Readings:
Wisdom 9, 13-18, 28-29, Who can know God’s counsel?
Psalm 90, In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Philemon 1, 9-10, 12-17, I, Paul, an old man…
Luke 14, 25-33, If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother.
Sorry no Homily today.
We had a Communion Service and discussion of the readings today. Thanks to all who attended and contributed to our discussion.
Readings: Isaiah 55, 1-11; Psalm Isaiah 12; 1 John 5, 1-9; Mark 1, 7-11.
Isaiah II & Isaiah I: 2 readings from the Book of Isaiah today. Some points–
Review of time frame. The 3 writers of Isaiah all write in relation to the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 575. Isaiah I before; Isaiah II during; and Isaiah III after the Babylonian captivity. Chapters 1-39; 40-55; and 56-66.
Our first reading today, chapter 55, is from Isaiah II. Many of the lyrics for Handel's Messiah come from this writer, who is one of most influential of the prophetic writers. This is because he is used & quoted frequently by the Gospel writers.
Our selection from chapter 55 is Isaiah II exemplifying the consolation theme that characterizes the work of Isaiah II & III. It is Isaiah II's last contribution and he is addressing a people depressed. Using Yahweh's words he is saying, 'Thirsty? Come to me.'
In place of a psalm this morning we have another selection from this great work, a selection from Isaiah I chapter 12, which picks up the water theme. The passage was written before the Captivity.
I am Chosen by God and Beloved?
Like last week when we celebrated the feast of the Magi or Wise Men, this week's focus on the baptism of Jesus is intentionally crafted to help the Jewish people believe in the uniqueness of Jesus. I have 3 background facts about this story and will follow up by highlighting a somewhat hidden treasure.
First. When Mark has John the Baptist say, "I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals," the Jews knew something about John that the rest of us don't know today. Only a slave was expected to deal with the sandals, because the slave was at the bottom of the social order. The people of the time would recognize that John is saying, "I am lower on the social order than a slave."
He would be addressing his followers who thought he was terrific, and wanted him to be the man.
Second. While the majority of the Bible presents us with myth, occasionally there is a story about an event that is likely historical. The baptism of Jesus is one of those events. Biblical professionals apply two criteria. Know what they are?
a. One criterion is multiple mentions. That is, the event is mentioned in numerous places and by numerous writers. Jesus' baptism is mentioned explicitly in the 3 synoptic gospels, i.e., Matthew, Mark, & Luke, and is even hinted at in John's gospel.
b. The other criterion is dissimilar mentions. That is, each time the story is told, different aspects are developed around the main event. Therefore, it is unlikely that one writer told the story and the other two copied from him, which is the case with lots of stories in Matthew & Luke. They probably copied, sometimes directly, from Mark.
Third. Nazareth. We think of this village as a nice little place where Joseph ran his carpenter shop. His customers were the local folk who were his neighbors. However, Joseph might have been doing some of his work for the Roman army because at that time Nazareth was a garrison town of the Roman empire. In fact, Nazareth apparently had a reputation as being pretty wide open with a red light flavor.
That Jesus was born in Bethlehem with Joseph as his father puts him into the prestigious lineage of King David some 1,000 years earlier. Being from Nazareth would create a different image in the minds of his Jewish listeners. They would think, what kind of family is this that comes from that kind of town?
The story has to do with the line in Mark where Yahweh says, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." By the way, this line is mentioned in the other 2 synoptics, but exactly the same.
This past week we watched the BCS bowl game that OU lost in the second half. This week end we are watching the NFL play offs. We all want to know who is number one. We want our teams to be number one, college level, NFL, or NBA. On a smaller scale we often get caught up into thinking, 'I want to be number 1.' In my sports, in my studies, or with you. The advertising all around me tells me that to be that number one I need to buy a bigger house, or a hot car, or an iphone, or this clothing, or ultimately get something to make me better than I am as I am.
I even heard the story about the nut case guy who in order to get his name into the Guinness Book of Records climbed into a pit of 80 poisonous snakes. Number one!
