Scripture | blog.theologika.net

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Mar 12, 2025

Geological Time Includes the Present

Darkness had long since fallen as we made our way along a winding road beside a lake. We were on our way home from a wonderful wedding celebration and the driver was watching closely for animals, as well as for rocks that might have fallen onto the road from the steep hills along the road. He remarked as he drove that one of his children had told him of a geology professor who had advised his class always to remember that “Geological time includes the present.”

Reflecting on this insight, I realized that God’s time is like geological time in that respect – or maybe it’s vice versa? It includes the present.

As we begin these weeks of Lent, it’s good to remember that God is in this for the long-haul. We tend to think of times and seasons in our lives as having a beginning, a middle, and an end. But really, our lives are a long story, with parts and themes that weave in and out of the narration. The same is true for the history of God and humanity.

Moses and the Israelites traveled through the desert for forty years. Their release from captivity in Egypt had been totally unexpected. Granted, they had begged the Lord for relief from the forced labor and other conditions that had been imposed on them by the rulers of Egypt, but something as dramatic as the Passover and their release into the Sinai Peninsula was totally unexpected.

Who were they now? Where were they going? Who would be in charge? How did the Lord figure into it all? Moses had gone up to the mountain, into the cloud, and spoken with the Lord. His appearance was transformed by that experience. But what did that mean for everyday life?

Moses gathered the people as a group as their time in the desert together was drawing to an end and reminded them of the history of the Lord’s intervention that had led to their freedom. He again spoke to them of the Lord’s instructions for how they were to live. The ancient covenant with Abraham was still in effect. The narrative was ongoing. Their present time was part of God’s time and plan.

As they entered into their new land, planting crops, raising their flocks, they were not to forget the Lord’s care for them. They must remember to give thanks always for his care. So, as the first fruits of the land matured, they must be offered to the Lord as a thanksgiving gift at harvest time. They had received much from the Lord. The story of the Lord’s love and care for them was continuing, in a different setting and with different “props,” but the same Lord was providing for them still and yet.

Now, having set their gifts before the Lord, their God, they were to “bow down in his presence.” The story of their lives continued uninterrupted. (Deut 26:4-10)

Jesus too passed through many phases and seasons of life. His birth was unplanned by his parents. He had lived as a child, grown up revering the Lord, become a good Jewish man, learned a trade, become a regular fellow who was respectable and trusted as an adult. It was a relatively normal life, once he got past the first surprising beginning.

And then something unexpected happened, much like finding a big rock on the road by the lake or having an elk step out onto the road on a dark night. A prophet, who happened to be his cousin, began preaching along the Jordan River. This river stretches from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Dead Sea in the south. The people had crossed the Jordan River when they first entered their land. It was the eastern border.

Jesus went down to the Jordan along with many other people. He listened to his cousin John speak of the coming of the Anointed One, the one long promised, who would restore the relationship with God and bring a new kingdom into being. Folks expected it to be a kingdom with rulers like those who would be replaced – the hated Roman conquerors.

Many prophets through the years had promised the coming of the Anointed One, the Messiah. Who would he be? When would he come? Would it still be many years in the future or would it be now?

Jesus entered into the water to be baptized and both he and John got a big surprise. The heavens opened, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him like a dove, and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son.”

What a dramatic turn in the life-story of a carpenter from a small town in Galilee! Wisely, Jesus didn’t just head home. Instead, he went out into desert lands to pray, to fast, and to begin to process what that all might have meant.

Forty days, he remained in the desert. He was thirsty and hungry. A voice, a tempter, whispered into his ear, “Command this stone to become bread.” Try it out, see what kind of powers you have now. You’re hungry, maybe you should do something about it…

But Jesus understood that was not the route he was to take. There’s more to life than bread.

Then the tempter offered him power – power over mighty kingdoms. Only one string attached, “I shall give to you all this power and glory … All this will be yours , if you worship me.” Again, Jesus didn’t take the bait, though many a person in history has, even in our days.

Finally, since Jesus kept responding that only God is in charge of such things, the tempter took him to a high point on the temple and suggested that God would protect him if he simply jumped off – angels would catch him. When Jesus again rejected the idea of putting God to the test, the tempter left him “for a time.” Not forever, just for the time-being. (Lk 4:1-13)

Jesus’ life-story took some very unexpected turns. He learned a lot in the process. Yet he remained faithful to the experience of discovering the Father’s love for him and the mission to share that wonderful news.

As the story of God’s presence and care for humanity continued to unfold, many came to hear and believe the good news of that love. They shared the joy and the challenges of sharing the story. The story turned out to be bigger than initially thought. It wasn’t like one rock sliding down a hillside. It was more like a hillside sliding down into the sea, reshaping a coastline.

St. Paul wrote to the people of Rome, reminding them of God’s presence throughout history and the ever-widening ripples of that presence. Not only is the Lord come for the Jews, he has come for all peoples. He is not an earthly ruler. Much more deeply, the Lord, the Word, is very near – in the heart and in the mouth. Words of faith are spoken and works of love are shared. In this we find salvation. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:8-13)

We receive this word today as a promise given, received, and on-going. God’s time and Geological time include the present.

How do we live this in our lives today? Where are we called to love? Whom are we to respect and care for? How do we welcome people from other nations, the poor, the sick, the homeless? How do we respect each other and value the talents of each? Where will our legacy be found?

May we remember the Lord’s loving presence, the faithfulness of the One who loves us, and reach out in love to all the peoples of the world as we enter into and move through this season of Lent. God doesn’t love us just because we are perfect or powerful. We are loved at all times. We simply need to remember to be the stones on the hillside which he needs as he shapes and reshapes the world into a Kingdom of Love.

Readings for the First Sunday of Lent – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Feb 16, 2025

Dreams and Their Consequences

In the early years of television, a show called “Truth or Consequences” was quite popular. Contestants were given a trivia question to answer and if they didn’t get the correct answer in a matter of moments, they had to perform some kind of crazy or embarrassing activity or action. The program continued for several decades and its producers pioneered some of the film and live-broadcast techniques that are basic to video and television productions today.

The show came to mind as I was reflecting on the readings this week. The prophet Jeremiah, writing in the years before the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 587 BCE and the years that followed, begins a prophetic oracle with these words, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.” He contrasts this with a contrasting statement, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Jer 17:5-8)

Each of these statements is followed by descriptions of the behaviors that characterize each type of trust and its ultimate consequences. The words used – cursed/blessed – are easy to misunderstand. Who curses? Who blesses? What does the word mean fundamentally?

For the Hebrew people, the messages proclaimed by the prophets are announced with the words, “Thus says the Lord.” It is the Lord, the Most High of Israel, who is speaking this message to the people through the prophet. We hear the word “cursed” and think of an angry, violent, vengeful, jealous person who doesn’t hesitate to punish and hurt the ones who don’t obey. Similarly, when we hear the word “blessed,” we typically think of a person who loves and rewards conditionally. As long as the person over whom the authority holds power obeys, all will be well and they will prosper.

But is this what the prophecies really mean? Is the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, really an angry, jealous, vengeful deity? Or are we maybe misunderstanding what is meant by the words.

Imagine a child with a new scooter. This child is excited to go out and try it on the hill behind the house. The hill is high and pretty steep at one end, the edge of a higher plateau. There are some shorter parts of the hill. One section is about half as high as the highest one and not as steep. The final section is much lower. A gentle slope that started out steeper than the bottom – it smoothed out to a level sidewalk up to the back door.

The parents will assess the age and strength of the child when deciding to allow the child to go try out the scooter. The high plateau end is going to be too high for the child, even for an older child. Heavens, it’s too high even for an experienced adult to slide down safely! The admonition not to go there will be much stronger about that steep hill. “Don’t even think about it. You’ll break your neck!”

The intermediate size hill may be safe for an older child. The parents will say, “Be careful. Watch what you’re doing. Don’t get going too fast.”

A younger child will be able to enjoy the scooter on the lower hill. The instructions may well sound like those given to the older child on the intermediate hill. But the parents will be watching much more closely and maybe running down the hill alongside the child on the scooter, to help keep both child and scooter safe.

Perhaps the words of the Lord given by the prophet are more in the style of the words of these parents of the child with a new scooter.

“Cursed are those who …” might mean the same thing as “Things could go very badly in the end for those who …”

The images Jeremiah uses are those that the people of his time will understand – “A barren bush in the desert, … a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.” On the other hand, for those who listen to the advice of the Lord, he speaks of “a tree planted beside the waters that stretches its root to the stream … in the year of drought … still bears fruit.” The results for this person will be positive in the long run.

Jesus used a similar style in speaking with a large crowd of people who gathered to hear his words. “Blessed are you …” describes people who do not hurt others in order to live their lives. For those whose behavior was not kind and loving, his words were “Woe to you who …” (Lk 6:17, 20-26)

Was Jesus condemning those whose behavior seemed to indicate divine blessing? People who were financially rich, never hungry, welcomed as an honored, well-loved guest, or praised by all who knew them – is he condemning them? Or was he offering a warning that those in power can so easily find the tables turned and themselves disgraced, imprisoned or out of work?

And those who were in need? Was it because of something they had done? Were they lazy or unwilling to try to help themselves? What about that old saying, “God helps those who help themselves?” But Jesus says, those who help others are blessed. Those who don’t worry about having approval from the rest of the world are the ones who are pleasing to God.

Consequences don’t have to be unpleasant. They don’t have to be embarrassing. They come along as a result of decisions we make and actions we take. Those who have great wealth don’t always feel secure. They can lose it very quickly. Those who put all their money into homes or possessions can lose everything in a fire, flood, or tornado. But those who put their energy and resources into supporting and helping other people will find help and love from those they have helped when they themselves are in need. “Asbestos checks” don’t necessarily help those who die with great riches but little history of having cared for or shared with others. But the help and love we share with others grows and flows out into the world, growing ever broader and stronger.

