@LasCasas:

Did anyone else hear what @Sepúlveda had to say about the Indians? Who would rage war out of pure ignorance? #FreeTheIndians

Today, 12:30 PM

@Sepúlveda:

Replying to @LasCasas: Ignorant? More like valid. The Indians are barbarians, inferior to the Spaniards just as women and children are to men and adults.

Today, 12:32 PM

@LasCasas:

Replying to @Sepúlveda: That’s a strong claim you make without any good reasoning. Why is it so hard to accept that the Indians are people too, just like you and me.

Today, 12:33 PM

@Sepúlveda:

Replying to @LasCasas: You can’t compare us to them. They lack humanity and intelligence. Why else would they not have a written language of their own? Why else would they not have tradition and eat human flesh?

Today, 12:35 PM

@LasCasas:

Replying to @Sepúlveda: On the contrary, the Indians had everything that you speak of long before they heard of the Spaniards. They had organization, a society, and customs. And this form of civilization that you speak of does not spark from war. It comes from teaching them the ways of the Christian faith.

Today, 12:39 PM

@Sepúlveda:

Replying to @LasCasas: Craftsmanship is not a supplement for intelligence. Our god will not save them when all they’ve worshiped is the devil as theirs. For this they deserve to be our servants and nothing more. I think I’ve proven my case.

Today, 12:41 PM

@LasCasas:

Replying to @Sepúlveda: I hope one day you can realize mankind is all the same, including the Indians.

Today, 12:42 PM

“You don’t choose a life, Dad. You live one”

Daniel in “The Way”

The movie “The Way” is a story centered around a father named Tom who is an eye doctor from California. He receives a call that his son Daniel has passed away while in France. Tom makes his way to France to retrieve his son’s body, but upon learning the events surrounding Daniel’s death, his trip becomes a little longer than he originally planned. Daniel died in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Filled with grief, Tom decides to take the route his son never had the chance to finish, taking with him his son’s ashes and the backpack Daniel was found with. Along the way, he meets three people who soon become his friends, and discovers a new meaning to life and spirituality.

Tom’s story in the movie from start to finish embodies what it means to be on the six paths to God as described by Father Martin. Up until Tom received the phone call about his son, it seems that he has been on the path of independence. His son has left for a trip – an idea that he is not too fond of – and his wife passed away. It seems he immerses himself in his work and his country club friends. He did not resonate with the adventurous, spiritual nature of his son and saw no point in leaving everything behind. In this sense, his independence is shown through stubbornness and resistance to change and a new way of thinking. He is also a non-practicing Catholic and seems to separate himself from the Church. When Tom learns of his son’s death and arrives in France, he is knocked onto the other paths simultaneously throughout the rest of the movie.

As Tom makes his way to the morgue to see Daniel, it seems that he is on the path of disbelief and confusion. He could have been thinking, how could God let my son die while on a religious pilgrimage? Why did this happen? His disbelief could have led him to the path of confusion. What made the Camino de Santiago so important to Daniel? Ever since Tom’s wife passed away, he and Daniel have not been so close, so it urges him to try to understand what Daniel died for. This feeling pushes him onto the path of exploration, where I think Tom learned the most about himself, Daniel, and others that he met along the way that ultimately led him to the paths of return and belief.

Throughout his exploration, he meets Joost, Sarah, and Jack. Joost is from Amsterdam who says he is taking the pilgrimage to lose weight. Sarah is from Canada who says that she is walking the pilgrimage to quit smoking, but we later learn that she is escaping an abusive husband. Jack is from Ireland and has been on the walk to help with his writer’s block. Along the way, they all experience what it means to be a pilgrim and explore a new side to humanity and spirituality. Specifically, Tom’s journey is all about exploration as Father Martin describes it. Tom interacts with a variety of people and events, ranging from a priest from New York who gives him rosary beads to a Gypsy street party. Through these interactions with people of different backgrounds and traditions, Tom develops a greater understanding of Daniel and why the Camino de Santiago appealed so much to him, aiding in his past confusion. Also, along the way and at many stops, Tom sees Daniel, reminding himself that his son is with him through his journey. On the path of exploration, we also see Tom’s independence at its maximum but also it start to dissipate. When Joost and Sarah started tagging along with Tom, it was evident that he was on a mission and didn’t want to be bothered; or as Sarah would say, he doesn’t stop and smell the flowers. Throughout the way, Tom begins to open up to Joost about his son and eventually to the rest of the group. Talking about why he’s on the walk, hearing everyone else’s experiences, and interacting with people who have different traditions seem to be the flowers Sarah was talking about, whether she knew it or not. By the time Tom, Joost, Sarah, and Jack make it to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – and eventually to Muxía – Tom has made his way onto the paths of return and belief.

