Readings:

Deuteronomy  8, 2-3, 14-16,   He let you be afflicted with hunger, then fed you.

Psalm 147,   Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 10, 16-17,  We all partake of the one loaf.

John  6, 51-58,  Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

The Girls say, "Welcome, Everybody, Hats in honor of Cathy." Patricia, Carol, and Maureen.

Deuteronomy: The fifth & last book of the Torah.  The scene: Moses & the Hebrews are in the desert just outside the promised land, the land of the Canaanites, whom they are going to kick out and kill.  Moses is reviewing their journey from Egypt.

Date:  first put into some form around 750 before Christ, then put into a more final form, guess when, at the end of the Babylonian Captivity, around 555.

Jan with her hat of symbols, tree planting, peace, patriotism, friendship, and cupcakes.

Author: not Moses, even though the book is 3 sermons of Moses on the plains of Moab, just at the end of the period of wandering, and just before entering the land of the Caananites, or the Promised Land.  It is really tradition, stories of old times. 

Our Selection:  Moses is recounting the escape from Egypt and the years in the desert.  

The belief that Yahweh punishes, corrects us, and tests us with affliction is not common today as Moses suggests to the people.  You can still hear it from fundamentalist preachers.  Remember the huricane in New Orleans?  We will read more of the section to get the sense more clearly.

Geri and Marilyn say, "Hi, Folks, Come in."

My Guide through the Desert

We have just read about how Moses guided the Jewish people through the desert.  In honor of two of our most favorite people who are retiring from years in public education, this morning I would like to talk about people who guided us and me through the desert.

Two short stories, some of which you may have heard before.  It just seems to fit in here so well.

When I was in maybe 6^th grade, I joined the Boy Scouts at Christ the King around January, when I have my birthday.  Some of my classmate joined up in the spring.

Cathy and especially Harper accepting a special pastry for Cathy's retirement from public education.

First thing I know, along comes summer and we are heading to Texoma for a week of summer camp.  We get there, get our tents, and I overhear some of the 8^th grade guys planning to initiate me.  Why me?  Probably because I was bigger than some of my classmates. 

So suddenly I get sick.  I’m afraid.  I'm home sick.  I want out of there.  These guys were bigger than me and I did not feel safe, no way.  The scout master was a pretty passive guy I did not know well. 

Rick and Jackie accepting a special pastry for Rick's retirement from public education, Rick's 62nd birthday, Rick and Jackie's 39th anniversary, and for Jackie's marvelous recovery.

We had come in on Sunday.  By Monday night I am back home, and back home really feeling horrible about what I did.  I feel like a chicken, for sure.  I was embarrassed even in front of my parents.

The next summer comes along.  My dad, who had remained active along with me in the Scout troop, invited me to go with him back to Texoma.  He was going to spend the night as one of the adult overnight supports for the troop.  

With some trepidation, I decided to go.  We arrived at night and I still remember walking into the tent of my coach and teacher, Frank Hart.  He was sitting on his cot and there was a Coleman lantern buzzing.  He had always supported me.  Always encouraged me. 

Brian and especially two little mice accepting a Cupcake of the Week for Brian's 63rd.

His welcome that night was a turning point in my young life.  It probably prepared me for the day after high school, when I would walk away from the security of my family, join the Jesuits, and never return, even to Dallas for 7 years.

My second guide through the desert was one of the Jesuits at the old Jesuit High.  From as early as I can remember I detested clericalism and the piety stuff.  That was all I had seen until Jesuit.  Fr. Jules May was not clerical and not pious. 

He was our freshman football coach.  As coach he was out there in clothes as crummy as what we wore.  And as coach he got after us like a drill sergeant.  He cussed us.  He yelled at us.  He accepted us ultimately.  I remember my dad was somewhat shocked. I loved him. 

Buddy, the candle man, lighting up with the help of his mom, MIchelle.

