The Book of Ruth

What?  Two posts in one day?  Someone got off work a little early.  (Not to mention that Ruth is a rather short story.)

This might be too long a quote to be legal, but I doubt anyone at the Oxford University Press is reading my blog.  If they are, can I get a job?  According to their preface to the Book of Ruth,

"It is difficult to be certain about a date for this book, yet ascertaining the dating is central to determining the reason for its composition.  A date before the Exile leads to the view that the book intended to establish David's ancestry, to affirm the practice of levirate marriage (see Deut 25.5-10), or to commend the virtues of the book's protagonists to ancient Israel.  A date after the Exile supports the conviction that the author wished to show that a non-Israelite could become a faithful worshiper of the LORD.  This would counter the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, both of which consider intermarriage wrong...Ruth affirms that the concern of the LORD extends beyond the people of Israel to people of every nation."

So there you have it.  I agree.  I guess.

I'm not sure I completely follow what the editors are getting at with the book's proximity to the Exile.  Sure, it would change the tone of the book for its contemporary audience, but for us, I don't think it changes anything.  I think we should read ancient texts with its historical context in mind, but I don't think it ends there.  How the story speaks to us in today's terms seems an equally relevant way to read Scripture.  For me the main theme of this story is what the editors remark at the end of their commentary.  Clearly God has a plan that extends beyond the people of Israel.  The author of this book over and over calls the protagonist "Ruth the Moabite".  The author clearly stresses the fact that Ruth comes from an alien land.  When Ruth's sister-in-law chooses to remain in her home land, Ruth chooses to follow her mother-in-law, and even chooses to take on Naomi's customs, belief, and religion.  That would be akin to me leaving America to go live in Afghanistan to become a Muslim.  (Ok, I'm not marrying a Muslim, but you get the idea.  It's a totally different land and religion.  The unknown.)  Ruth seeks a husband in the story following the Israelite Law.  Boaz, in return, follows the law by letting the closer relation know of Ruth before he takes her for his wife.  This obedience to God's law seems to be key in the story.  Because Ruth is faithful to her new religion and family, God blesses her with a child who begets the greatest of the Kings:  David.

The Book of Judges

The Book of Judges entertained me far more than I thought it would.  So far reading through the Old Testament, there have been lots of rules, and laws, and genealogies, and other equally boring lists.  The Book of Judges, however, reads like one of those old epic movies like Ben Hur or The Ten Commandments.  I can see all the great battles and the stories of lust and war and conquest, and failure playing out in my mind.  Who knew it could be so exciting?

I particularly liked the story of Ehud who ran his sword into the fat King Eglon of Moab so far that even the hilt was hidden in Eglon's fat belly.  What a great image!  It's like the great battle scenes that Homer wrote about in The Iliad.  The poetry of the Old Testament seems more clunky, but I don't know how much is lost in translation.  Perhaps the texts are just so old and corrupted that the poetry doesn't translate.  Maybe it's just not that poetic.  Any way, though, it makes for a fascinating story.

So a midst all this gore and excitement, what are we learning about God and his people?  Quite frankly, I think there are sections where we aren't learning much.  These seem to be histories of God's people, and while much of it deals with God and his relationship with the Israelites, I don't find theological lessons in many of the stories.  We have to remember that these were a people that didn't separate God from any part of their lives.  The idea of a history book separate from a religious book would be foreign.  The entire history of Israel exists in Israel's relationship with God.  It follows, then, that many of their texts deal with what we would see as explicitly human matters.  For example, the story of Abimelech, the son of Gideon, doesn't really contain a reference to God.  It mostly tells a history of a militant king.  Of course, there are supernatural or divine references such as when "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem" (Judges 9:23), but it's more of an explanation of where the fight originated and not a true encounter with God.

That doesn't mean that the Book of Judges has no lessons or interest for us as Christians.  First of all, I believe that studying history gives us a sense of who we are, where we have been, and where we are going.  To fully understand the Jewish faith that led to Christianity, we need to understand how that faith developed. Judaism was and is a religion of a specific people in a specific place.  I know some may argue that that statement isn't entirely true, but I look at the current conflicts between Israel and Palestine as proof that this is a religion for a specific people in a specific place.  Anyone born of a Jewish mother can have full citizenship in the current state of Israel.  Location, heredity, and politics play key roles in the Jewish faith.  Since the thought of an afterlife is unclear in Judaism, the doings of this world have the utmost importance.

By reading the history of the ancient Hebrews and seeing their view that God was leading them into a specific land under the leadership of rulers both good and corrupt, we see the nature of God's relationship with man.  Free will becomes wildly evident in these stories.  Samson's weakness for women becomes his undoing--something he, not God, brings on himself.  The God of Israel is a personal God who has a hand in the dealings of His people, but allows them to make their own mistakes.  It's an odd sort of dichotomy.  God wants something.  God is all-powerful.  God allows humans by their free will to foil God's plans.  I suppose the message is that if we listen hard enough we can hear God's will.  By studying the mistakes and successes of the past we can learn how God moves among us and draw closer to Him so that His will be done.

Week 14 Readings

Day 92 - Judges 13-15, Psalm 77, John 11
Day 93 - Judges 16-18, Psalm 78:1-39, John 12
Day 94 - Judges 19-21, Psalm 78:40-72, John 13
Day 95 - Ruth 1-4, Psalm 79, John 14
Day 96 - I Samuel 1-3, Psalm 80, John 15
Day 97 - I Samuel 4-6, Psalm 81, John 16
Day 98 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church  
Day 97 - I Samuel 4-6, Psalm 81, John 16
Day 98 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church  

Bible Challenge--Book of Deuteronomy

On the plane from Dallas to Providence (with a layover in Atlanta) I had quite a bit of free time, so I was able to work through all of the book of Deuteronomy and about a quarter of Joshua.  I'll admit I'm a little sad to leave Moses behind as the Israelites cross the Jordan into the promised land.  The last scene of Moses standing on the mountain beholding the fullness of the land he led his people into but cannot enter himself is quite moving.  A bittersweet end to a long journey.  Moses and the people faced countless struggles, and not without a good amount of whining.  But ultimately, they followed God's commands, and heeded God's warnings when they faltered.  Over and over in Moses' addresses he comments that the people are a "stubborn" people.  It is clear that God is not giving them this land because of anything they did, but because they are his chosen people.  God made a covenant with Abraham, and God is true to His word.  We are like the Hebrew people in that we cannot do anything to make us worthy of God's love.  We must strive to love God with all our heart and mind and soul, but we can take comfort that when we fail, and we all do now and then, God will still love us.  He will still forgive us.  He will keep his promise, and we, too, can cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.

Bible Challenge Week 12

Here are the readings for Week 12:


Monday - Joshua 1-3, Psalm 65, Luke 23
Tuesday - Joshua 4-6, Psalm 66, Luke 24
Wednesday - Joshua 7-9, Psalm 67, John 1
Thursday - Joshua 10-12, Psalm 68, John 2
Friday - Joshua 13-15, Psalm 69, John 3
Saturday - Joshua 16-18, Psalm 70, John 4
Sunday - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church  

I'm quite ashamed that I haven't written anything in a while.  Sound like a broken record?  Well, that's just the way it is, folks.  I'll admit that I'm a little behind in my reading, but I fully intend to catch up this week.  You'll forgive some mild venting on my Bible Blog, but life is really full to the brim.  I don't have enough time in the day to get even half of what I need to get done done.  I know no one has enough time, and people keep telling me you have to make time, but I'm not sure where I'm supposed to do that.  I actually feel ill today and I'm sure it's a combination of stress and exhaustion.  I thoroughly enjoy all of the things I do in life, but I'm effectively working the equivalent of three full-time jobs...and still barely have enough money to get by.

