#Kindom parable or world parable?

[thejesusmaninred]

"Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit." From Mark 3: 23-30.

Now Jesus explains how certain parties...certain parties come to be involved in exorcisms in just Seven Days.

Impure spirits are persons who keep licking at religion like dogs licking sores never finding one bit of solace. Further, they are characterized as being rude, lawless, malicious, ignorant, listless, useless, and do not even pretend to notice what is happening in the world around them.

So long as the wicked and the righteous, devils and angels, saints and sloppies inhabit the same planet, there will be a contest between religion, the real life God made and His Gospel Torah which explains how to live it.

Satan embodies this contest. Satan is not a real being, that is ridiculous. The word means "purposeful wrong turns":

"The familiar noun שטן (satan) means adversary and in the Bible this word mostly does not denote some archetypal Evil One. Instead our noun refers to anyone or anything (including the Angel of the Lord) that aims to prevent something or someone else from its or his proper or intended course, irrespective of whether that course is good or bad, or whether the opposition is good or bad.

The derived verb שטן (satan) means to be an adversary; to obstruct or lay in the way. Noun שטנה (sitna) denotes a kind of written or formal notice that aims to stop a certain proceeding; something like a modern Cease And Desist notice.

It's unclear where our noun comes from, but candidates are: the verb שוט (sut), to swerve or fall away, or the verb שטה (sata), to turn aside. It may even have something to do with the verb שתן (shatan), to urinate."

Satan is a piss boy. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to bind the piss boy, civlize him, bring him to his senses and turn his house back over to him. An exorcism is not complete until there is complete harmonal unity within the seat of the mind about who not what is in control:

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?

 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 

26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 

27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 

28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 

29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 23: Jesus began to speak in parables. Parables are magic spells that convince demons to leave. Parables teach us to think about the self as if it were someone else so we can decode it.

The Number is ז‎חט‎‎ט‎, zaht, "oneness with the identity."

v. 24-25: If a kindom is divided, if a house is divided. The Jewish concept of the Self is based on the delusion that somehow infinity can undergo division. It can if one thinks it can; we are always of our own independent minds, there is no way to stop doing that. To join with Ha Shem, the mind must stop. This requires a method and one of them is to turn the mind the right way:

"The verb פלג (palag) means to split or divide. This root appears to be mostly associated with canals (digging them or dividing lands with them) and the verb occurs a mere three times in the Bible: in Genesis 10:25, Job 38:25 and Psalm 55:9. This verb's derivatives are:

The masculine noun פלג (peleg), meaning channel or canal (Isaiah 30:25, Lamentations 3:48).

The feminine noun פלגה (pelagga), meaning stream (Job 20:17) or division (Judges 5:15).

The highly similar feminine noun פלגה (pelugga), meaning division (2 Chronicles 35:5 only).

The feminine noun מפלגה (miplagga), also meaning division (2 Chronicles 35:12 only)."

The Number is 5018, ןיח‎, "rest" AKA meditation is the only way to find Ha Shem, the Holy Spirit and still remain in the body. Notice the etymology says it is like being immersed in a channel or a stream. For me it was like a dam opened and sunlight spilled out and engulfed me, others might experience this in some other way.

v. 26: Satan opposes himself. The Number is 2569, ב‎הוט‎ ‎‎, "hot."

Hotness is almost always spoken of positively unless one is a legend in one's own mind:

The verb חמם (hamam) means to be hot or warm, and that usually in the physical sense (Exodus 16:21, Haggai 1:6). Sometimes it's used to describe a non-physical heat: determination (Psalm 39:3), non-sexual excitation (Isaiah 57:5), and sexual-excitation (of animals only - Genesis 30:38).

Its derivations are:

The masculine noun חם (hom), meaning heat (Genesis 8:22, Jeremiah 17:8).

The adjective חם (ham), meaning hot (Joshua 9:12, Job 37:17).

The feminine noun חמה (hamma), meaning heat, typically of the sun (Psalm 19:6). In poetic passages, this word is used as substitute for the word שמש (shemesh), meaning sun (Isaiah 24:23, Job 30:28).

The masculine noun חמן (hamman) and its plural form חמנים (hammanim), denoting small pillars used in idolatrous worship (Leviticus 26:30, Isaiah 27:9)."

v. 27: In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house without tying him up.

Tying up refers to the Devarim.

From Deut. 11:18:

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."

The Number is 3730, לז‎ל‎, "for nothing."

Some things in life are forbidden:

The particle לא (lo') or לוא (lo') is the Hebrew primary particle of prohibition. There are some others (a set perhaps comparable to the English "not", "un-", "dis-" etc.). It's the Hebrew non-negotiable "no-that-means-no", which obviously occurs all over the Bible, from Genesis 2:5 to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, and up to Malachi 4:1.

On rare occasions our particle becomes a noun meaning nothing or nought (Job 6:21), and often it occurs combined with other particles:

בלא (belo) literally means "in not", and may be translated with without (Jeremiah 22:13), not through (Job 30:28), outside of (Leviticus 15:25), before (Job 15:32).

הלא (helo) appears to reflect a rhetorical question, inviting an affirmative answer: is/are not? (Genesis 13:19, Deuteronomy 3:11, 1 Kings 11:41).

ולא (wlo) combines the particle of conjunction with our particle of negation: and not, or: and if not, etc. (2 Samuel 13:26, Obadiah 1:16).

ללא (lelo) literally means (in the elegant words of BDB Theological Dictionary): "in the condition of no" (2 Chronicles 13:9, Job 26:2, Isaiah 65:1).]

v. 28: Truly I tell you people can be forgiven... on the condition of withdrawal, complete remission, God says sin can be forgiven.

The Number is 4992, ב‎דטט‎ ‎ ‎, in DTT, there is no religion.

There is no such thing as religion so long as man's house, his ethics, morals, beliefs, and commitments remain divided.

To prove it exists, that it is real, I press on the governments of this planet and their populations to read the Script and do what it says without arguing or hesitating. So far this has been immensely frustrating and a total disappointment.

=

v. 29: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. To sign the Name of God to an act of immorality or what is not legal cannot be forgiven as it misleads the people and divides the house. Similarly, leaving law enforcement to the birds as the Biden White House has done in the matter of the Repubican Party and its excommunicable offenses is not forgiveable. Too many people have died, others wish they had.

The Number is 8053, ףןג‎, millet, "one's own rules rather than rule of law." Personal laws are forbidden. We have allowed a large number of people to make their own rules and nothing is working...

v. 30: He said this because: The Number is 3565, גה‎‎וה‎, geha, "they were turning back from the Law."

So blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is incurred when one is in a position or authority and one decides for whatever reason, not to do one's duty causing loss of life, limb, and prosperity from the land. Any threat to national security and self-definition in a civil society is blasphemy against God.

[firstumcschenectady]

“I Am Thine” based on Jeremiah 31:31–34 and Matthew 25:14-30

Historical Background of Covenant Renewal Service.

This service comes to us through John Wesley, the founder of our Methodist theological tradition. For him what it meant to be a mature disciple of Christ was the joining of believers in a covenant "to serve God with all our heart and with all our soul." He urged his Methodist followers to renew, "at every point, our covenant, that the Lord should be our God."

On August 11, 1755, Wesley refers to an occasion when he conducted a service that provided opportunity for persons to make or renew that covenant with God. Listen to this account from his daily journal:

"I mentioned to the congregation another means of increasing serious religion, which had been frequently practiced by our forefathers, namely, the joining in a covenant to serve God with all our heart and with all our soul.

I explained this for several mornings and on Friday many of us kept a fast to the Lord, beseeching him to give us wisdom and strength, to make a promise unto the Lord our God and keep it.

On Monday, August 11, I explained once more the nature of such an engagement, and the manner of doing it acceptably to God.

At six in the evening we met for that purpose. After I had recited the tenor of the covenant proposed all those who desired to give testimony of their entrance into this covenant stood up, to the number of about 1,800 persons.

Such a night I scarce ever saw before. Surely the fruit of it shall remain forever." 1

This became something traditional to do at the beginning of each year, a fact I didn't know until our Bishop asked us to engage in a service of Covenant Renewal sometime this January. At the end of December a window closed for churches to decide to leave The United Methodist Church but keep their buildings and assets. The churches that remain, remain in connection and covenant with each other to love God, love God's people, and work together for the building of the kindom. So as we remember and renew the vows of our baptisms and the commitments we make to each other, we also remember the ways that The United Methodist Church holds us together in sacred covenant.

Sermon

I'm gushy about baptisms. The promises made are so sacred, and the experience of including a new person in the Body of Christ are so powerful. I have favorite parts of course. I really like asking if people “accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms the present themselves?” I like the water part, and the prayer over the water, and while it still feels a little strange, I like passing on the Holy Spirit too.

But the most important part of baptism for me isn't explicit. It is that when we baptize someone, we celebrate their very existence and thank God for them, and while we are thanking God for them, our gratitude for their very existence, becomes the way in which we welcome them into the church and promise to teach them about God and grace. I try, at every baptism, to remind all the people present that this wonderful celebration of the person or people being baptized is also a reminder of the same celebration for them. That each and every human life is sacred, that God delights in each one, and that at some time, the church took time to celebrate YOU too. (And if it hasn't, it will if you are willing.)

