This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent. The introduction of a new group of people (some Greeks) indicates a new narrative and thrust of the gospel message. Anyone could “see” Jesus as he was in the Temple precincts. I think it is a given that the Greeks wanted more. Continue reading
Part of the baptismal ceremony for infants is the blessing of the waters of the sacrament. It is a wonderful blessing that tells the history of salvation through the story of the living waters. It is a panorama of events from Sacred Scripture: “At the very dawn of creation your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. The waters of the great flood you made a sign of the waters of baptism, that make an end of sin and a new beginning of goodness. Through the waters of the Red Sea you led Israel out of slavery, to be an image of God’s holy people, set free from sin by baptism. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. Your Son willed that water and blood should flow from his side as he hung upon the cross.” Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent. In John 11:47, as Jesus’ popularity grew, the Pharisee had asked of one another: what are we to do? The Pharisees themselves testify to the fulfillment of their fears in v.19: “So the Pharisees said to one another, “‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him.’” Their confession of vulnerability (“You see that you are gaining nothing”); their hyperbolic announcement that the “world” (kosmos) has gone after Jesus provides ironic testimony to the truth of Caiaphas’s prophecy: 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. (John 11:50-02) Continue reading
The Prophet Isaiah lived in times there were indeed troubled: foreign armies at the walls of the city, kings that had led the people astray from Covenant faithfulness, relying on alliances, warriors and gold to fend off the invaders from nations far larger than Israel. Yet for Isaiah, the vision of God’s majesty was so overwhelming that military and political power faded into insignificance. He constantly called the people back to a reliance on God’s promises and away from vain attempts to find security in human plans and intrigues. Isaiah insisted on the ethical behavior that was required of human beings who wished to live in the presence of such a holy God. Inevitably the people failed and Isaiah then delivered the message of judgment upon the people… but always with a parallel message of hope. It was never too late to turn to God. Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Lent in Lectionary Cycle B. During Ordinary Times, the lectionary selection for readings largely follow the flow the gospel accounts. But this is Lent and the gospels are taken to reflect, not the sequence of gospel events, but large themes important to the Lenten season. Previously on the 4th Sunday of Lent we read from John 3; this week we jump all the way to John 12. This chapter is located at the end of a multi-chapter section called the “Book of Signs” which contains all the miracle stories from the Gospel of John. A quick recounting of preceding events include: the anointing of Jesus’ feet by Mary a type of burial anointing, the triumphs entry into Jerusalem, and then our gospel. Continue reading
I think it is fair to say that I am a card-carrying, fully committed Bible nerd. If you are a regular reader of friarmusings.com then you have probably realized I write biblical commentaries for fun. I even know Bible dad-jokes! When God created Adam from the clay of the earth, what time of day was it? ….just a little before Eve. [groan…] Anyway… I have been at this for a while and it is only recently that I spent time with the Book of Chronicles. I remember when I first encountered it my reaction was, “This is a repeat of the Book of Kings” … turn the page. My bad. Chronicles is a great book to read during the season of Lent. Continue reading
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. (Luke 18:10). In today’s gospel we encounter a Pharisee and tax collector in prayer. Interestingly, the pericope follows the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). While the common thread is certainly prayer, there are other aspects which bind together these two narratives. One of Luke’s ongoing themes is the inclusivity of the Gospel. In these two parables, God who hears all prayers is addressed by a (saintly and probably poor) widow and the sinful (and probably rich) male tax collector. Luke continues to demonstrate that the Reign of God is open to all – a message of keen importance to his Gentile audience. Continue reading
A Reflection from Gail O’Day
In interpreting John 3:1–21, then, it is not enough to say on the basis of the discourse in vv. 11–21, for example, that this text is about faith, decision, and judgment, because that way of interpreting diminishes the full impact of the text. One needs the preceding dialogue, with Nicodemus’s misunderstanding and Jesus’ repeated offer of new images, to understand what the words of vv. 11–21 are really saying. The interpreter must attend to how John tells this story of Jesus and Nicodemus, how he moves the reader through the give and take between the two characters and thus affords the reader the chance to understand what Nicodemus can only misunderstand. Because the reader has participated in the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, the words in vv. 11–21 are heard with more immediacy. Moreover, the reader has read the Prologue and attended to the witness of John, so that he or she has a wider theological context in which to place those words. Continue reading
The scribe’s question in our gospel from St. Mark about the greatest commandment was not posed “to test” Jesus as is done in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels. The question is, in fact, a familiar one from Jewish tradition: “Is there a way of summarizing the commandments?” Jesus gave a traditional answer. The first part is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (Shemaʿ ), but combined with another part from Leviticus 19:18. Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Lent. 19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. These three verses portray this intricate balance between judgment and decision in the metaphorical language of light and darkness. This language recalls the language and imagery of the Prologue (1:5, 9-10). To love darkness more than light is the same as not believing, and it results in judgment (v. 19). Continue reading
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