"Consider the lilies of the field..."  There's a Bible passage that has come and gone in this Bible Challenge.  I'm still struggling with that one.  I think Jesus horribly over-simplified that part.  I would love to not have to toil or spin, but I don't think that would work out too well.  If any lilies of the field are reading this blog, let's have a Freaky Friday experience and swap lives for a few days.

But, count your blessings, right?  I have my health for the most part.  I have a place to live and food to eat.  (Heck, I've got too much food to eat and need to find time to exercise!  There's that pesky time thing again.)  I'm a working actor, which is an enormous blessing in itself.  

So, this week's schedule is rather full.  I work all day tomorrow and spend what free time I have writing Murder Mysteries to be performed on Wednesday and this weekend.  Tuesday, I'm performing "Overruled" in Warren, and Thursday is prep for the weekend 3-day Murder Mystery I won't be in because Katherine and I are flying to Texas for a few days.  Aha!  There's my time to read the Bible:  on the plane to and from Texas.  

So, loyal readers, stay tuned for some actual thoughts on the Bible and less drivel about my lack of free time.  Please feel free to make your own comments on the reading here without waiting for me!  I'll most likely just pick up blogging about this week's readings.  I'll read the rest, of course, but I've missed too much to comment on at this point.

See you soon! 

Week 11

Alright, folks.  I've finally closed "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" and finished up the big three-day murder mystery.  This week I'm performing Shaw in Barrington and Bristol, but I should be back on track with writing the blog.  I hope I haven't lost too many readers by not posting in a while.  I assure you I've been doing the readings, and I hope you have too.  Feel free to comment on anything that caught your attention in the readings, and here are the reading assignments for Week 11:

Monday - Deuteronomy 19-21, Psalm 59, Luke 17

Tuesday - Deuteronomy 22-24, Psalm 60, Luke 18

Wednesday - Deuteronomy 25-27, Psalm 61, Luke 19

Thursday - Deuteronomy 28-30, Psalm 62, Luke 20

Friday - Deuteronomy 31-33, Psalm 63, Luke 21

Saturday - Deuteronomy 34, Psalm 64, Luke 22

Bible Challenge Day 57

Numbers 21-23, Psalm 47, Luke 5

Catch up time.  Again, my apologies for falling behind, but I'm all caught up on reading now.  I don't think I'll comment on the end of Mark since Holy Week just ended and we've all got that part of the story on the brain.  It was covered pretty well in church.  If you didn't attend church this Holy Week, well, there's an incentive for next year.  It's actually quite fun.

I love, love, love Psalm 47.  It's not only joyful, but actively joyful.  I think that's what God wants from us.  Action.  It begins with clapping hands, shouting, and singing.  And why?  The very next line sums it all up:  "For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome."

Luke's gospel reads a little more easily than Matthew and Mark.  Mark is an older text, and it seems clunky to me in places.  I'm of the mind that Luke seems more accessible to me because Luke writes to a Gentile audience.  He explains things in detail and doesn't assume we already know things.  The narrative reads much more like a good book or novel.  We have the imagery of the angels singing to the shepherds.  The drama of the baby John the Baptist leaping inside his mother when Mary visits her cousin.  These are exciting and dramatic moments.

In the story of Jesus meeting Simon Peter and James and John in their boat, we get a much more fleshed out story.  Jesus fills their nets with fish to the point that the nets are breaking.  This makes the idea of being fishers of men far more meaningful for me.  You see, when the fishermen fished on their own, they were barely getting by, but with Jesus' help, they have great abundance.  Evangelism is a word that scares me.  I think it's scary to many of us in the older traditions of Christianity (i.e. Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, etc.) because we strive to not be like the "Evangelical" churches.  But Jesus calls all of us to evangelize.  To spread the Gospel.  Like the first followers of Jesus, our nets will come up empty.  But when we call on God to help us, they will overflow.  And we need our friends to help:

"they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink...and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken...They left everything and followed [Jesus]."  Luke 5:6-11

Readings for this Week

Monday- Day 57 - Numbers 21-23, Psalm 47, Luke 5
Tuesday- Day 58 - Numbers 24-26, Psalm 48, Luke 6
Wednesday- Day 59 - Numbers 27-29, Psalm 49, Luke 7
Thursday- Day 60 - Numbers 30-32, Psalm 50, Luke 8
Friday- Day 61 - Numbers 33-35, Psalm 51, Luke 9
Saturday- Day 62 - Numbers 36, Psalm 52, Luke 10
Sunday- Day 63 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church

Bible Challenge Catch Up--Days 47-54--Numbers

Numbers 1-17

So here we are in the book of Numbers.  It's been a while since I've had the time to write, so there's a lot to cover.  This entry will just focus on Numbers, and then I'll write more posts to cover Psalms and Mark.

The Book of Numbers has it difficult parts (namely, the parts full of numbers), but at least it returns to more of a narrative structure than Leviticus.  Coming from a theatrical tradition, I much prefer a linear plot.  I find many of the passages in Numbers quite difficult to swallow.  In particular the story of the Revolt of Korah found in Chapter 16 and the trail by ordeal found in Chapter 5.  I'll start with the Revolt.

Communal punishment is an idea quite prominent in the Old Testament and quite removed from our modern, American idea of each individual being responsible for his own actions.  It seems quite harsh to us that the whole of Korah's family is obliterated.  God has the wives, children, and families of the rebels stand outside their houses and literally has the earth consume them.  They are sent alive to Sheol.  That seems harsh.  I remember in Sunday morning Bible study discussing how God will punish generations for the transgressions of their ancestors.  It's an idea that's difficult for me.  I like to look at it from the opposite side, though.  By living in a community where everyone is responsible for everyone's actions, we have a built in support system.  We never have to go it alone.  There are standards and laws and expectations for the community, and when one community member fails, we all fail.  By like token, when one member succeeds, we all succeed.  I see some comfort and strength in that.

I find the story in Chapter 5, though, incredibly difficult.  It's not one I've ever read before.  I guess my Sunday school teachers as a child didn't think it appropriate for children.  Better yet, maybe, like me, they just don't know what the heck to make of it.  It's a truly awful, disgusting, unjust, ignorant, disgraceful way of dealing with anyone.  To summarize, if a woman is even suspected of unfaithfulness (and notice it's only for a woman--there is nothing to try an unfaithful man), She's forced to drink a poison that will cause her uterus to discharge and leave her sterile.  It's painful, messy, violating, and humiliating.  All because her husband was suspicious.  Note that this is if there is no witness and they are unsure if she's guilty.  If she fails, she's left humiliated and sterile.  If she is unaffected by the poison, it's still painful and humiliating.  What the hell?  This is the law sent from God?  I don't think so.  If that's really divine law sent from God, I don't want to serve that God.  It's sick.  More than anything I've read in the Bible, this passage proves to me that the Bible cannot be taken literally.  This is clearly the writing of a male dominated society that sees women as nothing more than possessions using the name of the Lord to do their own will.  The same logic that's used today by crazy zealots who kill people or humiliate people in God's name.  It's a direct violation of the commandment to not use the Lord's name in vain.

So what do we take from this?  Do we discount the entirety of the Old Testament?  I don't think we can.  I cannot, and will not, defend this sick-o passage from the Bible, but I also can't throw out the baby with the bath water.  Without justifying or defending the cruelty of ancient peoples, I must see it from their world view.  The discerning reader can find, through reason and the Holy Spirit, the truth in Holy Scripture.  That means we must, to some extent, pick and choose what we think is divinely inspired and what is crap.  And the crap must stay intact with the scriptures so that we can understand how they were written.  These were laws and stories written at a specific time in history for a specific audience.  It's our job to discern what that means for us today.

