his dangerous divinity
"Jesus answered them, 'I solemnly declare it, before Abraham came to be, I AM.' At that they picked up rocks to throw at Jesus." —John 8:58-59
On the first day of the Easter season, in every Catholic Mass in the world, we will be specifically asked: "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord?" In other words, we will be challenged to profess our faith that Jesus is God. This is considered blasphemous to over one billion Muslims or Jews (see Jn 8:58). They believe that to accept Jesus as God is to deny that there is only one God. This is blasphemy against Allah or Yahweh. Moreover, over two billion Chinese Communists either deny that there is a God or that Jesus is God. Also, hundreds of millions of Buddhists and Hindus reject Jesus' divinity. Finally, our secular humanistic culture of death considers it dangerous for us to maintain that Jesus is the only God. They maintain that statements of absolute truth lead to intolerance, oppression, and war.
It has never been popular to profess that Jesus is God. The cost of believing and professing Jesus' divinity is the cross. Look at Jesus crucified. Nevertheless, will you love Jesus, Lord and God, so much that you will live and suffer for Him? Will you accept persecution and even martyrdom in your profession of Jesus' divinity? At all costs, proclaim Jesus as Lord and God (Jn 20:28).
Prayer: Father, if it be Your will, give me the privilege of dying for the faith.
Promise: "I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you." —Gn 17:6
Praise: Carolyn frequently practices dying to her own plans by being submissive to the ideas of others.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God or on audio AV 43-1 or video V-43.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Giles H. Pater, October 17, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 21, 2002