Scholars will tell us if Jesus here (and in Mark 9:42-48) is referring only to children when he speaks of the little ones or if he means those who have faith as a child does. In either case the warning is clear: We must beware of ever leading the innocent and trusting astray for the consequences are great.
In speaking with friends recently I have shared my thought that God is so generous and so magnanimous and so loving that he gives us an infinite number of opportunities to come to him and to behave as the very children he seeks to protect in this reading. Hell, in this scenario then, is the endless returning to conversion for those who refuse to enter God’s plan. It seems a just consequence to me that those who abuse others might finally submit to the infinite kindness and mercy they have so often thrown off and this is surely their Gehenna.
The Wedding BanquetWe have also spoken about the language of heaven that is spoken by those who understand and enact the words of love that God lavishes on us. For those who will not enact the plan of discipleship God has given us, there will be no way of communicating with others when we pass into the next life. Hell, in this scenario, is being present – but completely invisible – at a marvelous party. In this case those who refuse to prepare for The Wedding Feast as Jesus warns in his parables of the Ten Virgins and The Wedding Garment will not have the tools needed to be visible in this new world of joy, compassion, and loss of self in the service to others. And this is surely a version of Gehenna.
The Virgin Preparing Her Lamp at MidnightIn both of these cases, those who deceive, deny, manipulate, defraud, slander, steal and reject life in this world will have no calculus to understand the celebration they see in the next. They will have only honed their own dark instruments of death and so they will have no mechanism to understand or to enter into God’s joy. This then is Gehenna. It is a shadow world that they, and we, hope to avoid.
How difficult is it then, to prepare our own wedding garment? What does it cost us to be good stewards of the oil in our lamps so that we are ready for the bridegroom when he arrives? What is the true price of neglecting Jesus’ charge to treat the little ones well?
We will want to spend time with these questions today.
We might take time today to pause and reflect on the marvelous stories we find in this first Book of the Bible; we see humanity with all foibles and glories. Today’s Noontime is no exception to this for today we read about Isaac, the precious son of Abraham and Sarah, and we anticipate that we will hear only good of him then we will have miscalculated God and his plan for us. We will have missed the valuable lesson that the patriarchs and their families who established and passed on the covenant with the Living God are to be seen as ordinary people who make ordinary mistakes in their ordinary lives. These people about whom we read are us.
When we allow ourselves to spend time with a commentary as we sift through the details of this story, we will see that the players in this drama behave much as we do today when faced with moral, physical and political dilemmas. They weigh odds and consequences. They make decisions. They have regrets, experience deep suffering and great joy. They find that life holds no guarantees as they duplicate the labor of previous generations by re-digging Abraham’s wells. They plan and execute deceptions and endanger their tribe. They work toward and achieve success and so become objects of envy; and they are eventually sent away from the place they have made their home. They are persecuted, separated and marginalized, and they watch all that they have gained through labor move into the hands of others. Their prosperity has become their curse. Isaac, Rebekah, Abimelechand the others live out their lives struggling against their shifting circumstances and as they do they teach us much.
There was a famine . . . We too, suffer from famines and dry times in our lives, asking God what we are to do and how we are to do it.
So Isaac settled in Gerar . . . We too, make decisions about our families, our health, our jobs, hoping that we have not missed an important detail.
Isaac was afraid that if the men of the place would kill him on account of Rebekah because she was very beautiful . . . We too, enter into deception impelled by our fears.
Isaac sowed a crop and reaped a hundredfold that same year and the Philistines became envious of him . . . We too, experience prosperity that can bring problems of its own.
Isaac went up to Beer-sheba . . .We too, move house, change jobs, enter into and leave relationships as life pushes and pulls at the details of our living.
And all the while, as we are re-digging the wells first begun by our ancestors and as we call and count on God, others watch us to see what holds us up through struggling, what brings us peace in turmoil, what sustains us in desperate times. And we might pray that despite our deceptions, and despite our fears we will have lived a life worth watching. We may pray that our own Abimelech will come to us to ask: We are convinced that the Lord is with you, so we propose that there be a sworn agreement between our two sides – between you and us. Let us make a pact with you.
And when Abimelech offers this tangible sign of peace, let us also pray that we will be generous in our reply as Isaac is. And let us hope that we too, prepare a feast of celebration that God has been with us and that despite our weaknesses . . . we have witnessed to the goodness of God.
Your precepts become my songs wherever I make my home.
