Category Archives: Spirituality

Meaning of Life: Who are You and Why are You Here?

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The meaning of life is to realize that you a divine being who is here to express its divinity in this world. You are more than who you think you are. You are endowed with a spiritual self in addition to your human self. In other words you have a dual nature; a human self that is your body, emotions and mind, which most of us primarily identify with, and a spiritual self that we also call the soul, spirit, higher self or consciousness, which most of us believe in but have no understanding of. We may think that we are a person who has a soul and the point of the soul, if there is any, is to be our “body” when we’re walking around in heaven talking to everyone we know who has died. But the truth is that we are the spiritual self who is using the human self to express itself in this world.

And what does the soul want to express, in other words, why are we here? The soul wants to use the human self to express the divine qualities of love, wisdom, joy, peace, goodwill, generosity, forgiveness, integrity, harmony, etc. as much and as completely as possible in this world during this lifetime. Truly realizing that you are this eternal, immortal spiritual self who is using the human self is the start of enlightenment and expressing the soul’s divine qualities in everything you say, think and do is the meaning of life and the reason you’re here.

Why is this the meaning of life? This is the meaning of life for at least two reasons. First it’s because through this process divinity finds its full expression. It is brought from potentiality to actuality and is therefore complete. It’s like an inventor who takes an idea from his mind, which would unfulfilled if left there, to a physical product that is used by and benefits another. Second, the increased ability of the spiritual self to express divinity through the human self in this world survives the death of the human self. In other words it’s the soul that learns how to better express itself through the human form during the course of a lifetime. The spiritual self then brings this improved quality of character (the origin of the word character is enduring marks) into its next human lifetime. This is the only thing that endures and survives a lifetime. All things of the human self (e.g. possessions, identity, accomplishments, experiences, etc.) end no matter what the immature, ignorant human self cares to believe. All things of the spiritual self live on because it is an eternal, immortal force created by God.

Please feel free to add your thoughts, comments and questions below. I am also particularly interested in hearing about what you know of the soul…not a definition…not an opinion…but what you really know – your intuitive understanding – of the soul.

Cheers,

Brendan

What's the Deal with the Virgin Birth?

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One of my favorite comedians is Jim Gaffigan who has a funny routine about the virgin birth saying it would be great to overhear the conversation where Mary explained to Joseph that she was pregnant and Joseph wasn’t the father:

Mary: Joseph.
Joseph: Yeah?
Mary: Yeah, um, ya know how we’ve never made love?
Joseph: YEAH?
Mary: Yeah, um, anyway, last night an angel visited me…and now I’m pregnant.
Joseph: Jesus Christ!
Mary: Oh, you already know about it.

Of course it’s on YouTube and the full video of Jim Gaffigan doing this routine about the virgin birth and Mary, Joseph and Jesus during his Beyond the Pale Tour is below.

But I want to use this as a starting point for a discussion about what exactly the virgin birth is and what it really means. Most people are extremely confused about this and just accept on faith that Jesus was literally conceived without Mary and Joseph having sex. But how can that be? For a human being to be born there needs to be a coming together of a man and woman, right?

Of course! As I’ve written about in Bible: Literal or Figurative, much of the Bible should be understood figuratively. The virgin birth has has nothing to do with Jesus’ literal physical conception. It has to do with His spiritual birth. The spirit, or soul, is “born” into this lifetime, not of a man and woman, but of the One, God. When One brings forth another One then in a sense it’s a virgin birth. God gave birth to the soul and the soul gave birth to the human being.

The allegory of a virgin birth is not unique to Jesus. It is found in many traditions, most relevantly in Mithras, Romulus and Remus, as outlined in this list of virgin births. I think that is it another of the many things that were carried over from the former beliefs of the pagans and gentiles to incorporate them into the growing Christian fold

As promised, here’s the YouTube video of Jim Gaffigan on the virgin birth during his Beyond the Pale comedy tour:

The Beatitudes: A Guide to True Happiness

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Yesterday’s Catholic Gospel reading was the Beatitudes, or True Happiness, from the first part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I think that these beatitudes are a source of great confusion to many. The overall misunderstanding is that they are directed at the poor, downtrodden and underprivileged (i.e. the “have nots”) and they give them the impression that says, ‘don’t worry about your pathetic lot in life, you’ll get yours in heaven after you die. Also, the people who are rich, comfortable and priviledged (i.e. the “haves”) will not get theirs in heaven’. Of course this impression is entirely wrong. The beatitudes are a guide to true happiness for everyone.