One of the blessings for us in going every Christmas to Mexico City is to see that Stack lives in a bubble, a bubble of wealth and material. At a stop light on La Avenida de Reforma in Mexico City I am not surrounded by Cadillacs, Mercedes, Beamers, and big SUV's like I am at the corner of Preston & Royal near our house.
In the midst of this obsession with trying to be number one Yahweh comes saying the words 'my beloved' and 'pleased with.' I discount the words because they are applied to Jesus in the passage. I would propose that we can apply to us those words. He says to you, whatever your age or state is, 'You are my beloved', and 'I am pleased with' you. The way you are.
How does this idea strike you?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-01-11.mp3
Picture 1: Sabrina reading her Christmas Poem
Picture 2: The Choir
Picture 3: Birthdays, Bobby Ekes & Doug Kite
Picture 4: Chloe & Maggie
Readings:
Genesis 11, 1-9, The Tower of Babel story. This comes from the vigil Mass of Pentecost, rather than the Sunday Mass. A great story, which is why I chose to have it read.
Psalm 104, Lord, send out your spirit, and renew the face of the earth
1 Corinthians 12, 3-13, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same spirit.
John 17, 1-11, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Genesis
What : The first book of the bible, very entertaining because it is imaginative story telling. It starts with the two stories of creation and takes off. It responds to the little kid’s question, “How did we get here, daddy?”
Who: there are at least 4 author streams, two primary ones, the Yahwist and the Elohist, and two secondary ones. The Greeks have the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Israelites have the Yahwist and the Elohist. Why these two words? Simple. It is the word the stream uses in talking about God.
Time: The Yahwist stream was put into a written form about 900 years before Christ. The others were put into writing in later centuries.
Our Passage: The little kid asks, “Daddy, why do people talk differently?” This is the answer proposed, the Tower of Babel.
Pass The Spirit, Please
I want to start this morning with a question. How do I get the spirit? Let me tell you. Today’s story of the week.
As you all probably know, on Monday evenings Rosemary & I go dancing at the Farmers’ Branch Senior Center. There are probably 50 people who show up every Monday and many of them can really dance.
At 6:00 there is a couple who provide simple dance lessons, ball room, swing, country western. They spend 6-8 weeks on each type of dancing.
At 7:00 a live band comes on and plays until 9:30 or 10:00, one week ballroom, the other week country western. You got to be 50 to get in, so a lot of you folks probably can’t get in. They will card you. There are lots of people who come alone and I admire their courage at getting out. There is even a blind woman, Janice, about whom I talked once.
This past Monday night during the live music dance session, at one point Rosemary and I were sitting out. We are watching everybody dance what was something like a swing.
One couple whom I had never noticed before, I noticed. They were not dramatic dancers, but they really had beautiful flow and creativity. They might have been using a cha-cha step. When they finished up, I got up, went straight to them, and complimented them on being terrific dancers.
Well, they were touched by the compliment and gracious in their thanks. They thanked me a bunch of times and we shook hands. Guess who else was touched. Yes, I was.
How do I get the spirit? First, you already have it. Secondly, it is augmented by giving it. By giving a compliment. What is the spirit? New life, new peace.
I remember when Rosemary & I did a lot of dancing, 4-5 nights a week. We were good in those days. People would compliment us and I would just be pumped. New life. We would thank them profusely. Compliments are spirit gifts. New Life, new peace.
I have a compliment I am holding for a special person. This is a black lady about 55-60 who works at the Tom Thumb on our corner of Preston & Royal. I see this lady often at about 7:00 in the morning when I am buying bananas after my morning spin class at the “J,” the Jewish Community Center.
This lady I so admire because she gets up about 3:00 A.M. to catch two buses to come open this grocery store by 6:00. We know each other by name.
Last Monday I was waiting in her checkout line while she finished with another lady. My friend’s name is Sondra. She was being her usual friendly self with this white, elderly lady. “Good Morning” and everything. As she finished, she thanks the lady, who had said nothing, and welcomed her back again. The lady left saying nothing.
