“It’s important for us
to also understand that the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ simply refers to the notion that there’s a specific vulnerability for African Americans that needs
to be addressed. It’s not meant to suggest that other lives don’t matter. It’s
to suggest that other folks aren’t experiencing this particular vulnerability.”
Barack Obama
Monday, February 17, 2020
A TEXT OUT OF CONTEXT IS A PRETEXT
INTRODUCTION
There is an old saying to keep in mind when reading and understanding the Bible. It goes like this, "A text out of context is a pretext."
The classic example of this is: “The Bible says,‘There is no God.’”
It says that. It is a text in the first verse of Psalm 14.
But if someone says only that part of the text, it’s pulling the text out of context.
The whole text goes like this:“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”
PRETEXT
In my title - I’d say we all know the meaning of “text”.We know the meaning of “context”.It’s the word “pretext” that could be fuzzy – yet we use the word at times – as in the sentence,“This is a pretext. It’s fake news.”
In Webster’s Dictionary – the word pretext has only one meaning: “to cloak the real meaning or intention of a text or a situation.”
People do this to us at times.
They say things that we said, but we say, “Wait a minute. I might have said that, but you’re taking me out of context.”
People hear what they want to hear. People cherry pick – to further their agenda.
Since twitter and texting have tobe short – things said with texts or twitter can be both cherry picked and picked apart – especially because there is not that much context.
TV
If we listen to the TV coverage of people running for office we hear people going after another candidate for something she or he said.It might be from last week or last year or 8 years ago.If they have changed their position they will be screaming in some form or other, “A text out of context is a pretext.”
TODAY’S FIRST READING
Now why am I bringing up this topic?
Well, here is where I have another saying, “If we’re going to read the first reading at Mass, please say something about it once and a while.”
We’ve been having these readings from Samuel and Kings at Mass for a while now – and that’s when I remembered the principle that is the title of my homily: “A text out of context is a pretext.”
As I listen to them – being at daily Mass every day – I keep in mind a question: “When did what is being described here happen and when was this text written?”
For example, what is being described in this first reading for this 5th Saturday in Ordinary Time is from 1 Kings 12: 26-32; 13: 33-34. It takes place in the 900’s – but the final copy which we have - was written or finalized 400 years later – perhaps before - as well as during the Exile [597-540].
This stuff has been written and rewritten over and over again. And why rewrite – if not to get your message and your agenda across.We’re not getting our kind of history in the Bible, but the way history was told way, way back when.
So, we’re not getting exact history. But we’re getting how the author of Kings saw what happened to his country and to his religion – way after the events took place.
Today’s first reading tells us that looking back we Israelites messed everything up when we started to worship false gods.We messed up when our country divided itself up - north and south.Jeroboam split off from the south and started the Northern Kingdom as its first king.
Meanwhile Rehoboam was king of Judah – the South – with Jerusalem as the key city.
TODAY’S GOSPEL
I understand the New Testament with the same principle and understandings.
The authors of the gospels – for example – use what Jesus said and did around 30 to 33 – but they especially write about what Christian communities were dealing with between 60 to 100 – all more or less.
For example, whenever we hear about Samaritans – especially in Luke, we’re dealing with how the church were dealing with all these foreigners who are showing up in our communities.
For example, on Thursday we heard about Jesus struggling with a Greek woman of Syro-Phoenician background.I was taught by scripture commentators who would say, “That might be in there for Christians dealing with Greeks of various backgrounds becoming Christian. If Jesus struggled with them, come on, be nice to the strangers in our midst.”
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily was, “A text out of context is a pretext.”
Next time you’re confused or concerned or in conflict with something someone said, say, “”I’m trying to get what you’re getting at, so please give me some more context? Thank you.”
February 17, 2020
CLING
Static cling is invisible,
yet it's there.
Say something nasty
about Joe and it clings.
So too - certain words.
They pick up lots of cling.
So too the day on the calendar a spouse or a parent or a child dies.
"I shall never forget hearing my mother speak of the night she fled. She went to bed where her two boys were sleeping - kissed them - consigned them into the hands of God and took her departure for the land of liberty."
William Still
Sunday, February 16, 2020
COMMANDMENTS, LAWS,
RULES AND REGULATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 6th Sunday in
Ordinary Time [A]is,
“Commandments,Laws,Rules and Regulations.”
Today’s 3 readings- from Sirach, Paul and from Matthew - feature the theme of
Commandments, Laws, Rules and Regulations.
Is there a rule that we ought to preach on the readings
of the day?
In general, I suppose, it’s a supposed to.At least I hear that rule or rubricin books
and articles about preaching. And it has become an expectation for many.
What’s your take on the topic – of commandments, laws
rules andregulations?
