The Dealbreaker Verses

 

27 "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even  sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love  your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36

This is a photograph taken of a Mass offered in a makeshift sanctuary in Nagasaki, Japan shortly after the dropping of an atomic bomb on that Catholic city three days after a similar bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima in August of 1945. The partial shell of the Cathedral of St. Mary is seen in the background. The church was crowded with people going to confession in anticipation of the Feast of the Assumption a few days later.  A Christian country dropped the most devastating bomb on the civilians of a Christian city. So, the forgiveness-teaching of Jesus goes much further and deeper than, "I forgive you for telling a lie about me." "I forgive you for bumping my car."   

These verses begin the next section of St. Luke's version of St. Matthew's Sermon on the Mount. Luke's version is titled, The Sermon on the Plain. Jesus begins by going down to a level place, emphasizing the non-discriminating, equalizing nature of his teaching. If the Christians lived this teaching it would turn the world upside down. Allow me to say a few things — ask some hard questions of us. 

Who is this teaching for? The first verse tells us, "To you that listen." Do I?  One author says it's easier to move a mountain than to change a heart. A lot of people are listening only to themselves and their like-minded friends. They live in what's being called an echo-chamber.

What's clear to us at once is that Jesus doesn't allow revenge or getting even. It's interesting to me — when we think of what Jesus doesn't allow, we think of a long list of sexual things. Jesus doesn't have much to say about any of that. But here, right out of the gate, he is emphatic — plain and clear — revenge and hate are simply not allowed. We might let that sink in for a moment.

Verse 29 is famous turn-the-other-cheek mandate. Being hit in the face is a very violent act. The Christian is supposed to break the cycles of violence. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," isn't Christian. It's in the Hebrew Scriptures as a means to put a cap on violence. But Jesus goes beyond that and says, "no violence." We're to break the cycles of violence. I can't think of a Christian country that has embraced that teaching. In fact, the most well-known Christian countries, the empire (or wanna be empire) countries have been the worst offenders. Many of us have been taught our history poorly or wrongly.

But then, notice as soon as Jesus tells us we must break the cycles of violence, in the very same breath he starts talking about holding onto possessions. Our holding onto possessions spawns violence. This is the real stumbling block for Christians. We're the Christians with the greatest wealth. An hour of television with commercials and we understand we're being told this constantly. Even the slogan, "Make America Great Again" — what's that really about?  Everyday on the news we're told about the stock market breaking new records, even though most Americans aren't invested in the stock market. A president is popular because he "makes the economy strong." It simply doesn't resonate with the teaching of Jesus. We may try to twist things around — some Christians even propose a "prosperity gospel." In every religion there are people who look for the back door.

And big fights (even wars) take place because the prestige and power that comes with wealth, needs to be secured.Why are we so interested in outer space? Might we be hoping to find minerals which translate into money. Or searching under what's left of the arctic and antarctic ice. We grade the ocean floor for endless miles to scoop up gold and other precious minerals. This grading sends up huge plumes of silt which travel further along ocean currents before dropping down — suffocating coral reefs and degrading vast places where fish and sea animals live and spawn. There is no end to our greed, our materialism, our destructive grasping and clutching.

I might re-read these nine gospel verses not simply for myself, but for my nation. A country isn't a Christian country because there's a "Church Street" running down the middle of every town. Even the placement of churches in many American towns is about money, power and prestige — one church trying to be taller and more imposing than the others. Notice where the Catholic churches are in some towns — the protestant churches built on prominent corners, the Catholics having been given land to build a church off on a side street. Or conversely, the Catholic Church sitting sideways on the top of a hillside street, fortress-like, as if to say to the Jews, "Come no further." 

In these few verses Jesus lets us know that violence is intimately linked to our love of possessions. In England it is said, "To be alive is to go shopping." Well of course, that's true here too and iconic of this is these storage bins that have popped up all over the place. So many people in the world (even in America) are homeless, and we have enough storage bins that if lined up end to end they would traverse the continent. Homeless people in a nation that houses stuff! 

