dried in the hot weather.

There are so many of signs of life this Sunday.

The Sacrament of Matrimony has just been celebrated by William and Catherine in the Royal Wedding. It was a celebration of Family – beautiful.

And today in St. Peter’s Square, the beatification of John Paul II is taking place. It is the celebration of the life of holiness. Today is the Second Sunday of Easter, which Blessed John Paul II entitled Divine Mercy Sunday. The date was chosen for today's beatification, in God's providence, he died on the vigil of this feast. Today is also the first day of May, Mary's month, and the liturgical memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker. All these elements serve to enrich our prayer.

We have printed the Regina Caeli of the 3 April 2005, the day following the death of Pope John-Paul II. The copies his last Regina Caeli are on the porch table.

Homily: Fr. Hugh’s words focused on the occasion of the Beatification of John Paul II. He remembers the Papal Visit to Britain 30 years ago concluding in Wales. He said the most important address was actually in Cardiff, especially for the Youth. The Pope spoke wonderfully on PRAYER.

Pope John Paul II 1982

Cardiff: Youth Rally

Dear young people, dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,

As my visit to Britain draws to an end, …

I have come to this land as a pilgrim pastor, a servant of Jesus Christ. I have come to proclaim Christ's Gospel of peace and reconciliation; I have come to celebrate his saving action in the sacraments of the Church. I have come to call you to Christ.

Before I go away, there is something really important that I wish to emphasize. There is something very closely linked to the sacraments that I have celebrated, something that is very much a part of the Gospel message, something that is essential to your Christian lives. It is prayer. Prayer is so important that Jesus himself tells us: 'Pray constantly' (Lk. 21:36). He wants us to pray for light and strength. He wants us to pray to his Father, as he himself did. The Gospel tells us that Jesus prayed all night before choosing his Apostles (cf. Lk. 6:12). And later on, in his Passion, at the height of his suffering, Christ 'prayed more earnestly' (Lk. 22:44).

Jesus not only gave us the example of prayer, he actually taught us how to pray. One of the most beautiful scenes of the Gospel shows Jesus gathered with his disciples, teaching them to pray: 'Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.' Jesus was showing his disciples the value of praising God: the import­ance of God's name, his Kingdom and his holy will. At the same time Jesus was telling them to ask for bread, for pardon and for help in trials. 'Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil' (d. Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4).

My dear young people, it is through prayer that Jesus leads us to his Father. It is in prayer that the Holy Spirit transforms our lives. It is in prayer that we come to know God: to detect his presence in our souls, to hear his voice speaking through our consciences, and to treasure his gift to us of personal responsibility for our lives and for our world.

It is through prayer that we can clearly focus our attention on the person of Jesus Christ and see the total relevance of his teaching for our lives. Jesus becomes the model for our actions, for our lives. We begin to see things his way.

Prayer transforms our individual lives and the life of the world.

Young men and women, when you meet Christ in prayer, when you get to know his Gospel and reflect on it in relation to your hopes and your plans for the future, then everything is new. Everything is different when you begin to examine in prayer the circumstances of every day, according to the set of values that Jesus taught. These values are so clearly stated in the Beatitudes: 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God' (Mt. 5:7-9).

In prayer, united with Jesus-your brother, your friend, your Saviour, your God-you begin to breathe a new atmosphere. You form new goals and new ideals. Yes, in Christ you begin to understand yourselves more fully. This is what the Second Vatican Council wanted to emphasize when it stated: 'The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light' (Gaudium et Spes, CTS Do 363, n. 22). In other words, Christ not only reveals God to man, but he reveals man to himself. In Christ we grasp the secret of our own humanity.

But there is more. Through prayer you come to experience the truth that Jesus taught: 'The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life' (In 6:63). In Jesus, whom you get to know in prayer, your dreams for justice and your dreams for peace become more definite and look for practical applications. When you are in contact with the Prince of Peace, you understand how totally opposed to his message are violence and terrorism, hatred and war. In him you experience the full meaning of an interpersonal relationship that is based on generous love. Christ offers you a friendship that does not disappoint, a fidelity beyond compare.

Through contact with Jesus in prayer, you gain a sense of mission that nothing can dull. Your Christian identity is re­affirmed, and the meaning of your lives is for ever linked to Christ's saving mission. Through prayer, the commitments of your baptism and Confirmation take on an urgency for you. You realize that you are called to spread Christ's message of salvation (ct. Apostolicam Actuositatem, n. 3).

In union with Jesus, in prayer, you will discover more fully the needs of your brothers and sisters. You will appreciate more keenly the pain and suffering that burden the hearts of countless people. Through prayer, especially to Jesus at Communion, you will understand so many things about the world and its relation­ship to him, and you will be in a position to read accurately what are referred to as the 'signs of the times'. Above all you will have something to offer those who come to you in need. Through prayer you will possess Christ and be able to communicate him to others. And this is the greatest contribution you can make in your lives: to communicate Christ to the world.

Through prayer you will receive the strength to resist the spirit of the world. You will receive the power to show compassion to every human being-just as Jesus did. Through prayer you will have a part in salvation history as it unfolds in your generation. In prayer you will be able to enter into the heart of Jesus and understand his feelings towards his Church. By using the Psalms, the prayerbook that Jesus used, you will be able to repeat, under the action of the Holy Spirit, the praise and thanksgiving that have been offered to God for centuries by his people. In all the circumstances of your lives, you will find that Jesus is with you -he is close to you in prayer. It is prayer that will bring joy into your lives and help you to overcome the obstacles to Christian living. Remember the words of Saint James: 'Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray' (James 5:14).