What are your expectations and inner rules about meals
and noise and common courtesy?
A FEW QUESTIONS
What was it like growing up with your parents – in your
home?
Was one parent stricter than the other parent?
The schools you went to, what was the atmosphere in the
classrooms? Did anyone have a teacher with the nickname, “Gestapo”?
In life as a Catholic were you conscious, when changes after 1960? came
Are you strict, scrupulous, severe, or a piece of cake
and a teddy bear?
If you were ever the boss, what were you like?
The church: how has it changed for you?
What have been your experiences about commandments, laws,
rules and regulations?
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
My sister Peggy was a nun and she told me an older nun
said to her when they started the practice of getting an allowance each month,
“Finally, I’ve been doing this all my life already.”
My aunt was a nun in Portland, Maine, and she came down
to New York for the World’s Fair in 1964.It was summer and it was hot. She was still wearing full habit.She said, “Now I see why these young nuns are yelling for a change of habit.”
I had the job of novice master for 9 years – had 9
classes – and I guessed right. To many guys their novice year was the worst
year of their life - and they complained about their novice year and their
novice master for the rest of their life.I chose not to go that way. I guessed most would choose to leave in the
long run, so why not make this one of the best years of their life – no crazy
rules. Foster human development – challenge them for healthy independence and
good life choices. Life takes time for people to “Go figure.”
DEEPER QUESTIONS
Scripture means written.I hold that we need to get to the pre-written – the unwritten
assumptions – expectations – we all have - and that’s where primary communication needs
to take place.
Does every person have a whole bunch of inner commandments
– chiseled into our stony hearts – by
life’s experiences? I’m sure we’ve all heard the classic:“Eat dessert first! You never know when you’re
going to die.”
I have a theory that there are 10 real commandments and
they rule the roost. Years ago, cynically I wrote them out – with abbreviations
– and got them published somewhere. Here are mine. What are yours?
I hold those should be looked at first. Oops! That's a commandment!
Haven’t we expressed an expectation and another says to
us: “Who says so?”
I also think we should think about the established 10 commandments in the Bible.
We can also type into Google:“3 Rules for Life”or “10 Ways to Be a Better Driver”or “10 Rules for the Road” or 7 Secrets for
Success!”
Moses and Mohammed like characters down through history have
come up with rules for life.
To get extra weight they might say: “Godgave me these rules and regulations.”
Then like the people in the scriptures and the people in our
lives – we realize people break those
commandments. We sin. Sometimes we then experience ambivalence and
confusion.
Where are you when it comes to “Have to’s” or “Thou shalts”?
Matthew’s Jesus – as in today’s gospel – suits us when we’re in our strict mode
– keeping the smallest letter and the smallest part of a letter, of the law.
Then we also run into a different sounding Jesus summing
up the whole law – with the commandment to love.Does everyone have to meet and experience
that Jesus?
Does every person needto have a Paul experience – fall on our face – realize we were all wrong
when it comes to the Law – and discover the freedom of not killing ourselves
and others – because of our rigid righteousness – and end up saying with Paul
in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and then when we do this, we
fulfill the law of Christ.”
Does every person discover one of life’s great
commandments: KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid.
Does everyone have to discover the first and last
sentence in today’s gospel from Matthew?Notice how simple some laws and rules can be.
The first sentence: “Do not think that I have come to
abolish the law or the prophets, I have come to abolish but to fulfill?”
So: yes, we need laws- when they are for our benefit – like when driving, “Use your blinkers.”
“Keep the speed limit.”
Or when walking, “Don’t litter!” “Curb your dog!”
Or when living, “Don’t pollute!” “Keep the water clean!” .
And notice the last sentence in today’s gospel – the Yes
and No rule for life: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No” mean “No”!
How simple a rule for life that can be?
CONCLUSION
Someone said the secret of happiness is the ability to
say 3 words: Yes, No and Wow.
February 16, 2015
POTATOES
There never will be a beauty contest for potatoes.
Honeydew Melons. Yes. Potatoes. No. No. No.
Yet, sometimes some potatoes are redeemed.
People improve them 66 and 2/3 percent –
by baking them, by slicing them and making
them twice-baked potatoes in their skins –
with tons of butter or sour cream or filled with
broccoli cheddar – or they are cooked and served
as potatoes au gratin. Wait! I forgot the favorite
way to serve potatoes: mashed – with a dab of butter.
Or they become potato chips or French Fries. Great!
Then there are the other 1/3 – the unfortunates:
boiled potatoes – the unnoticed, the ugly. These
don’t receive any accolades or attention or stars.
Come to think of it – even this poem of sorts about
potatoes - doesn’t have any grab or pizazz or sizzle.
Sorry potatoes! But I still prefer you to rice or pasta.
