TRAINING: DAY TEN

We're entering the second phase of training. For those of you waiting for my assessment results, here it is: Out of nineteen trainees, I rank third. That's ... not bad, isn't it?

We enter a wondrous new world of ungodly hours and debt. After all, as Bruce Wayne would attest, "You have to spend money to make money." As we say goodbye to internal organs that have to be sold for allowance (an exaggeration on my part, but reality for others), we face the unknown future with the comfort of winning the first skirmish in the war. Though we are not without casualties...

Thanks to Trainer Cesca for making the last days fun. We don't say "goodbye" to Ai, just "see you later." What did God have to do with anything today? Well, for one thing, I scored lower than my previous assessment (hence, third place). Hubris, overconfidence, pride or complacency - whatever it was, it torpedoed my self-esteem and reminded me that "Pride comes before destruction," as the Good Book says. There you are, God. ;)

From this point on, we keep our head down. The first skirmish is over, but the war is far from it.

I'll send battle updates as soon as possible. Over and out.

TRAINING: DAY NINE

My apologies go out to those who keep track of each day I am training. The past few days reminded me that the rat race is mostly composed of work, sleep and food.

Anyway...another week, another assessment. I'll tell you more about the results tomorrow. While we're all waiting for the hammer to fall, a few of us decided to talk about career growth. One aims to be a CEO, another wants to be her subordinate. I got my career predicted for me: the owner of my own company, or at least a subsidiary of THIS company.

Now I would normally be flattered by this prediction, but today I saw two sides to this. On one hand, I'm flattered that they did not think I was better suited as a custodian or a security guard. Also, they presumably consider my qualities too unique to be contained in a system that already exists. On the other hand, I'm saddened to think that consciously or not, my friends don't think I fit in - or worse, that I don't have a place here. True, it is the eventual price we pay for getting attached to the system (since we don't want to be employees forever, do we?). It's just...lonely, I guess, to contemplate such a future. Everyone wishes me well, but they don't want me to be part of THEIR future.

Truth be told, I don't have grandiose plans for the future anymore. That style has gone the way of the dodo. No, I don't aim high (in an earthly sense, at least) anymore. People think I have some form of potential that I don't exert to the full, but honestly, I don't see what all the hooplah is all about. I personally would prefer going the way of the dodo myself. "To live is Christ, to die is gain," as the Apostle Paul declared.

Tomorrow I talk about the assessment results. Wish me well. On second thought...

TRAINING: DAY SIX

A new week of training brings new developments. Trainer Myra, we were all dismayed to learn of your resignation. We'll miss you, for we barely knew thee. May God bless you and your daughter (may she have all the fried chicken she wants) always. Trainer Tracy, we'll miss you too, for we all move forward - but we'll send you the class pic. Trainer Cesca, we will remember the pronunciation of Cibo forever, but we brace ourselves for this week. May God have mercy on us all.

Confession, Communion, The Papacy, Celibacy... Traditions I would object to and would warrant my immediate expulsion from any Catholic Church, traditions that are not based on truth, sadly. Let's start with Confession. Since Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), people can pray to God through Jesus directly instead of going through any other detour. The most important confession is the confession of faith in Jesus and His Resurrection (Romans 10:9), and as Christians we should confess to one another (James 5:16).
The Apostle Paul threw a fit about modern Communion (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). He reminded us that Communion is not a way to transform the bread into a piece of Jesus' flesh, as Catholic priests say. That is a gross misinterpretation of Scripture. It is done in remembrance of Jesus' death, and to announce it until He returns.

Another misinterpretation is The Papacy. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is based on a mistranslation of Jesus' words to the Apostle Peter. When Jesus said, "...You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church..." Jesus was informing Peter of the Church He (Jesus) will build. In Scripture, the prophet Isaiah called God (Jesus) "...a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." (Isaiah 8:11-22)

Celibacy was never in God's blueprint, but neither was sexual immorality. The original priests were Aaron (brother of Moses) and HIS SONS (Exodus 28:1). In the New Testament, Jesus noted that not many people would accept the statement "It is better not to marry," but lets God guide each and every one of us (Matthew 19:10-11). The Apostle Paul commented at length about the celibate life (1 Corinthians 7:1-16:24) and gave instructions to single men and women. In the end, whether it's a ritual, tradition or way of life, we live by the Book of God {aka the Bible}, we bohemian believers of Jesus Christ.

