-
The Challenge to Change Our Politics
Is politics a joke? “Mommy, I wanna grow up and become a politician. Well honey, which is it? You can’t do both.” Politics is the rule of the master class. Sunday’s Old Testament reading shows Jeremiah concerned with politics within the narrow confines of nationalism, his chosen people, the Hebrews, and their ruling deity,…
-
The Challenge To Change Our Values
Authors of the Old Testament portray Hebrews as the chosen people of their God, Yahweh. The chosen people value Yahweh in the same way they value the War Lords who invented him – he is their savior, their protector – as long as they are obedient. How then do authors explain the defeat of…
-
The Challenge to Change Our Leaders
Scripture scholars treat Moses and his deity, Yahweh, as leaders. Moses is a military leader, a War Lord, as is the Yahweh deity he invented. They dominate, inflict suffering, and kill. Their military leadership is evident in Sunday’s first reading concerning the 10 Commandments. From Yahweh, “I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous…
-
The Challenge to Change Religion
Sunday’s first reading concerns child sacrifice. Yahweh wants Abraham to murder his young son, Isaac, as a test of faith. Will Abraham offer his son in a blood sacrifice ritual for Yahweh? It turns out that Abraham will. At the last moment, however, Yahweh stops Abraham but commends his willingness to obey the violent…
-
The Challenge to Change Our Image of God
Sunday’s first reading makes the judgment all the earth and all her people are evil. One man alone is just, Noah. The Lord God of the Old Testament was thus believed to have saved only that one man and killed everything else. When everything living is dead, that Lord God promises not to do…
-
Balanced Lives
One of Jesus’ new disciples, Peter, has a sick mother-in-law. Jesus goes to her and heals her of a fever. Emerging from her solitude of suffering, she immediately begins to be of service to those in her home. When others learn Jesus healed her, it is written, “the whole town was at the door.”…
-
Christian Revolution
Today’s first reading revolves around an Old Testament deity. He sends Jonah round and round the city of Nineveh announcing the bad news, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” The revolutions of old always turn round and round on dominators who make threats of death and destruction. Today’s Gospel reading revolves around…
-
Called To Come and See
Disciples of John the Baptist, curious about Jesus, call out to him as he passes. Jesus calls out to them in response, “Come and see” – Come and see where I am staying and with whom. We learn Jesus stays with those who are rejected; laborers, tax collectors, prostitutes. We see Jesus among marginalized…
-
Innocence Is a Radiant Journey
The story is told of those who are wise making a journey toward a star, a radiance in the sky. They know not where their journey will take them. They believe they know who it will take them to. They journey toward an innocent child; one they think is destined to be king. Along…