Here are my “translations” of the liturgical readings for the 26th Sunday in ordinary time. As we’ll see more explicitly in my Sunday Homily, they provide a virtual catechism of liberation theology, which I consider the most important theological development of the last 1500 years.
AM 6:1A, 4-7
The Spirt of Life informs us that: Complacent “religious” people Are in for a sad surprise. They might be enjoying Their “Sleep Number” mattresses And Lazy Boy chairs; While gorging on Wagyu Beef And meats No one else can afford; They might be attending A-list concerts And drinking Chateau Lafite While reeking of Chanel Grand Extrait. But the world’s on fire! And its flames will soon consume Even the decadent lifestyles Of the super-rich.
PS 146: 7, 8-9, 9-10
For the poor, There’s a certain Schadenfreude In all of this. For God’s future assures Downfall for the rich While promising Justice for the oppressed Rich food for those now hungry And liberation for the imprisoned. The obtuse will see, We’re told. The overworked Will be relieved. Immigrants and refugees Will be safe at last. Children born out of wed-lock And abandoned women Will finally know peace.
1 TM 6:11-16
So, be of good heart. Despite appearances, That golden future awaits Those who live like Jesus. He was so committed To the poor To justice, non-violence Patience and love That the imperialized world Could not stand it. Nevertheless, his powerful Christ-consciousness (That you btw have promised To live by) Will bring the world A completely new order And enlightenment beyond Our wildest imaginings.
2 COR 8:9
In fact, Jesus accomplished All of that By becoming a poor man Not a rich one So that we might know Where true wealth lies And live accordingly.
LK 16: 19-31
Jesus illustrates His meaning With the story (Told to the complacent believers) Of poor Lazarus Who often begged From a rich man. But soon had Dives Begging from him And experiencing The awful frustration Of unbridgeable gaps In consumption And in ability To communicate The desperation And torment, Of hunger and thirst Even if revealed By a ghost from the other side.
Readings for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time: AM 8: 4-7; PS 113: 1-2, 4-6, 7-8; 1TM 2: 1-8; 2 COR 8:9;LK 16: 1-13
Last weekend, comedian, Bill Maher, and film-maker, Michael Moore, got into a shouting match on Maher’s show “Real Time.” Their point of contention was capitalism vs. socialism. Moore argued for socialism; Maher was against it. Their boisterousness reminded me of dinner-table arguments which (I’m ashamed to admit) I’ve been part of myself.
I bring all this up because the debate is intimately related to this morning’s liturgy of the word. Though the readings obviously pre-date the emergence of the modern system, they all criticize what has historically become “the spirit of capitalism.”
In any case, the Maher-Moore debate is worth considering not
only because it manifests the relevance of the Jesus tradition to arguments
like theirs. The argument also demonstrates the counter-productivity of the squabble
itself. It’s counter-productive because its terms fall into a trap congenial to
the enemies of the biblical tradition. The trap frames alternatives to our
present economic system in terms of “socialism” instead of in terms of social
justice, mixed economy, and “preferential option for the poor.”
That’s a simple distinction I never tire of making, because (as I point out in my book, The Magic Glasses of Critical Thinking: seeing through alternative fact and fake news) it’s absolutely key to the discussions of capitalism and socialism that will inevitably characterize the election season we’ve just entered – especially following the eventual selection of any Democratic candidate. No matter who the candidate turns out to be, s/he will be predictably vilified for advocating socialism pure and simple – an economic system that simply does not exist.
Maher and Moore both missed that point. The rest of us
shouldn’t. In fact, I recommend avoidance of capitalism-socialism framing
altogether. I’ll explain what I mean, and then elucidate the connections with
today’s readings.
To begin with, Moore’s mistake was to represent as “socialism” his advocacy of Medicare for all (Maher was against it), free college tuition, college loan-forgiveness, and the Green New Deal. In reality, those programs notwithstanding, each of them represents elements of mixed economies – the only form of economic organization that exists in our present context. And a mixed economy always has three elements (1) Some private and some public ownership of the means of production, (2) Some controlled markets and some that are free of control, and (3) earnings limited (usually by progressive income taxes).
Every economy in the world has those elements. There are no
exceptions.
Mixed economies contrast with the three elements of capitalism as well as with those of socialism. Capitalism’s three points are (1) Private ownership of the means of production, (2) Free and open markets, and (3) Unlimited earnings. None of the world’s economies embodies those elements untempered by planning.
Meanwhile, socialism’s three points are (1) Public ownership of the means of production, (2) Controlled markets, and (3) Limited earnings. Like untempered capitalism, such economic arrangement exists nowhere (including in “communist” China or Cuba).
For his part, Maher’s defense of capitalism was also a
defense of mixed economy. He agreed with many of Moore’s points. So, Maher’s
“capitalism” was no less mixed than Moore’s. The difference was that Maher
wanted more market and less planning in economic policy.
This is not to say that all mixed economies are equal. (And
this point is essential to keep in mind). The crucial question with them is
“Mixed in favor of whom?” Those who mistakenly identify themselves as
“capitalists” tend to advocate economies mixed in favor of the rich. They do so
on the belief that wealth trickles down; a rising tide lifts all boats, etc.
Those who (equally mistakenly) identify as “socialists” want
economies mixed more in favor of the working and unemployed classes. They
recognize that unregulated markets respond primarily to those with the most
money. Economies therefore have to be controlled to include those with limited
(or no) resources.
With all of this in mind, Moore and Maher might have
resolved their argument by recognizing that the choice before them is not
between capitalism or socialism, but between an economy mixed in favor of the
rich or one mixed in favor of the poor. And the formula for doing so might be: As
much market as possible, with as much regulation as necessary (to assure a
decent standard of living for everyone on the planet).
Now, a formula like that not only avoids “the socialist trap;” it is also highly compatible with the biblical social justice tradition that’s expressed so clearly in this morning’s liturgy of the word. As I’ve translated them below, today’s selections point out the injustices inherent not only in the economies of the ancient world, but in today’s neoliberal order. Both, the readings imply, were and are rigged in favor of the rich and against the poor. Check the readings for yourself here.
This is the way I interpret them:
AM 8: 4-7
Money makes the rich Exploit the poor. It leads the wealthy To distort religion Manipulate currency Put thumbs on scales Sell shoddy products And underpay workers. But never doubt: They will one day reap Due karma.
PS 113: 1-2, 4-6, 7-8
For God will lift up The poor From the dirt And “shitholes” They’re forced To live in. Thank God: The lowly Will one day Become their own Masters instead.
1 TM 2: 1-8
In the meantime, Pray that the powerful Might change their ways For God cares Even for them. Pray that they Might know God As revealed in The poor man Jesus who died For them too Despite their bitterness Lies and self-serving Talking points.
2 COR 8:9
Yes, don’t forget: God chose Self-revelation In the poor Not in the rich. Ironically, God’s Preferential Option For the Poor Is the only way To prosperity.
