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Book of Glory II

Vine and Branches

There are many interpretations of whom or what the branches and fruits symbolize. The disciples would recall the many prophets who likened Israel to a vine that was barren and that stole the sap of life from the branches that had potential to produce fruit. William Barclay, John MacArthur and others suggest Jesus is referring to Judas, the Jews who refused to accept Christ, and/or those whose faith consists “of profession without practice, words without deeds” (Barclay, The Gospel of John).

St. Cyril of Alexandria indicates that the dead branches symbolize our sin and weakness;

“From Christ and in Christ, we have been reborn through the Spirit in order to bear the fruit of life; not the fruit of our old, sinful life but the fruit of a new life founded upon our faith in him and our love for him.”

The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible suggests that the parable is Eucharistic in nature. The passage itself lends to the interpretation that the fruits produced include the ministry, mission, and miraculous healings which true followers will bring about.

According to Barclay, new branches in a vineyard are cut back drastically during their first three years, so that they can conserve life and energy. They thereby become stronger and more fruitful at a future time. Spiritual maturation takes time and patience; excessive attention and diligence on the part of the vinedresser.

Like Christ’s incarnation, a vineyard is planted and nurtured intentionally. The Vinedresser is busy pruning and such, however, the Vine is passive in that it carries the life sap needed for growth, but it does not discern for itself where to send the sap. Likewise, the branches are passive and can do nothing to bring about the fruit. They simply exist as a part of a larger process which they know nothing about.

This is, therefore, not a lesson on sin, false disciples, or ministry, but a gospel which advocates doing nothing apart from surrendering and abiding in Christ. He is instructing the disciples on such acceptance of outside forces and meekness with full knowledge that He will crucified within a day. Jesus did indeed do nothing to save Himself in the face of His death. He actively chose to allow the life-saving sap of the Father’s will to flow through Him for the benefit of us branches.

Because Jesus sent the Paraclete to us, the fruits of the vine include the Fruits of the Holy Spirit; charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity. These gifts are needed for loving relationships with others, and give us the tools to obey Jesus’ law of love. The idea of laying down one’s life seems like a grand gesture involving death, however we “lay down” our lives each time we put aside our own interests and needs to reach out to others.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary says “this brings vine imagery into the “indwelling language” of the farewell discourses.” Jesus is the vine regardless of our interpretation of the symbolism of the branches and fruit. He is the connection between branches, thereby linking individuals, peoples and ministries. This parable makes the dependency that we have on Christ for life within the vineyard unquestionable. Life within the vineyard is only possible because of the existence of the vine, of Christ.

How do we know who dwells within the vineyard? If a branch belongs to another Vinedresser do we interact with that branch differently? The branches do not know what fellow branches belong to His own Vinedresser; they only know their vine, and the strength of the sap flowing into them. By obeying Christ’s law of love, using the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, we are responding to His life-giving love within others in a way that honors our intimacy with Him.

Journal Questions:

What is your particular ministry? How do you know that it is the Lord’s will?
How do you balance tolerance and acceptance of those who don’t believe in an indwelling Christ with your understanding that He does do so?

Writing Exercise:

Identify a situation in your life in which you limited your efforts or activities to conserve life and energy. Concentrate on the result of such pruning, and the fruit that eventually developed.

Creative Arts:

Fabric art- Develop a piece involving vines and branches.

Paper art- Make a piece of any sort, then cut the art into two or more fragments and use those parts in some new work.

Home arts- Think of the various activities you are involved in; where’s the dead wood, what activities need to be cut or limited to become stronger? What is your particular ministry? Create an “action plan” with a mind to strengthening those efforts that may lead to greater fruit.

Book of Glory I

The Way, the Truth, the Life

Jesus is The Way, the Truth, the Life. The Lord is the creator of life; Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one; John tells us that Jesus was with God from the beginning of time. Thus, Jesus was with God during creation and is the co-creator of life. He is alpha and omega of all time and existence, but He is the beginning and end of our own stories as well. Because He dwells within, He is the Creator of every heart full of compassion, mercy, and forgiveness.