I want to compliment Sondra on her non-stop friendliness to a lady who seemed to be an early morning curmudgeon. I was really hurt for Sondra and we chatted about other things. I want to return and compliment her this week.
How do I get the spirit? By giving it. A compliment is an amazing spirit gift. The Prayer of St. Francis says that in giving we receive.
I compliment that couple on their dancing. They get new life and new peace. And their response gives it back to me.
From whom have you received a compliment lately?
To whom did you give a compliment lately? Next time?
Readings: Sirach 15, 15-20; Psalm 119, Blessed are They who follow the Law of the Lord; 1 Corinthians; Matthew 5, 17-37.
Observations: on Psalm 119, on Matthew 5, and, first, on Sirach–
Author: a Jewish teacher called Joshua. The only identified author in the whole Old Testament. He tells us who he is, that he is a teacher, lived in Jerusalem, and traveled a lot. It seems he put his work together while running a school in Alexandria, Egypt.
His grandson translated the Hebrew work into Greek. This Hebrew text was lost for centuries until the 19th century, when 2/3 of it was found in Cairo. Then other portions were found in Qumran and Masada, as late as 1964.
Date: composed around 175 years before Christ. About 90 years before Christ the Jews put together their official bible, but excluded Sirach because they could not find the Hebrew version, only the Greek.
Christians accepted the book as part of their bible in the 2nd century after Christ. The Council of Trent officially accepted it, making it part of that extra 12 books called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical. Martin Luther rejected the book & so do many Protestant congregations today.
Subject Matter: practical ethics, duties,
Subject today: you may choose good or bad. A bit simplistic & Pelagian, that is, it is all up to you and you have all the strength needed to do what you want. Pelagians thought that you had to EARN your salvation. Therefore, the more religious stuff you did, like today, the more Masses, the more pilgrimages to the church & shrines, the more novenas & rosaries, the more merit you win for yourself.
Psalm 119: the longest of all the psalms. A focus on observance of the laws, decrees, and statutes.
Matthew 5: a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, like Tony talked about last week. And like he mentioned, note the so called figures of speech called “antitheses,” namely, “You have heard it said, but, I say to you.” 4 even 5 times. Matthew is trying to establish the authority & authenticity of Jesus.
Sources: Good New Bible; New Interpreter's Bible., Wikipedia; Reginal Fuller, S.J., David Westberg, S.J., & Larry Gillick, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies, on line.
Tear It Out & Throw It Away, My Right Eye? You Crazy?!
I think I have mentioned this once before, but it bears repeating because it is so relevant.
When I was studying theology in Toronto years ago, an article came out in the local newspaper. Some guy had read the passage saying that if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. He did it, folks.
In this passage from Matthew there are five pieces of advice to the early Christians which taken literally can get a person all messed up. Is there a positive as well as a negative to each?
One observation before I touch the five. I have mentioned this before when we’ve talked about Christian spirituality. Infinite demand and infinite acceptance. Watch out here for a lot of infinite demand. I’ll give a positive & a negative for each.
Matthew’s five pieces of advice are 1. breaking the least commandment, 2. getting angry and going to Gehenna, 3. looking at a woman with lust, 4. divorce, and 5. swearing. Here goes.
1. Matthew says that if you break the smallest commandment you will be the least in the kingdom. Moreover, unless you are better than the Pharisees, you will not even get into the kingdom. The positive here is that the bar is set high. The negative is that all, all of us sinners will be kept out. It creates scruples or obsessive compulsive behavior. Pretty discouraging.
2. Secondly, if you get mad at me and call me a fool, you are going to Gehenna. I love it. The positive here is the call to anger management. I am challenged to know that all feelings are okay and need to be controlled. The negative is that it gives me the idea that anger is not allowed, so stuff it. Trouble is, it does not stuff well. Not like a sleeping bag or tent. It pops up in unexpected places.
3. Looking at a woman with lust. The positive here is teaching respect for all people. This advice, written by men for men, was attempting to gain some respect for women who were looked upon as property. I found this in Tanzania & Kenya. Rosemary read me an article about some Muslim who cut off his wife’s ears and nose for reporting him for abuse.
