To prevent the casual onlooker from deciphering his secret scientific analysis and mysterious inventions he wrote his notes backwards in what is known as mirrored script. Credited as being a man far ahead of his time, he designed a parachute, airplane, cannon, tank, as well as the first robot. More than a scientist or inventor, he is recognized the world over as the artist who created the famous paintings of the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Attention to detail is the key to understanding the almost photographic quality of the mysterious paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci. He used his scientific skill to study the nature of light, reflection, and form, but more importantly he examined how light interacts with the human eye, how the body moves, and how light reflects off of surfaces. He even dissected several human bodies to understand the hidden structure of the human form. This very detailed scientific study enabled him to perfect painting techniques that capture light and form to such a degree that his paintings take on an almost photographic realism. As incredible as his paintings are, Leonardo Da Vinci has captured global attention in recent months because of his mysterious connection to the Knights Templar, which was a religious order made up of highly trained elite knights. The initial purpose of the Knights Templar was to protect pilgrims that where traveling to the Holy Lands, but it was also one of the elite fighting forces of the Crusades whose primary purpose was to regain control of the Holy Lands from Muslim rule. Leonardo’s secret relationship with the Knights Templar has been the source of a growing controversy that began with the best selling book The Da Vinci Code.
Jesus said, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) Almost from the beginning, there was controversy that swirled around the elite fighting force of the Knights Templar, whose very purpose seemed to contradict the teaching of Jesus Christ. The Order at its outset was subject to strong criticism, especially the idea that religious men could also carry swords. In response to these critics, Bernard of Clairvaux, the original patron of the Knights Templar, wrote a multi-page treatise entitled De Laude Novae Militae (In Praise of the New Knighthood), championing their mission, in which he strongly supported the concept of killing in the name of Christ. However, it was not this treatise that gave the Knights Templar legitimacy and power, but the papal bull, Omne Datum Optimum, signed into effect in 1139 by Pope Innocent II. This papal bull granted the Knights Templar with the unprecedented power to pass freely through any border, freedom from taxation, and were subject to no one’s authority except that of the Pope. It is not their legendary power that has given rise to the most recent controversy, but an unusual image that appears when a mirror image of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper is overlaid onto the original painting creating a composite image in which, three Knights, the Holy Grail, and an infant mysteriously appear. Perhaps even more interesting is that there was so much interest in this composite image that the website that originally displayed it received over 15 million hits crashing the web server (Please see mysterious image on the next page).What can this mysterious religious order and this latest controversy over Da Vinci’s mysterious painting teach us about the limitless light, love, and compassion of Jesus Christ?
Slavisa Pesci, an information technologist and amateur scholar, discovered that by superimposing the Last Supper with its mirror-image creates a completely different picture. In a recent interview Savisa Pesci explained, “I came across it by accident, from some of the details you can infer that we are not talking about chance but about a precise calculation.” Historians are skeptical of this theory stating that the composite image is too blurry to make this speculation, but given the fascination that Leonardo had with secrecy and mirror writing it makes sense that he would hide another mirror image within his famous painting.
John the Baptist saw Jesus walking toward him and exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”(John 1:29) The official head of the Knights Templar order was known as the Grand Master who had their own hand made seals that were used to validate documents approved by the order. The seal was the equivalent of a modern day signature, but in a time when the majority of people were illiterate, the seal was an acknowledgment of a document’s authenticity. The Knights Templar would have needed a seal whose imagery expressed something positive about their organization and many of the Grand Masters chose Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) as the central theme of their seal. Since the seal represented the power of Knights Templar, their seals were closely guarded and stored in a box, which required three keys to open it!
The Agnus Dei seal was meant to convey the idea that the Knights Templar were sacrificing their lives for Jesus, but the image of Agnus Dei conceals their true nature, which was more like a lion poised to kill. Although the Knights Templar was considered a religious order they were in fact a group of highly trained elite soldiers. Like other religious orders they made a solemn oath of chastity, poverty, and obedience giving all the material wealth that the owned to the order. But the Knights Templar were very different from other religious orders because they also swore an oath to fight to the death and were known to be reckless in battle in the hopes of achieving martyrdom as the most honorable death. Even their horses were trained to fight and were known to kick and bit the enemy during battle.
Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39) Jesus is revealing the hidden war. It is not war the way we think of war, but more accurately a war between freedom and bondage that lives within you. If you choose the freedom that Jesus is offering you, it can literally turn those who are choosing bondage against you – even your father or mother! Wow!
Jesus illuminates, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39) Your body is a desire body. If you follow your desires outward toward the world you will find “your life” and be dead to your eternal nature. On the other hand, if you turn your attention to the source within you at the core of your being you will discover the joy of eternal life – you will be dead to the desires (sins) of the body, but alive in the eternal light of within you! Wow! Wow! Wow! As Jesus intimates, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14)
Of course, when you examine the Knights Templar more closely you will discover that they were more than an elite fighting force, they were a special group of men who were willing to fight to the death to protect something. The obvious question is; what was it that they were protecting? Most historians agree that they were willing to fight to the death to regain control of the Holy Lands and protect Holy Relics such as the True Cross – the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The True Cross was discovered by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, when she traveled to the Holy Land around 312 A.D to establish churches and relief agencies for the poor. It was at this time that she discovered the hiding place of three crosses used at the crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves that were executed with him. Through a miracle healing it was revealed which of the three was the True Cross.
The Knights Templar were known to have a piece of the True Cross and often carried it into battle with them, but as the book The Da Vinci Code suggests, there is a legend that suggests that the Knights Templar were protecting something far more powerful than any relic. Many people believe that the secret code of the Knights Templar was established by the Vatican to protect the sacred bloodline of Jesus Christ. It is based on the theory that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had a child. Of course, since there is a baby in this new composite image it is raising renewed interest in this legend.
Jesus said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.” (Luke 12:2-4) It is easy to get caught up in the controversy swirling around Leonardo Da Vinci and Dan Brown’s book the Da Vinici Code. As Jesus illuminates nothing remains a secret in the infinite light of God. Again and again, Jesus points you to that which is eternal, that which as far more importance than any legend or theory regarding the Knights Templar or the Da Vinci Code.
And Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. The controversy that is swirling around the Da Vinci code and this latest mysterious image is a great wind that has the power to distract you from the deepest Truth, but if you simply stop for a moment and listen very closely to your heart you can hear Jesus whispering to you, “Peace! Be still!” When you stop for a moment and allow your mind to rest in your heart a peace that surpasses all understanding washes over you. This is the message of Jesus – the eternal message of lasting peace. This peace is always available to you. It is available to everyone!
Jesus illuminates, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) It is easy to become troubled by various events in the world, but if you stop for just a moment you will discover that lasting peace is always present within you at the core of your being. This is the true Agnes Die that quenches the never ending thirst of the roaring lion of your ego.
Jesus says, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives…” Jesus gives not as the world gives simply because he is giving you what you already have! Wow!
You are the peace that you are seeking.
Simply stop for a moment right now and see!
No comments:
Post a Comment