LK 16: 1-13
In fact, The poor man, Jesus, Laughed at the rich Who can’t use a shovel To save their lives, But blame the beggars Their own policies have created. The rich are so crooked, He joked, That they even admire Shrewdness in those Who end up stealing from them! Their own small larcenies Grow exponentially. So they cannot be trusted. Restitution is therefore in order. But don't worry About the bankers: Their “generous” loans Can easily be written off Without in the least Impacting their Decadent life-styles. Their basic mistake Is believing that Differentiating wealth and God Are somehow compatible. They are not!
Don’t you agree that sentiments like those favor economies
mixed in favor of the poor? (That’s the way they appear to me.) The readings
imply that if mixed economies are all we have, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to
fall into the trap that ensnared Moore and Maher. Instead of arguing about
non-existent “capitalism” or “socialism,” we should make sure to embrace the
principle “As much market as possible, but as much planning as necessary (to
insure a dignified life for all).”
But to avoid pointless shouting matches, it will be necessary to carry around in our minds those clear and easily understood ideas about what capitalism and socialism are. To repeat: capitalism’s essential elements are (1) private ownership of the means of production; (2) free and open markets, and (3) unlimited earnings. Socialism’s defining points are just the opposite: (1) public ownership of the means of production; (2) controlled markets, and (3) limited earnings. Once again, those two definitions make it clear that mixed economies are all we have.
Finally, we should be emphasizing the incompatibility between the Judeo-Christian tradition and the spirit of capitalism as characterized in today’s readings. Excessive wealth on the one hand and God on the other are not compatible. Or, as Jesus put it, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Despite our culture’s claims to the contrary, that’s the faith we “People of The Book” (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) are called to embrace.
So, let me get this straight. Marianne Williamson should be
disqualified as a viable presidential candidate because she has too much faith
in the power of prayer, of mind, of love, and of God.
The disqualification was sparked by a tweet she made as
Hurricane Dorian was bearing down upon the southern coast of the United
States. It read: “The
Bahamas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas…may all be in our prayers now.
Millions of us seeing Dorian turn away from land is not a wacky idea; it is a
creative use of the power of the mind. Two minutes of prayer, visualization,
meditation for those in the way of the storm,”
It was a call to faith addressed to a nation where the majority considers itself followers of the one who said, “If you have faith, even as a mustard seed, and say to this mountain ‘move from here to there,’ it will obey you” (MT 17:20).
[Yes, faith and its power to “move mountains” is an idea that appears multiple times in the Jesus tradition, indicating that the phrase probably originated with the Master himself. But, of course, Jesus’ words presume that his listeners, like most of us, had no such minimal faith. Hence, he implied, our belief remains powerless.]
Jesus’ faith
aside though, consider the content of Ms. Williamson’s tweet. It simply asked
her followers:
To face the power of our human minds and spirits as much greater and connected with natural forces than we generally believe.
In view of that fact, to activate their collective force to avert disaster.
And to do so by stilling that mind through meditation, by praying for those in the hurricanes path, and by visualizing their prayers answered.
Read it again: that’s exactly what the tweet says! Nothing more; nothing less.
In other words, it was all quite harmless and potentially powerful. There was nothing in it of fear, hatred, climate-change denial or blame of victims – all the responses we’ve come to expect from the outrageous tweets of more conventional politicians. Instead, there was only expression of solidarity, compassion, faith, stillness, and acceptance of what traditional spirituality tells us of the untapped power of the human spirit that consciously aligns itself with the divine.
As I’ve already indicated, the tweet also implied a connection between human consciousness and Mother Nature herself – something underlined in the mystical traditions belonging to all the world’s great faiths and to mainstream science as well. (As Francis of Assisi would remind us, all of us are in some sense a part of “Brother Hurricane” Dorian.)
But, horror of horrors (!) such expression of traditional faith and scientific insight was enough to disqualify Williamson from presidential candidacy. Whoopi Goldberg and panel members on “The View” ridiculed her. Others characterized her as no better than that of religious fundamentalists.
To my mind,
however, it proves just the opposite.
Williamson’s tweet demonstrates how truly different she is from her fellow candidates as well as from the fundamentalists who have hijacked the faith of Jesus. And how refreshing! Her viewpoint is what our times require, where expressions of faith are limited to “thoughts and prayers” after mass shootings — or to divisive imposition of narrow beliefs about abortion and rejection of LGBTQQIAAPs.
In fact, Marianne Williamson is so different from what we expect from politicians and secular leftists that when she simply expresses solidarity with those in the Bahamas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas (whose prayers no doubt echoed Marianne’s tweet) she reveals herself as absolutely mystifying, incomprehensible, and unacceptable.
Let’s face that too: Williamson’s tweet expressed extraordinary solidarity with those in Dorian’s path. Without doubt, many of them were praying that the hurricane’s force might be mitigated or diverted. In fact, if we found ourselves in their circumstances, the religious among us (and “foxhole Christians” as well) would be offering similar prayers: “Please, Lord, save me and my family from this hurricane. Change its path. Keep us safe.”
And what would be wrong with that? It’s an absolutely human response to impending disaster.
No, the hubbub over Ms. Williamson’s tweet is but another demonstration of why her candidacy is indispensable. We need her to profoundly change our political conversation, to move that conversation from fear and denial to compassion, and to unveil the true nature of faith engaged with an overly-secularized world.
Readings for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time: WIS 9:13-18B; PS 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17; PHMN 9-10, 12-17; PS 119: 135; LK 14: 25-33
Marianne Williamson’s campaign is not dead. True, she will
not be appearing on the stage of the third Democratic debate. Although she has
the required number of donors, Williamson has not yet attained the necessary 2%
in four polls approved by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Nonetheless,
her campaign continues its concentration on Iowa, where she’s been working for
the last several months. Her people confidently anticipate her participation in
Debate # 4.
Recently, the New York Times (NYT) ran a long very positive column on Marianne. It was called “The Gospel according to Marianne Williamson.” It reminded readers of Ms. Williamson’s identity, her growing and highly enthusiastic audiences, and the persuasive power of her remarkable eloquence.
The article assured readers that Williamson is far more than some New Age guru or the spiritual advisor of Oprah Winfrey. Jokes and criticisms aside, she has nothing to do with crystals or burning sage. Instead, she is a widely-hailed, best-selling author, spiritual teacher, counsellor, and generally wise person. For more than 40 years, she has been a student and teacher of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), a book published in 1974) which Williamson describes as “basic Christian mysticism.”
It’s that latter qualification – Williamson’s connection
with Christian mysticism – that makes her continued campaign extremely relevant
to this Sunday’s liturgy of the word. That’s because the theme of today’s
readings contrasts the wisdom of God with the wisdom of the world just as does
ACIM. Serious consideration of that contrast illustrates the unique importance
of Marianne Williamson’s candidacy at this particular juncture in the history
of our nation and world.