The negative is that it teaches us that feelings are sinful. In the old days, we thought we looked at a girl and we were going to hell. This is doubly sad because current scholars consider hell to be non-existent, a cognitive creation by humans. I agree.
4. Divorce is adultery. The positive is that it reinforces the unity of marriage. The negative is that people stay in abusive or addictive marriages long after it may even be safe. Divorce is failure and we all fail sometimes even in tragic ways. In order to escape using the word divorce the Catholic Church comes up with the more convoluted word Annulment.
5. Swearing. The positive is that it involves politeness and respect for others. Even if I am okay with my anger I do not swear at someone. The negative is that it tightens us up. We forget the therapeutic value of cussing, maybe a healthy & fun way of releasing anger. The healthy Jesuits I lived with certainly partook of this therapy.
The overall danger in these pieces of advice is that we really get messed up, forgetting two things. First they are presenting infinite demand. Secondly, they make no mention of infinite acceptance.
The poor guy in Toronto who blinded himself is an example of how we can mess ourselves up with goofy religion.
What do you think about these ideas?
Picture 1: Mass Begins
Picture 2: Communion Helpers, Patricia, Nancy, Beth, & Jan
Picture 3: Dessert First with Mike & Holly
Picture 4: Landry & Leo with Loretta & Ray
Picture 5: Landry, whom we were praying for, with her mom & dad, Ashley & Zack, and her big brother, Cooper, in the stroller, along with Ray & Loretta
Thanks to the Team
Music, Shonda & Ben
Readers, Sandra, Mary Hall, Deacon Mike, & Buddy, the candle blessing
Homily & Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade
The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Becky & Ben
The Final Blessing & sharers of Vows, Rosemary & John
Readings:
Acts of the Apostles, 2, 14, 36-41, Then Peter stood up and proclaimed.
Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want (a good one)
1 Peter , 2, 2-25, To this you have been called.
John 10, 1-10, Whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate….
The Brain Center
Reading 1
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out: “All Israel, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”
Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”
Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized each of you, in the name of Jesus the Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our God invites.” He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”
That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
Our word for today.
Brain Center??
Reading 2
A Reading from the First Letter of Peter
My sisters and brothers: If you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Jesus lived. He suffered everything that came his way, so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross, so we could be rid of sin—free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing.
You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
Our word for today.
The Lord be with you. A Reading from the Gospel of John
Jesus said to his followers: “Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen, instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate, the gatekeeper opens the gate to him, and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out. The sheep follow, because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice, but will scatter because they aren’t used to it.”
Jesus told that simple story, but his listeners had no idea what he was talking about. So, he tried again. “Listen. I’ll be explicit. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—they’re sheep stealers. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life—more of it, and better than they ever dreamed of.
The Good News of John
Birthdays this week, Cole, 11; Patricia, 74; Ron Senter, Warren Philip Wittek, 5
Anniversaries:
Bill & Patty Hammond, 52nd
Joe & Marsha Farmer, 36th
Stack & Rosemary, 15th
Please Remember these special people:
For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular locally, Cindy's staff at Presby; For John & Connnie's good froends, Bob with cancer & his wife, Judy; For Joe Hogan with cancer, For Loretta's aunt Alicia; For Ryan, Rosemary's nephew, who had surgery; For Bill Hammond, For Sydney & her dear Husband, Hugh, who just moved to the Other Side, & For Sir Charlie recuperating from surgery; Shonda's mom; For Gilberto recuperating from his gall bladder operation: for Michelle; For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free.; For Hue; For John O'Donnell; For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health; For Anthony & Sabrina; For a young man who is suffering from depression; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini;
Alexa for Geezers:
John Cade's Homily on Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew and the Jewish Synagogue—Talk Six
For Matthew the Easter moment is the climax of his story, God’s ultimate revelation.
