lies – The Noontimes

Mark 12:1-13: Cornerstone – Part IV

Mark 12:1-13: Cornerstone – Part IV

Saturday, March 9, 2024

*James Tissot: The Pharisees and the Herodians Conspire Against Jesus*

Again we hear the Parable of the Tenants in Mark’s Gospel but today we focus on the aftermath of Jesus’ teaching.

And have you not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner: By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes. And they sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way. And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians; that they should catch him in his words. (DRA)

We know that Jesus came to bring us the Good News, and we also know that his stories were not always welcomed. Those in control of the power structure did not want their carefully constructed world to crumble. They had forgotten – or perhaps had never learned – the lesson that Jesus comes to set us free from our old hatreds and fears. They rejected – or perhaps feared – the promise that we are all equal in the eyes of the one who created us. They dissembled – or perhaps lied – to achieve their ends. For this reason, it is important for us to take this parable in once again; it is vital that we watch the aftermath that follows. We must look for signs of rejection and deceit for when we see them, we will know that those who look out for themselves are building walls of hate and fear between us. They are plotting to catch us out with our words. But it is our very words that – when spoken with and in Christ – will set us and the world truly free.

When we spend time with the aftermath of this Parable of the Tenants that we begin to know and have confidence in the reality the rejection of the cornerstone is an act that sets us free. If this Douay-Rheims translation does not suit us, we can use the scripture link and drop-down menus to explore other versions.

For more on the Pharisees, religious leaders, and the Herodians, political leaders visit biblehub.com: http://biblehub.com/topical/p/pharisees.htm and http://biblehub.com/topical/h/herodians.htm

The Herodians family tree can be found at: http://www.bible-history.com/herod_the_great/HERODThe_Herodians.htm

Tissot image from: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4489

March 9, 2024

deceit, freedom, lies, Pharisees and Herodians, The Parable of the Tenants

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part II

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part II

Friday, June 16, 2023

Oh what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

My mother’s quoting of Walter Scott’s words peppered our growing-up years. Her use of Scott’s poetic words was her method of teaching the lesson of Ahab and his temper tantrum.

Ahab wants something which someone else cherishes and does not wish to give up. Ahab goes home, puts his face to the wall and refuses to eat. His unfortunate wife, Jezebel, colludes with him to get the coveted vineyard from their neighbor, and if we read the entire story, we see what kind of an end these two come to. They both pay a heavy price for their egregious crimes of trumping up false charges, conniving, lying, stealing, inciting a crowd to stone to death an innocent man. Naboth’s mistake or error is merely the cherishing of something that someone else wants.

We hear Yahweh’s words through the prophet Elijah in verse 20: You have given up yourself to do evil in the Lord’s sight.

*Frederick Leighton: Jezebel and Ahab met by Elijah*

Since my childhood, and because of the wisdom of my mother, my family has not worried about belonging to a particular group. When my family opens our home to a party, all are welcome. Universal hospitality, bridges building to fringe groups, invitations to include all at the table have grown out of my mother’s teaching about Naboth, Ahab and Jezebel.

In this time when U.S. presidential politics are again fully before us, we must become aware of the many Naboths, Ahabs and Jezebels in the public eye. As we take in the daily news, we recall more words Mother and Dad recited from scripture: The measure that you measure with is measured out to you. Ostracizing others says more about you than it does about the others. There is really nothing that can be kept secret. The truth always comes out in the end. I hope you can stand it when it hits you in the face.

What a wonderful gift we are given in the friends and neighbors God sends to us. What a wonderful treasure is the vocation of building community to which we are called. What a blessing to work, play and live beside people with whom we hold things in common, and people with whom we hold little in common. We learn more from our enemies than we do from the people with whom we feel most comfortable. We are all God’s creatures, made in God’s image. What do our daily actions say about the relationship we have with our Creator? Do we turn away in anger when we covet something someone else has? When we open our hearts and homes, are all welcome? Do we extend invitations with ulterior motives? Do we interact with only a select few and bully others to bow to our wants? And when God asks us to invite the faithful to the table, whom are we willing to invite?

Image from: https://savannaclaudia.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/1-kings-21-what-is-the-price-of-greed/

From a reflection written on June 1, 2008.

June 16, 2023

Ahab, bullying, Elijah, Jezebel, lies, Naboth, secrets, Walter Scott

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part I

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part I

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Oh what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

These words, often mistaken attributed to William Shakespeare, are found in the epic poem, Marmion, by Walter Scott about the Battle of Flodden that took place in 1513. The poem was published in 1808 but my mother repeated the words of this poem she had read in high school any time she found any of her brood even thinking of doing something that was not above board, open, honest and fair. The story of Naboth is one that haunted me as a child; the envy, lies and deceit go beyond anything I experienced among family and friends. But as I grew older, I began to see Naboths everywhere; and from time to time I have been Naboth myself.

Verse 4 sends a chill down our collective spine when we realize what is about to happen: Lying down on his bed, [Ahab] turned away from food and would not eat.