So I'm calling these verses the deal breakers. They are thoroughly inconvenient lines. A Russian friend told me that after the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, the newly freed churches and monasteries started to experience a building frenzy (the government of course, paying for all of it as reparations for seventy years of death and destruction). Now nearly everyone seems to be Russian Orthodox. But my friend told me that people have simply switched parties — they had been good Soviets and now they were Orthodox. But here it seems we've gone the other way round — we've never tried the real teachings of Jesus in humility and honest rigor (we've settled for being nice) and made our political party into our real religion. I'm most disappointed in those Christians who propose themselves as the back-to basics-Christians, but who have essentially just switched parties. The political slogans we display on trucks, lawns and caps are our real gospel verses. The podiums with power-seals in front of rows and rows of flags; the new pulpits. The rallies; the new sabbath-worship. The favorite politicians or TV/radio talk show hosts (and their supportive cast of talking heads); our real high priests. The party platform (whatever that is); the new dogma. Wearing the flag as lapel pin, neck tie or T-shirt; the new vestment. 

A country isn't Christian because we win the fight to put up the Christmas manger in a public space. A country isn't Christian because we have the Ten Commandments placed prominently in stone outside the courthouse or print In God We Trust on the money, or say one nation under God in the pledge to the flag. Rather, a country is Christian when it possesses Jesus' strikingly new idea of relationships, when it stops trying to solve problems with violence and force, when it stops oppressing some people, when it gets a new idea of itself apart from owning and accumulating things. In addressing the nation the sad night of September 11, 2001, the president gave voice to the question, "What are we to do now?" He answered his own question: "Go shopping,"  he said. 

Healing the Demon-Seized Boy

Raphael ~ Section of The Transfiguration

This painting is part of a much larger and well-known painting of the Transfiguration by the Renaissance artist, Raphael. The larger piece is of the Apostles, Peter, James and John, over-whelmed by Christ's brightness on the mountaintop, with Moses and Elijah in conversation. We find this little sub-scene at the bottom of the image: as Jesus and his friends descend the mountain, they meet the father of a demon-seized child, hoping for the boy's release. 

It is a very moving scene, isn't it? The dad's face is full of anxiety and anticipation as he holds up the boy who is flailing about. Is that the boy's mother, who points to her son, looking to Jesus, expectantly? Other stressed-out relatives and neighbors surround the desperate family, calling out for Jesus to help. Here is the Gospel account.

When they came back to the disciples they saw a large crowd surrounding them and lawyers arguing with them. As soon as they saw Jesus the whole crowd were overcome with awe, and they ran forward to welcome him. He asked them, 'What is this argument about?" A man in the crowd spoke up: "Master, I brought my son to you. He is possessed by a spirit which makes him speechless. Whenever it attacks him, it dashes him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and goes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they failed. Jesus answered: "What an unbelieving and perverse generation! How long shall I be with you? How long must I endure you? Bring him to me." So they brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw him it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked his father, "How long has he been like this? "From childhood," he replied, "Often it has tried to make an end of him by throwing him into the fire or into water. But if it is at all possible for you, take pity upon us and help us." "If it is possible?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible to one who has faith." "I have faith," cried the boy's father; help me where faith falls short." Jesus saw then that the crowd was closing in upon them so he rebuked the unclean spirit, "Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never go back!"After crying aloud and racking him fiercely, it came out, and the boy looked like a corpse; in fact, many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took his hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up. Then Jesus went indoors, and his disciples asked him privately, "Why could not we cast it out?" He said, "There is no means of casting out this sort but prayer."  Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus and the disciples arrive at the bottom of the Glory-Mountain the waiting crowd surges towards Jesus. "Runs forward" the gospel tells us. And they were "overcome with awe." And they "welcome Jesus." Can you feel the excitement? It makes me wonder if Jesus is still shining as he was at the top of the mountain or was there some remnant of his white-brightness that stuns the crowd. The attractiveness of Jesus. 

The father describes what's going on with the boy: it dashes him to the ground.  Poor boy. Poor parents who have to watch their children suffer. So many children suffer around the world. while their powerless parents can only watch and weep. But interiorly, can you name a time in your own life when you felt dashed to the ground?