Before we consider the many contradictions in the Biblical accounts of the resurrection, let’s see where there’s agreement. They all say that the Easter experience forced them to see Jesus with a radically new understanding. Whatever Easter was, its effects on those who live in time and space were real, even measurable. E.g., the behavior of the disciples was changed: Those, who at the moment of Jesus’ arrest had forsaken him and run off, suddenly demonstrated major courage. They showed a willingness to go anywhere and do anything that would support the reality they had come to know. Also, following their Easter experience the disciples found they had to alter their understanding of God. The concept of the oneness of God, so central to Judaism, had to be stretched to the place where Jesus could be included in that God definition.
[In the New Testament, Paul was the first to speak of this when he said that somehow the reality of God had been met and engaged in the life of this Jesus (2 Cor. 5:19). He and others began to try to explain how it had happened that “God was in Christ.” Paul says that, whatever Easter was, God had somehow brought Jesus into the very meaning of God (Rom. 1:1-4). Next, Mark suggested that at Jesus’ baptism, God had infused the human Jesus with the divine presence and reality. Then Matthew, and soon after, Luke, suggested that God had entered Jesus at the moment of conception (Matt. 1, 2 & Luke 1, 2). Finally, John, the last gospel, suggested that there never was a moment in time or in history when Jesus was not part of the reality we call God.]
The New Testament is clear about the nature of the Christ experience being some kind of God experience, one that is transcendent. This raises a question: Can an experience be real if the explanations of that experience are inconsistent and divergent? Spong certainly thinks so, and explains it as a human language issue. There is no “objective language” or “God language.” We have to talk about our experiences of God in human language. And every word human beings speak is a subjectively understood symbol.
There is agreement in the New Testament about the reality of the Easter experience, but there’s a wide divergence in explaining that reality. The New Testament provides us with five story themes that put the Easter experience into words. There is little consistency in them.
1st Example: Paul knows nothing about the burial tradition with Joseph of Arimathea. The Joseph character is not introduced until Mark’s gospel. Mark calls Joseph a “ruler of the Jews” (Mark 15:43). Matthew calls him “a rich man” (Matt. 27:57). Luke calls him “a good and righteous man” (Luke 23:51). John calls him “a disciple of Jesus” and adds that together Joseph and Nicodemus performed the burial, and made the burial quite elaborate with “about a hundred pounds” of “myrrh and aloes” (John 17: 38-40).
2nd Example: Paul has no story of a tomb, so no one visits or finds it empty. The women coming to the tomb at dawn on the first day of the week enters tradition in Mark, though there’s no agreement about who they were, except for Mary Magdalene. Mark names Salome (Mark 19:1); then Matthew, writing with the Mark Gospel right in front of him, omits Salome (Matt. 28:1). Luke adds Joanna and “some other women” unnamed (Luke 24:10). John insists Mary Magdalene was alone (John 20:1). And did the women see Jesus at or near the tomb? Mark says no. Matthew says yes. Luke says no. John says yes; but only Mary Magdalene and only on her second visit. Of course, these inconsistencies are a literalist’s nightmare.
3rd Example: Where were the disciples when they experienced all this? Paul gives no place or setting for his list of those the Christ appeared to. Mark has a “messenger” (an angel) simply announce the resurrection and has the women tell the disciples to go to Galilee and “there you will see him.” However, Mark never describes that appearance (Mark 16:8). Matthew says it was in Galilee that the disciples saw Jesus, and he describes it in detail (Matt. 28:16-20). Luke says that appearances of the raised Christ were never seen in Galilee by anyone, only in or near Jerusalem (Luke 24). Luke adds that Jesus’ appearances continued “for forty days” and then came to an abrupt end. John says the original appearance of the resurrected Jesus to the disciples was in Jerusalem the evening of the first Easter in an upper room. He also says this experience was repeated in almost identical form eight days later (John 20:19-29). John’ also says there was another Easter experience in Galilee, but much later.
4th Example: Who was the first to “see” the resurrected Jesus? Paul says it was Peter. Mark never has the raised Christ appear to anyone. Matthew says it was the women at the tomb. Luke says it was Cleopas and his companion in the village of Emmaus. John says it was Mary Magdalene alone.
