Sunday, August 12, 2007

The Second Coming

Orignally posted 7/10/2006 - this is my personal opinion.    

The second coming of Christ - it means to most exactly what it proclaims.  I've had a different experience with this and want to share it.

To those who believe Jesus walked this earth, whether the historical Jesus or the Christ (Blessed) of God, we know this man existed, spoke, gathered crowds and was executed.  We read our Bible and find He plans to come again to this earth, "to judge the living and the dead" and one can interpret that as they feel most comfortable with.  I personally don't accept it. 

I've had Extreme Unction 3 times in my 56 years.  So while I awaited death, naturally I prayed that God would come for me in peace (and of course very little physical pain) and I'd become a part of the Universe, a speck of a molecule of the "body" of God.  "I" meaning my soul.  So I've been close.

I also had to bury a very dear friend.  She promised to send a message, as she truly believed she'd have that ability.  But what happened to me, as I sat at her funeral in a blinding mist of tears, was truly an epiphany of amazing truth:  

When Jesus, Son of God, God Himself, proclaims that He will come again, I now know He means He will come intimately, personally, as ONE, to EACH of us INDIVIDUALLY, alone, which will be the time of our physical death.  It will be a PRIVATE, singular thing for each of us, at our time.  "Prepare, for the time is at hand."  Of course it's at hand.  It's always at hand, we don't know our date with death!    To God, a life of 5 minutes or 95 years is all the same, for time to Him means not as it does to us.  Our physical lives are short and He WILL come for us at our deaths to reclaim the soul he instilled, the soul which yearns for its home.  I believe His second coming is the personal coming for us at the moment of death, each one INDIVIDUALLY, and separate from any other, He comes for our soul, the soul He created apart from anything of this physical world.  The soul which yearns for its Maker, as a child for its Father.  I know how anthropomorphic that sounds but I think ALL humans have the tendency to assign human characteristics to their God, whatever that may be.  I do not believe He will appear on earth to draw crowds, or to throw lightening bolts, or anything that remotely resembles judgment.  A true God doesn't need to judge - why WOULD He?  If God knows all that will happen, he knew before you were born what kind of person you'd be.  And if God needs a hell, a "place" of eternal, unbearable, firey bloody vengeful suffering, sounding alot like a hateful punishment to me, what kind of God is He?  Not one I would surrender belief to.  Which is also why I don't believe in heaven, and for the same reason.  How could time and space exist for a Judeo-Christian God?  Could ANY God worth His salt sit in glory and honor knowing his own children were burning alive, but some were not?  Would God be partial like that?  I could never hope to understand how He thinks or why He allows certain things to exist in our world, but I believe this:  The earth won't be opening up with dead people ascending to heaven.  That's a key word there:  "ascending" it means "up" which is definitely not where heaven would be, would it.  Just as hell would not be "down there".  Down where??  Again, "up" and "down" denote time and space, which we only experience because of our brain, gone once we're dead.  If indeed, Jesus Christ will appear on a cloud with a book and condemn his children for all eternity, I'm completely lost.  It makes no sense at all.  This "Second Coming" where He will do nothing short of thumbs up, thumbs down now come on, that sounds a bit too HUMAN to me.  A true God doesn't need to consider, to judge, to contemplate, He IS.  And He said it Himself:  "I AM THAT I AM."   

So I do believe His "second coming" will be private, for you, for me, individually, at our time of physical death, as a Father for his beloved children, and that will be His return.  Yes, Jesus will come again, when it's time for the soul to be reunited back into the One God who created it.  The soul, our "God-part".    

The "second coming" of Jesus occurs at the moment of our death.  That is what He asks us to "prepare the way" for.  And oddly, when I read my written journal for that time in 2004, I kept seeing the word "Prepare!"  It was the continual response I'd get whenever I'd put my mind on the Lord and meditate on His goodness.  At first I thought, well maybe He's telling me to get my affairs in order as I was going to die to this world.  Then I realized the truth:  Of course we should prepare His Way, for it will come for each one of us when we shed these fleshy coils and the soul will be released back into the vast Universe that is God.  There is no second coming except the last one, our deaths. 

In believing this, I know I have disclaimers.  It doesn't matter, faith is faith and if you live by what you believe, what can harm you?  God does not require our faith in Him in order to exist.  "I am that I am."  When the second coming arrives for me, the world will continue and people will live on, until their own second coming is at hand. 

