Sr. Bethany Madonna, S.V. | Who is Jesus Christ?

Summary

The speaker shares a personal story about preparing for life in a convent, blending humor and spiritual reflection. They focus on a 'Divine Romance' with Jesus Christ, describing His love, sacrifice, and presence in our lives. Through engaging anecdotes and touching testimonies, the speaker emphasizes the significance of Jesus, His miracles, forgiveness, and the deep connection He offers. The video encourages viewers to reconnect with their faith and experience the abundant life that Jesus brings, ending with a heartfelt prayer for spiritual renewal.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker treasures the opportunity to speak about Jesus and shares a humorous personal story about preparing to enter a convent.
• 🎵 The speaker describes a moment of joy and spiritual expression, dancing to Phil Wickham's song 'Divine Romance' in their home.
• ✝️ The focus of the speech is a 'Divine Romance' with Jesus Christ, emphasizing His role as the Son of the Living God.
• 🧒 A story is shared about a child's conversation with a Muslim friend, highlighting the concept of God's ability to become small, unlike the friend's perception of God.
• 📜 The speaker explains the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, emphasizing the uniqueness of Christianity compared to other religions.
• 👼 A narrative about Jesus’ life, His miracles, His authority over nature, and His power to forgive sins is presented, illustrating His divinity and mission.
• 🔁 Personal testimonies, such as Catherine’s return to faith after encountering Jesus during meditation, are used to highlight Jesus’ ability to change lives.
• 🎭 C.S. Lewis's 'Liar, Lunatic, or Lord' argument is presented to challenge views about Jesus' identity and encourage deeper reflection.
• 💔 The speaker recounts stories of redemption and transformation, including a woman leaving her job at a strip club after receiving a rosary and giving her life to Jesus.
• 🌟 The speech concludes with a call to embrace Jesus' life-giving love, to cast out despair, and to experience a more abundant life.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial expectation when she moved home before joining the convent?

The speaker expected her time at home to be like a Norman Rockwell painting, ideal and picturesque, but it turned out to be more like a study on separation anxiety.

What is the significance of the song 'Divine Romance' by Phil Wickham in the speaker's story?

The song 'Divine Romance' symbolizes the speaker’s personal connection with God. She used it as a moment of joyful, unrestrained expression when her parents left for grocery shopping, celebrating her relationship with Jesus through dance and song.

What realization did the speaker’s sister have during her conversation with a Muslim neighbor at age seven?

The speaker’s sister realized that despite their common beliefs in an all-knowing and all-powerful God, her Muslim friend did not understand the concept of God becoming small, which is central to Christianity, specifically referring to Jesus becoming human.

How does the speaker describe the Holy Trinity?

The Holy Trinity is described as one God in three Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, existing as a communion of life-giving love.

What is the significance of Jesus becoming human, according to the speaker?

Jesus' incarnation, where God became small and took on human form, is significant because it shows God’s love for humanity and His willingness to share in human experience. It is central to salvation and the Christian belief that God became man to save humanity from sin.

What are the three possibilities C.S. Lewis offers regarding the identity of Jesus?

C.S. Lewis argues that Jesus could only be one of three things: a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. If Jesus claimed to be God, He was either deceiving people, delusional, or truly divine.

How did Catherine’s encounter with Jesus lead her back to the Catholic Church?

After suffering loneliness and spiritual searching, Catherine experienced a vision of Jesus during meditation, where He invited her to consider Him again. This moment led her to return to the Catholic Church, seeking healing through confession and reconnecting with her faith.

What does the speaker mean by 'Jesus heart you'?

'Jesus heart you' is a simple expression used by one of the speaker’s sisters to convey Jesus' love to a man who hadn’t been to the sacraments in a long time. Despite the broken grammar, it effectively communicated the love of Christ and moved the man to tears.

What role did miracles play in Jesus’ ministry, according to the speaker?

Miracles were a central part of Jesus’ ministry, as He healed the sick, raised the dead, and performed other acts that demonstrated His divine authority. These miracles inspired awe among His followers and confirmed His identity as the Son of God.

What transformation did Casey experience after meeting one of the sisters?

Casey, who was working at a strip club, encountered one of the sisters during a Christmas caroling event. After receiving a rosary and learning about Jesus, she left her job and gave her life to Him, symbolizing a profound spiritual transformation.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 A Moment of Divine Romance

The speaker recounts a personal story about finding alone time before entering a convent. She reflects on a moment of joy listening to the song 'Divine Romance' by Phil Wickham, singing and dancing with abandon. Her playful encounter with her mother serves as a prelude to the deeper message of experiencing a 'Divine Romance' with Jesus Christ. She leads into a prayer asking for the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to open hearts to His love.

