Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, The First Reading is from the passage of the First Book of Kings which inspired best selling Brazilian author Paulo Coelho to write a fiction novel, The Fifth Mountain. A devastating drought was affecting the region short of 3 millennia ago when we encounter a very poor widow on the verge of dying of starvation. The prophet Elijah who had predicted the drought to King Ahab of Israel, asks the widow at the entrance of the city for water and some bread to eat. She was gathering a few sticks to prepare some bread, probably the last in her life, from the final bit of flour and oil in her possession. Elijah asks her to first bake something for him. Widows in the patriarchal structure of society were one of the most vulnerable groups. Poor and with child brought her to the lowest level of the social order, barely above slaves, with no one to ensure her rights and provide for her welfare. The prophet makes a daunting promise in exchange for the first peace of bread on behalf of God: “'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry” until the end of the famine. On the brink of starvation she places her trust in the words of the prophet and they are fulfilled. A little side note that magnifies the widows faith even more. We read that this happens in Zarephath, a place in Palestine that at the time of the story was in the god’s Baal territory. Baal was the god of storms and fertility. Even there the famine had stricken. It is difficult to imagine how devastated this poor woman must have been. Yet she put her trust in the prophet’s announcement that God will provide even during the famine. And we get treated to one of the miracle stories in the bible about multiplication of food, when we read at the end of the passage that she, her son and Elijah were able to eat for a whole year until the rain came down to the earth, as “the jar of flour did not go empty nor the jug of oil run dry”. The gospel according to Mark talks about another poor widow who at the entrance of the temple gave all she had, two small coins worth a few cents. In this passage the story does not focus on the happy ending, but on the teaching to the disciples (and to us) by Jesus upon observing the giving of the crowd into the treasure in the courtyard of the temple. Jesus states that while in economic terms there were many rich people putting in large sums, they were giving from their surplus wealth. Yet the poor widow gave from her livelihood.

The Lord is setting the bar very high for standards of not thinking about self, but focusing on others. The point of the Gospel is certainly not that we should all seek to become poor widows, but it clearly challenges us to give more than of what is left over. Be it care for others, interest in others as well as monetary support to the needy, wherever we encounter them in our lives. My personal journey on this topic was not easy, yet infinitely rewarding, once I dared to let go. I grew up in an environment where giving, for example to the church, was just a few coins. When we came to the US over twenty years ago, we were challenged with stewardship campaigns and learned about the concept of tithing. Transitioning from an economy where church is funded by government tax money to the US where churches are funded solely by parishioners’ contributions, created great conscience stress at the time. When we finally got around to giving more than a tip to the weekly collection, from moneys that we almost didn’t have at the time, we were blessed a hundred fold with better and more rewarding ways of earnings. This may not be easy, particularly in societies that value personal advancement and satisfaction above all else. Despite it all, we can share our talents with others and we can give our time and energy to schools, hospitals, soup kitchens, church communities and ministries or wherever we are called to. When you come to think about it, sometimes it is even easier to give money than to give ourselves in some of these ways. Fortunately there are many people in our world we can look up to as role models in generosity, like the widows of this week’s passages are. Many parents willingly sacrifice their own interests so that their children have what they need. There are people who work long hours in healthcare facilities to ensure that the needs of patients are being met. Public servants like police and firefighters place themselves at risk in order to ensure our safety. We encounter the ultimate example of unselfish giving in this week’s Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews in Jesus who gave his life so that we may have eternal live. The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/11/thirty-second-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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All Saints

Dear All, This week we celebrate the Solemnity of all Saints, which comes right after Halloween (“Hallow e’en”, evening of All Saints). The Gospel according to Matthew is from the beginning of the Sermon of the Mount (Chapters 5 through 7) in the section referred to as “The Beatitudes”. The opening of the sermon was probably designed to shock the audience as a deliberate inversion of standard values. Jesus talks about a group of people normally thought as unfortunate or unblessable and pronounces them well-off and fortunate (blessed) because of the presence and availability of abundant life in God's kingdom to everyone, regardless of status, circumstances, or condition. Jesus enumerates eight characteristics of people and the benefits each of them renders. As we honor all the Saints that preceded us we may recognize the beatitudes as a foretelling how they were going to be: satisfied when hungering and thirsting for righteousness, comforted when mourning, inheriting timid ones (the meek), mercy showing