Jesus never “doubted” the Jewish doctrine. For in Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah is compatible with Jewish doctrine. He had immense respect for the law.

Also see John 1:16-17: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The laws of Moses exist partially to underscore how extremely hard they are to follow, and ultimately, the futility of salvation through human actions alone. Jesus was literally the last sacrifice — His death and resurrection constituted the fulfillment of Mosaic law.

Our church has a mission statement — a statement that defines who we are as a community. “In Christ, we are bread for one another. Broken, we gather. Nourished, we reach out.” The statement hints at the community — gathered in Christ’s name — that becomes the body of Christ. Not in the manner of transubstantiation, but more along the lines of Christ’s words, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” (John 15:5) Belonging to a community of believers means a certain solidarity with the mystical body of Christ. The various church communities would be the arms, the eyes, the legs, the hands of Christ, and taken as a whole, would constitute the body of Christ.

Ekklesia is indeed an appropriate term for Christians because it recognizes the communal aspects of the religion. Worship services and masses are central to the Christian faith because they bring people together as “one bread, one body”. It is possible to be a Christian hermit, but the community of believers and the presence of Christ enrich the experience. In other religions, in particular Theravada Buddhism, the individual is given precedence over the community and the worship of deities isn’t stressed. As Buddha said, “…work out your own salvation…”

Christ’s presence within the church body is spiritual, and — for many Christians — visible as well. During the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the bread, through the miracle of transubstantiation, becomes the body of Christ. Within the hallowed confines of a worship space, Christ’s spiritual presence is experienced, the bread is transformed into the body of Christ, and the community of God commemorates it. Our church’s mission statement acknowledges both the mystical body of Christ, and His body, which we commemorate in the Eucharist.

Jesus’ farewell words, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age…” (Matthew 28:20) assure us that He will continue to grace us with his spiritual presence when we gather in His name. Early Christians probably took this to heart. His farewell words were resonating in peoples’ heads, and the thought of Jesus being spiritually present was probably in the forefront of people’s minds. I believe today this is not always the case. In some churches, a casual atmosphere detracts from one sensing the “mystical body of Christ.” In others, Eliade’s “sacred space” can be felt just by walking up the front stairs. In short, the mystical body of Christ is not just something Christians believe in theory, but it’s something they can experience.

I found an old satirical article from The Onion that depicts the insulation many Americans have from the atrocities and poverty of Third World and developing countries: Woman who “loves Brazil” has only seen four square miles of it.

In all good humor is a morsel of truth — For instance, I have no idea what it’s like to be without means to acquire food or utilities, and I’ve basically lived a sheltered life. It’s also interesting (and kind of sad) to think that I can spend in one day what would constitute the annual per-capita income of some of the “developing” countries. We can do this and not even think twice about it.

Oh my gosh! All this time I thought e.e. cummings was a woman.

What I like best about the Confucianist principle of jen is that “subsidiary attitudes follow automatically…”, meaning that if we possess the qualities of jen, we don’t really need to worry about the details because our overall conduct will reflect it. It’s as if you’re a changed person, a la 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Is it possible for a human being to feel compassion for all living beings? It is an ideal that is to be strived for, but is rarely, if never, achieved. It is akin to asking “Do you think it is possible for a human being to never sin?” In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. That’s a tough command to follow! Personally, I don’t have any real enemies — I am familiar with people whose actions I don’t agree with, but there is no one whom I would consider my enemy. Furthermore, I find it hard enough to love everyone who isn’t my enemy. Being altruistic and compassionate in all circumstances is admirable in virtually every faith. Bodhisattvas who meditate to become universally compassionate by definition haven’t yet reached the point where they are truly universally compassionate. It’s human nature not to be altruistic.

Is it desirable for a person to have unlimited compassion? Let me answer this question with a few more questions. Does the bodhisattva (who is perpetually storing up good karma) experience suffering? i.e. does he experience the desire to obtain nirvana, and therefore, experience suffering? With compassion and altruism comes sacrifice. Jesus Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane, was the tortured bodhisattva — he knew that his altruistic suffering came with a price — extreme physical torture. In a similar vein, does the Buddhist bodhisattva experience prolonged mental torture when he realizes that to perpetually be a bodhisattva mean an existence forever outside the realm of nirvana? A fundamental difference between Jesus and a Buddhist bodhisattva is that Jesus’ store of “good karma”, if you will, is infinite. A bodhisattva’s karma is derived from good deeds and exemplary actions, while Jesus’ “karma” is derived from a solitary experience (death on the cross) that epitomizes God’s grace.

I’ve come to the realization that I shouldn’t hold other people to the same standards as I hold my ideal self. I know it sounds cynical, but I’ve found that it doesn’t work to expect others to behave as logically as you do. You’ll be constantly let down. Face it, no one calls their own behavior illogical.

No, I haven’t been reading some pop psychology book — but what got me thinking was the horrid conditions in which people leave the trash rooms at my condominium complex. Sometimes I think my slothful neighbors actually want to attract ants, flies, and other swarming insects. I hate to tell you this, but I sometimes spend a few extra minutes in the trash room cleaning up after others. Once, I found that someone had put two milk containers in a trash bin when there was a recycle bin right next to it. These milk cartons were half full of warm milk, and the expiration dates on the cartons were from at least two months prior. C’mon people! How long does it take to pour milk down the drain, or at the very least, in the bushes?!? According to my condo association, most of the recycle bins are frequently “contaminated” with non-recyclable trash — the dedication that most neighbors put into recycling materials is wasted by the apathy of a few. And don’t get me started on the number of times I’ve approached the trash room to find piles of trash (most not properly sealed) outside the door. And after I clear a path to the door, I find that half of the trash inside the trash room has somehow not made it into the numerous large trash bins — most of which are nearly empty.

In church today, our priest talked about a survey that was conducted among people earning over $100,000 annually. A question was asked of them: “What do you fear most?” The answer most gave was “Not having enough money to live comfortably.” The follow-up question: “How much is enough?” “Just a little bit more.” Even poor and starving people will not be satisfied with incremental blessings and increases of money/possessions. We all (myself included) want just “a little bit more…”

We want true happiness through self-actualization — the perception that one has reached his fullest potential as a person. Wealth and pleasure (artha and kama, respectively) are nice but ultimately fleeting. Huston Smith’s comments of Buddhism more eloquently tout this view. I know it’s simple and clichéd, but wealth and pleasure cannot bring lasting happiness. Temporary happiness cannot be what people want, for there is always a letdown, a hunger if you will, after the initial “peak”.

Hinduism agrees that the “drive for success is insatiable.” To do one’s duty (dharma) could be considered a form of self-actualization if one acknowledges that one’s duty may be to live to one’s fullest potential. Living to one’s fullest potential does not necessarily imply garnering vast amounts of wealth, power, and respect. Is liberation (moksha) the Hindu equivalent of Heaven? If so, Brahma/God will eliminate our wants and desires upon liberation/entrance to Heaven. Sensible people want liberation/Heaven because such an experience is the absence of want. Could it really be that what people really want is to not want anything?

I really haven’t touched on what I really want out of life. Right now, I’m in the “security” stage. I don’t want to have to worry about finances, career paths, health, my fiancé, my place in the Reign of God… To me, that is happiness — not having to worry or spend time trying to fix what can’t be fixed.

You heard it here first: my prediction for Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees for 2008: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn) and Senator George Allen (R-Va).