Two items to understand about the beatitudes are; what a beatitude is and what the rewards for following them are. Beatitude is Latin for happiness or blessedness and it indicates a certain inner contentedness or joy no matter what your life circumstances are. The beatitudes then are a list of the qualities and conditions needed to be truly happy and aligned with the divine plan. Your reward for striving to express each divine quality is, therefore, true happiness and a deep sense of joy. The second half of each beatitude, which state that you’ll get the kingdom of heaven or land, that you’ll be comforted or satisfied, or that you’ll see God, are all different ways of saying this.

The following are each of the beatitudes followed by the keynote struck by each and a brief commentary. Each commentary will attempt to address some of the confusion and then illustrate how the beatitude should be used as a guide to true happiness.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Authority. This shouldn’t be interpreted to mean that we’re supposed stay ignorant and confused about spirit. It indicates that while we are building our relationship with God, we’re to always remember His authority. This means that we don’t become attached to our desires for the things of this world, money, power, fame, etc. (although it’s OK to have these things) but that we always strive for what He thinks is important.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. – Wisdom. How could this be about wisdom when it seems clear that this is about those who are grieving over the loss of a loved one? Well mourning is to remember and this beatitude tells us to develop the wisdom to remember that God is all. We need to always look for the deeper spiritual meaning and broader divine perspective of everything that occurs in this world. For example, when someone dies it’s just their physical body that’s gone…their true self lives on.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. – Humility. This is easily misinterpreted to mean that we’re supposed to be wimpy and weak in the face of bullies and problems. This is entirely wrong. This beatitude is a continuation of the first two in that we are always to remain humble in terms of the personality’s (the human self) relationship to the soul (i.e. the spiritual self). Our spiritual growth begins with an understanding of who we are and once you know, you have to keep the human self humble so that it doesn’t take over the daily self-expression with greed, anger, bitterness and materialism.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. – Obedience. Righteousness is often misunderstood to mean a moral superiority associated with people who think that they’re “better than us”. However it simply means a dedication to following God’s will or plan. When understood this way, this beatitude reminds us to obey God’s will and plan. What is God’s will?

It’s for us to express His love, compassion, peace, beauty, wisdom, joy, nobility, and productivity as much as possible everyday.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. – Compassion. This major confusion with this beatitude is to what degree we’re suppose to show compassion and forgive, particularly as related to the death penalty. Is it compassionate and merciful to execute a convicted murderer? Yes, it’s merciful to protect our society and allow that lifetime to move on rather than wallow unproductively in a prison for the remainder of his life. For all everyday life situations we are suppose to look to infuse our major and minor dealings with compassion, mercy and forgiveness.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. – Integrity. To be clean of heart is to be free of the things that pollute our heart – pettiness, jealousy, bitterness, depression and dishonesty. When we act with integrity in all we de we are whole (i.e. holy)…(remember your third-grade math class where you learned that an integer was a whole number?).

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. – Peace. This is also a big area of confusion. What is peace? Can we be peaceful and still go to war? Yes, being peaceful does not preclude going to war to protect yourself. It also doesn’t mean that you can’t be forceful or assertive in everyday life if the situation required it. However we are meant to express a certain peace and patience in our life which naturally follows as a result of the inner contentedness that comes from knowing our true nature.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. – Courage. This is a combined beatitude that echoes the earlier one about righteousness. However these beatitudes remind us, when following the divine plan, to sustain our strength and courage lest our petty selves and others drag us down into the morass of materialism.

