The Dutch language has the word eigenwijs which, literally translated, would be something like “own-wise,” and is used for someone who is out of step with others, or sees things differently from the way others normally view them.  Formerly, someone who was “own-wise” was just annoying.  When decisions had to be taken in a group, such a person was soon considered to be a spoilsport who had to be isolated.  Today the word has developed a different meaning.  It is even encouraged: do it in your own way, don’t let others tell you what you should say or do.  For we have all become more or less closed personalities, each one with our own opinions, our own wise.

But this individuality is as a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, it makes us autonomous, frees us from ties; on the other, it brings us into a world of colliding interests, opinions, and conflicts.  If we only follow our own wisdom, our conversations become like verbal combat among the deaf, who are all locked up in their own points.

To heal a deaf person, Christ had to take him away from the crowd to a quiet place.  There, alone with him, He could perform the miracle of the healing and open his ears.

Also our deafness, our own wisdom that is estranged from divine wisdom, can only be healed when we are in silence together with Him.

That is the way and the significance of the Act of Consecration—being together with Him in silence.  Where in the world can you still find such a spot, where you can practice the art of listening with full attention?  For, the art of prayer is nothing other than the art of listening to the will of God.  The Act of Consecration teaches us to lead a listening life.  Sooner or later, He will open our ears to His presence, not only at the altar, but in every human being, no matter how “own-wise” we may be.

-Rev. Bastiaan Baan, August 31, 2025

The more often you hear these words, the more you may be surprised that they do not express an incontrovertible truth, but a possibility. Why did Christ never say: “Peace is with you”—not even to doubting Thomas, who was allowed to touch him? And why do we never hear at the altar: “Peace is with you”—whereas He is giving it to us? Does this mean that we have to make this possibility a reality?

What do we do with the soft touch of Peace that we receive at the altar? What does this touch bring about?

Peace is a mood that wants to reach further than a feeling of rest and harmony. It wants to be part of our voice, our gestures, even our feet. Are our feet—speaking with Paul—“…shoed with preparedness to spread the message of peace…?” (Ephesians 6:15)

With our feet we walk the path of our life. Semiconsciously and consciously we leave our traces. Only when we walk with Christ and He with us, do our feet begin to spread the message of His Peace. His Peace is not only meant for me, not only for my destiny, but also for everyone’s destiny. This Peace wants to go into the world in us, through us, to save what can be saved. For, Peace in the world is inconceivable. But walking the still, narrow path of Peace—this creates in a torn world an indelible track.

– Rev. Bastiaan Baan, April 27, 2025

In the middle of Holy Week, money has the leading part, both in the anointing Mary Magdalene performs and in the deed of Judas.  In both cases, money is the instrument of the opponent who wants to break Jesus’ power.  When the woman anoints Jesus’ head with oil, the disciples are indignant because of the waste of so much money.  They are blind to the meaning of His consecration to death.  The only thing that counts is money.

When Judas betrays his master, the chief priests offer him the paltry amount of thirty pieces of silver for his capture.  That is how slaves were traded in those days.  But usually, when someone sold a slave, the price was mentioned by the slave trader.  Then they haggled, until the trade was made.  Now the roles are reversed:  a human being (Ecce homo—See, the human being) is sold for what the buyer offers.  There is no haggling at all.  In the eyes of the chief priests, Jesus is less than a slave.

With all these humiliating actions you can become desperate about the power of money and the shortsightedness of people.  But Jesus sees beyond their shortsightedness.

Even when evil works openly, when Satan takes possession of Judas, even when evil triumphs—even then it is no more than a tool of the power that prevails.

That’s how it went when the decision about the lot of Jesus was made.  There was no escaping it.  But on the way that is waiting for Him, Jesus is much more than just a victim.

Church Father Augustine tried to put himself in Jesus’ state of mind from that moment.  He put the words in His mouth: “I suffer not for my sins, but when I die I fulfill the will of my Father.  Then I DO more than I SUFFER.”

What from the human point of view is the deepest suffering, is from the divine point of view the highest form of strength.  Golgotha is at the same time the deepest tragedy and the greatest deed.  In the words of archangel Michael that sound in the fall in the epistle at the altar: “The deed that created life out of death on Golgotha.”

Rev. Bastiaan Baan, April 18, 2025