Exodus 1:8-14, 22
A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful
the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves!
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase;
otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies
to fight against us, and so leave our country."
Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel
to oppress them with forced labor.
Thus they had to build for Pharaoh
the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.
Yet the more they were oppressed,
the more they multiplied and spread.
The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel
and reduced them to cruel slavery,
making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick
and all kinds of field work—the whole cruel fate of slaves.
Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects,
"Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews,
but you may let all the girls live."
Matthew 10:34 – 11:1
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one's enemies will be those of his household.
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
"Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet's reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
+++ +++ +++ +++
During his recent trip abroad for the G-8 summit, President Obama visited the city of Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, then and now the see city of the Patriarch of the East. Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople once had this to say about the purpose of the President’s visit, to seek peace among nations. “More than anything, this is peace: when the disease is removed; when the cancer is cut away.”
At Christmastide, we celebrate the birth of Jesus in scripture and in song. “Joy to the world”, “Peace on earth, good will to me”, “Glad tidings of comfort and joy”. But in today’s Gospel, the Savior speaks in a very different tone, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but the sword.” Surely, the Prince of Peace has not come to encourage violence and oppression, which burdens the powerless until all resistance has vanished. Throughout the history of the world, there have been nations that conquer and absorb smaller and weaker nations to build their own hegemony (political domination over other nations). And we cannot forget that similar situations exist in families, when parents exaggerate the notion of “spare the rod, spoil the child”, or a husband bullies his wife, or a wife belittles her husband.
Yet, there is an even more terrible statement in today’s gospel. In our translation, it reads, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” The Revised Standard Version (Catholic edition) comes much closer to the meaning of the Greek original: “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me.” The English word “prefer” derives from the Latin praeferre “to place ahead of”. We ought not place other people ahead of Christ. That would not be fair to them. For one thing, it would be too much of a burden for them to bear.
Jesus then reminds the disciples of the cost of following in his footsteps: If your goal in life is centered on yourself, you run the risk of losing eternal life: but if you lose your life for the sake of the gospel, you will gain eternal life.
And finally, a more day to day lesson of the rewards of discipleship: Welcome prophets because they are prophets; welcome righteous persons because they are righteous; be generous to children and to the poor (‘little ones’ has a double meaning) and you will be richly rewarded , because you are a follower of Jesus. Your path might not lead to martyrdom, but there is no way to get to the gates of the Heavenly Kingdom except by following in His footsteps.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Go Prophesy To My People.
In today’s first reading, we hear the adventures of Amos, a shepherd and tree-trimmer who was called by God to be a prophet. Amos was gifted with some troubling visions, first, in early chapters, warnings to the rich and self-righteous leaders of Israel that they ran the risk of God’s wrath if they did not change their attitudes, and later for the unjust and oppressive King Jeroboam of Judah, who had conquered Israel in fulfillment of the earlier prophesy.
Earlier in the chapter from which our first reading is taken, Amos sees three visions of what is going to happen. The first is a swarm of locusts which will eat up the early sprouts of grain, including the King’s Portion. The shepherd-prophet pleads that this not happen, and his prayer is answered favorably. The second is a drought that will ravage the crops of grain and the herds of cattle. Once again, Amos pleads with the Lord and the Lord relents.
The third vision is of a man with a plumb line. When I was in my teens, I spent the summer with my father, a plumber. I didn’t learn much about pipe fitting, but I did learn the use of a plumb line. He used it to ensure that the supply pipes that brought water to the fixtures in the kitchen, the laundry room and the privy chamber were perpendicular to the ground, so that the fresh water would rise, and the waste water would fall, without creating air pockets – which made their presence known by a phenomenon known as “water hammer”.
The same technique is used by stonemasons to make sure that the walls they build are not out of line. In today’s reading, Israel is the wall, which is leaning badly out of plumb, and is about to crumble. The Lord tells Amos that he is about to destroy everything that Israel holds dear and in which they have placed their confidence. This time, Amos does not intervene, but instead warns the leaders of Israel of the forthcoming disaster.
Amaziah, a confidant of Jeroboam, sends word to the King that Amos must be silenced, since he is predicting disaster. Then, he warns Amos that he should stop prophesying, or, better still, that he should go south, and issue warnings to the King of Judah. Amos’ response is a model of both humility and confidence: I am just a shepherd and a tree-trimmer. It was God who called me to bring these warnings to the King and to the people. If I refuse, not only will the Lord choose someone else to bring these warnings, but I’m going to be in deep trouble for refusing to do what God wants me to do.