I remember one day we were playing Highland Park on our upper field right next to Oak Lawn across from Holy Trinity.  My best buddy played center for Highland Park and I played center for Jesuit.   At one point in the game we were punting out of our own end zone, a chain link fence between our field and Oak Lawn.  I centered that ball over the kicker’s head, over the fence, and onto Oak Lawn. 

I was so humiliated and was waiting for Jules May to descend upon me with both feet.  He did not. 

Marsha, one of those from the "crazy corner."

Jules May was one of the reasons I decided to join the Jesuits.

These two coaches and teachers were guides to me through the desert. Cathy & Rick have guided tons of young people through the desert. 

Who was your guide?

Whom are you guiding today?

Zoe, as always, the style setter.

Readings:

Jeremiah 31, 31-34 ,  I will make a new covenant.

Psalm 51,    Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Hebrews 5, 7-9,   He became the source of Salvation.

 John  12,  20-33,   Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies.

Emma says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

Jeremiah observations: 

What:  We have not seen Jeremiah for a long time, since before Thanksgiving.  Remember that he is one of the Big 3 Prophets (because of the size of the work, e.g. 52 chapters in Jeremiah), who are Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel.   I love Jeremiah, he is such an attractive and transparent character.  

Author:  most of the work is put together by Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch.  Jeremiah is described as the broken hearted prophet because of his heart rending life spent warning the people & kings that their behavior was going to be punished.  The people hated him for this.   

Time:  ca. 555 before Christ, as an easy date to remember.   Jeremiah speaks before and during the Babylonian Captivity.  Like all prophets, he condemns before, and he consoles during the Captivity.  This event is monumental in the life of the tribe and in the life of Jeremiah.

Harper, too, says, "Hi, Everybody."

The Scene:  Remember that the Holy Land had a north & a south, Israel & Judah.  First, the northern kingdom, Israel, was defeated by the Assyrians, 622 BCE.  These Hebrew tribes vanish into the DNA of the region, “The Lost Tribes of Israel.”  Next, the Babylonians & Nebuchadnezzar defeat the Assyrians and threaten the southern kingdom, Judah, with the capital Jerusalem.  Jeremiah is watching this and seeing it as Yahweh's punishment.  In 600, more or less, the Babylonians do destroy Jerusalem and cart the Hebrews into slavery.

Today's selection, chapter 31.  Jeremiah is consoling the people who are now in captivity.  He suggests that God wants to make a new deal or, as it is called, a covenant.  Yahweh is promising to forgive the people and treasure them.  Jeremiah addresses the people right off using first person singular, I, meaning God.

Sources: Fr. Reginald Fuller, St. Louis U., Wikipedia; Answers.com; Encyclopedia of Judaism

Cole says, "Who is trying to put me on?"

Hate My Life?

I have a story this morning which I have told twice, once at St. Mark's, over 8 years ago and here about 4 years ago.  Pardon me if you've heard it. Some of the best stories I tell over & over, they are so poignant.  The story speaks to my point today, hate my life?  I had permission for the story.

It happened many years ago when I was working full time as a psychotherapist out of an office at Jesuit.  I think it was the first Monday morning of May.   I know it was a beautiful morning.  A boy came to see me who had been in my office on and off for about six years.  He had just graduated from high school and enlisted in the Air Force.  He had struggled since grade school with bouts of depression, and that morning seemed to be in great shape.  We did not even spend more than 30 minutes together, his mood was so up beat and care free.

The Best Helpers, Georgie and Kevin.

He left.  Maybe two or three hours later a call came in.  The boy had left Jesuit, crossed Inwood to the Lincoln Center complex at LBJ, drove up to the top of the four floor garage, parked his car, headed to the edge of the garage, and walked over the side.  He landed on the cement street four floors below, face down flat.

Passerby saw it, called 911, and in a second the paramedics from just around the corner were on the scene.  He was in Parkland in a flash.  He lived.

A break for the Music Girls.

It was not for about 3 weeks until I got to visit him.  He apologized.  I admit I was mad.  I loved this kid.  He fooled me.  He said that he had been in a zone, happy because he knew he was out of there, meaning he was ready to go to the other side.  He wanted to escape the pain of life and go to heaven.  He said he had no fear in walking off that fourth floor, none of the hesitation you feel before you jump off the high diving board the first time. 

