Jesus doesn't gather slaves; he sets them free

I find it very encouraging that visitors to this little blog have taken the time to explore the listing of links provided on the left side column. The links are provided to spur the reader’s thoughts. My intention in making the sites accessible from this blog is not to certify every word on the respective sites as absolute cosmic truth. They are what they are…the beliefs and ideas of others who are on their particular journey of life. The ideas presented in the blogs listed, in my opinion, are beautiful and inspiring.

I wish to post a few thoughts in response to some questions I have received concerning why I have chosen the particular sites listed. (The list changes periodically)

I have posted links on the blog to open up the readers to the many possible paths to God and to encourage the reader to research for himself the ideas presented. (Especially the site relating to physics and cosmology) They are not meant as a definitive statement of my absolute belief. There are ideas on some sites that I would not adopt for my own belief system, but the purpose is to show people that being opened to the Spirit of God is a very important step to becoming one with God. Each person reaches God in his own way according to God's will and in the time determined by the Spirit.

Some of my Christian friends have provided the most thoughtful feedback to some of the sites. I've even had at least one letter from a fellow bishop since posting the links. I am perplexed at how after two thousand years of development fellow Christians so often seek out apparent differences from other believers rather than celebrate our connectedness and communion. Sometimes people perceive a conflict of belief when in fact they are stating the same truth but using different words. Let's take the idea of Jesus for example. The word "Jesus" was meant to bring us together. Jesus was meant to show us that each person can attain to the divine and eternal life in God. Jesus is the fulfillment of the plan of creation in that he represents the ideal man/woman...the godly person on earth.

Christians identify this "Jesus" as a man---both of human and divine stock---who walked the Earth in first century Palestine and taught the truths of God. Christians can easily accept the fact that the Creator God took material human form and spoke face-to-face with his human creation in order to speak the keys of eternal life to them and show them a path to peace and to God through love and mercy, etc... However, it seems that some Christians still do not actually believe the words of Jesus. "If you do not believe me when I speak of earthly things, how will you believe me when I speak of the things of Heaven?" ...asks Jesus in the Gospel of John.

Many other faiths have the same core beliefs of Christianity but they communicate those beliefs in a different way. There is no danger in this. I'll comment from the scripture to help you... Jesus tells us that he has "other flocks" that he must also bring to the Father. Wherever these other flocks may be, he tells us that he will do the same work that he does for the Christian community, in them too. Now, unless Jesus is a liar, we can assume that the essence of what Jesus is has worked as a teacher in other places and for other peoples. Since Jesus himself proclaims this fact through the Gospel account, I believe it is safe to assume that Jesus (God's own Word materialized in human form) has taught other communities under a different identity from that of the "Jesus" of first-century Palestine.

No matter how you slice it, if you believe the preacher of Nazareth to be true in his words, Christians should not only accept that Jesus personally (in the same form of a man as recorded in the Gospels) preached to groups other than those mentioned in scripture, but should affirm this fact as a matter of Gospel truth. The Gospel itself speaks quite clearly that the accounts of the four Gospels are in no way exhaustive accounts of the action and preaching of Jesus. Why have the major Christian denominations so vehemently affirmed that the four Gospel accounts are the only actions and teachings of Jesus? The very act of denying that Jesus has other flocks and therefore other audiences who recieved the same divine authority from his words as did the root Christian and Catholic communities stemming from the four gospels is an act denying the truth spoken by Jesus as Christ.

The very fact that the Pauline tradition (which is certainly accepted by the Christian communty as having divine authority) stems from an authority independent of the twelve but originating in the same Source of Jesus' authority should be enough to show the world community that Jesus did not intend for God's divine font to be limited to only the communities stemming from the preaching of the twelve apostles noted in the Gospel accounts.

Who are these other groups or other peoples who work the same mighty works of the Gospel Jesus? Certainly this little blog won't answer that question. The very core of Jesus' preaching tells us that God's choice is not dependent upon belonging to any earthly group or particular biological family. God's own are all those who hear his call and respond in love. No particular denomination should claim to be the sole possessor of divine truth or authority. Certainly no group should claim any universal divine authority over others based on the claim that Jesus of Nazareth gave them that authority. He did not give any absolute authority to any one human or group. In fact the Gospels provide for us his words to the contrary. Read the four canonical Gospel accounts fully and you will see that for yourself. Jesus reminds us that divine authority is given to all those who are chosen of the Father.