peacemakers, rejoicing and glad when persecuted. At the same time some of Jesus’ statements about the poor, the mourning, the meek to be declared fortunate, i.e. blessed sound rather daring. I don’t believe that Jesus is praising the powerlessness. I read it as a statement that those free from the illusion of worldly power can find the lasting gifts of happiness. The original Greek source speaks about ‘praos’ that was translated into ‘meek’. Praos means more tan humble and timid, along the lines of becoming tamed (as for a wild animal being domesticated). It could be interpreted as a recommendation to develop the inner strength to manage one's automatic reactions and aversions, suggesting a capacity for going against all natural resentfulness and passion and anger. Some ancient writers saw a parallel as well as a contrast between Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai, and Jesus pronouncing the Beatitudes on the Mount of Olives. One of them, Chromatius, during the early fifth century wrote, “When the law was first given on the mountain, the people were forbidden to draw close. But now, as the Lord was teaching on the mountain, no one is forbidden. Rather, all are invited that they may hear, because there is severity in the law and grace in the gospel.” This week’s First Reading from the Book of Revelation is written in apocalyptic style. Apocalypse literally means the

disclosure or revealing of something hidden. It has a Greek-myth root which is quite interesting. Things have been hidden about the sufferings of the early followers of Jesus. Rome, The Beast, has been attacking the Church and persecuting the faithful. This form of literature was popular before the compilation of this book. The prophets of Israel had visions of how things would be especially concerning the exiles. Their theme is centered around hope and trust. The sufferings of the present are leading into a brighter future. Communities under harsh conditions need the encouragements both from within and outside the group. This is where this week’s reading gets its importance and power. There are many symbols within the Book of Revelation (the last book of the Bible) that are not only appropriate for that time, but can also be interpreted for this present age. This week’s passage has a wonderful picture of twelve times twelve thousand people who have endured the persecution and are singing God's praises after it all. All peoples (from every nation, race, people, and tongue) are envisioned as gathered together in profound worship and thanksgiving. The Second Reading is from the same author as the Book of Revelation, the Gospel Author and beloved apostle John. While declaring that we are God’s children now it acknowledges that it has not yet been revealed what it is we shall be. Purity is achieved through hope of becoming like Him. On this Feast of All Saints we recognize the dying and the silent waiting for new life to unfold beyond our sight. In faith we honor all of the saints, ancestors who have preceded us, heroes and heroines of life lived in love and trust. We pray for those who have died and who await the fullness of glory with and in God. We remember all those who have died. We lift up their names in gratitude, entrusting them to the love and mercy of God. And we think about our own destinies and futures, soberly reminded that aging is a progression – not a loss. The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-and-faith.blogspot.com/ 2009/10/solemnity-of-all-saints_31.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, Blindness in Christ's time was common. Hygiene was very primitive. Eye doctors had not yet arrived with their magic drops and wonderful lasers. However, what is interesting about this story is that the patient is given a proper name. Mark in his Gospel was not in the habit of being so specific. So, when we read “Bartimaeus, … the son of Timaeus” we know something important is going to happen. Exiled into destitution by his blindness, probably fallen out of family favor (I somewhere read that Timaeus means “respected one”) because of the belief at the time (which we today consider mistaken) that physical disability was also indicative of moral stigma. When Jesus was walking by, Bartimaeus gave Him a raucous yell using not only his everyday name but also the messianic title of Son of David. His eyes were dead but God had gifted him with a first class set of lungs. First the crowd admonished him and asked him to shut up, not unlike crowds (we?) do with unimportant, marginalized people. Even in the crowd Jesus becomes aware of the ragged person who is eager for personal contact with him… to this day, I believe, no matter how frayed I may be or feel… Jesus is not too busy for this personal contact, even within a sizable crowd at the beginning of the last leg of his journey up to Jerusalem about 20 miles southwest over steep and dangerous ascent. Jericho was an impressive oasis city in the first century with palaces, pools and public buildings in the Roman style. King Herod the Great had embellished the ancient city that had become a favorite wintering place for the Jerusalem elite. Close to trade routes it was a convenient gathering point for pilgrims preparing to go up to Jerusalem and therefore a good place for beggars to sit by the wayside hoping for some pious pilgrims tossing a few coins. Jesus instruction to the crowd to “Call him here” combined with the persistence of Bartimaeus seems to transform them from rebuking to encouraging the blind beggar to rise up and answer Jesus’ call. Full of hope and quite faith inspired Bartimaeus throws away his cloak, his last piece of possession (serving as coat, sleeping bag and collection rug for occasional coins tossed his way) and listens to exactly the same question we heard Jesus ask to James and John in last weeks gospel:

