Matthew 6:33:
"But seek you first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given you besides."
COMMENTARY:
You can only have its true meaning if you put this
verse back into the full context of the whole passage
where it comes from. In the passage, Christ talked
about "worries about food, clothings, personal
needs, etc." and then He provided the example of
birds and flowers which are well-provided for by
God, Himself, and having these as least of all
their worries. And NATURALLY, they are just beautiful
and they could find food where God provides well FOR
FREE to them.
Isn't that so true? Birds and flowers do not have
to have money to acquire all their necessities?
But why do humans have to have money to have these?
And so people worry so much and become so much attached
to these worldly necessities and needs.
But per Christ's advice, it should really be the least
of all our worries because God definitely can provide
well. I look to this just like the "worries" of the
disciples when there were 5,000 or more people who
followed Christ and they did not have enough food.
Yet, Christ was able to multiply the meager bread and
fish they had and were able to fed those thousands of
people plus plenty of leftovers.
Was there "buying and selling" there?
Now, so far, I have only talked mostly about the
"these things". There is that other aspect of that
passage which is more important: "Seek ye first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness".
That is more important because that would be for
our soul's necessities.
As it is, we can receive all "these things", all we
want, when we indeed get to heaven. But we need
to take "heaven and righteousness" as PRIME incentives
and targets first. Then, all "these things" will just
free-flowingly follow.
Incidentally, this verse was formerly excerpted at the title
of my webpage exactly for THAT point. Originally, my webpage had a background of clouds and then on foreground were all the many thumbnail graphics of gifts that God has provided in our Church (ie. Eucharist, rosary, prayers, teachings, sacraments, Truth, etc.)
These graphical links were shown to be like raindrops coming down from heaven.
My "theme" was:
All "these things" - are the shower of many gifts
as if falling down from the sky - we indeed can receive
by seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness.
It so happen, the "gifts" I show are not just "food
and clothing". Rather, the gifts falling from the
sky are: Eucharist, Bible/Word of God, Mary, Angels,
Rosary, teachings, etc. - and all such "gifts".
We will all INHERIT these, PLUS "food and such" when
we indeed seek first His kingdom and righteousness.
Matthew 12:31 "Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven of people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven."
COMMENTARY:
11/15/94
STOP BLASPHEMING THE HOLY SPIRIT
Matthew 10:24 No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his
master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his
teacher, for the slave that he become like his master.
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We can know what God's Will is and this is what Jesus came here
to fulfill. Jesus' Way is God, the Father's, commandment. Jesus
implemented His Father's commandments through the life and pathway He
treaded for us to follow and obey. Only He is the Way, the Truth
and the Light and so it is only righteous to follow Him who gives
us eternal life and therefore render our salvation. Everything
He laid down as structures, architectures, solid frameworks
(commandments and sacraments) are set as foundation for our
Church, to house us, to be our shelter, to be our guidance and
commandments. Anything else that are clearly NOT part of such
structures, which totally contradicts His laid out commands or
overhauls the pertinent elements included in His commands, are
definitely not part of His Father's Will.
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John 14:15-16 If you love Me, you will keep my commandments. And
I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate to be
with you always, the Spirit of Truth which the world can not
accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it
because it remains with you and will be in you.
...14:25 I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate,
the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name, He will teach
you everything and REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.
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I said before (Re: Sins against the Holy Spirit?) that there are
two dictators to our conscience:
1. The Holy Spirit Who reminds us about the Word of God:
the concrete framework that Jesus laid upon us (commandments
and sacraments)
the One Who guides and governs the conscience of the Church
and her members back on track to the absolute Ways of God.
upholding and maintaining the very concrete and clear structures,
architectures, commandments and sacraments
2. The other dictator is Satan, Himself:
the one who tries to "overhaul" the concrete structures,
architectures, framework established by Jesus
the one who manipulates God's commandments and sacraments
so that people will be confused as to think that nothing is
comprehensible that they can't know how to discern correctly
what is right from wrong; obedience from disobedience
the one who distorts God's commandments and sacraments beyond
recognition and giving people different ideas that will completely
destroy or eliminate the pertinent elements, requirements, original
design structure of God's Will as founded by Christ.
