Forgetting Jesus

 Thankfully I still have my online prayer retreat with St Beunos. Veronica has been wonderful and really helped me to focus on what matters. 

This Jesuit way of going on is really very good you know. If only for the fact it is a real break. You have to believe, of course you do. But that's all. 

I'm pleased that I have this Jesuit business on top, or rather, underneath Catholicism. I'm trying to explain it and struggling. I suppose its like being a mechanic and focusing on magnetos. Even better, more like being an artist but wedded to pastels. That's a better illustration if you'll pardon the expression.

Perhaps its that Denis McBride book but there is a lot of art in the Catholic Church from what I can see and I like it. Never very artistic at school and always sceptical of 'artists' or the media type who I always felt should go out and get a proper job. 

Compared the Jehovah's Witnesses, this is a very different way of looking at the Bible, they tend to use it as Exhibit A if you will. These are our rules, this is why. It appears to me that they use it more as a type of weapon rather than an aide-memoire which how its coming across to me now but perhaps that's because I was very familiar with the Bible these days  it literally is an aide-memoire! 

When I was younger I used to almost see the words coming out of people's mouths. Many years ago there was a film called That Darn Cat! and we used to have it on tape. As a result. we had the adverts too, Black and Decker, Wilkinsons Sword, R.Whites and Milton sterilising baby stuff. I'd have to look over it but I think the letters used to move around and I started seeing them when people were talking and it went on years only stopping a few summers ago.

It was remarkable I almost knew what everyone was about to say, like the words would appear before me and they were simply reading them out. Its extraordinary now I stop and think about it, in fact, its possibly best I don't. 

The point is, when it comes to the Bible, its almost as if I can see things more clearly then the reality in front of me and the Jesuits are well into this.

I was asked to read and think about this tract and imagine myself there. 

Mark 10:46-52
New International Version

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 

47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Just what is all this about? It's only a few lines and very easy to just whip through but if you go through it again you'll know just what I mean. Something else will jump out at you. If it doesn't, keep trying. 

So even now, I'm thinking 'well fortunately I already have the second layer' which is that it doesn't matter what your faith, as long as you believe. Thats the secret, just believe and lets face it, no one can disprove this story any more then they can prove it happened so we may as well go along with it. What with the whole popularity of the Bible, magnificence of every church and there being no other explanation of creation or the planet, best to just roll with this I think. After all don't we all enjoy a story? Once you get into it,  it all adds up. 

Suppose you could call it a Faithry Tale.

Reading this again, I can see how in a way, when you first come to God, you are kind of blind but your eyes do open and you do follow Jesus. To use a phrase and I think this is the point I'm getting to, I always think of God and of course the Holy Spirit and yet, I don't that often think of Jesus. Which is a mistake, he's not just some bloke from the Bible we can all get to know him better and he's as powerful as God and as near as the Holy Spirit so why he doesn't come into my thoughts much, I really don't know. He was perfect and God's son and so, should be on mind more really. Although I am closer to him and have way more empathy for his death. Even death on a cross. Incidentally, people who don't believe in God still believe Jesus existed...I tend to ask people.

 "I'm an atheist" 

"How interesting always wanted to ask, what do you think about Jesus?"

 "Oh I believe he existed. He was definitely a real person. Why?"

"Just wondered"