As the group makes their way into the cathedral, it is evident they are taken away by its beauty and significance to their whole journey. Appreciating the architecture around the cathedral, seeing Daniel during the swinging of the pendulum, and him doing the sign of the cross symbolizes Tom’s return to the Christian faith and belief that Daniel is there with him. This is further shown when Tom asks for Daniel’s name to be printed on the certificate. Tom completed the Camino because Daniel never had the chance to on his own, so putting his name is Tom’s way of honoring his son and his goals. He does this further by spreading Daniel’s ashes along the sea at Muxía, fulfilling Daniel’s destiny. Tom’s exploration of independence, disbelief, and confusion to return and belief leave him with a new outlook on his spiritual and personal life. The last shot of the movie is Tom making his way through a marketplace, continuing his travel. He does this in honor of Daniel, who once told him life is about living, not choosing. With his newfound insight and belief, he is back on the path of exploration, ready to stop and smell the flowers.

The Path of Belief– “Glorious” by Macklemore

For those on this path, confidence is a huge accompaniment to their belief. While there is little doubt in their belief and faith, there is still an understanding of suffering in life. I think that the lyrics “Got a chance to start again / I was born for this, born for this / It’s who I am, how could I forget? / I made it through the darkest part of the night / And now I see the sunrise / Now I feel glorious, glorious” embody what it means to be on the path of belief. The ability to get through hardships and finally see light and meaning pushes someone onto the path of belief, which is definitely shown throughout this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSFz3NRSSc4

The Path of Independence– “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel

For those on this path, independence serves as a way to see things in a new and fresh way. There is nothing to follow besides yourself. This idea of independence and a feeling of breaking free is definitely portrayed throughout the song; for example, in the movie “Frozen” Elsa sings, “And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all / It’s time to see what I can do / To test the limits and break through / No right, no wrong, no rules for me / I’m free.” Similar to those on the path of independence who separate themselves from organized religion, Elsa felt like she had to get away from her royal family.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnN6glKaWdE

The Path of Disbelief– “Say Something” by A Great Big World

For those on this path, they often seek for answers from God and find none, leading them to give up on their belief in God. The lyrics “Anywhere, I would’ve followed you / Say something, I’m giving up on you” represent someone looking for a sign, whether it be from God or from something else, but failing to find it. The lack of signs that something exists leads to their disbelief in what they might have once held dear, which is what this song is all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTq3xW7_hCU

The Path of Return– “Let It Be” by the Beatles

For those on this path, something reignites their curiosity about their faith and religion. They find themselves back on the road to understanding their belief in a more mature way. The lyrics “And in my hour of darkness / She is standing right in front of me / Speaking words of wisdom, let it be” represent someone who might not be in the right place in their life, only for a sign to appear that pushes them on a different path – the path of return. What reignites their curiosity acts as a source of guidance through this journey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d5ST3tbPIU

The Path of Exploration– “Don’t Forget Where You Belong” by One Direction

For those on this path, they are investigating their faith and figuring out what understanding of God works best for them. In this song, a part of the lyrics states “Seen a lot of faces / Never knowing where I was…I know the sun will be rising / Back home.” I think that this song nicely represents the path of exploration because it is about traveling to different, unknown places but always knowing there is a place to call home. While not all those on the path of exploration find a permanent “home,” there is still a journey that leads to a different understanding of themselves as a person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hkmb_4zp7I

The Path of Confusion– “Anybody Have a Map?” by the Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen

For those on this path, there is a struggle to stay connected with what they hold dear, whether it be their religion or something personal in their life. This song perfectly relates to the path of confusion because it is about two mothers who feel disconnected with their children and struggle to relate to them. The song states “But this is me just pretending to know / So where’s the map? / I need a clue / ‘Cause the scary truth is / I’m flying blind / And I’m making this up as I go.” These lyrics represent someone finding what they hold close to actually be very distant and trying whatever they can to fix it, just how those on the path of confusion try to adjust their earlier approaches to understand what they are confused about and why.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYPoYXOAeh4

According to James H. Cone, the cross in Christian faith has become too focused on the attainment of salvation. That is, most Christians would say that Jesus died on the cross to deliver us from sin and make us acceptable before God. This traditional, widespread view of the message of the cross clouds judgements about what should truly be taken away from Jesus’ crucifixion. Cone’s connection of the cross to the lynching tree in American history serves as a necessary step to the “understanding of Christian identity in America and…healing of the racial divide in churches and seminaries as well as in the society as a whole” (Cone 48). Robert S. Goizueta views the cross in a similar light by looking toward the rejection of the poor and denial of the struggles they face. Both Cone and Goizueta look to the horrors of today’s society and the stories of the gospels in order to fully understand the cross and its impact on Christian identity.

Cone argues that the cross and the lynching tree are more connected and similar than many people would like to accept. The image of the lynching tree is gruesome and not a pleasant sight to see, but neither is the cross. It is because lynching is so hard to accept as something that actually happened that gives all the more reason to look to it. We should not shy away from things that make us uncomfortable; we should look to understand why it happened so that we can learn from it instead of turning to more abstract ideas that cloud our judgement. According to Cone, both the cross and the lynching tree were public events and were usually intended for criminals, disobedient slaves, and rebels of the state. The victims of lynching and Jesus suffered the same fate and they cannot be understood unless they are looked at together. As Cone explains, “the lynching tree can liberate the cross from the false pieties of well-meaning Christians…[and] the cross can redeem the lynching tree…[and] can also redeem white lynchers, and their descendants too” (Cone 53). We have no choice but to look at the crucified Christ as a “black Christ” in order to acknowledge “God’s loving solidarity with lynched black bodies and divine judgement against the demonic forces of white supremacy” (Cone 54). Cone doesn’t want us to forget the terror of the lynching tree because to do so would be falling into the trap of seeing the cross as a romanticized object. In addition to acknowledgement of the lynching tree, seeing Jesus and the crucifixion in a non-traditional light allows for recognition of the love and beauty of God.

Similarly, Goizueta argues that our invulnerability and sense of security stops us from identifying with those that are suffering, specifically the poor. Unity with “the wounded other is, at the same time, an acknowledgement of our common woundedness, our common powerlessness” (Goizueta 13). The point Goizueta wants to get across here is that, deep down, we are all subject to the same vulnerability as those who are less fortunate. When we disregard their suffering and are avoiding the risk of identification with them. We want to feel powerful and that we can take on the world, so denying the suffering, denying the poor, and denying a common ground are ways to maintain that feeling of righteousness. The way one denies the suffering of the poor is parallel to the way one denies the suffering of Jesus on the cross or the victims of the lynching tree. To do so is to succumb to traditional views of Christian identity and to fail to recognize societal limitations for oppressed groups of people.

By looking at the gospels, it becomes clearer how suffering and ugliness can be transformed into beauty. By ignoring those that are truly suffering, we keep ourselves from hearing the gospels as they are intended to be heard. Both Cone and Goizueta look to how Jesus lived throughout the gospels and how it connects to the image of the cross. As Cone describes, “the gospel of Jesus is not a beautiful Hollywood story. It is an ugly story, the story of God snatching victory out of defeat, finding life in death, transforming burning black bodies into transcendent windows for seeing the love and beauty of God” (Cone 54). With that being said, Cone sees the word of God as also being offensive. It is not popular, successful, or entertaining. In the gospels, Jesus is not found taking the easy way out. He is with those who are most oppressed and who are suffering the most. By facing the cross in the gospels as a terrible tragedy, we discover “God’s suffering solidarity with today’s crucified people, which bestows on them the power to resist the daily crosses of injustice in their lives” (Cone 52). In this way, we can find beauty in tragedy.