In the Episcopal Church we talk about the three-legged stool of faith.  I think I've written about this before on this blog.  God gives us Holy Scripture and Tradition to guide our faith, but he also gives us human reason.  The ability to think.  To discern.  To know it's wrong to poison a woman who might maybe have cheated on her husband, even though I have no proof to that end.  I lean heavily on that third leg of reason.  I wish more people did.

Bible Challenge Readings

Please, once again, forgive the lack of posting.  I've been keeping up with the readings, but with performances and Holy Week, my schedule is a little tight.  I'm performing tomorrow in East Providence, so it may be Tuesday before a new reflection.  Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts, though.

Here are the readings for next week:

M- Day 50 - Numbers 4-5, Psalm 41, Mark 15
T- Day 51 - Numbers 6-8, Psalm 42, Mark 16
W- Day 52 - Numbers 9-11, Psalm 43, Luke 1
Th- Day 53 - Numbers 12-14, Psalm 44, Luke 2
F- Day 54 - Numbers 15-17, Psalm 45, Luke 3
S-Day 55 - Numbers 18-20, Psalm 46, Luke 4
S-Day 56 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church 

Bible Challenge Day 46

Leviticus 25-27, Psalm 38, Mark 13

Both the Psalm and the passages from Leviticus today share the idea that God rewards those who follow his law and punishes those who do not.  Leviticus seems much more severe on this matter, but the Psalmist says he is sick "because of [his] foolishness".  It's an interesting idea that we don't really hold to any more.  I can remember the disgust I felt when people suggested that the September 11th attacks were due to the sinfulness of the American people.  I just can't believe that's true.  I do see healing and hope and well-being in following God, though.  I think that when we follow God's commandments and study His Holy Scriptures we become closer to Him and can better deal with the challenges of life.

Jesus reminds us of this in Mark's Gospel.  It's the famous passage about the end of times.  It's often quoted to silence the crazies that predict the end is upon us.  Jesus tells us that only the Father knows when the last days are coming, but he urges us to "Keep awake."  I think that's great advice.  It's that old joke to look busy:  Jesus is coming.  We don't know when Jesus will return, so we should live every day as if he were coming.  I don't think that means living in fear or hiding things.  I think that by living in God's law, and following Jesus' teachings we actually live fuller, richer lives that not only prepare us for the joy to come, but make this life bearable.  Joyful, even.


***Update****
I think I got my readings from Mark mixed up.  This may be about Ch. 12

Bible Challenge Day 45

Leviticus 22-24, Psalm 37:19-42, Mark 11

Reading the story of Palm Sunday again (since we just read it on Sunday), I was really taken by how humble Jesus' story is.  Here's the son of God riding in on a Donkey.  The great Messiah the people were waiting on should have entered the town on a great steed followed by riches and armies of might.  Here's a man on a borrowed baby donkey.  In stead of a red carpet, he relies on the generosity of others who lay down their cloaks and leafy branches.  That seems to be Jesus' message, though.  Glory is saved for God in heaven, not for man here on earth.  There's also a strong sense of relying on one another.  To quote Blanche in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers."  That could be Jesus' mantra.  He relies on a borrowed donkey.  To connect that to the Leviticus reading, I noted the law saying in Leviticus 24:22 "You shall have one law for the alien and for the citizen."  We are all God's children and all share in responsibility.  Although God chooses Israel as his holy people, they are not to lord themselves over others, but to share in doing God's will.

Bible Challenge Day 44

Leviticus 19-21, Psalm 37:1-18, Mark 10

The story of James and John makes me uncomfortable.  Not because I'm astounded at their boldness as to request to sit at the left and right of Jesus, but because I know I've asked the same.  Here are two men who left their father and mother, left their trades, left their lives at home to follow Jesus, and now they want their just reward.  I think that's how we all function.  I know I do.  I go to work, I do a good job, I show up on time, and I demand a raise.  Seems fair, right?  But God's will on earth is not like running a business.  It's not as easy as I did what was required, now give me my eternal life.  Jesus states very bluntly that "whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all."  It's not about doing the list of chores so we get a reward.  It's about honestly serving God and serving his people.  I think that's why it's "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

Leviticus 19:18 is the first place we hear the Golden Rule:  "...you shall love your neighbor as yourself"  Most of the laws in this reading from Leviticus deal with our relationships to one another.  Even the alien resident among the people are given rights and must be respected.  I particularly like the section about leaving parts of your crops for the poor and the hungry.  God commands us to live with one another and to care for one another.  When we don't, we are acting against not just our neighbor, but against God.

Bible Challenge Day 43

Leviticus 16-18, Psalm 36, Mark 9

"38 John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone^* casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’³⁹But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me.⁴⁰Whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward."

We hear a lot of people accusing Jesus and his followers of breaking Holy Law and breaking Caesar's law, but I think this is one of the only times where Jesus' own disciples falsely accuse someone of blasphemy.  This unknown Christian acts apart from the physical presence of Jesus, yet his miracles are just as powerful, and Jesus condones his behavior.  Even though the incarnate Christ can be revealed to us spiritually through Holy Communion, through prayer, through singing, and through a thousand other ways, we don't experience the presence of Christ in the same way the disciples do.  I am reminded of the prayer from the BCP:

Be present, be present, O Jesus, our great High Priest, as youwere present with your disciples, and be know to us in thebreaking of bread; who live and reign with the Father andthe Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Even though the prayer asks Jesus to be with us as he was "present with [his] disciples", it's a very different reality we have.  I think that's why Jesus has such harsh words for Doubting Thomas.  In this passage from Mark we are reminded that all of us have the power and blessing, and I would say commandment, to love one another in Jesus' name.  

Bible Challenge Days 39-41

Leviticus 7-15, Psalms 33-35, Mark 6-8

Once again I find myself behind in the Bible Blogging.  Once again I'm issuing a sincere apology.  Once again I'm blaming the crazy schedule of Grey Gardens.  The show is over now, but I'm in rehearsals for Picasso at the Lapin Agile, so who knows when I'll get behind again.  If it's any consolation, I have been keeping up with my readings.  There's a longish section of Act Two I'm not in, so that became reading time.  You wouldn't believe the onslaught of "You're reading the Bible?!?" heard in the dressing rooms.  Especially at a Catholic University.

But enough about me...

Leviticus continues to baffle me.  I don't get it.  I get bored.  It seems so archaic.  Why do I need to know this stuff?  Is anyone else grossed out?  I'll admit that once I get through all the text, I do find some of the ceremonies quite interesting, but I still don't completely get it.  I find it hard to reconcile the idea of things being "unclean".  If I'm understanding the text correctly, "unclean" has little to do with sanitary and more to do with holiness.  How is something God created "unclean"?  I can see from a anthropological standpoint how things that would lead to sickness or disease would be discouraged by the religious leaders in order to sustain the community.  For example, in his HBO special Live on Broadway, Robin Williams has a bit where the Israelites ask Moses why they must be circumcised, and he answers, "We're a nomadic people.  You don't want sand in there."  Even though it's a joke, I imagine there is some truth to that.  I had a college professor explain the shellfish conundrum by noting that shellfish go against the natural order set forth by God in Genesis.  He created the animals that swim to live in the water, the animals that fly to live in the air, and the animals that crawl to live on the land.  But a shrimp crawls in the water.  That's contrary to God's orderly creation and therefore is unclean.  Ok.  I kinda see that.  Kinda.

