As we bring the Easter season to a close with its celebration of Christ Jesus’ resurrection, it is interesting to study the various Biblical accounts of those momentous days in Jerusalem. There was much division among His disciples. Some of them seemed to think, even after the resurrection, that the mission of Jesus was a political one.

Their attitude is understandable. After all, the nation of Israel was occupied by a foreign power. Foreign troops were everywhere, keeping order in a sometimes brutal manner. It’s known that Rome had a difficult time with this feisty province. Yet the message of the Messiah was not a political one. He was engaged in turning the thought of all who would listen to look for and find the kingdom of God within – and He proved the relevance of His message with healing after healing.

In today’s world, it’s useful to remember that Jesus told His listeners, and, by extension, all who try to follow His example, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." This complete attention to God so absorbs us in the contemplation of God’s allness of power that other issues, such as worries over political debates, economic insecurities and chronic diseases, can no longer be seen as insoluble problems. It establishes a foundation of joy in our lives to know that God’s omnipotence is real, here and now. This is the kingdom of heaven within, and we can feel it.

It involves turning away from the common-sense view of the world, where sickness and suffering are seen as natural. This turning away, however, is not just ignoring a problem and hoping it will disappear. Acknowledging God as omnipotent actually dissolves these problems. By surrendering our belief in them as solid realities, we begin to appreciate God as Spirit, Love and the one Reality. When we reach the joyous understanding that God never created these negative things, we are walking in Jesus’ footsteps and we acknowledge the divine perfection that is ours as God’s sons and daughters. We also begin to understand that any argument against God’s perfect Good is part of the lie that man is separated from God. This lie is one Jesus reversed through His resurrection, which disproved the power of death.

Whole hearted love for God is the practical application of religion to life. It recognizes only the "Goodness" that is God. Further, the proper use of our free will is in the discernment, acceptance and implementation of Divine intent. This makes possible the kingdom of heaven within and nullifies predictions of inevitable evils, no matter what appearance they may take. It can resurrect health, a career or even an economic system.

Jesus illustrated this divine control of God through a multitude of demonstrations: through His healings, His dominion over nature and, most dramatically, in taking up His

life again in the Resurrection. No matter what the circumstances, we can call upon God, who is "our refuge and our help." Recognizing the "allness" of God transforms our thinking, which then allows God to work in our lives – healing our condition or circumstance and redeeming our errors. This, in turn, has a larger effect on our community and on our world. Truly, "Our help is in the name of the Lord, which made heaven and earth."

In His Light,

Bethany Charismatic Catholic Church