Sunday Homily for August 26, 2018, 21st Ordinary Time, B cycle
"Welcome in, Everybody," says Zoe, and welcome to you, too, Dearest Zoe. Who is that peeking around the edge?!
Readings:
Joshua 24, 1-2, 15-17, 18, Far be it from us to forsake the Lord.
Psalm 34, Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. (Wow, 3rd week in a row, terrific)
Ephesians 5, 21-32, Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. (Yipee, sounds good to me. Make sure Rosemary is listening to this!)
John 6:60-69, This saying is hard; who can accept it.
And Welcome to you, too, Dearest Tori.
Joshua:
Who is Joshua and what is this booklet about: Joshua was Moses' assistant, his lieutenant when the the Israelites wandered in the desert. The booklet is the story of the Israelite invasion of Canaan under Joshua's leadership.
Author: somewhat amusingly, the fundamentalists say that Joshua wrote most of the booklet. More scientific scholars say the work is a compilation of a number of sources.
Our Magic Candle Lighter of The Week at work.
Date of composition: again fundamentalists state that the booklet was composed 1400-1370, i.e., while Joshua lived. Scholars of a broader vision suggest that even if a Joshua existed the work was put together 800-700 BCE.
The work combines a number of traditions about battles & destruction of cities to create a nationalistic narrative that justifies the Israelites' taking another peoples' land for their own.
So from where did we get this group of characters to bring up the bread and grape juice.
Ethical Question: genocide. This is a bloody book. Yahweh commands that the Israelites exterminate every breathing thing, including women & children & livestock.
The battle of Jericho is characteristic. For 6 days the Israelites marched around the city, blowing horns and menacing the people. On day 7 they marched around 7 times and the walls came tumbling down, as in the spiritual. Then every person except one woman & her family were slaughtered. Lots of debate and rationalization over these events.
Our Selection: The last chapter of the booklet. Joshua, who is dying, calls the people together at a place called Sechem and puts it to them. Stick with Yahweh who has done all these things for you (which are mentioned in the text but are long & tedious) or choose another path of your own.
Sources: Good News Bible, Got Questions.org, Wikipedia
Play Station Number 1. Sir Charlie, how come you are not here also?
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord
Sounds good to me, Folks. However, when I bring this up to Rosemary, what do I get? “Want to start sleeping in the back yard dog kennel tonight? Even my mom was not impressed with this little statement of Paul. Just ask my poor dad.
And guess what: I married my mom. So much for the joy of being a married priest.
The Best Team.
Some years ago while I was waiting in a line to ride the roller coaster at 6 Flags I overheard a husband telling his wife to obey him because of this passage, he was the head of the house and the Bible says it. I almost dropped my teeth.
The family, mom, dad, and two young girls were trying to decide something. Finally, even the wife says to the girls that they have to obey the man. He is the head.
So, how do we handle this, especially when we are repelled by the idea.
The Best Music with Ben & David.
Perspective! Traditionally there are three types of family relationships. This is fairly simple.
- Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family. Culturally this has been established occasionally and in some places.
- Patriarchal: the husband is the head.
- .Equality: both are partners, husband and wife.
Shall we dance?
Paul's place: guess which paradigm Paul comes from? Paul lives in a culture which considered women & children little more than domestic animals. In Tanzania I found the same paradigm among the ordinary people. This paradigm has been followed more probably because men are physically stronger and don’t hesitate to maintain control with physical violence.
Even though today Paul can sound wako & chauvanistic, what he says about husbands loving their wives as they love their own bodies, this was pretty radical.
Yes, I would love to dance.
Today: all three of the paradigms are valid. Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the more healthy. Besides, as we know, women just won’t let us guys get away with it.
Certainly with education for both men and women, there is equality.
So, again, beware of taking the Bible literally. Like beating your kids.
The Terrible Ekes, Cindy, Marlene, Mabel, Billy, & especially Mabel.
What paradigm do you prefer???