For ACIM, the world’s wisdom is based on fear; God’s wisdom
is based on love. In fact, according to A Course in Miracles, love and
fear are the only two motivational forces in the entire world. That’s true in
our personal relationships, but also in politics. Either we see others as
enemies poised to attack us at every opportunity, and act accordingly. Or we
recognize our very selves in those the world would teach us to fear, mistrust,
and hate.
More specifically, the politics of fear sees Muslims, Russia, China, the Taliban, ISIS, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQQIAAPs, and poor people in general as our enemies. Meanwhile, a politics based on love recognizes that none of those the world teaches us to fear is basically hostile. Rather, when we take 100% responsibility for the problems designated enemies ostensibly represent, a path opens up to achieving peace with all concerned.
Does such conviction seem woo-woo or unrealistic to you? If
it does, please be reminded first of all, that such belief is basic not only to
Christian faith, but (as Williamson constantly reminds us) to all the world’s great
religious traditions, including Islam. It is basic also to many secular
traditions that consider themselves atheistic or agnostic.
Secondly, remember that according to Christian faith, “God”
is synonymous with “love,” so that Williamson’s “Politics of Love” means the
politics of God. That means (thirdly) that rejection of political love as
woo-woo trivializes Christian faith and Jesus himself.
With all of that in mind, please read for yourselves this Sunday’s liturgical readings. (You’ll find them here.) To repeat, they contrast the wisdom of the world with the Wisdom of God. In any case, and for what it’s worth, here are my “translations” of their content. Their thoughtful review will help you see what I’m getting at in saying that Marianne Williamson’s “Gospel” is far deeper than revealed in the NYT article just referenced.
WIS 9:13-18B
The wisdom of God Unlike the world’s Is sure and decisive. For human thought processes Focused on the body And its shifting reality Are necessarily confused. Hence, we cannot judge wisely Without assistance From the Holy Spirit Who consistently reveals God’s Reality As filled with love.
PS 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17
This is because Time has no meaning For God. Everything but Love Passes in an instant. Consequently Our prayer must be: “Teach us Your changeless vision Filled with kindness Joy and gladness.” Only such Synonyms for love Give meaning To our lives.
PHMN 9-10, 12-17
For example, An elderly and imprisoned Paul Long ago Rejected the world’s wisdom About slavery. Seeing with the eyes of Christ He says Miraculously transformed Onesimus From slave and chattel Into a man A partner A son and brother. “Follow my example,” The shackled one implores.
PS 119: 135
We agree: Show us your face, O, Lord, In slaves And in those behind bars. Yes, teach us your ways.
LK 14: 25-33
But the Master warns: “If, like me, you live According to God’s Wisdom, The World Will surely crucify you As the subversive You must be To qualify As my disciple. But be sure to Subvert non-violently For otherwise, The militarized Powers of the world Will surely crush you. Sabotage instead By insistent example That refuses To value anything The world treasures.”
Those are radical thoughts. They are 180 degrees opposed to
the “wisdom of the world.” Yes, the very wisdom of God teaches that we have no
enemies other than those our thoughts and resulting actions have created. It’s
reconciliation with our designated enemies (recognizing them as embodiments of
our very selves) that holds the promise of our very salvation.
No Democratic candidate other than Marianne Williamson dares
call us to such radicality. It’s that change in attitude that ACIM defines as
“miraculous.” Only that sort of basic transformation in consciousness can save
us from the unprecedented catastrophes facing our world today.
As Ms. Williamson puts it: “It’s unreasonable to expect those who drove us into the ditch we’re in now to be the ones qualified to get us out.”
No: our present context necessitates an entirely new leadership and consciousness – a new wisdom based on love rather than fear. That’s the vision Marianne Williamson offers us this election season. And it’s not New Age woo-woo. In reality, the wisdom in question is not new at all. It’s reflected in the teachings of Jesus. It’s the wisdom of Paul. It’s the theme of today’s liturgical readings.
Readings for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: SIR 3: 17-18, 20, 28-29; PS 68: 4-5, 6-7, 10-11; HEB 12: 18-19, 22-24A; LK 14: 1, 7-14.
[What follows is a dramatic re-creation of Luke’s rather abstract account of Jesus’ dinner at a Pharisee’s home. (See the narrative here.) While Luke seems to have the Master recommending impossible (for Jesus) hypocrisy and self-promotion, the re-creation seems more probable and gets at Jesus’ real message about the Kingdom of God and its preferential option for the poor.]
In this morning’s gospel episode, Jesus finds himself invited for dinner to the home of a Pharisee. All present, Luke tells us, are watching Jesus closely. No doubt, they’re keeping an eye on his disciples too. And they don’t approve.
After all, like Jesus, his disciples are mere riff-raff. But at least Jesus is the reputed peasant-rabbi. Everyone’s talking about him. And investigating Jesus is the whole reason for this dinner. So for the moment at least, the Pharisees are willing to cut him some slack. He’s sitting near his hosts towards the head of the table.
His hangers-on however are a different story. They’re rough. They smell of fish and sweat, and have no manners. And yet, as Jesus’ friends, they’ve been granted a place at table — down towards the end. Even there, they feel out of place, but for that very reason they are enjoying themselves tremendously. You can imagine their rough jokes and loud laughter.
Yes, the Pharisees are watching Jesus and his friends. But obviously, Jesus has been watching them as well. He knows they are expecting some words of wisdom. So . . . he tells them a joke. And the joke’s on them. It contains a sharp barb.
“Thanks for inviting us to this banquet,” Jesus begins. “Unaccustomed as we are . . .” He pauses and smiles. “That’s quite generous of you. After all, none of us can repay your kindness. We are homeless people, as you know. We’re unemployed too, so we are in no position to return your kindness.
The best I can do is offer you some wisdom. So let me tell you what I’ve been observing here.
“Evidently,” Jesus goes on, “it’s your custom to adopt the humility recommended in the biblical Book of Sirach. I can’t tell you how impressed I am; I’m edified by your piety. I mean, you have clearly taken to heart the words of the sage, Jesus ben Sirach – what he said about being humble, especially if we are ‘great’ as all of you are here, I’m sure.”
Jesus eyes his listeners. He can tell that they are waiting for the penny to drop. So he drops it.
“I can see that when you come into a place like this, you take the lowest place available — down there where my friends are.” With this, Jesus stands up bows his head, stoops his shoulders and slumps towards the lowest place at table. He laughs.
“That way,” the Master continues, “our host, of course, is obliged to publicly invite you to a more honored position at table. ‘Friend,’ he’ll say, ‘come up higher, and sit in the place you’ve merited not down there with the unwashed and poor.’”
Now Jesus is standing. He throws out his chest and strides towards the seat right next to his pharisaical host. He chuckles again. “That enables you,” Jesus continues,” with great protestations of unworthiness, to take your ‘rightful’ place at table. Your stock has risen in everyone’s eyes.
