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The Transfiguration on the Mountain (Mt.17:1-13)

The Transfiguration on the Mountain (Mt.17:1-13)

Each era has its own images of Christ. Each of these images has its own one-sidedness, but maybe together they form the whole truth. In the first few centuries of Christianity there were only symbols of abundant life and trust: the fish, the anchor, the shepherd. Only in the third century the countenance of Christ was depicted for the first time—the countenance of the Risen One. When humanity was wrestling with questions about death, He appeared in countless representations as the Crucified One—the Man of Sorrows. And when there was nothing left but materialism, His image was reduced to Jesus, the simple carpenter from Nazareth.

Not long ago, a new image appeared, something that had not been seen in the history of Christianity before. In a short time, this picture became famous and went over the whole world. It is the sculpture of a poor man, a drifter, who is lying on a bench in the open air, covered with a coat. Only his bare, wounded feet betray who he is. “Homeless Jesus” is the title of this artwork. This image tells us what we did to Him: in our society there was no place for Him anymore. He has been banished from our daily life. What can we do in our time to give Him a place where He is at home?

HOMELESS JESUS, TIMOTHY SCHMETZ, 2013

Only once in His life on earth Christ showed Himself in His true form, in the overwhelming appearance of His Transfiguration on the mountain. When this image disappeared, the Father gave us a task for all time with the words: “This is my Son whom I love. In Him I have been revealed. Hear His word!”

Christ is no longer visible on earth. He leads a hidden, occult existence. But we can hear Him through the words He spoke, words that want to be weighed in our heart until our heart is moved by them. Or by the still voice in us, the Christ voice of conscience. Then we begin to walk with Him, and He with us. If we listen to His voice, He will find a place on earth where He can live.

-Rev. Bastiaan Baan, February 28, 2021

March 1, 2021/0 Comments/by CCNA

Blog, Homilies

The Temptation in the Desert (Mt.4)

The Temptation in the Desert (Mt.4)

In countless ways power is wielded over people in our time. True, the battle for power is as old as humanity, but the battle is getting worse. We know the weapons through which this happens: Force is power. Money is power. Knowledge is power. Not only physical weapons are used to subjugate people, but also the more subtle weapons of technology, money and knowledge are employed on a large scale. The newest, strongest, and most insidious means of power is called information. Whoever has data has the future, is the message.

How often do we condemn the powerful of our time, until we come under the spell of power ourselves, and cannot resist the temptation to subjugate or belittle others. In this way, as weak human beings, we all are part of the vicious cycle of power and powerlessness.

Three times Jesus is tempted to the utmost to exercise power:

Power over matter—by turning stones into bread,

Power over the laws of nature—by commanding the angels,

Power over earthly riches—by possessing everything.

He can do it, but all three times He chooses the royal way of powerlessness. In the same way He will also confront His death—as the God of powerlessness. Then, when He has been nailed to the cross, one more time the tempter will stand before Him in the guise of the crowd of people that tempt Him with the words: “He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now … for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Because He, the almighty Creator, chose for powerlessness, He became truly our Lord.

And we? Are we willing to follow Him on the royal way of powerlessness?

–Rev. Bastiaan Baan, February 21, 2021

February 22, 2021/0 Comments/by CCNA

Blog, Homilies

Luke 18: 18-34

Luke 18: 18-34

One of the most striking and most disturbing phenomena of our time is the division that is growing on all fronts of society. It does not stop at the national borders, when peoples keep off anything that goes beyond self-interest. We see this division also in groups and individuals who fight for their self-interest and, in the process, shut others out—everyone for himself.

As long as we do this we remain stopped before the eye of the needle, which we sooner or later irrevocably have to pass through, for there is but one way that leads across the threshold—the narrow way through the eye of the needle. There we gradually lay down all that we have, in order eventually to enter the world of the spirit merely with what we are. Gradually—meaning that this high art of living has to be practiced step by step by the highest art of dying. It is the only way to overcome the sickness of the ego, egotism, and yet remain yourself. In different words, whoever wants to overcome his ego must learn to sacrifice.

That is the way Christ shows to the rich man: “Sell all your goods.” That means: Leave all attachment to the world of earthly goods behind. For you can take nothing of it with you to the other side of the threshold. Whether it be earthly possessions or a rich talent, everything we want to hold on to at all cost—sooner or later we will irrevocably lose it.

This is also the way Christ shows to his followers: to renounce everyone and everything that binds them, in order to have less and less, and be more and more.

Finally, it is the way Christ Himself went as no other human being. Beyond renouncing, He decided to embrace suffering—to be an outlaw, to be ridiculed, tortured, flogged and killed. It is His sacrificial way, which leads to life out of death.

–Rev. Bastiaan Baan, February 14, 2021

February 15, 2021/1 Comment/by CCNA

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