05:04

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Do We Know Our God?

The speaker explores the concept of knowing God through the lens of a child's innocent theological debate with a Muslim boy. She reflects on the nature of God as the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The story moves to the creation of man and woman and humanity's fall into sin, emphasizing that God does not withhold His goodness but offers salvation through Jesus Christ. The central theme revolves around God's continuous outpouring of love and His eternal plan to save humanity.

10:07

🤔 Who is Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?

The speaker presents C.S. Lewis' famous 'Liar, Lunatic, or Lord' trilemma regarding Jesus' identity. She highlights the various opinions people hold about Jesus, including seeing Him as a moral teacher or a prophet, while emphasizing that Jesus Himself claimed divinity. The speaker introduces Catherine's journey of drifting away from her faith, only to have a transformative encounter with Jesus, who calls her back, leading to her spiritual healing and reconciliation through confession.

15:08

🙏 Jesus Forgives and Heals

This segment highlights Jesus' authority to forgive sins, recalling a story where He healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins to prove His divine authority. The speaker also shares an anecdote of a nun who helped lead a man back to confession through her simple but heartfelt interaction. The core message is that Jesus' love and forgiveness are boundless, and He continues to reach out to individuals, inviting them to experience His healing and salvation.

Keywords

💡Divine Romance

Divine Romance refers to the deep, loving relationship between humans and God. In the script, the speaker shares a personal story of feeling the profound love of Jesus through a song. This concept is central to the theme of the video, which focuses on the love of God and how He seeks a close relationship with each person, inviting them to experience His presence.

💡Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is central to the video's message as the son of God and the savior of humanity. The speaker talks about His role in salvation, His incarnation, and the miracles He performed. Jesus is portrayed as a divine figure who invites people into a personal relationship with Him, offering love, forgiveness, and healing.

💡The Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity is a core Christian belief that describes God as one being in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. The speaker discusses how this mystery of faith is foundational to understanding God’s nature as a communion of life-giving love. The concept underscores the uniqueness of Christianity and its view of God’s relational character.

💡Incarnation

Incarnation refers to the belief that Jesus, the Son of God, became human. In the script, the speaker explains how Jesus took on human form, starting as a one-celled embryo and eventually living a human life. This act of God becoming man is portrayed as an extraordinary act of love, showing that God can 'become small' to connect with humanity.

💡Forgiveness of Sins

Forgiveness of sins is a central theme in the video, where Jesus is shown as the one who has the authority to forgive sins. The speaker shares stories of people who experienced Jesus’ mercy and how His forgiveness is complete and transformative. This theme emphasizes the Christian belief that through Jesus, people can be reconciled with God and be freed from guilt.

💡Miracles

Miracles are supernatural acts performed by Jesus during His life on Earth. The script highlights several instances, such as healing the blind, raising the dead, and calming storms. These acts serve to demonstrate Jesus’ divine power and His compassion for those who suffer, reinforcing the belief that He is not only a prophet or moral teacher but God Himself.

💡Liar, Lunatic, or Lord

This phrase, attributed to C.S. Lewis, presents three possible interpretations of Jesus’ identity: either He was a liar (deceiving people about being God), a lunatic (believing something false about Himself), or the Lord (truly God). The speaker uses this framework to challenge listeners to confront the question of who Jesus really is, based on His claims and actions.

💡Conversion

Conversion is the process of turning back to God or discovering faith in a new, deeper way. The script includes several stories of personal conversions, such as Catherine’s return to the Catholic faith after years of spiritual searching. Conversion is depicted as a powerful, life-altering experience, marked by an encounter with Jesus' love and mercy.

💡The Eucharist

The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is a Christian sacrament that involves the real presence of Jesus Christ in bread and wine. The speaker mentions how a child described her God as one who 'can become small,' referring to Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. This sacrament symbolizes Jesus' sacrifice and His ongoing presence with believers.

💡New Creation

New Creation refers to the transformation that occurs when a person accepts Jesus Christ into their life. As the script quotes St. Paul, 'Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.' This concept emphasizes spiritual rebirth, where old sins and ways of life are left behind, and a person is renewed through Christ's love and grace.

Highlights

The speaker shares a personal story about moving back home before entering a convent, expecting a 'Norman Rockwell' experience but finding it more challenging.