. . .

When you go to Jesus in prayer-and through him to the Father - you will always find inspiration in Mary his Mother. With every generation of disciples you will learn to pray with her, and with her to await the action of the Holy Spirit in your lives (cf. Acts 1:14).

…

Pope John Paul II is beatified just six years after his death

Link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1382408/A-million-pilgrims-descend-Vatican-Pope-John-Paul-II-beatified.html

Sunday, May 01 2011 12PM

A million pilgrims descend on the Vatican as Pope John Paul II is beatified just six years after his death

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 12:56 PM on 1st May 2011

A million people converged on the Vatican this morning to see the late Pope John Paul II beatified.

Crowds of people, some carrying national flags and singing hymns, moved towards St Peter's Square in the largest gathering since millions turned out for his funeral six years ago.

Many pilgrims camped out overnight and the entire Vatican area was sealed off as stewards marshalled the huge crowd towards the square.

Teeming faithful: A million people are believed to have crammed into the Vatican to watch the beatification of Pope John Paul II

Devout: Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have gathered in St Peter's Square, the Vatican, for the beatification of Pope John Paul II

Popular: Volunteers help hold back the massive crowd in the Vatican as they throw offerings into the square

Popular: A banner of John Paul is draped from a balcony on St Peter's Basilica

Up to 200,000 people also attended a prayer vigil last night in the Circus Maximums, the huge oval once used by the ancient Romans for chariot races.

Rome churches also threw open their doors all night to allow pilgrims a space to pray.

During the mass, successor Pope Benedict pronounced a Latin formula proclaiming one of the most popular popes in history a 'blessed' of the church.

During his homily, he said: 'He restored to Christianity its true face as a religion of hope.'

A place of honour was reserved for Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, a French nun who suffered from Parkinson's disease but whose inexplicable cure has been attributed to John Paul's intercession with God.

The Vatican will have to attribute another miracle to John Paul's intercession after the beatification in order for him to be declared a saint.

Followers: Members of a delegation wearing Pope John Paul II dresses arrive at St Peter's Square

Faith: Pope Benedict XVI is driven through pilgrims ahead of the mass this morning

Blessed: Pope Benedict presides over the mass in St Peter's Square, which was attended by world leaders and members of European royal families

Dignitaries: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi talks with guests ahead of the ceremony

Police placed wide swaths of Rome even miles from the Vatican off limits to private cars to ensure security for the estimated 16 heads of state, eight prime ministers and five members of European royal houses attending.

Helicopters flew overhead, police boats patrolled the nearby Tiber River and some 5,000 uniformed troops manned police barricades to ensure priests, official delegations and those with coveted VIP passes could get to their places amid the throngs of pilgrims.

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia, wearing a black lace 'mantilla', mingled with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, Poland's historic Solidarity leader and former President Lech Walesa.

But there was controversy during the ceremony after Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe breached an defied a European travel ban to attend the ceremony.

Pope Benedict said that through John Paul's faith, courage and strength - 'the strength of a titan, a strength which came to him from God' - John Paul had turned back the seemingly 'irreversible' tide of Marxism.

'He rightly reclaimed for Christianity that impulse of hope which had in some sense faltered before Marxism and the ideology of progress,' Benedict said.

Expectant: Thousands of people camped out overnight in the Via della Conciliazione to get a good spot during the service

Jumping for joy: A nun leaps over a line in St Peter's Square last night. Pope John Paul will be beatified just six years after his death

Followers: Three nuns holding their rosaries wait in the square ahead of the service

Controversial: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe flouted a European travel ban to attend the mass with his wife Grace

After the nearly three-hour Mass, Benedict prayed before John Paul's coffin inside St. Peter's Basilica, which was expected to stay open through the night and for as long as it takes to accommodate the throngs of faithful who want to pay their respects.

Pope John Paul's coffin was exhumed on Friday from the crypts below St Peter's Basilica and will be placed in front of the main altar.

It will then be moved to a new crypt under an altar in a side chapel near Michelangelo's statue of the Pieta.

The marble slab which covered his first burial place will be sent to Poland.

John Paul's beatification has set a new speed record for modern times, taking place six years and one month after his death on April 2, 2005.

While the overwhelming number of Catholics welcome it, a minority are opposed and say it has taken place too quickly.

Prayers: French nun Marie Simon-Pierre, right, whose unexplained recovery from Parkinson's qualified John Paul for beatification, kisses the casket containing relics from the late pope

Support: Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain attend the ceremony

Packed: King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium were also among the hundreds of thousands at the mass

Liberals within the church say John Paul was too harsh with theological dissenters who wanted to help the poor, particularly in Latin America.

Some also say John Paul should be held ultimately responsible for the sexual abuse scandals because they occurred or came to light while he was in charge.

Ultra-conservatives say he was too open to other religions and he allowed the liturgy to be 'infected' by local cultures, such as African dancing, on his trips abroad.

The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, said the ceremony was not a 'medal for good management service', but a declaration of the late pope's closeness to God.

Speaking to BBC radio, he said: 'I think we have to understand that the declaration of somebody being blessed is about their holiness, it is not about their competence at senior management, it is actually about their closeness to God.

'It is not to say he did not make mistakes, saints make loads of mistakes but they are close to God.

'I think that is the only way in which this moment can be really appreciated.'

The Most Rev Nichols added that John Paul was a 'hero' of the 20th century.

He survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and is widely believed to have hastened the collapse of communism in Europe.

Explore more:

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1382408/A-million-pilgrims-descend-Vatican-Pope-John-Paul-II-beatified.html#ixzz1L6RzWHyD