5th Example: Was the resurrection physical? Paul seems to say no. He says that “what is raised is imperishable” suggesting something that is no longer subject to death and decay (1 Cor. 15:42). He adds “it is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1Cor. 15:44). Also in Paul Jesus does not rise; he is raised. So who or what raised him? Into what was he raised? Paul writes: “It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God (1 Rom. 8:34). The implication is that Jesus was raised not back into the life of this world, but to the right hand of God.
There are three stories in the Hebrew scriptures of people being raised into God that could have supplied Paul with the image of resurrection that he appears to hold—a resurrection that is “real”, but not physical?
First, Enoch, known as the father of Methuselah and grand-father of Noah, was introduced with a line in the Book of Genesis: “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, because God took him” (Gen. 5:24).
[Interest in Enoch led to the Book of Enoch, written about a hundred years BCE. It became listed as an Apocryphal O.T. book (so not in the Catholic Bible). It was lost in the late 4th century and re-discovered in Ethiopia in the 18th century. Enoch’s story included the part that, as a reward for “walking with God” on this earth, he was said to have escaped death to live in the presence of God.]
Second, there is Moses, to the Jews God’s greatest prophet. In Deuteronomy it says only God was present with Moses when he died. (Deut. 34:5, 6). A common story was that Moses didn’t really die, but rather God raised him into the life of God.
And third, Elijah; it was said he was raised from life on earth to life in God. His story was quite dramatic. He was transported into the presence of God by a magical fiery chariot, drawn by magical fiery horses (2 Kings 2).
These three O.T. resurrection stories would be well known by Paul, and by Matthew, since they were part of the Law of the Torah, the scripture scrolls read in the Synagogue in their entirety, each and every year. Any one of these, or all three, could have shaped how the resurrection of Jesus was understood in a Jewish context.
On the other hand, we also can see the resurrection story evolving and becoming more and more physical. Mark never has the raised Christ appear to anyone; in his story the women fled in fear and said nothing to anyone. Matthew, contrary to Mark, his source, has the women grasp the risen Christ, taking “hold of his feet”. This is the first hint in the Easter narratives that ‘resurrection’ was beginning to be viewed as the physical resurrection of a deceased body. Of course, by the time this physical aspect of resurrection appeared, it was already the ninth decade, about year 82 CE, 52 years after Jesus’ death.
Luke is the gospel author who does the most to transform ‘resurrection’ into something understood as physical resuscitation. The raised Jesus can walk, talk, and eat, all physical accomplishments. And Luke has the story of the appearance of Jesus to Cleopas and his travel companion. Jesus suddenly, out of nowhere, began to walk with them, unrecognized. At the end of the story “he vanished out of their sight” (Luke 24:29). He just de-materialized! So even in the physical understanding of resurrection in Luke’s story, there was a mysterious non-physical reality.
The resurrection narratives are contradictory and confusing, but all of them were written out of the conviction that the boundary between God and the human, between heaven and earth, between life and death, had been broken in the life of this Jesus. The early followers of Jesus had tried to use words to explain what was beyond words. Their stories were later literalized in Christian history so much that ‘resurrection’ came to be seen as a literal, objective miraculous event. Claims were made that violate everything we know about how the world operates and how death functions.
A body deceased for three days came back to life. A heart that had not beaten from Friday till Sunday started to beat again. Brain cells, deprived of oxygen for at least thirty-six hours, were restored to fully functioning health. Flesh that had already begun to smell of decay, was rehabilitated. The natural world was turned upside down by the invasion of the supernatural world. Literalism produces disturbing, irrational narratives.
It’s no wonder why Christianity, presented in literalistic terms seems to more and more people in the modern world to be unbelievable! Can the resurrection of Jesus be real and yet the explanations of the resurrection be nothing more than mythical language? Should mythical language ever be literally understood? Our answers to those questions may actually determine the future of the Christianity itself.
Next week, the final chapter—a pulling together of how the Matthew Gospel was written as a liturgical document; how it was told against the background of the liturgical year of the Jewish synagogue; and how Matthew wrote it as an interpretation of the teaching and the meaning of Jesus himself.
