Sunday Homily 8-2-09, 18th Ordinary Time
Readings: Exodus 16, 2-15; Psalm 78, The Lord gave them bread from heaven; Ephesians 4, 17-24; John 6, 24-35
Exodus
Over the past several weeks John, (Stack) has been telling us about the real starting point of the history of the Jewish people. Starting with the death of Solomon the kingdom is divided, and then follows invasion after invasion. First the northern kingdom, Israel, is wiped out by the Assyrians, and never recovers, around the year 732. Then the southern kingdom of Judah falls to the Babylonians, and the people are taken away into captivity, the city and more importantly the temple is destroyed! We find the beginnings of the written Old Testament at this time. The story of the Exodus, when the people were enslaved, rang true for the people, had a big impact. This offered them hope in Babylon.
The book of Exodus has three main sections. One – the stubbornness of the Pharaoh is overcome when Yahweh hears the cry of the slaves. Two – the Sinai event, the covenant and finally, Three – the coming into the Promised Land. This all took 40 years, and so we need to have stories in-between. Today’s is one of these, showing Yahweh feeding his people, who are into some serious grumbling!
Ephesians
An interesting letter, attributed to Paul, but we know better. Probably written after Paul’s death in Rome . Not too clear that in fact it was written for the folk in Ephesus or was more a letter, which could have gone to anyone. There are no issues, which are being addressed going on in a local community. But there are some interesting items in this letter. This is the letter where we are told that wives need to be submissive to their husbands, children obey their parent, and slaves be obedient to their masters. Parts of this letter could easily be parts of very early liturgies.
Homily for Sunday August 2, 2009
I think the topic for consideration today has to be connected with food— or by extension nourishment! We are in John’s Gospel. Last week we had the feeding of the 5,000 or if you prefer, the feeding of John Stack on a stopped train somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Africa. Food figures very frequently in the stories we have about Jesus, culminating with the Last Supper. Jesus uses meals to really get people thinking again about their lives. He dines with sinners, eats on the Sabbath, feeds the multitudes a couple of times, goes to wedding feasts and probably gets everyone drunk! And finally adds a whole new layer of meaning to the Passover Meal.
But I want to suggest another form of nourishment, which we find frequent reference to, and that is ”spiritual nourishment”. We have many, many examples of Jesus going off by himself into the hills to pray. In this country we are more than blessed with the physical nourishment, we are “super-sized”, and unfortunately life seems so busy that the “Spiritual Nourishment” can too easily be forgotten. I find that my prayers are the same ones I learned as a child, and I now try to find new ways to pray. Part of the challenge is that I needed to update my images of God too. The childish ones have had to go. There is no tall bearded man up in the sky! I am challenged to replace this god, my creation, with one more in keeping with our better understanding of the universe. Plus, recall, the minute I have God figured out, I am probably in heresy!!!!
Our community, getting together each week is a huge help. I have a chance to sit and listen to the Scriptures, reflect on their meanings as they apply to my life. I have a chance to interact with others in a different way than I do with people I meet thru work. Sometimes prayer is just sitting and listening to God, and sometimes it is God listening to me. Then there can be other times when we can both just sit and be! The silence, which happens when two people are very comfortable together.
Picture 1: Mass with Tony, Kevin and T.J.
Picture 2: Wendy, Shonda and Ray
Picture 3: Charley Keszler, Diamond (Gayle & Tony's niece), Gayle and Tony
Picture 4: Jane and Paul Drake