The church makes promises at baptism, for today they've been adapted to be mutual rather than specific to the baptized, which is right for today and a good reminder for every day, “By teaching and example we will guide each other to accept God's grace, to profess faith openly, to demand justice in all places, to love freely, and to build the kindom of God on earth.” (#nopressure)

I cannot help but think that the parable of the talents is a description of the world as it is, rather than being about God's kindom. In the world as it is, having gets you more, interest works for the wealthy, and the powerful can be terribly frightening. The church is meant to be something different. We are people defined by being loved by God, and formed by love in community. At our best, we are signs of love and hope in the midst of a world that is terrified and has far too much hate.

The words of the Baptismal Covenant call us back to ourselves, to our commitments to God and each other, to the ways that we are doing something different than the world's competition, accusation, and inherent violence.

A piece of today's worship that is not a part of our traditional baptismal covenant is the “Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition.” I have no idea how familiar this is to you – it maybe be the foundation of your faith (it has been to many people I know) or completely new. It is a prayer of humility, and I think a prayer of community. It puts the needs of each of us as individuals second to the needs and dreams of God for the whole. I find it hard to pray, because it is truly terrifying what God might do. But then I remember that I'm not actually afraid of God. God is seeking goodness, and for each of us and all of us at the same time.

When I sit with God and try to listen, I always expect God to add things to my to do list – to sound a lot like my internal voices. Those voices that chide me for not having done things yet, or better, or for the things I have done, or for wasting time, or not … well, for what I do and what I don't do. But when I actually listen to God, it turns out God isn't the source of all that internal judgement. That's all me. God is the one saying, “Hello love, you can stop planning to optimize your day, and just be. You are enough as you are, and I'm not asking more of you.” This might sound different for you, probably because your internal voices are different. But God is the one saying things like, “I love you, and you are already good enough.” “I love you, and you don't have to earn it.” “I love you and see you as you are, you don't need to be any more special for me to love you.” “I love you, and you don't have to know enough to count for me.” “I love you, and I'm here supporting you.” “I love you, and I'm with you always no matter what you face.”

Really, these are the things we try to convey at baptism, and we promise to teach the baptized: that each one is loved by God, defined by that love, and enough as they are.

What a joy to remember that we are a community committed to and defined by God's love. Holy One, I am thine – and I'm going to trust you to take it from there. Amen

1Adapted from http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/covenant-service-directions-for-renewing-our-covenant-with-god/wesley-covenant-service-1998-jeren-rowel/

Photo Credit: Dana Carroll.

Baptismal Remembrance Design: Karyn McCloskey

Rev. Sara E. Baron  First United Methodist Church of Schenectady  603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305  Pronouns: she/her/hers  http://fumcschenectady.org/  https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

January 21, 2024

[timothy-kang]

Gist of Immortal by Lex Meyer (vol.32)

"The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).

“The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). The Kindom of God was the subject of a large number of Yeshua’s teachings, and He explained it in parables to obscure the message. A parable is a short story and vision of life in God’s kingdom that teaches a lesson through comparison. So, the parable is called…

[doormouseetcappendix]

Afro-Futurist Reading List Vol 2.

Afro Futurism Reading List Vol 1:

Afro Futurism Reading List Vol 2:

Black Speculative Fiction Breakdown by Genre

African Fantasy (early myths and fables from the continent): Forest Of A Thousand Deamons: A Hunter's Saga by Daniel O. Fagunwa The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola Simbi and the Satyr of the Dark Jungle by Amos Tutuola The Brave African Huntress by Amos Tutuola Feather Woman of the Jungle by Amos Tutuola Ajaiyi and his Inherited Poverty by Amos Tutuola The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town by Amos Tutuola

Utopia (alternate histories written during the jim crow & antebellum eras): Blake Or The Huts Of Africa by Martin Delany Imperium In Imperio by Sutton E Griggs Light Ahead For The Negro Edward A Johnson One One Blood by Pauline Hopkins Black No More by George Shuyler Lord Of The Sea by MP Sheil

Space Opera (far future sci fi worlds of interplanetary travel): Nova by Samuel R Delany Stars In My Pocket Like Grains Of Sand by Samuel R. Delany Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor An Unkindness Of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson Rayla 2122 Series by Ytasha Womack Trouble On Triton by Samuel R. Delany Babel 17 by Samuel R Delany Empire Star by Samuel R Delany The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord The Best Of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord Ancient Ancient by Klini Iburu Salaam Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden Ascension: Tangled Axon by Jacqueline Koyanagi Teleportality by T Cisco Nadine's Bible Seris by T Lindsey-Billingsley Nigerians In Space Series by Deji Bryce Olukotun

Aliens (alien encounters): Lilith's Brood Trilogy by Octavia Butler Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor Rosewater Trilogy by Tade Thompson The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbell The Wave by Walter Mosley

Dystopia (oppressive futures and realities): Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjie Brenyah Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi War Girls Series by Tochi Onyebuchi Sunshine Patriots by Bill Campbell Gunmen's Peace by Milton J Davis Dragon Variation by T Cisco

Experimental (literary tricksters): The Ravicka Series by Renee Gladman The Freedom Artist by Ben Okri The Structure Of Dante's Hells by LeRoi Jones The House Of Hunger by Dumbudzo Marachera Black Sunlight By Dumbudzo Marachera Yellow Back Radio Broke Down by Ishmaeel Reed The Last Days Of Louisiana Red by Ishmaeel Reed The Sellout by Paul Beatty Koontown Killing Kaper by Bill Campbell The African Origin Of UFOs by Anthony Joseph Quantum Black Futurism(Theory & Practice Volume 1) by Rasheeda Philips by Rasheeda Philips Spacetime Collapse: From The Congo to Carolinas Spacetime Collapse II: Community Futurisms by Rasheeda Philips consent not to be a single being trilogy by Fred Mot

Post-Apocalyptic (worlds falling apart): The Purple Cloud by MP Shiel Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany The Parable Series by Octavia Butler Brown Girl In The Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Dying Earth (far future post-apocalyptic worlds + magic):

The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin The Einstien Intersection by Samuel R. Delany The Jewels Of Aptor by Samuel R. Delany The Fall Of The Towers Trilogy by Samuel R. Delany Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorofor The Book Of Phoenix by Nnededi Okorofor The Prey Of Gods by Nicky Drayden

Alternate History (alternate timelines and what-ifs): Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed Everfair by Nisi Shawl The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Insh'Allah Series by Steven Barnes Ring Shout by P Djelia Clark A Dead Djinn In Cairo by P Djelia Clark The Black God's Drum by P Djelia Clark Washington Black by Esi Edugyan Pimp My Airship: A Naptown By Airship Story by Maurice Beaudice The Dream Of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer Pym by Matt Johnson, Dread Nation Series by Justina Ireland From Here to Timbuktu by Milton J Davis

High Fantasy (magical kindoms and high adventures): The Neveryorn Series by Samuel R. Delany Black Leapard Red Wolf by Marlon James The Deep by Rivers Solomon & Clipping Imaro Series by Charles R. Saunders The Children Of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi The Children Of Virtue & Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi The Sorcerer Of The Wildeeps by Kai Ashai Washington A Taste Of Honey by Kai Ashai Washington Beasts Made Of Night Series by Tochi Onyebuchi A Place Of Nights: War & Ressurection by Oloye Karade, Woman Of The Woods: A Sword & Soul Epic by Milton J Davis Temper by Nicky Drayden They Fly At Ciron by Samuel R. Delany Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman The House Of Discarded Dreams by Etakterina Sedia

Magic Realism (literary naturalism with surreal, dreamlike, and mythic imagery): The Echo Tree & Other Stories by Henry Dumas The Kingdom Of This World by Alejo Carpentier General Sun My Brother by Jacques Stephen Alexis The Famished Road Series by Ben Okri The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson Montaro Caine by Sydney Portier Mama Day by Gloria Naylor Redemption In Indigo by Karen Lord Mem by Bethany C Morrow

Urban Fantasy (modern citybound fantasy): The City We Became by NK Jemisin  Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead Blue Light By Walter Mosley Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Time Travel (stories unstuck in time): Kindred by Octavia Butler Version Control by Dexter Palmer Recurrence Plot by Rasheedah Phillips

Horror (nightmare, terrors, and hauntings): Beloved by Toni Morisson African Immortals by Tananarivue Due Fledgling by Octavia Butler The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez Lakewood by Meggan Giddings The Ballad Of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff The Changeling by Victor Lavealle Zone One by Colson Whitehead The Between by Tananarive Due The Good House by Tananarive Due Ghost Summers: Stories by Tananarive Due Unhollowed Graves by Nunzo Onho Catfish Lullaby by AC Wise

Young Adult (books for young adults): Akata Witch Series by Nnedi Okorofor Zarah The Windseeker & The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorofor Long Juju Man by Nnedi Okorofor Ikenga by Nnedi Okorofor Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia A Song Below Water by Bethany C Morrow Daughters Of Nri by Reni K. Amayo A River Of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy 47 by Walter Mosley