“So congratulations are in order,” Jesus says. “All of you have learned your lessons well. You’ve just created a show, and have actually exalted yourself by pretending to be humble. In a sense, you’ve received your reward.”
Jesus is seated again and looking intently at everyone. Their mouths are open with shock.
“So here’s my wisdom, friends. . . . Your ‘humility’ is not what Sirach was recommending. In fact, it’s a form of pride and self-promotion.
“Instead, real humility is this: when you throw a party like this one, invite the poor, the lame and the blind, and then serve them. Place them at the head of your table and treat them as honored guests. People like that can’t or won’t repay you. But in fact, YOU OWE THEM.” Jesus fairly shouts those last three words.
“I’m telling you the truth,” he says. And humility is nothing but the truth.”
Jesus pauses, but he hasn’t finished yet. “You see, those belonging to what you consider the Great Unwashed — like my friends — are actually God’s favorite people. Recall what the psalmist said about them in Psalm 68. He said God is the Father of orphans; he’s the defender of widows, of prisoners, of the homeless, and of farmers without land.”
Jesus is quiet now; his smile is broad and friendly. He searches the faces of his table companions one-by-one.
Then he turns to his host and adds.
“To be fair, my friend, you yourself are on the right track. By inviting us today, you’ve shown that you already understand what I’ve been saying. As I say, none of us can repay you, and yet you’ve invited us to this abundant table. We are sincerely grateful.
“But don’t think that you’ve somehow performed an act of charity by your invitation. No, it’s an act of justice – of compensation to make up for what you have stolen from the poor by underpaying them and taxing them heavily. In supporting the poor and even the “lazy,” you are simply imitating our generous God.
“I mean the earth and its produce are all gifts from God. No one has earned them. No one owns them but the creator. If you have food, then, you are obliged to share it with the hungry – even with those unwilling to work. As difficult as it might be to understand, that’s simply the divine dispensation.
“The earth and the life it supports have been freely given to everyone – even to people like me and my friends who refuse to work and live from the alms of people like you. No one deserves life or food more than anyone else. So in effect, you are obliged to do what you’ve done.”
(Homilist’s note) None of this needs commentary from me.
What’s your commentary?
P.S. You might be helped in formulating your thoughts by this short interview of scripture scholar, Reza Aslan, by Russell Brand. In the exchange, Aslan explains how Jesus, the Buddha, and Mohammed were more interested in economics than in theology. They were economic radicals intent on turning their societies upside-down. None of them intended to found a new religion.
Readings for 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time: WIS 18:6-9; PS 33 1,12, 18-19, 20-22; HEB 11: 1-2, 8-19; MT 24:42A, 44; LK 12: 32-48
Despite their apparent obscurity, this week’s readings should be powerful and encouraging for people of faith. They are about faith that enables followers of Jesus to see what remains opaque to a purblind world.
By definition faith cannot adjust to what the world takes for granted. It is commitment to what materialists cannot see – to what the mainstream denies. After all, the world’s normalcy exalts individualism, money-grubbing, meaningless entertainment, oppression of “the othered,” endless war, and the never-satisfied quest for pleasure, power, profit, and prestige.
Faith, on the other hand, believes in a world that remains
unseen by the dominant culture. It’s the world as it comes from the hand of
God: beautiful, simple, loving, forgiving, and belonging to everyone.
As a result, people of faith are called to stand with those
our dominant culture rejects. In “America,” that means standing with the poor
and homeless, with immigrants, Muslims, people of color, LGBTTQQIAAP humans,
socialists, communists, environmentalists, and social justice warriors. .
. That’s the short list, today’s
readings suggest, of those who are favored by God.
Put more simply, faith realizes that all of us are one. All
are children of God. All creatures from smallest to greatest are loved by God.
It’s that simple. It cannot be said too often. That’s why some of us formally celebrate
creation’s oneness each week with others who share our simple outlook. That’s
why the world’s spiritual teachers of all faiths insist that each day must
begin with some spiritual discipline (such as meditation or centering prayer).
Such quiet time reminds practitioners that we do not belong to this world.
That’s why Jesus told us to “pray always.”
There is nothing more important than living from the truth that all creation is one. NOTHING! That faith alone can save our world from the impending disaster sadly looming on our near horizon in the form of nuclear war and climate disaster.
But it is so hard to swim against the stream, isn’t it? It’s
exhausting. After all, we’re surrounded by daily events that contradict it at
every turn. Everything in our world conspires to tell us that we’re atomized
individuals hostile to everyone unlike us. Think of the daily mass shootings,
endless sanctions of designated enemies, obvious public lies, redefinitions of
truth, police brutality, worship of money, resources absolutely wasted on war, and
the distortions of God and religion for selfish purposes. Think of our belief
that our country, the principal cause of the world’s problems, is somehow
special, exceptional, and favored by God. Nothing could be further from the
truth.
Thank God for Sacred Scripture that calls us back to Center.
(That’s the beautiful thing about the Bible – almost alone in ancient western
tradition it represents the consciousness and voice of the poor, rather than those
of kings, generals, and court prophets.)
In any case, and for what they’re worth, here are my “translations” of this week’s readings as they’d be understood by their authors who were themselves marginalized people surrounded by Great Powers intent on exploiting and even obliterating them. Please read them for yourself here. At first, and in their original form, they might strike you as obscure. However, read thoughtfully, they are powerful. So, here’s what I take them to say in these dark times. See if you agree.
WIS 18:6-9 (A reflection on Israel’s Exodus)
Our tradition is that of An enslaved people Exhibiting the meaning Of faith As courageous commitment To an unseen glorious future Where the mighty Are dethroned And brought to justice While the exploited Are exalted As God’s own people.
PS 33: 1, 12, 18-19, 20-22 (Blessed are the people God has chosen to be his own)
Yes, God’s Chosen People Are the famished And those threated By death. They are driven by A divine Life Force Calling them To struggle for justice. The Force is kind And protective Of the oppressed.
HEB 11: 1-2, 8-19 (Follow the example of our forebears)
In fact, Faith is a verb, An active commitment By the hopeless poor To a just future That the world Cannot even see. It’s what our ancient ancestors Lived by Giving them hope Even when they were Only a few immigrants Among a hostile Foreign people Fearful that the poor Unbelievably fertile “invaders” Would eventually outnumber And replace them.
MT 24: 42A, 44 (Don’t give up the fight)
So, wake up! God’s future will dawn Just when the World’s saying “That can never happen.”
LK 12: 32-48 (These readings are meant for everyone)
Yes, we might be small in number And it might take a long time, But we are the agents God has chosen To bring about Our Master’s future Where money’s not important, The rich serve the poor, The thieves are thwarted, And empires overthrown By true humanists, Yes, humanists Like Jesus And us!