Today’s gospel is Mark’s account of the mission of the disciples of Jesus. That word “mission” comes from the Latin “mittere”, which means “to send’. Jesus sends his disciples forth with a set of directives on what to say, who to say it to, and how they are to comport themselves on their mission. Like Amos in the Old Testament readings, they are not only going to “test their wings”, but also test their own fidelity to Jesus’ word. Take no food for the journey, and no money to buy food on the way. They drove out many demons, and cured many who were sick. Apparently, they were fairly successful, since the gospel doesn’t tell us that they ever went hungry or lacked for whatever they needed.
Jesus did advise them not to imagine that everyone would accept them, simply because they did good things for some people. In fact, he warned them that they would sometimes be rejected, and when that happened, they were simply to shake the dust from their sandals and move on.
Last week, we read that Jesus went back to Nazareth, and was rejected in his own hometown, and had to move on. This week, we hear that the apostles and disciples of the infant church were given the same directives by Jesus. Now, it is my turn to be reminded, and to remind you, that we have received the same general orders. When you attempt to bring a word of comfort and consolation to others who are in pain or sorrow, don’t expect an open-arm welcome every time. Give thanks to God when it happens, but if it doesn’t smile and move on. Amos announced God’s word, and he got kicked out. Jesus taught the Word of God and cured the sick, but that got people angry – and got him crucified. In every age of the Church –even in our own times, people witness to the Good News, and offer comfort and consolation to those in need, and for their efforts, they give a new mean to the Greek word for “witness” --- “martyr”.
No matter what your view might be of the United States presence in the Middle East and Afghanistan, while our military are trying to reestablish normalcy, extend health care to the sick and wounded, and assist the leaders of these nations to establish peace, they are, on a daily basis, subjected to enemy fire, to car bombs, that is, to injury and death.
No matter how steadfastly you might disagree with the views of the President of the United States on the civil right of a pregnant woman to obtain an abortion, take careful note of the cordial welcome he received from our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, earlier this week. Many, if not most, and perhaps all of the people listening to me – or reading this reflection on line – believe that a new life begins at the moment a cell produced in a man’s body meets a cell produced in a woman’s body . And that is true, whether the conjunction of those two cells occurs within a woman’s body, or in a Petri dish. Another significant number of people believe that a pregnant woman has a right to abort the fetus if her own life is in serious jeopardy, whether in the first or the first two, or even in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Since sincere people on both sides of this issue have the protection of human life as their fundamental goal, would it not be reasonable to work together in an effort to reduce the number of abortions – or, better stated, to increase the number of life births – rather than to allow the present status quo to persist, on a matter of principle – or it is a matter of stubborn self-righteousness? If no effort is made to find a middle ground on which the proponents of both sides can meet, and the number of dead babies continues to increase, who, in the final analysis, is responsible?
We, as Church, and as individual witnesses, go forth from the Lord’s Day liturgy and strive to live the Good News in our daily lives. We carry on, whether or not we see our victories. We continue to reach out, to comfort, to challenge, to meet the needs of others, realizing that our efforts will sometimes be rejected and our extended hands slapped away.
Our fidelity is our revelation of God’s presence in our lives. The early disciples trusted in his word; we later disciples are called to go and do likewise. Has your helping hand been slapped away recently? Praise the Lord, and keep on keeping on!
Earlier in the chapter from which our first reading is taken, Amos sees three visions of what is going to happen. The first is a swarm of locusts which will eat up the early sprouts of grain, including the King’s Portion. The shepherd-prophet pleads that this not happen, and his prayer is answered favorably. The second is a drought that will ravage the crops of grain and the herds of cattle. Once again, Amos pleads with the Lord and the Lord relents.
The third vision is of a man with a plumb line. When I was in my teens, I spent the summer with my father, a plumber. I didn’t learn much about pipe fitting, but I did learn the use of a plumb line. He used it to ensure that the supply pipes that brought water to the fixtures in the kitchen, the laundry room and the privy chamber were perpendicular to the ground, so that the fresh water would rise, and the waste water would fall, without creating air pockets – which made their presence known by a phenomenon known as “water hammer”.
The same technique is used by stonemasons to make sure that the walls they build are not out of line. In today’s reading, Israel is the wall, which is leaning badly out of plumb, and is about to crumble. The Lord tells Amos that he is about to destroy everything that Israel holds dear and in which they have placed their confidence. This time, Amos does not intervene, but instead warns the leaders of Israel of the forthcoming disaster.
