Secular humanism smashes self

"Secular humanism," as you know, is the philosophy that advocates human, rather than religious values.

Leaving that (in my opinion) oxymoronic definition aside, let's look at both today's Gospel (John 8:51-59) and the often held secular humanistic view that Jesus, (if He even existed) was, while certainly not divine, certainly was, for want of a better description, "a good guy."

After all, He (sorry, "he") was all for loving your neighbor, clothing the naked, feeding the poor, healing the sick, and all that good stuff. Miracles? Ah, well, they were reported by his fans, misguided folk that they were. Still and all, Jesus (if he existed) was, all in all, a nice guy. A humanist.

One problem with this. Jesus claimed to be God. (And God is Divine.)

"Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”

So. Jesus was (is):

A.) A liar
B.) Insane
C.) God

There is no other explanation for His (His!) extraordinary statement.

In today's sermon, the priest suggested something I believe to be well worth contemplating. As we near the days when we remember the utter humiliation, agony, and human misery of Jesus, let us concentrate on the fact that this Man is, was, and ever will be...God.

May He continue to bless you.