Anyway, I don't understand Leviticus.

I think Jesus directly addresses this confusion in Mark 7:14.  The Pharisees are attacking Jesus and his followers for not washing their hands before eating.  (I'll admit, I might do the same, but less on religious grounds and more on the grossness factor.)  Jesus says,

"Listen to me, all of you, and understand:  there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."

I don't think Jesus is talking about poop here.  Although that, too, can defile.  I think Jesus wants his followers to know that how we live our lives matters more to God that what we eat.  Or how we eat.  All those crazy rules in Leviticus seem less important now.  Jesus further explains the parable by saying,

"whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer...For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come...they defile a person"

Coming Up:

Monday - Leviticus 16-18, 

Psalm 36, Mark 9

 Tuesday - Leviticus 19-21, 

Psalm 37:1-18, Mark 10

Wednesday - Leviticus 22-24, 

Psalm 37:19-42, Mark 11

  Thursday - Leviticus 25-27, 

Psalm 38, Mark 12

Friday - Catch up, 

Psalm 39, Mark 13

Saturday - Numbers 1-3, 

Psalm 40, Mark 14

Bible Challenge Day 38

Leviticus 4-6, Psalm 32, Mark 5


So I realized that yesterday I read Mark 5 and somehow skipped over Mark 4, so today you're hearing about 4.  My excuse:  I'm in tech rehearsals for Grey Gardens and I'm working a lot.  Sorry.


Jesus says in Mark 5:13, " "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?"  That's a pretty bold statement.  It certainly makes me want to study the parables more so I can get all of Jesus' message.  I can't help but read this passage and sing that old sunday school favorite, "This Little Light of Mine".  When I was a kid I loved that song because it was catchy and had hand motions.  I remember when we got to the "Hide it under a bushel?" part I would yell at the top of my lungs, "NO!".  Now, I was yelling just because I was a kid and what kid doesn't like to yell?  But looking back now, that's the kind of enthusiasm we should all have for our faith.  I was reading my Bible in the dressing room tonight during our rehearsal, and one of the actors says, "Are you reading the Bible?"  I answered yes, and he said, "Why?"  This led to a great discussion of my faith:  what I believe and why.  I think it was enlightening to him to hear that one can be a Christian and not be a zealot or a nut job.  I like to think that I was letting my light shine.  Jesus says, "For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light."  To me that means that we might as well let it shine, because people will find out sooner or later.  I also find it very comforting that there isn't some secret out there that God doesn't let us have.  (Sorry gnostics.)  Everything we need has been provided in the person of Christ.

Bible Challenge Day 37

Leviticus 1-3, Psalm 31, Mark 4

I realized during my reading today that I don't think I've ever actually read the beginning of Leviticus.  If I ever did, I certainly didn't retain any of it.  Perhaps I put it out of my mind.  It's not exactly one of those Sunday School favorites.  "Ok, kids.  Today we're going to talk about slaughtering animals, burning the fatty parts, and dashing the blood around the sides of the altar all for the glory of God."  I can only imagine the arts and crafts project of the day.

I'll admit, however, that I was greatly intrigued by all of this.  The symbolism of putting your hand on the animal's head so you identify with the sacrificial victim.  The word "atonement" comes up several times.  Jesus atoned for our sins by dying.  In the ancient Hebrew world, the animals' deaths were the atonement for sin.  The person offering the sacrifice places his hand on the animal, and the animal's death is a substitute of sorts for that person.  Hence the imagery of Christ as the sacrificial lamb.  It's quite grotesque, but it's the way it was.  And is, for that matter.  Soon we will come to Good Friday where we read the horrifying Passion narrative.  It's bloody, brutal, cruel, and at the very center of Christianity.

Moving along to Mark's gospel, I read the story of the man with legions of demons in him in a rather different light that I had in the past.  It's a story with which I'm quite familiar, but I had never really thought about the man as a real human being.  I know that sounds cruel, but when we read these stories it's easy to read into types and characters and ignore the humanity of the stories' subjects.  Now demonic possession is one of those subjects that everyone is fascinated with.  Look at all the movies on the subject!  (I'll admit, I've seen most of them.  The Exorcist scared the be-jeezes out of me!)  I don't want to deny the possibility of demonic possession, but I also don't know that we can read it literally.  One explanation of the rather numerous encounters with demoniacs in the Bible could be a misunderstanding in the ancient world of mental illness.  If you read the encounter in Mark 4, this man certainly sounds crazy.  I work very near a halfway house in Newport.  The denizens of Broadway, as we call them, are crazy.  Clinically nuts.  Most of these people suffer from extensive alcohol and drug abuse, and are not in their right minds.  They do things that I cannot fathom.  They scream at no one in particular.  They start crying without warning.  They'll hurt themselves intentionally.  This sounds much like the man living among the tombs in the wilderness.  When I observe people walking down Broadway, they avoid the crazy people.  (Let me just put it out there that I know the word crazy isn't P.C., but I don't believe in political correctness.  Let's call it what it is.  Crazy.  I know they can't help it, but it doesn't change the fact that that's what they are.)  I'm forced to interact with them due to my job on Broadway, so I've actually gotten to know some of these people.  I find that many of them are starved for a human connection.  Others are so far gone they don't know where they are.  Either way, it's not popular or fun or often times safe to approach these people.  But that's just what Jesus does.  He commands the "legions" of demons to come out of the man.  (Sound like schizophrenia or multiple personality syndrome?)  He then tells the man to go to the places where he is known and share how good the Lord is.

I don't have the power to cure a mental illness.  I don't have the medical know how to counsel someone who is mentally ill.  I'm too scared of getting attacked to approach a crazy person on the street.  So what am I supposed to do?  I guess that's why Jesus chose this man to spread his message.  Here is someone everyone must know or know about.  Someone suffering greatly and causing harm to himself and those around him.  If someone that far gone, that far removed from society, can be healed and worthy of God's love, then we all must be.  

Bible Challenge Days 34-36

Exodus 37-40, Psalms 29-30, Mark 2-3

I love all the beautiful imagery of Psalm 29!  It's a Psalm I remember reading in church, but I never understood it until now.  It uses a storm as a manifestation of God.  How fun that the psalmist takes a scary thing like a storm and makes it into the beauty and power of God.  His voice is the thunder and lightning.  There's peace in the storm, too.

"May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!

I mentioned in my last post that Mark seems to establish Jesus' authority from the very beginning of the gospel. This certainly comes out in the first miracle Jesus performs:  healing the paralytic man.  Here we see two forms of Jesus' power.  First of all, the friends of the man were willing to bypass the crowds surrounding Jesus by removing the roof of Jesus' house and lowering their friend inside.  Think about that.  If you were a doctor and someone removed the roof of your house to get their friend inside, would you want to operate?  That's crazy!  But Jesus does.  These people recognized Jesus' power, and they stopped at nothing to get to him.  Secondly, Jesus heals the man by forgiving his sins.  The scribes don't like this.  Only God can forgive sins, but here Jesus does.  In this very first miracle we see that Jesus can do what only God can do.  We've already had the Holy Spirit descend when Jesus was baptized.  I smell a trinity!

Not to waste more time, Mark has the scribes plotting against Jesus in Chapter 2.  We're only a page and a half in when we start hearing rumblings of the crucifixion and resurrection.