The ideas of liberation and redemption, as well as repentance and reparation, are crucial to understanding Cone’s argument. By acknowledging the events at the cross and at the lynching tree, there is hope beyond suffering. According to Cone, we need to find courage as a nation to face white supremacy and the events it has caused. People need to be willing to repent and repair its damages and sin. Confronting the events surrounding the cross is confronting hundreds of years of racism and provides a chance to form a deeper connection with what it means to accept and spread love. If those within the Christian community do this, then the cross will no longer be seen as a way to save us from sin, but to introduce us to a new Christian identity that allows for the acknowledgement of suffering and promotion of change.

To understand African women’s answer to who Jesus is, we should first understand their very different cultural, social, and political life experiences. To put it bluntly, they are oppressed. They struggle against a male-dominated society and to take control over their destiny. Pretty much, their only duty is to bear children. However, through this these women learn tolerance; they stand at the center of, maintain, and nurture life. This makes life extremely religious for them and puts Jesus at the center of their lives. There is a common theme throughout African christology that Jesus helps enable women to join her everyday life with the divine. However, every woman has a different answer to the question “who do you say that I am?” Jesus is their strength, their savior, their hope, their model, their helper, their friend, their identity, and so much more. He is a guide to help them endure the hardships they face every day and throughout their whole life.

At first it was surprising to me to hear that one African woman’s answer to who Jesus is contained this: “Jesus accepts all women and men as equals; in Him there is no discrimination.” I find it confusing given the society the majority of African women are in that clearly does not treat men and women as equals with equal opportunity. However, this view comes directly from the Gospels. Throughout these stories, Jesus is portrayed as nothing less than a liberator, especially of those that are disadvantaged. In no way do we see that Jesus distinguishes between men and women. If anything, a point was to be made that women are persons in their own right. So what’s more surprising is how African, Christian communities today are still depriving women of the rights Jesus knew they have.

“Christ as Ancestor and Elder Brother” was very interesting to read because it showed how these two seemingly different views of Christ aren’t so far-removed at all. Much like the Bantu ancestor, Jesus is seen by Christians today as aiding in the path to gratification and a fulfilling life. It’s important to note that everyone’s idea of gratification is unique to them, so how Jesus aids in everyone’s life is different. Christ is also an ancestor and elder brother in the sense of watching over us. As Kabasele describes this, “The Ancestors, these elder siblings, are closer to the foundations. They came first. The prime analogy here is God.” God as our ancestor and as our elder brother emphasizes spiritual guidance and recognition for our responsibilities. It’s no coincidence that Jesus as described by the African women correlate to this idea of the Bantu ancestor. This is what I find so fascinating about “Christ as Ancestor and Elder Brother” – it reminds us that no matter what background, culture, or political circumstances one endures, Jesus acts as a source of guidance throughout our lives.

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”

Matthew 3:16-17

He Qi’s “The Baptism of Jesus” contains a contemporary image of the Trinity that I found to be very compelling. It stood out to me that the images in the painting are consistent with the traditional words of the Bible but have their own modern twist in terms of design. By looking at “The Baptism of Jesus,” it is evident that Qi takes this story and portrays it in such a way that also exemplifies Chinese tradition.

The Trinity refers to God as one being in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. As it is described in the quote from the Book of Matthew above, the Trinity is greatly involved in the story of Jesus’ baptism. Jesus, The Son, is getting baptized. The Spirit of God, The Holy Spirit, descends like a dove upon Jesus. The voice, The Father, comes from the heavens proclaiming Jesus as his Son. This is significant when talking about the Trinity at the baptism of Jesus – all are present and all are doing something different. Meanwhile, they are all one.

