-so there are a lot of pretty intense discussions ranging across the pages of Facebook, so I decided to take a stab at a subject that many of us probably haven’t really thought about pretty much ever…
Please note, I do not seek to be heretical, blasphemous, or disrespectful in any way, shape, or form with the following dissertation. I am merely seeking to provide a bit of light hearted humor to the wonderful world of Facebook…
-When we think of the great figures that have truly affected this world, we often consider figures such as Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Pope John Paul II, St. Josemaria Escriva…the list goes on and on. And usually, in considering these people that have affected the world, we take into account the things they have done. Mother Teresa sought a culture dedicated to the sanctity of life, promoting the beauty and joy that was her life in serving the poor and destitute in the disease ridden streets of India. Mahatma Gandhi fought for peace - peace in his country that he firmly believed would lead to peace throughout the world. Winston Churchill was the face of British government throughout the turmoil that was the Second World War, delivering impassioned speeches promoting an end to the dreadful conflict. Princess Diana used her celebrity to bring attention to the AIDS Crisis in Africa, hoping to provide people with a glimpse into the lives of so many people living without a basic source of food, shelter, and clothing. Pope John Paul II was the face and fearless leader of the Roman Catholic Church for 26 years, beginning dialogues with many religions and traveling around the world, bringing a message of peace, hope, and love to all. St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, advocated the seeking of holiness in everyday life, hoping to inspire people to sanctify their ordinary lives and discover the divine in all that they did.
-In short, these 6 people that changed the world, each in their own way, provide us with a sort of reference point, if you will, for the next part in this, hopefully, very insightful note.
-While we can consider these people great figures, each influential in their very unique ways, I would like to add 2 people to the list of “wonderful folks who have affected the world.” One is probably a person you first thought of when I mentioned “great figures that have truly affected this world,” another is probably someone you haven’t thought about since your kindergarten years. At any rate, they can both be considered men who made the world just a bit better.
-Our first figure is Jesus Christ…that’s right – God incarnate, Word made Flesh, Savior of the World…it’s almost irrelevant to point out how He influenced the world, considering He saved it and all…but in spite of that…Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Prophecies…He was the perfection and absolute example of Priest, Prophet, and King. He came into this world to shake the very foundations on which it rested, hoping to bring truth and reveal the wonder that was loving and serving God. No Doctrinal texts of specific Dogmas are needed to back up the very simple fact that Jesus changed the world. He sought to bring people to the truth of Him…that is to say, the truth of His Father. He wanted people to realize that He had come, not to bring “peace, but division,” (Luke 12:51.) In short, Jesus Christ changed the world because He worked to, and succeeded, in re-establishing the norms of society, then and now.
-Now, for the second figure…one perhaps you did not consider and have not really thought about since your grade school days when this guy was probably the neatest person you had ever heard of.
-Johnny Appleseed, that is to say, John Chapman of Massachusetts, was a young, rambunctious kid with a dream…to bring apples to the West. With nothing more than a Bible in his hand, apple seeds in his bag, and a pot on his head, Johnny set off across America, hoping to bring apples to the unsettled part of his beloved country. Legend has it that while he traveled, he became quite popular with those he met, often attracting large crowds of children who wanted to hear his stories, and of course, growing apple trees. Some claim this story is false…that no sensible, right-minded person would hitchhike across America with a pot on his head planting apple seeds. But I say to those nay-sayers…wasn’t Jesus Christ considered crazy by the Pharisees? Didn’t they say that His outrageous claims of “raising the temple in 3 days” and “I am the Bread of Life” were absolutely insane? Yes, I believe they did…and in fact, because they were so upset by His claims, they crucified Him. And weren’t they wrong? I believe they were.
-Quite simply, Johnny Appleseed and Jesus Christ are almost direct parallels. Jesus Christ sought truth, revealing to people that He was the “way, the truth, and the light.” John Appleseed sought to bring people delicious, healthy treats in the form of apples, bringing people to a sort of “way, truth, and light.”
-Both Jesus and Johnny were considered crazy…many thought Johnny’s sleeping in the branches of trees and the signature pot on his head were absolutely clear signs that he was off his rocker, and of course, many, both in the time of Christ and today, consider Jesus’ teachings and miraculous life to be absolutely insane and completely irrational.
-for a quick similarity – they both had beards…and who doesn’t like a beard?
-Jesus Christ and Johnny Appleseed were both men of the earth…they were wanderers, always on the move to bring the truth to those who were unenlightened. Johnny wanted to provide tasty treats to the Wild West of America…Jesus wanted to provide infallible truths to the people of the Wild World.
-And of course, the most primary comparison, Jesus and Johnny are people to be admired. Without Johnny Appleseed, much of our country would be “apple-less.” No apple pies to grace the tables of dining rooms all across America, no cheesy little phrases insisting upon the consumption of an apple once a day to ward off the healers of society, no delightful delicacy that comes in green and red. And of course, without Jesus Christ, this entire world would be without salvation, plain and simple, no elaboration needed there.
-In short, Johnny Appleseed and Jesus Christ are models of what an “earth shattering figure” is and should strive to be…one who seeks to bring new truths to the world, one who seeks to provide wonderful gifts to those in need…
-In this, the wonderful season of Advent, may we strive to be a lot like Johnny Appleseed and Jesus Christ.
(again – not meant to be disrespectful…merely to provide, hopefully, a smile)
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