Today's Scripture Readings
Numbers 21: 4-9 (NRSV)
John 8: 21-39 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
My blog readers will notice the reading from Hebrew Scriptures today, is the same one I wrote about on the Fourth Sunday in Lent.
In our Gospel for today, Jesus is also looking forward. He continues to foretell about his coming death on the Cross. He is being confronted by those who do not believe in him. Jesus realizes that he in many ways is on the losing side of the debate. Yet, Jesus still claims for himself the promise of God as his refuge, who sent him to do the work he does. Jesus again alludes to being lifted up, and that it is only then that the words he had been speaking would make sense.
To those who are believing in what Jesus has to say, and remain in his words, he says: "you will known the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
How are we seeking the truth about Jesus as progressive Christians? As Christians who are looking forward to Holy Week, how do we understand truth in 2012?
These past two weeks have revealed the awful reality of how much racism is still a very living issue. Trayvon Martin's murder and the horrible remarks coming from certain racist pundits, show that we are not as far along in routing out racial prejudice as we might have wanted to believe. The importance of the Trayvon Martin matter, is to recognize that as long as one innocent and unarmed individual can be followed, shot and killed, while his shooter claims 'self defense" is protected by the law, no one of us is actually safe. Terrance Heath in an excellent set of articles in The Bilerico Project, asks the question: "Whose Son Will Be the Next Trayvon Martin?"
Racism has raised it's ugly head over the issue of marriage equality for LGBT people. Yesterday the news was released in court documents shows that the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has been working to divide communities of diverse races and the LGBT communities, as they work to deny same-sex couples the right and opportunity to marry.
I believe that the truth that we are learning from these and other examples, is that once discrimination becomes acceptable towards any group of people, it can be used again and again to stigmatize and marginalize anyone and every one. When prejudice and violence is justified, using the Christian Faith and it's principles as it's basis, the most extreme spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse can kill a lot more than the body. It destroys whole communities, and creates atmospheres of hostility, oppression and injustice. It is certainly not what being a true follower of Jesus Christ means.
Dr. Kent R. Hill, former President of Eastern Nazarene College, who held that office when I graduated in 1994 often said and/or wrote: "All truth is God's truth." Many in the conservative side of theological and social morality debates would say that if truth can be redefined then we run into the dangers of "moral relativism" as Pope Benedict XVI said. As we examine many of the actions of the Bishop of Rome with regards to the issue of child pedophilia that have been raised, we can easily see how moral relativism can be condemned in one instance, and then defended as an appropriate action in another. How then can this sort of thing be "truth"?
The truth that Jesus is speaking about can be found within human Reason as much as it can be found in the Scriptures and Church Tradition. Among the other truths we have been learning is that what is written or spoken in one of those, does not have to completely backed up word for word, by the other. The experiences of science, technology, archeology and cultural anthropology hold as much truth as can be found in any theological masterpiece. More importantly, the truth of God is found in how we experience the Gospel in our every day life. As we live the meaning of the Cross and Resurrection in our daily life, the truth of God's love for every human person in Jesus Christ, becomes an actual living and participating part of the Gospel story of our lives.
What truth are we seeking to set us free?
Prayers
Numbers 21: 4-9 (NRSV)
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
John 8: 21-39 (NRSV)
Again he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’
Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there for ever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.’
They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did,
Blog Reflection
My blog readers will notice the reading from Hebrew Scriptures today, is the same one I wrote about on the Fourth Sunday in Lent.
To understand what the issue with the serpent was, you have to go back to while the Israelites were in Egypt. In Exodus 7: 8-13 is the story of how Aaron through down his staff and it became a snake. When Pharaoh's sorcerers through down their staffs, they also became snakes. But, Aaron's snake swallowed theirs. Thus the serpent of God was more powerful than the that of Pharaoh.
The serpents were a reminder of how much injustice they experienced in Egypt. To turn back would return them to disaster. Only by looking at the bronze serpent could they see that moving forward on God's terms was the way they would in due time, see the promised land that God promised to their ancestors.
In our Gospel for today, Jesus is also looking forward. He continues to foretell about his coming death on the Cross. He is being confronted by those who do not believe in him. Jesus realizes that he in many ways is on the losing side of the debate. Yet, Jesus still claims for himself the promise of God as his refuge, who sent him to do the work he does. Jesus again alludes to being lifted up, and that it is only then that the words he had been speaking would make sense.
To those who are believing in what Jesus has to say, and remain in his words, he says: "you will known the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
How are we seeking the truth about Jesus as progressive Christians? As Christians who are looking forward to Holy Week, how do we understand truth in 2012?
These past two weeks have revealed the awful reality of how much racism is still a very living issue. Trayvon Martin's murder and the horrible remarks coming from certain racist pundits, show that we are not as far along in routing out racial prejudice as we might have wanted to believe. The importance of the Trayvon Martin matter, is to recognize that as long as one innocent and unarmed individual can be followed, shot and killed, while his shooter claims 'self defense" is protected by the law, no one of us is actually safe. Terrance Heath in an excellent set of articles in The Bilerico Project, asks the question: "Whose Son Will Be the Next Trayvon Martin?"
Racism has raised it's ugly head over the issue of marriage equality for LGBT people. Yesterday the news was released in court documents shows that the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has been working to divide communities of diverse races and the LGBT communities, as they work to deny same-sex couples the right and opportunity to marry.
I believe that the truth that we are learning from these and other examples, is that once discrimination becomes acceptable towards any group of people, it can be used again and again to stigmatize and marginalize anyone and every one. When prejudice and violence is justified, using the Christian Faith and it's principles as it's basis, the most extreme spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse can kill a lot more than the body. It destroys whole communities, and creates atmospheres of hostility, oppression and injustice. It is certainly not what being a true follower of Jesus Christ means.
Dr. Kent R. Hill, former President of Eastern Nazarene College, who held that office when I graduated in 1994 often said and/or wrote: "All truth is God's truth." Many in the conservative side of theological and social morality debates would say that if truth can be redefined then we run into the dangers of "moral relativism" as Pope Benedict XVI said. As we examine many of the actions of the Bishop of Rome with regards to the issue of child pedophilia that have been raised, we can easily see how moral relativism can be condemned in one instance, and then defended as an appropriate action in another. How then can this sort of thing be "truth"?
The truth that Jesus is speaking about can be found within human Reason as much as it can be found in the Scriptures and Church Tradition. Among the other truths we have been learning is that what is written or spoken in one of those, does not have to completely backed up word for word, by the other. The experiences of science, technology, archeology and cultural anthropology hold as much truth as can be found in any theological masterpiece. More importantly, the truth of God is found in how we experience the Gospel in our every day life. As we live the meaning of the Cross and Resurrection in our daily life, the truth of God's love for every human person in Jesus Christ, becomes an actual living and participating part of the Gospel story of our lives.
What truth are we seeking to set us free?
Prayers
Almighty God, through the incarnate Word you have caused us to be born anew of an imperishable and eternal seed: Look with compassion upon those who are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant that they may be built as living stones into a spiritual temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Lent. Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 61).
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).
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