Monday, July 6, 2015

Religion/Church in the Messiness of Life: Jesus Shows the Way

In today's readings, Gen. 28: 10-20 and Mt 9: 18-26, God is at work in the messiness of life in both the O.T. and the N.T religion.  In Genesis, Jacob is fleeing from his twin brother Esau who is seeking revenge for the wrong done to him by Jacob. Jacob, with his mother Rebekah, manipulated the situation so that the blessing due Esau as the first born was given to Jacob. In the Gospel, a woman who was considered unclean and a deceased little girl, also considered unclean, were touched by Jesus, thus putting Him in a state of uncleanness according to the Law of Moses, upon which the Jewish religion was rooted.  The official requesting a favor from the Lord is also not of the Jewish faith. 

Jesus, God incarnate,  reveals God's love and mercy in all of the circumstances of life, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament.  Religion/Church happens in the messiness of life.  God/Jesus shows us the way of bringing good out of evil, of bringing God's plan to fruition out of our waywardness, our deceit, our fraudulent manipulatons of reality.

Are we are the "Rebekahs" favoring one person/one thing over another and manipulating reality to fit our favored position, right or wrong?

Are we the "Jacobs" of the world stealing from others, especially the poor, what is rightfully theirs--a living wage, shelter, food, the right to happiness and freedom--to bring favor upon ourselves or upon others, when they or we have all we need to live a meaningful life?

Are we the "Esaus" of this world seeking revenge for the wrong done to us?

Are we the woman or the little girl needing healing or needing to be restored to life?

Are we the disciples following Jesus (Church/Religion) where need is, where the sick are, where those/that which is dead needs to be raised to new life?

Jesus says to us: Come, follow Me.

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