Jesus has been telling people terrorized by Empire, David’s and Caesar’s, parables about the Community of God. The Community of God is, among other things, described as a treasure, a fine pearl, a net and thus surprising, joyful, fulfilling. Upon concluding all the parables Jesus says, “Every scribe who has been instructed in the…
The disciples were “all in one place together” when “tongues as of fire, parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Spirit and began to speak… as the Spirit enabled them.” They went out among people gathered together from across the world. It was not…
Acts of the Apostles describes numerous early efforts of disciples to “proclaim the Christ” to people. Most of the people had been made “poor.” They were afflicted,” “orphaned.” Disciples did so in their own land and in other lands, such as “Samaria.” Is Christ proclaimed in our present day and how? Is it to…
In Sunday’s readings from Peter, we are told, “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.” Are we to be patient when the suffering is intentionally inflicted upon us and repeatedly so? That describes bullying. Jesus was never patient about people suffering under bullies.…
After Jesus’ death, Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, is making the case for Jesus. Peter asserts “Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs” of healings. But Peter unfortunately goes on to link the commendable healer Jesus with the lamentable ruler David, “the…
When Jesus was passing through Jericho “he looked up” and saw Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus had “climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.” Zacchaeus had to change his point of view in order to see Jesus, to encounter him. He could not do so from his original point of view, it rendered him short-sighted. His short-sighted…
While addressing the importance of persisting in faith, Jesus tells the story of a widow. She has strong faith in her position against an “adversary” in a corrupt system harming her. The judge deciding her case is corrupt, reflecting the corrupt system. Even so, she is unrelenting in petitioning the judge for fairness, “Render…
“Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly.” They were just returning home after a long captivity. Ezra stood “on a wooden platform” “higher up than any of the people.” The people “bowed down and prostrated themselves …(and) Ezra read plainly from the Book of the Law of God.” Centuries later Jesus stands…
Sunday’s first reading and Gospel are easily compared and contrasted. The first reading is from Numbers titled so because it numbers the men “fit for military service.” The men are unruly and as Moses has killed unruly people before he may again. This time Moses accepts that he needs more commanders for all the…
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.”…