Readings for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time: GN 18:20-32; PS 138: 1-8; COL 2:12-14; LK 11:1-13
Today’s readings are about the role of prayer in changing
consciousness. On this topic, they share with us the understandings of Abraham,
the Psalmist (sometimes called David), Paul of Tarsus, John the Baptist, and
Jesus himself.
As you’ll see immediately below, all of the readings address
changing our ideas about God from the One who punishes and kills to a merciful
Father who wants us to be happy. The readings are about God’s mercy towards
enemies and kindness to strangers. They’re about persistence, generosity,
abundance, about sharing bread, eggs, and fish – and about debt forgiveness. As
always, in a Christian context, they explain the New World Order that Jesus
called the Kingdom of God.
In this (over-long) election season, I can’t help but make
the connection between those readings about prayer and its mind-changing power
on the one hand, and the candidacy of Marianne Williamson on the other. That’s
because Marianne is the most prayerful spiritual leader I’ve come across in my
lifetime of engagement with theology and with people attempting to connect with
the Reality that some still call “God.” As such, Marianne’s candidacy credibly
promises to change world consciousness from one dominated by fear and
necrophilia to one characterized by forgiveness and reverence for life. I’ll
explain how in a minute.
Today’s Readings
However, before I get to that, here are my “translations” of today’s readings about the miraculous power of prayer even as exemplified by Ms. Williamson and the great biblical figures just mentioned. Please check here to see if they coincide with your own understandings:
GN 18: 20-32
Sheik Abraham, The product Of bedouin violence, Comes gradually to understand That Yahweh listens To prayers On behalf of innocents Otherwise lost As collateral damage In mayhem Inspired by Tribal lust For war.
PS 138: 1-8
Yahweh, then, Is not vengeful But kind and truthful, Close to the lowly And far from the proud Protecting his petitioners And saving them From those who Would do them harm.
Col 2: 12-14
Thank you, Jesus, For freeing us from The world’s lie That we are condemned By a necrophilic God And morbid legal system Instead of freed By One Who forgives And offers us An entirely new Way of Life."
LK 11: 1-13
To get there, Jesus taught his friends The prayer of his mentor, John the Baptist: “May God’s Kingdom Come soon With its abundant daily bread And the same mercy (And debt forgiveness!) That Abraham Came to understand.” In God’s New Order, And despite human reluctance (And the midnight hour) Bread, eggs and fish Will be shared Even with inconvenient And rudely persistent visitors In God’s Holy Spirit That enables it all.
The Marianne Connection
Those readings about prayer evoke reflections on the candidacy of Marianne Williamson. As I was saying, I’ve never come across a person who so naturally, easily, and comfortably prays. Unabashedly, she invokes miracles one after another – just what we need in these troubled times.
But please note this: for Marianne Williamson, “miracles” do
not refer to woo-woo magic events “out there” contrary to the laws of nature.
Instead, they are profound interior changes in consciousness just like the one
experienced by Abraham in that reading from Genesis.
And change in consciousness is precisely what we need in
these times of overriding threat from systems-induced climate chaos, from
nuclear war, and from the underlying fears and insecurities fostered by
“leaders” such as Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Manuel Duterte, Jair Bolsonaro
and the other fascist heads of state.
With those monsters in mind, I’m driven to imagine how a
Marianne Williamson presidency would change planetary (yes planetary!) thinking
from processes governed by fear embodied in those men, by (mostly state)
terrorism – a specifically fear-inducing tactic – to one governed by love and
reverence for life.
The miraculous change intimately connected to today’s topic of prayer, would go something like this:
On Marianne’s accession to the presidency (actually, long before), the entire world would scour her books for clues to her real identity – just as they did with President Obama’s Dreams from My Father and with Mr. Trump’s The Art of the Deal.
Some would read Marianne’s spiritual guidebook, A Course in Miracles (ACIM) or (more likely) what Marianne describes as her ACIM CliffsNotes, A Return to Love.
Others would even take up the daily discipline described in ACIM’s volume II, A Workbook for Students.
In any case, the resulting analysis, commentary and direct experience would get people everywhere discussing ACIM’s basic ideas with the same fervor currently given to Mr. Trump’s “fake news” and “alternative fact.” Those ACIM ideas hold that:
Our world of fear-induced violence is a completely human fabrication making Americans in particular (as Chris Hedges puts it) “the most illusioned people on earth.”
No one is actually attacking us. Instead, according to Marianne’s analysis, most of the world’s violence is induced by an economic system that financially rewards human destruction fostered by the Military Industrial Complex, Big Pharma, and Big Oil. In other words, capitalism-as-we-know-it is our enemy including its ideological defenses.
The way out of the resulting morass is forgiveness. That is, we must realize that the ones our culture habitually blames are actually innocent. Our problems are not caused by immigrants, non-whites, LGBTQQIAs, not by the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, Syrians, Libyans, Somalis, Iraqis, Iranians, Yemenis . . . Forgiveness means accepting the fact that all of those just mentioned are not only our sisters and brothers. THEY ARE OURSELVES. Or as ACIM puts it, “There is really only one of us here.”
Such forgiveness leads to atonement – to At-One-Ment, i.e. to specific policies reflecting the unity that exists between human beings and between humans and nature. Policies include reparations to the descendants of African slaves, to Native Americans, and to countries whose economies and cultures have been destroyed by imperialist wars encouraged by capitalism-as-we-know-it. Atonement with Mother Nature includes a Green New Deal.
Conclusion
When Marianne Williamson is asked about her inexperience as a politician, she invariably invokes Franklin Roosevelt who said that the primary role of the presidency is not governmental management, but moral leadership. In fact, once elected, presidents can turn over day-to-day policy management to carefully chosen experts in each relevant field.
Moreover, the policies in question will end up virtually the same under any of the Democratic candidates all of whom claim to be “progressive.” They’ll all hire similar technocrats to implement Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, $15.00 minimum wage, and forgiveness of college loans. Except for Marianne and Tulsi Gabbard, with their emphasis on peace-building and military disengagement, all the candidates promise to support the same tired U.S. foreign policy.
Besides such crucial peace-building emphasis, what really separates
the twenty or so candidates are their character, credibility, and personal
values that will enable them to change the national and international conversation.
In a perverse way, Donald Trump has actually demonstrated the importance of character traits in the oval office. Think about it. In Trump we have a nihilist of questionable intellectual competence, completely without moral principle and with virtually no understanding of policy, how Washington runs, or even of basic history or geography.
And yet, Trump has changed the tenor of the national and international conversation more profoundly than any formally educated nihilist philosopher possibly could. He has literally reshaped the world by giving courage to fascists, racists, homophobes and misogynists of all stripes everywhere in the world.
What our liturgical readings for the day suggest (at least to me) is that Marianne Williamson’s life-long commitment to prayerful change in consciousness equips her better than anyone else not simply to return the world to normality after the Trump disaster. She can do more than that. She can move the entire world to the unprecedentedly deeper level of consciousness that our times and impending disasters require.