Comics (graphic storytelling) George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz (1919-1921) by George Herriman The Boondocks Complete Collection by Aaron Mcgruder Birth Of A Nation by Aaron Mcgrudger, Reginald Hudlin, & Kyle Baker Prince Of Cats by Ronald Wimberly Concrete Park by Erika Alexander & Tony Puryear Incognegro Series by Matt Johnson Your Black Friend & Other Stories by Ben Passmore Bttm Fdrs Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore Sports Is Hell is Ben Passmore LaGuardia by Nnedi Okorofor & Tana Ford Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale Of New York by Samuel R Delany & Mia Wolff Empire by Samuel R Delany & Howard Chaykin Excellence by Brandon Thomas Bitteroot by David F Walker, Chuck Brown & Sanford Greene Black by Kwanza Osajyefo Niobe: She Is Life by Amandla Stenberg & Sebastian A Jones Black Panther by Christopher Priest Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates Shuri by Nnedi Okorofor World Of Wakanda by Roxane Gay Truth: Red, White, & Black by Kyle Baker House Of Whispers by Nalo Hopkinson & Neil Gaiman Naomi by David F Walker, Brian Micheal Bendis, & Jamal Campbell Far Sector by NK Jemison & Jamal Campbell

Short Stories (collections by single authors): Driftglass by Samuel R Delany, Distant Stars by Samuel R Delany Bloodchild & Other Stories by Octavia Butler Unexpected Stories by Octavia Butler Falling In Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson, Kabu Kabu by Nnedi Okorofor, How Long Til Black Future Month? by NK Jemisin Nine Bar Blues by Sheree Reneee Thomas

Anthologies (collections from multiple authors) Dark Matter edited by Sheree Renee Thomas So Long Been Dreaming edited by Nalo Hopkinson Conjure Stories edited by Nalo Hopkinso Whispers From The Cotton Tree Root: Caribbean Fabulist Fiction edited by Nalo Hopkinson Afro SF: Science Fiction by African Writers edited by Wor. W. Hartmaan Stories For Chip: A Tribute To Samuel R Delany edited by Nisi Shawl Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movement edited by Adrienne Marie Brown & Walidah Imarisha Mothership: Tales of Afrofuturism and Beyond edited by Bill Campbell The City: Cyberfunk Antholoy edited by Milton J Davis Steamfunk edited by Milton J Davis Dieselfunk edited by Milton J Davis Griots: A Sword & Soul Anthology by Milton J Davis & Charles R Saunders Griots: Sisters Of The Spear by Milton J Davis & Charles R Saunders

Non-Fiction (histories, essays, and arguments) Afrofuturism And The World Of Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy Culture by Ytasha Womack Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise Of Astral Blackness edited by Reynaldo Anderson & Charles E Jones The Black Imagination: Science Fiction, The Future, and The Speculative by Sandra Jackson & Julie E Woody-Freeman Afro-Futures & Astral Black Travel by Juice Aleem The Sound Of Culture: Diaspora & Black Technopoetics by Louis Cude Soke Black Utopia: The History Of An Idea From Black Nationalism To Afrofuturism by Alex Zamalin Afrouturism Rising: The Literary Pre-History Of A Movement by Isiah Lavendar III A Pure Solar World: Sun Ra & The Birth Of Afrofuturism by Paul Youngquist Where No Black Woman Has Gone Before: Subversive Poryrals In Speculative Film & TV by Diana Adesola Mafe Black Kirby: In Search Of The Motherbox Connection by John Jennings & Stacey Robinson Super Black: American Pop Culture & Black Super-Heroes by Adilifu Nama Black Space: Imagining Race In Science Fiction Film by Adilifu Nama Black Super-Heroes, Milestone Comics, And Their Fans by Jeffery A Brown Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changin Worlds by Adrienne Marie Brown

*cover image from Ytasha Womack’s “Afrofuturism: The World Of Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy Culture”

(please post anything I might have left out in the comments) 

[rev-krissy]

Hi, i need a shave and i don’t feel too good about that, that but damn my hair is pretty today - soft, shiny, and damn those 80′s waves!!

But that is not really the point of today’s post because it is time for another episode of {dum pa da dum} “Theology WITH Cussing!”

This episode is brought to you by @rockofaces who asked me to address, “the whole problem with people talking about Jesus being "obedient" around Christmas? Like, obedient to God yes, but how people abuse it to mean obedient to worldly powers and not fighting back against oppression?“

I gotta say from my perspective most of the focus on obedience bullshit comes from two places: Proverbs - which is collected common knowledge passing itself off as wisdom and the parts of Paul that we know damn well weren’t written by wild eyed radical Paul who made women bishops, pissed of the chamber of commerce, and spent lots of time in jail.

There is one, and only fucking one (that i could find) place in the Gospels where it is mentioned that Jesus is obedient to someone other than God: in Luke 2:51 after they go home from finding Jesus in the Temple - “he was obedient to his parents”. Of course he was Luke, for fuck’s sake, he was a Jewish kid being raised under the law of Moses... they could still fucking stone disobedient kids...

Working with a paraphrased (by me) version of the parable usually called Wicked Tenants or some such bullshit; stripped down to what is probably its original form; from Stephen J. Patterson’s excellent book The God of Jesus - here’s Jesus own fucking understanding of what happens when everybody follows the script, fills their role, and is obedient (to their ultimate concern): “the landlord builds a vineyard and contracts with tenants (most likely, the dispossessed former owners of the land) and goes away. At harvest time he sends a slave (his to send) to go and collect the rent - the lions share of the best fruit (his to take). The tenants revolt and either beat or kill the slave (who was only obeying his master), AND this fucking scene is repeated, then the landlord sends his son (also his to send - but happy to obey, honored to be trusted with family business) and they fucking kill him and dump him outside the wall to rot.”

They think they have regained their land, but even without Mark’ s allegorical ending we all know they can’t win. Nobody can win. In a system with fucking landlords and tenants; masters and slaves; bullshit patriarchs and sycophant sons; taxes and rents - no one can win. The landlord has lost everything, even when he regains the land he has lost son, slaves, tenants, and probably this year’s crop - maybe even several years’ crops if the fighting is fierce and the vineyard is damaged. The son is dead and fucking dishonored, the slaves though they obeyed are either fucking dead or miserable worthless failures. The tenants having been obedient to the Hebrew epic story that the land is theirs and that they are right to fight for it are dead - and they even fucking know it...

Jesus not only wants us to disobey the destructive fucking powers of the world, not only to disobey systems of oppression and fucking death, but he even wants us to disobey our own destructive impulses and urges for glory and honor. Yes meek, but not mild and certainly not fucking weak. 

This is already longer than I want it so I’m giving links to a shorter http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/2004/04/what-would-jesus-think-of-kings-protests.aspx and longer https://cpt.org/files/BN%20-%20Jesus%27%20Third%20Way.pdf explanation of the teachings in the sermon on the mount that are often twisted into some form of just take the abuse or the oppression. They ARE NOT THAT, THAT IS BULLSHIT THEOLOGY. Summary: Don’t be a doormat; don’t let them dehumanize you; don’t become them; and for God’s sake and your own don’t obey the forces of death even the ones inside yourself.

Holy One, help us to follow Jesus in the work of building your kindom here on earth. Remind us everyday that it can’t be done with violence but only with love and justice, creativity and joy; all else leads to death. We are your children and we praise with joy your holy name! As we pray all the things you know are deep in our hearts and minds boldly in the name of Jesus. Amen!

Peace and blessings, Kryssie

[michaeljohnmorgan]

SONG OF RIDDLES; PARABLES

PARABLES*

Psalm 49:4; I will incline my ear to parables;

I will chant my proverbs upon the harp.

I will fear not in days of evil, when the iniquity of my enemies shall surround me,

Parable*, proverbs and dark sayings will be sung and played on musical instruments.

Dark saying contains riddles, parables and chants and are not easily understood by those who lack poetic sense.

Jesus spoke in parables to the multitude but in the midst of his Temple he explained everything to his followers.

Metaphors and similes maybe be spoken but they mean something different; for example, “a beautiful garden” may be the words used for a beautiful woman. Or when speaking of a woman’s breasts the word pomegranates may be used. (Song of Solomon)

 DAY OF THE LORD

 Their graves shall be their only habitations forever, and their dwelling in the caves of the earth have become their tombs.

These caves and holes in rocks a hiding place for the wicked but the HUNTERS OF THE LORD shall uncover and mark for destruction. These hiding places shall become tombs for the unrighteous.  

Isaiah 2:10: Enter into the rocks and hide in the caves of the earth because the Day of the LORD has come; fear of the LORD and for the glory of his majesty.

12 The Day of the LORD shall be against every one that is proud and lofty and every one that is lifted up, that he shall be brought low;

20 In that day a man shall cast away to the moles and to the bats his idols of gold and his idols of silver, which they made each one for themselves to worship;

Note: Moles and bats are in control of the caves and holes in the rocks; The gold and silver man has horded up pays their way into the hole and caves of the earth of which the Bats and Moles (unclean beast) receive for payment to enter.

