In Sunday’s first reading, the ruler Moses is cast as a savior. He tells the people they will be saved if they are obedient to him. If not, it will be deadly for them, “that you may live … observe the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I am commanding you … (I)…
Subservience to supremacists is the unfortunate message of Sunday’s non-Gospel readings. The Old Testament reading glorifies people’s subservience to an earthly supremacist, Joshua, and to the heavenly supremacist, Yahweh, Joshua helped invent. Joshua incites submission to Yahweh from the people, “If it does not please you to submit to Yahweh, decide today to whom…
Jesus is revealing to the people the essence of Mystery, a God who is alive, evolving, becoming. Jesus uses living metaphors to imagine the essential vitality of Divinity. For example, Jesus speaks of bread, also of drink and of shared meals. The deep meaningfulness of living, of being and feeling alive nourished by a…
Jesus has recently fed over 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread. Using bread as a metaphor, he speaks with them about God. He recalls the old desert story of ancient ancestors who believed God gave them “bread from heaven.” Jesus reminds his listeners those ancestors died. Jesus then applies the Divine metaphor…
People are concerned about being fed in this Sunday’s readings. The people of the Old Testament have risked escape from slavery in Egypt but fear they will not be fed as they journey through the desert. In the Gospel, thousands have been fed by Jesus. Still hungry, they risk pursuing him further. Jesus understands…
Jesus is travelling throughout small villages of ancient Palestine. He is an intimate man, touching people’s lives. People begin following him. In Sunday’s Gospel it is recorded that more than 5,000 people have been with him all day. He is concerned with the ever so intimate need of getting “food for them to eat.”…
The disciples have recently returned from sharing Jesus’ Way of communion, love, and healing power with people. One consequence is disciples being targeted for persecution. Another consequence is disciples being targeted for acclaim. Thus, Jesus says to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest.” He does not want disciples to…
Jesus is sending out disciples to spread his Way. His is the Way of communion and so he sends out people in pairs to nurture community. His is the Way of compassionate love and so he sends out people who are poor to nurture vulnerability. His is the Way of creativity and so he…
Jesus is preaching and healing on the Sabbath in his hometown synagogue. Many are “astonished” but rulers “took offense at him.” Rulers are offended by his integrity; preaching independent of their judgments. They are offended by his power; healing people they oppress. Rulers do not like people who dare to challenge their oppressive system.…
Jesus encounters fear in two persons he meets along his journey. One is a woman who fears being detected in public. She is stricken with a persistent flow of blood and to be in public is to be threatened with harm. The woman faces her fear. She risks a dangerous move. In a crowd,…