Disciples are alive with the Spirit of the Risen Christ. They are giving witness to a free and revolutionary way that disturbs the system and those who arrange for its undisturbed dominance. Those dominating the system during Jesus’ time included the Sanhedrin, rabbis who ruled ancient Israel. When Jesus’ peaceful revolution started disturbing those rulers, … Continue reading “Slaves, Prostitutes, Soldiers”
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Easter Uprising
Jesus’ disciples are huddled together. They do so not for community. Nor is it for warmth. It is for fear, stone cold fear. Soldiers, on command from the ruling elite, have arrested, tortured, and murdered Jesus. The disciples fear the same will be done to them. And so, they hide. They remove themselves from people … Continue reading “Easter Uprising”
Being There
Mary is there at the cross, filled with shock and sorrow. She is there at the tomb also, filled with gloom and grief. She has seen her friend, Jesus, brutally tortured and murdered. She now sees “the stone removed from the tomb.” Knowing Jesus is horribly and certainly dead, she begins to wonder, ‘Where have … Continue reading “Being There”
Grieving
Jesus’ suffering and death is detailed in this final week of Lent. It is excruciating and it is intentionally inflicted. The pain of it all is expressed by Jesus throughout; the agony in the garden, his betrayal by Judas, being arrested, being tortured, being murdered. It is excruciating for his loved ones who witness the … Continue reading “Grieving”
Betrayal of Conscience
Betrayal is an old story. It is the story in Sunday’s Gospel in which a woman has betrayed a marriage. She is caught in the act of adultery, and, without her male partner, is forced into the street. Jesus does something unusual by how he relates with the woman. He humanizes her and frees her … Continue reading “Betrayal of Conscience”
Humiliated as Property
Feeling humiliated as a piece of property weaves through this Sunday’s readings. The Israelites feel humiliated as slaves in Egypt, owned as property. Unfortunately, these ex-slaves then conquer and humiliate other people as slaves in “the land of Canaan” and them own as property. Jesus highlights the feeling by telling a parable of a rich … Continue reading “Humiliated as Property”
Land
Love for the land is apparent in this Sunday’s readings. Moses believes the land on which he stands “is holy ground.” He believes he and his people will be led “into a good and spacious land,” a land that is fertile, fruitful. In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about land. It has an orchard … Continue reading “Land”
Why Do Some People Keep Killing Other People?
Abram is a man who believes many things. For example, he believes in a violent deity, “the Lord.” He believes that believing in the “Lord” is “credited to him as an act of righteousness.” He believes the “Lord” rewards his righteousness with “land as a possession.” He will gain a nation. Abram believes killing to … Continue reading “Why Do Some People Keep Killing Other People?”
Hunger
Hungry people are the concern of the readings from this First Sunday in Lent. First, there are the hungry people fleeing Pharaoh into the desert. Their hunger is satiated by manna and, eventually, after fighting divisive and destructive wars for it, by a “land flowing with milk and honey.” Next, there is the hungry Jesus … Continue reading “Hunger”
From the Heart the Mouth Speaks
Two little kids, aged eight and six, decide it’s time they started swearing. So, the eight-year-old says to the six-year-old, “Okay, I’ll say ‘hell’ and you say ‘damn” All excited about their plan, they head downstairs, where their mother asks them what they’d like for breakfast.“‘Aw, hell,” says the eight-year-old, ‘gimme some Cheerios.’” His mother … Continue reading “From the Heart the Mouth Speaks”