A moment of personal reflection where the speaker dances joyfully to Phil Wickham's 'Divine Romance' after her parents leave for grocery shopping.

The speaker introduces the concept of 'Divine Romance' and connects it to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A childhood story of religious dialogue where a young girl defends her belief that God can become small, reflecting on the incarnation of Jesus.

The speaker asks, 'Do we know our God?' and introduces the concept of the Holy Trinity as a communion of life-giving love.

A recounting of the creation story, emphasizing that humanity was created in God's image and the importance of trust in God's goodness.

The speaker highlights the promise of a Savior after the fall of humanity and the fulfillment of that promise in Jesus Christ.

The speaker emphasizes the historical reality of Jesus Christ and the impact of His life on all of time and history.

A discussion on the distinct nature of Christianity, contrasting it with other religions and the unique identity of Jesus.

The speaker references C.S. Lewis's 'Mere Christianity' to discuss the controversial nature of Jesus's claims and the choices they present: liar, lunatic, or Lord.

A story about a woman named Catherine who returns to her faith after encountering Jesus during meditation, leading to a deep spiritual transformation.

The speaker describes the miracles of Jesus, emphasizing His power over nature, healing, and the forgiveness of sins.

A powerful story of a sister helping a man reconnect with his faith through the simple phrase 'Jesus, Corazon, to,' meaning 'Jesus, heart, you.'

The speaker recounts a story of a woman named Casey who left her job at a strip club and gave her life to Jesus after receiving a rosary from a sister.

The speaker concludes with an invitation to ask Jesus to cast out the spirit of death and bring abundant life, referencing Jesus's promise of life in abundance.

