-
We Need to Be Bad Citizens
“Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to…
-
Double-consciousness
The Pharisees and Sadducees have been testing Jesus about who he is. Later, “Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ Jesus is letting rulers know who he is, a person of integrity. He is letting the people know through the communities he’s building that they too are…
-
Healing Our Children
A “Canaanite woman” “called out to Jesus, ‘Have pity on me,’” “My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to…
-
Jesus, Save Us!
Today’s Psalmist calls upon his Lord Yahweh who is a warmaker to save the land of Israel, “Restore us, O Lord, our savior.” In the Gospel, Peter sees his peacemaker teacher in a boat on the water and calls upon him, “Have me to come to you.” Jesus does, “Come” he says, and so…
-
Multiplying Peacemaking
“When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds… followed him on foot.” “When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples…
-
The End of War Lords
Like last Sunday, several instances of Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God are again squeezed into today’s Gospel selection. Again, the teaching itself is squeezed out – that the Kingdom of God, better translated as the Community of God, is happening in the here and now in our peaceful social transformation of the…
-
Propaganda and Western Civilization
Several instances of Jesus’ most important teaching, the “Kingdom of God,” rarely addressed in Protestant sermons or Catholic curriculum, are squeezed together in today’s Gospel selection. The effect is to squeeze out Jesus’ actual teaching on it – that the Kingdom of God, better translated as the Community of God, is happening in the…
-
Native Communities Nurturing Seeds and Soil
Jesus’ parable about nature addresses who and what harms us and who and what nurtures us. “The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Community of God without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.” “But the seed…
-
Declaration of Moral Independence
Today’s readings ask us to consider to whom we belong. Zechariah speaks of his nation as the best nation and his joy in belonging to it, “Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy,” “See, your king shall come to you.” Jesus speaks of “little ones,” vulnerable people who form community, as those to…
-
A Rewarding Life
In the first reading the prophet Elisha is conscious of the hospitality a woman provides and promises to reward her. Paul proclaims consciousness about a life before baptism and the rewards of a baptized life. Jesus begins his Gospel conscious of the violence done to peacemakers (“the cross”) but promises that rewards will come…