biblical reflection – Page 3

Solemnity Body/Blood of Christ: 2023

I woke up this morning, as I often do, checking in with my body. No bad leg cramps in the night, check. Took high cholesterol meds before bed, check. In fact, took vitamins and supplements as intended yesterday. Check. Keep it up, M… Forgot to take a walk or work out yesterday. Oops. Food? Ehh… still working on eating healthier! But hey, today is a new day…

This sort of checking in with the body is a typical morning routine for many. Studies indicate that people in the USA, 25 years or older spend an average of 90 minutes a day on health-related self-care. And we should. Our bodies have been gifted to us by the Lord so we ought to take good care of them. I admittedly fall short on this task!

Meanwhile, a study on how people spend their time suggests that Americans help others through charity and volunteering about an hour a week. The study also indicated that much of the time people spend helping others is done informally, not through registered organizations. Clearly, we each spend time taking care of family members, co-workers and friends every day. The study also stated that 11% of the charitable organizations in the USA ceased to operated because of Covid.

The Body of Christ, if by that we mean all those people around us, those we know and don’t know, must have lots of unaddressed aches and pains, illnesses and wounds, if we are dedicating so little time and effort on its care as a collective! Health-related self-care is important, but what if we all spent an equal amount of time on caring for the Body of Christ? An hour and a half a day…

The menu-style to-do list of caring for the Body of Christ has many more options on it than it used to. We can help people by— reaching out to those we’ve not been in touch with for awhile, writing a kind online review about a business or restaurant we went to recently, writing compassionate and empathetic Facebook posts, praying for others, regularly maintaining a gratitude journal, signing up for a ‘random act of kindness a day’ blog post, encouraging younger people who face increased social anxiety due to isolation during their social skill formation years, engaging in a journal retreat posted on this site, holding our tongues and minding our manners— to name a few.

A study cited in the New York Times last year, suggested that as a whole, people are less creative, outgoing, conscience, and agreeable than they were before the Pandemic. This suggests that there are a greater number of things we can do to address the needs of the Body of Christ then there used to be; ways to be charitable and helpful that we’ve not yet thought of because the Body is suffering in new ways.

The saints used to pray for hardships because they understood that with difficulties come opportunities. The first reading suggests that the Lord gave the Israelites the opportunity to return to Him by providing them with 40 years of desert hardships. Wasn’t the Lord thoughtful! And frankly, the Pandemic has certainly left opportunity behind in its wake!

Reflection Questions

How much time do you spend, at present, on caring for ‘the Body of Christ?’ Could you do more?
Brainstorm, in list format, as quick as you can, all the needs you see around you. Brainstorm, in list form, all you could do.
Pick 1 need that you see and 3 things you could do about it. Explore in writing the need, as well as the time and resources needed to address it. Create an action plan. Put it in play, and reflect on your efforts.

16th Sunday, OT 2019

Abraham and Martha

I strive to be the hostess with the mostess, as people come to visit me in me new town and me new apartment. Some seem to think I’m anxious and attempt to reassure me. “It’s all good… you don’t have to try so hard… I just want to hang out with you,” they say. But I’m not worried about my company having a good time— I’m excited they have come and want them to have the best time ever.

I like to think, with my effort to plan favorite foods and things to do, that I’m a hostess rather like Abraham serving his guests in today’s first reading. Abraham and Martha are doing the same things, and together, offer a beautiful either or.

We generally understand the either-or of Mary and Martha … to do or to be … to listen or to serve. Through the washing of the feet at the Last Supper, Jesus is crystal clear about the importance of serving others. This suggests, perhaps, when He says to Martha, “Mary has taken the better part,” He is pointing out Mary’s contentment, peace and joy in contrast to Martha’s worry, resentment and pettiness.

According to the archeologists of Time Team, in the Middle Ages, in addition to caring for the sick, hospitals also served as hostels and hotels: they looked after those traveling or on pilgrimage. It strikes me these two groups of folks are very similar in a spiritual way, for every illness seems a sort of journey, and every journey carries an element of vulnerability, often physical. Who among us does not find needed restoration and healing from normal wear and tear when greeted with our favorite food and drink, smiles and kind words?

Unlike Martha, Abraham’s joy and enthusiasm, hope and liveliness cascade off him in ripples as he serves and waits on his guests. I wonder, “Does he know he’s welcoming the Lord and/or His messenger?” The word enthusiasm, which Abraham embodies perfectly, comes from Latin, en theo or in God. God encourages us, through the example of His friend, Abraham, to go over the top, to pull out all the spots and to travel the extra mile for our guests, whether stranger or friend. Like Abraham, are we not welcoming the Lord Himself?

To Journal About:

1. I recount a time when I was a traveler and a stranger helped me. I also remember a time when I was ill and needed looking after. I then compare and constrast these two different situations.
2. How do I evaluate my efforts when I play hostess? What changes might I make if I remember it ’tis the Lord visiting me?

14-15th Sunday in OT

Neighbors and Internal Peace

I met a Congregational minister the other day as I was leaving work; we stood in the parking lot for a solid twenty minutes talking about this and that. She said in reference to her job, “It’s the best job in the world; all’s I have to do is love people. That’s it!” Me too, I had said. I work as an Activities Specialist serving those with Dementia. My job is to know, listen and pay attention to folks, to bring joy, love and peace where possible.