Jesus was also quick to divorce himself from any claim of absolute earthly authority connected to political or religious systems. He didn't want to be made a king. He didn't lord his power over others and warned his followers not to lord their power over anyone. He came to be our example of what a divine person should be. He did not come to be used as a puppet for all those who would claim power over others in his name. Their can be no such claim in Jesus' name. Jesus does not gather slaves; he sets them free.

The great teachers and sages of many other earthly faiths have taught the message of the Gospel using different words and different stories. I believe as long as a faith is spreading the message of love, peace, mercy, truth...and that the message is one that affirms the gift of life by calling all people to work together for the common good of creation…then one should not interfere in the preaching of that message because it is the same mighty work of God found in the Christian Gospel. Now, that's not to say you should go and join every group that comes along (unless you want to!) but you should be careful not to denounce any great faith that is bringing peace and love to God's people and at the same time leading God’s children home to a place of peace and joy. This of course presupposes that a particular group is not enslaving or harming any other in spreading their message.

It has been said that God is like a great shining diamond with many facets. His beauty is visible from many angles. What a shame it would be to paint every facet dark except for the one right in front of you. Sure, the facet right in front of you is how you see God from your particular perspective, but if you darken the rest of the diamond so that the light cannot shine through, even the beauty of your facet fades into a blurry darkness.

We should begin to appreciate the ideas that other Faiths share about God so that we can let more light shine through God's diamond and out into creation. The purpose of the links on the blog is just that. We should be careful not to paint over God's light with darkness, even if that light shines in someone else's garden.

Consider what the earth was like before Christianity knew of Jesus. What if you were born a thousand years before the dawn of the Christian era? Would you still know the Spirit of the Creator? Yes you would. How? The same way you do now, by hearing God's words in your heart. THAT IS JESUS. "Jesus" is the way through which God comes directly to his children. "Jesus" was there in the beginning---working and speaking---and he is here now the same way. To someone (like the Hindu or Buddhist or Taoist) who may never have heard the Gospel of Christianity or the name "Jesus," when that person experiences God's closeness (like you do in whatever way you experience God’s peace) he needs words to describe that experience and so he makes words like Tao or he names the voice he hears and calls it another word or if he experiences a great teacher who he knows is from God he calls him Vishnu or some name other than "Jesus." That is okay, because the word we call something is not as important as is the meaning behind it. Here is something from Taoist thought to consider:

"The rabbit snare is for the rabbit. When you have the rabbit the snare is not needed.
The fish trap is for the fish. When you have the fish the trap is not needed.
The word is for the meaning. When you have the meaning the word is not needed."

If you are a Christian, you have the meaning of "Jesus" don't you? If you do the word is not important. That doesn't mean I want you to throw away the name Jesus or tell others to do that. No! I do, however, want you to remember the words of Jesus when he said to the Apostles: "To some I speak in parables (stories) but to you I speak directly." Haven't you reached a point where you no longer need the "stories" about God but instead are able to hear the truth of God? I wish to remind you of something that the words of Jesus speak in the last supper discourses of John's Gospel: Jesus says to them, "Unless I go, you cannot receive the Spirit."

If you continue to hold onto the surface (the words) you will not experience the depth of the Spirit of Truth.

I am not saying that denominational practice or traditions and devotions are bad. Certainly not. These are a means to truth and peace for many. So, embrace whatever religious tradition makes you feel at peace, even if you know it is just a tradition and has little to do with the highest God, but don't miss the forest for the trees. When you reach a certain level, the denominational practices of other Christians or other Faiths should mean very little as compared to your own journey to the Spirit of God. If those things (denominational beliefs or devotional practices) eventually pass away and one is left with only God, then you should not be worried about "apparent" disagreements between Christian doctrine and the doctrine of other belief systems or even of the theories of science. Do not judge by appearance but judge justly. See past earthly words, devotional practices, and scientific endeavor and find the true Source of all things.

If God appears to one man as a bird and to another as an atom, and to yet another as a human...which man really saw God? The answer: Whichever man saw past the appearance and recognized the great Spirit of the Universe, the Father of All.


I hope those who read this little blog and the links mentioned are reading for meaning and not with any doctrine of man in view. I can be reached at dominicanvocations@hotmail.com if you have any comments.