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

you cannot imagine how I treasure the

time with you and this privilege of

being able to speak about Jesus

I thought I'd start with a little story

the summer before I entered the convent

I quit my job

I moved home to be with my parents

and I thought it'd be something out of a

Norman Rockwell painting

and it turned out to be more like a case

study on separation anxiety

I don't regret it it was very blessed

but one afternoon my mom and dad were

going grocery shopping

and they wanted me to come too and I

realized it was the perfect window

for some much needed alone time so I was

like oh gosh so tired probably gonna

take a nap yeah see ya

I watched as their car pulled out of the

driveway

I was like it's time for my song and I

was gonna blast it through the whole

house

I'm not sure if you've ever heard of

Phil Wickham's Divine Romance

I recognize this dates me a bit but I

have very few inhibitions about sharing

it with you right now

it starts like this

a deep deep flood an ocean flows from

you

of deep deep love yeah it's filling up

the room

your innocent blood

has washed my guilty life

and in your presence God

I'm completely satisfied

and then it kind of takes off at this

point so just brace yourself

to you

us dance

I rejoice in this Divine Romance lift my

heart and my hands to show my love to

show my love and then there's a guitar

interlude and

at this point

at this point I'm like spinning in the

living room and it was like it was like

synchronized swimming without water I

mean

Classical Ballet met hip hop that day

and

I started flying through the kitchen

with Reckless abandon and I slam into my

startled mom

who goes we forgot the coupons wow this

is some nap we'll get out of your hair

I'm like Mom

so tonight

I want to talk to you about a Divine

Romance

specifically I want to talk to you about

a Divine person

our Lord Jesus Christ the son of the

Living God

so let's pray in the name of the Father

the Son and the Holy Spirit amen

Jesus

The Only Name by which we are saved

we want to know you

and in knowing you we want to love you

and in loving you we want to make you

loved

and just ask Jesus

that you would send forth your Holy

Spirit upon us

that you would open our hearts to

receive you

in a new way this night

and to experience your love

we ask this in your name Jesus amen

so the holy spirit amen

one of my sisters was sharing about her

first ecumenical conversation she ever

had at the age of seven

playing in the backyard with her

siblings and their Muslim neighbor

friends

she and the little boy her age got into

a discussion about God

and she said my God is all-knowing he

knows every single thing about

everything

the little boy was elated he was like

so does my God my God is all-powerful he

can do whatever he wants whenever he

wants

was overwhelmed that they had so much in

common

God

and then thinking about Jesus and the

Eucharist she put her little hands out

and goes my God can even become small

and the little boy froze his brow and he

says no

no he can't

to which she replied yes he can remember

he can do anything

he crosses his arms and staunchly

answers God can never become small

his sister told me it was then she

realized

he just didn't know my God

boy she was virtuous even then I would

have been like oh yeah you're not coming

to my birthday party okay

he just didn't know my God

do we know our God

our God is the Most Holy Trinity one God

in three Divine persons Father Son and

Holy Spirit

a communion of life-giving love

when the father spoke his word all of

creation came into being

the word was with God and the Word was

God

and everything came into being through

him

man and woman the summit the crown of

creation was the last Act

let us make man in our image after our

likeness

and it was very good

the devil out of envy

tempted man and woman using this

deceitful line God doesn't want you to

be like him

as the catechism puts it trust died in

their hearts and they chose to abuse

their freedom freedom and disobey

the insinuation was that God withholds

from us

and that couldn't be further from the

truth

from his calling us into being to share

his very life with us

and after that fall

God immediately promises a savior

and in the fullness of time

God sent his son into the world

and the Word was made flesh and dwelt

Among Us

Saint John of the Cross says God the

father said everything to us in this one

word

Our God became small

a one-celled embryo conceived by the

Holy Spirit In the Womb of his mother

Mary

taking on our Humanity becoming man a

body

experiencing hunger and thirst fatigue

pain

more in gaudia medspez we read by his

incarnation

the Son of God has United himself in

some way with every man

the angel Gabriel said his name Shall be

Called Jesus because he will save his

people from their sins

his very name embodies his identity his

mission his Proclamation

God Saves

his coming is a revelation of the love

of God for each of us and this has

Eternal consequences for every human

person whether they recognize it or not

all of time and history actually

revolves around the person of Jesus

Christ

either BC before Christ or A.D

anno domini in the year of Our Lord

it's been 2023 years

since he revealed his sacred face

they can try and call it whatever they

want you know Common Era

there's nothing common about the era

after God became a man

[Applause]

