Discrimination

~~~ Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 ~~~ Psalm 32 ~~~ 

~~~ 1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1 ~~~ Mark 1:40-45 ~~~

‘Unclean, unclean!’

The laws were exactly spelled out in the book of Leviticus.

It was very important, if you were to be a good Jew,

 to follow the laws as prescribed.

That meant that if you had any kind of skin sore 

you were considered to be unclean.

If you were unclean you were ostracized from the general public,

but more importantly you could not join in temple worship.

You were barred from hearing the readings and the teachings.

You were were at greater risk of falling into darkness.

If and when you were healed you had to present yourself 

before the elders as proof.

Then you were granted permission 

to return to the temple for worship.

You no longer had to publicly announce

 your presence in the street. 

Jesus did not come to abolish the law.

He came to show the people a better way...

a more compassionate way.

The leper came to Jesus to be healed.

He wanted to be fully restored into his community.

He wanted to be freed from his affliction.

Lepers were discriminated against at all levels of society.

Jesus cured the leper, but he also directed him

 to present himself to the elders.

Jesus wants to cure and cleanse each of us...

in mind, body, soul and spirit.

Jesus desires for us to be united with our community.

Standing on the outside looking in creates unrest and tension.

Those who were unclean were judged by others 

at all levels not just because of their physical diseases.

Who do we ostracize in our life today?

Is it the person who dresses differently...

whose skin is a different color

...who lives in a different area...who has less money...?

We all discriminate at one level or another.

Jesus removes the label of unclean.

He offers healing and forgiveness to all who come to him.

Jesus lived doing everything for the glory of God.

Saint Paul speaks to each of us...

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

If we must discriminate...let it be to give 

God glory in everything.

Blessed to have the means to remain united to our community.

God restores all to wholeness and cleanliness.

~~~Peace~~~

Do Your Actions Speak Louder than Your Words?

Mark 7: 1-13

"Actions speak louder than words" a saying I heard most of my life. When there is an in congruence between what you are doing and what you are saying it creates a dissonance. It is like listening to a composition by Igor Stravinsky. The manner in which he arranged his notes make you feel uncomfortable at times. The Firebird Suite is one of those compositions; you might listen to it sometime and see what you think. I would not recommend his music for meditation!

When you look at yourself, how do you see yourself? Sometimes I ask myself, "Are my actions truly revealing to those around the words I speak or in this case the words I write?" I think what you write is no different from what you say.

Today we are almost numb by the media. The political candidates are almost contradictory within themselves. Unless you know a candidate you can never be sure of what you hear coming from their lips. Our society today has conditioned us to be skeptical of what we hear. A person's actions speak for themselves even if we do not know the reason for said action. Your actions tell more about who you are than you might think.

Today attorney's routinely higher a person who specializes in reading body language. Yes even the slightest blink of an eye or the way you lean forward can be interpreted by this professional. By nature we watch peoples expressions to help us derive more meaning from their words. Are they rolling their eyes, looking away, or shrugging their shoulders?

As a parent and teacher I got pretty adept at reading body language.

So where am I going with this in connection with today's gospel from Mark? The Pharisees and some scribes observed the strict rules and laws regarding clean and unclean. They literally had hundreds of these rituals to observe. Since they were the enforcer of these rules they were very meticulous about performing them. They were constantly on the look out for those not following the prescribed rituals. They became quick to judge and admonish those in violation. The Pharisees were all about the actions. What you did was far more important than anything you said.

There were no acceptable excuses...you had no options...no circumstances would free you from these rituals. So I can just imagine how livid they were when they observed Jesus and his disciples eating without carefully washing their hands. And even worse not purifying upon returning from the market were they would have encountered many 'unclean' items. I am further reminded now of how Jesus healed people right in the middle of the market place; one of the most unclean places of all.

In reply to their objections Jesus quotes Isaiah's prophecy. Interesting since they were scholars who were very familiar with the Isaiah text. As it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts."

Jesus always knew exactly what to say to every objection flung at him by the Pharisees. He did not allow their preoccupation with the rules and rituals keep him from proclaiming the message he was sent to deliver.

What would Jesus say to us today? Are we more like the strict rule observing Pharisees or are we more intent on continuing to walk  alongside the Lord?

Our actions really do speak louder than our words. There will always be the temptation to let ourselves get carried away with rules and rituals. There is a certain amount of comfort in following every letter of the law I admit.

I am reminded that Jesus walked along the edge. He was not afraid to preach a radical message of love. He blessed us with radical mercy and grace. He ate with sinners and he is constantly inviting us to the table too. He welcomes even the 'unclean' to dine with him.

I chose this original Celtic Wisdom Mandala because it symbolizes the wisdom Jesus came to teach us. This captured kaleidoscope image depicts the beauty and growth within the teachings of Jesus. The black representing the judgement from those who wanted to trap Jesus in the laws. Jesus is the light filled center. His teachings reached beyond the rules.

Let your actions today speak louder than any words you might want to say.

Desire to Live in Holiness

Mark 5:1-20

I find the end of today's gospel most intriguing. The man just released by the words of Jesus from 'legions' of demons wants to make a total change in his life. This man's healing has frightened those who witnessed the incident and they are urging him to leave. They are afraid...who has ever seen demons being driven into swine?

As Jesus is getting into the boat, the man pleads to remain with him. But Jesus, and this is the curious part to me, does not allow him to come aboard he boat. Instead Jesus tells him, "Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you."

The man did as was requested of him and just like the woman at the well when she returned to share her story about her encounter with Jesus; "...all were amazed."

So often in scripture we see Jesus approaching someone in need of his healing touch. In this case Jesus removed the legion of evil spirits with a few simple words. "Unclean spirit, come out of the man." Jesus if you will invited them to remove themselves of their own free will.

Jesus always knows what is best for us, his children. Of course swine being pork were already unclean in the eyes of the Jewish people. Much is recorded in the Old Testament Leviticus 11 and in Deuteronomy 14 about clean and unclean animals and foods.

The Israelites were to be pure and holy dedicated to the Lord and that included not eating certain unclean animals. I think Jesus, in curing this man, was saying I want you to be able to live a 'clean and holy' life.

I also believe there is a message for us about the manner in which we can become holy. In gratitude the healed man wanted to follow Jesus. He was willing to leave his family and his village because he was overflowing with joy by his restored peace.

But what does Jesus do instead of saying sure come along with us as a witness to what I can do? He instructs the man to remain there and to return to his family. His family had probably given up on ever being able to be reunited with him, because of the violent demons. Jesus wants this man to witness to those in his hometown...to those who knew him...to those who would be able to recognize the dramatic change.

What does this mean for us? I think that we are called to be holy within our everyday lives. We are called to holiness in gratitude for what God has done for each of us. Maybe we have not been cured of numerous demons, but we do have issues in our lives that keep us in invisible chains. Namely our own sinfulness.

We are being called to live a life of holiness. The requirement is to make the commitment to live in holiness. It does not requirement one to enter religious life. Jesus did not take the man into the boat to sail away instead he sent him into his own community to proclaim his healing...proclaiming his desire to live in holiness.

We can do likewise!

I chose this original image of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona because on a recent visit there I was captivated by the sense of holiness I experienced in that holy consecrated space.

This kaleidoscope image reflects the subtle beauty you can experience when you strive to live in holiness. All is more united together peacefully.