Truth or consequences. Do we believe the truth spoken by Jeremiah and Jesus? Which consequences do we want to see in our lives? Do we trust in money, fame, lands, power to save us from loss and suffering? Or do we trust in mutual support, help for those in need of an extra hand, comfort offered to those who have experienced great losses, and decide to continue to do so despite the opposition of those who find their power threatened by this freedom?

Which will lead to everlasting blessing? Which joins us to the life of Christ?

In the days to come, may we trust that our Lord is good and loving, caring for all of us, and hoping we will join in helping and supporting each other, no matter where we have come from or where we live now. We are the Lord’s hands and voice here and now. May we speak the truth and share in the blessings promised.

Readings for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jun 9, 2024

How Do We Explain What We Experience?

Many years ago, I went with a Girl Scout troop to Disneyland. It was a rather unusual trip, because there were only two girls left in the troop and both were graduating Seniors. One girl’s father had passed away and her mother had no one with whom to leave her other child, so the girl’s brother came along too. The other girl’s young nephew came along because her mother, the Scout Leader/Grandmother, was caring for the child.

After a busy and enjoyable day in which the girls and other family enjoyed the more exciting rides and toddler and Grandmother enjoyed the more sedate ones, all joined for dinner. After dinner, there was the usual performance that closes the evening. The toddler played happily as the show unfolded. Music blared over the surrounding area. As the story became more complex, the music became pensive, excited, threatening, suspenseful, foreboding, and so forth. Each time the storyline took a different twist or turn, the music clued in the audience about how they were to feel and what was going on in the narrative.

The only one who clearly was unaffected was the toddler. He simply played happily, climbing up the fence rails, running up and down the sidewalk and otherwise enjoying the world in which he found himself. The music told him nothing. There was no nonverbal explanation of the story for him to experience, because he didn’t have words to put with the music that would tell the meaning without saying them. A frightening story evoked no fear in him. Similarly, when the story’s ending proved to be happy, that also produced no reaction of happy satisfaction for him.

How we explain what we experience depends on our family and cultural stories of how things came to be. The same essential phenomenon may be explained in many different ways. Each culture has its stories to explain “the whys and wherefores” of the world as experienced day to day. We hear those stories and they become our worldview and fundamental explanatory system as we grow from infancy into adulthood.

The Hebrew scriptures begin with stories of how everything came to be the way they are. Two separate stories are told, because there are different questions requiring answers. In the first story, we hear how God created the heavens and the earth and found them all good. In that story, humans were created and given stewardship over creation. Men and women were created as equals and all was pronounced good.

In the second story, humans are formed from the clay of the earth and placed in a beautiful Garden. Again, men and women are created to be equals. The garden is filled with everything the people might want and they are free to explore and take advantage of it all. The only restriction is that they may not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil or of the Tree of Life. There is an opponent of the Lord God in this story, the Deceiver (aka Satan). This Deceiver enters the garden and starts talking with the woman who becomes mother of all humans, Eve. He asks her about the Lord’s prohibition on eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, then convinces her to taste the fruit. Once she tastes it, she encourages her husband, Adam, to taste as well. Once they taste the fruit, they become aware of their difference from the rest of the beings in the garden. They hide from the Lord when He comes to walk with them in the beauty of the evening, noting that they are naked. The Lord realizes that they have taken/received knowledge they previously had never even suspected existed. They had been like the toddler at Disneyland, unaware and gloriously untouched by the pain and suffering of separation from the One who loved and created them. Now they hide from him.

In the Hebrew story, the man and his wife must bear the consequences of their action. The serpent (Satan) also had to experience consequences as he was condemned to travel on his belly for the rest of time. He and humans would become enemies. But for humans, a different kind of consequence resulted. They were escorted out of the Garden in which they had been created and in which they lived closely with the Lord. They could not return there – no turning back time. Now they would live by their work. They would experience hardship and conflict. They would die eventually. (Gen 3:9-15)

Sometimes we hear these stories and think about the consequences as punishment. What would life here have been like if we humans and our ancestors had never disobeyed the Lord by tasting and receiving knowledge of Good and Evil? Would they/we have remained as innocent as young children forever? When a child doesn’t grow past the innocence of early childhood, we protect and care for them, knowing that something is seriously different about their experience of life and the world. Such children may grow in age, but they don’t grow in the way a normal child will mature into adulthood.

An important insight from this second story of creation is that the evil and the conflicts we see and experience in our world are not the result of a creation that is itself a rivalry or duality between forces of good and forces of evil. In this Hebrew explanation of the source of evil in the world, we see human free will as the source of the conflict. Humans can choose how to react to the call of the Lord. They can hear and obey (listen deeply) or they can hear and choose not to live by the rules of the Lord.

Yet, who can know what the world would ever be if humans had remained in the Garden of Eden? Would we be truly human? We certainly would be different. Nowhere nearly as attuned to discord. But would we appreciate beauty and cooperation as well if we had never experienced their absence?

The story of the closing of Eden to humans continues with a brief statement that the Lord made clothing for Adam and Eve and helped them learn how to live on the land and provide for themselves and others. In essence, they now got to learn how to find or grow and prepare food. They got to make clothing and learn how to stay warm and dry at night or on rainy days. They got to have children, not painlessly, but with the promise of others with whom to share love, discovery, and companionship. They became adults, with all the joys and struggles of adulthood. They also still had a great Love underlying this process and supporting them in it.

This theme of responsibility for actions and of the trickery of the Deceiver flows through the Scriptures, both Hebrew and Christian. Jesus is accused of driving out demons by using the power of a demon. He notes that such a reality would be ridiculous and points out that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, helping us to see the difference between good and evil and to choose the good. Our relationships are broader than just our biological and social families. Our families are those with whom we share a common love and faithful obedience to the Lord’s call of us to holiness, to choose the good now that we have seen the contrast between good and evil. (Mk 3:20-35)

St. Paul talks about the spirit of faith that leads us to speak of what we have seen and experienced of the love of the Lord. Opposition will come, but that will pass. It is transitory, not at all comparable with the glory of eternity that will be open to those who, having grown up and tasted the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil now choose the good. Those who follow the wisdom of that tree can be confident that they will live in God’s kingdom when all is said and done. (2 Cor 4:13-5:1)

These early stories are not intended to be scientific explanations of how everything came to be or why things happen the way they do. They are poetic images, music in the night, that help us understand what is going on and where we fit into the picture. They offer hope for us today and into the future. Life is not easy. It’s not always an Eden. But the Lord God didn’t stay in Eden after locking the door as humans moved into the world. The Lord God came with them and remains with all of us as we too make our way through the challenges of life, choosing goodness and accepting the results of our choice to follow.

As we move through our week, may we be open to learn new ways of living from our God. Where will we find him present? What music of life will we hear that tells us we are moving from danger into safety in our stories? What choices will we make this week that lead those who are alone or afraid into a place of acceptance and courage?

The Lord God is with us. May we be always aware of his presence and open to love.

Readings for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 30, 2023

Wisdom – Thinking with the Heart

“Use your head!” “Don’t be a fool!” “Don’t waste what you’ve got, use it carefully!” “They wouldn’t be in this position if they’d just been more sensible!”

How many times have we all heard these kinds of statements, sometimes addressed directly to us? It’s a common understanding in Western culture that decision making is best done with the mind, a.k.a. the head. We think of the heart as the center of emotions, and emotions are not regarded as the best sources of good decisions.

In ancient Israel, the heart was seen as both the center for emotions and the center for decision-making. When the Lord came to King Solomon in a dream at night and asked what gift Solomon would like to receive, Solomon gave an unusual answer. He had become king at a young age and had to defeat many enemies, including one of his brothers, to establish control over the kingdom. Once that was settled, still a young man, he began to build his own palace and a Temple for worship of the Lord. Up to that point, the tablets of the Law had been kept in the Ark of the Covenant. Now it was time for a permanent home for them and a center for worship and sacrificial offerings.

Solomon recognized his inexperience and the challenges ahead of him in governing a large group of people. So, he asked for “an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12)

This pleased the Lord, who had expected a request for the usual kinds of things people wanted – long life, riches, conquest of enemies and so forth. But Solomon had asked for an understanding heart. The Lord’s response was heartfelt: “I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now…”

Solomon is known to this day as Solomon the Wise. His reputation for wisdom spread throughout the ancient world and people traveled long distances to meet with him. As long as his decisions were based on the wisdom that came from thinking and listening with his heart, they bore good fruit. Later in life, when he forgot some of his earlier experience with the Lord and good decision-making, things didn’t always go so well. But the reputation from his earlier years remains. Solomon the Wise.

St. Paul spoke of something similar in his letter to the Romans. (Rom 8: 28-30) “All things work for good for those who love God.” Paul used a term in his letter that is often misunderstood today. Predestined.

We tend to think the word predestined means that everything is set up firmly and unchangeably ahead of time. Nothing anyone can do will change it. Some will succeed. Some will fail. It’s like a sports activity in which the winner is determined before the match begins and the competitor who may be better will deliberately compete more poorly, to meet the predetermined setup. On the big picture, spiritual side of things, some will go to a heavenly reward and some will go to eternal damnation. This can lead to a belief that we can tell who is going to be rewarded in heaven by how monetarily successful they are here on earth! Entire cultural systems have been set up based on this premise. We do our best and if we are pleasing to God, we will prosper. If we aren’t pleasing, then nothing we can do will help and no matter how hard we are working, we will be eternally punished.

What a terrible way to go through life! Who would want a God who would treat people that way? And yet, if that’s all we’ve ever heard, that’s likely to underlie much of our understanding of life.

Fortunately for all of us, predestined in the sense used by Paul doesn’t mean the same as what we expect. Predestined in this context means that God has decided to call us and help us become like Christ, ready to be in a positive, loving relationship with God both now and into eternity. Paul assures us all that God has chosen us from all eternity to become like his Son, the one firstborn of the many humans who will join together as sisters and brothers in the family of God. This is something worth celebrating and allowing to be a foundation of our lives.