You may guess why I tell this story.  It exemplifies what happens when you take literally "whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life."  This little piece of advice, taken the wrong way, can be so dangerous. This boy hated his life.

The offertory team, Hugh and Sydney, Lily and Scott.

I would suggest there is a negative and a positive way to hate my life. 

The negative is exemplified by this kid's story.  This is often what is happening when you hear of someone cutting on themselves.  If I hate my life and hate myself, I will want to punish myself.  I am bad.  So I cut myself.  Or I may think that I am such a loser that no one will pay me any attention if I do not do something dramatic like spill my blood. 

Like father, like son, Ray & Leo.

Even without such dramatic examples, I do not want to encourage someone who hates their body, hates their job, hates their family, hates their school, hates.  Just thinking about this I recoil.   There may be reason for the hatred.  However, "There is a better way," I want to say and I would say it.   I believe in talk therapy.   Feelings are all okay.  I just don’t want some to stay around. 

You know someone depressed like this?  Ask them if they are suicidal.

On the positive side, I would suggest two things.

First, the word hate can be considered as hyperbolic, a big word meaning exaggeration.  It is like Rosemary telling me, "You get me up at 4:00 tomorrow morning for spin class & it is divorce!”   Think she is exaggerating?  I hope.   

Victoria at work with the next tech invention.

Secondly, I would suggest that this all has to do with being more alive now, in this life. The grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying fits in with this.  For example: look at March Madness.  Many of these players have died to themselves to achieve & to be better players.  How many hours in the gym have they spent practicing free throws?  When they could be hanging out, sleeping in, text messaging?  And they love their lives.  I’ve seen boys do this at Jesuit. 

Goofy, but I hate my life to love my life.  I don't want to get up early.  I could sleep in to 11:00.  However, I, get up and head over to the Jewish Community Center, 6:00 A.M. spin class.  The result, I love life.  

Zoe & dad, Randolph.

The boy who jumped is now okay, amazingly.  It took him years of physical recovery.  Two things did not happen that blessed him.  He did not damage his brain and did not damage his spine.  Every other bone, plus his teeth, were broken.  Once he got strong enough he went to medical technical school, got his certificates, and now has good jobs in various hospitals in the city.  I don't think he hates his life anymore.  In fact, he loves it. 

How do you love your life?

Sources:  The Center for Liturgy, St. Louis U.; St. Raymond Catholic Church, Dublin, CA; Carmelite Order Web; Homilias Domincales.

Readings: 2 Samuel 12; Psalm 32; Galatians 2, 16-21; Luke 7, 36-8, 3

Happy Father’s Day & Confirmation Day

2 Samuel.  What has taken place before the reading today is that King David, the Great, has taken another man’s wife and then had the man killed in battle to eliminate him. The wife is the famous Bathsheba and her son is to be the great Solomon. Nathan is the prophet who will condemn David.

We Confirm Excellence

This morning I would like to direct my remarks to Erica & Susie because it is their special day. 

Every year to maintain my pschological therapist license in TX I have to attend 20 hours of continuing education. Last week I attended an all day seminar for six hours.

In the afternoon the presenter was talking about achieving internal peace and wholeness.  He said he could probably come up with 20 qualities of a person who is peaceful and whole. However, he wanted to share his top five. Think you can figure out what the 5 are, maybe one or two? 

I’ll tell you what they are and I want to add one of my own. I’ll give them alphabetically.  His 5 are curiosity & hope, gratitude & love, & zest.  I add humor. 

Confirmation:

Curiosity for you girls might come pretty easy right now in your lives. In fact, maybe your curiosity can get overwhelmed at times. You are in school. The day will come, however, when you will graduate. Then you can choose to read, to know different places by traveling there, to study different languages, to befriend people different from you. 

If you were not girls of hope you would not be here this morning. Your hope is that tomorrow will be an even better day than today, with more peace, fascinating people (which all are), and fun times.