Together the beatitudes are a guide to filling our lives with authority, wisdom, humility, obedience, compassion, integrity, peace and courage. Following them will make us truly happy and joyful!

The True Joy in Life by George Bernard Shaw

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George Bernard Shaw wrote the following sentence in a letter prefacing his book “Man and Superman: a Comedy and Philosophy” which can be used as a guide to living a meaningful, productive and joyful life:

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
George Bernard Shaw
Epistle Dedicatory to Arthur Bingham Walkley
“Man and Superman: a Comedy and a Philosophy”

The following is an elaboration on the four points that George Bernard Shaw makes to finding the true joy in life:

  1. “Be used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one” – This quote could easily be mistaken to mean that we should have some elaborate goals to save the world and unless we do we are worthless. This is not true. We are children of God who are here to express God’s divinity (as explained in Enlightenment and the Meaning of Life) and we should go about our lives with this in mind. We should infuse everything we do with joy, compassion, peace, love and wisdom. This is the “mighty purpose” which we should recognize.
  2. “Be thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap” – We should be productive! However, again, this could be misunderstood to mean that we must be busy, busy, busy all day and collapse in exhaustion by nightfall. It’s good to be active and have things to do but realize that we’re divinely productive when we infuse whatever we do, even just conversing with others, with good cheer, goodwill, courage and beauty.
  3. “Be a force of Nature” – This could be misconstrued to mean that we should run roughshod over people who get in the way of what we want to do. To be a force of Nature (notice that it’s with a capital “N”) is to be a person who is in control of themselves and has a higher perspective on life. This person is mature, wise, serene and joyful and understands the meaning of life.
  4. Not be “a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy” – This is a continuation of the previous point and it emphasizes the idea that we need to learn how to control the impulses and desires of our lower self. Specifically we need to stop being petty, immature, greedy, self-centered, possessive, envious and jealous. We need to GROW UP and realize how wonderful life is no matter what our circumstances!

Cheers,
Brendan

Three Misunderstandings of the Parable of the Rich Man and Poor Man

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Today’s (9/29/07) Gospel reading is from Luke 16:19-31 and is Jesus’ story of the rich man and poor man who both die at the same time and the rich man goes to hell while the poor man goes to heaven. This parable reveals a great spiritual truth, however, because it’s usually interpreted superficially, it is terribly misunderstood and a source of great confusion.

In summary, the story is about a rich man who has a poor man named Lazarus living just outside his house but never gives him any food or help. They both die and Lazarus goes to heaven and sits besides Abraham and the rich man goes to the netherworld or hell. The rich man is able to see Lazarus and Abraham in heaven and asks for a drop of water but Abraham denies and tells him that during their lifetime he received what was good while Lazarus received what was bad. He then says that Lazarus is now comforted while the rich man is now tormented and that there is a great gap between them that can’t be crossed. The rich man then asks to send Lazarus to warn his family but this request is also denied.

The following are three incorrect assumptions that are often drawn from this parable and which lead to a lot misunderstanding:

  1. God hates the rich. Of course this is incorrect and the idea of God hating anybody is ridiculous. The lesson here is that when you are emotionally and mentally “attached” to your possessions, you don’t understand what’s important. You’re suppose to be detached from all things of the material world, not only physical possessions but also base emotional and mental possessions such as superiority, depression, bigotry, anger, immaturity, pessimism, close-mindedness, lustfulness and fear. Ideally you align yourself with the “things” of spirit and when you do you can have all the material possessions you want but you won’t be attached to them and if you lost them you would be centered in your connection with spirit.
  2. God loves the poor. Again the idea of God loving or hating a person and their financial status is ridiculous. There is no virtue in being poor. The issue is not what you have or don’t have but how you’re aligned with spirit. A poor man who is attached to a sense of self-rightousness or self-importance because he thinks it’s “spiritual” to be poor is as separate from spirit and will be as tormented as the rich man in Jesus’ parable. Further, to the extent that a person is poor due to being slothful, indifferent and lazy, he will also be separate and in torment because we’re intended to be productive and contribute to the growth of God’s humanity even if in a small way.
  3. God won’t grant your requests if you get on His “bad side”. God doesn’t give Lazarus the two things he asks because, figuratively, Lazarus is distant from the divine due to his attachment to the material world and his lack of compassion toward Lazarus during their lifetimes. The gap is not closed by simply a direct giving of the requests rather Lazarus must make an effort to understand how to be generous, compassionate and aligned with spirit and thereby close the gap on his own. In this way the divine find a stronger vehicle with which to work with and express itself. This is a true act of love by God, Who does not have a “bad side”, and is in no way a punishment.