So, what is this family of God, the Kingdom of God to be like? Jesus spent a lot of time trying to explain what the kingdom is. (Mt 13:44-52) “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field.” The kingdom of heaven is like “a pearl of great price.” Those who find the treasure or the pearl put it back where they found it in Jesus’ parables. Then they go and sell everything they have in order to buy the field (and the treasure) or the pearl. They don’t set up a spreadsheet and compare their assets and liabilities and determine whether this new asset will be more beneficial than sticking with their existing plans. No, they simply drop everything and choose the greater prize, the one they have marvelously come upon.

Jesus tells stories of wheat growing alongside weeds and fish, good and bad, swimming in the sea. Life is not set up with only good things happening to the good people and bad things happening to the bad people. There’s a share of good and bad for all. The trick is, how do we respond? And how do we respond to others whose situation may be more difficult than the one in which we find ourselves? Do we use our heads and try to protect what we already have at all cost? Or do we sometimes go out on a limb and saw madly behind us, hoping to help someone who is struggling or in need of a hand?

Wisdom is thinking with our hearts. As our hearts are soft, or softened, they become more pliable, more ready to love as our Lord has loved.

As we move through this week, let’s pray that areas of our hearts that are hardened will be softened, so that we can hear and think with the freedom and abundance of our God.

Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jan 29, 2023

He Went up the Mountain

The Beatitudes are front and center in the liturgy today. Jesus goes up the mountain – just as Moses went up the mountain to receive the original Law, a short part of which are the 10 Commandments. Matthew’s positioning of this teaching as taking place on the mountain makes it clear that this is the new law which Jesus is bringing to all right from the beginning. (Mt 5:1-12a) It’s not given to him by God, as the Law was given to Moses. He is the one teaching them.

Yet what Jesus is teaching is not entirely new. The prophets long before the time of Jesus called the ordinary people, the humble of the earth, to follow God’s law, seeking justice and humility, speaking the truth, living in peace, and taking refuge in the name, the power, of the Lord. Jesus too speaks of the humble, ordinary folks of the earth. It’s not the rich and powerful who will make up the kingdom of heaven or make it a reality on Earth. It’s those who are not ambitious for power and fame but who are hungry for righteousness, for doing what is right and good rather than what might be more profitable. It’s those who are merciful and look at the world with pure hearts, those who work for peace and who mourn the losses caused by greed or ambition.

This is the new law Jesus brings to us, laid out right near the beginning of his public life, shortly after the call of his first disciples. Yet it’s not a law that will be easy to accept or to live by. He speaks clearly of persecution, insults, and evil worked against those who will follow this law. Still, the reward for faithfulness is the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom in which their hunger for justice will be satisfied, they will experience mercy and be comforted. They will be known as children of God. Not a bad outcome, all in all.

Easy to live this way? No. Not at all. Does it make sense in everyday life? No, not really. Yet it’s the foolish who live as he teaches who will show the way to life. It’s only through the grace, the help of God, that we can live this new way.

We have been called and have received an amazing gift, to live in the Lord and by the wisdom he brought to that mountainside. The kingdom begins as we live as he has called us to live, following the instructions he gave so long ago.

The Beatitudes are not the entire teaching from Jesus on that day on the mountain. As was the case with the original Law given on Mt. Sinai, there is much more that Jesus taught his disciples that day. We’ll be hearing more of this right into the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Here we go on the journey. Much to see and learn as we travel along the way with Jesus.

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jan 22, 2023

A Voice Calls to You – Do you hear?

Have you ever received a phone call, a text, or a letter inviting you to an event or an activity that you would never have considered attending? It might even be an invitation to something that you didn’t know existed, something so totally out of character for you that you are surprised anyone would ever associate you with that!

My initial reaction in these moments is to decline. “No, I can’t possibly do that.” “I don’t have time.” Usually I don’t say, “Are you crazy? Why would you think I would ever be associated with something like that?” I may be thinking that, but I try to be polite as my mother taught me.

Nevertheless, there have been times when I didn’t say no to the invitation. Invariably, I have learned something important in the process.

I was never into rock and much of the contemporary music of my day as a teen and young adult. As a result, the thought of attending a Grateful Dead concert never entered my mind. Yet as an adult in the late 70s and early 80s, I was working with a group, the Seva Foundation, that was trying to combat preventable blindness in Nepal. (I discovered I was not good at fundraising in the process, but that’s another story.)

One of the folks with whom I was working knew someone from the Grateful Dead and was able to instigate the planning of a benefit concert that included some members of the Dead, along with many other folk and rock artists who were well-known musicians and activists. We were invited to attend as well.

That night, as we stood in line at the will-call ticket booth, a young woman ahead of us, clearly rather “spaced-out,” approached the booth. She went up to the window and warmly greeted Jahanara, who was handing out the tickets. Jahanara smiled and greeted her in return. It was clear the young woman was not there to pick up tickets, but it didn’t matter to Jahanara. There was a warm smile and a wish for a happy evening. Then the young woman walked away peacefully.

I have often reflected on that encounter. I don’t know that I would have had the grace that Jahanara exhibited that night. I might instead have been irritated that the young woman had wasted my time and that of the folks in line. But I think Jahanara’s response was the way Jesus would have responded. I have never forgotten that moment of grace.

Liturgically, we are in a time of hearing about the events in Jesus’ life that led to its climax with his passion, death, and resurrection. We have heard about John the Baptist’s testimony. Today we hear about what happened after John had been arrested by Herod but before his execution. (Mt 4:12-23) Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum and began his journey of preaching: “Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.”

Capernaum is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It’s a very big lake and many folks made their living as fishermen. As he walked along the lake, he saw Andrew and Simon throwing their nets into the lake. He called to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That seems a crazy thing to say and they responded in an even crazier way. They left their nets right there and walked on with him. Then they saw two other brothers, James and John, in the boat with their father Zebedee. Jesus called them as well. They left their father and went off with him.

These were absolutely outrageous things to do. Totally irresponsible and unheard of. Yet because they heard the invitation and responded, they became witnesses to the greatest event of salvation history – the reconciliation of humanity with God.

Most of the time our own encounters with strangers don’t seem to have cosmic implications. Most of the people we meet on the street or in the grocery store are pretty ordinary folks, with ordinary lives and hopes. But I think we make a great mistake if we assume that because they seem ordinary, there is nothing special about them. Each of us is here for a reason. We mostly have no clue what that reason is, but God has a reason for each of us to be here. There is someone we are to greet. Someone with whom we are to share a smile. Someone who just needs to be seen by another person and treasured as one of God’s special ones.

When Jesus comes into our lives, it’s not generally going to be with trumpet blasts and fanfare. Very likely it will come in the form of an invitation to do or try something that we would not ordinarily do. Who would ever have thought the I would go to a concert and enjoy the music of the Grateful Dead? But I did and it was a wonderful experience. And in the process, I saw the Lord reaching out in kindness to a young woman who needed to hear a gentle word that night.

Jesus continues to walk among us, mostly unseen. He is present in each one of us and wants us to reach out to each other and to those we meet, sharing the great love the Father has for each of his children. We too are called to leave our ordinary “nets” and follow along with him. He will make us fishers of men, women, and children too.

A voice is calling. Do you hear him?

Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Sep 25, 2022

Habits and What We See – What Do I Notice?

Walking or driving down the road, on a route I’ve been taking regularly for over thirty years, once in a while I’ll notice something out of the ordinary. It may be only a quick glimpse as I go by or it may be something I see up ahead and take a moment to observe as I approach and move past it. Yesterday it was a red-tail hawk that flew from the bluff up onto a lamp post. Tomorrow it may be something else. When this happens, I find myself wondering how many other things I might have missed seeing as I’ve gone along my way.

Researchers say that most of what we see never consciously registers. We get used to seeing things that haven’t changed from day to day. It’s only when something changes that we notice it.

The same can be all too true of our relationships with other people, whether family members, friends, or strangers. We come to expect certain behaviors and reactions from those we know. Our interactions are pre-established and based on a long history of encounters. We think we know the other person and nothing will be any different this time around, so we don’t notice the sometimes subtle cues that a change has occurred. Similarly, when we are always with people who have known us for a long time, we don’t get a lot of chances to become different persons with them. That’s one of the great advantages of moving to a different area for college or work, especially for young people. There’s a chance to discover new things about themselves and experiment with new activities and lifestyles.

This continuity of expectations with a family or community is a common human experience. It’s part of the formation and maintenance of cultures and traditions. As a general rule, it works pretty well. But not always… Social class, societal expectations, peer pressure, fear – all can lead to a certain amount of blindness to the presence and needs of those around us.

The land of Israel in ancient times was divided into areas populated by the descendants of Jacob and his son Joseph. Those who lived in one geographic and territorial area did not always pay much attention to what was happening in another one. As a result, when the northern lands were conquered by Assyria in around 721 BC, wealthy folks in the southern territories didn’t pay much attention. The wealthy continued their lives of luxury and ease. They ate food that was normally only used for sacrificial offerings, made music, used costly oils and perfumes, and generally lived the “good life.” Not much attention was wasted with concern for the fate of folks in the northern territories or the poor of their own land. Amos, a prophet in the southland, called to them with a serious warning that this was not going to last. “They shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.” (Am 6:1a, 4-7) Needless to say, this is exactly what happened to the southern kingdom as well, on more than one occasion.

Those who saw only what they expected to see, missed the signs of coming disaster. Those who did not care for the less fortunate, found themselves joining the latter in suffering. Those who fancied themselves to be singers and composers of great songs, like David, didn’t notice the themes of David’s psalms: justice for the poor, food for the hungry, sight for the blind, freedom for captives, protection for strangers …

Another person who didn’t see what was around him was the rich man in the story Jesus told to a group of Pharisees with whom he was speaking one day. This rich man was extremely wealthy. He wore purple linen clothing. Linen is a fine fabric and was not commonly used by ordinary folk for clothing. Purple is such a hard color to produce as a dye that typically only rulers wore it. It’s commonly used today, but not in those days. This mega-millionaire/billionaire ate lavishly each day and had everything he could ever want.