With Love and Peace always,
+Bro.Tomas Martin, OPD
Bro. Thomas in the Order
and Minister of the OPD Community

Translation of the Gospel of John

CLICK HERE TO READ THE TRANSLATION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND COMMENTARY BY BISHOP TOMAS-MARTIN, OPD

The link above will take you to a new blog that is meant to introduce you to the journey of faith by means of the Gospel according to John. In the right-side text of the blog I have prefaced the translation and I have offered a brief background concerning how I came to engage in the study and translation of the Gospel text. Here I wish to present you with an introduction and overview of the translation itself and how best I think you can use the linked blog.

Consider that the true Gospel of God is written in the hearts of believers. No written text is able to replace the truth God has placed in your heart. The New Covenant God promised to the Children of God (told to us by the Prophet Jeremiah) will be written in our hearts. God himself will teach us directly. This promised covenant is connected with the promised Messiah. Christians call this Messiah, Jesus or “God himself saves us.” Other faiths have different names for this great liberator, but many faiths understand the Messiah (a word that refers to “the one who ends the curse”) as a personal savior.

This personal savior is real and is here in the world today. This is the Third Day. The dawn of the third millennium is the time of prophesy. Most ancient and major faiths have predicted this point in history as the time of the coming of the great promise of God. Even science has predicted global and cosmic changes during the first part of this new millennium. Some have believed that this time is a time of calamity or impending judgment. We hear phrases like “the end of time” is near. Well, I believe that to be true in a certain way; however this time is a great blessing. The end of time is not the end of life on earth. It is a period of transcendence for humankind. Time is the measure of the decay of things, leading to death or extinction.

When we have reached a point in our development where we can overcome the destructive tendencies in our way of thinking, there will be no further need for decay and death. The end of time is simply the start of eternal life.

Many individuals have reached this point of entering eternal life and are living that blessed eternity now, in light, among us. The fact is that the highest ranking members of the hierarchies of many major faiths already know this. There are awakened or enlightened ones walking among us and leading our churches and countries. For centuries we have heard legends about such peoples. They have been called many names. The Christian community calls them saints. The Roman Church even certifies that these saints can appear and communicate with members of the faithful and work miracles for the faithful who hear them. Some call them angels. Whatever name one may give to the enlightened ones, persons of faith can surely agree that we live in a time when a great many visionaries walk among us.

My hope is that you will discover the inner light that guides you and that the Gospel translation and commentary I offer you on the blog link above will encourage you to share your light with the world. Also be sure to browse our links section to the left of this posting to discover a variety of sites that are sure to aid you on your spiritual journey.

You can reach me through dominicanvocations@hotmail.com with comments or questions about the translation. I wish you the peace and blessing of God.

I am,
+ Tomas Martin, OPD
Bro. Thomas in t he Order and

Bishop of the OPD Community,

Fellowship of Saint Martin de Porres Chapter

Living in the Love of God

“This is the realization of a dream. The seed that God planted in us has grown into a mighty tree blossoming and producing much fruit. I am grateful to God for the life that he has given to me and this community. I am also grateful to the Holy Father... His words have awakened the very Spirit of God inside me and have helped me to see a new spiritual dimension that brings life to the community. Now, as a fully catholic community, we will live the dream. We have journeyed long together and now God has given us a home where we will be able to reap and to sow in His garden.”
+Tomas Martin, OPD

Presiding Minister of the OPD Community

The Nature and Work of the Community
The Order of Penance of St. Dominic was founded on November 5, 2006 with the profession of private vows of Brother Thomas. Bishop Sherman R. Mosley, DD of the OCCA, witnessed the profession of vows, which took place at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Absecon, NJ. The Association is located within the State of New Jersey. The purpose of the Community is to renew the lifestyle of the First Rule of the Third Order of St. Dominic of 1285, in our own lives and our modern world (following modern Statutes) for the love of God and as a public witness to the Gospel in the world, so as to fulfill our Mission, and share God's Light with others. Members live the Gospel with the goal of personal sanctity and eternal life in Christ.

The Mission of the Community is to teach the faithful to seek union with God in fulfillment of the Gospel by hearing the Word of God in their hearts so as to ascend to the Light of Spirit in the manner and according to the example of the early members in the Church, which included many Saints and Blessed, and most certainly include St. Dominic, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Martin de Porres.

