Rev. Bess needs a refresher course

To the editor:

I wish to make certain comments upon the article appearing in the April 14 Valley Sun by The Rev. Howard Bess. The article was titled “The Corruption of Jesus from Nazareth.”

Mr. Bess proceeds correctly to decry the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” attitude of many in the Christian world. He accurately portrays Christ as preaching love and forgiveness rather than retribution. Without discussing Islam, this outlines in black letters the difference between Christianity and Islam. However, in discussing the significance of Christ’s death on the cross, which he states incorrectly “still has a stranglehold” on Christian churches, his suggestion is that Christ’s death was something other than payment by his death for human sin, citing Saint Paul’s letters and, by implication, the Mass. The Mass is the re-enactment of The Last Supper, the same sacrifice as has been the case for more than 2,000 years, millions of times in hundreds of thousands of locations.

Mr. Bess concludes that Jesus is still looking for followers who want to go on a different kind of journey (than The Last Supper and the re-enactment by and through the Mass). Exactly what kind of journey he is talking about that he seems to think more important that the re-enactment of death and resurrection? And which new journey ipso facto would supplant the sacrifice of the Mass?

Mr. Bess understands a part of the truth, and to his credit a good part of the truth, but perhaps he would benefit from a refresher course.

Roger A. McShea

Palmer