You hear me talk always about focusing on my blessings. I do this to stimulte my gratitude to God, to People, to Rosemary.

When I focus on gratitude I find I can love more. Knowing you girls, you will love a lot of people and a lot of people will love you because of what neat people you are. Occasionally you will be challenged to love a person who makes your love a decision. I love the person despite the behavior.  Unconditional love: maybe does not exist except on rare occasions. It is, however, always a goal.

When you are grateful and loving, full of hope and curious, you will live your lives with zest.  You will love your lives and live to the fullest.  Life itself will be a gift.

Finally, I add humor.  Not only is it healthy to laugh.  It is esecially healthy to laugh at myself. How often do you girls laugh at events, people, yourselves?  Humor helps on those occasions when I fall flat on my face and make a fool of myself. 

You girls look around and you will see these qualities in your mom & dad, your friends, and lots of people here this morning. You girls have these qualities.  I know you & have seen them.  I confirm these qualities in you. The Community, the Catholic Church, and I, we are all proud of you.  Continue to be The Best.

Folks, back to you.  How are you going to confirm these girls in their excellence?

Audio: Click to download to an mp3 file

Good Morning, Tori, Good Morning, Zoe.  So nice to see you dear girls.

Readings:

Isaiah 5, 1-7,  The fruitless vineyard

Psalm 80,  The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Phlippians 4, 6-9,  Have no anxiety at all

Matthew 21, 33-43,  The vineyard owner & the unfaithful tenants. 

Good Morning to you, too, Riley, and welcome in from Atlanta.   It is so nice to meet you.  I knew your mom when she was your age.  And you are as pretty as she was.

Reading 1; Isaiah 5:1-7

Introduction:

The vineyard in Isaiah is a sad story.  Why?  The fruit from the House of Israel should have been praise and thanksgiving to God.  But there was no thanksgiving given and no humility shown.  There was no lived praise or peace or justice.

Thanks, John and Buddy and Mike, for celebrating today.  I knew before we did Paul & Carrie's wedding this weekend, I would be jet lagged out after the wedding and an evening arrival from Grand Canyon and Phoenix.

Reading 2; Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 4:6-9

Introduction:

Today’s reading from Philippians contains a teaching common to several of his letters, “Have no anxiety at all; rather you should give thanks in everything, for that is God’s will for us.

Thanks for the Homily, Mike.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 21:33-43

Introduction: The landowner in the parable is God, and his gift to Israel is the kingdom, the tenants are the Jewish chief priests and elders of the people, the servants were the prophets.

The Father’s son is Jesus, who is the cornerstone, the fountain of living water [the good news], and the source of the Holy Spirit [the new wine].

The Gentiles are to be the recipients of the kingdom.

It was a marvelous, beautiful wedding and I am so peaceful resting in the back row for this celebration.  Thanks again, John & Mike.

Homily

Our Liturgy of the Word always leads us to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. 

Recall Paul’s teaching, ‘In everything give thanks for that is God’s will for us in Christ, Jesus.’

Paul & Carrie begin their wedding standing on the top of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on a beautiful evening.

In our soon to be celebrated Liturgy of Eucharist, we are presented with the perfect example of Jesus giving thanks to the Father.  Of course, he does so with no anxiety, but instead with thanksgiving. 

Since the bread that we break and share with one another is a participation in our communion with Jesus Christ; we are invited to join with Jesus as a Thanksgiving to his Father.  We, too, as his sons and daughters, through the power of the Spirit, can give ourselves back to the Father.

In the background is the North Rim, to which Paul & Carrie, plus a few others, are hiking this very day.  These dear people are in shape.  More next Sunday.

Judy and I have a friendship with a couple in Austin who, about 15 years ago adopted a baby boy.  After some months it became apparent that he was born with special needs.  In everything they gave thanks. The angels in heaven sought to find perfect parents for the boy; and they did. Today he is still has needs; but he is active, full of excitement, and appreciative.

May each of us continue to seek to do God’s will for us in Christ, Jesus.