A Bible Challenge Side Note and Tribute

Many of you who follow my blog were blessed, as I was, to have known Clara-Betsy Carson.  When I heard in church on Sunday that Clara-Betsy had died on Saturday it was a huge blow to me.  I know she had been sick for a long while, but it still hurt.  I had convinced myself, somehow, that she would soon return to our Sunday morning Bible study group where she would loudly and confidently explain to us all the nuances of the Bible.  She wasn't afraid of speaking her mind or disagreeing with anyone's interpretation of the Bible, including the rector's.  I first met Clara-Betsy shortly after moving to Newport in 2008.  Here was this funny old lady with a strange way of talking like her dentures didn't quite fit (I'm still not sure what gave her that unique wet quality of speech) who loved to talk about my two favorite topics:  the theatre, and the Bible.

Clara-Betsy had an incredible wealth of knowledge about the Bible and Biblical history.  Whenever I got stumped reading a passage I knew I could ask her, and she would have an answer.  It was her great love for Bible study that really inspired me to delve deeply into our Bible Study Group and this Bible Challenge.  I think the greatest thing that sticks with me about Clara-Betsy's outlook on what it means to be a Christian was her complete and sincere belief that we are to love one another.  On many occasions she and I spoke about the radical love that Jesus shares with us.  Mother Anita told a story about taking communion to Clara-Betsy in the hospital, and Clara-Betsy's friend who was also visiting asked if she could take communion, too.  Clara-Betsy immediately answered for the rector saying of course she could!  Jesus and Jesus' love is for everyone.  She selflessly gave to the needy by preparing meals every month for our church's soup kitchen.  One time she told me that our "Soup's On" event was for anyone who was hungry.  That might mean people who are literally hungry, or people who are hungry for company.  People who are hungry for spiritual growth.  People who are hungry for human contact.  People who are hungry for a warm place to sit for a couple of hours.  It's that kind of love that gives me glimpses of Jesus dwelling among us today.

I will miss Clara-Betsy dearly as she was a great inspiration to me as to how a Christian life should be lived.  I can only smile thinking of all the commotion she must be causing in heaven right now.  I'm sure she's organized a dinner where she'll explain to the gospel writers exactly what they meant.

Bible Challenge Days 31-33

Exodus 28-36, Psalms 26-28, Matthew 27-28, Mark 1

I'm so glad the story of the golden calf comes in the middle of all the boring stuff.  I really think the original editors of this book must have thought to themselves, "Hmm.  We've been describing a lot of fabrics and gems and dimensions.  Maybe we should give them a good story for a while."  Even if that's not what they were thinking, it is a pretty good story.  It's easy for us to look at the Israelites  and judge, but I think that we all have our golden calves.  This is an old example, but a true one:  We willingly follow God's will when we're faced with a spiritual leader (like Moses, or a priest, or a preacher, or a teacher), but as soon as they're up the mountain, we turn to our own ways.  It's that I go to church on Sunday and do whatever I want the rest of the week mentality.  The thing that really gets me in this story, though, is how much God responds to Moses' intercessions on behalf of his people.  It actually says in Exodus 32:14 that "the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people."  That's powerful stuff.  God listens to us.  He's willing to hear our arguments and judge us fairly.

I don't have much commentary on this, but I really love Moses' prayer in 32:13

"Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight."

I had one of those Episcopal "a-ha" moments when I read Psalm 26.  I have heard priests say the prayer found at verse 6 before the communion prayer.  I know that most of what's said during the Eucharist is Biblical, but it's fun to find it.

---I'm going to rehearsal now, so if you're reading this in real time, I'll be back with more commentary.  We're having a sitzprobe for Grey Gardens tonight, so that's exciting.  Don't know what a sitzprobe is?  Let me Google that for you.

...and we're back:

I really love the way Matthew ends his gospel.  It's not quite as detailed as other accounts, but it's message is clear.  Jesus gives a final commandment,

"Go...and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."

There's not a lot of hub-bub here.  Sure, it may seem less of a human story this way.  If my teacher and best friend died and then I saw him resurrected from the dead, I'd probably do more than the disciples do in this account, but to Matthew, that's not what's important.  The importance here, and maybe this is the author rationalizing or glorifying his own work, is on telling the story of Jesus.  That may seem a difficult task, but notice Jesus' final words:  "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

As I begin Mark, I'm reminded of an interesting subject in my college Bible class of which I cannot remember much.  How was that for confusing?  The preface to Mark in my Oxford NRSV states that most scholars regard Mark as the earliest written gospel, largely due to the brevity of the gospel.  I remember in college, though, my professor talking about alternate theories of which order the gospels were written.  Which might have borrowed material from others.  I don't, unfortunately, remember much else about it.  If anyone out there in cyberspace cares to elaborate, please do!

In the first 14 verses of Mark's gospel, it seems like he's really doing his best to show Jesus' place in the world.  Mark skips over the story of Jesus' birth, and begins with Isaiah and John the Baptist.  This sets up the coming of a messiah, and has John paving the way for "the one who is more powerful".  From there we see Jesus recruiting his first followers.  Mark's gospel, at least so far, seems one of action and of establishing God's kingdom.

Bible Challenge Day 31--an apology

Alright, folks.  Excuses are cheap, but here's mine.  I worked all day, left work to pull props from the theatre storage unit, rehearsed the two plays I'm performing tomorrow, and now it's 11:30pm and I have work at 5:30 in the morning.  I just can't read right now.  I'll double up tomorrow.  Hopefully.  I'm leaving work to the Jamestown Arts Center where I'm performing "Overruled" and "Village Wooing" by G. B. Shaw at 7pm.  Want to know why I'm not blogging?  Come see a show!

In the mean time, today is the feast day of Thomas Cranmer http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/thomas-cranmer-archbishop-canterbury-and-martyr-1556

Bible Challenge Day 30

Exodus 25-27, Psalm 25, Matthew 26

Well, Exodus was kind of boring today.  I guess it's interesting if you're into ancient liturgical architecture, but I'm not particularly.  I'd like to see some drawings of the things described.  It's too cut and dry in the text.  I will say that the Ark of the Covenant is described quite similarly to the way it appeared in Indiana Jones.  Well done, Spielburg.  Well done.

We're nearing the end of Matthew's gospel, and as we approach Easter, it's appropriate that we begin reading the passion story.  There are two stories in today's reading that always resonate with me.  The first is of the woman with the costly ointment, and the other is Jesus praying in Gethsemane.  

According to the footnote in v. 12, "The woman's act won higher praise from Jesus than any other mentioned in the New Testament".  I wonder why. First of all, the woman uses oils appropriate for a burial.  Jesus has been trying his best to prepare his disciples for his death, but they just don't get it.  This nameless woman gets it.  The disciples seem appalled that she wastes costly ointment that they can sell to help the poor, something I can imagine hearing an argument about at a vestry meeting, but Jesus says, "No!  She gets it.  I'm dying.  She's preparing for my death."  It's a big deal.  The very reason Jesus came among us.

Jesus' prayers in Gethsemane always confuse me a little, and offer me great hope.  Three times Jesus asks God to not make him suffer, but always ends his prayer with some form of "thy will be done".  This is quite remarkable!  It's easy for us to think, "Well, Jesus knew what he was getting in to.  He was divine and prepared for his suffering."  But that's not quite right.  Jesus was fully divine, but he was also fully human.  This seems a very human act.  Jesus never disobeys God, but he does plead with Him.  What a very human thing to do.  Jesus doesn't look forward to suffering.  He fears it greatly.  Not once, not twice, but three times he pleads with God.  "Don't make me suffer!"  The great thing here, though, is that even though Jesus doesn't want to suffer, he accepts it.  Thy will be done.  What an incredible example for us.

Bible Challenge Days 26-29...oops

Hello friends.

Sorry I haven't written anything in a while.  The good news is I got four hours of overtime last week, which means pay at time and a half!  God understands that I need the money, so here's my review of the last few days of reading I missed.  It does feel good to be caught up now.

