Mary grew up in an extended family. She would have been accustomed to women being pregnant and having children. Women would have had their babies in the home. There was a great intimacy around a girl’s experience of pregnancy. Modern women might experience it as a time of little privacy but Mary would likely have … Continue reading “Mary’s Pregnancy”
Category: Communion
Mary and Joseph
That Mary would be taken as a wife was an unquestioned expectation. It was a decision-making process that began long before her consciousness of it. Mary was part of an extended family all living together in attached dwellings. Mary’s whole family would have been involved in the considerations of who would be an appropriate husband. … Continue reading “Mary and Joseph”
Mary of Nazareth
Mary of Nazareth was a young brown skinned peasant girl. She was a hard worker with strong callused hands. Mary was an artisan, a homemaker. She made the clothing she wore from homespun wool or linen, heavy wool for the winter, light wool, linen, for the summer. She wove the clothing herself, sowed it and … Continue reading “Mary of Nazareth”
Come to the Feast
As he frequently does, Jesus is speaking “to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables,” telling of a banquet prepared in great abundance. “Everything is ready” and the invitation is sent out to all, “Come to the feast.” Feasts like the one in the Gospel of a coming wedding highlight sharing. Everyday … Continue reading “Come to the Feast”
Receiving Wisdom
Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” “And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink… will surely be received.” Are we wise enough to receive people – their goodness, their humor and wisdom? … Continue reading “Receiving Wisdom”
Acceleration
Jeremiah is afraid as he is being terrorized and prays for vengeance from his Lord Yahweh of Armies, “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side!” “O Lord of Hosts… let me witness the vengeance you take on them.” Jesus is not afraid, too is being terrorized but prays for gentleness for gentleness … Continue reading “Acceleration”
A Community is the Fruit of Our Labor
Jesus lives a revolutionary witness that is challenging and changing the ruler system. He needs other revolutionaries to join with him in his fruitful mission. “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” Laborers in the work field have persistently challenged the ruler system. Eugene Debs was a voice for such laborers at the … Continue reading “A Community is the Fruit of Our Labor”
Indigenous Intentions
Jesus speaks of himself as a gift, “I am living bread that came down from heaven.” He is juxtaposing the gift of life with an Old Testament story. It is the story about the manna in the desert which was not a gift but rather a cruel test of obedience, “For forty years now the … Continue reading “Indigenous Intentions”
Herod Is In The House
Magi travel to Jerusalem in search of an Epiphany, seeing God in a child born to goodness. They encounter a ruler trained otherwise, King Herod. Herod is “greatly troubled” by his meeting with these Wise Ones. The king has “assembled his chief priests and scribes” and deceptively tells the Magi, “Go and search diligently for … Continue reading “Herod Is In The House”
Habits of the Home
Jesus tells of a Pharisee who has the habit of going up “to the Temple area to pray.” He feels at home there but will not extend that feeling to another who has joined him. For, while there, the Pharisee’s prayer habit is to insult and ostracize those he judges as not belonging there with … Continue reading “Habits of the Home”