We move to a new home, we change our telephone number . . . yet God is always with us.
Your decrees are the theme of my songs wherever I lodge.
We lose contact with long-ago companions, we form new social connections . . . yet God is always in our circle of friends.
Your statutes have been like songs to me wherever I have lived like a stranger.
We experience the loss of someone dear to us, death arrives too early or too late . . . yet God is constantly beside us.
Your laws have become like songs to me in this place where I am a foreigner.
We find ourselves in conflict with our colleagues, a familiar face in the workplace is suddenly gone . . . yet God shares our load of work each day.
Your statutes have been my songs of praise wherever I have lived as an immigrant.
We discover that our norms have become old-fashioned; our habits are the subject of ridicule . . . yet God walks with us as we find our new way.
Your laws have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
We realize that with every sudden change and with each new turmoil we have one place of comfort that will remain the same. We have one sure, steady hand. We have one eternal, constant heart . . . the heart of God who is faithful.
Your precepts become my songs wherever I make my home.
It is in the heart of God where we might best make our constant home.
Hot Springs and Arena in Ancient TyreTyre is a city off the southern coast of present day Lebanon and it is linked to the mainland by a causeway, or siege ramp, built by Alexander the Great at the end of the fourth BCE. It consists of both a mainland city and an island, has two harbors and most likely because of its vantage point, it was the leading city of Phoenicia in the millennium before Christ. One can read about the early kings of Tyre in the works of the Jewish historian Josephus but it becomes important for scripture readers when Hiram, the king of Tyre, provides pine and the renowned tall cedars to David and Solomon for use in the construction of the Jerusalem palace and temple. Tyre is eventually invaded and destroyed by the Babylonians.
Tyre is also famous as the hometown of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, who convinced her husband to take over the vineyards of the peaceful man Naboth, who persecuted prophets, lured her husband into worshiping the gods of the Baals, and who came to an ugly death . . . just as had been predicted by prophets. (1 Kings Chapters 16, 18, 19, 21 and 2 Kings 9) Hers is a fascinating story of meteoric beauty, power and fame. She was a princess of Tyre, rising and falling in a quick but dramatic arc across ancient history.
In today’s reading we read a lament for Tyre and a prediction of her downfall, with the wreck of the ship and all she carries as allegory. The HARPER COLLINS COMMENTARY describes this oracle as beautifully crafted, and Ezekiel laments the anticipated destruction of Tyre at the hands of the Babylonians. This perfect, proud and stately beauty is lost to the storm and settles forever at the bottom of the sea. Thou art brought to nothing, and thou shalt never be anymore.
So much pride lost, so much sorrow experienced, so much pain endured. Yet in today’s MAGNIFICAT Meditation we read: The heart of man, so deep for misery, is deeper far for happiness! Misery comes to him from accident, happiness from his nature and his predestination. Father Henri-Dominique Lacordaire
We are creatures meant for joy, not for sorrow. We are children meant for resurrection, not for darkness. We brothers and sisters of the same father meant for life, not for death.
Written on April 12, 2008 and posted today as a Favorite.
Bridge over the Drina in Mostar, BosniaAs we read this chapter of Ezekiel we might be lured into what Richard Rohr – and many others – calls dualistic thinking.Decisions are made in a yes/no, black/white, off/on world. If we are able to step outside of our small perspective and move into a greater view of the world we understand that this kind of reasoning is dangerous in that it limits our vision . . . and therefore limits us. Rohr examines how life is a paradox in his blog posts at http://richardrohr.wordpress.com They are worth visiting as are his CD lectures, the webcasts and other resources on his Rohr Institute site at http://www.cac.org/ as we reflect on the way we think, the way we respond to conflict, and the way we seek resolutions to the difficult passages in our lives.
The portion of Ezekiel that we read today may be used as fuel for the fire of prejudice . . . if we allow the voice of revenge and conquest to go unchecked. As the recent events in our global community unfold, we are reminded that fanaticism can never be good. As my siblings and I grew, my Dad intoned to us regularly: Anything is a bad thing when taken to extremes . . . even a good thing.He understood that words like the ones we read today can be taken out of context, can be blown out of context and morphed in importance. Any single verse, Dad would say, when taken in isolation does not tell the whole story. Read the story. When my father and grandfather told us to read the whole story what they meant was this: stop, think, pray, listen, think, read, think, pray, share ideas, pray, think, pray . . . and act. We want to take this method with us as we plunge into Ezekiel’s words against the nations. To what does he call us?