We were raised by parents who kept secrets on topics they did not know how to discuss or that brought pain to those already suffering too greatly; otherwise, my elders modeled honesty in every-day life whenever they could. Mother would often say, “If you are keeping something secret in order to have friends, this should tell you that there is something wrong with the people or the event you are thinking about joining.” Of course, she was correct. Secrets have a way of surfacing and when they do, their result is always irony. “You better think twice about what you are thinking of doing.” She would continue with more axioms. “Birds of a feather flock together. There is no honor among thieves.” Once when I was in the sixth grade, I told my Mother that I could not invite a particular girl in my class to my birthday slumber party. “Why not?” Mother asked. “Because,” I answered with confidence, knowing that she would agree with me once she heard the terrible consequence that would follow, “If I do, the rest of my friends won’t come to the party. And besides, she is a little weird and gets on our nerves.” My mother turned from the stove where she was always standing, and said. Here is what you are going to do, or else there is no party. You will invite all of these girls and when you do, you will all find something nice to say to this one you say gets on your nerves. If you were paying attention as you should be, you would realize that she is worried that you don’t like her and she doesn’t know what to do about it.” She turned back to the stove, saying over her shoulder, “And if the rest of the girls don’t come because you have invited her, they are no friends at all. They are just people who are rude and inconsiderate. hey must have really had their own feelings hurt at some time, or they wouldn’t be acting this way. You would think they would know better.” And that was that. I imagined a slumber party with me and the “weird” girl, but then I knew better than to try to outmaneuver my mother. And she was right. All the girls were invited. All the girls came. We sat crossed-legged eating popcorn until small hours, making certain that this one friend felt cared for. We all survived the experience having learning something, and being better for it. s for the weird girl, my mother was right. Once she realized that we were not ostracizing her, she stopped being weird. But really, I think it was the rest of us who stopped being weird.

That was most likely the most important lesson I learned about social interaction. Mother did not name this bullying. She knew nothing of Mean Girls, or Queen Bees, or give it any other name than what it was: rudeness, a lack of consideration, the mean ostracizing of individuals or groups from a community. And my mother, growing up in a family of six sisters and one brother, would not tolerate this lack in her own children. I thank God for the careful shepherding Mother gave us as she handed us tools to handle the meanness of the world.

Tomorrow, Deception-Part II, Ahab gets his way.

For more on girls and bullying, visit: http://culturesofdignity.com/portfolio/queen-bees-and-wannabes/

For more about Naboth’s vineyard, click on on the image above or visit: https://churchanew.org/brueggemann/what-naboth-teaches-us-today-part-i

Adapted from a reflection written on June 1, 2008.

June 15, 2023

Ahab, bullying, lies, Naboth, secrets, Walter Scott

Psalms 11 and 12: Prayer Against Arrogance

Psalms 11 and 12: Prayer Against Arrogance

Monday, November 14, 2022

In praying Psalm 11 we can be mindful that our reliance on God bolsters us and so we need not rely on our own strength. The innocent psalmist depends on the Lord’s protection for God defends those who seek asylum in God’s temple. It is good to know that we are allowed to flee when the wicked begin to hunt down those who are “upright of heart”.

The image of archers hunting birds is an apt one in Psalm 11. The friends and advisors here are worried about the collapse of the foundation, but we are reminded in this prayer that God sees all, and that God “detests the lover of violence.” We reflect today on the many forms of violence beyond the obvious physical violence. We remember as well the insidious and hidden deceit that wounds as deeply and as surely as the arrow meant to still the faithful heart.

Psalm 12 from THE MESSAGE: Quick, God I need your helping hand! The last decent person just went down, all the friends I depended on are gone. Everyone talks in lie language; lies slide off their oily lips. They doubletalk with forked tongues.

We do not know where to go nor whom to trust; and just when we believe there is no salvation the Psalmist speaks words that foreshadow Jesus’ Beatitudes: Into the hovels of the poor, into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: “I’ve had enough; I’m on my way to heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.” It is in this way that God rescues the small and powerless from the influence and control of the arrogant. So let us pray . . .

Good and generous God, console and comfort us as we deal with backlash from our faithful witnessing to your goodness so that we might continue to witness to you.

Good and tender God, offer us your protection when anger and violence stalk us so that we might seek refuge in the temple of your Spirit that lives in us.

Good and powerful God, provide us with a refuge for the righteous at heart when slander and gossip surround us so that we might recoup our strength in the sacred presence of your love.

Good and precious God, live in us always to deflect the arrows of the arrogant and restore our fragile hearts so that we might remain in unshakeable confidence in you.

Good and humble God, abide with us as you do with the widow and orphan, the abandoned and anxious, and transform our worries and fears with your healing hope.

We ask this in Jesus’ name in communion with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Favorite from July 22, 2007.

Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/rdjangel/love-hearts-and-other-mushy-stuff/

November 14, 2022

confidence in God, innocence, lies, The Beatitudes, trust, violence

Tag: lies

Mark 12:1-13: Cornerstone – Part IV

Share this:

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part II

Share this:

1 Kings 21: Deception – Part I

Share this:

Psalms 11 and 12: Prayer Against Arrogance

Share this: