AboutFr. Timothy Johnson Expertise A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.
Experience I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001, and so am entering into my 7th year of Sacred Ministry.
Organizations Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)
Education/Credentials Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology;
MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary;
2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality.
BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy;
BA - Liberal Arts;
AA - General Studies.
Past/Present Clients I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15.
Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office.
I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church.
Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.
Question QUESTION: As Jesus was about to ascend his disciples asked him when the last day would be. He replies that only the father knows.Since by definition Jesus is God he surely must know.
Either he is God and does know or he isn't God and really doesn't know. Your comments please.
ANSWER: Hi, Russell:
Thanks for the question.
When I first saw the subject line of the post, I thought you were going to ask me something about the practice of transferring Ascension Thursday to Sunday...
Since Jesus is God the Son with a human nature, the Eternal WORD made flesh, He does know. He replied to his disciples that only the Father knows, with the express implication that they don't know.
It would be like you getting up at 6:00 AM, and going in to the kitchen and having coffee with your Father. You know when you got up, and so does he; but when the nosey neighbor asks you when you rose up in the morning, you tell her: "Only my Father knows the time when I got up this morning." Obviously this does not mean that YOU don't know... In fact, you do... 6:00 AM; but your Father knows, and so do you.
Fr. Timothy Johnson
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QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt reply. However your response means that Jesus is lying since he is quite specific that "only the Father Knows" Similarly with you analogy and the morning coffee. I would be lying if I told the nosey neighbour that only my father knew the time when I surfaced.I asked a similar question to this to my Parish priest some years ago. His response was that Jesus at the time was still learning who he really was and therefore was still speaking as a human and really didn't know the answer. Not a really satisfactory answer since by the time of his ascension he must have been fully aware of his nature. Thanks again for your reply.
Answer Hi, Russell:
Maybe my analogy was not the best and had its limitations, though mental reservation is not always lying.
Apart from analogy, and just looking at the relationship of the Divine Persons of the Father and the Son, all that Jesus is saying is that only the Father knows. This does not imply that the Son does not know; but it expresses that the disciples certainly don't know, and even though they asked, Jesus is not going to tell them.