As the cast of the musical RENT declared: "Let he among us without sin, be the first to condemn... La Vie Boheme!"

TRAINING: DAY FIVE

As an unwritten rule to keep me celibate, God has made sure that all women I encounter (and eventually fall for) are either in a relationship (boyfriend or husband), are pregnant or have children. So far, the rule is unbreakable. Obviously, I can sigh in resignation as I watch a lovely lady carry her offspring or cuddle her beloved. Even more devastating is the encounter with the single woman. Yes, it's almost as if I become a good luck charm of sorts to any single girl I decide to like. The single girl finds her significant other almost immediately, to my dismay. I am reminded of the Divine Comedy every day in my life.

Today is assessment day! A lot of exams and a lot of private conversations in between. Until these "moments of truth" are in the open, I did not realize how prevalent sexual immorality had become. Then again, that IS a disadvantage of a priest - to look down from a holier-than-thou pulpit is never a good vantage point of reality. Hence the more realistic placement of Royal Priests - among the people instead of above them. Although, even from here I don't see the logic or virtue in sex for sex's sake, without any meaningful relationship behind it. But then again, I've never had sex, so... I need to rethink the effectivity of servants of God who seem to be so isolated from the real world.

I also ventured into the land of women today! From uncomfortable reverse confessions with a liberal lady to a chat with a chocolate-adrenaline junkie who happens to be an almost-certified nurse (who resourcefully made a way to earn her allowance on the first day, and later today helped the ENTIRE team pass the exams!). Plus lengthy discussions with a happy anime' fan concerning sensible shoes, The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift OST, kitchenware, Ferrero Rocher chocolate and the song "Way Back Into Love" from the movie "Music and Lyrics" starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Women are really my favorite people. It's a shame the rule still stands, but God offers me consolation:

"Do not let your heart envy... but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."- Proverbs 23:17, 18

At this point, I'm considering cutting something else off. Just to end my misery.

TRAINING: DAY FOUR

"A wicked sense of humor." I believe that would have been the character summary of any rejection letter I would receive, if ever I chose to apply in any acceptable seminary nowadays.

This long-dormant quirk has been resurrected in today's training, in an exercise I will refer to as the "confessional." Truly, a lot of truth came out today, and shed new light on all of us, binding us all closer together in ways I could not have imagined was possible. The truth, as always, sets us free. Too much freedom, I later discover, is not a good thing.

I will only break the vow of secrecy only to mention a discovery of a "water curse," which jolted a reflex response that made my fellow trainees sit up and say, "Father!" I later confide in my offendee that I myself was a victim of a water curse, having nearly drowned in a family reunion at a water park a long time ago. I occasionally kick the edge of the water when we go to the beach. I distinctly remember finding it amusing, how my entire family surrounded me, and was the reason I found myself in the deep end at the worst time. My friend (the offendee) says she forgives me, but I could never forgive myself for that immature glib. Though she mocks death by swimming, and I mock death through other means, the fact remains that a Royal Priest should know better to "be slow to speak," among other things. God still refuses to kill me, though. Probably too predictable. God almost always wants to surprise us. God does compensate by making me forget to wait for my friend to return my notes in lieu of the exams tomorrow. God adds poverty and a storm on top of that. The encores of God are spectacular, really. Like a three-ring circus.

Another friend later suggested I should stop deceiving myself and stop being a priest. I think to myself, "I can serve God, dammit!" No sooner do the words pop in my mind that I check myself and ask conspiratorially, "Can you, really?" I think back to the days when a prophet would eat bread cooked over his dung-fuelled flame. Or when a giant fish would swallow a deserter and spit him out a few days later. Or when Jesus spoke in riddles and drove the merchants out of the temple with a whip. Or just this morning, when Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said his request to pray for rain, the Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam, caused the current storm season. Not to mention this evening, where I just finished a loan transaction to rescue me from poverty, while sipping Mountain Dew in the rain - on my way home.

I smile sadly and think of the REAL Divine Comedy - that God and Heaven have a wicked sense of humor, and that it's the prerequisite quality of the citizens of Heaven... and at least one Royal Priest.