Another man, named Lazarus, is also featured in the story. Lazarus, whose name means “my God helps,” is extraordinarily poor. He lies beside the door of the rich man and would happily eat the scraps that fell on the floor from the table of the rich man, but even those are never offered to him. In fact, the only ones who seem to notice him are the dogs who come and lick his sores!

The rich man does not see Lazarus in any meaningful way. To the extent that he does notice him, he doesn’t care. Lazarus is just a regular feature of the world outside his door. Nothing worth notice here …

The position of the two changes upon their deaths. Abraham welcomes Lazarus, carried to him in the arms of angels. The rich man ends up in the netherworld, suffering greatly. Adding insult to injury, the rich man can see Lazarus with Abraham. Ever the practical man, and accustomed to getting what he wants, the rich man calls out to Abraham, asking that Lazarus be sent with a drop of water to ease his sufferings.

Notice that the rich man never noticed Lazarus in life, but he sees him in death. Abraham and Lazarus can see the rich man too. They could always see him. However, there’s a chasm between the two experiences of the afterlife. No matter how much they might want to help the rich man, they cannot do so. The rich man is still thinking primarily of his own comfort. He doesn’t apologize for mistreating Lazarus in life. He just asks for help for himself and assumes Lazarus is the one to provide it.

When Abraham explains that such help is not available to the rich man, the next request is that Lazarus be sent to the five brothers of the rich man, so they can be warned and avoid the same terrible fate. This is a bit of a step forward, at least he’s thinking of someone else. However, this is not to be. Abraham reminds him that Moses and the prophets already had spoken such words of warning. The brothers should listen to those words. Still not seeing his own relationship with Lazarus as one of brotherhood in God’s family, the rich man argues that surely his brothers would change their behavior if one who returned from the dead brought them a warning. Abraham responds, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will the be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” (Lk 16:19-31)

This story speaks to us too. Do we believe the words of the one who rose from the dead? How do our habits of seeing and not seeing impact our relationships with those around us?

We, like Timothy of old, are called to “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.” (1 Tim 6:11-16) St. Paul reminds his friend and us that this is not an easy pursuit. It will take time and commitment to live this way. Opposition will arise along the way. But the Lord Jesus will return as ruler when the time is right. The way we see others and the way we live our calling will depend at least in part on the habits we form as we live out our calling as followers of Jesus.

There is much to ponder here. Is the chasm really so deep that those who do not live lives of service and compassion cannot ever cross or that those like Abraham who can see across the chasm cannot reach out and help (which would likely be their normal response)? What about God’s willingness to forgive everything? Is it possible to be excluded from that forgiveness? Do we have to do anything to get that forgiveness? It can’t be demanded as a right or bought. What hope is there?

I read a book last spring that offers an intriguing peek at some of the issues raised by these bits of Scripture. The Book of Boy, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, takes place in medieval times. It’s easy to read, geared towards middle school level readers. A boy whose origins are unknown, accompanies a ragtag traveler through Europe to Rome, searching for and stealing relics of St. Peter along the way. The actual identity of the traveler and the boy are revealed in hints and only very gradually as they travel. Not until the very end does the complete picture come together. I highly recommend it to any who are ready to open their eyes and ears to a glimpse of a complex truth as revealed in what seem like very ordinary, somewhat disreputable, earthly actors and their interaction.

For now, let’s be careful to keep our eyes open, to notice what’s around us all the time, not just new and different things. Smile at the folks you meet on the street. You may be the only one who does all day. Give a hand when you can. Even small things can make a big difference. Welcome newcomers. Help refugees. Notice the un-housed on the street and treat them with respect. Be patient with each other at home. Play with children. Laugh with those who laugh. Be present and quiet with those who mourn.

Habits take time to establish. Here’s hoping the ones we have at the end of our lives eliminate the great chasm between us and the bosom of Abraham. Let’s open our eyes and see the Lord’s presence here with us, today and always.

Readings for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Sep 18, 2022

God’s Got Friends in Low Places

Country music has never been one of my go-to forms of entertainment. It’s not that I don’t like it. No, it can be quite entertaining. It’s just that there are a lot of other genres I find more enjoyable. I like to sing along and the sadness of so many of the country music stories just doesn’t often fit my mood.

So, it struck me as funny at the wedding reception of one of my children to hear the song, “Friends in Low Places,” by Garth Brooks. I’m not sure I had ever heard it before that day, but I really enjoyed dancing to it as I thought of some of my friends in low places – places where most of the guests at the wedding might never have had the chance to find friendships.

Two of these friends lived in the cemetery behind one of our local churches. It was a cemetery that had fallen out of use and was not being tended well. Graves dated back to the mid-1800s and the records of who all were buried there had been lost in a fire in the 1930s. John and Mary, not their real names, camped at the bottom of a small hill beside the cemetery. They took care of it.

Both were alcoholics. Both were chain smokers. I think John may have used other drugs as well. I don’t think Mary did, but she had/has a bipolar condition that doesn’t respond to medication. So, she self-medicates with alcohol and tobacco – not a totally socially acceptable way to handle life, especially for someone who really can’t work a steady job.

John had a family in another state, but he had long since left. His alcoholism and other problems got in the way of maintaining healthy family relationships. He died of a heart attack on the levee beside the river in his late 40s or early 50s. His father had died early of a heart attack too, I learned from Mary.

Where to bury his ashes became the big question. Mary was able to arrange for the parish priest to conduct a prayer service for him in the cemetery where they had been living. I was there with my young daughter. One of the men kindly shared his coat with her because she was cold. Their friends were surprised to learn that I was familiar with the Okanogan Valley in Washington, having grown up with close family friends there and having thinned apples at an orchard there one summer. They had worked in the same area as migrant workers, thinning and picking apples. There wasn’t a place to bury John, but at least we had a service for him and I made memorial cards to share with all.

A while later, it was arranged for John to have a burial spot on the edge of the cemetery, where he and Mary had lived for so long. I hope when the day comes to bury Mary, that she will receive a spot next to him. She still very much loves him.

One day, about a year after he died, Mary saw me as I walked across the cemetery after Mass. She has a very insistent manner of planting herself in front of the person to whom she wants to speak and there’s no doubt but what the conversation will occur! She had had a dream and it was worrying her. John had appeared in the dream. He was in a mobile home, on the bed, and was smiling at her. Was he OK? What did it mean? They had always dreamed of maybe one day having enough money to buy a mobile home and have a roof over their heads. Why this dream now?

I assured her that it was wonderful news. He had come in the dream to let her know that he is OK. He’s with God. He has a home now. I wish you could have seen the smile of joy dawning on Mary’s face. The one she loved is OK. He’s with God. God has friends in low places. At least one of them has a mobile home now!

Mary is still alive. I saw her again just this week. Her alcoholism has once again resulted in her having to leave the housing that had been arranged for her. She managed to remain sober for over 10 years, but the alcoholism and bipolar syndrome got the best of her again. She’s probably in her mid-60s now and plans to move to a larger city where she lived while she was in college. I don’t think it’s a wise idea. She has friends here who watch out for her and no one in the big city. But I can’t snap my fingers and make things right for her. She told me good night and settled in to sleep on the bench outside the church hall.

I have friends in low places too. Please keep her in your prayers.

The story of friends in low places and of John and Mary came to my mind as I read the selections from Amos, St. Paul, and St. Luke this week.

The prophet Amos warns those who complain about religious limitations on commerce and routinely cheat their clients, especially the poor. The Lord has noticed their actions their bragging about taking advantage of the poor. “Never will I forget a thing they have done!” (Amos 8:4-7)

In Psalm 113, we hear it said of the Lord: “He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor to seat them with princes, with the princes of his own people.” Like my friend John, the Lord gives them the mobile home they had always wished they could afford… “Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.”

St. Paul approaches the question of the Lord’s care for all from a different perspective. (1Tim 2:1-8) The Christian community is very small and has little influence on public policy or the rulers of the land. Paul calls on the community to pray for everyone, “for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.” Paul is not hoping just for a lack of persecution of the Christians, he is speaking of the importance of quiet and tranquility in the lives of the entire community of people living in the area the leaders govern. The common good, with justice for all, is the responsibility of leaders. We are saved as we come to know the truth of God’s care and concern for all of us. Jesus, coming as mediator between God and us, is a prime example of one who has “friends in low places.” We must pray for our leaders and for each other – that we all work together for the common good, with tranquil lives for all as its fruit.

Jesus himself told a story that illustrates the point in a rather surprising way. (Lk 16:1-13) It seems there was a rich man who had a steward. The steward was a business manager, responsible for handling the man’s affairs. The steward had not done a good job of it. Things were a mess and the rich man was not happy. He called the steward to his office and demanded a report of all the accounts and their status. He told the steward that he intended to fire him. Now today, the steward would probably just have been fired on the spot and someone else would have to take on the job of sorting out the accounts. But the rich man gave the steward notice. A mercy towards the steward – one we may hope the Lord will extend to each of us too.

The steward, knowing that he was not going to be able to do manual labor and being too proud to become a beggar, had to figure out what he would do with his life from that point onwards. He was certainly not going to be getting a favorable letter of recommendation from his employer that would allow him to find another administrative job! There was no social safety net either!

He was a pragmatic man. So he found a solution. He called in the folks who owed his employer money. In each case, he arranged a credit for the debtor. For one person he cut the total owed in half. For another it was cut by 20%. He did this for all of the debtors. When the employer discovered what his steward had done, he was not angry. Instead, he praised the steward for having acted prudently. I suspect he might even have chuckled a bit when he received the report of what had happened, given his praise of the steward’s solution to his personal challenge. The steward now had friends who would help him in the transition time.

Jesus himself does not condemn the steward’s actions either. He tells those who are listening to learn from the example of the steward. Make friends for yourselves in your lives now. Jesus speaks of “dishonest wealth.” The word that is translated as dishonest wealth is one that refers to wealth or property in general. Jesus is telling us to be careful with the riches we have in our lives today, whatever their form. Be trustworthy with the gifts God has given you. These gifts you have today are very much less important than the great wealth of the kingdom of God and all the gifts of that eternal kingdom. Use them carefully. Share them generously. Treasure God’s “friends in low places” with whom you come into contact.

