Jeremiah is blaming the people and their sins for Babylonian gangs of soldiers making war against them and dividing them. Jeremiah does not blame the gangs of soldiers. Conversely, in the Gospel, Jesus is encouraging people for peaceful leadership. They will need it for the division ahead, “From now on a household of five…
Two life-giving women, Mary and Elizabeth, come together in this Sunday’s Gospel. They are cradling within and between themselves the power of life. They respond to each other from that power: “At the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.” For Christmas to be…
One model of authority is to rule over people. It is the military model of domination. A rather clear sign of such authority is the threat of or use of a weapon. The weapon might be a fist or a gun. It could be a knife or a tongue sharpened like one. Whatever its…