The Old Testament Yahweh can be seen here as a god of vengeance and when we read these verses with anger in our hearts we might believe that God himself justifies the revenge we feel against those who have injured us; but we are also reminded that Yahweh’s love for creation knows no bounds.
The Old Testament Yahweh can be seen here as a god who exacts precise payment for wrongs committed; but we know that Yahweh’s generosity and compassion cannot be outdone when we remember his care for the enslaved and powerless.
The New Testament Jesus fulfills the promise of reunion and union first uttered by Yahweh.
The New Testament Jesus brings human hands and feet and voice to the mercy and compassion first shown by Yahweh.
When we find ourselves in turmoil and wishing to take revenge against the people who have injured us we must not let dualistic thinking close off possibilities of healing, reconciliation and union.
When we find ourselves in deep sorrow over a loss we have suffered we must not let simplistic rule-following to replace decision-making by a well-formed conscience.
When we feel ourselves being pulled into the vortex of darkness that would have us chant slogans that condemn, that would lead us to take an eye for an eye, that would ask us to rail against the nations . . . we must first stop to think and to pray, and to seek so that we might find . . . the forgiving, open, healing way of Christ. For it is Christ who embodies all that is good. It is Christ who brings us the outrageous hope that even the most dire circumstances may be righted. It is Christ who will help us to build bridges to the nations.
A re-post from September 15, 2012.
The name “Mostar” means “the city of bridges”. To read more about what happened to the bridges in Bosnia during the most recent Balkan wars, click on the image above or go to: http://balkansnet.org/mostar.html Follow more links on that page to read and reflect on reconciliation and revenge.
British Museum, London, England: Cuneiform tablet with part of the Babylonian ChronicleGod’s ways are just, and those who walk in pride will be brought low. Those who humble themselves for and in God will be rewarded. This is the lesson we read about today. The great and mighty Nebuchadnezzar realizes that the God of the Jewish nation is more powerful than anything known to humankind, and he wisely bows to the supremacy of this God.
Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon at the peak of its power, from 605 to 562 B.C.E. and he took pride in the building of temples and city fortifications. He is mentioned more than any other monarch in the Old Testament. He led several campaigns against Israel (in 604, in 597 and in 586) and succeeded in capturing Judah, ransacking the temple, and deporting thousands of the Jewish people. Nebuchadnezzar fought and won battles against the Middle Eastern powers in Egypt, Israel and Judah, and he consolidated this power to form a formidable empire; yet this powerful man bowed to the power of the God esteemed by Daniel, the bright young Jewish man whose God was stronger than any other power on earth. (http://www.biblehistory.net/Nebuchadnezzar.pdf)
Look for the video link labeled Babylon 612 B.C. The virtual tours are fantastic and the music inspiring. You will first have to play the “Processional Tour” and then fifteen other video clips will be available to you. I found myself watching for nearly an hour as I imagined the young Jewish men who had been taken captive and carried away to this foreign, exotic and beautiful court. How difficult it must have been to remain loyal to Yahweh and to not be drawn in by this grandeur and glory . . . and how difficult it must have been for the “madman” Nebuchadnezzar to bow to this unseen God when he controlled all he could see. This is truly a powerful God.
Written on April 12, 2009 and posted today as a Favorite.
Ruins of SamariaKing Omriwas successful in his political career and for this reason he appears in the ancient documents of several cultures. He wielded his military power well, winning battles, capturing cities, and establishing the new capital of Samaria. It seemed that anything he put his hand to was bound to do well, and yet . . . “Omri was an enormously famous and successful king, yet the Bible pays him virtually no attention. Political success, the eyes of the Biblical writers, counted for very little if an individual had turned away from God”. (Zondervan 512) We might remember Omri more if we paused to remember that he fathered the man often considered the wickedest king in Israel history, Ahab. The legacy of Omri then is this . . . he founded a major city that came to symbolize corruption, and his son numbered with the vilest of men. We may want to reflect on this a bit today.
We humans focus too often on controlling the story we hope will be told of us once we have left this earth.
We humans put too much energy in building monuments to ourselves that will eventually crumble.
We humans expend our energy and talent gathering fortune and fame while we neglect the nurturing of heart and soul.
When we consider the legacy of King Omri, founder of Samaria and father of Ahab, we see that he has a great deal to teach us from the grave.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay will destroy, and thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. (Matthew 6:19-21)
Jesus reminds his apostles – and he reminds us – that there is no point in gathering wealth and power; there is nothing eternal about building memorials to ourselves. The testimonials that are everlasting are the many small acts we commit as we love our enemies and help one another to reach the fulfillment of our true potential – our potential in Christ.