Amaziah, a confidant of Jeroboam, sends word to the King that Amos must be silenced, since he is predicting disaster. Then, he warns Amos that he should stop prophesying, or, better still, that he should go south, and issue warnings to the King of Judah. Amos’ response is a model of both humility and confidence: I am just a shepherd and a tree-trimmer. It was God who called me to bring these warnings to the King and to the people. If I refuse, not only will the Lord choose someone else to bring these warnings, but I’m going to be in deep trouble for refusing to do what God wants me to do.
Today’s gospel is Mark’s account of the mission of the disciples of Jesus. That word “mission” comes from the Latin “mittere”, which means “to send’. Jesus sends his disciples forth with a set of directives on what to say, who to say it to, and how they are to comport themselves on their mission. Like Amos in the Old Testament readings, they are not only going to “test their wings”, but also test their own fidelity to Jesus’ word. Take no food for the journey, and no money to buy food on the way. They drove out many demons, and cured many who were sick. Apparently, they were fairly successful, since the gospel doesn’t tell us that they ever went hungry or lacked for whatever they needed.
Jesus did advise them not to imagine that everyone would accept them, simply because they did good things for some people. In fact, he warned them that they would sometimes be rejected, and when that happened, they were simply to shake the dust from their sandals and move on.
Last week, we read that Jesus went back to Nazareth, and was rejected in his own hometown, and had to move on. This week, we hear that the apostles and disciples of the infant church were given the same directives by Jesus. Now, it is my turn to be reminded, and to remind you, that we have received the same general orders. When you attempt to bring a word of comfort and consolation to others who are in pain or sorrow, don’t expect an open-arm welcome every time. Give thanks to God when it happens, but if it doesn’t smile and move on. Amos announced God’s word, and he got kicked out. Jesus taught the Word of God and cured the sick, but that got people angry – and got him crucified. In every age of the Church –even in our own times, people witness to the Good News, and offer comfort and consolation to those in need, and for their efforts, they give a new mean to the Greek word for “witness” --- “martyr”.
No matter what your view might be of the United States presence in the Middle East and Afghanistan, while our military are trying to reestablish normalcy, extend health care to the sick and wounded, and assist the leaders of these nations to establish peace, they are, on a daily basis, subjected to enemy fire, to car bombs, that is, to injury and death.
No matter how steadfastly you might disagree with the views of the President of the United States on the civil right of a pregnant woman to obtain an abortion, take careful note of the cordial welcome he received from our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, earlier this week. Many, if not most, and perhaps all of the people listening to me – or reading this reflection on line – believe that a new life begins at the moment a cell produced in a man’s body meets a cell produced in a woman’s body . And that is true, whether the conjunction of those two cells occurs within a woman’s body, or in a Petri dish. Another significant number of people believe that a pregnant woman has a right to abort the fetus if her own life is in serious jeopardy, whether in the first or the first two, or even in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Since sincere people on both sides of this issue have the protection of human life as their fundamental goal, would it not be reasonable to work together in an effort to reduce the number of abortions – or, better stated, to increase the number of life births – rather than to allow the present status quo to persist, on a matter of principle – or it is a matter of stubborn self-righteousness? If no effort is made to find a middle ground on which the proponents of both sides can meet, and the number of dead babies continues to increase, who, in the final analysis, is responsible?
We, as Church, and as individual witnesses, go forth from the Lord’s Day liturgy and strive to live the Good News in our daily lives. We carry on, whether or not we see our victories. We continue to reach out, to comfort, to challenge, to meet the needs of others, realizing that our efforts will sometimes be rejected and our extended hands slapped away.
Our fidelity is our revelation of God’s presence in our lives. The early disciples trusted in his word; we later disciples are called to go and do likewise. Has your helping hand been slapped away recently? Praise the Lord, and keep on keeping on!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
You Are Worth More Than Sparrows. Do Not Be Afraid!
Genesis 49-29-32; 50:15-26a
Jacob gave his sons these instructions: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebecca were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites."
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Can I take the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with his father’s entire family. He lived a hundred and ten years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Matthew 10:24-33
Jesus said to his Apostles: "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!
"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
The theme of today’s readings seems to be God’s knowledge of, and care for us. In the first reading, Joseph forgives his brothers, saying “Even though you meant me harm, God meant it for good, to achieve his purpose, the survival of many people.” And in the gospel, Jesus reminds his disciples of God’s concern for them. God knows the fate of sparrows, and his children are worth more to him than sparrows.
Three times in this gospel, Jesus encourages his disciples not to be afraid. Someone has written that fear is the homage due to gods and princes. But if love of God is nothing more than a form of fear, should we not love the devil even more than God, since we have more to fear from him?
