We have a God who has always leaned heavily towards mercy. There is a great repeating phrase in the Torah that says that God will punish to the third or fourth generation, which is really extreme. If you make a mistake God will punish your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and your great-great grandchildren. But that was actually standard fare for the day for what a leader was going to do. But then God goes on to say that I will offer mercy to the thousandth generation, which swamps the third or fourth generations through this great act of love.
Wisdom
There is a wisdom theme going on today. In the Gospel, Jesus gives us some down-home, practical advice: If you’re invited to a big banquet and arrive a little early, don’t go and sit in one of the seats of honor, because when the guest of honor arrives he may say to you, “Fred, I’m actually saving that seat for someone else. Would you mind going to sit over there?” Then you are embarrassed and annoyed, the honored guest is probably a little embarrassed also, your friends are embarrassed for you and avert their eyes so they don’t have to look at you as you toddle on down. No, when you’re early at the banquet, sit in the modest seat first, and then perhaps the honored guest will say, “Fred, come here. I’ve saved this seat just for you.” Not bad advice.
The Link Between Sabbath and Justice
The Strength and Courage of Mary
Pilgrimage: The Course of Life on Earth
Incarcerated People Are Not Vermin
I am part of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon a group of churches cooperating together to seek, among other things, justice in our criminal justice system. As part of this effort I was asked to help put together a “Criminal Justice Sabbath” which would try to raise awareness and gain support at the congregational level. I’ve been involved in various kinds of jail ministry for about seven years, so I’m grateful for this chance to reflect on that experience.
Prayer
Prayer is one of the central aspects of all three Abrahamic religions. When I went to the Holy Land in 2014 I spent my first few days in Nazareth, where I was awakened before dawn every morning by the call to prayer that emanated from the minaret not far from the monastery where our group was staying. Prayer is not a casual, when you have time or when you go to the mosque sort of ritual for followers of Islam; Muslims are called to prayer five times a day. At those times they stop what they’re doing, take out their prayer rugs, kneel facing Mecca and say their prayers. That same sort of praying of the hours has taken place in Christian monastic communities for centuries, and there are certainly many devout people living outside such communities who pause, even in this busy world in which we live, at specific times during the day to pray.