The disciples are continually asking Jesus where he’s going and why they can’t go with Him. Jesus says that he is going to prepare a place, to be with the Father; there are many rooms within God’s house. In saying that He is the Way, Christ is implying that our spiritual journeys lead to a specific destination. This conversation occurs at the Last Supper, about the time of Passover which is a feast to celebrate freedom. This freedom involved leaving the place of slavery and discovering a new home which God had given to them.

Barclay mentions the theology of several of the early church fathers; they suggested that there were many levels and stages of heaven. This notion also existed in Judaism in Christ’s day. This idea of layers of Heaven indicates, albeit metaphysically, a notion of location; how can we conceptualize arrival without having a “spot” at which to arrive at? Barclay proposes that Jesus could have simply been suggesting there is room for everyone in Heaven. Either way, these are concepts of Heaven, as is the understanding of Heaven on Earth, because we can’t pinpoint Heaven on a map, or experience it in its fullness until death.

If Heaven is not a place on a physical map but a spiritual “location,” conversely our placement on the earth can be conceived of as spiritual whereabouts. The ancient Celts had the notion of ‘thin places,’ physical locations in which the boundaries between the physical and spiritual were flimsy. Christ says to His disciples, “Where I AM, you there will also be.” This again indicates a location. If He dwells within another person’s heart as Spirit, if that is “where He is,” then we dwell within that heart as well.

The place on the map in which all Christians can meet and find Christ dwelling therein is at the crucifix. We come from different countries and circumstance. Despite travels, reading, and mass media, we each have limited knowledge of the details of other people’s lives. The cross is and was concrete; it was a recorded event that happened within human place and time. It is real to all believers; a place accessible to all of us simultaneously.

In this way, the cross is the only “physical place” where all Christians can meet. Most of us own a tangible representation of the cross, and so we can meet others “there.” With our crosses in hand or in sight, the context for our understanding Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life becomes our awareness of the other souls and spirits at the foot of His cross.

Journal Questions:

What experiences have you had of arriving at a spiritual destination? You may or may not have planned your excursion; for example, you may have celebrated a sacrament, but you may have experienced an unexpected, unplanned epiphany.

Writing Exercise:

Think of a physical location that is important to you. Reflect on that location’s place in the spiritual world. Develop a narrative in which you meet others or another here.

Creative Arts:

Fabric arts- Represent a spiritual location that is also a physical place. Try to capture the nature of its simultaneous significance.

Paper Arts- Create a piece using a representation of the cross; however, depict people that you might meet there.

Home arts- Visit a place that is physical, yet has spiritual significance to you; pay attention to your interactions with other people there. Consider the impact of the physical interaction on the spirits of those involved.

Holy Thursday 2014

John 13:1-15

Peter responses to Jesus’ explanation as to why he needs his feet washed with childlike, wholehearted, over-the-top, “Heck with my feet, my whole body!” affection and enthusiasm. Like Peter, we want to make grand gestures; “bigger is better.” In this act, Jesus is saying that holiness involves ‘wee-bits.’ Because feet-washing was commonplace and ordinary, He is also indicating that holiness involves the intention and compassion behind daily, banal tasks.

Jesus is doing much more than being a role model and giving an example. As slaves typically washed the feet of a guest as a gesture of hospitality and hygiene in preparation of a meal, by washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus is inviting and welcoming them into “Church,” and most fundamentally into the Eternal Banquet. Barclay points out that entering a home clean is analogous to entering the Church through baptism. In washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus makes it clear; it’s not enough to be clean. We must also perform commonplace, wee-bit acts of compassion, love and mercy.