I've always found it really difficult reading all the rules in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers.  First of all, there are a lot of rules.  It gets exhausting.  Furthermore, we don't really seem to keep with these rules any more.  I've always asked myself, "Why bother?"  Today, though, I realized that I was missing out on some quite interesting information.  Let me begin, though, with a brief analysis.  Moses goes up to the mountain, receives the law, comes back, and shares it with the people.  I see a clear distinction between the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, and the Covenant Code, or all those rules that come after the Ten Commandments.  The Decalogue deals with broad ideas and details our relationship between God and our relationship with others.  These are big ideas like don't kill, don't covet, don't misuse God's name.  The Covenant Code, however, gets really detailed.  These are things like how long a male slave has before being freed and how long you can pawn someone's coat.  These rules clearly deal with specific situations and have precise boundaries.  Some might disagree with me, but the Decalogue is fluid.  There are no clear lines.  For example, we're told not to kill, but what about war?  God clearly commands them to fight people and kill in war.  The Bible also condones capitol punishment in places.  That tells me that the Decalogue deals generally with how one should live one's life.  Again, I turn to Jesus' summary:  Love God.  Love each other.

So, then, what do I get out of the Covenant Code?  I have heard people say that we don't follow the law of the Old Testament because when Jesus came he erased those rules and established his own.  I don't think that's entirely correct.  I know that in these passages from Exodus God speaks this code, but I remind myself that human beings wrote this book.  The Mosaic Law follows the patterns of law codes from around the ancient world.  I think we must read these as a means of understanding the ancient Hebrew culture.  What they valued. How they dealt with one another.  You can't believe that these codes were actually delivered to people wandering in the desert.  It speaks too much to an agricultural society with classes of people and established wealth.  No one wandering in the desert had a farm.  Clearly, these laws come about later when the people have settled in a permanent home.

What does all of this mean for us?  I'd like to explain by looking at Matthew's Gospel.  In Matthew 23 Jesus speaks of the faults of the Pharisees.

"They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.  They do all their deeds to be seen by others."  

In the footnotes in my Oxford Bible it says "heavy burdens" can mean minute and perplexing interpretations of the law.  Jesus goes on to say they do the things they do to been seen.  Look at us!  We're so pious!  The Pharisees use the law to their own advantage and gain, not for God's glory and God's gain.  I think that's why the Decalogue holds up and the old Code doesn't.  The Decalogue describes human relations--a constant in our nature.  The Code describes situational laws for a specific people at a specific time in a specific culture.  I don't own slaves.  Society today recognizes slavery as an evil, so the laws about slavery don't apply.  I still have to love God.  I still have to love my neighbor.  I don't have to ceremonially wash my hands before dinner.

Bible Challenge Day 25

Exodus 13-15, Psalm 21, Matthew 22

Here's a problem with the way this Bible Challenge is set up:  There's just too much to take in for every day's reading.  In Matthew 22 alone we get the parable of the wedding feast, rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, discussion of the resurrection, the summary of the law, and talk of the true Messiah.  Whew!  That's too much to go over.

I've written a past blog post about the summary of the law.  I won't go into it again, because you can find it here.  I was speaking with Ellen Vadney at Bible Study on Wednesday night (do you read this, Ellen?  I'm talking about you.), and she noted two very interesting things.  First of all, all of the creation story can be summarized in two statements:  1.  God created.  2.  God saw that it was very good.  That means we have to take care of creation.  This world matters greatly.  She and I also discussed that Jesus summarized all of Christianity in two statements:  1.  Love God.  2.  Love each other.  I think that's wonderful.  All we have to do to please God and do His will is love God and love each other.  Now, that can be incredibly hard to do.  I work in a service job where I deal with people every day.  I don't always love them.  Ellen did point out, however, that the Bible doesn't say I have to like everyone.  I just have to love them.  I'm working on that.

I think the parable of the wedding feast also presents a simple truth we often ignore.  The party is planned.  God has slaughtered a fat calf, sent his son, and prepared a big heavenly shin-dig.  If God were a Texan, and I like to think he is, there would be a big brisket on the bar-b-q pit and huge tubs of Shiner Bock beer all over.  God has, indeed, prepared an even better party (I know, better than brisket and beer?), and everyone is invited.  How foolish we are to not get excited about this party.  All we have to do to go to the party is love God and love each other.  But we don't put on our wedding robes.  We ignore the invitation.  "Many are called, but few are chosen."

Bible Challenge Day 24

Exodus 10-12, Psalm 20, Matthew 21

"This is how you shall eat it:  your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly."   -Exodus 12:11

That's a pretty hasty meal.  I love the imagery of eating while ready to go.  I'm always on the go myself, so I understand the necessity of eating quickly so I have my strength.  I had never thought about the fact that they ate unleavened bread because they didn't have time to wait for the yeast to rise.  These are a people waiting for God to give the go-ahead.  They've lived in slavery, they're tired, and they're ready to go.  How many times does Exodus say, "Let my people go", and now they are ready.  I find that in the Bible we often find places where people are hurrying to wait.  The Israelites  hurry to leave Egypt only to wonder in the desert for 40 years.  We're told in the Gospels that "the kingdom of God is at hand", but we're still waiting 2000 years later.  I think that's often God's plan.  Get ready.  Gird your loins.  Have your shoes on.  And wait.

Bible Challenge Day 23

Exodus 7-9, Psalm 19, Matthew 20

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard has always bothered me a little bit.  I think it's because I've tried to read it from an economic standpoint.  If I was a laborer who worked in the hot sun all day and someone who only did an hour's work received the same pay as me, I'd be upset.  But Jesus clearly isn't talking about economics.  If working in the vineyard means doing God's work here on earth, then everyone should get the same pay:  God's salvation.  There is great hope here in this passage.  Sometimes I don't really know what God wants me to do.  I think I've written before about the difficulty in hearing God's call.  There is comfort in knowing that the landowner constantly looks for more workers in his vineyard.  In Texas you often find large groups of men standing outside places like the Home Depot or Lowe's waiting for work.  People often speak poorly of these daily laborers, but I think it is noble that these men, many of whom are new to this country and are living in a place where they don't speak the language and are faced with the real possibility of being forcefully removed, actively seek work to support themselves and their families.  They aren't asking for handouts.  They are asking for work.  Any work.  Hard work.  I feel that way myself.  I need guidance to know where to labor in God's vineyard.  And He's coming to get me.  To get all of us.  Many are already toiling in the vineyard, but they shouldn't be bitter.  They should take comfort in knowing that more help is coming.  God constantly recruits new members to labor in his fields.  And when the time to reap the crops, to pick the grapes, to make the wine comes, we will all share equally and fully in God's love.  Now that's an economic theory I can cling to!  (But if I work all day in a field for anyone other than God, I'd better be payed well...I'm just sayin'.)

Bible Challenge Day 22

Exodus 4-6, Psalm 18:21-50, Matthew 19

I'll start by saying how much I love this Psalm.  It reads a little bit like the epic poems of Homer and Vigil with a warrior king led on by his God.  The warrior king even becomes boastful claiming he can jump over walls (makes me think of Superman able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound) and crush enemy troops, but the  warrior soon gives credit to God.  I wish I had a more poetic translation, because I somehow feel that the psalm is a bit clunky.  With all the detail it must be particularly beautiful in its original Hebrew.

I'm really excited to re-read the story of Moses.  It's one I've studied over and over again.  As a matter of fact, I use to have an old King James Bible that my Granny gave me when I was a little boy.  We read the story of Moses so many times that Exodus had come loose from the binding.  Exodus made and exodus of its own.