Community Finances, May 3, 2020
Expenses: $1835.00
Outreach: $2350.00 (often Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)
4/28/20 we donated $1500 to Souls Harbor via N.T. Giving Day (the amount was matched that day)
5/3/20 we also donated $2000 to Souls Harbor because of a generous contribution via B.T. Giving Day (also a matched amount)
This is our best week of income in a couple of months. Very humbling. Thanks, Everybody.
Readings:
1 Samuel 1, 20-28, Hannah conceived and bore a son whom she called Samuel.
Psalm 84, Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
1 John 3, 1-2, 21-24, We are God’s children.
Luke 2, 41-52, After 3 days they found him in the temple.
Samuel observations: who, when, what, our passage with a story
Who:
–about whom: Samuel, the last judge ruler of the Israelites and the first of the Big Three, that is, Samuel, Saul, and The Great King David, a fascinating Old Testament character.
–by whom: not written by Samuel, but a compilation of numerous sources.
When: The Samuel figure lived around 1000 years before Christ. As far as being put together into a unit, being familiar as you are with the Big Three Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, when they did their prophet job, and the influence of the Babylonian Captivity, around 600-550, yes, you are right if you guess that the work apparently was assembled at this same time. The Jewish leaders were attempting to preserve their community as a tribe-nation.
What: a Jewish history lesson, fantasized greatly, and attempting to give a divinely chosen character to the Israelites’ heredity. Originally there were two books, Samuel and Kings. Now there are 4. How come? A simple answer.
Originally, it seems, Samuel was one scroll written in Hebrew. It was translated into Greek. Hebrew has no vowels and therefore takes up less space. Greek has vowels. Therefore, two scrolls were needed to write out the book of Samuel and thus it became Samuel I and II. Sort of amusingly simple.
The Story: (chapter 1)
The 4 characters: Samuel’s mom, Hannah; her husband Elkanah; Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah; & the temple priest, Eli.
There was this man, Elkanah, who lived with his two wives in Ramah. He loved them both. Over the years Peninnah had numerous children, but Hannah had none. Despite this, Elkanah had a special love for Hannah.
Peninnah used to laugh at and mock Hannah, who became depressed, often would not eat, and cried a lot.
One day Hannah was in the temple crying over her inability to have children. At one point she promised that if she had a son, she would dedicate him to God’s service. She continued to pray, mouthing her prayer silently.
Eli, the priest, was sitting in the back of the temple watching Hannah. He thinks she is drunk and scolds her, “Stop making a drunken spectacle of yourself. Stop your drinking and sober up.”
Hannah, of course, is mortified and defends herself, saying she has no children and is miserable. Eli believes her and tells her to go in peace and may God give you what you ask.
Guess what happens….
Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter's Study Bible, Bible Gateway.com, Wikipedia
The Family
This morning I would like to say a few words about the family, especially in connection with what happened in Newtown, CT.
When the news first hit me, like millions of others, I think I was in denial, then angry, then in tears. As time went on I would occasionally hear or see some snippet of news asking the question why this boy went off like he did. Everyone seemed perplexed by this.
When I thought more, taking into my experience as a priest and with psychology, I kept thinking, this is not difficult. I see three factors: nurture, nature, and environment. And maybe all three together. This is how it touches us. Let me explain each one.
Nurture. I immediately asked myself, what did he not get that he needed to grow up balanced. What basic needs were not met? What did I need, what did you need growing up? I would propose 4 things, affection, acceptance, encouragement, and training. I would include time here, too, though it is assumed with the first three.
What happens when I do not have these needs attended to, the result? I am hurt. How does hurt often manifest? Anger.
Nature. This is a tough one. Psychological disorder. I have seen young kids who probably were getting nurture, but were out of control, impulsive, even violent. The result: anger.
Modern medication can certainly help a young person with such a disorder. Sometimes it just does not work.
Environment. This obviously involves the home atmosphere. But it includes extended family, school, and neighborhood. A lot of abuse can take place at school. Bullying. Result: hurt. Manifestation: anger.
