tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3077636552349131586.post4276105472366049930..comments2023-10-19T07:39:12.616-04:00Comments on Lest Every Man Be Blind: The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity 18)Fr. Jon M. Ellingworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05309773504409139312noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3077636552349131586.post-55390778291894644952010-10-07T11:45:24.858-04:002010-10-07T11:45:24.858-04:00Hello Matt! Great to hear from you! I'm please...Hello Matt! Great to hear from you! I'm pleased that you've found my blog useful and I wish you blessings upon your own spiritual conversation / blog / pilgrimage sort-of-thing ;-><br /> <br />My hermeneutic (interpretive tool) for the Holy Scriptures is simply Christ: What does this passage, story, narrative, book, etc. say to me about Christ? Everything in the Old Testament points to Christ, and everything in the New Testament flows from Christ and reflects upon Him and His work. As John writes near the end of his Gospel: These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name.<br /> <br />More specifically, I continue to reflect upon what the Incarnation truly and fully means for us. Quite literally, the Incarnation changed everything. When Jesus says "Your sins are forgiven," prior to healing, it is the reality, presence, and power of the Incarnation (the Word of God made flesh) that makes it so. In the Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, our forgiveness and eternal healing, in Christ, is a done deal so that the physical healing is merely a sign of the spiritual reality; even if the physical healing is not granted, that does not change the spiritual reality. Same thing with the people Jesus raised - Jesus IS the Resurrection and Life; our victory in Christ over death and the grave is a done deal, right now! Nothing can change that, not even our physical death, for in Christ it has become nothing more to fear than going to sleep at night.<br /> <br />On another note, I love the title of your blog. The Torn Veil is indeed a powerful sign and image. But again, what does the torn veil say to us about Christ? Do you know any Greek? John 1:14, the Incarnation, in the Greek literally says "The Word became flesh and TABERNACLED amongst us." That word TABERNACLE is the same word that is used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for the Tabernacle in Exodus and Leviticus. The OT Tabernacle was the Real Presence of God amongst His people. There the glory of God was present amongst His people, behind the veil, in the Most Holy Place. In the Incarnation, the Word of God, the Glory of God, TABERNACLED in the flesh and blood body of Jesus. Moreover, John records that after Jesus' death on the cross, the Centurion pierced His side (the veil of Jesus' flesh). And, out of the side of Jesus comes the atoning blood and the cleansing water.<br /> <br />Wanna go farther and deeper? How is the piercing of Jesus' side like the piercing of Adam's side, the removing of a rib, and the fashioning of the woman Eve? From the side of Jesus is brought forth His Bride, the Church, in atoning blood (Holy Communion) and cleansing water (Holy Baptism).<br /> <br />What a wonderful, mysterious, and amazing journey we've been invited to join in! The beautiful thing about Divine Mystery is that you can never exhaust it, it simply brings you in deeper and deeper.<br /> <br />Blessings in Christ, my friend! I look forward to dialoguing more with you!<br /> <br />JonFr. Jon M. Ellingworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05309773504409139312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3077636552349131586.post-80093008398643778832010-10-07T10:47:17.294-04:002010-10-07T10:47:17.294-04:00Hi Jon,
I have just stumbled upon your blog site a...Hi Jon,<br />I have just stumbled upon your blog site and loved what I have read so far. You are obviously somewhat more learned that I am so I look forward to delving more into where you are coming from. In the mean time I have set up a similar blog site with perhaps similar hopes so please feel free to pop over, digest, tear apart, agree etc. Thanks for your work so far,<br /><br />MattAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com