Marianne’s mindset represents what’s really required to implement the values of love, forgiveness, generosity and at-one-ment that we’ve read about today. They are precisely the values required by our desperate times. Implementing those values world-wide is the profound miracle a Williamson presidency could bring about.
Readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Gn. 18: 1-10A; Ps. 15: 2-5; Col. 1: 24-28; Lk. 10: 38-42.
This week’s Gospel reading is fun. It’s about work and relaxation.
It contains Good News for workers that contrasts sharply with the attitude of
their employers.
The reading has Jesus and his closest companion, Mary Magdalen, exemplifying the Master’s habitual attitude towards work which is exactly what American capitalists condemn as laziness. Its take-away: forget Martha’s overwork. Instead, be more like Jester Jesus and Lazy Mary.
I’ll explain that in a minute. But before I do, let me offer an amusing reminder of our culture’s deification of work. It came a couple weeks ago in a Fox News interview with Donald Luskin, the CEO of Trend Macrolytics, a prominent Wall Street consulting firm. As such, it’s his job to forecast market trends and offer stock market advice to institutional investors. I imagine he spends his day making phone calls, having three-martini luncheon meetings with clients, or maybe advising them on the golf course or in a luxury suite at the local baseball stadium. For him, that’s work. It ultimately ends in pressing computer keys to implement his momentous decisions to “buy” or “sell.” Whew!
In any case, Luskin was asked on Fox about a recent report showing
that retirement is becoming a thing of the past. In fact, nearly one in four
Americans will never have enough money to quit the daily grind. When asked if
he found the trend worrisome, Luskin said it didn’t concern him personally. On
the contrary, and employing theological language, the man actually called it a “blessing”
and a “miracle” that people have been relieved of the burden of retirement that
workers had to endure in less fortunate times.
He said:
“It doesn’t worry me personally. I guess I’m one of those people who plans never to retire. I mean, I’ve got to tell you, what do people do when they retire? You know, how do you spend a day? I mean, is bowling that interesting? Is fishing that interesting? I mean, I happen to love my work. Why do I want to stop it? You know, it’s not like it hurts. Why would I stop it? This is great. What a great country where we have the opportunity to keep working. What a miracle where our lives are long enough and we’re healthy enough and mentally alert enough, so we don’t have to retire like generations before us. This is a great blessing. You should embrace it.”
Such words need very little comment. What do retired people do? Are you serious? How about: what you always wanted to do but couldn’t while working two or three meaningless jobs involving physical activity, danger, heavy lifting or boring repetitious tasks for clueless employers like Luskin himself. How about: volunteering for Habitat, working for Marianne Williamson‘s campaign (with its commitment to changed political consciousness); how about spending time with your spouse and grandchildren? How about traveling, reading, writing poetry, listening to or playing music, making love, taking naps, meditating, playing checkers or chess, hiking, learning a new skill, painting – and yes, bowling or fishing.
What Luskin reflects is our entire culture that locates “real life” in the shop or market place. In fact, we’re taught to prize overwork. This is especially true of “American” culture where unlike our European counterparts, we spend an average of three hours per week more on the job. That adds up to something like a month more of work each year than our European sisters and brothers. Most important, Americans take fewer (and shorter) vacations. The average American takes off fewer than six weeks a year; the average Frenchman almost 12. Swedes take the longest vacations – 16 ½ weeks per year.
Today’s
gospel reading from Luke urges us to correct our tendency to overwork before
it’s too late. In doing so, it directs our attention to the counter-cultural
nature of Jesus’ teachings about how we should spend our days.
Yes, Jesus was extremely counter-cultural even about work. We shouldn’t forget that. As Deepak Chopra points out (in his The Third Jesus), the Sermon on the Mount, which captures the essence of Jesus’ wisdom, has him explicitly telling his disciples not to earn a living, save money, plan ahead or worry about the future. He actually does! Read it for yourself.
And did
you notice the description of the “Just Person” in today’s responsorial psalm?
Man or woman, they harm no one, do not slander, speak ill of no one, and refuse
to accept bribes. All of that raises no eyebrow. We yawn: none of that seems
particularly counter-cultural.
But how about, “They lend not money at usury?” Could anything be further from the work Mr. Luskin idealizes? Yes, lending at interest is considered robbery and is forbidden in the Bible. [What if all Christians (and Jews) kept that commandment? Our world with its economy based on credit and interest, would be entirely different.]
More to the day’s point: the world would also be different – our lives would not be the same – if we acted like Mary instead of Martha.
The
misdirection of traditional sermons obscures that possibility. Customarily
homilists understand the story of Martha and Mary in a strictly spiritual
sense. Their commentaries use the two sisters to compare the active and the
contemplative lives – as though poor Martha stood for lay people having to wait
on others with no time for prayer like the more otherworldly Mary. Martha’s
sister “choses the better part” like a contemplative “religious” eschewing “the
world of work” and spending their time pondering the spiritual teachings of
Jesus and living a life rapt in prayer and contemplation.
I used to think that too
– until I read Un Tal Jesus (“A
Certain Jesus”) written by Maria Lopez Vigil and her brother, Jose Ignacio.
(The book has been translated into English under the title Just Jesus.) The authors are Cuban and now live in
Nicaragua. Maria is a former nun; Jose Ignacio, a former priest.
Together
the Lopez-Vigils created a series of radio programs broadcast all over Latin
America. The shows dramatized the four gospels and presented a very human Jesus
– the one who emerges from recent scholarship on the historical Jesus.
In Un Tal Jesus, Jesus is black, has a winning smile, and
a very down-to-earth sense of humor. (The photo at the top of this blog entry
shows Jesus as depicted in the Lopez-Vigil’s book.) The human Jesus portrayed
in that radio series scandalized many and inspired even more throughout the
Latin world and beyond.
As the
Lopez-Vigils envision it, today’s episode takes place in a Bethany tavern owned
by Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. It’s a place of eating, drinking
and lodging for travelers. It’s a place of laughter, joking, over-eating and
drunkenness. And Jesus is right there in the middle of it all.
Passover
is approaching, and the inn is full of pilgrims. It’s steamy, noisy, and loud.
Martha is on the job, waiting on tables and controlling the rest of the staff.
Meanwhile Mary (whom scholars increasingly identify with Mary Magdalene, Jesus
closest female companion) is distracted by conversation with Jesus, who is
bantering with his friends.
And
what are they talking about? Religion? God? Spirituality? No, they’re joking.
Jesus is posing riddle after riddle. And Mary finds it completely entertaining.
In part, their dialog goes like this:
Jesus: What’s as small as a
mouse but it guards the house like a lion. One, two, three: Guess what it is!
Mary: Small as a rat…and…it’s a key! I guessed it, I guessed it!
Jesus: Listen to this one: It’s as small as a nut, has no feet but can climb a
mountain.
Mary: Wait… a nut going up the mountain…a snail!…Ha, ha, ha, tell me another
one!