I was really interested to read the footnote concerning God's answer to Moses that "I Am who I Am".  I had no idea that YHWH (which we today pronounce Yahewh) was the verb "to be".  According to the footnote YHWH in the third person form may mean "He causes to be".  How interesting that the God of Israel's name means creation.  It implies a God continually working in the world.  He "causes to be" or is making things in the past, present, and future.  In previous readings of Exodus, I thought God was giving an answer that would annoy me if I were Moses:

Who are you?
I am who I am.
Gee, thanks, God.

But in understanding that God answers with a name that means I am causing all to be, Moses gets a sense that God's work isn't done yet.  A fitting answer for a man who is about to lead people through the wilderness for forty years.

Speaking of enlightening footnotes, I love the phrase Moses uses to explain that he is not a good speaker. What the NRSV translates as "I am a poor speaker" literally says in the Hebrew "I am uncircumcised of lips."  Besides making me giggle in a juvenile way, it has an interesting religious connotation.  Circumcision was a way Israelites identified each other and separated themselves from other people.  I think this implies that not only does Moses feel he isn't a good public speaker, the religious connotation of circumcision means Moses doesn't feel he can speak for God.

On a completely non-religious note, I cannot read the story of Moses without thinking of the brilliant Mel Brooks and his take on the Moses story.  Makes me laugh!

Bible Challenge Days 20 and 21

So, it seems, for the second week in a row, that when I work all day and then do a Murder Mystery on Saturday night, I just don't get my readings done.  Look forward to a double session tomorrow.  In the mean time, here are the reading assignments for the upcoming week:

Day 22 - Exodus 4-6; Psalm 18:21-50; Matthew 19

Day 23 - Exodus 7-9; Psalm 19; Matthew 20

Day 24 - Exodus 10-12; Psalm 20; Matthew 21

Day 25 - Exodus 13-15; Psalm 21; Matthew 22

Day 26 - Exodus 16-18; Psalm 22; Matthew 23

Day 27 - Exodus 19-21; Psalm 23; Matthew 24

Day 28 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church

Bible Challenge Day 19

Genesis 49-50, Psalm 17, Matthew 17

Well, here we are on Day 19, and we've finished the book of Genesis.  The twelve tribes of Israel are established (I'm quite taken with the beauty of the poem), and the stage is set for Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.  Again, I'm taken with Joseph's forgiveness at the end of Genesis:

"'Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.  So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.'  In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them."

What is it with Jesus and mustard seeds?  He needs a new image of something small.  I find the language Jesus uses quite interesting.  Many times, like in Mark 6.8 or Matthew 13.58 he speaks of people's "unbelief", but here he speaks of his disciples "little faith".  There must be a difference in this deliberate choice of words.  The footnote in my Bible says:  "Little faith as distinguished from unbelief.  Jesus' saying is in figurative language; faith is concerned with God's will, not with moving mountains."  I honestly don't see that explicitly, but perhaps something is lost in translation.  I do, however, believe what the note says.  In the Lord's prayer we pray that "[God's] will be done".   I suppose you could phrase it that if I believe I can move a mountain, I am wrong.  If it is God's will that I move a mountain, then with faith I can move a mountain.  There's a major difference there.  I think people often times fail in doing "God's will" when they are really pursuing their own will.  It's very difficult to know the difference some times.  I, for one, can be a very willful person:  I know what I want, and I go for it.  It would be good practice for me to ask God for guidance, and then to actually listen for His response.

Bible Challenge Day 18

Genesis 46-48, Psalm 16, Matthew 16

I've heard, read, and seen the story of Joesph over and over in many forms.  There are cartoons, musicals, stories, and even a pretty amazing Dolly Parton song that all allude to or retell the Joseph narrative.  I'm always surprised, however, at the grace with which Joesph accepts his fate and forgives his brothers:

"I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life."

Let's remember the beginning of this story.  Joseph's brothers are jealous of him, so they throw him in a pit, sell him into slavery, and tell his father that wild animals ate him.  That doesn't sound so loving or brotherly to me.  I mean, I fought with my brother all the time, but I never sold him into slavery.  I thought about it, but I never did it.  If I were Joseph, I'd be pissed!  But Joseph sees that because of what happened he earned a place in Pharaoh's court, helped save not just Egypt but surrounding areas from famine, and found a new fertile land for his family.  He sees his hardships as God's plan.  That's something I struggle with every day.  It's hard to remember that God sees the big picture.  He's in charge, and I need to accept that.  That doesn't mean I should just give in when life gets hard, but it does mean that I need to go deep into prayer and listen for God's answer. I, like Joseph, should stay faithful through hard times knowing that God will take care of his people.  I also should learn to forgive those who have trespassed against me.

Bible Challenge Day 17

Genesis 43-45, Psalm 15, Matthew 15

I have a confession to make.  I worked all day and then went to a rehearsal, and here it is at 11:37pm, and I haven't done the readings from Genesis.  I got the Psalm and Matthew read backstage between my scenes, but I just didn't have time to read about Joseph.  I'm about to pass out at the computer, so I'm not reading it tonight.  I have tomorrow off work, so I'll catch up then.  Sorry.  You'll just have to deal with it.

I really loved how the Psalm and Jesus' teachings in Matthew went hand in hand today.  I was a bit surprised that the Psalm actually put a limit on who can come into the temple.  "O Lord, who may abide in your tent?/Who may dwell on your holy hill?"  I've always thought that church was a place for everyone.  We don't turn anyone away.  The psalmist disagrees.  He says only "those who walk blamelessly..." can enter.  He actually goes on with an impressive list of those who can and cannot enter.  I would say the same is true today, but there's a great danger in that.  I don't know that we are the ones to judge who can and cannot enter.  I think it's left to God to decide.  God knows the secrets of our souls whereas I don't know your secrets, and I hope you don't know mine!  An Episcopal priest friend of mine once told me that priests can deny communion to someone whom they know has committed a great sin and has not repented of it.  I asked her if she had ever done that, and he quickly answered no.  I would imagine that if someone came into the church killed a baby, spat on the alter, and threw rocks through the stained glass, the priest would be obliged to deny that person communion, but I can't really think of a less extreme reason.  That's because we are not to judge one another.  Judgement belongs to God.  Interestingly, the psalm ends with the words:  "Those who do these things shall never be moved."  Never.  That implies that some people are inherently good and others are inherently evil.  This isn't the first time we've seen this notion in the bible.  All of us are sinners, but we can be sinners who strive to do God's will.  I know I am far from perfect, but I do try to learn from my mistakes and serve God.

Jesus makes a rather strong statement about serving God in Matthew's gospel.  I've heard this passage quoted a million times by preachers and Sunday school teachers:  "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles."  Now, I've usually heard this in reference to swearing.  I'm sure that Jesus would rather we not use foul language, but I don't think that's what he's talking about here.  Jesus makes the point that the ritual hand washing isn't what makes him pious or not.  Any action on its own cannot please God just by doing it.  We have to mean it.  I think that goes for everything at church and in our lives.  We can sing hymns, but it only pleases God when we sing them full of joy and understanding the words.  When we actively praise Him, He takes delight.  When we receive communion we must do it with full knowledge of what we are doing.  We can't just go through the actions blindly.  If we fully enter into the ritual we please God.  In acting we speak often of finding an intention for everything.  You never cross the stage or say a line or raise an eyebrow without an "intention".  Why does the character do that?  What do you want from the other?  I think those questions work well in our spiritual life, too.  We can follow all the rules of piety and religion, but unless we do them with full intention of serving God they are meaningless.  Everything we do must "proceed from the heart" as Jesus says in Matthew 15:18.  So when a service ends with the priest saying, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord", we should go from church will full intention of actively serving God in all we do.