Remember these instructions from Jesus with me this week. In many ways, you and I are also God’s friends in low places sometimes. We walk together through our journey.

Friends together.

Find the readings for the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C.

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 28, 2022

Hard to be Humble?

Well over forty years ago, my husband and I liked to go square dancing once a week. We were with a club of mostly older couples, though there were a few younger ones too. The caller was an older man, rather small, with plenty of grey hair – truly ancient… As is done in square dancing, he sang the words of the song, as he inserted the instructions telling us all what to do next in the dance.

A new song at that time was It’s Hard to be Humble, by Mac Davis. We all enjoyed it as our caller sang the chorus, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way. I can’t wait to look in the mirror, ‘Cause I get better looking each day …” It went on in that vein for several lines, concluding, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, But I’m doing the best that I can!”

Humility, as exemplified in the song, is a tricky thing. There’s the false humility that has a person denying their talents and strengths, because speaking of them has brought, or might bring, charges of boasting. There’s the opposite of humility, in which people consider themselves or their talents to be so much greater than those of their peers that no one can possibly measure up to their standards. Humility does not mean denying one’s gifts and talents. Nevertheless, the fellow boasting of his humility in the song does not particularly impress his listeners as being all that humble.

Part of the challenge with humility is in the multiple meanings of the word when we use it in speaking of our relationships with God and with other humans. Sirach, a Jewish teacher of wisdom around 200 – 175 BC, wrote originally in Hebrew. When it was translated into Greek, the word for humility used is one that can include courtesy, gentleness, and consideration of the feelings of others as part of its meaning. It’s not just knowing one’s own strengths and weakness, it’s also being gentle and careful with the self-image and feelings of others.

Since humility is multifaceted, Sirach presents his insights through a series of proverbs. (Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29) He points out that those who behave with humility will be more loved than those who give a lot of gifts, but do it in a way that makes the recipients feel less worthy. It’s not necessary to seek wisdom in new ways of thinking or in philosophies from other cultures and traditions. Paying attention to the ways God reaches out through the lowly and through the wonders of nature will result in more fruitful growth in humility and wisdom. This is where the humility pleasing to God is to be found, because God is present with the poor. As the Psalmist points out, God is father of orphans, defender of widows, releaser of prisoners, and the one who provides a home for the needy and those who have been driven from their land. (Ps 68) It is with the humble of the earth that the blessings and rewards of humility will be found.

St. Luke presents Jesus speaking of humility in practical terms. (Lk 14:1, 7-14) Jesus has been invited to dinner at the home of a leading Pharisee, an influential man. Everyone is watching him closely to see what he will do. He, in turn, is watching the other guests, observing their efforts to select places of honor at the table. (The table was probably U-shaped, with the places of greatest honor being on the shorter side that joined the two longer sides. The places of lowest honor were at the far ends of the long sides.) As they select their places, Jesus tells them a parable – he presents a picture of a better way to behave both as guests and as hosts.

Imagine a wedding feast to which you have been invited, he tells them. Don’t make the mistake of sitting at the head of the table or other place of honor. If someone more distinguished arrives, you will be told to move to a place of less honor at the table. Do yourself a favor – select a place at the end of the table’s long sides. Then you may be the one instructed to move closer to the wedding party, to the places of honor. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Then Jesus speaks to the host (and to the rest of us). Invite the folks who are normally ignored to celebrate with you at your banquets. They can give you nothing in return, but God will repay you on their behalf, because of the kindness you have shown, the humility of your service.

In all of this, it is God who lifts up and exalts those who act with kindness and compassion, those whose lives demonstrate humility.

The kingdom of God, according to the author of the Letter to the Hebrews, will be seen in “the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” (Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a) The old law was given to Moses in a terrifying manner at Mt. Sinai – with blazing fire, darkness, storms, and the blast of trumpets. The voice that spoke was terrifying and those who heard begged for it all to stop. But the new covenant is found at Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. Angels are gathered at the festivities. So are those enrolled in heaven through baptism and those whose spirits have been made perfect through the experiences that purify their very lives. All are joined and reunited with God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, whose blood “speaks more eloquently than that of Abel” (whose blood shed by his brother cried out to God from the earth).

It’s not easy to be truly humble. Fortunately, we get lots of opportunities to learn humility. As we come down off our pedestals and open our hearts to hear the stories of those around us, we grow closer to our God, who lives intimately with those at the bottom of our human societies. With quiet smiles, gentle words, patient listening, and generous hearts, we meet our God in those whom we encounter on our journey through life. May we be always open to receive God’s smile in return from those whom we serve.

Find the readings for the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C.

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 21, 2022

Workouts in God’s Gym

In towns and cities around the world today, we find spaces dedicated to the development of physical strength and endurance. With so much of the labor in our contemporary society being done with minimal physical exertion, people do not develop the same degree of physical strength as the majority even of children did in the past. For example, those who manually milk cows twice a day will typically have greater hand strength than those whose task it is to attach the cow to the milking machine and let the machine do the work, to say nothing of those who pick up a jug of milk at the store on the way home from work at a desk job. Those who must grind the corn to make the tortillas for their family’s meals will typically be stronger than those who may simply open a bag of corn bread mix and stir it into muffins or who buy a bag of tortillas at the grocery store.

Both men and women go to gyms and spas to work out and/or relax. There are machines to exercise specific muscles and others to promote general fitness. Pools for swimming, hot tubs and saunas for relaxing, free weights for lifting, and stationary bicycles are all features of these locations. For those who want to go a step further, there are classes and personal trainers to guide them to a higher level of performance.

For children, there are other options to develop strength and coordination. Schools have times for playing outside. Older grade children have physical education periods or games classes. There are the after-school sports as well: swimming, soccer, football, basketball, baseball, fencing, water polo, and so forth. Those not inclined to sports may sign up for dance classes or other physical activities, including riding their bikes or skating.

We take for granted that these activities will not necessarily be easy or non-tiring, especially if there is a coach involved, who will challenge participants to move past their normal comfort level and increase their strength.

With this need for physical activity and training in mind, the words of the author of the Letter to the Hebrews take on a different sense than if they are taken at face value. (Heb 12:5-7,11-13) At face value, it sounds as if the Lord is a hard task master, quick to punish harshly: “… those whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.”

Part of the challenge we face in understanding this teaching is our tendency to use the word discipline to refer to punishment. I think this is an unwise practice, though it is very widespread. People are much less likely to object to disciplining a child than to punishing the child. It’s generally the same action, but discipline sounds more positive, less harsh, so we use that term.

In this reading, the word translated as discipline is also used to mean “training,” “correction,” and “guidance.” We are the children of the Lord, sisters and brothers of Jesus, who passed through a time of tremendous trial and suffering on his return journey to the Father. We too are called to learn how to be God’s children, following the model of Jesus. The Father treats us as a loving parent would, guiding and correcting our actions, so we learn better how to make right choices and live as channels of divine love in the world. In many ways, it’s like the work of a personal trainer or coach, helping us keep going and developing increased strength at each step along the way.

Now does this mean God gets mad and punishes us, as we human parents all too often do with our own children? No. God does not punish us or strike out in anger against us. God is love. All God has to offer is love and, as a result of that, the freedom to respond in love or not. When we choose not to respond in love to the people and events we encounter, we experience the consequences of our decisions. God does not jump in and put up shields to stop the response of those we have harmed or failed to help. They are also children of God, loved equally and equally free to respond with love or not. We experience the consequences of our behavior. With any luck at all, we learn better ways to respond.

Like any parent, sometimes I think God chuckles at our insistence on doing things our own way and sometimes God cries because we have hurt others or have ourselves been hurt because of our own actions. But through it all, God is there, like a good parent, coach, or trainer, helping us to meet the challenges we face and grow stronger in love and wisdom. God encourages us to hold on and keep trying. Every time we goof up and make a mess of things, God is there to provide the strength needed to try again and again.

Does God only care about a few human beings, or only those from certain cultures or genetic lines, or religions? Once again, the answer is a resounding “NO!” Isaiah speaks again and again of the fact that the God of Israel is truly Lord of all peoples on earth. (Is 66:18-21) In symbolic language, Isaiah describes the gathering of peoples from all the known world, led by witnesses of the Lord’s glory, who proclaim that glory among the nations. Peoples from all the nations will travel to the Lord’s holy mountain, Jerusalem, as an offering to the Lord. As the Israelites carried their offerings to the temple in clean, purified vessels, the animals who carry the travelers are like purified vessels. All come as offering to the Lord and they become God’s family in all senses of the word. Some will even be selected to serve as priests and Levites (assistants to the priests in the temple), roles historically limited to direct descendants of Aaron and Levi.

The circle of those who train in God’s gym or grow as God’s children increases to include all peoples of the world.

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?” How exclusive is the Kingdom? How hard will it be to be saved? Is there hope for us? St. Luke tells us Jesus addressed this question from someone he met on the way to Jerusalem. (Lk 13:22-30) “Strive to enter through the narrow gate…” Jesus replies to the questioner. It’s not easy to be a child of God. It takes practice and persistence to learn God’s ways. Like athletes in a race, it takes conscious effort and endurance to get successfully to the end of the race. Simply calling oneself a friend of Jesus is not enough. Those who reach and enter through the narrow gate will be those who act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God (as we hear elsewhere from the prophet Micah 6:8). Those who enter will come from all the nations of the earth. Those with the least glory and honor in the eyes of the world, as measured by wealth and status, will be found in numbers among those entering through the narrow gate.

The journey to God’s kingdom is not easy. It is not limited to only a few. Indeed, all are welcome. But it is not guaranteed that all will be ready to enter the gate. There is much to learn as we go through life. Many lessons we must learn. Sometimes we learn easily. Sometimes we’re more hard-headed and it takes longer.