TRAINING: DAY THREE

I woke up today at 4:49AM. There are two ways I can try to explain it - the first being the opening phrase Bruce Wayne used to teach the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, about the gray areas of warfare: "Let me tell you a story about a woman named Selina Kyle..." The second way is the verse I saw popping up on my screen on startup (I have DailyBread 2.0): "My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them." - Proverbs 1:10

A bolt of lightning illuminates the sky, enveloping every drop of rain that fulfills its purpose. The grand hall is dark, the pews slowly being filled with a steady flow of people. As the doors close, the journey begins. As we slowly but surely reach our destination, We muster the strength necessary to rejoin the rest of our life from this point onwards. By a miracle, I arrive in the nick of time as the lights slowly ignite and a formless voice echoes in the air:

"Sa ating mga mahal na pasahero, nawalan po ng kuryente ang Ortigas Station kaya hindi po makaandar ang tren." [To our beloved passengers, Ortigas Station has lost power and the train is unable to proceed.]

It's Storm Season. My train was the last one available before the guards stopped people from buying any more tickets or entering the terminal. I join the masses out, and bump into a friend (the same friend I narrated Back To The Future III the previous evening). It is now the morning of the third day, and we are all hoping for a miracle of some sort. My friend tells me that the storm is causing a lag in electronic processing throughout the building, but other than that everything's normal. I thank my friend and move onwards, ever onwards.

As I enter the building I am met with a crowd looking towards something approaching. Could it be? At this point in writing this blog, I stopped for dinner. I overhear a radio sermon about the Samaritan Woman at the Well who asked her fellow countrymen (after meeting Jesus): "Could this be the Messiah?" Nice emphasis and symmetry, God. {wink} But back to the story. No, it turns out the security guard is ushering out a man and a woman. Further inquiry reveals that the woman PUNCHED the man because she was next in line and the ATM was a little slow today. I'm not sure if I should talk about "Money is the root of all evil" or "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord" or whatever.

Oh yes, before I forget: My friend is now successfully registered in the Biometrics system - which means a fingerprint determines the perception of our performance in the company from this point on. At least when it comes to attendance.

I know that we're practically always enjoying summer even if it's August because the sun knows no mercy. I know pitstains and BO are an increasingly unfashionable trend. But young women who dress in the most micro-mini-infinitesimal clothing still disturbs me. No, these women don't want to be ogled or whistled at or (God forbid) raped, but they are either accustomed or answering the question, "Why go through life unnoticed?"

Interestingly, this thought came after I thought of my female fellow trainee and FRIEND (special emphasis) who wore mostly blazers and turtlenecks and a plethora of formal wear - as well as a nice cross necklace, sans broken Christ figure. Aaaaaaanyway, I just reminded myself of the meaning of being a Royal Priest, as well as HER interpretation of it ("You're celibate? That sucks!"). I need to remember all the similar girls (smart, beautiful, sharp, friendly, etc.) I've met throughout my life ... and their partners who would be more than willing to take me to Calvary and crucify me.

And so the day ends with the prophetic verse I saw popping up on my screen on startup this morning: "My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them." - Proverbs 1:10

TRAINING: DAY TWO

"What are you doing?" I ask my fellow trainee, who is preoccupied with my left hand and is meticulously rolling up my jacket sleeve. She replies, "You could get raped in Saudi [Arabia]." I quizzically look at her, as if she just gave me a Zen answer. She explains, "I envy your hands, they're so feminine." She then proceeds to share this revelation to fellow females sitting around the table. They then unanimously and jokingly hate me because of my hands. In the back of my mind, I find the concepts "feminine" and "priest" in the same train of thought uncomfortable. True, women are more attuned to their emotional aspects that their souls are said to be closer to the divine. True, this concept of the "divine feminine" has led to sad misrepresentations in the form of nature worship (Gaia or "Mother Earth") and gay priests. Since I am heterosexual and have my mother's hands, I leave the thought to fester.

Today is the second day of training. Yes, I am still employed in a proper company, and yes, I am still being asked about the specifics of my priesthood. You know, the Apostle Peter was married and HE was the cornerstone of the Catholic Church - not to mention countless CELIBATE priests and popes throughout history! Of course, he was crucified upside-down so I guess he wasn't interviewed very often. I can't really talk much about the specifics of our training because we do have to keep confidential company info CONFIDENTIAL. Sorry. Anyway, the day proceeds in an alarming pace, and it makes me ponder the Theory of Relativity - time flies when you're having fun.

