Jn 3:31-36 Above All

Jn 3:31-36 Above All

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The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.

You would think that if you were an atheist, you would know much about atheism. You would think that if you are a Christian, you would know much about Christianity. In a recent debate, the formidable self- described atheist, Professor Richard Dawkins, stated that most Christians do not know the New Testament. In fact, when self-described British Christians were asked to name the first book in the New Testament, only 35% could identify Matthew as the correct answer. Dawkins thus concluded that these individuals were “not really Christian at all.” He might have a point.

But when Dawkins was asked in a recent debate to give the full title of “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin he was confident he could. His Christian opponent then said, “Go on then.” Richard Dawkins then said, “On the Origin of Species…Uh. With, Oh God, On The Origin of Species. There is a subtitle to the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life.”

To the amazement of the audience, this formidable debater and high pope of Darwinism could not answer the question. His opponent then said, “If you asked people who believed in evolution that question and you came back and said 2% got it right, it would be terribly easy for me to go “they don’t believe it after all.”

Well done! But the truth is: Prof. Richard Dawkins has always had the tendency to make himself big by making others feel small. And this time, it backfired! Which may actually help him in the long run.

To believe in God means to open oneself to God. If science were the sole avenue to the Creator, then Jesus Christ would have appeared at Oxford, and as a scientist. But he didn’t. If philosophy were the sole means to God, then the Lord would have appeared in Athens; as a philosopher, the likes of Plato or Aristotle. But he didn’t. If music were the venue to God, then the Song of Songs would have started Graceland. But he didn’t. He chose to write no music and chose to play no instrument. He and his Apostles were no Paul Lennon or Beatles in the middle of the desert.

I think the Lord chose none of the above because he knew we would do them better. Instead, what he chose to do was something that had never been seen before, done before or thought of before. He chose to do something remarkable, the likes of which we still marvel at every single time we witness it, hear about it and think about it. He chose to be small.

All our lives we look to be big. We want to grow up. We want to have a bigger home, a bigger role, a bigger impact. There is something inside of us that drives us to be BIGGER AND BETTER. And guess what? That’s good. But how? That’s the question. Christ answers the question: be small. Be humble and you will be great! Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground it cannot bear any fruit. The Kingdom of God may be likened to a mustard seed that grew and became a tree.

There is nothing wrong with being big, that is the goal. But if you want to be really big, then make yourself really small.

Too many of the great modern philosophers are great among themselves, but not among us. They tend to spend all their time arguing among themselves which doesn't really leave much room for us. They seem to care more about their theories then care about us.

The great scientists are great because they discover things for us. But they never invented a single thing they ever discovered. They write books that include detailed explanations, diagrams and drawings of Heavens and humans as if they were plans of things to come! They take awards for plagiarism! They never give credit to God who did it all and without any known drawings.

Art no longer impresses us because (contemporary) art doesn’t seem to reflect us. It is no longer the image or reflection of the inner soul. Instead, it is the image of a lost and dark soul.

The great schools have failed us. In their ignorance and/or arrogance they either encouraged or failed to stop the terror of European Enlightenment, Fascism, Communism and Nazism. But the Church, in its meekness sent forth the terror of Communists and Fascists: Bl. John Paul II. Schools can take no credit for the Mother to fallen human nature: Mother Theresa. No great school ever educated the heart of St. Francis of Assisi. And not a single school was willing to accept Montreal’s architect of miracles: St. Andre Bessette. This is to name just a few.

From our vantage point, everything on earth looks big. From our vantage point, everything in the Heavens looks small. That’s a good hint that we have a bad point of view!

God is very big and made himself very small. Those who wish to be big must think big (eternally) but not act big (as if they were God). To know the Lord requires an exterior as well as an interior microscope and telescope. To serve the Lord requires tenacity as well as humility. To love the Lord requires a heart as well as a brain.

The one who comes from above is above all, including me. That makes a lot of sense, given the fact that The who comes from above came down to me.