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not all people agree, it's true. But those who love Christ I'd think would take time to study to see what HE says. There are so many Spiritual journals popping up, here, there, everywhere. Doesn't that make you feel good, to know that there are some people who take what He says seriously? It does me.
Sorry I've not been by, but here I am, wishiing you the best.
Hugs, love and my prayers too,
Barb- http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/FROMBARBSSPIRITUALJOURNALS
        http://journals.aol..com/barbpinion/LETTERSTOHEAVEN

Anonymous said...

Well, dear sweet friend, God does require our faith in Him.  Faith in Him as revealed in His Word.  We can't pick and choose the parts of the Bible we want to believe.  And we can't pick and choose what we want about Christ.  There is one truth in what you've written....He does come personally for the believers soul when they die.  But there will be a true second coming.  When all who have rejected Christ and God's free gift of salvation will realize Who he is and What he is.  God sends no one to hell.  And no, God does not need to judge us.  He knows us already.  But He will judge so that we shall know and no one will even offer a defense in that day other than the blood of Christ.  Think about it.  You are denying the blood in what you say.  

This post saddens me on many levels.  When you did the series on the homeless man, that's about the time I started reading you.  I thought it was good and I had found a sister in Christ.  More recent posts I have found disturbing.  But this one is out and out blasphemy.  I pray you will open the Word and read the Word.  That the Holy Spirit will help you to understand.  And I pray you don't lead anyone astray with this stuff.

Barbara

Anonymous said...

Author (Cathy) 2 Barbara:  This "stuff" as you say is merely my opinion, as is your opinion contained in your comment.  It's not written in stone, it's meant to encourage discussion.  I think to label someone's view "blashemy" isn't an opinion it's a judgment.  I'll pray as well that your mind can be opened to others' views, just a wee bit.  :-)  

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to quickly give you a couple of things to look at, I've got to get to church myself, right now.... but if you have time... can you look up 1st Thes. 4:17, and this website.... http://www.tribulation.com/rapture.htm

Thanks,
Joann

Anonymous said...

Cathy, I always enjoy the way you 'dare to think'. Opening this on Sunday morning it served as a thought provoking homily. Thanks!
Caregivingly Yours, Patrick

Anonymous said...

Author to All:  Thank you to those who are fearless in their faith, with the ability to state their views without the need to undermine someone else's in the process.  I still say "God bless you" for bringing your personal knowledge to me.  

Anonymous said...

Well as one who suffered through 12 years of Catholic school I have to applaude your going to another place with judgement day.  Personally, I think Jesus would be rolling around in his grave (if he was in one) if he saw the kinds of things people do today in HIS NAME.  
I think your view stated here is the best one I've heard. God never intended for us to take another human's word for our spiritual well-being.  No one needs to interpret the Bible for us (hell, it was already censored before it was even printed, with LOTS of gospels left out --the ones that were inconvenient, I suspect).
I like the idea of God coming to me at my moment of death... That is after all MY JUDGEMENT DAY.  
I've always had a desire to write a book/make a movie of the life of Christ that follows the accepted biblical "life he led" with ONE change... Jesus, is not a solemn man who hardly ever talks.  To gather the crowds he did, to have the following he had, for him to be as dangerous as he was percieved by his enemies, he would have had to be a HUGE persona and very charsimatic.   This is the Jesus I think everyone loved back then.  
Anyway, a quick word about the catholics.  In second grade, Sr Carritoss screamed at Mark Laubner to stop crying because his dog had died.  The dog was dead and that was that.  And no animals did NOT go to heaven because they have no souls.  I decided right there, at the age of 7, that the catholic church really wasn't for me.

Anonymous said...

Dearest Cathy, it is wonderful to know and love you and still not completely agree with you.  Among those who believe in the God, there is also dissension.  We had a sermon a little while ago about just this sort of thing.  Where we seem to hurt ourselves in disagreement is the insisting that our own personal opinion is the ONLY right way.  The preacher that day held his Bible in his hands.  The Muslims, who use the old testament as their design plan - right - Jewish also use the old testament - right - Christians, see how many different church names and beliefs - are also right - we're using the same basic principals.  My friend, it is this sort of discussion - though most of the time is filled with dynamite - that keeps beleivers of all different religions and sects within them - going back to their studies to look at, confirm or change opinion about their beliefs.  Thank you for opening up a can of worms for discussion.  Blessings and prayers, Penny   http://journals.aol.com/firestormkids04/FromHeretoThere
http://journals.aol.com/firestormkids04/TimeforaLittlePoetry

Anonymous said...

Cathy 2 Penny:  You're more than welcome Penny, and I hope this is seen for the only thing it CAN be:  my OPINION.  No one on earth has the answer.    

Anonymous said...