Still, you might remember that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is called “fear of the Lord.” But this “fear of the Lord” has nothing to do with fear in the usual sense of the word. It is rather a sense of awe, of respect, of reverence before the ultimate mystery. Jesus often repeats the admonition, “Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 14:28; 17:7; 28: 5,10; Luke 5:10; etc.). And St John wrote, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18). God asks for our love, not our fear. It is said that those who love to be feared, fear to be loved. How could God love to be feared, or fear to be loved? “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:8, 16).
+++
Today is the memorial of Saint Benedict. He was born in the town of Nursia in Umbria about the year 480. Educated in Rome, he began the eremitic life in Subiaco, where he gathered disciples, and eventually left them for Monte Cassino. There he established the famous monastery, and composed a monastic rule. Because this rule was eventually adopted by all of the monasteries in Europe, it is known as the Benedictine Rule, and he is known as the patriarch of Western monasticism. Benedict died on March 21, 542, but since the end of the eighth century, his memory has been observed on July 11.
Jacob gave his sons these instructions: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebecca were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites."
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Can I take the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with his father’s entire family. He lived a hundred and ten years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Matthew 10:24-33
Jesus said to his Apostles: "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!
"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
+++ +++ +++ +++
The theme of today’s readings seems to be God’s knowledge of, and care for us. In the first reading, Joseph forgives his brothers, saying “Even though you meant me harm, God meant it for good, to achieve his purpose, the survival of many people.” And in the gospel, Jesus reminds his disciples of God’s concern for them. God knows the fate of sparrows, and his children are worth more to him than sparrows.
Three times in this gospel, Jesus encourages his disciples not to be afraid. Someone has written that fear is the homage due to gods and princes. But if love of God is nothing more than a form of fear, should we not love the devil even more than God, since we have more to fear from him?
Still, you might remember that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is called “fear of the Lord.” But this “fear of the Lord” has nothing to do with fear in the usual sense of the word. It is rather a sense of awe, of respect, of reverence before the ultimate mystery. Jesus often repeats the admonition, “Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 14:28; 17:7; 28: 5,10; Luke 5:10; etc.). And St John wrote, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18). God asks for our love, not our fear. It is said that those who love to be feared, fear to be loved. How could God love to be feared, or fear to be loved? “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:8, 16).
+++
Today is the memorial of Saint Benedict. He was born in the town of Nursia in Umbria about the year 480. Educated in Rome, he began the eremitic life in Subiaco, where he gathered disciples, and eventually left them for Monte Cassino. There he established the famous monastery, and composed a monastic rule. Because this rule was eventually adopted by all of the monasteries in Europe, it is known as the Benedictine Rule, and he is known as the patriarch of Western monasticism. Benedict died on March 21, 542, but since the end of the eighth century, his memory has been observed on July 11.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Like Sheep Among Wolves
Genesis 46:1-7; 28-30
Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and called, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am," he answered.
"I am the LORD, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
Then Jacob left Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father, their wives and their children in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt. His sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring, he took with him to Egypt.
Israel sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, so that he could meet him in Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."
+++
The expression of Joseph’s affection for his father Israel stands in stark contrast to the way many family members (and in particular fathers and sons) express affection for each other. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, “the way they keep their distance from each other.”
The most fundamental expression in human terms of God’s law is “Love one another, as I (Jesus) have loved you.” But in our society it is considered unmanly for one man to demonstrate affection for another. For instance, a father wrote to Ann Landers about his late son: “The greatest regret of my life is that I kept my son at arm's length. It was considered unmanly for one man to demonstrate affection for another. I treated my son the same way my father had treated me, and now I realize what a terrible mistake that was.”
To which of my family members do I find it easiest, and to who, most difficult, to express affection? If we find it difficult to express affection and concern – love – for our family members, how can we fulfill the command of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.”?
+++ +++ +++ +++
Matthew 10:16-23
Jesus said to his apostles: Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
+++
There are lots of animals mentioned in this gospel reading: sheep, wolves, snakes and doves. Where did serpents get their reputation for shrewdness? In Genesis, we read,” Now the serpent was craftier than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made” (3:1). The serpent beguiled me, and I ate,” said Eve (3:13). Since those days of yore, we have not seen signs that animals possess the ability to plan a strategy; they simply reacted in the moment, like every other animal.
We associate intelligence with the ability to plan. We are impressed by planning, even when the objective is silly. Many things in life require planning, but it can become a compulsive habit. If I feel I have to plan everything, it means that I don’t trust myself to react correctly in some future situation. But what makes me think I can do it better now, before the situation has even arisen? How should I know what to say to some people when I haven't even seen them yet? Compulsive planning ensures that I will always live in the past – which is surely very ironical. Intelligence isn't old hat; it’s always new. We have to trust the intelligence that is in us; to distrust it is to undermine it.
