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July 19th, 2002
Received by H.R.
Cuenca, Ecuador.
Yes, my boy, you are right. Mary, the Magdalene was always smiling,
or even laughing. She had a sunny disposition, always cheerful,
a light for us who so often quarreled amongst ourselves.
In this respect, she was very similar to Jesus. He, too, was usually
of good humor, and he rarely lost it.
When you recall the old movies about Jesus, where the Master walks
with a serious face, delivering sermons in a slow and small voice,
all pathetically, this was not Jesus. Jesus was different. Jesus
was life!
Remember the book you read where it is narrated how Jesus rolled
and wallowed around with the children in play... this comes much
nearer to the truth. When the Master entered one of the villages
he visited frequently, such as Bethany, at once someone would scream
— “Jesus is coming!” — and the children dropped
their toys and dashed towards him to greet and accompany him. They
knew that he always found time for them, and playing with him was
the most hilarious thing. Yes, Jesus was very popular amongst the
children, more so than amongst the adults, because the little people
instinctively felt the great Love his soul harbored, and they sought
it and were attracted to it, they felt safe and kept near him. Not
always so the adults. To be an adult frequently does not mean a
great progress, but rather the loss of simplicity and naturalness.
Adults so often use up their time with pondering on the past and
worrying about the future. So much time does this activity consume
that they forget to live in the moment, that moment that is the
only thing that is there for them to live. Because they cannot live
in the future or in the past, one has already happened, the other
one perchance will be, but the only thing that is there for man
to live, is each single moment, each instant of present, and nothing
else. This well lived present will become good memories.
Instinctively, children do exactly this. They live the moment,
they “get lost" in their activity, and reality blurs with
the illusion of their game, because the real is only that which
right now exists. The rest will be, perhaps, or has already happened,
but it is not there now.
You have to learn to copy a little bit of the
child mentality.
Now, as to the Argentinean woman's letter that you received, where
she complains about the abuse that women suffer in the New Testament
of the Bible, she is completely right.
In biblical times, women suffered much greater abuse than today
in the western world. And the biblical story reflects this mentality.
It is also necessary to say that nowhere in any gospel Jesus is
said to have treated badly any woman, on the contrary. Well, perhaps
there are two passages that may lend themselves to seeing Jesus
as macho: First, the scene at the wedding of Cana, where Jesus
responds grossly to his mother:
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The supply of wine
gave out, and Jesus’ mother told him, "They have
no more wine." "Is that your concern, or mine, Mother?"
replied Jesus. "My time has not come yet."
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Jesus has already commented on this topic
elsewhere, and I just repeat that those were not his words,
as the whole situation at the wedding is seasoned with a good pinch
of fantasy.
In addition, the other example is the treatment that Jesus presumably
gave to the Syrophoenician woman, calling the heathens "dogs."
— the Gentiles and not women... but this passage has been clarified
by Jesus, too.
Where we really can find words that today offend many women, are
Paul's epistles. Poor Paul, now they paint him as a confirmed bachelor,
whose relationship with women was "very complicated,"
to say it gently. There is a grain of truth in this, but it does
not do justice to Pablo. However, of this topic we will speak later,
when we come to the history of the early church.
It is true that there are still countries where women are forced
to cover their head with a veil in order to attend a religious service.
Had a woman presented herself this way before Jesus, would he have
asked her, “What is the matter with you, woman? Are you scared
of me because you hide your face?" And he would have hugged
her, raising her veil and kissing her forehead.
No, sir, where formalism and rite govern what
is called religion, things go bad.
Religion is joy, happiness, and freedom. So then, enjoy, be happy,
and feel free, because there is a Father who watches over you, and
who is guiding you to a splendid future.
A small portion of that which children still have and so many adults
have lost, is necessary, so that you may find much happiness here
on earth. Moreover, do not forget to live in the moment, because
you cannot live anything else.
We will meet soon again. So long.
May your day be full with blessings.
Judas
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