In the Testament of Abraham (considered apocalyptic literature of Jewish origin), Abraham tells Isaac to wash the feet of Michael, the angel sent to tell Abraham that it’s time to die. Michael is so moved by the gesture that he cries, returns to the Lord, and tells Him that he (Michael) did not tell Abraham of his death, because Abraham was “too nice” (The Encyclopedia of Angels, Rosemary Guiley, Infopress, 2004). Perhaps similarly, Jesus is acknowledging the holiness (in spite of their humanity) of his disciples. The washing of feet had come to be expected for hygiene reasons; however, it would tend towards overtones of care and thoughtfulness superseding convention.

Moreover, in washing their feet He may be blessing them and endowing them with greater holiness. While commentaries do not make this point, we need to remember that the hands washing their feet are the same hands with the power to touch and heal most probably thousands of people.

“The same Greek words that Jesus uses laying down his life in taking up again in John 10:17-18 are here employed to describe how Jesus ‘laid aside’ his garments (13:4) in service” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible). The same commentary states that Christ’s clothes are symbolic of His human life. In reconciling these two ideas, we realize that when the overlay of clothes and humanity are stripped away from Jesus at the foot- washing, later at the scourging, and earlier at His baptism, He is most clearly exposed as Divine.

Like the feet-washing, these charitable acts prepare us for Christ’s instruction; they open the heart and till the soil so that we are ready for the seeds of His teaching. Indeed, there are four chapters in John’s gospel between the feet- washing in the evening and the agony in the Garden the following morning. These chapters are referred to as the ‘Book of Glory’ and they are his final instructions to His disciples. Because they are embedded in the Passion story, yet not included in the Holy Week liturgies, reflections on each of the five segments within the book will be posted on this website.

Journal Questions

List the everyday, ordinary tasks you perform.
What are your attitudes, emotions and intentions with regards to them?
How do you welcome people into your church, home, or community?

Writing Exercise

Remember a time in which you have felt naked or exposed. How has that led to greater holiness?

Creative Arts

Fabric Arts-Construct a piece or quilting square that somehow utilizes or represents “wee-bits.”

Paper Arts-Father Bob Gilroy (whose art is used on this website) has a painting called The Last Supper(http://www.prayerwindows.com/gallery/) (Third Phase, #18). Using that piece as inspiration, title a work similarly, and proceed to create it.

Home Arts Activity-Think of and do wee-bit acts of compassion and service above and beyond what you do already.

Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-11

In Homily 81, St. Jerome states that the donkey that Jesus rides in the procession into Jerusalem represents Israel and their long-standing relationship with the Lord, while the colt signifies the new faith of the Gentiles. St. Jerome argues that because the Lord is carried into the city by both he is symbolically ushering Jews and Gentiles together into the Church (Ignatius Catholic Bible Study). Within us too dwells a piece of our character long familiar with God, and another in which He often seems like an unwanted foreigner. We alone cannot reconcile the two, and like the infant church of Jew and Gentile, only the Lord can integrate them together.

There do not appear to be many references in the Old Testament to the word ‘Hosanna.’ However, during each morning of the Feast of Tabernacles, prayers called ‘hosannas’ are recited, and the seventh day of the celebration is called ‘the Great Hosanna.’ Although Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on this occasion is not connected to that feast, in Jewish custom seven is a number of ‘divine completion’. This element of the word ‘Hosanna’ would have been common knowledge to the Jews welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem. He rides from the East towards the city on a donkey and a colt thus fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy (9:9) and Isaiah 62:11. As depicted in 1 Kings 1:32-40, Macc 5:45-54, Josephus, War 7:70-71 (The New Oxford Annotated Bible), palm branches were customarily used to greet a king home after a successful battle. Here, however, He arrives on a humble donkey in peace. Indeed, Christ does Divinely complete the prophesies.