“When the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say.” Not before. The things that are very alive – love, intelligence, faith – don’t keep till tomorrow; they are for now. You cannot prepare for the suddenness of a wolf’s attack except by being alert. The word "alertness" is probably much closer to the essence of intelligence – and of faith too – than "planning".
“Be alert! Stay awake! For goodness’ sake!”
Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and called, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I am," he answered.
"I am the LORD, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
Then Jacob left Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father, their wives and their children in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt. His sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring, he took with him to Egypt.
Israel sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, so that he could meet him in Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."
+++
The expression of Joseph’s affection for his father Israel stands in stark contrast to the way many family members (and in particular fathers and sons) express affection for each other. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, “the way they keep their distance from each other.”
The most fundamental expression in human terms of God’s law is “Love one another, as I (Jesus) have loved you.” But in our society it is considered unmanly for one man to demonstrate affection for another. For instance, a father wrote to Ann Landers about his late son: “The greatest regret of my life is that I kept my son at arm's length. It was considered unmanly for one man to demonstrate affection for another. I treated my son the same way my father had treated me, and now I realize what a terrible mistake that was.”
To which of my family members do I find it easiest, and to who, most difficult, to express affection? If we find it difficult to express affection and concern – love – for our family members, how can we fulfill the command of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.”?
+++ +++ +++ +++
Matthew 10:16-23
Jesus said to his apostles: Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
+++
There are lots of animals mentioned in this gospel reading: sheep, wolves, snakes and doves. Where did serpents get their reputation for shrewdness? In Genesis, we read,” Now the serpent was craftier than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made” (3:1). The serpent beguiled me, and I ate,” said Eve (3:13). Since those days of yore, we have not seen signs that animals possess the ability to plan a strategy; they simply reacted in the moment, like every other animal.
We associate intelligence with the ability to plan. We are impressed by planning, even when the objective is silly. Many things in life require planning, but it can become a compulsive habit. If I feel I have to plan everything, it means that I don’t trust myself to react correctly in some future situation. But what makes me think I can do it better now, before the situation has even arisen? How should I know what to say to some people when I haven't even seen them yet? Compulsive planning ensures that I will always live in the past – which is surely very ironical. Intelligence isn't old hat; it’s always new. We have to trust the intelligence that is in us; to distrust it is to undermine it.
“When the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say.” Not before. The things that are very alive – love, intelligence, faith – don’t keep till tomorrow; they are for now. You cannot prepare for the suddenness of a wolf’s attack except by being alert. The word "alertness" is probably much closer to the essence of intelligence – and of faith too – than "planning".
“Be alert! Stay awake! For goodness’ sake!”
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Why We Give Without Counting The Cost
Genesis 44:18-21 -29; 45:1-5
Today’s First Reading continues the interrogatory of the sons of Jacob before Pharaoh’s counselor, who is in fact their brother Joseph. It is Judah, the eldest of Jacob’s sons, who speaks first:
Judah: My lord, I beg you, allow your servant to speak earnestly with my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, “Do you have a father or a brother?” We answered, “We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father dotes on him.”
Then you said to your servants: “Bring him down to me, that I can see him with my own eyes. Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you will never come into my presence again. When we returned to your servant, our father, we told him what my lord had said.
Our father said, “Go back and buy some more food for our family.” So we reminded him, “We cannot return there, or see that man again, unless our youngest brother is with us. “ And then he said, “You know that my wife bore me two sons. Once of them was taken from me, and I said, ‘Surely he has been torn to pieces by wild beasts’, and I have never seen him since. If you take this one from me, too, and harm comes to him, you will send my gray head down to the nether world in grief.”
Our father said, “Go back and buy some more food for our family.” So we reminded him, “We cannot return there, or see that man again, unless our youngest brother is with us. “ And then he said, “You know that my wife bore me two sons. Once of them was taken from me, and I said, ‘Surely he has been torn to pieces by wild beasts’, and I have never seen him since. If you take this one from me, too, and harm comes to him, you will send my gray head down to the nether world in grief.”
At that point, Joseph could no longer control himself in the presence of his attended, and he cried out, “Have everyone withdraw from me!” So, there was no one else with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. But his sobbing was so loud that the Egyptians heard him, and the news reached Pharaoh’s palace.
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still in good health?” But his brothers were unable to answer him, because they were dumbfounded in his presence.
“Come closer to me”, he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now, do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was for the sake of saving lives that the LORD has sent me here ahead of you.”