The celebration of Greg & Erin continues on with the help of Cole and Diane.

Joshua 24, 1-18; Psalm 34, Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord; Ephesians 5, 21-32 ; John 6, 60-69.

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.

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.  Like kids say, 'He made me do it.'  Here the Israelites are saying, 'Yahweh made me do it.'

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

Ephesians:  Got to say a word about this selection because it involves some pretty amusing observations from Paul.  For instance, the famous statements, "Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord."  "The husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church."

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.  I almost dropped my teeth.

Some perspective: Traditionally there are three types of relationships.

    1.  Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family.  Culturally this has been established.

    2.  Patriarchal: the husband is the head. 

    3.  Equality: both are partners, husband and wife. 

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.  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.

Today: all three of the paradigms are valid.  Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the most healthy for all involved.

Peter McGinn, 1948-2009

It was mid February when Rosemary first got word that Peter her brother was infected with amiloidosis, a rare and virulent infection that strikes mostly men 60-65.  Peter was 60. 

It was mid March, after enduring a menu of chemo for a month, that Peter & his wife Marilyn decided to go recuperate at their house in Hilton Head, in a plantation near to Joe & Clare, Rosemary's sister & brother in law.  We decided at the last minute to fly over there to see Peter, it being easier than to visit him in Binghamton, NY.  This was the last time we would see him. 

He died this past Monday morning after finding out that the amiloidosis had begun to attack his lungs, that he could not endure a heart transplant, and that he was simply being kept alive by meds & machines.  After visiting with his two adult daughters & Marilyn Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Peter chose to cease all meds and machine aids that Sunday afternoon.  About 15 hours later he died peacefully. 

I wanted to speak about him because of at least three reasons I admired him and felt quite a kinship, not just of family, but of spirit. 

First, his love of psychology & intelligent spirituality.  He got his doctorate in psych at Johns Hopkins and used it in creative ways.  He was the CEO of United Health Services.  He was the kind of CEO who would eat in the hospital cafeteria, asking random groups, like the nursing staff or the maintenance staff if he might join them for lunch.

As a psychologist he was a teacher & a systems man.  In fact, I used to laugh.  He would send me articles each month.  And he asked me to review his latest book.  I would read a title like 'Ways to facilitate communication with your board.'  I open the article and he had 23 points.  I would send him a note saying, "Too much."  As you know, I lean toward systems myself, but after 3 or 4 I am exhausted. 

Secondly, I loved Peter because he was a biker.  A bicycle rider.  In fact, we had planned a bike ride in Hilton Head which he could not manage because he was too weak.  This was only symptomatic of his dedication to being a well rounded man, a renaissance man like we used to try to model ourselves in the Jesuits.  He was intellectually & physically, psychologically & spiritual balanced.  I see it as the basis for his peace and acceptance of his ultimate path.

Thirdly, he taught a platinum rule.  Not just the golden rule, which says, 'treat others as you would have them treat you.'  The platinum rule is, 'Treat others as they would like to be treated."  He had 23 reason why this was more effective. 

Significantly, according to what I'm told, he practiced the platinum rule even in the hours after he had ceased life support.  As doctors & staff stopped by his room, he thanked each one, mentioning how they had touched him. 

Tomorrow morning, Monday, Rosemary & I will attend a family only memorial in Binghamton.  A month from now a large open to all his friends memorial will be scheduled and we will attend. 

Who is the Peter McGinn in your life?

Picture 1:  Mass with Kevin & T.J.

Picture 2:  Choir, Wendy, Ray, & Celeste

Picture 3:  Peter McGinn

Picture 4:  Peter McGinn–

The two charities that Dad favored in lieu of flowers are Seva and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.  They are both online, Seva.org, and foodbankst.org.  Rosemary T. McGinn

Check out a review of Peter:

Readings:  

Wisdom 1, 13-15; 2, 23-24, God formed people to be imperishable

Psalm 30, I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

2 Corinthians 8, 7-9, 13-15, As you excel in every respect, may you also excel in the gracious act.

Mark 5, 21-43, Who has touched my clothes?  