But even loving people all day long ain’t a cake-walk. It’s too easy to become absorbed in intentional or accidental insults or dismissals; personal insecurities and anxieties creep and/or leap into word, deed and perception.

My mom used to say that while the compromising and negotiating required in an intimate relationship is not a breeze, when we live alone, we are super susceptible to self-absorption, selfishness and self-centeredness. As I have lived alone most of my life, she used to advise me to put myself into situations in which I was compelled by circumstances to think of others not myself.

This week’s gospel reading, the parable of the Good Samaritan, led me to reflect on Mom’s words. When I started to analyze the time and energy I spent on self verses other as an either/or I was appalled and embarrassed at the imbalance.

I’ve begun to intentionally recalibrate this equation. I encourage myself to ask, “What’s going on for Suzy-Q? How is God present here? Is there anything merciful or compassionate I could be doing to help?” Considering these questions brings me more peace and joy then crossed-eyed, near-sighted, navel gazing.

In last week’s gospel Jesus promises internal peace, but perhaps this is not possible if one is not focused on others to a greater degree than on oneself. What do you think?

Journal Questions:

1. What is the current proportion between time and attention I give to myself vs. others?
2. What could or might I do to shift the balance?
3. I will return to this journal topic in a few weeks to discuss the impact of any changes I’ve made.

13th Sunday in OT 2019

This week’s Sunday’s readings begin by recounting Elisha’s reaction to the call to follow Elijah; and in the gospel Jesus gives more information about how we are to answer His invitation to discipleship. Elisha models for us the ideal response … tidy up loose ends, celebrate the call with loved ones, say farewell, and leave your old way of life behind. In fact, the Paulist Biblical Commentary refers to this passage in 1 Kings as a ‘vocation story.’

We know the word vocation to refer to a call, profession, mission or ministry; many of us have discerned our vocation. Such experiences of a call from the Lord typically seem to be a specific invitation issued once, with a few clarifying communiques in the course of a life-time.

But the words vocal and voice also share the same Proto-Indo-European root as the word vocation. The shared root means to speak. We may wonder, then, not only the content, the what that the Lord is calling us to do, but about the nature of our Speaker’s Voice.

Before Elijah throws his coat over Elisha, he and the Lord had a fairly extensive tete’-a-tete’ … the Lord prepared Elijah for His presence by stating He would be present but not in the wind or fire or a storm. Although the Lord was often present to the Israelites through these natural phenomenon, He suggests to Elijah, this time He would be present in yet another, additional way, in the no-sound.

Similarly, we too hear the Lord’s voice in storms, the no-sound and the wind. In the New Testament, The Holy Spirit is often compared to wind.

Wind never really stops. Some days it’s very noticeable, but it is just ‘the flow of gases,’ and truthfully, on planet Earth, gases are always flowing, hence there is air to breathe and carbon-based life-forms survive. But we carbon-based life forms don’t tend to notice the flow of gases.

Jesus says to our three unidentified would-be disciples, in turn, the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head, let the dead bury the dead and whoever puts his hand to the plow but looks to what’s left behind is not fit for the Kingdom. These seem to me to be nuanced and various ways of reminding us time will not stand still, the Kingdom of the Shepherd is here and now, and His voice, His call, His Music, like the Wind, never cease.

Journal Reflection Questions

1. Where am I in the discernment process of my ‘call?’ Am I listening for a new to-do list, or have I noticed His voice, His call just never ceases to be?
2. What changes could I make so I am able to hear His voice or notice His Presence more often? What changes could I make so I am able to just sit with Him and enjoy His Presence more frequently?
3. What might change in my life, if I did so?

Theology within English Grammar

I was shocked at the age of 50, despite having taken a plethora of courses for my BA in English eons ago, to learn that our language does not have a future tense. According to the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, the word we assume and use to indicate a future tense, will, does not behave as it should, but rather acts like a mood marker and is thought to specifically signal the hypothetical.

You might argue, if I use a word to indicate the future, then that is what it does, however, our language seems to instinctually understand we simply cannot know the future. Any plan, intention or expectation for a future occurrence is never certain. For example, I might say, “I will take out the garbage… it’ll rain… you’ll have a great time when you visit.” These are indeed hypothetical: a million things could prevent them from coming to pass. In fact, all that can go wrong in the course of a day causes most of us significant anxiety and we put great effort into steering our ship so our desired future is more likely.

But we are not each a universe of one. Other people, with their attitudes, motivations, preoccupations, often derail, interrupt, and interfere with our clock-work precise plans. Conflicting agendas abound. Very frustrating …

… but then I remember we together comprise The Body of Christ, the Church. The Lord has counted the hairs on annoying people’s heads and knows their hearts and souls as well as He knows mine. I do not know the invitations He has issued to them. I have no clue as to the options, potentials, hypotheticals which might spring into my life as a result of their response, their acceptance or rejection of His Love and Gifts.

With the Lord at our side, witnessing the unfolding of hypotheticals can be rather like watching a draw bridge open when we did not realize that that piece of road could swing and shift, rotate and be moved.

Reflection Exercises:

- - With a three or 5 minute time-limit, jot down your hopes for your future.
  - Then return to the list, asking yourself, if it is a hypothetical, what other possibilties or options may surface. Write about each in turn.
  - Finally, reflect on how you feel after reframing your future as a hypothetical.