'Jesus said to them, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.' (Please read John 8:51-59)
This Bible verse is simply the most powerful verse in Sacred Scripture! Yes, John 3:16 is a perennial favorite of Christians worldwide, but just bear with me for a few moments as I offer a reason for Jesus' pure and simple self-revelation as the Power of God.
God is depicted in the Old Testament as Creator and Sustainer, as the God of Covenant relationship, and, ultimately, in the burning bush, as the great 'I AM.' Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary, son of Joseph, son of David, reveals himself not only as Son of God, but as the great 'I AM!' For Jesus stated that He and the Father were One! And the Holy Spirit has revealed through Divine Revelation, in both Scripture and Tradition, that the great 'I AM' is none other than the Great Mystery of the Trinity.
Therefore, from within Jesus' revelation as Son in the great 'I AM' comes both His mission as the Messiah (John 3:16), and the mission of His Bride and Body the Church!
I don't know about you, but when I read, prayerfully, this Scripture verse, in the context of the overall Catholic faith, I am moved to examine the many failures in my personal walk of faith-- my life. If Jesus is really not just a symbol hanging from a social club we call the Catholic Church, maybe, just maybe, I need to live a better life!
The Universal call to holiness! http://www.pathsoflove.com/blog/2009/01/universal-call-to-holiness/
And this realization should pervade the whole Catholic Church in America! The great 'I AM' is truly present in the tabernacle of our local Church! This presence makes our local Church part of the Universal Church. This means that cafeteria Catholicism is really a denial of the Eucharistic presence and efficacy of the great 'I AM!'
The real Presence of Jesus and subsequent Communion: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05572c.htm
Why you say?
For the great 'I AM' gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew chapter 16), and sent his apostles to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel truth. And as disciples of Christ, who are we to ignore or dissent from Peter (the Pope) or his apostles (the bishops)? Suddenly, in this great Light of faith such things as contraception, gay marriage, and feminist and secular concerns seem minuscule in the Justice and calling of the Great 'I AM.'
The Kingdom of God is now in the Apostolic and Eucharistic communion of the Great 'I AM.' Repentance is the first step; conversion in the true ways of the Catholic Church are all the rest of the steps required in discipleship.
What's worth stopping us?
Agree? tranz4mation@comcast.net
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