Jesus: You won’t guess this one right. Listen well: It has no bones, it is
never quiet, with edges sharper than scissors.
Mary: It has no bones… I don’t know…
Jesus: It’s your tongue, Mary, which never rests!
Well,
Mary and Jesus might have found that sort of patter entertaining, but Martha
did not. She’s in charge of the inn and is worried about her guests waiting
impatiently for their food while bread is burning in the oven. So, she makes
her complaint to Jesus: “Stop your chatter and let my sister do her job!” It’s
then that Jesus makes that remark about Mary’s choosing the better part. She’s
chosen socializing and play over work.
Does
that scandalize you – Jesus distancing himself from work? Well, it seems
completely consistent with what I said about Jesus earlier. It coincides with
his general approach to work, money, profit, saving, and anxiety about the
future.
What
difference would it make in our own lives if we accepted that message:
socializing, community, and fun are more important than the work people like
Donald Luskin would have us devote our entire lives to?
What difference would it make in our culture if, in a context of underpaid labor and long hours on the job we elected candidates advocating “spreading the work around,” spreading the money around, shortening the work week, and affording us more time with friends and family, eating, drinking, joking, and playing?
That’s the message of today’s Gospel reading: we need more free time, more vacations, and assured dignified retirement.
Wake up, Mr. Luskin! Wake up, American workers: You have nothing to lose but your chains.
P.S. Here’s the actual interview with Donald Luskin along with commentary by TYT‘s John Iadarola
Readings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time: I KGS 19: 16 B, 19-21; PS 16: 1, 2, 5, 7-11; GAL 5: 1, 13-18; I SM 3:9; JN 6: 68C; LK9: 51-62
So, we all watched Thursday’s debate in which Marianne Williamson finally participated and showed the country who she is. And she was magnificent. She demonstrated what her spiritual guidebook, A Course in Miracles calls a refusal to be insane. She embodied that still small voice of conscience – the voice for God – that today’s liturgy of the word distinguishes from the world’s madness.
To begin with consider the madness we witnessed Thursday night. It was a perfect reflection of our insane country, of our insane world, of our insane electoral system. There they were: ten of our presumably best and brightest aspiring to occupy what we’re told is the most powerful office in the world. They shouted, talked over their opponents, self-promoted, bragged, and put their opponents down. They offered complicated “plans” that no one (including themselves) seemed to understand. They ignored the rules of the game, recited canned talking points, and generally made fools of themselves – and of viewers vainly seeking sincerity, genuine leadership and real answers. Except for that brief exchange about busing between Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, it was mostly embarrassing.
And then there
were the so-called moderators who allowed the circus to spin so completely out
of control. They issued stern warnings about time limits, frequently set them
strictly at “thirty seconds,” but then proceeded to allow speakers to go on for
three minutes or more. The celebrity hosts were completely arbitrary in addressing
their questions unevenly. They repeatedly questioned some of the candidates and
ignored others.
Meanwhile,
there was Marianne Williamson off in the corner almost completely out of sight
and generally ignored by the hosts. When they finally deigned to notice her
polite attempts to contribute, no one seemed to know what to do with her comments.
There was never any follow-up or request for clarification. Instead, what she
said seemed completely drowned out by the evening’s “excitement,” noise, general
chaos, and imperative to change topics. It was as if she were speaking a
foreign language. I mean, how do you respond to that “still small voice of
conscience” that says:
Immigration problems should be understood in historical context; their roots are found in U.S. policy in Central America especially during the 1980s. Such comment invites further discussion. None took place.
Removing children from their parents’ arms is kidnapping; putting preschoolers in concentration camps is child abuse. Such crimes should be treated accordingly. What retribution did Marianne have in mind? The question went unasked.
Health care “solutions” should address environmental questions about chemicals in our foods, water, and air that make Americans sick. The response: “My next question for Vice-President Biden is . . .”
Government programs should be expressions of love, not fear.
As
expected, the pundits who afterwards declared “winners” and “losers,” generally
put Marianne in the latter category. Their criteria for that judgment were just
what you’d expect: Who was louder? Who was more aggressive, more interruptive? Who
spoke for more minutes? Who more effectively transgressed the debate “rules”
and thereby showed leadership and dominance?
None of this could be further from the spiritual principles Marianne Williamson has espoused for the last 40 years. That spirituality, like Elijah’s, Elisha’s, Paul’s, and Jesus’ in today’s liturgical readings holds that the problems that plague our world have simple answers that have nothing to do with bombast, filibusters, or spectacle. However, the world rejects out of hand the solutions of that still-small-voice of conscience as unrealistic and “out there” in the realm of the irrelevant and impractical. Such blind dismissal is what Paul in today’s reading calls “flesh;” it’s what Jesus elsewhere rejects as “worldly.”
So, in an
effort to put Thursday’s debate in perspective, let me begin by describing where
Marianne is coming from; then I’ll get to the relevant readings.
A
Course in Miracles
For more than forty years, the foundation of Marianne Williamson’s life and teachings has been A Course in Miracles (ACIM). It’s a three-volume work (a text, 365 daily exercises, and a manual for teachers) that was allegedly (and reluctantly) channeled by Helen Schucman, a Columbia University psychologist and atheist in the three or four years leading up to 1975, the year of the trilogy’s publication. It has since sold millions of copies. Williamson has described ACIM as “basic Christian mysticism.”
The book’s
a tough read – certainly not for everyone, though Williamson insists that
something like its daily spiritual discipline (a key term for her) is necessary
for living a fully human life bent on serving God rather than self. Its guiding
prayer is “Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would
you have me say, and to whom?”
Even
tougher than the cryptic text itself is putting into practice the spiritual
exercises in Volume II whose entire point is “a complete reversal of thought.” According
to ACIM’s constant reminders, we are all prisoners in a cell like Plato’s Cave,
where everything the world tells us is exactly the opposite of God’s truth.
To counter such deception, A Course in Miracles has the rare disciple (possessing the discipline to persevere) systematically deconstruct her world. It begins by identifying normal objects like a lamp or desk and helping the student realize that what s/he takes for granted is entirely questionable. Or as Lesson One puts it: “Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything.” The point is to liberate the ACIM practitioner from all preconceptions and from the illusory dreams the world foists upon us from birth. Those illusions, dreams and nightmares are guided by fear, which, the course teaches, is the opposite of love. In fact, ACIM teaches that fear and love are the only two energetic forces in the entire universe. “Miracles” for A Course in Miracles are changes in perception – a paradigm shift – from fear to love. For Marianne, Donald Trump’s worldview is based primarily on fear; her’s is based on love (which means action based on the recognition of creation’s unity).
According
to Williamson’s guide, time, space, and separation of humans into separate
entities are all entirely illusory. Such distinctions are dreams that cause all
the world’s nightmares, including all the topics addressed in Thursday’s debate.