Today let us rejoice that God is a patient parent, a loving coach, who helps us grow to be true children of love – children whose lives are such that the life of God can pour through to others in our world. In those areas we find difficult, may we receive the grace to open our eyes and see the better way God has for us to open to love and share it. When we get discouraged, may we hear the Lord speaking to us through the voices of family, friends, and companions on the way. Then may we again take heart as we move forward step by step. When our hearts freeze and refuse to love, may we experience the gentle touch of the Lord’s hand, warming our heart so we can again embrace each other and our loving, divine parent: our God.

Welcome to God’s Gym. Enjoy your workout!

Find the readings for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 14, 2022

Setting the Earth on Fire

It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere – a time of increased risk of wildfires and the destruction they can bring. Two years ago, we experienced the power of fire firsthand, as the CZU complex fire swept through the forests outside Santa Cruz, destroying the homes of friends and the businesses of many, as well as delaying the start of school. Beginning with a huge dry-lightning storm on Aug 16, 2020, the fires burned out of control for over a month, before they were contained. Shortly before Christmas, Cal Fire believed the fires were completely out, but actually, they continued to burn deep underground in the redwood forests into 2021. September 9, 2020, the skies turned red-orange in the daytime here on the coast and the day remained dark, as ash fell from the skies. We rejoiced the next day when the fog came in and our skies around Monterey Bay were washed clean. The fog continued to wash the air for the next few days and the darkness did not return here, but other areas were not so fortunate. The smoky tinge in the skies continued for weeks, even here.

Blessedly, we have not had such devastating fires here on the Central Coast since then, but fires are blazing in other areas throughout the Western states, Canada, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Siberia as I write today. Skies are fiery red-orange. And fire season is far from over.

I am thinking of that experience, looking at the clear sky which nevertheless carries a slight hint of the reddish color that comes from the smoke of fires burning in other areas and reading Jesus’ words, “I have come to set the earth on fire.” (Lk 12:49)

Really? Are you sure that’s a good idea, Lord? People can get hurt! Fire is not a force to mess with …

Jesus speaks these words about setting the earth on fire to his disciples. A large crowd has gathered and in the past two weeks we’ve been hearing Jesus as he teaches the crowds about the importance of holding lightly to things, trusting God to provide for their needs. He has spoken very clearly to his closer followers, those who were his disciples, about the importance of servants being prepared for the return of their master. When Peter asks Jesus whether these teachings apply to all or just to his closest followers, Jesus assures him that it applies to all, but most especially to those entrusted with more responsibility – the servant placed in charge of the master’s household.

It is at this very point that Jesus makes his astounding statement – “I have come to light a fire on the earth … Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? I assure you, the contrary is true; I have come for division.”

The proclamation of the Kingdom of God is not something that is gentle and unchallenging. The message Jesus brings is not all sweetness and light. It’s not for the faint of heart or those unwilling to risk drawing negative attention to themselves.

Jesus knows that he himself runs a great risk of falling afoul of the authorities and of being punished. He is afraid of what is ahead for him: “I have a baptism to receive. What anguish I feel till it is over!” He is not unaware of the fate of prophets.

Yet he persists. He speaks the words of the Father. He calls the world to justice, to care for the weak and powerless, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, share of the abundance of the world among all the peoples, regardless of their “worthiness” to share in it. He even takes his message to the seat of power in his land: Jerusalem and the leaders there.

Setting the earth on fire … so new life will spring forth for all.

The prophet Jeremiah ran into trouble too when he spoke the Lord’s words. Jerusalem was facing destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. The Lord instructed him to tell the soldiers and the king to surrender rather than try to fight off the empire. Those who were determined to fight spoke against him to the king: “Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers …” (Jer 38: 4-6,8-10) When King Zedekiah threw up his hands and let them have their way, Jeremiah was lowered into a mostly dried up cistern – a well – and left there in the mud to die. He was rescued when one of the king’s trusted advisors reported what had happened to Jeremiah. The king then sent the man with three others to rescue Jeremiah from the cistern.

Zedekiah did not ultimately take Jeremiah’s advice. He and his troops were badly defeated. His family was killed and he was taken away as a prisoner. Most of the people were also killed or taken away as captives. The few who remained did not unite and work together. They fought each other for power. It was a time of tremendous upheaval. Jeremiah continued to speak the Lord’s words, arguing for peace and cooperation among those who remained, but he was mostly ignored. It was a long time before the Jewish people returned to their homeland from exile in Babylon. But that’s all part of the longer story.

Jeremiah spoke the words he received from the Lord. The words were not received positively. Fire was ignited upon the earth, but not because Jeremiah remained silent. Human voices and actions are needed by the Lord. And humans choose how to respond. All too often they respond with violence and conflict.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews speaks of a “great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before all of us on the journey of faith. (Heb 12:1-4) This reading follows a long presentation of the history of the Lord’s calling of His people, beginning with the sacrifices of Abel and Cain at the beginning of the human story and continuing with the calling of Abraham and those who followed. Those who came before Jesus did not have his example or the certainty of the resurrection to carry them on their journey of faith. We are blessed to have the model of Jesus and his endurance of the cross and its shame as we face misunderstanding and opposition to the message we carry and the way of life we have chosen. We keep our eyes on Jesus as we live, trusting in the ways of God.

With the Psalmist and all those who have come before us, including Jesus, we pray, “Lord, come to my aid!” (Ps 40) We wait for the Lord, who pulls us out of the cisterns in which we find ourselves, puts a new song of praise into our mouths, and thinks of us, though we are poor and afflicted. We are blessed by a God who comes to our defense.

Even in the face of the fires kindled by the message of the Lord.

Does this mean we are to fight each other and that divisions among us are OK? Absolutely not! We are called together to work on behalf of those who are denied the basics needed for human dignity – food, clothing, shelter, heath care, education, justice …

As followers of Jesus’ Way, members of the Kingdom of God, the lives we lead, the message we bear, the friends we make along the way, will seldom be “typical” of those of the rich and powerful in our world communities. We will discover that “hard work” and “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” are not sufficient or possible for those without basic resources. It’s impossible to use bootstraps to advance upward when one does not even have flip flops!

As Christians, we are called to join our Lord in setting the earth on fire. Make good trouble. Speak out for those whose rights are being trampled. Share resources. Fight for health care for all. Defend women’s rights. And those of our non-binary sisters and brothers. And those who flee violence. And, And, And … so many others! The forgotten ones of our world.

Pray for me and I will pray for you. May we see the Lord in those around us. May our eyes be opened to the ways we put people in boxes or cisterns because we don’t want to hear what they have to tell us of the Lord’s vision for them and for us. May our ears be opened to the cries of God’s little ones who cannot provide for themselves. May our hearts be touched with tenderness when we meet the Lord on the street, or in a jail, or securely hiding behind the gifts of security they have received.

May we have the courage to embrace the fire of Jesus’ message, so new life can spring forth in our dry hearts.

Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 7, 2022

Living in Faith – A Long-term Commitment

A life of faith – what is it and how does it happen?

It seems to me that a life of faith is an adventure, begun by each individual person, with many companions discovered along the way. For some, it is a gradual experience of growing up in a family or community of others who are travelers on the way. For others, it’s a process of growing into faith through the example of friends or colleagues. Once in a while, it’s the result of an unanticipated encounter with the Lord that opens new worlds and paths.

Regardless of how a life of faith begins, it is a long-term commitment.

The author of the Book of Wisdom, spends many chapters reminding listeners of the history of faith of the Hebrew people. In the reading for this Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, he reminds his audience of the night of the Passover. (Wis 18:6-9) He is writing in the city of Alexandria, about 100 years before the birth of Christ to remind the Jewish community there of the ways God worked on behalf of their ancestors and how those ancestors responded. He has described the events leading up to the exodus from Egypt, including the many plagues. Now he reminds them and us that the Lord warned the Hebrews of the final blow against Pharoah. Families were to gather, offer a lamb in sacrifice, put its blood on the door frame, then roast and eat it together. The bread they would eat was to be unleavened, as if they were running away and there was no time to prepare a meal properly. That night, the Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Hebrews. The blood of the lamb on the door frames identified and protected them. This event was and is celebrated annually ever since that first Passover night.

The Hebrew people had held on to the faith of their ancestors for hundreds of years by the time of these events. They remembered the Lord’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When they left Egypt, they took the remains of Jacob and his son Joseph with them to the Promised Land.

The Psalmist sings of the great blessing it is to be one of the Lord’s own in Psalm 33. The Lord has chosen a people for his own inheritance. “Exult, you just, in the Lord.” The Lord delivers his own from famine and death. He is a help and shield. “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” Not just in easy times, but also through the ups and downs, the hard times of life.

The faith of another ancestor of the Hebrew people is given as an example in the Letter to the Hebrews. (Heb 11:1-2, 8-19) It’s not at all clear who the author of this letter was or to whom it was addressed. It was written before 100 CE. It has been attributed to St. Paul, but most likely it was another of the early Christian missionaries. The author speaks of faith as something hoped for that comes to be – something that gives evidence for what cannot be seen. He gives the example of the lives of Abraham and Sarah.

Abraham and Sarah were from Ur, an area in modern day Iraq. They had traveled with family to an area north of Palestine. Then, following the Lord’s call, they moved south into Palestine. They lived there as traveling shepherds for most of the rest of their lives. There was a brief time in Egypt as well, but mostly they lived in Palestine.

Through a variety of encounters with the Lord, Abraham was transformed from a man named Abram to become the father of two great nations – Jewish and Arab. His descendants became “numerous as the stars” as the Lord had promised. But it was not without trials and difficulties along the way. The author of this letter points out, that the focus of Abraham and his wife Sarah was on the new homeland to which they had been led. They never owned the land themselves. They were always “strangers and aliens” there – much as Green Card holders are in the United States. If Abraham and Sarah had wanted to do so, they could have returned to the land of their birth, but they had found a new Lord and received the promise of a new homeland from him. They held on to that promise, even when it seemed the Lord was demanding the sacrifice of the son of their old age.