The Order of Penance of St. Dominic began to take form in the year 2004 when members of the Third Order Dominican community in Camden, NJ requested to live a common life of religion according to the prescriptions of the First Rule of the Third Order of Saint Dominic of 1285 while still within the Secular world and to promote the vocation and mission of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary founded by the Venerable Father Damien Marie Saintourens, OP. These first members felt called to deepen their commitment as tertiaries by making private vows and witnessing to these vows in a public way. This first group of the Association is the Fellowship of Saint Martin de Porres.

The Order of Penance of St. Dominic is a Community of the Faithful whose members seek to live the Gospel more fully in their lives by following the spirit of Christ and reaching the ascension of the spirit as called for in the Gospel. Profession in the Community of the Order of Penance of St. Dominic is open to all of the faithful regardless of their affiliation with any Third Order or other Church group in accordance with the Statutes. Eligibility for professed membership in the Order of Penance of St. Dominic is extended to all the fully initiated members of the Faith who are 18 years of age or older in accordance with the Statutes.

The vision of the Community is to promote the renewed practice of Gospel Life in the Church among the faithful consistent with the Gospel itself, the spirit of the First Rule of the Third Order of St. Dominic of 1285, and Statutes of the Association, which were written in 2006 and amended in 2010; and to promote the mission of the Our Lady of the Well ministry as one of the apostolic works of the people of God. We endeavor to lead lives that will enable us to ascend to higher spiritual levels by uniting ourselves with the Light of the Spirit of the Universe.

Primum non nocere - Above all, do no harm
Our true catholic (universal) vision includes a pledge to do no harm to any other, but instead to give aid to any who seek, in love, the Universal Spiritual Light.

The spirituality of the Community is that of the Gospel itself, which endorses lives of peace, love, and mercy so as to live in the world with Christ. Membership in the Association both causes and is the fruit of each individual’s personal conversion and desire to live the Gospel more perfectly in his or her own life. Our spirituality includes developing an understanding of many faiths both ancient and contemporary in an effort to foster dialogue among believers.

What denomination is the OPD?

We belive in the Love that is God.

Because the faith in Christ and the Gospel guides us, the OPD has chosen to be an Ecumenical group. We have no denomination. Anyone who believes that the love of God can be avalable to all who seek it is welcomed into our community.

The fact that we have not chosen to attach ourselves to any “official” denomination is perplexing to many who believe that a community like ours should fall under the authority of some church leader. The fact of the matter is, we do fall under the authority of a church leader in that each member of the community does individually. If a member is Roman Catholic, that member is bound by his obligations as a Roman Catholic. If a member is Lutheran, the same goes for him. If a member chooses to practice a spirituality that does not involve an institutional religion, we support that personal choice as well. Our association of believers is a voluntary community of the faithful. We come together to live the spirituality of the God's Love and do the work of Christ in a way that is not limited by denominational boundaries. Most churches embrace this idea of ecumenism.

The OPD does not teach doctrine, nor does it ask it members to profess belief in any doctrine as a condition of membership. We only require a willingness to work in the Love of God for the good of others. The fact that our association has its roots in the Catholic tradition, and specifically the spirituality of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), has no doctrinal effect on the nature of our association today. Though some of our members are Lay Dominicans, the association itself is not an entity of the Roman Catholic Dominican Order. Even still, many of our members who are not Catholic have found that the spirituality of the Dominican tradition is very conducive to their own belief in the Gospel! It's beautiful to see members share traditions with such love and acceptance.

How you practice your “institutional religion” has no effect on the OPD or on your membership in the association. As a matter of fact, the diversity of disciplines in our community has given us a beautiful momentum toward the Gospel. We have had the opportunity to share each others practices and have seen the light of God in each others churches. It’s really a wonderful thing! Belonging to the OPD does not violate the beliefs you profess as a member of any particular church. Actually, our members are very active in their particular denominations and are faithful to the doctrines of their denominations.

The fact that ministers and faithful from diverse Christian churches can put aside denominational beliefs to come together and serve the children of God through Love is great gift from God!

We are careful not to impose the requirements of our individual disciplines and practices on those who are not part of our denomination. The beliefs that draw us together are beliefs in God's Love, Word, and Truth.

So, the answer to the question, “what denomination is the OPD?” We are a group of men and women who believe in the Love of God and who came together to do the work of the Gospel as a community...no denomination required!