Cheers,
Brendan

Pinocchio and the Meaning of Life

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The Adventures of Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi’s 19th century tale about the trials and tribulations of a wooden puppet (the original story not the Disney version), provides a neat explanation of the meaning of life specifically addressing who we are and why we’re here.

Who We Are

Pinocchio perfectly symbolizes our dual nature; our material self and our real self. Of course Pinocchio’s material self is as a wooden puppet. Our material selves aren’t made of wood (although I love the English phrase of describing someone who’s not to intelligent as being “thick as two planks”) but we are made of physical, emotional and mental material that combine to create our body. This is the material self that you’ve come to know and love complete with all its sensations, habits,likes, dislikes, thoughts, habits and attitudes. But there’s more to us that this body.

Pinocchio transforms into a real boy after going through many trials and eventually learning to control himself and express his more virtuous traits. Just so we have a real self that seeks to express itself through a disciplined material self. This real self is the most noble, compassionate and wise part of us. It is the soul or spirit which was created in God’s image. We are designed to realize that this is our true identity. In fact we need to know that we are not material selves who have a soul but rather we are souls who have a material self through which we act in this world.

Why We’re Here

Pinocchio redeems himself by the end of the story by first controlling his natural tendencies then expressing the divine qualities of his real self. Through the majority of the story Pinocchio is belligerent, lazy, dishonest and indifferent. He is always shown the error of his ways and promises to change but he most often repeats the same mistakes. Similarly we often succumb and robotically react to the downward pull of the natural tendencies of our material self to be lazy, annoyed, depressed, impatient, gluttonous, indifferent and ungrateful. When we do this it’s as if we’re becoming more material (i.e. more dense) as symbolized by Pinocchio when he’s being dishonest and his nose grows.

By the end of the story Pinocchio has control of his material self’s natural tendencies and he starts to express the noble qualities of his real self as he is courageous and strong when he saves his father and himself from the belly of the shark and he is compassionate, diligent, patient, selfless, determined, purposeful and productive when he works as a farmhand and provides for his father. After a few months of this he wakes up one morning to find himself in a nice new house, lot’s of money in his pocket, his father’s health restored and he is transformed into a real boy! Just so, we are here to express the noble divine qualities of spirit through our material selves. We are to build our character so we are more loving, kind, beautiful, wise, tolerant, cheerful, peaceful, courageous and productive. These are some of the divine qualities that our real selves are here to convey. By doing so we are redeeming the world, fulfilling the divine plan and shining our light.

As since the improved ability of the real self to better express this divinity in the material world is the only thing that survives death – it is truly the meaning of life!

Cheers,
Brendan

Do You Understand that the Earth Revolves around the Sun?

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Imagine it’s 1543 and you’ve been taught all your life that the sun revolves around the earth. You believe it, in fact you know it to be true because it makes sense. If you stood at a horizon, a beach for example, you would see the sun “swing around” by first coming up in front of you than going down behind you. But along comes Nicolaus Copernicus who started to think that perhaps the universe was actually heliocentric (i.e. sun centered) and, from his book “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres”, you are suddenly introduced to the idea that the earth revolves around the sun! Think about what a complete change in perspective that is. The big round ball that you live on is not stationary in space but is moving around another big round ball. More importantly the earth is not the center, and by implication not the most important feature, of the then-known universe.