Then there is this conversation the father and Jesus have about believing. I think the exchange is light-hearted; Jesus isn't being stern or indignant. "If it's possible," the dad asks with great courtesy. "Sure it's possible, if we believe," Jesus says. Sounds like Angel Gabriel in the conversation with Mary at the Annunciation: Sure it's possible! 

And Jesus doesn't reprimand because the dad admits faith is sometimes challenged or in short supply. We can imagine how vulnerable the parents felt - their child so tormented for so long and with no solution in sight. Jesus understands this and gives the gift of healing.

Then, when the boy is freed but left so weakened and down, people think he's dead, Jesus lifts the boy up, taking him by the hand. This is typical of Jesus all throughout Mark's Gospel accounts. Jesus, lifting up humankind. A hint of resurrection. How tender and solicitous. 

And Mark tells us that Jesus raised the boy to his feet. Can you name that place for yourself - when you were down-for-the-count and heaven restored you - put you back together or back on your feet? It's very wonderful.

Then finally, Jesus goes indoors and speaks to the disciples privately. Some folks only attend to the Gospel in the past tense. But the wonders of Jesus are for you and me as well, and NOW. Indoors means in our own interior lives - privately and personally. We don't even have to imagine what he said to them. What matters is what Jesus says to us. Each of us. Anything come to mind?

"Do you still not understand?"

Now they had forgotten to take bread with them; they had no more than one loaf in the boat. Jesus began to warn them: "Beware," he said, "be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They said among themselves, "Is is because we have no bread?" Knowing what was in their minds, he asked them, "Why do you talk about having no bread? Have you no inkling yet? Do you still not understand? Are your minds closed? You have eyes: can you not see? You have ears: can you not hear? Have you forgotten? When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many basketsful of scraps did you pick up?" "Twelve", they said. "And how many when I broke the seven loaves among four thousand? They answered, "Seven." He said, "Do you still not understand?" Mark 8: 11-21

Recall that before this gospel scene Jesus had fed 4000 people with seven little loaves of bread and a few fish. Then he had a brief encounter with some skeptical, scheming Pharisees before taking off with the disciples in a boat to the other side of the lake. Maybe as he embarked he said to himself, "Oh enough of this already."

But once they're in the boat the apostles start to fuss about having forgotten to take bread along with them. Sometimes our priorities are terribly messed up - even in religion. We shouldn't get defensive, this is after all a story about Jesus who asks some startling questions. 

While the apostles spin emotionally about bread, Jesus starts talking to them about yeast. Yeast is symbolic of influence. Yeast influences flour quietly and invisibly while it makes the dough rise. Jesus knows what the anxiously distracted apostles are thinking and calls them out on it. Imagine! He warns them about the religious Pharisees (influencing yeast) who are filled with wrong ideas. Don't get infected by them. But the apostles don't understand because they're preoccupied with the lower place of their stomachs.

What's preoccupying me? How is my own mind closed? Has some wrong idea got hold of me? What bit of Christ have I forgotten or never paid attention to: "This justice stuff isn't for me," a proud parishioner once admitted. 

 These Pharisee guys are still very alive in hearts and minds. 

Delight in Jesus!

Frank Wesley's Indian Style Painting: Jesus Heals the Sick

Before leaving chapter six of Saint Mark's Gospel there are a final four verses which we shouldn't ignored:

So they finished the crossing and came to land at Gennesaret, where they made fast. When they came ashore, he was immediately recognized and the people scoured that whole country-side and brought the sick on stretchers to any place where he was reported to be. Wherever he went, to farmsteads, villages, or towns, they laid out the sick in the market-places and begged him to let them simply touch the edge of his cloak; and all who touched him were cured.  Mark 6: 53-56

The verses here come after two very big and detailed miracles which have been reflected upon in separate posts over the past few weeks: The Feeding of Five Thousand and Jesus Walking on the Stormy Sea. 

In the stormy sea miracle the disciples thought Jesus was a ghost, but not here at Gennesaret. Here they have no fear, but full of brokenness, sickness and despair, they flock to Jesus. What a scene!

The two previous miracles are so specific, Mark even tells us how the men were arranged in groups on the ground and gives number details about the food itself. But in these verses Mark creates the gospel image with broad generalizations. Maybe he doesn't have the miracle-details as he did with the previous accounts, but he wants everything about Jesus to be remembered and recognized, even if his information or memory are sketchy.