+++
Psalm 105, verses 16-21:
The LORD called down a famine on the land,
and ruined all the crops that sustained them.
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, whom they had sold as a slave.
They weighed him down with shackles,
and bound him with chains,
Until what he had foretold came to pass,
and the world of the LORD proved him true.
The LORD called down a famine on the land,
and ruined all the crops that sustained them.
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, whom they had sold as a slave.
They weighed him down with shackles,
and bound him with chains,
Until what he had foretold came to pass,
and the world of the LORD proved him true.
The king sent word to release him;
the ruler of peoples set him free.
He made him master of his household,
He made him master of his household,
ruler over all his possessions.
+++ +++ +++ +++
Jesus said to his apostles, “As you go, preach this message:
The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth; it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town.
+++
Why We Give Without Counting The Cost
+++ +++ +++ +++
Jesus said to his apostles, “As you go, preach this message:
The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth; it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town.
+++
Why We Give Without Counting The Cost
Above all, our very nature requires us to be interested in others. When there is something beautiful within us, we desire to communicate it to others. When we see others who are worse off than we are, we desire to help them with something of ours. This need is so original, so natural, that it is within us before we are conscious of it. We call it the law of existence. We perform works of charity to satisfy this need.
We become ourselves to the extent that we live this need and this requirement. Communicating to others gives us the experience of completing ourselves. This is so true that, if we are unable to give, we experience ourselves as incomplete beings.
To be interested in others, to communicate with others, enables us to fulfill the supreme and, indeed, the only task in life: to become ourselves; to complete ourselves.
It is Christ who has enabled us to understand the ultimate reason for this, revealing the ultimate law of being and of life: charity. The supreme law of our beings is to share in the being of others, to live in communion.
Only Jesus Christ reveals this to us, because he knows what everything truly is, who God, from whom we are born, truly is, what Being truly is.
I am able to understand the word “charity” when I remember that the Son of God, loving us, did not send us his riches (as he was able to do); instead, he became poor like one of us. He “shared” our nothingness.
We do works of charity in order to live like Christ.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Joseph And Jesus
Today, our reading from the Hebrew Scripture leaps forward from the Jacob’s ladder to Heaven and his wrestling match with the LORD to a time many years later, after Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, and after his wisdom had earned him his freedom and a position in the royal court as the chief advisor to the Pharaoh.
Now, famine has fallen upon the land of Egypt, and the people are starving. Pharaoh invests Joseph with the authority to feed the people from the stores of grain. Even people in neighboring lands come to Egypt to find food, including Joseph’s older brothers, sent there by their aged father, Jacob.
When Jacob’s sons came into the presence of the royal governor, they knelt before him in homage. He recognized them immediately, but concealed his own identity and spoke sternly to them. Finally, he ordered them locked up in the guardhouse for three days.
On the third day, Joseph told his brothers: “Do this, and you will live, for I am a God-fearing man. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they agreed to do.
They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."
Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep.
In the past Joseph has endured ill treatment by his brothers, and slavery Egypt, but now he is in a place of power and privilege, as a chief counselor to the Pharaoh. He uses his power and privilege wisely, even as he recognizes his brothers who had sold him into slavery. At the outset, he deals harshly with them, but at the end of the day, he does not seek revenge or retribution. The last line of today’s reading is most telling: “he turned away from them and began to weep.” The story of Joseph and his brothers is to be continued, tomorrow and the next day.
+++ +++ +++ +++
In the gospel, Jesus calls his twelve disciples to him, and gives them authority to drive out evil spirits and to cure every illness and disease.
These are the names of the twelve, now called apostles: Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who would betray him.
These twelve were sent forth with the following instructions: “Do not go into pagan territory or enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
+++
Once upon a time, a student in religion class asked her teacher, “Why did Jesus pick twelve apostles, not eight or ten or some other number?” The teacher answered, “The answer to that question is not clear; perhaps because that represented the twelve tribes of Israel.” It was the best answer I could think of, at the time. Today, I am even more convinced that there is no simple answer to that question.
The early commentators on the Scriptures give the impression that they are looking for hidden meanings in every word, even every syllable of the text. Here is a sample (credit to Father Donagh O’Shea) of what some of them did with the number 12.
Remigius writes: "The number twelve is a perfect number, being made up of the number six, which has perfection because it is formed of its own parts – one, two, three – multiplied into one another; and the number six when doubled amounts to twelve.” A commentator on Remigius added: “And this doubling seems to have some reference to the two precepts of charity, or to the two Testaments.”