The term ‘Hosanna’ means ‘Save us,’ but became over time in Jewish custom an expression of joy, praise, and devotion. It was used in this way during the Feast of Tabernacles. Resources state that the original meaning of ‘Hosanna’ was lost, and morphed into this expression of joy. This is ironic because, indeed, the people saying ‘Hosanna’ did in fact need to be saved. With insight and hindsight we understand that salvation and joy are inexplicably linked. Perhaps each is richest when they join together. Is there not ultimate joy in the Passion, for it leads to the Resurrection? So too, many such moments of joy and salvation are mini-moments of Divine completion. His death did save us, and should move us to express joy.

Journal Questions

Chunk your life into compartments (list them.)
In which pieces has the Lord also been present, and in what areas is He an interloper?
How can you open yourself to His presence more fully?

Writing Exercise

Recount a time of great joy. Was there a possible salvation within that moment of joy? How did the moment lead to completion or fulfillment?

Creative Arts

Fabric Arts-Use seven elements in a piece, and reflect on your sense of its “completion,” or lack thereof.

Paper Arts– Create a piece titled ‘Hosanna.’

Home Arts- Plan a celebration and somehow symbolize within that celebration what you have been saved from.

Lent 5th Sunday 2014

Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45

The Ezekiel passage harkens back to creation; the spirit, breath, wind of God, “Ruach,” is required for life (The New Interpreter’s Bible). Life without it is dry and dead, like the bones. Nature provides flesh and form, however, only the Trinity can animate life, i.e. bring life to life. The Spirit of God brings us life; while following Jesus brings us an understanding of this “Ruach.”

Christ receives new life while Lazarus is given the same life; in other words, Christ is resurrected while Lazarus is reanimated. We have often been called to be Christ and carry our crosses, however, sometimes we are summoned by Christ, our friend and savior; we are reawakened. Jesus is sent for by His friends in need, Mary and Martha are asked to have faith, and Lazarus is called to a rebirth.

So often when Christ performs a healing He says, “Your faith has saved you.” Mary and Martha are not passive recipients of a miracle, they are actively involved. We think of “doing something” as an activity of hands, feet, and/or the brain, however, faith is an internal disposition and requires as much energy, focus and intention as physical actions. So too, when Jesus comes to our rescue, He invites us to believe in Him with an active heart and experience a reawakening. Like Lazarus, we too need to be untied and set free to experience true new life.

The disciples and others at the tomb blame Jesus for the delay in his response; we are not told why He remained in Judea two “extra” days. Perhaps, because He knows the danger and ultimate outcome of entering Jerusalem, he’s spending this time in prayer. The anguish in the garden will be a time for decision, however, He knows what is in store and has many choice points leading up to that moment.

“He sees the light of this world,” and “he stumbles because the light is not in him,” become clearer if we capitalize the ‘l.’ We are then saying, “I can walk surefooted if I see Christ in the world, and I will stumble if He does not dwell within me.” Our spiritual well-being depends upon our openness to seeing Him in our everyday lives, but He must also have a home within us.

Journal Questions:

In what circumstances have you experienced Ruach? How did you perceive it at the time, and how do you understand it now?

Have you had situations in which there appeared to be a moment of decision, however, you realize in hindsight there were many choice points leading up to that moment? Reflect on these circumstances.

Writing Exercise:

Write three distinct narratives; a) a situation when a friend needed your help, b) a time when your faith required energy, intention, and focus, c) circumstances in which Christ gave you a “wake-up” call. Try to carry one element through all three narratives.

Creative arts:

Fabric Arts- Knit or crochet a prayer shawl in which the embellishments on it represent Ruach, or Light.

Paper Arts- Paint or represent dead, dry bones coming to life, and Ruach animating those bones. The bones represent elements of your life and you may care to depict them using other symbols.

Home Arts- Identify someone whom you think of as having Ruach or the Light of Christ within them. Reach out to that person, or group of people in some way. For example, maybe you have a co-worker who seems extraordinarily compassionate or intuitive. Perhaps you tell them your observation, or surprise them with cookies or a card.