GOD IS GOOD – all the time
All the time – GOD IS GOOD
We have a very loving and merciful God who wants us all to be with Him in heaven for eternity. He loves us so much that He SACRIFICED His Son for our salvation… for the redemption of all mankind. Why are we so worthy??
We are so special to God that he came to earth and became one of us to bring us closer to Him and share in His divinity. Because He is our Father, our Creator, and He wants us to return home someday – we have TD, and I don’t mean TOUCH DOWN but Transcendent Dignity. That means, that our humanity has a kind of higher stature because God extended His dignity and divinity to us through Jesus.
Our friend Webster says,” Transcendent” means – “exceeding usual limits; being beyond the limits of ordinary experience.”
And “Dignity” is – “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed.”
When Jesus was born into this world, He was completely human and completely divine. By taking on our human form Jesus humbled Himself and gave our humanity His divine dignity, so that we can be more like Him. He gave us the gift of Himself, His dignity, and a share in His divinity.
So, like the parable in the Gospel, what are we going to do with this gift, this treasure? Will you take a chance with your gift by putting it to use in the world and let it grow and multiply? OR…. will you bury and hide it so you don’t lose it? And have it when God decides to take it back. What does God want us to do?
Basically, we have all been given this gift of TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY, through Jesus, and He wants us to take this gift and multiply it for the glory of God. He wants us to spread it around to all we come in contact with like a virus. So that it will grow and transform - not just us individually, but our family, the community, the county we live in, the state, the country, other countries, and eventually the world.
Because you see we all received this gift of TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY - Catholics, other Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, male, female, unborn babies, children, adults, the elderly, black, white, Asian, straight, homosexual, law abiding citizens, criminals, etc… This means we all deserve to be treated as “a child of God”, because we ALL share in His dignity and His divinity…..even when we do something that makes people think we don’t deserve to be treated this way. The thing is, NONE of us is WORTHY of this dignity………We will NEVER DESERVE it or EARN it. It is a free gift from God, by virtue of Jesus’ act of salvation for us. In turn we are called to treat others, no matter who they are, as “a child of God”. Sometimes this is not an easy task. It’s much easier to hide our gift then it is to use it.
How many of us have mistreated others or said bad things about people who are not like us? Or been mistreated by others? It’s easy to stand up against abortion, the killing of unborn babies, but can we do the same for those on death row? Because you know that person on death row has the same Transcendent Dignity as the unborn baby – they are both God’s children. It’s easy to rationalize our feelings.
I remember after September 11, 2001, many people discriminated against anybody who looked like they were of Middle Eastern descent and if they were Muslim, to some, they were definitely terrorists.
It reminded me of World War II after the attack of Pearl Harbor. The government of the United States rounded up all the Japanese Americans and placed them in camps around the country because they might have been spies or loyal to the Japanese Empire. In both cases we as a country had the right to protect ourselves but not at the expense of others, especially the innocent. Both cases were tragic on many levels including the tragic loss of God’s gift of TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY.
You can believe me when I say it is very hard at times not get drawn down by the evil things of this world and become cynical. Remember, I was a police officer for 25yrs. I have seen my share and your share of evil in this world. But we are not called to do evil against evil.
Remember in the Gospel when they came for Jesus in the garden. Peter drew his sword and struck one of the guards cutting off his ear. Jesus told Peter to put the sword away because those who live by the sword die by the sword.
The last time I had the honor of speaking to you about God’s word during the homily, Jesus said in that Gospel reading – “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
So we have to love ourselves, because we – YOU and I, have the gift of TRANSCENDENT DIGNITY… We are also called to love others – because they too have the same gift.
Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, had this to say about creating peace in the world:
If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations, There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities, There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors, There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home, There must be peace in the heart. -- Lao Tzu (570-490 B.C.)
Lao Tzu recognized that peace is a by product when each person recognizes the transcendent dignity of all people – even though he didn’t say it that way, and even though he lived 500 years before Jesus was born.
Being able to see that each person has TD, transcendent dignity, frees us from prejudices and preconceived ideas, and allows us to have true peace in our hearts, and love as Jesus did. I pray that each of you will recognize your TD this week. Allow it to transform your human relationships and draw you closer to Jesus.
If you always remember this most precious gift, TD, and let work in our lives and the lives of others – it will multiply and grow and we will have scored the ULTIMATE TD, touch down, for CHRIST!
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