“What do you want me to do for you?”. We know how the “insiders” responded, blinded by self-aggrandizement asking for the best place in the kingdom. The “outsider” asks for nothing but that he may see. We witness the last miraculous cure before Jesus passion and crucifixion in Jerusalem, restoring physical sight to a man that showed to have the seeing eyes of faith. Bartimaeus is now free to go wherever he wants, not anymore confined to the one place at the side of the road and he chooses to follow Jesus on the way. The First Reading from the prophet Jeremiah is a profession of joy as the blind, the lame, the needy have been saved by the Lord and are on their way back home from the exile. The sixth-century B.C.E. verses from Jeremiah announce that vulnerable, dependent people are being brought back, gathered and led by a Shepherd Savior. The prophet assures the people that a gentle and loving God is like a father caring for his firstborn, carrying the poor and weak safely home. The “remnant” refers to the survivors of the fallen northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians in 721 BC, who through the exile are finally being brought together with people of all different backgrounds and abilities into an “immense throng”. The restoration of Israel is about the close relationship of God with his people, mentioning Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. All three Readings this week are success stories, but not in ways we might at first have thought. It was Bartimaeus’ faith that saved him. This is the true miracle. The restoration of his physical sight can be seen as simply the external manifestation of his faith. This tells me that the reign of God exists underneath, behind or deep within the circumstances of life, even if we cannot see it at first sight (no pun intended). The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/10/thirtieth-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, If we ever were looking for a place where some followers of Jesus appear rather immature, in a real arrogant attitude, this week’s passage from Mark is one of them, when it talks about James and John with a selfish request: “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left”. The Zebedee brothers are cozying up to Jesus for some good seats at the victory party. Their lack of really understanding what Jesus has been telling them comes through when they respond yes without a blink in their eyes to Jesus’ question about drinking the cup he will drink. He had been telling them about his upcoming suffering and death, but it does not fit into their worldview about Kingdom and once again we can connect with them not “getting it”. The other ten disciples become angry, even offended. We do not know if they were upset with James and John or with Jesus for the response he gave: “it is not mine to give (the good seats) but it is for those for whom it has been prepared”. Recognizing their indignation Jesus brought them back together for a ‘come to Jesus’ conversation and we read one of the most important statements in Mark about Jesus ‘mission statement’: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve”, followed by unquestionable clarity about his Passion, death and Resurrection: “and to give his life as a ransom for many." Still to this day it sounds rather counterintuitive that to be leader one has to be servant. Jesus clarifies for us that in the gentile world the ruler is served, but in the Kingdom of God, that is in the Christian way “whoever wishes to be great …. will be your servant, .. to be first… will be the slave of all”. That Jesus walked his talk when his humble services went beyond washing his disciples’ feet at the last supper, to dying on the cross ‘as a ransom for many’.

The First Reading is from one of the Servant Songs from the late Isaiah, recorded about 600 BCE. It represents how a faithful Jew is to look upon the sufferings of his own life. A faithful Jew will suffer and his torment will atone for his sin and those of his Jewish community. He sees his life, not as a curse, but a way of God to bless. We can interpret it as a prophesy that came true in the passion and death of Jesus. While I have difficulties reconciling in my own mind a loving God that is pleased when I am crushed in infirmity, when I fast forward to the stronger, more mature person I have become after some of those crushing experiences, I am reminded of an example in the mineral world. The steel only becomes so hard and strong after the iron has been melted to liquid state (crushed?). At the personal level it brings out a stronger more mature person. In the case of Christ it is as ransom for the sins of all mankind. The Letter to the Hebrews, which we have been reading for the last three weeks, presents a passage that encourages us to take our confession of sins to the one priest “who has similarly been tested in every way” and can relate to our struggles, Jesus, the Son of God. The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/10/twenty-ninth-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, The First Reading from the Book of Wisdom is part of the prayers of King Solomon, son of David, the final king of the United Monarchy before the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah split. Salomon was the builder of the first temple in Jerusalem. He ruled during forty years about 10th Century BCE. We read a beautiful poem exulting wisdom above everything, deeming riches nothing in comparison to her with very vivid contrasts of gold to sand and silver to mud (mire). Solomon prayed for wisdom, yet all good things came to him in company of her (wisdom is addressed as a female in the whole book) and countless riches. The Letter to the Hebrews passage this week has a very graphic description of the sharpness of the word of God. While we can’t tell what the distance is between