Mass

Wisdom observations:

What:  There are 39 official books in the Old Testament.  In addition to them are 12 extra books.  Wisdom comes from these 12 extra books. 

Main message: God rewards those who are good.

Author: A Jewish man who lived in Alexandria, Egypt. He wrote in Greek.

Date: 50-100 years before Christ.

Our passage: observations on life & death.  The devil & death are connected. 

Sources: Good News Bible; New interpreter’s Study Bible, Catholic Encyclopedia on line.

Amanda, Richard, & Sheila

Heal a Bleeding Woman?  Are You Crazy!

There was an article early this week in The Dallas Morning News that was titled, Dallas-area Designers of Stylish Hijabs Bridge Culture Gap, empower Muslim Women.   Along with the article were two or three pictures of women with beautiful faces.  They were dressed from head to foot in, not black, but beautiful pastel colored hijabs and robes.  Jewels and perhaps diamonds decorated the hems of the robes. 

I had to laugh.  This is the classic example of the camel’s nose under the tent.  Next thing these Muslim women will not be wearing the hijab.  We have to laugh, too, because that women look beautiful was certainly not the intention of the religious men who put these dress laws in place. 

CC

Sometimes you even see the real deal in Dallas, a woman all in black from head to toe with a black net covering her face.  Some women wore this attire in Tanzania when I lived there. 

Zoe

I thought of this article with the pictures when I was putting together ideas about healing the two women. 

Do you realize how radical this was, especially with the woman bleeding?  Leviticus, the third book of the Bible, has a lot to say about women who bleed.  For instance, a woman giving birth to a boy is ritually unclean for 7 days; a girl baby, 14 days (chapter12).

Emma

In Lev. 15 it says that during menstruation, women were ritually unclean, which meant they were considered socially dead, not allowed in the temple, not allowed in the community, could not touch anyone and no one was allowed to touch them or their clothes or they, too, were ritually unclean.  So what does the lady in Mark do?   What does Jesus do?

Do you realize today how historic and universal this bias was against women?  Plato in The Republic says that Socrates asked, do you know of anything done by humans which is not done better by the male.

Joan's Card: invitation to sign

Hindus teach that a woman must immolate herself after her husband's death.  Buddhists consider it bad karma to be reincarnated as a woman.  Orthodox Jewish men are taught to pray, Blessed be God who has not created me a heathen, a slave, or a woman.  The first book of our Bible,  Genesis, blames a woman for the origin of evil in our world.  Can you see the presence of men putting this story together?

More recently, in 1873 in Illinois a case was decided against a woman.  She had passed the bar exam to be a lawyer, and the court would not grant her appeal to receive a law license.  A judge said that the place of a woman was in the home and that women did not have the fortitude to deal with such issues as the law.

Card signing

The church fathers, as they are called, had their own bias.  St. Jerome says that when a woman wishes to serve God more than the world, then she will cease to be a woman and will be called a man.  You do not want to know what St. Augustine thinks about women.  What about the way the Vatican made nuns dress and would still like to?

So why this historic and universal bias against women by men (& women)?  One reason, from my research, blood.  Another is the male nervousness & weakness around women, beginning in adolescence.

So here comes Jesus along.  The woman touches him.  He could have had her killed by the crowd.  What was she doing in the crowd anyway?   And what does he do?  He calls her "Daughter," and heals her.  This is shocking to the people.  This is scandalous in the eyes of the Jewish authorities.  He will die for it.  However, despite the danger, Jesus  moves from bias to inclusion & acceptance.

Kids signing Joan's Card

In Galatians (Chapter 3) it says there is no male or female.  Just folks.  We are being called to get rid of the bias.  Women do not deserve to have men tell them how they must live, or be stoned.

How is your bias barometer?  Any bias against women, men, a particular race, political party, a part of town, a school? 

Sources: The Sins of Scripture, Bishop (Anglican) John Shelby Spong; Catholic Encyclopedia on line.