Tertullian relates the gospel to the today’s first reading: “This number twelve is typified by many things in the Old Testament; by the twelve sons of Jacob, by the twelve princes of the children of Israel, by the twelve running springs in Helim, by the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate, by the twelve loaves of the showbread, by the twelve spies sent by Moses, by the twelve stones of which the altar was made, by the twelve stones taken out of Jordan, by the twelve oxen which bare the brazen sea. Also in the New Testament, by the twelve stars in the bride's crown, by the twelve foundations of Jerusalem which John saw, and her twelve gates.”
When Chrysostom sees the list of apostles he looks instantly for the order of precedence (from the earliest times till the present day this is the chief sport of the clergy). “Let us observe the order of the list of disciples from the beginning…. Do you note that he does not arrange them according to their dignity? For John seems to me to be greater, not only than the others but even than his brother.” Precisely what the disciples were squabbling about when Jesus shut them up.
St Jerome has a more worthwhile point to make: “The other Evangelists put Matthew before Thomas, and they do not add the words ‘the tax collector’ to his name, so as not to appear to throw scorn upon the Evangelist by bringing up his former life. But writing of himself he puts Thomas first, and styles himself ‘the tax collector’.” Matthew’s gospel, he was suggesting, does credit to Matthew himself by showing him in a truthful and unflattering light. That is certainly the Christian spirit.
What do we do with Remigius and Tertullian and their number games? Some would say, “Let them be! That form of scripture study is passé!” But truth be told, something positive can be derived from the writings of the commentators of days gone by. And it is virtually inevitable that in some future era, scripture scholars will consider the methodology and the conclusions of the late 20th century just as arcane as those of earlier eras. The study of scripture is not comparable to the study of anatomy and physiology. The methodology of the disciple is not dissection, but meditation.
Now, famine has fallen upon the land of Egypt, and the people are starving. Pharaoh invests Joseph with the authority to feed the people from the stores of grain. Even people in neighboring lands come to Egypt to find food, including Joseph’s older brothers, sent there by their aged father, Jacob.
When Jacob’s sons came into the presence of the royal governor, they knelt before him in homage. He recognized them immediately, but concealed his own identity and spoke sternly to them. Finally, he ordered them locked up in the guardhouse for three days.
On the third day, Joseph told his brothers: “Do this, and you will live, for I am a God-fearing man. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they agreed to do.
They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."
Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. He turned away from them and began to weep.
In the past Joseph has endured ill treatment by his brothers, and slavery Egypt, but now he is in a place of power and privilege, as a chief counselor to the Pharaoh. He uses his power and privilege wisely, even as he recognizes his brothers who had sold him into slavery. At the outset, he deals harshly with them, but at the end of the day, he does not seek revenge or retribution. The last line of today’s reading is most telling: “he turned away from them and began to weep.” The story of Joseph and his brothers is to be continued, tomorrow and the next day.
+++ +++ +++ +++
In the gospel, Jesus calls his twelve disciples to him, and gives them authority to drive out evil spirits and to cure every illness and disease.
These are the names of the twelve, now called apostles: Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who would betray him.
These twelve were sent forth with the following instructions: “Do not go into pagan territory or enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
+++
Once upon a time, a student in religion class asked her teacher, “Why did Jesus pick twelve apostles, not eight or ten or some other number?” The teacher answered, “The answer to that question is not clear; perhaps because that represented the twelve tribes of Israel.” It was the best answer I could think of, at the time. Today, I am even more convinced that there is no simple answer to that question.
The early commentators on the Scriptures give the impression that they are looking for hidden meanings in every word, even every syllable of the text. Here is a sample (credit to Father Donagh O’Shea) of what some of them did with the number 12.
Remigius writes: "The number twelve is a perfect number, being made up of the number six, which has perfection because it is formed of its own parts – one, two, three – multiplied into one another; and the number six when doubled amounts to twelve.” A commentator on Remigius added: “And this doubling seems to have some reference to the two precepts of charity, or to the two Testaments.”
Tertullian relates the gospel to the today’s first reading: “This number twelve is typified by many things in the Old Testament; by the twelve sons of Jacob, by the twelve princes of the children of Israel, by the twelve running springs in Helim, by the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate, by the twelve loaves of the showbread, by the twelve spies sent by Moses, by the twelve stones of which the altar was made, by the twelve stones taken out of Jordan, by the twelve oxen which bare the brazen sea. Also in the New Testament, by the twelve stars in the bride's crown, by the twelve foundations of Jerusalem which John saw, and her twelve gates.”
When Chrysostom sees the list of apostles he looks instantly for the order of precedence (from the earliest times till the present day this is the chief sport of the clergy). “Let us observe the order of the list of disciples from the beginning…. Do you note that he does not arrange them according to their dignity? For John seems to me to be greater, not only than the others but even than his brother.” Precisely what the disciples were squabbling about when Jesus shut them up.