The earth in its shaking will cast up their riches and scatter them upon the earth; there the LOCUST OF THE LORD WILL FEED upon.

Like goats they are consigned to the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the DAY OF THE LORD.

Psalms 49:12; Do good for ever and you shall live forever, and not see corruption. You will see wise men in their own eyes die; likewise, the fool and the weak minded shall perish and leave their wealth to others.

 A RUINED MINE

 Job 28:4; You have inherited a ruined mine from an alien people; They are gone astray from the right path and their number will perish from among the men of righteousness.

The dragon that old serpent called the devil and Satan and his agents of evil;  a ruined mine from an alien people

Jews who say that they are Jews but are not but of the Synagogues of Satan an alien people.

Job likened the evildoers (Satan) to Miners claiming a false inheritance of an ancient Israel a ruined mine;

These former false claims of inheritance have gone astray from the WAY OF GOD and EVERLASTING LIFE.

WHOM THE SON OF GOD HAVE INHERITED BECAUSE THE BELIEVE IN THE WAY; THE TRUTH AND LIFE.

The present inhabitants of Zionism, metaphorically, have made claims; but their claim of inheritance is nothing but a ruined mine.

Jesus said; to his apostles and followers, “seek first the KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AN ALL OTHER THING SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU;

NEIHER WILL THEY SAY THAT THE KINGDOM IS HEAR OR IT IS THERE;

BEHOLD, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU:

Psalms 49:12; Do good for ever and you shall live forever, and not see corruption. You will see wise men in their own eyes die; likewise, the fool and the weak minded shall perish and leave their wealth to others.

 SEEK FIRST

 Seek first the KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The WISDOM OF GOD revealed himself to the prophets and men of God; The price of Wisdom is above everything and nothing can equal HIM. Gold, silver, precious stones and the pearls of Ethiopia and the topaz cannot equal HIM.

When we rise in our consciences and penetrate the terrestrial veil, then we can perceive The WISDOM OF GOD.

God only knows the source of WISDOM and God only will make him manifest before MEN.

Jesus said, I am the WAY THE TRUTH THE LIGHT; no man comes to the Father except by the way of me.

AGAIN; HE SAID; WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED IN ALL HIS WORKS OF RIGHTEOUNESS

 FOUNTAIN* OF LIVING WATER

 Fountain* refers to “the truth”

The water that flows from the fountain is the truth; water in Aramaic especial Northern Aramaic symbolizes TRUTH;

Water is also symbolic of light which also symbolizes “truth”

A fountain thus means “an everlasting truth.

THE FOUNTAIN OR TRUTH OF GOD ISSUED FROM HIS TEMPLE AMONG MEN; WITHIN HIS HOLY CITY; UPON HIS HOLY MOUNTAIN IN THE LAND OF GOD;

 O MEN OF THE GALILEAN

 Jesus chose 7 pillars then chose 5 more and called them APOSTLES;

He then chose 70 more known as PRIVATEERS and sent them out to teach the living gospel of truth to a desolate and barren* world;

Barren*; here means lack of water (truth).

There were 120 PILLARS in the upper room;

5000 MEN besides woman and children when he first fed the multitude on a mount side; there were 4000 MEN besides woman and children when he fed a multitude the second time and on the day of Pentecost and the baptism of fire the HOLY SPIRIT 3000 SOULS WERE ADD TO THE CHURCH OF GOD OR MOUNTAIN OF GOD.

 5000 + 4000 + 3000 = 12 LEGIONS OF ANGLES

Remember when Jesus was arrest and Peter with his sword cut of a high priest’s ear;

Jesus said, to Peter put away your sword, I must drink the cup that my Father has prepared for me. You will know that I could ask from my Father and he would send 12,000 angles.

After his resurrection, he gathered his followers on a Mountain top in Galilee. It was there that orders were given to the 12 apostles to the 70 privateers; 120 priests in the upper room;

12,000 men sent and conquer the known world by the GOSPEL OF GOD AND JESUS CHRIST.

Day of Pentecost; 40 day after Jesus arose from the tomb; 500 eye witness were present when JESUS rose into the heaven between to angels: Peter and Andrew; (clouds = prophet)

The LORD GOD added daily such as should be saved.

 FOUNTAIN; MOUNTAIN OF TRUTH

 The FOUNTAIN OR TRUTH OF GOD issued from the MOUNTAIN which irrigated the whole WORLD.

Revelation 14; I looked and lo, the Lamb stood on his Holy Mountain and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand in number having the name of their FATER WRITTEN ON THEIR BROWS.

Jesus said, to his followers a city built on the top of a MOUNTAIN cannot be hide. He was referring to a spiritual MOUNTAIN not built by man but raised up by God.

Note: Daniels mountain was cast into the sea of HUMANITY; and destroyed the BEAST; that old serpent called the DEVIL and SATAN: ADVERSARIES OF THE LORD

ANTI-CHRISTS.

Daniel 2:43-44; In the DAY OF THE LORD; THE GOD OF HEAVEN WILL SET UP AN EVERLASTING KINGODOM, WHICH SHLL NEVER BE DESTROYED;

THE STONE CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HANDS WAS CAST INTO THE SEA (HUMANITY). THEY BROKE IN PIECES THE IRON, THE BRASS, THE CAY THE SILVER AND THE GOLD; HE SHALL BRING TO AN END ALL KINDOMS BEFORE THIS DAY THE DAY OF THE LORD.

SEPARATING THE GOOD FROM THE BAD

 STEALTH is the issue of the day as they gathered the sheep of GOD from the goats;

GOATS;

Matthew 25:31; When the Son of God comes in his glory and all his holy angels with him, then he will sit upon his thorn in the midst of his temple among men. All nations will gather before him; and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He will set the sheep at his right and the goats at his left;

He will then say to those at his left, go away from me, you cursed, to the everlasting fire which is prepared for the adversary that old serpent called the devil and Satan and all agents of evil.

BAD FISH;

Ezekiel 47; He shall come; that fishermen shall stand beside him from Galilee; There shall be a place to spread forth nets; and there shall be very many kinds of fish in the great sea (humanity) exceedingly many

Great Catch of fish

When Jesus was through speaking, he said to Andrew and Peter, row out to the deep and cast your net for a great catch. Peter answered and said, Teacher, we have labored all night and have caught nothing; just because of your word, I will cast the net.  When they had done this, they enclosed a great many fish; and their net was breaking. So, they signaled to their partners, James and his brother John in the other boat to come and help them. When they came, they fill both the boats tell they were almost sinking. When Peter saw his issue of a great catch he fell at Jesus feet, revered him and said forgive me LORD because I doubted your WORD. Peter and all who were with him were amazed because of the great catch of fish they took in.

Jesus then said to them from henceforth you will be catching men to eternal life. They rowed to shore and on the shore, they separated the good and placed them not bags but they bad the cast out. Then they took their nets and hung them out to dry.

Jesus observed, then began to walk along the Sea of Galilee looking back he said to them all follow me, and they left everything and followed him.

They gathered in the net a multitude of fish and sat on the shore of the sea and separated the good fish from the bad and place the good in a bag; but the bad they cast into everlasting fire

Psalms 141; 8; I have lifted up mine eye to thee, O LORD; I have trusted in thee;

Keep me from the hand of the wicked, for they have set traps for me. Let the wicked together fall into their own nets, while I pass over.

CORRUPT TREES;

While John was baptizing in the river Jordan. He saw a great many of the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to be baptized, he said to them, O offspring of scorpions who has warned you to escape from the anger which is to come bring forth therefore fruits which are worthy of repentance; do not think and say within yourselves, we have Abraham as our father

I say to you that God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones

Behold, the axe is already placed at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which bears not good fruits shall be cut down and cast into the fire.

VINEYARD, WILD GRAPES;

My well-beloved (Jesus) had a vineyard on the corner of a fertile land; He cultivated it and fenced it and planted it with the choicest vines, and built a watchtower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress in it; and he expected that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.

now, o men of Zionism and inhabitants of Jerusalem, judge between me and my vineyard.

What more could you have done to your vineyard, that has not done in it?

Wherefore, when I expected that you should bring forth grapes, you brought forth wild grapes full of hypocrisy and your wine glasses filled with iniquity. You have transgressed MY LAW.

Now I will tell you O men of Zionism what I will do to your vineyard; I will demolish its tower, and it shall be for spoil; and break down its wall and it shall be trodden down;

I will lay it waste; it shall not be cultivated nor pruned.

Because, briers and thorns have sprung up within you

I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

I looked for justice but behold oppression; for righteousness but behold deception and lies.

Revelation 14; The angle thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vineyards of the earth and cast the wild grapes into the WINEPRESS OF THE WRATH OF THE GREAT GOD.

 Deu 32; They are nations void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood the Law Giver and consider their latter end!

The Lord God the MIGHT ONE has hemmed them in.

Their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; their wild grapes are bitter grapes; the clusters are gall to them;

Their venom (language or speech) is the venom of dragons and the cruel venom of asps.

It is not that which goes in the mouth that defiles the man; but that which comes out of the mouth that is what defiles the man; that which come out of the mouth comes from the heart; for the heart the mouth speaks

 Therefore

Thus, says the Law Giver our LORD GOD; to me belongs vengeance and I will recompense them at the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their destruction is at hand and the misfortune that shall come upon them makes has.

 PARABLE; THE OWNER GOD; PLANTED A VINEYARD

 Luke 20:1-19; While Jesus was teaching the people and preaching within HIS TEMPLE; the elder; high priests and scribes rose up against him;

They said to him, tell us by what authority you do these things and who gave you this authority?

Jesus answered, saying to them, I will also ask you a question and you tell me; the baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?

They reasoned with themselves, saying, if we should say from heaven he will say to us, why then did you not believe him? And if we should say from men all the people will stone us; for they regard John as a prophet. So, they said to him we do not know.

Jesus said to them, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these works.

He then began to speak this parable to his followers;

God planted a vineyard and leased it to laborers and went on a journey for a long time. At the season of gathering grapes, he sent his servant a prophet to give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but he laborers beat him and sent him back empty.

Again, he sent another of his prophets; but they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him back empty.

Again, he sent the third one; but they wounded him also and threw him out side.

Then the OWNER OF THE VINEYARD SAID, WHAT SHALL I DO?

I WILL SEND MY BELOVED SON; PERHAPS THEY WILL SEE HIM AND FEEL ASHAMED

When the laborers saw him, they reasoned with themselves saying, this is the heir; come let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours.

So, they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

MOREOVER

What therefore will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and destroy those laborers and give the vineyard to others.

WICKED MULTIPLY

When the wicked men multiply, the people are ruined; but he who is instructed by the WORD OF THE LORD and then instructs other blessed is he

Corrupt politics, immorality, drunkenness and evil deeds have been the cause of the fall of many great empires and kingdoms.

When the wicked multiply they miss-lead others by deception and lies to destroy what the good men have built

As they gather together it is the Lord God who gathers them by their deception and lies and in his infinite Wisdom the angles of the LORD will first mark them and cast them into everlasting fire; destroying them.

 WIN THE LORD OF HOSTS ARISES TO CONQUER THE EARTH

 LAW OF COMPENSATION

The law of compensation, what so ever a man so that shall he also reap.

In other words, by their own deception and lies to destroy the good it is they who cannot see the works of God as he gathers them for destruction.

OUR MAJESTY

Psa 29:10; Our Majesty sits upon his throne; kingdom forever more; give unto the LORD the glory due unto his Name; worship the LORD in the COURT OF HIS HOLY TEMPLE. in his Temple, everyone speaks of his Glory.

The God of Glory thunders; the VOICE OF THE LORD shakes the wilderness and uproots the forest

He beaks the proud Cedars and Oaks THE VOICE OF THE LORD DIVIDES THE FLAMES OF FIRE BY TWO AND SEND THEM FORTH TO CONQUER

LOCUST OF THE NAZAREEN; MY HOLY WARRIORS; MEN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

His Majesty is in the midst of clouds (FLAMES OF FIRE)

He allows the rain to fall. He walks upon the flood* which destroy man and beast;

Flood*; a flood of righteousness of men of Galilee.

HE WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE.

ANGELS-OF-THE-LORD.MOZELLO.COM

[firstumcschenectady]

“A kindom parable?” based on Romans 15:1-12 and Matthew 18:21-35

There are some simple takes on today's parable.  If you read it the way Matthew wrote it, is an allegory about the importance of forgiveness. As a reminder, the STORY itself says,

“A king called one of his servants to settle accounts, the servant owed an extraordinary amount of money.  When the servant couldn't immediately produce the money, the king ordered that the servant, his family, and all their possessions be sold to cover the debt (worth noting, it wouldn't have covered the debt.)  The servant grovels, the king not only relents, but FORGIVES the whole debt.

However, upon leaving, the servant encounters someone who owes him money, requests that it be repaid, and when that is impossible, the servant threw the man into prison.

This got reported to the king, who then had the servant tortured until he could pay back the debt.”

(It is worth noting that the amounts of money in this parable are OBSCENE.  I've seen scholars guess that the first figure is as low as $10 million or as high as $6 billion.  The second figure is lower, but not trivial.  It is still more money than most peasants would ever see, perhaps in the $10,000 range.  The Jesus seminar actually thinks this parable goes back to Jesus, in part, because the numbers are so huge and they believe Jesus's parables tended to exaggerate. Other scholars point out that the first figure essentially equated to “the largest figure one could ever name.”  Our version of a gazillion dollars, so,  A LOT of money.)

So, when the parable is taken as allegory, it is simple:  God is like the King, God forgives us our debts, we are then supposed to forgive others their far smaller debts, if we don't, we will go to hell.  

HOWEVER, despite what I learned in Sunday School as a child, parables aren't fables.  They don't tend to be easy to understand.  Instead, they tend to be things that make us think.

So, when we come to a parable that seems easy to understand, it usually indicates it has been cleaned up a little bit from what Jesus said into what the Gospel writer thought it should mean.

If we take the story just as Matthew wrote it, then God is vindictive and while we're instructed to forgive 70*7 times, God forgives once and then gets unforgiving immediately.  That should also give us pause, since it simply doesn't fit how we understand the Divine.

Now, if we take out Matthew's final scolding at the end, we un-fable the story and get back to a parable.  To take the parable as a parable first requires that we do NOT assume that the earthly king is a stand in for God?  

If we read it as parable, the whole thing gets uncomfortable.  How could anyone ever owe a king that much money?  How does even the king have enough money that he can forgive a figure like that on a whim?  Where does the money come from (hint: the laborers who are dying young of starvation so the money can flow to the top)? Why doesn't the servant respond with generosity?  Why did the other servants tell the king? Why did the king respond with such venom?  Who or what is good in this story?  What are we supposed to do?  Does the second man get released from prison when the first one gets sent to be tortured? Does anyone win?

That's a solid parable.  

However, if we take out the BEGINNING line about this story being about the kin(g)dom of God, things get even more interesting.  

William Herzog II in “Parables as Subversive Speech” suggests that we first look at the story on its own merits – in the context of the day.  What follows is my adaptations of Herzog's work.  The king in this story is most likely a client king of the Roman Empire.  Someone placed by Rome, and replaceable by Rome.  He is in charge of extracting wealth from the area he is king of, keeping some, and sending the rest on.  The system by which he does this is pretty complicated, including many levels of bureaucracy that does his dirty work for him – and is paid well enough to be grateful not to be the peasants.  The bureaucracy is kept on its toes with fear, and as such the “work environment” is deeply suspicious, prone to untruths, and manipulative.  Everyone is “playing politics” with everyone else because that's how you survive.

When leaders exist to extract wealth, they have to use their power to terrify, and when power is inherently violent, the systems that support it won't be healthy.  One could simply say that bad leaders create bad systems, and that's true, but under it all is a question of what is the POINT of leadership.  

The Hebrew Bible suggests that the point of a leader is to care for the people and pay attention to the needs of the whole, by creating a system of justice that is fair, a society that enables even impoverished people to survive, and an economic system that distributes livable wages and sustainability as broadly as possible (and prevents both generational wealth and its counter generational poverty).  Because the Jewish people knew this, the way the Roman Empire worked was seen as inherently immoral.  The Roman Empire, like any empire understood the king to “own” the whole land and the people, and to be responsible for using them to  to extract wealth from  and to send to the top, and to do so by creating an unjust system and threatening everyone with death and destruction.  You can see their point on this being a bad system.

OK, so we have a Roman client king, and the first Jewish hearers would have STARTED with distrust of this guy.  Helpful to know, right?

And, while the king was inherently immoral, SO WAS HIS COURT, as they were the ones doing his dirty work.   In fact, that first servant, was a top level bureaucrat, and that large “loan” he was supposed to replay was actually the “taxes and tributes” he and his department were responsible for extracting from the people and the land.  Calling in the “loan” was demanding his money, perhaps as a test of the servant, in order to threaten violence and keep the fear up in the system.  Being arbitrary and making unreasonable demands helps create a culture of fear.  The man doesn't have the full amount yet, possibly because it wasn't “due” yet.  

Now, the first hearers likely would not have had a lot of identification with this servant, because he was … basically a cabinet level official whose own actions had done incredible damage to their country and their lives.  The king's anger and threats are par for the course, but, in fact, so is his forgiveness.  Because the king has now RE-ESTABLISHED his dominance, which was always the point. I suspect the “Forgiveness” of the loan in this case is inherently untrue, this was just a show of power, forcing the otherwise powerful servant to be submissive and reminded of what can happen to him.

This servant goes out after the “forgiveness” and then demands a smaller BUT STILL LARGE sum be paid back to him.  Again, it is worth noting that the people Jesus spoke to would not have identified with the man owing the smaller sum because it was still more money than they ever had.  And in this case the top level bureaucrat does not forgive the debt, probably because most of the time debts are not simply forgiven.  Then other people in the court, who gained power and prestige by lowering someone else's, used this to take down the top level official.  And the king's whims take him down this time.

That is, perhaps this is not parable of “what the kindom of God is like” and more a description of “what the kingdom of Rome is like.” By making plain how the systems of power work in the world, Jesus was able to invite people to consider how they are complicit in the system as well as if they want to continue to be.