This new idea is such a dramatic change in world perspective that it could lead to asking two life-changing questions; “what other fundamental ideas do I hold that are completely wrong?” and “what is the primary focus (i.e. the center) of life?” We now understand much of the operations of our solar system but these two questions are relevant today because most people currently hold a fundamental idea that is completely wrong and they do not understand who or what is the primary focus of life. Most people see themselves as the “center of the universe” and that God or the soul, if they exists, are suppose to revolve around them! These people need a complete change in perspective! Metaphorically it’s as if they never learned that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Just as the Sun gave us life and sustains our lives, the Divine Source, both God transcendent and immanent, is the center of life which we’re suppose to revolve around.

What does it mean for us to revolve around the Divine? It means that we are here to express the higher divine qualities of love, joy, peace, goodwill, courage and wisdom on earth and thereby shine our light. These qualities are the divine archetypes that God used to create and sustain the world. They are meant to be integrated into our character. Why? Because they are the only thing that last (character means enduring marks). Throughout it’s lifetimes the Higher Self retains this improved ability to express this divinity.

We make the mistake of acting as if the universe revolves around us when we are solely focused on our security, prestige, appearance pleasure and possessions. In effect we are attached to the material world and figuratively are “stuck in the muck”. There is no light in this sort of limited focus.

Contemplate the following passage from Copernicus’ book, “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres” and consider it’s perfect analogy with the Sun representing the divinity that is the real you and the earth representing the human self that is suppose to be governed by the divine.

At rest, however, in the middle of everything is the sun. For, in this most beautiful temple, who would place this lamp in another or better position than that from which it can light up the whole thing at the same time? For, the sun is not inappropriately called by some people the lantern of the universe, its mind by others, and its ruler by still others. The Thrice Greatest labels it a visible god, and Sophocles’ Electra, the all-seeing. Thus indeed, as though seated on a royal throne, the sun governs the family of planets revolving around it.

Cheers,
Brendan

When Two Become One

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In my previous article I discussed the passage in John 10:30 where Jesus says The Father and I are one In this article I want to elaborate on the idea of two becoming one by first explaining the true meaning of an individual then listing some of the areas that humanity has considered this idea of two becoming one.

The meaning of individual has come to mean a separate and distinct person however that is not its origin. Originally it meant a person who is not divided from the Latin in- “not” + dividuus “divisible”. Of course this means that there must be more than one “part” of a person. What are these two parts? The human self and the spiritual self. The lower self and the higher self. The body and soul. When these two are “one” a person is not divided and is therefore an “individual”. This same idea is found in the word holy which is rooted in the word whole. This also implies more than one part. When a person fully expresses his divinity through his humanity he is considered holy.

A person is a true individual and holy when their higher and lower selves unite and the two become one. The idea of two becoming one is very common throughout humanity. It is generally understood that as the two come together they express and produce more than they could separately. The following is a list of some of the “two becoming one” concepts found in humanity:

  • Man and women marry to best raise a family.
  • Together the shepard and his watchdog best guard the flock.
  • The teaching of Jesus and the evangelism of Paul formed Christianity.
  • The driver and car unite to transport people over vast distances.
  • The hunter and weapon serves to protect and provide man.
  • The farmer and land are intimate and together they sustain humanity.
  • Management and labor work together to be productive and profitable.
  • The writer and language coalesce to communicate great ideas.
  • Individuals with freedom form a nation supported by Divine Providence.
  • Einstein revealed that matter and energy are one in the same. Einstein Proves the Existence of God
  • Romeo and Juliet symbolize true love.
  • In Star Wars, Luke and the Force are one and together save the galaxy.
  • Adam and Eve symbolically formed humanity together.
  • A person with Amazing Grace can be saved.
  • Beauty and the Beast forge a great love that transforms.
  • The actor and director combine to convincingly convey the story.
  • In King Arthur Percival receives the Holy Grail when he says “The Land and the King are one”. In fact the Holy Grail is the wisdom that we are divine beings who are here to express ourselves through this body on earth.

Note that with so many ideas of “two becoming one” found it lends support the idea that you have both a divine self and a human self and that they are suppose to become one so that you can express the divine in this world.