Lightning storm! The rain is really pouring it on thick tonight, and the flashes of light electrifies my soul. It's my favourite weather, lightning storms. It reminds me that God is more powerful than all His creations, and if one bolt of lightning can kill a person, how much more can its Maker execute? The glee I feel is only doubled when I glance at the TV in the lobby. Back To The Future III! One of my fave trilogies - along with The Mummy, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings - which brings mind-bending concepts to life on the big screen. In this case it's on HBO. As if in sync, the lightning outside the window echoes on the screen as Doc Brown races against time (literally) to conduct a lightning bolt from the clock tower to the time-travelling DeLorean with Marty McFly inside. Time Travel - Genius Concept! Spielberg - Genius! God - Creator of Spielberg!

Since the movie serendipitously begins just as the day's training ends, I sit through the entire thing. A friend of mine from another training group sits beside me and I give him the movie's story, practically word for word. If I inherited my mother's hands, I also inherited my parents' combined photographic memory. I target movies like this as well as TV series like Smallville (Particularly Lionel Luthor's show-stopping speeches!) and The West Wing (Great scriptwriters! Too bad the series ended. Good thing I have a VCD collection!), which quench my mind's insatiable thirst. (It's true what they say, you can only remember things that are most important to you. At least, I'm told, until age or Alzheimer's kicks in.

Speaking of debilitating diseases, the rules on punctuality and company attendance policies and even the "psychosomatic disorder" discussion I had with my fellow trainees yesterday is settling in. It's like I was previously existing in Heaven where time is not a fixed construct (though many scientists agree this is the case), and now I am screaming to the Heavens like my Biblical counterpart to "stop the sun!"

Then again, I like this lightning storm, the training day is over and I'm enjoying this movie.

Maybe tomorrow.

TRAINING: DAY ONE

Training! Everybody needs training before they start any kind of work, unless you want the more painful road of trial-and-error... which leaves a lot of people discouraged before they begin. Today's my first day of training, and I really can't talk much about the company's top-secret training program (the company being a well-respected, international organization), so I'll just talk about the fillers - the stuff in between the training.

After the awkward "getting to know you" part of the training (oops, that was confidential!) which I mentioned only because my own status as a Royal Priest was exposed (Exposed? Am I trying to HIDE anything to fear being exposed?) and I receive the obligatory Q&A about specifics. I have to say it was not very convincing, as Royal Priests are not officially recognized by any known denomination, is hunted down by a spiritual Enemy and thus have to maintain a great deal of secrecy, and has yet to establish it's online and global presence. I realize it requires, ironically, a leap of faith.

Lunch! Even Jesus was accused of gluttony at one time, did you know that? Anyway, I found this great place just a stone's throw from the building, easy on the pocket and the food is served piping-hot. After that I get together with a few fellow trainees (discovering the coffee dispenser in the process) - but not before clarifying with a trainer that we're still having trouble delivering Communion online - and we few fellows engage in smalltalk about psychosomatic disorders. Nice. After we've transformed each other into raging hypochondriacs, it's back to the training room.

The day goes by better than expected, I think. Hopefully it's the start of something new. My dad, upon hearing my sensible choice of employment, once proclaimed, "This is the first step to your future!" The thing I keep to myself is, my future has been written long before I was born. Plus the fact that the company survived before I became a part of it and will survive long after I'm gone. The fact that I'm alive, posting this blog today, is proof positive that there is still something I need to do. And that goes for the rest of us, too.

Maybe we can talk about it over lunch tomorrow, OK? Free coffee.

DEATH AND TAXES

One of my favorite films is "Meet Joe Black." It's about Death taking a holiday in human form, portrayed by Brad Pitt. In one scene he makes a fuss over the saying, "Nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes." Hilarious as the scene is, it points out two inevitable realities, realities not even I can ignore - unless I transform into a Brad Pitt look-alike and have the power of Death, which I doubt will happen anytime soon.

Rejoining the world as an average-class working man, I am faced with the reality of taxes once more. Amplified through the loudspeakers, our moderator makes us regret ever learning subtraction in school. Yes, with all the "benefits" that are deducted from our salary, it would be more lucrative to sue everyone instead. Or how about deducting our salary from our taxes? Invented originally to create equality in society, the ancient rulers of the world used taxes to expand their empires, support their armies and provide for their people. The rich people quickly found the loopholes in tax laws, so the poor people ended up being oppressed to this day.