St Jerome has a more worthwhile point to make: “The other Evangelists put Matthew before Thomas, and they do not add the words ‘the tax collector’ to his name, so as not to appear to throw scorn upon the Evangelist by bringing up his former life. But writing of himself he puts Thomas first, and styles himself ‘the tax collector’.” Matthew’s gospel, he was suggesting, does credit to Matthew himself by showing him in a truthful and unflattering light. That is certainly the Christian spirit.
What do we do with Remigius and Tertullian and their number games? Some would say, “Let them be! That form of scripture study is passé!” But truth be told, something positive can be derived from the writings of the commentators of days gone by. And it is virtually inevitable that in some future era, scripture scholars will consider the methodology and the conclusions of the late 20th century just as arcane as those of earlier eras. The study of scripture is not comparable to the study of anatomy and physiology. The methodology of the disciple is not dissection, but meditation.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Nothing Like This Has Ever Been Seen In Israel
Matthew 9:32-38
While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
+++ +++ +++ +++
Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “People who stop doing good because of accusations, show that their good deeds have been done to impress others. But if for God's sake you do good to your fellow-servants, you will not stop doing good whatever they do." Doing things to impress others used to be called ‘human respect’. It was badly named, because there is no real respect involved at all, neither for oneself nor for others. In Catholic spirituality many things were named in very misleading ways because they were only half translated from Latin. The word ‘respect’ comes from ‘respicere’, which means ‘too look back’. In this context it means checking to see how your performance is going down with the audience. A better translation today might be ‘seeking to impress’ or ‘seeking celebrity’. It’s clear on every page of the gospels that Jesus was entirely free of it.
When they could find nothing to criticize in what Jesus did, they tried to dig down and discredit his motivation. This has a very modern ring to it. “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.” It is what you might call ‘the explanation from below’. A great deal of modern psychology also offers explanations ‘from below’. We live in a culture of suspicion, in which higher motives are usually interpreted as hypocrisy. It’s a seductive way of looking: it explains away goodness, and so it gives me permission to wallow where I am; it even makes wallowing look commendably honest.
There is also the ‘explanation from above’. That too has its dangers of course. There is the case of the history student who gave ‘God’ as the explanation of everything that happened in the past.
It all makes us think: what are we doing when we look for explanations? What part of our mind or being are we trying to satisfy? And what do we do with explanations when we get them? In truth: nothing! We pass on to something else.
Jesus ignored the jibe about Beelzebub. That’s undoubtedly the best thing to do with explanations, especially explanations ‘from below’. Trying to counter them only robs us of our power. I love the way the narrative just continues, “Then Jesus went about all the towns and villages….” Sometimes that’s the best response: Just keep on keeping on.
While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
+++ +++ +++ +++
Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “People who stop doing good because of accusations, show that their good deeds have been done to impress others. But if for God's sake you do good to your fellow-servants, you will not stop doing good whatever they do." Doing things to impress others used to be called ‘human respect’. It was badly named, because there is no real respect involved at all, neither for oneself nor for others. In Catholic spirituality many things were named in very misleading ways because they were only half translated from Latin. The word ‘respect’ comes from ‘respicere’, which means ‘too look back’. In this context it means checking to see how your performance is going down with the audience. A better translation today might be ‘seeking to impress’ or ‘seeking celebrity’. It’s clear on every page of the gospels that Jesus was entirely free of it.
When they could find nothing to criticize in what Jesus did, they tried to dig down and discredit his motivation. This has a very modern ring to it. “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.” It is what you might call ‘the explanation from below’. A great deal of modern psychology also offers explanations ‘from below’. We live in a culture of suspicion, in which higher motives are usually interpreted as hypocrisy. It’s a seductive way of looking: it explains away goodness, and so it gives me permission to wallow where I am; it even makes wallowing look commendably honest.
There is also the ‘explanation from above’. That too has its dangers of course. There is the case of the history student who gave ‘God’ as the explanation of everything that happened in the past.
It all makes us think: what are we doing when we look for explanations? What part of our mind or being are we trying to satisfy? And what do we do with explanations when we get them? In truth: nothing! We pass on to something else.
Jesus ignored the jibe about Beelzebub. That’s undoubtedly the best thing to do with explanations, especially explanations ‘from below’. Trying to counter them only robs us of our power. I love the way the narrative just continues, “Then Jesus went about all the towns and villages….” Sometimes that’s the best response: Just keep on keeping on.
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