Because I, for one, don't want to be part of systems like that.

Recently, I've seen how beautifully another option can work.  The practice that I went to for care during my pregnancy and birth is one that prides itself on putting patients first.  And they did!  My medical care was profoundly humane, I was taken seriously all along, and my caregivers took the time to talk with me – and not just about medical issues! This seemed to penetrate the whole system.  From the person who greeted us at the desk, to the one weighing me, to the ones scheduling next appointments, there was grace abundance, as well as patience and kindness.  

I also noticed that the practice was humane to its workers.  People at various “levels” in the practice could be seen talking and laughing with each other.  It felt much more like people were doing various tasks that all mattered than like there was a hierarchy in the office.  I also heard, at the hospital (as we were there for a while) how incredibly well respected the group is!

Truthfully, I found it mesmerizing.  I wanted to know all their secrets.  I asked a bit, and what I heard was that the whole group was deeply committed to putting patients first and people came to work there to do that.   The nature of the organization was created by its primary value being lived out.

On a smaller scale, I love the story of a very VERY mild mannered man becoming the roads supervisor in a small town.  As you'd expect, people tended to call that office in a fury when something was wrong with their roads, and lots can go wrong with roads.  Those that loved the man worried about him being eaten alive by other people's fury, but instead, his mild manners, calm assurances, tendency to listen and commitment to doing his job well transformed those who called. Even one person can make a huge difference.

Many of Jesus's stories teach us how to subvert broken systems.  I think this story teaches us how those systems work so we can make decisions about engage with them.  Funny enough, the reading from Romans goes through this as well.  Either we can take people down for making different choices than we do, or we can participate with God in building the kindom.  Judgement, like manipulation, fear, and suspicion keep us participating in systems of oppression. Compassion, equity, listening build the kindom of God.  In every word that we say, and every action we take, we get to choose where we put our lives.  We can choose fear and violence or we can choose to build the kindom of God for all people.  May God help us choose well.  Amen

Rev. Sara E. Baron First United Methodist Church of Schenectady 603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305 Pronouns: she/her/hers http://fumcschenectady.org/

https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

September 13, 2020

[firstumcschenectady]

“Finding Compassion” based on Luke 10:35-37

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the best known stories from the Bible.  Some of you are likely sick of it, some of you are bored by it, and some of you don't know a thing about it.  Any of those responses are acceptable around here, but I am going to review the basic facts for those who haven't heard them, I'll let the rest of you know when you may want to tune back in...

The Samaritans were hated by the Jews.  They had a shared history, to a point.  Both were part of the formation of Ancient Israel, both were led by Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, but after Solomon the Northern and Southern Kingdoms had a civil war and separated.  The North kept the name Israel and had two parts: Samaria and Galilee, the South became the nation Judah – from which we get the language “Jew”. As you'd expect, the two nations that had fought a civil war to separate from each other had some resentments towards each other. Then, the Northern Kingdom fell in battle to Assyria in 922, its leaders were taken into exile, and those who remained intermarried with foreigners.  Thus, the 10 northern tribes of Israel were “lost.” Except, they weren't really.  They didn't become a self-governing nation again, but the love of YHWH and the Jewish tradition remained, it was just different.

Of course, the southern nation also fell, and also went into exile, but it was nearly 350 years later, and they WERE able to rebuild their nation.  Because of these differences (and similarities) the Jews HATED the Samaritans, enough that those who were going from Judah to their Jewish colonies in Galilee would tend to walk AROUND Samaria even though it made the trip much longer.

Thus, having the hero of this story be the Samaritan is a really big deal, it shakes up all kinds of assumptions about who is good in the world. In fact, the Jewish law scholar can't even admit that it is the Samaritan who does right, he instead answers “the one who showed mercy.”  Indeed, the priest and the Levite (also a religious leader) should have been the models of good behavior, and aren't. This story not only talks about what it means to be a neighbor, and how showing mercy is what defines a good neighbor, it also upsets assumptions about WHO can be good, and who IS good, and how we see possibility in those we might identify as our enemies.

YOU CAN COME BACK NOW

Now that we've reviewed the characters in the parable, I want to zero in on one line that jumped out at me this week.  It is verse 33, “But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.”  (NRSV)  Or, in the Message, “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him.”  Or in the New American Translation, “But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.”

The thing is, that every time I've read this story, I've read into it something along the lines of, “The priest passed by on the other side, even though he was supposed to be a person of God, the Levite passed by on the other side, even though he was supposed to be a person of God, but the Samaritan did what a person of God should have done.”  I've missed the ATTRIBUTION of motivation.

For all these years, I thought the Samaritan did what was right because it was right, and because God wants us to take care of each other, so we're supposed to. However, the story doesn't actually say that!!  The story says that the Samaritan was “moved” and then acted on his response.  The hero didn't do the right thing simply because it was the right thing, the hero was moved to do it.  His heart went out.  He felt compassion.  He saw the man who had been robbed and something in his humanity connected to something in the man's humanity and he responded to that.

Hearing it this way, it is almost as if we aren't responsible for fixing every single brokenness in the world, and we don't have to stop what we're doing for every hurting person we encounter, and … well, we don't always have to be THE Good Samaritan in every situation.  Now when I say that, you hopefully think I'm crazy, because OF COURSE we don't, because we can't.  Humans are finite and we simply can't do everything for everyone.  Further, we can do a lot more good if we focus and do what we do well than if we try to respond to every little thing that we see.

And yet, like most people I know, I'm so overwhelmed by the brokenness of the world, and I feel responsible to do my part, and often unclear about where the boundaries lie on where my part is.  Which is to say, I often feel guilty that I'm not doing more.

Two Sundays ago I was at camp, and I invited the staff to do a little introductory ice breaker which included the question “what kind of toothpaste do you use and why?” I have previously found this to be an amusing question, which has ended up giving shocking amounts of insight into people's choices. This time, however, the first two people to introduce themselves had found ways to minimize their plastic use and carbon footprint in their toothpaste choices (cool!), and were happy to share that their WHY was out of love for creation.  That was awesome.  However, it meant that for some other people who pick their toothpaste for other reasons, and for those who hadn't (yet) decided to make eco-consciousness in toothpaste purchasing their priority, there was a lot of guilt in answering the question.  

That sort of guilt isn't productive (if any guilt is productive, which I'm not sure it is).  But it did serve as a good reminder to me of how many things there are to pay attention to: how are we treating the people we see in day to day life?  How are responding to those who make requests of us?  How are we deciding what to buy, and who to buy it from, and how much to pay for it, and what factors should impact our purchases?  How do we decide what to give, and where to give, and how much to give?  How do we decide when to work, when to play, when to connect, when to rest?  How do we decide where to advocate, and for what, and how?  How do we know if it has been effective?  How much attention do we give to our physical bodies and their needs, what about our emotional needs, what about our spiritual needs, what about mental needs, and what about worrying about if we are being too selfish thinking about all this?  How do we invest, if we can?  How do we use our time, our energy, our resources, our responses, our responsibilities, … our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness ;) … to do the most good, and the least harm without burning out?

The only clue I have is the one in this story.  The Samaritan didn't act simply because it was the right thing to do, because there are a lot of right things to do and we just can't do them all.  He acted on the need in front of him that MOVED him.  He let his compassion guide him.

As far as I can tell, that's REALLY important.  For the Camp Staff who care about eco-choices in toothpastes, thanks be to God!!  For the ones who don't, whose hearts go in other directions, thanks be to God!!  If we try to push ourselves to care about everything, we will burn out and be able to care about nothing.  If we try to become someone we aren't, someone who cares about things we don't really care about, we'll exhaust ourselves and ignore our actual gifts.

Each of us in this room have a wide range of things we're good at, and enjoy, that support and benefit others.  Each of us have ways that compassion naturally moves in us, and if we follow the compassion, if we allow the movement of our hearts to guide us, we will be doing GOOD work that benefits ourselves AND others, and the kindom, and we might even be able to do it in sustainable ways.

But wait, you may be asking.  What if NOTHING moves me?  What if I have no compassion? What if my heart is broken and it simply doesn't go out to anyone?  Am I damned to be the priest and Levite in this story, the one who showed no mercy and are the examples of bad neighborliness?

No, dear ones, you aren't.  If NOTHING is moving you at all, if your compassion doesn't reach out beyond yourself then there are two possible realities.  One is that you haven't found the place where your gifts lie yet, and it would be useful to expand your exposure to the world until you find where it does move.  More likely though, knowing all of you, if your heart isn't moving and compassion isn't flowing it is because you've given too much of yourself away, and you don't have anything left to give.

If that's true, and I'd lean towards thinking that is true in this beautiful collection of Jesus followers who try to be Good Samaritans in the world, then your job is to sit with YOURSELF and offer your heart, and your compassion to YOURSELF until you are filled back up.  You might even need to seek out others who can offer you their hearts, and their compassion, their listening ears or supportive shoulders.  

The world can be a very difficult place, and if you are a person with empathy, it can be incredibly draining.  If your heart isn't moving, then it needs some tender loving care, from God, from yourself, and from God's other beloveds.  If compassion doesn't move you, then give yourself compassion.