No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. (Matthew 6:24)
Jesus reminds his followers – and he reminds us – that we cannot try to live in both worlds. We cannot be “just a little dishonest”. We cannot turn a blind eye to corruption. We cannot tell “just one little lie” for once we begin our journey into the world of Omri the lure of false success is too strong. The end of that journey will be the monument we build to ourselves – an evil dwelling and wicked offspring.
Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be given to you besides. (Matthew 6:33)
Once we learn to rely on God rather than the world of reputation and affluence . . . we will have taken the first steps in securing a legacy that will serve us forever.
We have visited with this book several times during our Noontime reflections and we know that it, along with the book of Ezra, describes the restoration time of the Jewish nation. We know that Nehemiahwas the administrator who is credited with the rebuilding of the temple and walls while his friend Ezra, the priest, rebuilt the religious traditions of the Jewish people. Together these men led their community to recovery through work, prayer and a close connection with their God.
The survivors of the captivity there in the province are in great distress and under reproach.
We constantly bump into people who are in great distress and under reproach.There are times when we ourselves are the victim of abuse of one kind or another, times when we too, suffer greatly in that we are separated from some one, some thing or some tradition which used to comfort us and bring us peace. When we find ourselves in exile . . . and we yearn for reconciliation . . . the best remedy for this affliction is to do as Nehemiah did: I prayed: O Lord, God of heaven, great and awesome God, you who preserve your covenant of mercy towards those who love you and keep your commandments, may your ear be attentive, may your eyes be open, to heed the prayer which I, your servant, now offer in your presence day and night for your servants the Israelites, confessing the sins which we of Israel have committed against you, I and my father’s house included.
This was Nehemiah’s vocation, that he call together a buffeted and distracted people to bring them home to Yahweh where they might be healed and restored. It is our vocation as well, for as Christians we too are called to help in the gathering, fishing and harvesting work of God’s kingdom. To this we are called. For this we are made. Let us pray with Nehemiah . . .
O Lord, may your ear be attentive to my prayer and that of your willing servants who revere your name. Grant success to your servant this day . . . and all days.
Our vocation is to build and rebuild, to restore, to bring unity out of chaos, to bring light into the darkness, to bring hope to the desperate. And we are never alone in this work. We are constantly accompanied by the one who is the light, the hope, the joy of the world. We ask this in Jesus’, name. Amen.
Written on September 12, 2008 and posted today as a Favorite.
In this brief but important prophecy we hear a vital message; Haggai exhorts us to look to our behaviors to see what we value. And the prophet asks us to re-build the fallen Jerusalem of our hearts. From the CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE (1157): “At this critical moment, when defeatism and a certain lethargy had overtaken his repatriated countrymen, Haggai came forward with the exhortations to them to complete their great task . . . The call to rebuild the temple. The economic distress so apparent in Judah is due to the Jews’ neglect of the Lord while they provide for their own needs”.
And we pause to reflect on this verse 1:9:You expected much, but it came to little; and what you brought home, I blew away. For what cause? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while each of you hurries to your own house.
This is not a petulant or childish God who sweeps away all that we have gathered around us in retaliation for some slight we may have delivered. No. This is the call of a God who loves his creatures and who wishes them to rise to the potential gifted to them at their inception. This is not an angry and selfish God who destroys all that does not please him. No. This is a God who knows that we have become enamored of that which drains us rather than saves us. These are not the words of a fickle and deceitful lover. No. They are words that encourage, words that animate, words that ask us to focus on what is truly important.
Those who had been deported have returned home to ruins and they know they must come together to rebuild that which has been lost through their own folly. God calls them to himself and asks them to evaluate what they hurry toward and what they hurry away from.
Do we bustle home each evening to get on with our own agenda without including God in our plans?
Do we scurry out each morning to complete our own list of chores without taking God along?
Do we work harder on our own dreams without considering the common good and the call from God?
We seem to always be in a hurry . . . toward what . . . away from whom . . . in answer to what call?
Scholars will tell us if Jesus here (and in Mark 9:42-48) is referring only to children when he speaks of the little ones or if he means those who have faith as a child does. In either case the warning is clear: We must beware of ever leading the innocent and trusting astray for the consequences are great.
The Noontimes 