The figure in the front, in red, and in the water to me represents The Son, Jesus getting baptized. The dove above and in the center, in the middle of the light casting down on Jesus to me represents the Holy Spirit. Determining who represents the Father is a little more challenging, but I would say that the figure to the right of Jesus in white represents the Father. This figure looks to have angel wings and to be playing some sort of instrument. These images fit the description of the Father in the Book of Matthew. A voice from the heavens, pleased with his Son. The instrument that the figure in Qi’s painting is playing could represent his voice. The voice is from the heavens, so angel wings would be fitting. And why not put him to the right of Jesus with whom he is so pleased, also cast under the light of the Holy Spirit.

I think that “The Baptism of Jesus” is a perfect representation for understanding the Trinity as perichoresis, which describes the inner life of God as each of the three persons dynamically moving around others, interweaving in a circling of divine life. This can be compared to dancing. While each image of the Trinity are their own, they support and need each other. Much like in the baptism of Jesus, the Trinity is depicted as working together but in separate roles. In one God, there is humanity and divinity. Qi’s contrasting use of color and contemporary style of drawing help to further the idea that these distinct entities know no boundary of time and will continue to coexist. These are tough concepts to grasp, but works of art like this help us understand the complexity of God’s nature and continue to teach the vision of the Trinity.

To be Vincentian is to not just understand the teachings of St. Vincent de Paul. It is to understand, follow, and live through them. The question “What must be done?” drove St. Vincent’s leadership and those who follow him today. This is especially important as a student at St. John’s, where the life of St. Vincent de Paul is a core part of their mission.

St. Vincent de Paul’s journey to becoming a saint was a process that took his whole life. He didn’t just sit back and think one day about what God wanted him to do. He reacted to events around him and the types of people that he saw – he saw God in them and that these people needed help. This is a huge part of what being Vincentian means – to serve the poor whenever and wherever they are found. It hurt him that some people, like himself, were living in luxury while there were people on the streets suffering. In the documentary “Vincent de Paul: Charity’s Saint,” it is noted that St. Vincent said “if I turn this medal around, I realize there is the finger of Jesus in this poor person.” While St. Vincent had a great love for the poor, he believed this love should be extended to everyone because everyone is human. This means no matter who they are, every person deserves a giving, loving hand.

“What would the Son of God do on this occasion?”

St. Vincent de Paul

The saying above is another question that drove St. Vincent. In everything he saw, he looked towards God and prayer. As stated in the documentary, “prayer inhabited him so to speak, but it was always a prayer that was associated with service. Mission and charity. Body and soul. Spirituality and action.” Praying to God is one part, but to a Vincentian, acting upon it and making a change is even greater. In Fr. Maloney’s article “FIRE WITHIN: The Spirituality that Sparked the Works of St. Vincent de Paul,” he talks more about how St. Vincent’s spirituality was a driving force throughout his life. In broad terms, “the keystone in Vincentian spirituality is this: following Christ as Evangelizer and Servant of the Poor” (Maloney 7). Today, this means engaging in justice and mercy, announcing God’s love, and working with all people.

Five key virtues of St. Vincent during his missionary are simplicity, humility, gentleness, mortification, and zeal. For a modern Vincentian, these can be interpreted as meaning to remain honest, reasonable, approachable, self-disciplined, and hardworking. For Fr. Maloney, these values were practiced by being passionate for the truth, having enthusiastic confidence in God, developing a positive spirit of renunciation, and showing solidified, effective charity. This is living honestly, simply, modestly, but most importantly, living as a servant to the poor. Vincentian charity is to be done collaboratively, professionally, and with respect for those who are served.

As a Vincentian university, St. John’s encompasses these virtues into their mission statement. With a focus on “global harmony and development,” St. John’s tries to show, rather than just teach, about St. Vincent by requiring its students to participate in Academic Service Learning. By directly interacting with those in our community, we have the opportunity to see the world through St. Vincent’s eyes and experience what drove him towards a life dedicated to service. Most importantly, our contribution to St. Vincent’s mission shouldn’t stop when we’ve reached our minimum, required hours. We should extend his teachings to all aspects of our lives, all throughout our lives, and that’s what it means to truly be Vincentian.