I am always available to anyone who wishes to discuss this article in more detail. Reach me by e-mail at dominicanvocations@hotmail.com


With hope for the future,
I am your brother in Christ,

+Tomas-Martin, OPD

About the OPD

The purpose of the Association is to renew the lifestyle of the First Rule of the Third Order of St. Dominic of 1285, in our own lives and our modern world (following modern Statutes) for the love of God and as a public witness to the Gospel in the world, so as to fulfill our Mission, and save souls. Members are called to live the Gospel in a more radical and consecrated way for modern times, with the goal of personal sanctity and eternal life.


Today the community exists as a true catholic community that serves the Gospel. The community has ties to the Traditional Roman Catholic, Old Roman Catholic, Independent Catholic, Orthodox churches, as well as to communities that embrace a variety of non-Christian spiritualities. The Gospel message can be preached to all mankind regardless of one’s association. Keeping that fact in mind, the OPD will minister to all those who seek the Gospel. Branch chapters of the OPD will normally fall under the protection of a local bishop of the Church.

Members are authorized to use the letters OPD after their name as a public witness of their conversion to community life and the salutation “brother” for male members or “sister” for female members in conversation or correspondence. The use of the public habit of the community is optional for all professed members who have requested vesting in the habit.

The vision of the Association is to promote the renewed practice of Gospel Life in the Church among the faithful consistent with the Gospel itself and the traditions of the Church, the spirit of the First Rule of the Third Order of St. Dominic of 1285, and Statutes of the Association, which were written in 2006 and amended in 2010; and to work to win souls for God

The spirituality of the Association is that of the Gospel itself, which endorses lives of mercy, and love in the world for all people. Membership in the Association both causes and is the fruit of each individual’s personal conversion and desire to live the Gospel more perfectly in his or her own life.

Professed members live a lifestyle of spiritual obedience, poverty, and mission. Even though we take our name from the example of the first community of laity who came together in the preaching mission of the Gospel (as connected to the Dominican Order), we strive to live our lives with peace and joy. The term "penance" in our name should not lead anyone to think that our community advocates any form of personal suffering. On the contrary, our first members came together out of love for God, each other, and community. We are people of joy who desire that others find the joy in their lives that God, family, and community can bring.

Spirit of Obedience
The member strives to live according to the Gospel which advocates following one’s personal conscience by listening to the Word of God in one’s heart. The purpose of the idea of obedience is to strive to live God's will in one’s life through joy. Members are encouraged to remember that God calls us to a life of happiness. Our association does not advocate any practice that causes suffering or hardship to any member. Our “penance” is turned now to joy in God’s love. Our association is one that focuses on being a witness in the world. We believe that Love and Peace represent God more than any personal suffering.

Spirit of Poverty
The member advocates a humble lifestyle and makes an effort to lend financial support the mission of the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic when able. No member of the Association will be required to relinquish any resources in his personal possession. A life of “poverty” is not to be considered a life of destitution. It is to be a lifestyle that turns away from greed and becomes a lifestyle of sharing of resources for the good of others. Members should enjoy the benefit of a comfortable lifestyle free from financial worries so as to more fully devote themselves to the apostolic works of the Community. All members will receive the blessing of God in their respective financial situation.

Spirit of Mission
The member strives to engage in some apostolic work for the good of others.

Members should find a program of spirituality that brings them closer to God's love. We do not mandate any specific rituals or practices in this area. We advocate a spiritual life that is opened to experience a variety of perspectives.

Some of the practices embraced by our members…

• Morning and Evening Prayer, using the Divine Office
• Pray for all members of the Association and the Order of Preachers
• Pray for the Church and the Pope
• Spiritual Reading/Study
• Contemplative meditation
• Energy work and spiritual healing
• Scripture Reading in addition to Spiritual Reading
• Native American Spirituality
• Eastern Religious Studies
• Hebrew Studies
• Weekly attendance at the Traditional Rite Liturgy
• Non-denominational worship
• Monthly Community meeting
• Group Apostolate programs
• On-going Spirirtual Formation

Ministries of the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic...

The OPD engages in Deliverance Ministry, Homeless Ministry, Healing and Prayer Ministry, Promotion of the Perpetual Rosary Association, Outreach ministry, Teaching, Aid to Shut-ins, and Nursing Home Ministry. We minister with a special concern for those who feel cut off from the Church.

The OPD is open to new any new ministry that spreads the Light of God and gives the children of God knowledge of Salvation by the forgiveness of their sins...freeing them to experience the light within them.

Do you feel a call to bring the Light of Love to others?
For More Information Contact:
Bp. Tomas-Martin, OPD
DominicanVocations@hotmail.com