A life of faith takes many twists and turns. It’s not always easy. Things aren’t always clear. Some things can be very difficult.

“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock…” Jesus speaks these words of encouragement to his followers. “For your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom … where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Lk 12:32-48) It’s not easy to trust that God will provide whatever is truly needed. He has just spoken of the rich man who built a new barn to hold his abundant harvest, but would die that night! Trust God, he tells them and all of us. Lilies in the field are beautiful. They don’t fret or work for their beauty. You are worth much more than the flowers. So don’t be afraid. God will provide what you need too.

Yet Jesus knows that it’s hard to wait sometimes. We can start out being very trusting and sure that we are ready for whatever will come in our lives as followers of the Lord. We want to be ready when we meet him in our lives now and later. But there is a danger too. It’s easy to get discouraged or distracted, to fall into the habit of doing things that benefit us personally rather than building up the kingdom. Jesus warns that those who are given more responsibility and greater gifts are expected to use them as intended by the one who gave them these gifts. “More will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

These are serious words. In a life of faith, the initial excitement and wonder of the encounter with the Lord is a great starting point. But excitement wears off and the realities and challenges of daily living creep up on us again. God’s time is much longer than ours. God’s plans take longer to bear fruit. We are part of the plans, and so are many other people. We travel together, encouraging each other, helping each other through the rough times, rejoicing with each other in the good times.

Faith is both a personal and a communal commitment. How can I help you in the journey? How do I depend on you for help? Will I be humble enough to ask and accept your help when I need it? Where do we see the Lord? Where do we refuse to see him? Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief – an old rhyme, but perhaps important to remember. We might add, immigrant, refugee, invading soldier, LGBTQ neighbor or family member, woman, child, gang member, ex-convict, bossy relative … Where do we see the Lord?

Let’s pray for each other, that we be able to continue on this long-term journey of faith. Reaching out to our world and all we meet with eyes that see others as children of God, sisters and brothers, may we be people of patient, persistent faith. May we rejoice in the adventure as we discover the face of our God in so many others and in so many places. A life of faith is not to be something hard that weighs us down. “Do not fear, little flock!” The Father wants to give us the kingdom. May our eyes be open to see the kingdom, our ears be open to hear it, and our hearts be open to receive it as we move through the days of our lives.

Click for a lovely musical setting of Do not fear from Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 31, 2022

Vanities of Vanities – What is Worth Holding On To?

“Vanity of Vanities, says Qoheleth … All things are vanity!”

Wow! Now isn’t that encouraging and uplifting! No? Well then, let’s see what more might be happening here.

Let’s start with a question. Who is Qoheleth and why is this person quoted in an entire book of the Hebrew Scriptures? Maybe a couple of other questions too. Why such a discouraging/depressing perspective? What does it mean to say something is vanity?

Qoheleth is the pen name of an unknown sage, a person recognized for wisdom. These words were written about 300 years before the birth of Jesus. The text of the book of Ecclesiastes has Qoheleth claiming to be the son of King David, presumably King Solomon, who was known for his wisdom. But in the time these words were recorded, the thoughts of anyone who wrote or taught about or with wisdom might be credited to Solomon. Qoheleth is a name meaning teacher or “speaker in an assembly.” Ecclesiastes is the Latin form of the name.

The word vanity also has a particular meaning. It refers to something that is quickly passing, a vapor or a breath. It’s short-lived, without substance, futile, mysterious, hard to understand.

Qoheleth tells us that everything is short-lived and passing. Things come and go. They flourish and then they are gone. We work hard and prosper, then we die and someone else benefits from our work. We fret and worry, but in the end our worry doesn’t change things. (Eccl 1:2; 2:21-23)

It’s not an easy message to hear, especially for folks, like most of us, whose culture says that if we just work hard enough, we can get ahead in life and have what we dream of having. Qoheleth says that this is just a dream that will certainly pass, regardless of how hard we strive.

The book of Ecclesiastes is a compilation of observations, proverbs, and reflections on the explanations commonly heard as humans try to account for the unpredictable nature of life and existence. The text ends with a repeat of the initial statement. “Vanity of vanities, says Quoheleth, all things are vanity!” Yet this is not the last word in the book. An editor adds a bit of explanation and hope in an Epilogue that follows this statement: “The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man’s all; because God will bring to judgement every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.”

Many years after Qoheleth’s observations, a family was fighting over an inheritance, according to St. Luke in today’s Gospel. One of them appealed to Jesus to resolve the dispute. But Jesus refused to get into the middle of the conflict. Instead, he warned against putting too much value on riches and possessing them. He told the story of a man whose harvest was greater than expected. The barn was too small to hold it all, so he tore it down and built a bigger one. Then he rejoiced that he would have plenty for many years to come. But, as it turns out, his life was to end that very night! God asked the man, “the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” (Lk 12:13-21) Jesus commented that this will be the result for anyone who holds on to treasure but is “not rich in what matters to God.”

The Psalmist (Ps 90) sings of the relationship between God and humans – the difference in perspective and years as they play out in the relationship. Our days are short. God’s are long – a thousand years are like a watch of the night, a few hours. Yet we are invited and reminded to open our hearts when we hear the voice of the Lord. And we hope and pray that we will be filled with joy and gladness all the days of our lives.

So, if the things we seek and work for are not going to last or bring satisfaction and peace to us, what are we to do? Qoheleth is right. Our time passes quickly. When we are children, time seems to take a long time to pass. As we get older, it seems to speed up every year.

St. Paul reminds the Colossians and all of us that we have been raised to new life in Christ. (Col 3:1-5, 9-11) The things that characterize life without Christ are not to be hallmarks of our lives. No lying, taking advantage of others, running roughshod over our competitors, etc. Our lives are to be based on Christ and his life. That is where and when the difference will truly appear, a perspective foreshadowed in the Epilogue of Ecclesiastes.

What, then, are we to do? All things are passing. No matter how hard we work to get ahead in life, there are no guarantees of fame, long life, health, or comfort. What do we do? Just give up and laze around?

What do we hold on to? How do we hold on? To what do we hold? Many ways to phrase the question, each with a slightly different perspective. Is there a life raft of some sort to which we can cling? What can help us persevere in our lives? What do we value? What gives us hope and strength to continue? Where is the oxygen-mask we can use on this flight?

I enjoy listening to the stories told on The Moth Radio Hour when I’m out on errands in town. Each episode includes four to six stories of true-life experiences, told by the individual to whom they happened. Some are sad, some are happy, many include funny moments, some are incredibly beautiful.

I was out on errands again today and heard three stories. One was about a young man’s very funny experience presenting a science experiment to second graders. Another told of an incident of road rage that turned into a chance to re-evaluate his life and set a new course. One featured a woman injured by prejudice in childhood and the example of her father’s strength that now gives her strength to stand up and protect others today. In each story, there was a gem of wisdom and I found myself nodding and smiling at their insights.

Yes, Qoheleth is right. So is Jesus. Things that we work so hard to get in our lives may not actually be worth all the effort we put into getting them. Whether they are valuable or not, our lives are totally not our own. We cannot control or know how long we will live, when we will depart this window of life, or what will happen after our departure. All things are Vanity! Ephemeral! Passing! Even the asbestos checks my father used to joke about some people needing to have ready before their deaths probably won’t go very far…

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to hold on to. Many things are worth holding on to – laughter, joy, compassion, courage, hopefulness, community, shared efforts. As followers of Jesus, and hopefully as wise human beings, we reach out to each other. We offer a word of comfort or of hope when things are tough. We tell stories to lighten the mood. We remember the good times and search for seeds of hope in the hard times. We reflect on what we have learned through failure and hold firmly to the hope that we’ll continue to learn as we go along. We share what we have with those whose journey has left them needing the basics for life. We sit in silence with those who just need someone to be with them in time of deep loss. We share what we have learned with the children among us, preferably through stories, encouragement, songs, and humor. (Lectures just get boring…)

Life is not for the fainthearted. But life is good. It’s a marvelous gift overflowing from the great dance of LOVE that is our God. We hold on to the hope and promise of that love through thick and thin. Yes, what we see around us is passing and mysterious. That’s part of what makes it so wonderful. Each moment brings a new door or window opening, giving a glimpse of the underlying meaning of existence.

Here’s hoping you and I are able to hold lightly to the material things we need for our daily lives and keep in perspective the limitations of our efforts. Laugh frequently. Pray confidently. Hold close those with whom we share our lives.

The readings today are from the liturgy for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 17, 2022

Choosing the Better Part

Sometimes it seems there are not enough hours in the day to complete all the tasks expected of each one of us. We get up in the morning filled with hope that today will go as planned and expected. Then as we get started, something else pops up that demands attention, or someone calls who needs help. The entire day’s plan has to be set aside. Maybe tomorrow …

Yet sometimes, those disruptions lead to very special outcomes. I remember one afternoon many, many years ago when the front doorbell rang just as I was preparing to go out the other door with my very young daughter to buy groceries. A young man was at the door. He said he had come to meet with my husband. (As it turned out, he had a software program to present and my husband was expecting him. I didn’t know he was coming, but he was expected.) I called my husband, who came out of the office to welcome him, and I went on my way.

When I returned home, groceries in hand, my sons asked, “Mom, did you bring a chicken and an onion? John (not his real name) is going to fix dinner for us.” I responded, “Who is John? And yes, I brought a chicken and an onion.”

That evening’s dinner was wonderful and the start of a long, rich, sometimes hilarious, friendship with John.

The story of Abraham and his three visitors (Gen 18:1-10a) which we hear in the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time is similar in some respects. Abraham is sitting in the shade, near the door of his tent, on a very hot day. The location is described as “by the terebinth of Mamre.” For those hearing the story centuries ago, this was an important detail, telling quite precisely where the events about to unfold occurred.

For the rest of us, a bit of background. A terebinth is a type of tree that grows to be quite large – almost like a very large shrub, with many stalks growing from the same root, but like a tree because of its final height. The name Mamre is a reference to a specific area of land in southern Israel, west of the Jordan River. An ancient Amorite chief named Mamre lived in the area and helped Abraham when Abraham’s brother Lot was in danger. Travelers frequently passed through the area and eventually it became a pilgrimage site for peoples of many belief systems.