I know this is a funny way to preach on the Good Samaritan, the normal method is to tell you to be a good person and take care of your neighbor, but instead I'm telling you to follow your hearts, and to trust that God works in you through your compassion and energy – and not to push further than your heart leads you.  Let mercy guild you, as the parable says.  But if your heart doesn't move, then stay put.  You'll be needed later, and being ready and rested will be good too.

Dear ones, follow your compassion, and if you can't find it, give it to yourself.  God wants full, whole, loving beings, and that means we need to make space to be them – even if it means walking on the other side of the road!!!  Amen

--

Rev. Sara E. Baron First United Methodist Church of Schenectady 603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305 Pronouns: she/her/hers http://fumcschenectady.org/ 
https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

July 14, 2019

[firstumcschenectady]

“Not Seen, Not Forgotten” based on 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 and Mark 4:26-34

It must have been about a decade ago, more or less. I was jogging one evening, around dusk. It was a really beautiful evening, the sky had transformed into one of those dark yet vivid shades of blue that always delights me. The temperature was just right – I was neither hot nor cold. I'm not sure how it happened, but I got thinking about floating in a body of water that was also neither hot nor cold, but just right. Just easy floating in comfortable water.

Then I started considering how easy it is to move your body when you are floating in water. A flick of the wrist can shift you around. As I thought of that, I realized that in this envisioned body of water, there was a teeny tiny current. It was so small that a flick of my wrist could keep me from being moved by it, but it was enough that it could guide my way.

That was it. I had a conception of a warm, safe body of water with a tiny current that I could float in, and either allow the current to move me, or not, with great ease. It felt like a lot more though. It felt like a vision of wonder and grace that was a gift from the Divine. I experienced it as a reminder that I had the freedom to easily follow through with my own will, that God would not overpower me. And a reminder that there was guidance available to me, a path that I could let myself be led on if I choose. I need not be aimless if I wish to allow the current to lead. The balance of guidance and freedom co-existing together was powerful.

It was a relief to think about my relationship with God, my life decisions, and even my life itself as FLOATING. I have sometimes had a tendency to think of them more as a swim race across the English Channel. In this vision the floating was good. It was not only good because it was easy, although it was easy. It was also all that was asked of me. I could float where I wanted, or float along as the current lead me, but the current was too slow and gentle for me to find it swimming. All I had to do was float. And even then either choice was OK.

(The few times that I've had visions that I think are of/from the Divine I've noticed that the God I experience is profoundly nonjudgmental and supportive.)

All in all, for me, that vision reminds me of the experience of Centering Prayer. Centering Prayer is prayer based on the name of God, YHWH, which means something like “I am” “I am who I am” “I will be who I will be”. It is a prayer of BEING, rather than a prayer of doing, or thinking. It is silent prayer, but not just silent on the outside. Centering prayer is prayer that is silent on the inside too. It is simply BEING, along with the “Great I AM.” So much of life is about doing, or speaking, or listening. It is active, engaged, intentional. Centering prayer is like floating on the warm, mostly still waters of God's care, and just enjoying being alive.

Or, at least, it is when it works. It can be really hard to be silent on the inside, and then it doesn't feel at all like that when you are trying and failing.

The parables in the gospels seem to tell a similar story. They speak of God's mysterious actions, ones that humans wouldn't be able to replicate. We can sow seeds, the gospel says, but we can't control if they germinate or not. We might as well go to sleep and let God do God's mysterious things. Soil, water, sun, and air work their magic on the the seed, all giving gifts no human can offer. After all that, the human can cut it down and enjoy the grain. But the human can't make the grain. (This was true in the time of Jesus, let's give it to him.)

We also can't always predict how things will go. “The mustard seed was a common metaphor in Palestine for 'the smallest thing.' The plant could grow as tall as a house, and birds seemed to love its little black seeds.”1 The people knew about the disparity between seed size and plant size, talked about it. In the gospel, it is used to indicate how vibrant and abundant God's work in the kindom is. What appears small and insignificant to human eyes is plenty to change a landscape and an eco-system.

God is at work in building the kindom. God can make big things happen out of a tiny start! God's work is mysterious and happens out of our sight, and yet we can see the fruits of God's labor and with it we are fed and nurtured. God is invested in building the kindom and God is capable of doing it. The planted seed is no longer seen, but is not forgotten as it germinates and grows.

But, this raises some significant questions. Another commentator names them this way:

“One suspects that the early Christian communities were often as puzzled by this parabolic presentation of the kingdom as we are. These two parables that Mark stitches together have generated may theological interpretations over the centuries. Does the kingdom come slowly, over the long haul? Should we understand the harvest in due season as the future event of the eschatological time? Are we to believe that God is in control of the growth and harvest, despite the evidences of the way the world is?”2

Another commentator offered a great explanation of the words themseves.

“Hē basileia tou theou, found fourteen times in the Gospel of Mark and usually translated 'the kingdom of God' or 'the dominion of God' is an ancient metaphor not easily translated into today's culture. In the first century CE, power and dominion belonged to Caesar. Early Christians preached that Caesar's domination had been overtaken by the domination of God. This was an in-your-face radical claim defining insiders not by Caesar's proclamation, but by relationship to the community that followed Jesus. (cf. Mark 3:31-35) In various twenty-first century cultures, the claim of radical inclusion is seeking expression in terms reflecting the egalitarian relationship of God's beloved community. To that end, we translate hē basileia tou theou as 'the kin-dom of God.'”3

So, then God's beloved community comes into being mysteriously, with God's effort, and is able to grow big and strong even from humble beginnings. It is as if the beloved community itself is a gift from God for God's people. Then, as a part of the beloved community we are able to share that love – and it doesn't always have to be difficult – and sharing love is building the kindom. I know sometimes it is difficult, and that's good too. But it doesn't ALWAYS have to be difficult! It is OK to float along in the current of God's love. It is OK, sometimes, to just be.

Now, in the Hebrew Bible story, God also acts in mysterious and unexpected ways. The first of which is when text clearly states that God changes God's mind! 15:34 b, “for YHWH regretted making him ruler over Israel.” (Inclusive Bible Translation) I think it is helpful to notice when the Bible says God changes God's own mind, it reminds us that we are allowed to also! As I was taught in Process Theology, it also indicates that God is responsive to us! What we do in the world impacts God's own being, and God has to change and response to the realities that we have created.

The story goes onto say that Samuel thinks he knows what God is going to do next! Samuel is sent to make a king from one of Jesse's sons, and Samuel figures it will be the oldest one, especially when he sees that the oldest one is tall and handsome. Samuel is terribly human in that way, assuming that stature and beauty have to do with competence and blessing. Samuel is said to be rebuked by God, who does NOT care about those things. Although, I have to admit, later in the passage David is described quite exuberantly as handsome, which sort of undermines the message.

In any case, all of Jesse's sons were present, except one. The final one was the youngest, doing the task usually assigned to the youngest son, the one least likely to become the head of the family. He was herding the sheep. His father didn't choose to call for him, to join them at the feast. David had work to do, and he was doing it. But one by one, Samuel assessed that none of the older brothers had been chosen to be king. Finally he had to ask if there were any more sons, and then David was called for.

David hadn't been seen at the party, Samuel didn't know him, his family wasn't paying any attention to him. He wasn't seen, but he wasn't forgotten by God either. David in this story is presented as being a lot like that mustard seed – small and forgettable, almost invisible, and yet capable of greatness. God's work in David is also presented as being like God's work in seeds planted underground, God transforming what is possible into what is.

The story of David is of God choosing the unexpected one. The parables of Jesus are of God's mysterious power. These are stories of God at work, NOT of humans at work. I tend to like to emphasize what we are able to do in the world, how we are able to transform the world with God's love, how God is able to work with and through us. Those are true things. But they aren't the only true things. It is also true that God works when we least expect it, in the places and people we least expect to be open to it. God's mysterious work is a source of hope. Not everything is on our shoulders. Not everything good is hard. Sometimes it is OK to just float and trust in God's love and guidance. Thanks be to God. Amen

1Nibs Stroupe “Homelitcial Perspective on Mark 4:26-34” found in Feasting on the Word Year B, Volume 3 edited by Barbara Brown Taylor and David Bartlett (Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville Kentucky, 2009)143.

2Don E. Saliers “Pastoral Perspective on Mark 4:26-34” found in Feasting on the Word Year B, Volume 3 edited by Barbara Brown Taylor and David Bartlett (Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville Kentucky, 2009)142.

3Judith Hoch Wray, “Exegetical Perspective on Mark 4:26-34” found in Feasting on the Word Year B, Volume 3 edited by Barbara Brown Taylor and David Bartlett (Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville Kentucky, 2009)141.