The Father and I are One

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Today’s (4/9/07) Sunday Reading are just the following four short but powerful lines from John, Chapter 10, verses 27-30:

Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

Now there’s a lot to discuss in these short lines but I just want to focus on the key line that is the main issue through the whole chapter; “The Father and I are one.” These words literally prompt his critics to attempt to stone him for blasphemy.

Was Jesus into self-aggrandizement when he said “the Father and I are one” and later in the same Chapter, “the Father is in me and I am in the Father”? In other words did Jesus literally mean himself, the man, Jesus of Nazareth when he uses the personal pronouns “I” and “me” or did he mean something more? I suggest that he meant something more than his temporary, human self when he says these truths. He is referring to his divine self. His eternal, immortal soul which is the true child of God. Jesus is holy, a word derived from whole (which implies two selves), meaning He fully united his spiritual self and human self. He perfectly expressed his divinity through his human self while on this earth.

Why didn’t Jesus use more precise language to explain this idea? He did. He was using the language of his faith. His use of the personal pronouns I and me is related to the language used by God at the burning bush in response to Moses’ question of who should I say you are and God replies “I am who am” and “tell them I AM sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). The use of personal pronouns corresponds to the idea of individual divinity.

The important point of this is that you also have a divine self and in fact you are the divine self who is expressing itself in this world. In this Chapter of John when accused of making himself a God Jesus answered “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”?”. In other words Jesus was teaching us that we are also divine.

Critics and unthinking people will incorrectly assume that I am suggesting that we are God. We are not the One, transcendent God who created and sustains heaven and earth. We are the immanent god, a figurative child of God, who is simply seeking to express divinity on this earth. We are similar in kind but not in degree to God. Just as a thimble full of the ocean is similar in kind to the entire ocean but in no way can it sustain the whole planet as the ocean does.

Our divine self is but a spark of the eternal flame. And, although the spark leaves the flame, it is forever “of it” and it can never be otherwise. In this sense the spark and flame are one just as you and the Father are one.

For further exploration of this idea please see the next article; “When Two Become One“

Christianity and Taoism: The Similarities

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Yesterday’s (3/6/07) Catholic Gospel reading is just eight lines from Luke (9:28-36) where Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah and a voice from a cloud says to the disciples, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” It seems like this is supposed to be a “passing of the baton” from the early prophets to Jesus. I think the voice from the cloud is an affirmation and reminder that we are suppose to listen too and follow our Divine self.

I found the passages immediately before and after the reading more interesting as they echo teachings of the Taoist monk Lao Tsu some 500 years before Jesus. They are those seemingly
paradoxical statements that usually confuse people rather that enlighten. From Luke 9:24 and from Luke 9:48 we get:

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

“For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

From the Tao te Ching Chapters 22 and 7, respectively:

If you want to become full, let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn, let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything, give everything up.

The Master stays behind; that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things; that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself, she is perfectly fulfilled.

The parallel nature of these passages indicates that these are timeless spiritual truths that are not the exclusive domain of any specific religion. What does “whoever loses his life will save it” mean? It means that you have to let go of the dominance the lower self (i.e. the ego) and allow the Divine self within you to lead. The lower self is self-centered and attached to social status, appearances, power, prestige, emotions and money. The Divine self is other-centered and may have these things but is not attached to them.

Similarly the passage “the one who is least is the greatest” means that when you “let go” of the ego it seems like you’re lessening your influence (i.e. being least) however you are actually increasing it if you allow the Higher Self to control.

The following are the full passages from Luke Chapter 9:

18 Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.”
21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?
26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

28 About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.
29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.
34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.
38 There was a man in the crowd who cried out, “Teacher, I beg you, look at my son; he is my only child.
39 For a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it releases him only with difficulty, wearing him out.
40 I begged your disciples to cast it out but they could not.”
41 Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.”
42 As he was coming forward, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion; but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and returned him to his father.
43 And all were astonished by the majesty of God. While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples,
44 “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
45 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

46 An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.
47 Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side
48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”
49 Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.”
50 Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Cheers,
Brendan