In this scene at Gennesaret the people love, embrace and welcome Jesus. But soon we'll see this love contrasted with the hatred some religious leaders feel for him. Maybe Mark presents the contrast so his readers (including us) will know they have a choice. You can't stay neutral with Jesus - you've got to choose.

These verses mark the first time the tassels or fringes are mentioned that observant Jewish men wore (and sometimes still do) on their clothing. Jesus was an observant Jew. Remember the hemorrhaging woman in the crowd who said, "If only I can touch his cloak," (Mark 5:21-43). It sounds a little magical perhaps, but there's faith in that touch. But the contrast is established when in another place (Matthew 23:5) Jesus refers to the Pharisees whose religion is showy, who lengthen their tassels or widen the borders of their clothing to enhance their prestige.

It's hard to believe this kind of thing could exist today in a world of naked poverty, but there's a retro thing going on among some clergy - the priests (even young ones who should know better) all decorated in high clerical couture: buttons, colored fabrics, sashes, hats and capes. Pope Francis has called them out, referring to them as peacocks and princes. Jesus will have none of it. 

Bottom line. We might read these few verses again and just feel the excitement. The words hold and carry us in a wave of enthusiasm for Jesus. The first thing to characterize a believer, a pastor, a parish, the Church itself, must be an active delight in and enthusiasm for Jesus in himself.

Who Is The Greatest?

THE DISCIPLES ASKED JESUS: "Who is the greatest...." Jesus usually answers a question by raising another question - perhaps to draw out the intentions of the questioner. Is this friend or foe?  But here Jesus answers plainly. In asking the computer Who is the greatest, hundreds upon hundreds of pictures came up: super athletes of every sport, dozens of five-o'clock shadow actors and augmented actresses, television personalities, warriors real and fictional, people who have made huge sums of money inventing or promoting things, a couple of politicians. There were a couple of pictures of Jesus, but they were advertisements for the film, "The Greatest Story Ever Told." So those don't count.

But this is how Jesus answers the question, 'Who is the greatest?" In this marvelous picture I count ten (maybe eleven) moms and twelve (maybe thirteen) babies. The mothers are. serious. They look like they need some help. But only indignation is coming from the men - Peter and the other apostles. They're all twisted up in anger because they're products of the ancient world's diminished view of children. The women know better - as does Jesus.

Years ago I remember seeing a bright painting, perhaps by Fra Angelico, titled something like The Reunion of Heaven. The lawn of heaven was spring-green and studded with jewel like flowers. Angels greeted the happy souls who'd made it, while other figures embraced each other as at a home-coming after many years apart. Two things struck me as silly. The first was that only men greeted men and women greeted women. And secondly, and perhaps more importantly - all the haloed ones were either popes, bishops, priests, deacons, monks, nuns or virgin-martyrs. Maybe there was a holy king or queen among them.

As a young priest, driving back to my rectory on a Christmas night, I passed the university hospital where I was chaplain. Looking up at the futuristic, glass-cylinder buildings I noticed one room with colored flashing Christmas lights and knew at once who was in that room. So I pulled off, parked the car and made my way up to the closed door on the 15th floor. Knocking lightly I walked into room which was lit only by the window lights. The husband didn't look up but kept his forehead pressed to his left arm resting on the metal bed railing, his right hand reaching across, holding  the lifeless hand of his dear comatose wife. Who's the greatest?

In that same hospital one night I was called to the Emergency Room where a motorcycle accident victim was being treated. The room was filled to the door with doctors, nurses, technicians, assistants, emergency personnel,  interns - a kind of liturgical circle with the high priests in the innermost place with the underlings fanning out in dense circles. I was pressed to the door, quietly reading the prayers for someone dying.

After some minutes the patient was pronounced dead and the room emptied. After speaking with the man's family in a waiting room, I left the hospital, passing again the room where all the action had taken place. The body had been removed, but the room was a disaster: blood on the floor, plastic tubing scattered around, gauze pads used to staunch bleeding, metal tools and equipment, paper. And I thought, "Who is the hidden person who is going to clean up this room?" 

The gospel question comes to mind, "Who is the greatest?"