Jesus says about the Holy Spirit:
"when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to
all Truth" (John 16:13)
"He will glorify Me because He will take from what is Mine and
declare it to you" (John 16:14)
"HE WILL REMIND YOU ALL WHAT I TOLD YOU" (John 14:25)
Why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is more serious?
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven
people, but blasphemy against the Spirit** will not be forgiven
Blasphemy against the Spirit - the sin of attributing to
Satan what is the word of God (NAB footnote).
The Spirit has come to remind us of everything that Jesus Christ has
established for the Church. Following these commandments is
following Jesus' Way and is the source for our eternal salvation.
On the other hand, disobeying the Word of God as implemented by
Jesus Christ will lead us astray, cause confusion and undecisiveness
as to follow Him and only His Way.
It is worst and unforgiveable because it is INTENTIONAL malpractice,
and outright disobedience of Spirit-guided commandments of God.
And this in turn will cause abomination and destruction of people
since they are led far away from the Ways of God, which in turn will
cause eternal damnation.
Thus, blasphemy of what the Holy Spirit has come to remind us
is unforgiveable since people are going to be doomed in the process.
God sent His Son, to establish and fulfill His Will. Then He
followed the Son with the Holy Spirit to constantly remind us
of the Will of God as has been fulfilled.
Giving in to the dictates of the devil as stated above, will be
the absolute unforgiveable blasphemy to the PLAN setup up by
the Holy Trinity for us.
It is very clear what belongs to God's Church -
His commandments and sacraments and all the pertinent elements
in it:
marriage - male and female only
priesthood - male Apostles as Apostolic succession is
one of those concrete reminders strengthened
by the Holy Spirit
Honoring God - God
etc.
This is the "House", the Structure, of which we belong - the Church.
The structure of this "House" is Jesus' Way as He came to establish,
settle and bind which is the Word of God Itself. Anyone who maintains
and obeys this framework of the "House" as governed and guided by
the Holy Spirit, will keep it strong against any strong winds or
high waters.
Yet, the devil will try his best to destroy it. He'd try to
lure everyone to be unconscientious of God's commandment which will
lead to irresponsibility and forgetting to uphold them. Even given
the grace and guidance from the Holy Spirit, once someone gives in
the the lure of the devil, blasphemy against the Spirit is committed.
Matt 12:29-30
"How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property,
unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his
house. Whoever is not with me is against me, ad whoever does not
gather with me scatters."
The devil's goal is to try to "loosen-up" the strong joints and framework
of the house such that its members will fret and go against each other
as to what to do about it. The devil will provide the wrong solutions
and alternatives as to try to "overhaul" the basic elements needed
in the foundations of the House. Once the original elements are
replaced with artificial and weak structures, the "House" will crumble.
The Holy Spirit will be blasphemed if anyone hears the devil and
makes him succeed in his ruthless endeavor.
Very clearly, one can discern who's trying to destroy who's
territory.
There is one who was sent by God to uphold all of His Word
as carried-out and shown by Jesus Christ - the Advocate, Holy Spirit
There is another one who tries to sequester the house and its
members, confusing them to think that they can not know or
understand what belongs to God and themselves.
To prevent blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, all one has to do is to
conform to what Jesus set for us to follow: His path, His commandments
and sacraments, since the Holy Spirit has come to remind us and
strengthen us in upholding this.
Choosing to follow the Holy Spirit (1) would be continued strength
to the Church and its foundations. On the other hand, choosing the
devil (2) would be blasphemy towards the "governor" of the Church/house.
Indeed, it'd be blasphemy towards the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, based on God's Word as fulfilled by Jesus Christ, one
can discern which belongs to God. It is not confusing. Everything is
clear-cut as long as we keep to the pertinent elements and structures
that Christ founded for us. And as the Roman Catholic Church has taken
up everything in her Sacred Tradition by letting the Holy Spirit
remind her of what Jesus taught and implemented (specifically the absolute
necessities in these Sacred Tradition) our strenght lies on our obedience
to her as she is guided by the Holy Spirit. The Church has been led to
continue on upholding what's God's and everything that will contribute
to its strength to "house" us and keep us safe forever, as we follow
Christ's lead through her and the Holy Spirit's perseverence and guidance
towards eternal life.
O, come Holy Spirit and stay with us so as we can keep God's
commandments and sacraments forever.