Jesus didn't worry about taxes. He lived with his parents for the most part. When he set out to live on his own, he essentially lived "off the grid" - a freelance guy. When he was charged for the temple tax, he reluctantly gave a coin from the mouth of a fish. When he was consulted about taxes, he simply said, "Give Caesar what is Caesar's and God what is God's." Of course, Jesus was convicted falsely and was executed at 33, so Christians usually ignore that chapter of our Lord's life. The Apostle Paul was a tentmaker, and said "Those who do not work, do not eat." Thus, he lasted longer than the other followers of Jesus, who preferred to be bums.

I like quoting the first part of the verse "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The verse was quoted by Jesus during his forty days of fasting in the wilderness, where he out-quoted Satan. Satan was basically saying that Jesus had the power to turn stones into bread to feed himself, and Jesus essentially replied by pointing out that God decides if we get stones OR bread. Mankind did not create itself. I prefer saying "Man shall not live by bread alone, but we still need bread." Dangerously close to being Satanic, we must understand the realities of the world. Like the Apostle Paul, we have to play by the rules to join the club.

God ultimately has the last word, of course. Death is the curse we inherited from Adam and Eve - who chose to be independent from God, with a deteriorating mind and body plus mortality, rather than being blissfully united with God, with unlimited potential and immortality. Jesus came to earth, died, and rose again to tell us that happy days are here again. Through our faith in Jesus we are given life with God forever.

I have been to too many funerals. The question that goes through most mourners' minds is "Why?" The question that goes through my mind is "Why wasn't it me?" As Gandalf mused in The Lord of the Rings, "Many who lived deserved death, and some who died deserved life." Indeed. Christians in ancient times faced persecution willingly because of a life beyond life. They knew that as long as Jesus is their Lord, they would be like a seed that dies in order to truly live.

Interestingly enough, some death row inmates prefer their quick execution than face what seems like forever in a substandard environment like prison. "The Chamber," a book by John Grisham (which later became a movie) focuses on such an inmate. The cycle of hope and disappointment the inmate faces whenever a new lawyer comes to defend him proves too much, and the inmate welcomes the reprieve of death. This is also the case with suicides and "mercy killings" and abortions - a hope and disappointment magnified to an extent that murder and death seem "good". To a lesser degree, alchoholism and drug addiction are similarly self-destructive and similarly justified - justified incorrectly.

I have been at the edge, and have on occasion agreed that "maybe six feet ain't so far down," as the song goes. I've tagged myself somewhere between "psychotic" and "suicidal" at times, but by God's grace I drank poison only AFTER learning how magicians drink poison. I've muddled the discrepancy between "fasting" and "starving" so many times, the light at the end of the tunnel burned out. God still wants me to hang around - to give a coin to a beggar, to have a front-row seat at the Apocalypse, or to write a blog - whatever.

As the Apostle Paul said, "To live is Christ, to die is gain." Which means, if we Christians live, then we have a chance to serve God, and work and pay taxes and LIVE. If not, then we get to live WITH God. Forever. Which is better. But only God knows when that will be. Literally and inevitably.

FEVER

"Many are called, but few are chosen." With those Biblical words the speaker pointed out the difficult journey to get where we are, and just how special we apparently are. I am in an orientation event in a prestigious computer industry, taking my cue from the Apostle Paul, who said, "Those who do not work, do not eat." I will discover though, that the food - sopa de ajo, pork with cashew nuts, golden banana rolls (turon), iced tea - will be the least of my worries today.

The presentation is proceeding flawlessly, but there is one thing that is irritating me - the temperature. Last check, the concierge (the orientation is held in a hotel) lowered the room temperature from 16 to 27, but the cold is still making me appear to be in a partial state of epilepsy. Chattering teeth, shivering limbs... I look like an electroshock victim. The people around me battle the subzero situation by sneaking off to the bathroom, maximizing the use of the hand dryer.

I have to confess, I am not a stocky man. In fact, I would probably win in a competition against Calista Flockhart and Gandhi on who can show their skeleton without an X-ray. Silly me, with this storm season, I brought a windbreaker with a hood instead of an eskimo suit. The windbreaker and an umbrella peek at me mockingly from the inside of my bag, as if to say, "Nothing will save you now!" with accompanying "evil villain" laughter. Work is driving me crazy, it seems. But then again, as Solomon said, "That's nothing new."