long before ancestry.com the genealogy

of Jesus his family tree has been traced

back to King David in Abraham and to the

first man Adam

the existence of Jesus in the events of

his life are historical facts with

documentation and evidence we have names

and numbers to Mark these events the

location is clear and so are the ruling

powers of the time

you know we can get used to the story we

can take it for granted

but Christianity

is distinct from other religions Judaism

Buddhism Islam Hinduism and in fact it

stands in stark contrast

whenever people are interviewed at

random like on the streets of New York

City or on college campuses about Jesus

we see that his existence can't be

denied but there are many opinions

surrounding the identity of Jesus so I

don't know if you've seen these montages

but it's like the interviewers like so

who is Jesus to you

and it's like um he was like a really

good person

he was a prophet like the others

he was a moral teacher taught us how to

live

he was someone who loved everyone and

never judged anyone ever

he was the son of God

I guess he was real but he wasn't the

Messiah or anything

C.S Lewis is Mere Christianity provides

a basic and Brilliant structure for this

conversation about the identity of Jesus

so in asking the question who is Jesus

do you think he was God

if they say no

well

he said he was

so

does that make him a liar

because if he was lying about who he was

gosh then he was deceitful right

manipulative

a bad man

or maybe he was a lunatic maybe he just

like thought he was God just downright

crazy

or maybe he was the Lord

liar Lord or lunatic he can only be one

of these three options

this is what is so controversial about

Jesus

He makes himself the central message of

his teaching

before Abraham was I am

I am the light of the world I am the

Good Shepherd I am the way the truth and

the life

let me tell you about Catherine

Catherine drifted away from her Catholic

faith in college started dabbling in

other religions and philosophies

after suffering two abortions with her

boyfriend she broke off the relationship

an aching loneliness and a steady need

for God increased in her heart year

after year

one day she was trying out meditation in

an ashram which is like this place of

like Eastern yoga-like practices

and as she sat in the quiet

to her surprise

Jesus came into her meditation

she said he was wearing a robe all white

and he leaned down towards her and

extended his hand and said

consider me again

consider me again

Catherine began a journey back to the

Catholic Church

and she remembers going to her first

confession after years sobbing

the power of His Mercy was healing her

heart

Jesus found her and revealed that his

love for her was particular and infinite

and his forgiveness total tender and

Without Limits

he had chosen her and wanted her to

choose him back

he is not angry vengeful avoidant

condemning he's inviting consider me

again

Jesus revealed himself as God

this shook people up

it caused Envy hatred division

and it also excited the hearts of people

who are awaiting and longing for a

messiah

the people of the day they expected a

messiah to come in a worldly political

way and resolve things

this was not Jesus's intention my

kingdom is not of this world

this was very surprising a messiah not

coming in battle array

but into a poor family with a mother and

a father

as he began his public Ministry the

apostles are struck by him there was

something so compelling about Jesus

Jesus performed Miracles if you can

imagine watching Blind Men approach

Jesus and ask for their sight

and their eyes are opened for the first

time

the mute unable to speak suddenly

talking

the deaf hearing

those with painful frightful and even

disgusting conditions being healed with

a Simple Touch

demons were afraid of him

and he cast them out

Jesus even raised the dead I love when

he raises the only son of the Widow

there's a funeral procession and Jesus

sees this and I think he must have

thought of his own mother who would lose

her only son as a widow and he couldn't

bear it so he touches the casket

and the boy arises and he gives him back

to the mom

Jesus had command over nature

when the apostles were terrified that

their boat would capsize

Jesus was asleep

and they woke him and he rebuked the

storm and they said who is this that

even the wind and the waves obey

and Jesus forgave sin

he taught and he spoke with authority

causing people to say where did he get

all this

no one has spoken like this man

but one day Jesus crossed a line for the

Pharisees

he was teaching the house was full

and so four men brought their paralyzed

friend in a Stretcher through the roof

to his feet

and in seeing him rather than healing

him outright Jesus said my son your sins

are forgiven

everyone was like what

who but God Alone can forgive sins that

is blasphemy

and Jesus heard their thoughts and he

said which is easier

for me to say your sins are forgiven or

rise pick up your mat and walk

just so that everyone knows that the son

of man has the authority to forgive sins

rise pick up your mat and go home

and he did

this would have spread like wildfire

the reality is Jesus is still forgiving

sins

he has the authority

one of our sisters

she's a little older and she's an

Italian from Brooklyn so she's kind of a

straight shooter

and men were doing lawn work at our

retreat center and sister caught when

that one of them hadn't been to the

sacraments in a long time and he could

only speak Spanish

so a Latino priest happened to be

visiting that day and I don't know what

else to say but the love of Christ

impelled her and she beelined it for

this guy interrupted the Landscaping

and with great love and Authority

approached him and said Jesus

Corazon

to

that literally translates to Jesus

heart

you

and the guy burst into tears

now I'm taking Spanish classes at

Phoenix College and I just have to say

that sentence didn't even have a verb in

it

it didn't matter because love speaks

every language

sister humbly took him by the hand and

led him to the confessional

Jesus heart you

period

he has a human heart

and it beats for you

and he wants your heart and he gives you

his

Jesus allowed Thomas to touch his

pierced heart after his resurrection and

Thomas said my Lord and my God

Jesus rose from the dead so that you and

I can rise too

he calls us out of death into life

one of my favorite nights of the year is

our annual Christmas caroling event at

our Convent in New York City

we have cookies

Vats of hot cocoa the sisters sing every

Christmas Carol ever written for hours

friends come homeless people sing along

um

cabs roll down their Windows the iPhones

roll

one night a woman stopped by

she started a conversation with one of

our sisters

she was disillusioned dissatisfied with

life

she poured out her heart and sister told

her how very loved she was

she felt prompted to give her her rosary

here

this was my father's

I can't take this

no it's for you

you meditate on the life of Jesus with

his mother Mary she'll lead you to her

son

then sister walked her over to our

little crush scene in the garden

seeing the manger empty Casey asked

where's the baby Jesus

he's coming and we want to prepare for

him

but you're right

it's awfully empty without him

yeah sister had to go but gave her a

quick hug and Casey remained there at

the manger scene

two weeks later the doorbell rang and it

was Casey

she couldn't remember the sister's name

but she was like a sister gave me her

dad's rosary and I just wanted to tell

her something

um would you mind telling her that

that night I left my job at the strip

club

and I gave my life to baby Jesus

[Music]

now

only the Lord could arrange this

but four years later sister was in

Central Park and a woman approached her

asking for prayers

and his sister's looking into her eyes

she goes Casey

and Casey laughs reaches into her pocket

pulls out the rosary and goes sister are

praying every day

now Saint Paul the greatest convert of

all time said whoever is in Christ is a

new creation

the old things have passed away behold

new things have come

light shines in the darkness and the

Darkness cannot overcome it

Jesus casts out the spirit of death

of meaninglessness of Despair he casted

out

and he gives us himself

I came that they might have life and

have it more abundantly

I invite you I encourage you ask Jesus

to cast out this Spirit of death and to

bring you life in its abundance amen

[Music]