soul and spirit, we do understand the narrowness between joints and marrow. Awesome to know that God is able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. Sometimes a bit frightening to learn that everything is naked and exposed to the eyes or God. We all have had thoughts at some point or other which we really wouldn’t want anyone to know. The reassuring thing about this, our God who sees it all, is that he is also a loving and forgiving God. As long as we ask for it… but that is topic of some future reflection. The Gospel passage from Mark sort of tears me in two directions. Initially I am thrilled to find a successful business man asking the right question: “What does it take to inherit eternal life”. Often one encounters successful people that are only interested in knowing how to become even more successful in the here and now. Be it wondering when the first million will be earned or when the next promotion will be awarded or how to win the next tournament or big contract. Finding someone asking the right question is encouraging. The good teacher inquires about basics. Again the young man is up to speed with

the don’ts of the commandments (not kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not defraud, not bear false witness) and honors father and mother. One can sense that even Jesus is delighted when Mark tells us that looking at the successful man, he loved him. At this point Jesus invites him to get to the next level in his spiritual life, by getting rid of all he possesses to become a disciple. The young man is dismayed (“his face fell”) and he went away. He got stuck on his spiritual journey, not being able to go beyond the basics, to the point that he is lost in history. We don’t know his name or anything else about him. It is here where I personally continue to struggle with the idea of giving everything up. I don’t believe Jesus is asking us to become material masochists. Yet letting go of material things that clutter our lives and freely giving to needy ones has proven a spiritual uplift. I have also experienced what Jesus teaches to his disciples toward the end of today’s Reading: “no one has given… who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age”. I have to admit that only recently I have been able to stay with the reading to get to that very sentence. I used to ‘go away sad’ from this reading at the point of the camel and the needle’s eye. While I am more comfortable with it, I know that I have a long way to go in my own spiritual journey. In summary asking for wisdom and giving freely have rewarded in history, are announced in two passages this week and at some level many of us have experience it in our own lives. May it encourage us to do more! The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/10/twenty-eighth-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, This week we are invited to think and pray about the institution of marriage. The First Reading from the Book of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, is from the second narrative about creation. In the first creation account from Gn 1:1-2:4, God creates man, male and female, in the image of God on the sixth day. In contrast in the second creation story, from which this week’s passage comes, the creation from man and woman occurs sequentially. After creating man from earth, God acknowledges that man needs a suitable partner, and the living creatures of the earth and sky are formed. After none turn out to be a suitable partner, God forms woman from man. In this highly allegoric chronicle the concept of suitable partnership is mentioned twice. The emphasis on companionship and mutuality makes it clear that man and woman are made for each other. Any subordination read into the sequentiality of the creation is a mistake. Often when priests preach about marriage, one may be reminded of the story about a middle aged woman who after one of such sermons said: “I wish I knew as little about marriage as he does”. Chuckles aside, we all know a lot about marriage, from experience and from observation. Each one of us exists because a man and a woman loved each other and brought us into the world. If we are among the lucky ones, they stuck together and took care of us. This may be a good proof point that marriage is very important. Yet, let’s face it, a great many people are not so sure anymore about the sanctity or even validity of marriage. Men and women keep falling in love and start living together, but, in increasing numbers, they feel no need to get married. Fifty years ago, that may have made the news, but not today. At some level it is understandable. Weddings are not only expensive, but risky. They not always turn out the way we hoped. Marriage has become quite unpopular in many quarters because it involves making promises. “For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do us part” sounds pretty daunting, doesn’t it? For many that is too risky. So they just live together and leave themselves a way out if things don’t go the way they hoped. On the surface is seems more prudent than making promises they might not be able to keep. To such people the teachings in this week’s Gospel sound too idealistic. Many consider it rigid and unrealistic to insist that two people make binding promises to stay together through good and bad times, after the glow has faded. Lovers should be free, instead of being tied down, is their mantra. But freedom comes with a price, which the children (some of us later in life?) are paying. We have become a nation of single-parent families, with damaging impact to many of their children (higher school drop out rates, etc.) Such families are part of a national tragedy. This week’s teachings from Genesis and Mark have unequivocal messages. They are not easy. They call for courage and sacrifice. The sacrament of matrimony is one of the