--

Rev. Sara E. Baron

 First United Methodist Church of Schenectady 

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305 

Pronouns: she/her/hers

http://fumcschenectady.org/

https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady

[firstumcschenectady]

“An Audacious Gift” based on Deuteronomy 15:1-18 and Mark 14:3-9

Before we can examine this story of a woman anointing Jesus's head, we have to separate out what the story is from what it isn't.  Much like the Christmas stories of Luke and Matthew being subconsciously melded (FYI: Luke has shepherds, Matthew has magi, no one has both!), the multiple versions of this story have been conflated into a rather confusing whole.  Each gospel tells of Jesus, at a meal, interrupted by a woman giving him an extravagant gift.  Each gospel indicates that someone(s) is horrified by it, and leads to Jesus responding, “The poor you will always have with you” and informing us that her story has now become an intricate part of his story.

Matthew and Mark tell the same story, so there are three stories get conflated.  Here are the relevant pieces:  in LUKE, and only in Luke, the woman is named as a sinner; in JOHN, and only in John, the woman is Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus); in Luke and John Jesus' feet are anointed whereas in Matthew and Mark his head is anointed; the whole wiping his feet with hair and tears thing is unique to Luke; the objector is Judas in John while it is the pharisees in Luke, some people in Mark, and the disciples in Matthew; and in Luke an extra parable is thrown in as part of Jesus' counter objection.

As the Jesus Seminar puts it, “In all probability, the story of a woman intruder anointing Jesus during a symposium (dinner or males) took various forms as it was related in the oral tradition,”1 and “The Fellows of the Jesus Seminar were of the opinion that the original form of the story is beyond recovery.”2

Which is to say, there are three stories based on something that might have happened, which are each told to make their own points.  Today we're looking at Mark's story, and we're going to derive meaning from Mark's story.  One of the great benefits of having various versions of a story is that we can assume they've each developed to offer us different – and necessary – points of view and lessons.

In Mark, Jesus' head is anointed.  According to The Jewish Annotated New Testament, “Jesus is anointed; the action could be either that of anointing a king or of preparing a body for burial.  Mark's principle of irony would suggest both.”3 The story comes 2 days before Passover in Mark, giving an easy connection to the need to anoint his body before his burial (especially since it wouldn't be anointed after his burial). However, that also means that it comes after the Palm Sunday parade in which Jesus' actions claim the kingship of Israel.  Thus it fits well as an affirmation of his role as Messiah, a symbolism very important to the early Christians who would have passed this story along.  I agree with the Jewish Annotated New Testament, I think the implication is very intentionally both and: kingship and burial.

Now, this unnamed subversive woman broke into an all male dinner party, one to which she was inherently not welcome.  She broke in to offer an extravagant and intimate gift to Jesus.  The alabaster jar of a very costly ointment of nard was likely imported from the Himalayas,4 and was more commonly used a few drops at a time.  I'm guessing, sort of like a new car, that once the jar was opened the value decreased significantly.  This unnamed woman opened the jar and poured it ALL onto Jesus' head.  Mark says that this is a gesture made with fragrant ointment worth about $15,000.

As Pheme Perkins puts it in the New Interpreter's Bible, “The expansive gesture, breaking and pouring out the entire vial of expensive ointment rather than using a few drops, forms a foil to the cheapness of Jesus' life in the eyes of those who seek to destroy him.”5 SNAP. Wow. This unnamed woman is presented as understanding Jesus' ministry, passion, purpose, and value.  In particular, she's presented as understanding what the disciples do not.  Perkins says, “The nameless woman's gestures shows that Jesus' followers still do not grasp the necessity of his passion.”6 (The passion in this case being the more formal definition of his suffering and death.) She stands in contrast to the men.  Her action indicates a profound understanding of what is happening, while they remain in denial.  Their RESPONSES to her action indicate exactly how deep that denial runs.

They respond with objections, suggesting that her action was an inappropriate use of resources.  I don't believe them.  I think they were jealous of her wisdom, or infuriated at  her audacity in breaking into their dinner, or ashamed they hadn't thought to respond with such vulnerability, or just annoyed with the drama, or maybe all of it.  I think they were displeased with this woman, and her presence at their dinner, and her grand gesture and they found some justification from their displeasure and projected it.  I think this because I've been human for a while now, and I know that's how I work, and my reading suggests I'm not alone!  We feel things, and then we justify them.  The disciples with Jesus that night did it. They felt annoyed, jealous, ashamed, or something uncomfortable and they justified it by condemning this woman's profound and generous gesture and proclaiming that she was acting unrighteously.

They suggest that the vial should have been sold and the money given to the poor.  This is how we know they really didn't get it.  Jesus has been teaching them about kin-dom values for quite a while, but they still stand in the normal values of the world.  They see the expensive ointment and assign to it a monetary value.  The woman looked at resource she had, and used it for the best possible use.  Here's the thing, at some point, if it is not to be wasted, an expensive container of perfumed ointment will be used, right?  I mean, it is possible that it could be bought and sold for years or decades on end, and I suspect it would eventually even lose value in aging (who knows, I could be wrong), but in the end the purpose of it is to be USED. So, if it was going to be used someday, what better day and what better person than Jesus?

The unnamed woman uses what she has to acknowledge his importance (anointing of kings), to respond to his faithfulness (which would get him killed), and to prepare him for burial (a gift he received only from her).  By using it on Jesus, she implies that there is no higher purpose for this gift than to anoint Jesus.  By using on Jesus, she implies that she understands that the time of his death was impending, and she wanted to ease his terrible journey.

It is a profound gift.  Selling the ointment so that someone else had it and could use it some other day for some other person, even to give the proceeds to the poor, would have valued Jesus less.

The disciples were still in denial about the imminent death of Jesus, I think that's the core of why they responded so poorly to her action. They didn't want it to be true.  However, this woman – whoever she was – was willing to face reality.  When Jesus speaks of her, and says her action will be told, there is another irony.  Her action is told, but her name is not.  As The Jewish Annotated Bible puts it, “The anointing will be told in remembrance of her, but her name is not given.  Perhaps the omission of her name is ironic: the unnamed 'everywoman' understands him, while the named disciples, the authority figures of old (from the author's point of view), do not.”7

Now, the named objection to her action is in the care of the poor, and commentators believe that Jesus' answer was a reference to Deuteronomy 15:118, a portion of the text we read this morning about the Sabbatical year which was aimed to prevent generational cycles of poverty.  It says, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’”  Perkins takes this a bit further, saying, “Jesus points out that the Law (Deut 15:11) makes everyone responsible for helping the poor. If the poor are in desperate need, then this woman's failure to donate the cost of the ointment is neither the cause nor the cure.”9 I would agree.  The whole of society was aimed at enriching the already wealthy and powerful on the backs of the poor and powerless. One charitable action would not have transformed that system.  On the other hand, she guided Jesus on his way to death, and his death and resurrection have been significant in transforming society (even if the process is still ongoing).

I've always struggled with that one line in this story, about the poor always being with us.  It has felt like a contrast to the vision of the kindom, and the values of the Sermon on the Mount.  It has felt like giving up on the world as it should be.  However, the referenced verse, in context, sounds much different.  Instead of passively accepting poverty as a part of the economy of the world, the Deuteronomy passage aims to minimize extreme poverty, AND AT THE SAME TIME admits that no system will be perfect.  Thus it calls for compassion and generosity as well.  The whole of the Torah seeks to create a just society, in particular by giving each family access to land the freedom to benefit from its wealth.  However, it knows that widows, orphans, and foreigners will not benefit like everyone else, and so it finds ways to care for them too.  In this context, it sounds more like Jesus saying, “life will never be totally fair, and some people will always be on the bottom, but create a fair system anyway and take care of those who struggle in that system too.”  Its a bit different than the verse I've tried to make sense of for all these years.

To return to this profound, subversive, audacious, and compassionate woman, I wonder what it would be like to follow in her footsteps. She listened well, and maybe not even to Jesus.  We don't know that they'd met.  It may simply be that she knew the ways of the world and could read the signs of the days and could tell what was coming.  But she listened, even to the unpleasantness, and she found a way to respond.

I think some of us are more like this woman than we are like other Biblical characters.  The most likely explanation for her having a very expensive container of perfumed ointment is that she was wealthy.  Like many generous donors around here, she choose to use some of what she had because it was exactly what was needed at that moment.  Unlike in his response to the “wealthy young man,” Jesus doesn't ask for all that she had, he simply accepts the gift that she gives.  

She uses what she has for the kindom of God, and the vision of Jesus. Its value in her eyes is its usefulness to Jesus, not the resale value!  What a wonderful way to think of our resources – both the physical ones and time, energy, passion, and labor we have to give. Whatever the market value of them may be, the most important usefulness of them is in loving God and loving our neighbors. Figuring that out may not be simple, linear, or obvious, but will always be wonderful.  May we figure it out! Amen

1Robert W. Funk, Roy W Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus (HarperOneUSA, 1993), 115.

2Funk et al,  116.

3The Jewish Annotated New Testament: New Revised Standard Version Bible Translation, edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), 88.

4The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 88.

5Pheme Perkins “Mark” in The New Interpreter's Bible Vol. 8 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995), 698.

6Perkins, 698.

7The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 88-89.

8Funk et al, 116.

9Perkins, 699.

Rev. Sara E. Baron

First United Methodist Church of Schenectady

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305

Pronouns: she/her/hers

http://fumcschenectady.org/ https://www.facebook.com/FUMCSchenectady