Martin Luther was a German monk who sought to reform the ways of the Church in the 1500s. Luther’s 95 Theses served as a way for him to call out what he believed were the wrongdoings of the Church. He was angered by the fact that people had to buy their forgiveness, and that the Church made everything more about money and less about God. It also angered him that this made it easier for the rich to go to heaven than the poor. With this fresh in his mind, Luther plastered his 95 Theses to the door of a local Church.

“A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one”

-Martin Luther

Martin Luther also talked about Christian Freedom. The quote above establishes opposing characteristics concerning the same man. In this, he is saying how we are both free from all, but we also owe everyone nothing but love. Luther expands this idea by talking about the inward and outward nature of man. The inward nature is our soul and is spiritual, while the outward nature is our flesh and is bodily. Our outward nature will perish one day, but our inward nature is made new daily. Christian freedom, as well as freedom from sin, can be attained through having faith in Christ. According to Luther, faith alone allows a Christian to be righteous, justified, and saved.

Personally, I admire Martin Luther for his bravery in speaking out against such a powerful influence during his time. I agree that the Church had turned away from the true teachings of God and profited off of the public’s feeling of hope that they would make it to heaven. Regarding Luther’s ideas on Christian freedom, I had never thought to think of one to have an obligation to no one and an obligation to everyone at the same time. We are free on Earth, but at the same time a servant to Christ and put our faith in him. What we choose to do to help ourselves and what we choose to do to help others feeds our inward and outward natures, and truly embodies Christian freedom.

The Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) established the dual nature of Jesus Christ while he himself is one person. These natures are fully human and fully divine. The Chalcedon Creed, rewritten for today’s audience, might look like this:

We have all agreed to teach man, following the holy Fathers, that our Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, composed of soul and body. He is complementary to the Father according to God and complementary with us according to man. He is like us, without sin, brought before us by God. Comparably, he was born of the Virgin Mary to deliver us from sin. These two natures – the divine and the human – are not to be confused, separated, or changed. These natures coexist in one body that is Jesus Christ. The prophets, Jesus himself, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has passed this down to us.

     If The Parable of the Prodigal Son were to be preached by Jesus to a contemporary audience, he could have said something like this:

A very wealthy man had two daughters. The younger daughter said to her dad, “Dad, give me my inheritance.” The man did just that and gave the two daughters the share that went to each of them. Not too long after, the younger daughter gathered her money, packed her bags, and jetted off to Europe where she wasted everything her father gave her on luxuries. When she started to run low on cash, she took the risk of gambling her money for more. She was not so lucky and lost the remainder of her inheritance. She needed to make it up somehow. She could no longer afford to live in the city and found herself at a farm in the countryside where her job was to feed the animals. She was always starving and tempted to eat the food she gave the animals, but she could never get any. She then realized, “How many of my dad’s butlers and maids have more than enough food to eat, but here I am, dying from hunger. I’m going to go back home and say to my dad, ‘Dad, I have betrayed God and you. I don’t deserve to be called your daughter; treat me as if I were one of your maids.”

Once she gathered up enough money, she hopped on a flight back home. Her dad had heard about her return and he met her at the airport. As soon as he caught sight of his daughter, he was filled with compassion. He ran to her, hugged her, and kissed her. His daughter said to him, “Dad, I have betrayed God and you; I don’t deserve to be called your daughter.” But her dad had put a necklace around her neck, brought her a new change of clothes, and had a huge party planned in celebration. The father told his butlers and maids, “We need to celebrate, because this daughter of mine was dead, and has come to life again; she was lost and has been found.” Then, the party started.

The older daughter had just returned from work and heard the sound of music and dancing. She asked one of the guests what this huge party was for. The guest said to her, “Your sister came home, and your dad decided to throw this huge celebration now that she’s safe.” She became angry, and when she refused to go inside, her father came out and pleaded with her. She told him, “Look, Dad, for so long I have been a good daughter. I’ve always done whatever you wanted yet I’ve never gotten a party like this for my friends and me. But when the daughter that spends all of her money on luxuries and gambles the rest away comes home, you celebrate it.” Her dad replied, “Honey, you are always with me; everything that is mine is yours. But now we must come together and celebrate because your sister was dead and has come to life again; she was lost and has been found.”