seven visible symbols that point to and embody a spiritual reality. In the case of marriage it points to the spiritual reality of Jesus’ love for the church. The promise of each spouse to care for the other one implies a giving up of self. It is not anymore ‘me’ the most important entity in the universe, but the spouse. With this in mind, and considering Jesus sacrifice on the cross, it puts things into perspective when it comes to love for the spouse. The generous help of God’s grace to meet the challenges of a faithful life together can go a long way. And the benefits of a blessed life together in companionship are gigantic. From experience I can say, paraphrasing the passage from the Book of Genesis, that “it is not good for man to be alone”…, it is great to be with a suitable partner, the spouse! The last passage of this week’s Gospel from Mark shows us one more, of the several scenes in the New Testament where the apostles are ‘not getting it’. In the best of the intent they shove away children, thinking that they have nothing to do with the ‘adult talk’ they are just having with the great teacher. Jesus ‘became indignant’ and a bit frustrated that his disciples had not realized that children and matrimony are two sides of the same coin. We could call it the coin of Gods creation at work. The moments between the beginning (the Alpha) and the ending (the Omega) of the world, is the procreation of the human race: Marriage and raising children! We know very little about the ‘book ends’ (beginning and end) but we are very present to the creation at work here and now. The final guidance for spiritual positioning of accepting the Kingdom of God like a child as entry-ticket is also unmistakable. The complete text of today’s Readings can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/10/twenty-seventh-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear All, Our First Reading this week from the fourth book of Hebrew Bible (aka Christian Old Testament), the Pentateuch (aka Torah), is an account of the journey from Sinai to Moab (before crossing the Jordan River to the Promised Land). It is called Book of Numbers because Moses counts more than 600 Thousand Israelites fit to bear arms (military service). One of the themes of this week’s readings is about partisan religion. Eldad and Medad were not in the tent when the Spirit of God came upon the seventy elders. Eldad and Medad weren’t there, but they still received the Spirit and began to prophesize. “Stop them,” Joshua told Moses, “Why?” asked Moses. “Would that God’s Spirit come upon all the people.” In this week’s Gospel according to Mark it is the only time the Apostle John speaks on his own. He calls Jesus’ attention to someone who is casting out demons in his name and how the disciples had tried to stop him. John more or less wants Jesus to stop this man because the disciples couldn’t manage it by themselves. But John forgets that Jesus’ first concern is for as many people as possible to hear the words of salvation and to experience the liberation this brings. John was really surprised when Jesus welcomes this anonymous exorcist and tells the disciples not to stop him. Anyone who is not against us is for us. Last Sunday I was in Zurich, Switzerland, looking for a catholic church to attend Mass. The reception of the hotel told me that a few blocks away the Christian Catholic Church had service at 9:30 on Sunday morning. The service had a few nuances that were different from what I was used to, but I thought it must be geographic dissimilarities. During the Liturgy of the word, however, I realized that the Readings (about which I had written my reflections the evening before) were not the ones of the Roman cycle. I learned that the Christian Catholic Church separated from Rome in 1870 after Vatican I, because of some dogmatic differences. I was reminded that all religions have a tendency

to claim exclusive control of the avenues of salvation. But God is surely free to work outside of our familiar religious structures. This doesn't mean that such structures are unnecessary or unimportant. It does mean that we should work in genuine humility to make our own religious structures as open as possible to the saving power of God. It is profoundly reassuring that right after that experience in Zurich I get to read Numbers and Mark telling us that anyone who is not against God is for God. The second theme of today is about ending up in hell for taking unfair advantage of others. The Letter of James is quite explicit in modern day advantage taking, like withholding wages, storing excessively for the last days, etc. In Mark’s Gospel it is quite interesting to note that on the one hand the Lord seems very open and tolerant and yet right after stating “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ” …. “will surely not lose his reward”, Jesus seems very severe and harsh. Christ takes this very seriously: He does not want his disciples to be obstacles to anyone’s faith. The task of a disciple is to bring people into the Kingdom and not cause them to be lost. It is a scandal to take advantage of vulnerable people who can so easily be exploited when they should be protected and assisted. This is where real sinfulness lies and the punishment is swift and severe. Gehenna was the place where Jerusalem's trash was deposited. It was usually smoldering and was infested by all sorts of pests and parasites. It was certainly not where one would hope to end up. Let us stay away from partisan religion and let us help those who are in need, are two clear messages of today’s Readings, whose complete text can be found at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflife-andfaith.blogspot.com/2009/09/twenty-sixth-sunday-in-ordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings, Rainer

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