For instance:
The
illusion of time has us all living in past and future while ignoring the
present – the only moment that actually exists, has ever existed, or where true
happiness can be found. This means, for example, that inspirational figures
like Jesus are literally alive NOW just as they were (according to time’s illusion)
2000 years ago. His Holy Spirit is a present reality.
The
dream of space has us taking too seriously human-made distinctions like borders
between countries. Yes, they are useful for organizing commerce and travel. But
the world as God created it belongs to everyone. It’s a complete aberration and
childish to close off borders as inviolable and to proudly proclaim that “From
now on, it’s only going to be America first, America first!”
Similarly,
the dream of separation between humans has us convinced that “we” are here in
North America, while refugees are down there at our southern border. According
to ACIM however, “There is really only one of us here.” This means that I am female,
male, white, black, brown, straight, gay, trans, old and young. And so are you.
Others are not simply our sisters and brothers; they are us! What we do to
them, we do to ourselves.
With such
clarifications in mind, the solution to the world’s problems are readily
available and far easier to understand than complicated health care systems or
carbon trading. The solutions are forgiveness and atonement. But for ACIM,
forgiveness does not mean overlooking another’s sins and generously choosing
not to punish them. It means first of all realizing that sin itself is an
illusion. It is an archery term for a human mistake – for missing the mark –
something every one of us does.
Forgiveness,
then, amounts to nothing more than realizing that truth and acting accordingly –
as though the forgiven one were our Self (because s/he is!). In a world of
complete deception, it means accepting the truth that the ones our culture
blames – like immigrants, refugees, people of color, the poor, Muslims, and members
of the LGBTQQIA community – are not only completely innocent. Accepting them as
our very Self represents the source of our personal and political salvation.
In this
light then, prisons (for particularly dangerous people) become re-education
centers for rehabilitation, not punishment. This means that even pathological
criminals like Trump, Pence, Pompeo, and Bolton can helpfully be sequestered
for a while and then returned to society as reformed, productive people. (I
know that’s hard to believe; but it could happen!)
Yes, for
Williamson, the goal of it all (of life itself!) is atonement – At-One-Ment – practical
realization of a world with room for everyone with illusory distinctions either
ignored, or played with, or celebrated in the spirit of party and game. Practically
speaking, atonement looks like reparations not only to the descendants of
African slaves, but to countries we have destroyed like those Marianne
referenced in Central America – but also like Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba,
and a host of others. Instead of dropping bombs on them or applying sanctions,
we should, in effect, be showering them with schools, hospitals,
infrastructure, technological assistance, and money. It’s all part of the
reparations due.
Imagine
what that kind of foreign policy would accomplish and how much cheaper it would
be than the trillions we’re now wasting on weapons and war.
As her
books, Healing the Soul of America and A Politics of Love show, Williamson
stood ready to share such convictions last Thursday night. But she was never
asked. And we’re all poorer as a result.
Today’s
Readings
So how is all of that related to this Sunday’s readings? They’re about the contrast between the world’s wisdom – its way of debating, judging, condemning, and praising – and God’s way of interacting with one another and with creation itself. Check out the readings for yourself here and see what you think. My “translations” follow to clarify their cumulative point:
I KGS 19:16B, 19-21
We are called To be prophets Like Elijah And his disciple-successor Elisha A wealthy farmer Who understood That God’s call Required renouncing Everything the world Holds dear: Family, possessions, And independence In order to Comfort the afflicted Afflict the comfortable And feed the hungry.
PS 16: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
For what ultimately Belongs to us Is not The world’s Corruption and condemnation But the God We deeply are Who is our very Food and drink, The ability to see Even amidst The world’s darkness, The source of calm, Gladness, and health Who shows The path to life, Joy, and unending delight. GAL 5: 1, 13-18 As Elisha realized: World and Spirit Are completely opposed. Paul terms Those worldly values “Flesh.” It demands Slavery and consumption Of one another! What God values Is Christ’s “Spirit.” Demanding Nothing more Than love Of the other Who is (Believe it or not) Our very Self.
I SM 3:9, JN 6: 68C Deep down We know All of this Is true.
LK 9: 51-62 Jesus did too. So, on the way To ultimate destiny He rejected The world’s spirit Of xenophobia, revenge, Ethnocentrism – And Hell-Fire missiles. Instead, he identified with The homeless, With life, not death, And with the Spirit Of Elisha Who also Left plow and oxen For the sake of God’s reign.
Conclusion
Please think about those readings in the light of what we witnessed on the debate stage a few nights ago. The other candidates represented what Paul calls “flesh” – you know: the world’s wisdom and way of doing things involving corruption, condemnation, devouring one’s opponent, xenophobia, and addiction to those Hellfire missiles. Meanwhile Marianne seemed bemused by it all. Her few thoughtful remarks said far more than the ones filibustering, pointlessly arguing, self-promoting.
As she says herself, Ms. Williamson is not in this campaign to run against anyone. She’s there to run with her fellow Democrats and to help Americans decide which candidate is best.
I think that candidate is Marianne. She deserves better consideration and a closer hearing than she received on Thursday. Like Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, and Paul, she is a voice for our Deepest Self. She was the winner.
In preparation for next Sunday’s commemoration of the Solemnity of Christ’s Body and Blood, here is my “translation” of the day’s sacred texts including its special sequence, “Lauda Sion.” Please read the originals yourselves to see what they might suggest by way of practical application. To me, they say something about priesthood, its perversions, and rejection by Jesus. More universally, they call me to think revolutionary thoughts about throwing off ALL inherited structures responsible, as they are, for war and impending omnicide. As Marx taught, any criticism worth its salt begins with religion.
GN 14: 18-20
Melchizedek fed Abram, Bread and wine. Assuring the patriarch Of God’s favor In his mid-east wars, Provided the sheik Gave the priest A tenth of all he possessed.
PS 110: 1-4
Subsequent clergy In Melchizedek’s line Have done the same For kings who tithe Promising them Enemies become footstools Forever and ever!
I COR 11: 23-26
Jesus Like that gnarly pastor, Served bread and wine too But for God’s peace Not Melchizedek’s war. Those who shared His simple meal Were to re-member the Christ And make his presence real As Prince of Peace.
Sequence Lauda Sion
Yes, Melchizedek’s offering Is turned upside-down By the priesthood’s Severest critic. Who feeds both Kings and shepherds. Apostles and us Uniting all And replacing Antique class-warfare And our own Damnable understandings Of Eucharist With a picnic of peace So that wheat and grape Might become OUR flesh and blood, To afterwards incarnate Christ’s own body To complete his work On earth.
LK 9: 11B-17
So what's the point Of this parable's tale (Ironically chosen By Melchizedek's sons) If not to say What Eucharist's for To feed the hungry Towards peace not war. No Melchizedek No miracle No market No priesthood No transubstantiation's Required here. “Do it yourselves” Jesus told his friends (And us). And that’s just What the apostles (And a little boy) Did To everyone’s satisfaction With lots left-over! Let those with ears to hear . . .
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