I'm just writing stream of consciousness without edits tonight.  Sorry if I'm rambling.  Sleep now.  night-night. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bible Challenge Day 16

Genesis 40-42, Psalm 14, Matthew 14

I think I'll wait until we've finished the Joseph story to comment.  It's a familiar story with much to learn, but I want to finish it.  Thinking about my comments yesterday about Jesus' parables, I find the short story of Joseph one that I easily remember, but rarely reflect on.

I do, however, want to comment on the Psalm.  It is unlike the ones we've read so far in that it doesn't really address the author's own needs or enemies.  It's more of a general painting of humankind and humanity's wickedness.  How humbling when the psalmist asks "are there any who are wise, who seek after God" and finds that "they have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one."  Ouch.  In verse 4, though, the psalmist seems to shift voices.  Is this God talking about the "evildoers who eat up my people" or is it the human psalmist talking about his enemies?  I think you could legitimately argue both ways.  However you take it, though, the psalm ends with God as the refuge of the poor and the deliverer of the people.  Notice, though, that God doesn't deliver all mankind.  "God is with the company of the righteous."

Matthew takes a little jump from Jesus to give us the narrative of John the Baptist's death.  It's a well-known tale thanks to Oscar Wilde and a little film called Sunset Boulevard.  Ok, maybe that's just my reference point, but there it is.  (Side note:  if you haven't seen Sunset Boulevard, run, don't walk, to the nearest Blockbuster!) Jesus' reaction to this news amazes me.  Jesus clearly mourns the loss of his cousin.  He "withdrew fom there in a boat to a deserted place by himself" when he gets the news.  John baptized Jesus, so I can only assume they were close.  If nothing else, John understood long before the others Jesus' role in God's plan.  An understanding Jesus can't quite pound into his disciples' heads even up to his own death.  I cannot fathom a loss so great.  Jesus' mourning doesn't last long, though.  The crowds follow him.  They beg for healing.  They throng him as I can only imagine crowds mob celebrities.  Here's the amazing part:  Jesus doesn't send them away.  He heals them.  When it gets late and they're hungry, he feeds them.

Finally the crowds leave.  Finally Jesus gets some peace and quiet.  He "went up the mountain by himself to pray".  I can assume Jesus goes to mourn.  To thank God for John's life.  To ask for strength after such a deep loss.  To take comfort in the solice of quiet time alone with God.  To feel God's strength.  But that doesn't last long.  A storm comes, his friends are scared, and Jesus answers their call.  He walks on water to comfort them, and calms the storm.  We never learn if Jesus ever gets that quiet time to himself to mourn.  He constantly serves others, and in doing so he constantly serves God.  He puts aside his own feelings to better do God's will.  That's an example I hope I can follow if only a little bit.

Bible Challenge Day 15

Genesis 37-39, Psalm 13, Matthew 13

I feel like I've studied the story of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat so many times that I'm running out of things to say about it.  I'm sure I could look deeper and find more, but I don't really feel up to it today.  If any of you want to comment on Joseph, please do.  I will say I find it interesting that the NRSV translates his coat as a "long robe with sleeves".  That doesn't sound very glamorous until I read the footnote that said he wouldn't be able to do manual labor in such a robe.  Ah!  Now I get it.  And I want one of those robes!

I am really excited to get to Jesus' parables.  I've always liked the parables for a number of reasons:  1.  I consider myself a storyteller, and I find that I understand things better when they're illustrated in the form of a story.  2.  It's amazing how such huge cosmic ideas can be taught in such a simple form.  3.  Parables are much easier to remember than a list of rules.  In this one Chapter in Matthew Jesus tells:

1. The Parable of the Sowers
2. The Parable of the Weeds in the Wheat
3. The Parable of the Mustard seed
4. The Parable of the Yeast
5. The Parable of the Treasure in the Field
6. The Parable of the Merchant and the Pearl
7. The Parable of the Dragnet

That's 7 ways to understand God and God's works in the course of about three pages.  Wow!  What's really great is how an incredibly short story can provoke so much thought and convey so much wisdom.  Take for example the mustard seed.  It's a tiny little thing that sprouts in to a massive tree.  But it doesn't stop there.  Birds come and live in its branches.  Heaven, like a mustard seed, begins as a tiny idea here on earth, but as the Kingdom of Heaven matures it grows into the mightiest thing imaginable.  It becomes a haven for living creatures and a protection and source of nourishment.  Like a mustard seed, one can easily overlook Heaven, but if we cultivate it here on earth it can flourish for all to see.  An amazing image created in only one sentence.  

When I was attending the Church of the Advent in Logan Square, our priest put together a study series he called "The Parable Project".  I didn't get to attend because of my crazy schedule, but after reading the many parables of Jesus, Father Peter challenged members of the church community to create their own modern day parables.  By simply crafting a sentence beginning with the words "The kingdom of heaven is like..." we not only grew to find a deeper knowledge of God, but gathered a deeper knowledge of who we were as individuals, as a community, and as followers of Jesus.  I think this just proves that God's message is one for all people.  Jesus can teach us in simple stories a child could follow, but the ideas he presents are debated 2000 years later.

Bible Challenge Day 13

Genesis 34-36, Psalm 12, Matthew 12

I really love how the stories in Genesis set up the relationships between the people of Israel and their neighbors.  We see how animosities grew between the nations through the individual characters in these stories.  I think it would be fascinating to learn more about ancient Hebrew history so I could really understand all of this.  My footnotes help a little, but I still feel a little lost.  I also admit I skimmed through all the genealogies in Chapter 36

When reading Matthew's story about Jesus justifying his actions on the Sabbath, I find a slightly different interpretation than my Bible's footnotes seem to take.  If anyone out there disagrees, feel free to comment.  Jesus defends his actions by saying, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."  I would agree with my Bible's footnotes that Jesus places himself as a new authority that supersedes the old law.  But Jesus doesn't stop there.  He uses logical and reasonable defenses.  If you're starving and there's food available:  eat.  If people are ailing and you can help them:  help them.  If your sheep is dying:  save it.  I think this sets a precedent that God wants us to use our God-given human reason to make decisions.  I further find proof of this in Jesus' defending his casting out evil demons.  The Pharisees say it is evil spirits doing the work, but Jesus uses extreme logic to prove otherwise.  (Read it for yourself, I don't want to spell it all out here.)  I think Jesus is telling the Pharisees that God has a plan for us and requires us to figure some of it out on our own.  Even though many things about God and the Bible are confusing and perhaps unknowable, there is a logic to the way God works. Look at the very simple statement that a bad tree gives bad fruit and a good tree gives good fruit.  I take great comfort in knowing that God has given us all the tools we need to figure out how one should live one's life.  In the Episcopal Church we talk about the three-legged stool of faith.  We believe that Holy Scripture, Tradition, and Human Reason can guide us in living a proper Christian life.  I believe that leg of Human Reason often is left out of the equation.  God gave us brains.  Let's use them.

For Next Week:

Day 15 - Genesis 37-39; Psalm 13; Matthew 13
Day 16 - Genesis 40-42; Psalm 14; Matthew 14
Day 17 - Genesis 43-45; Psalm 15; Matthew 15
Day 18 - Genesis 46-48; Psalm 16; Matthew 16
Day 19 - Genesis 49-50; Psalm 17; Matthew 17
Day 20 - Exodus 1-3; Psalm 18:1-20; Matthew 18
Day 21 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church