Also under environment I would include what is offered on TV, electronic games, and news from other tragedies. Who right now are the young people out there who want to emulate Newtown or Columbine? The example is contagious for a kid.
What has this got to do with you and me? It has this to do with you and me: we are family. We can nurture, whether we are parents, grandparents, teachers, mentors, coaches, scout leaders.
One of the people who nurtured me in 7th & 8th grade was Frank Hart, my old coach, scout leader, and teacher. We are still close friends.
We as a Catholic spiritual community have the honor and privilege of nurturing all the marvelous kids who join with us on Sunday mornings. May they take away a positive image of themselves from their time here. May they take with them an image of an affectionate and accepting God.
Affection, acceptance, encouragement, training. For whom are you doing this today?
Readings: Isaiah 63, 16-19, 64, 2-7, We are the clay, you the potter; Psalm 80, Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved; 1 Corinthians 1, 3-9, I give thanks to my God always on your account; Mark 13, 33-37, Be alert, you do not know when the time will come.
Isaiah: One of the big 3 Prophets, mostly because of the size of the book. At least 3 writers put this book together and this is number 3.
Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock. Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.
1. When did Thanksgiving begin? Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries. Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.
2. The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims. They called themselves saints, and strangers were called non-saints. The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later. They were not even Puritans, but separatists. They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off.
3. The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom. They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion.
4. The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).
5. How did the Indians & Separatists communicate? The Indians were Algonquians & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in England some years. He returned to his tribe and taught his friend, Samoset English. It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt. In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive.
How Prepare for a Marvelous Christmas
When I returned to the States in the late 80's and began to work full time as a spiritual director & psychotherapist, I was struck every fall by a tension that I found in some people. They were nervous about the coming Christmas season.
I remember people bringing this up as early as the beginning of the school year in September. Certainly by October and most certainly by Halloween. People were tense and anxious because of memories of bad Christmas seasons.
Because of this and because we are just beginning the season of Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, I would like to review some ways to prepare ourselves for a marvelous Christmas. I have 5 observations.
1. First, beware of fear and depression. I read Mark's story about the man traveling abroad and I can get spooked into thinking God is going to grab me when I'm not looking. Nonsense.
Depression seems to surface more during the Christmas season, because of at least one reason. Expectations. We expect more out of the Christmas season, peace, love, warm relationships, gifts. When the reality comes in below the expectation I have, I get disappointed and maybe depressed. Memories of disappointing Christmases can also depress me.
2. Unlike Mark's warning about sleeping, I would propose that we need more rest at this darker time of the year. Our ancestors used to sleep when it went dark. Today we force ourselves to stay awake and lights keep us awake. Doctors are saying we need more sleep in the dark days of winter and are recommending, get this, 9 hours. Maybe try an extra hour. Try a siesta.
3. Along with more sleep, try a little more exercise. My internist tells me that he wants me to exercise every day. I do. Walk through the neighborhood. Ride a bike. Along the way look at the colors of the red oaks and Bradford Pear trees.
4. Have you got anything special you do every year for Christmas, during Advent? Something to get you into a Christmas spirit? If not, what about finding something? Two things I have got to do every year: take in a performance of Handel's Messiah and take in the Dallas Symphony Christmas concert. I may get in an extra one or two of these, but I find this so touches my spirit.
I know a few families who tour Christmas lights. Here in Plano is Deer Park. One of the best is Highland Park, Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway, both east and west of Preston. In Deer Park, you may walk around. In Highland Park there are horse drawn carriages.
5. Finally, in line with Mark's gospel, watch, watch for the daily miracles and blessings. Review your year for the biggest blessings, like I mentioned before Thanksgiving.
I hope you are not anxious about or nervous about the coming of Christmas. If you are, even more relevent is my question, 'What are you doing to make Christmas this year a beauty?'
Picture 1: 1st Sunday of Advent begins
Picture 2: Mary & Nikki
Picture 3: Advent candle lighting
Picture 4: Barb & Ron after their 40th
Picture 5: Norm
Picture 6: Leo on the move