Interestingly, the body does crazy things to achieve balance. Pretty soon, I'm hearing Beyonce's "Fever" in my mind. Yes, the extreme cold activated my body's Vesuvius response. The trek home is unbearable - weak knees, high fever, sniffling and dizziness. Yes, God was reminding me at this point that the journey is difficult, and we are special. But most importantly, God was reminding me that I did nothing on my own. This is all part of His plans for me, "to prosper [me]... to give [me] hope and a future." So - To God be the glory. Good news: I have the weekend off. Thank God for small miracles. Throughout the weekend, God will be reminding me that He is my Healer, as well.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? (Royal Linguistics 101)

priest [preest](plural priests) noun

1. ordained Christian minister: an ordained minister, especially in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox churches, responsible for administering the sacraments, preaching, and ministering to the needs of the congregation

2. minister of non-Christian religion: a spiritual leader or teacher of a non-Christian religion

3. descendant of family of Aaron: somebody descended from the family of Aaron of the house of Levi, appointed as priests in the Hebrew Scriptures

[ Old English preost, via Germanic <> presbyter [prézbitr](plural presbyters) noun

1. member of early church administration: in early Christianity, an administrative official of a local church

2. member of clergy: an ordained member of the clergy in many Christian churches

3. lay official in Presbyterian Church: any layperson chosen by the congregation to govern a Presbyterian or other Reformed church

4. powerful self-appointed leader: a powerful, self-appointed or self-anointed person, e.g., a leader of a group or faction or a backer of a major movement (disapproving)

[Late 16th century. Via ecclesiastical Latin <>

Microsoft® Encarta® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
= = =

Recent responses relating to the Royal Priesthood have been mixtures of surprise, curiosity and confusion. After all, a Born Again Christian like myself can't be a priest, right? Well, to clear things up a bit, I quoted some definitions from the Encarta Dictionaries (above).

Since it is clearly stated that the recognized denominations are Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox churches, that leaves being a normal Christian very little to hold onto. This, I gathered, is a very dangerous situation, leaving any new believers in a whirlwind of rules and regulations and devout conflict with other religious groups. Most of these believers would quickly lose their faith and be caught up in the turmoil of life again, lost and confused and cynical. Compared to the recognized religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, or Taoism, our Lord's faith has devolved into a Pharisaical regimen of burdens.

I am not a minister of a non-Christian movement, nor am I a descendant of Aaron. But digging deeper, the word "priest" comes from the Latin "presbyter" which describes one of early Christianity's leaders. It also means "a leader of a group or faction or a backer of a major movement." The Royal Priesthood is not a rebel faction, but a movement back to Jesus' original desire for religion.

When Jesus walked the earth, religion was a back-breaking tyranny, ruled by the church leaders - the Pharisees. The Pharisees had immense sociopolitical power, and had a great influence over the people and even the Romans who had control over most of the world. Remember that the Pharisees manipulated the people and the Roman governor Pilate to crucify Jesus without cause. Fear kept the populace in line. Romans feared the Pharisees would cause an uprising, and the people feared eternal punishment if they did not obey their "holy" leaders. Jesus changed all that.

"Love one another. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies." Jesus was a threat to the luxurious lifestyle of the Pharisees for attempting to reveal God's true intentions for mankind. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The Pharisees did not want the people to live full, happy, free lives. They wanted the people under control (sound familiar?). Jesus left, but not before leaving a legacy that survives until today. The Royal Priesthood aims to reclaim those teachings of love, life and freedom. The true teachings of God.

Today, the church has returned to it's original, Pharisaical state. People are expected to keep performing penance for sins, keep fearing the Law of God, keep living in self-imposed slavery. Jesus said he came "to set the captives free." But who among you know that? Jesus died, and only a few remembered. One of those who remembered was the Apostle Peter. He said we are "a royal priesthood." Bingo.

How many Christians nowadays live like priests? Or royalty? Tell me. Some may flash royal jewelry but act like a royal pain. And priests... well, they have enough scandals in their own fold. So why hasn't the great machine of the Church been able to prevent this? Or solve this problem? Maybe because we focus on living "by the Book" and forgot that life is more than words. Or maybe we know this fact, and ignored God completely. Either way is disillusioned and WRONG.

