Questions

• PostEagle
• March 10, 2013
• Church / Religion News
• 0 Comments

When I was very young, my grandfather made me begin to wonder about my cousins. My grandfather, who didn’t speak English, kept calling my cousins my brothers and sisters. I knew I was an only child. There was never anyone else in the house and yet he kept calling this multitude of cousins my brothers and sisters.

I began to wonder if there was some dark secret in my family that I wasn’t aware of. And when I finally confronted my mother about all my brothers and sisters, after laughing for a little while, she explained that there is no word in Polish for “cousins” and that, cousins are often just called brothers and sisters. Which brings me to one of the problems or questions that people will have in the Gospel, which says that Jesus’ mother and his brothers came to see Him.

In the ancient language of the Gospel, in which the Gospels were written, as in Polish, there was no word for “cousin”. As we read the Gospel we find that certain apostles were identified as the “brothers” of Jesus. Yet as we read further we find their parents identified. So the bottom line is, if we truly research scripture we find that these so-called “brothers” are really cousins.

A second question that people will have about the Gospels is… “What is this terrible sin against the Holy Spirit which can never be forgiven?” Basically it is this: As the Holy Spirit inspires us with the truth of our faith, if we deny that truth, we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.

Let me give some examples: If a politician claims that abortion is morally wrong, that he is against it and yet feels he must support it for political reasons, he is perversely acting against truth and the Holy Spirit.

Another example: If someone recognizes the truth of our Roman Catholic Faith and then refuses to accept that Faith for whatever reason, he blasphemes against the Holy Spirit.

Another example: As we acknowledge the love and mercy of God and then despair of God’s forgiveness we deny the truth. If we continue in the denial of the truth that the Holy Spirit gives us unto death, we have blasphemed in a most unforgivable manner. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. To know the truth and to deny it.

Sometimes the Gospel causes many people to have questions. I hope that this has made it a little easier.