It all makes sense to me. I love how you bring us all out to "Dare to Think". Let's just hope He's not coming for you (or me for that matter) any time soon.
Love ya girl, Barb

Anonymous said...

I have my own thoughts on this and they are not for here, but I can honestly say, that I personaly believe that we won't be re visited, I think it's all in our mind. I do however believe in life after death, but not as most think it is.
Gaz

Anonymous said...

I was brought up according to the Catholic dogma.  I no longer paractice that faith although it is firmly ingrained into me and always guides my innermost thoughts and actions.  
I have been reading more and more about Bhudism and their ways of life and beliefs.  Some of what you said above touched slightly on that belief.
Quote "for it will come for each one of us when we shed these fleshy coils and the soul will be released back into the vast Universe that is God.
I believe we are one and the same and already part of the 'whole universe' which to me is God.  Death will only be a re-positioning of our atoms as part of that whole.
Jeanie xx

Anonymous said...

Author (Cathy) 2 Jeanie:  Intriguing thoughts there.  Yes, I think after studying their ways Buddhists seem closer to actual communion with a higher state than other religions.  They center on inner rather than outer self.  You seemed to have risen above the dreaded Catholic big G (guilt).  I agree, that as an intrical part of the whole that is all in all, or God by any other name, I don't bother to wonder what form our physicality will take, but our soul, when it's no longer part of the atomic particles we understand now.  Not being physical, it may very well be immutable!        

Anonymous said...

I believe in God and I believe that Jesus Christ will return as stated in the Bible. The Bible clearly states that the sky will open and every head shall bow. I am not very religous, but it is buy my own choosing. The truth is, I know the truth and it is scary. The only thing that stopped me, the only thought that kept me alive at one point was knowing the existance of Heaven and Hell. Why would a "True God" send us to hell, because he can. If he has the power to create it, he has the power to destroy it, burn it, whatever. God exists.

Anonymous said...

    Your beliefs are facinating. I've never had Last Rites, and I've never contemplated death in that manner. Never been that close to it. Still, whether Jesus decends with a book in his hand, or if he visits us at the time of our passing doesn't matter much. We are what we are and we're going to come to the same end. What does matter is how one lives his/her life. Although when the thought of nuclear anailation and global warming gives credance to the descending Jesus with book theory. As always, thanks for something to think about.
Jude
http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay

Anonymous said...

Your belief comes close to my belief and I experienced a second coming in a near death experience.  My ex husband tortured me for five hours when I was 21 years old.  He put his hands around my neck to choke me, and as he did so, my capacity for more pain ended, and I perceived that I would now feel no more pain to my death.  At the same time a light came in above me that I perceived as Christ ready to receive me.  My conviction was so strong that I felt ecstacy and must have shown it in my eyes.  My ex threw me down on the bed, saying "I would kill you, but it wouldn't do any good."  I thought of Stephan being stoned to death, seeing Christ as he died, and I knew that is what had happened to me.  I do not believe that Christ acts in many of the ways some believe he does, but I think like you, thie second coming is part of our death experience. Although I do not think I have read it put so strongly as you do here.   Gerry

Anonymous said...

Cathy (Author) 2 Gerry:  My humble thanks but my dear you certainly are a survivor, someone who can navigate rough waters, obviously.  The fact that you're among us is proof positive, and a reflection of God's incredible mercy, I'd say.  It wasn't your time, yet you got a glimpse of something and I think it might be meant to calm any future fear or doubt?  Thank you again, Gerry. xoxo  

Anonymous said...

Wow!  I never thought of it that way!  I once hear a Rabi speak.  He said he imagines when the messiah comes, a huge press conference will be held.  He then sees the messiah standing up in front of a huge mass of media all waving their hands waiting to ask the first question.  When the messiah finally calls on the first person, that person will ask "is this your first coming or your second?"  To which the messiah will say... "No Comment."  LOL

I also heard a priest talk about the final judgment.  He said that our "human" judgment is not like God's "judgment".  He said that God's Judgment is returning all that he created back to himself (herself).  

I don't know how all this will work out.  I do like your idea of the final judgment!  How insightful!

I believe as you do, a loving father/mother would not be able to "sleep" at night knowing their child is burning in hell.

I believe that if you need to learn more, you will be given the opportunity to do so.  I also believe that you will be shown truths to help you learn as well.

I also believe that there may be some that choose not to return back to the Father/Mother.  Father/Mother then may be disappointed, but they will abide by that choice.  I believe these individuals will be few and far between.

I also believe all of what you said about our human references to the divine.  They just don't fit.  But as above so below fits so go figure.  I'm sure it will all be made clear to us in the end.

hugs Rosemary