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He also said, "I am the bread of life." Do you see what He's saying? He didn't say "I am giving you rules on how to live life," but HE IS THE LIFE. We have strayed far from God. Jesus knows that. But rather than allowing us to traipse off to Hell, Jesus was the Good Shepherd that leads us Home, and even died for us. The Royal Priesthood aims to honor The Good Shepherd, by following Him.

Jesus knew the rules. He wrote them. He told the crowd, "Before Moses was, I AM." People couldn't believe that God could take the form of a man. But then, God couldn't believe that people had to be told things that was common sense. "Thou shalt not kill." "Thou shalt not steal." What level of depravity did mankind descend to, that we needed to be reminded that killing and stealing, among other sins, were BAD? Jesus knew that telling people what they should do wasn't going to help them learn. So he LIVED THE RULES. He is the Life - the ideal, the Superman, the role model, the idol. If we grow closer to Jesus, we grow closer to the original design God wanted. Because Jesus was God's son, but ALSO human. The Royal Priesthood wishes to imitate God by being God's children while becoming conformed to God's original human design.

In summary, the Royal Priesthood is composed of Christians who want to take their faith to the next level. To become what the Pharisees feared, what they were not able to be. To live the free life that Jesus fought and died for. To live the eternal life that Jesus proved when He rose again. To slowly develop into the children of the King of Kings - Royalty. To fulfill the Laws of God out of love for Our Father in Heaven - Priests. To ultimately show that Christianity is worth standing out for; Christianity is worth defending and fighting for; Christianity is worth dying for; Christianity is worth everything.

IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF IT (The Real Superman)

According to Bill (from the movie Kill Bill), Clark Kent is Superman's thesis on humanity - his understanding of all our weakness and imperfection. The Bible says God is strongest when He works through the weakest people. Moses wasn't a public speaker, but was used to free the land of Israel through God's words and power. David was a boy, but with faith in God he killed the giant Goliath. Fishermen, tax collectors and other common men were chosen as Jesus' disciples - the future saints of the world, the pillars of faith.
In a world that celebrates external pomp and fashion, inner beauty is greatly overlooked. In a meritocracy like ours, the weak get left behind. Like Moses, who spent 40 years in a distant land (having abandoned his royal splendor for obscurity), we hope that God might strengthen us or use us, but by the time He's ready... we are not.
"Who am I to lead these people?" Moses said this shortly after God gives him his wake-up call, burning-bush style. He has lost his regal behavior, his princely reputation, his royal network, his warrior strength. He's figured out the system, managed to survive. He's content with the flock he's led safely, not knowing it was training for a bigger - no, monumental - task.
Now, 80-year old Moses and his eloquent brother Aaron must convince the Egyptian Pharaoh to shatter an age-old legacy of slavery and submit to an invisible God. When the time comes when we have "made money work for us," as Robert Kiyosaki might say, can we give everything up for God? Jesus asked the rich man the same thing: "One thing you lack: Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor...then come, follow me." The rich man refuses. Poor Moses succeeds.

As for the rest of us, the conflict of being "in the world, but not of it" is almost schizophrenic. Christians are living dual identities daily, a juggling act that leave some disillusioned, some destroyed. We humbly bring all praise and glory to God, but somehow maintain our self-esteem. We must be zealous and courageous spiritual warriors, but we must live humbly and work for peace and salvation.

At our lowest point, God is most appreciated. When the judge waives the sentence. When the doctor smiles after surgery. When the check clears. When Jesus returns from the grave. Even the Son of God experienced humanity to understand the lesson: God wants us to know in our bones that God is all we NEED when God is ALL WE HAVE LEFT. That level of intensity in our faith, though, is ALWAYS required from Christians. Covered in "ordinary" wrapper.
I may appear at times to be too cynical or too zealous. It clashes with the humility Jesus taught. But this is because I am living HERE and NOW. Before the disciples were known as saints, they were far from perfect, the "men of little faith." They denied and abandoned the Lord at His moment of crisis. But they knew that Jesus is the real Superman, the Son of God. There's not enough libraries in the world to record ALL of Jesus' magnificent miracles. Jesus spoke of a time when God will transform us in His likeness. God knows our weaknesses, and wishes to save us. Always. God wants to hear us say "Lord, save me!" more times than he hears "Superman, help me!" or "I can do it myself!"

We will someday be freed from our present selves and be like Jesus, the real Man of Tomorrow. Until then, we put on our Clark Kent glasses, and wait.