Three men suddenly appeared nearby. Abraham wasn’t frightened by their sudden appearance. Instead, he ran to greet them, bowing before them in welcome and asking them to stop for a while, wash their hot, tired feet, and have a bite to eat before going on their way. The men agreed to stop.

Abraham hurried to the door of the tent and asked his wife Sarah to prepare rolls for the meal, using their best flour. He chose a tender young steer from the herd to be butchered and prepared for the meal. Then he got out curds and milk to serve with it all. It was a feast, not just a quick sandwich and glass of water!

Abraham served his guests and waited under the tree as they ate. When they finished, they asked Abraham where Sarah was. They knew her name, though it would not ordinarily have been part of the conversation at that time. Sarah was in the tent – women did not come out to welcome strange men who were passing by their homes. One of the visitors promised Abraham that within a year, Sarah would have a son.

The reading for this day ends on this note. It doesn’t tell the rest of the story. Here’s some of the rest of it. Sarah laughed when she heard such a crazy thing. She and Abraham were both old. She was well past child-bearing age. She had been unable to have children. Such a thing was impossible. But such a thing came to pass. And when it did, she and Abraham named the child Isaac, a name meaning “I laughed.”

Abraham realized only later that afternoon, as he walked on towards Sodom while visiting with his guests, that the visitors were the Lord and two of his messengers. But that is another story for another day.

For Abraham and Sarah, that day’s time spent in service to unexpected visitors was blessed and rewarded bountifully. They chose the better part in welcoming their guests.

The Psalmist reminds us, those who do justice “will live in the presence of the Lord.” (Ps 15) Where do we find the presence of the Lord? In acts of kindness and justice, in speaking truthfully about others, in refusing to hurt a neighbor or innocent ones, in lending resources freely without demanding payment of interest. These are the ones who do justice. This is where we find the presence of the Lord. Choosing the better part…

St. Paul points out to the Colossians (1:24-28) that in the hardships he has endured, the body of Christ is being built-up. As his words and his very presence have been rejected by his own Jewish community, the door has opened for Gentiles, non-Jews, to become believers in Christ and part of his body, the church. All peoples of the world can now become perfect in Christ. Again, the better part…

Finally, we hear the story of Martha and her sister Mary on that fateful day when Jesus and his friends arrived for dinner. (Lk 10:38-42) It is a story that has long troubled me and many others. Why, oh why, would Jesus have told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part? Who was going to make sure all of those people got something to eat if the women of the family didn’t get busy and prepare the meal? Why should one of them alone get to sit with the guests, when she herself (Martha) would love to have been sitting there too if it were not necessary for someone to behave responsibly and prepare the meal?

Yet Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part…”

How do we choose the better part? Where does the time appear? Will everyone get a meal? Will the bills get paid?

As I move through the years, I’m beginning to be a bit more reconciled to the idea that taking time out to be with the Lord and listen is not necessarily a bad or foolish thing! (Now, please don’t laugh too loudly here! Some of us learn more slowly than others.)

I’ve come to believe that it’s actually possible to do some of both, maybe all of both – be with the Lord and have time to care for home, family, and those around us. A prayer when waking up and greeting the day, Morning Prayer (at some time before noon on really busy days), the Angelus at lunch time or when fixing dinner, a smile and thanks to God for the sunshine or a child’s remark or a meal shared, a call for help before speaking with a troubled friend, a recognition that God is present there in the kitchen as meals are being prepared and the dishes are being washed, a word of gratitude while falling asleep. All are times and places that God is found to be present. When we keep our eyes and ears open, we can hear God’s voice in the daily round of activities.

If we are able to slip away during the day or go away for a day or two on retreat, that’s a great gift. It can help refresh and renew us. But we mustn’t wait for those times. Find them during the day. Be open to the surprise visits the Lord will make during ordinary days. Visit with a friend who calls. Welcome and spend time with guests, expected or unexpected. Share a smile with a person at the grocery store. Wait patiently for the adult who is dealing with a tired, hungry, angry child. Use the time in the line at the store to pray for those around you and be grateful that you can be there yourself.

Choose the better part!

P.S. If you’ve got time for another story, here’s one from my life in 2009. https://blog.theologika.net/having-a-martha-like-day-on-the-feast-of-st-martha-july-29/

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on May 22, 2022

A Guide into the Future – The Holy Spirit is With Us

“It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us …” (Acts 15:28)

Members of the early Christian community did not have everything figured out and standardized from the beginning. It’s important for us who look back from two thousand years later to remember this. These were a bunch of fishermen, farmers, tradesmen and women, and even some educated people like Paul. They had a message of amazing good news to share with the world. They had witnessed the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They had come to believe in him as their Lord, a title reserved for God. But they were not in agreement on many other things that popped up in the years after the resurrection.

The first reading for the Sixth Sunday of Easter presents an example of one such disagreement that had to be resolved. The reading does not include the entire story of what happened, so here’s a quick summary.

Paul and Barnabas have just completed their first missionary journey in Asia Minor and returned to Antioch in Syria when this reading begins. Their message was mostly rejected by the Jews to whom they first presented it in these lands, but enthusiastically received by many non-Jews. These Gentiles had been welcomed into the Christian community by Paul and Barnabas, who returned to Antioch in Syria with reports of the wonders God was doing among the Gentiles.

Rather than welcome this news wholeheartedly, some members of the community wanted to put extra conditions on admission to membership – first the Gentiles must become Jews in order to be worthy of admission to the new community. Paul and Barnabas rejected this notion and went south to Jerusalem. (The text says they went up to Jerusalem, because that city was located in a mountainous region in the south.)

In Jerusalem, they consulted with the apostles and other elders of the community. The community was not in agreement on the subject. Some argued that only those who were Jewish could be saved, so converts must become Jews and live by Jewish laws. Others argued that becoming Jews was not necessary. Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. Peter spoke to the community about his experience as the one who baptized the first Gentiles, the family of Cornelius, a Roman centurion in Caesarea. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Cornelius and his family before they were even baptized, Peter realized baptism could not be denied them based on being Gentiles. He reminded the community of this event and asked why anyone would think other Gentiles should be treated differently.

Finally, after much conversation, debate, and prayer, the community reached an agreement. Gentiles did not need to become Jews in order to be Christians. They needed to “abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage.” The community sent two of its members to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch in Syria with the good news for the new Gentile Christians. (Acts 15:1-2, 22-29)

In this early example, we see the importance of several things in the decision-making of the early Christian community. These include consultation with the leadership, conversation among the members regarding the difference of opinion, reliance on the Holy Spirit to provide insight and guidance in selecting the correct path, and willingness to change accustomed patterns of thinking and acting when situations change and new opportunities open. In presenting their decision, the leaders in Jerusalem made it clear that it was not just their opinion, but that it was the decision of the Holy Spirit that was leading to this major change in an ancient practice.

Jesus, in his final teaching to his apostles the night before he died, made clear that not all would be easy to understand (Jn 14:23-29). He knew that unexpected things would happen in their future. He promised the Father would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be their guide and remind them of his teachings. They were to follow Jesus’ teaching, his word. In doing this, they would be keeping the word of the Father. Jesus and the Father would come to live within those who keep his word. He promised to give them peace, a deeper peace than any the world can give.

The disciples held on to this promise. Even after Pentecost, as they were fired with faith and courage to go out and share the good news, they counted on the guidance of the Spirit when difficulties arose. During times of persecution and as the years passed and Jesus didn’t return in glory during their lifetimes, this remained a constant.

The reading from the Book of Revelation (21:10-14, 22-23), written long after the events of the other readings, offers a symbolic view of the Church, the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven from God. This city gleams and is radiant with God’s splendor. Its features include twelve gates and twelve foundation stones. The gates, guarded by angels, are named for the twelve tribes of Israel – the chosen people of God who will come from all four directions to this new city. The foundation stones are named after the apostles, upon whose experience and faith the Christian community would stand. But there is no temple building within this new city. The Lord God is the temple himself, lighted by his glory. The Lamb is the lamp through which that light shines.

The presence of God in the Church, the new Jerusalem, the people of God, is the source of all that is to be and the foundation on which the life of the community is built.

We as a Church community have come through a time of great transition in our lifetimes and are seeing new pathways and new understandings of our relationships with each other and with God. It’s been a relatively short time since the Second Vatican Council and the development of the reforms and revised understandings of our relationship with God and the world that it brought. Conflicts among us remain. There is still much to do as we explore the ramifications of the insights of the Council, insights that surprised even those who participated. The Holy Spirit was at work, bringing/calling the Church once again into a newer and deeper presence in our world.

Will we be as brave as those first Christians were in hearing and accepting the guidance of the Spirit? Our world has seen major changes since the early days of the Church and the days of the Council. How have we changed. What have we learned? What areas need our attention and healing now?

We are currently in the process of the first Synod that has ever asked the opinions of lay people about the future of the Church – who we are, what we are called to be, how we are to live in our world. How will we respond as the Spirit speaks through ordinary women and men? Will we trust the Spirit? Are we open to change? Will we follow where the Spirit leads, believing the One who has loved and led us for so long will continue to be there for us too? Will we recognize and accept the peace of the Lord in our lives? The early Church community met, prayed, and discussed changes needed. The Church today continues the same tradition of Synodality. Where will the Spirit next lead us?

“It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us …”

Come Holy Spirit!

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Dreams and Their Consequences

How Do We Explain What We Experience?

Wisdom – Thinking with the Heart

He Went up the Mountain

A Voice Calls to You – Do you hear?

Habits and What We See – What Do I Notice?

God’s Got Friends in Low Places

Hard to be Humble?

Workouts in God’s Gym

Living in Faith – A Long-term Commitment

Vanities of Vanities – What is Worth Holding On To?

Choosing the Better Part

A Guide into the Future – The Holy Spirit is With Us

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