Today’s gospel puts Jesus squarely in the tradition of the prophets
and at
the same time foresees that he will surpass
all the prophets and healers who
have gone before.
The question of the day is Who are you?
Isaiah of Judea,
who are you to be saying that?
John the Baptizer, who are you to be doing
that?
Who are you, Jesus of
Nazareth?
_________________________________________
Who are WE, 21st
century Christians,
to be saying what we say
and doing what we do?
It’s
a dark world—war, genocide, greed, starvation,
refugees, disease, human
trafficking,
violence on our streets and in our homes.
Slavery is still
here!
It’s knit into the fabric of our society,
and we are faced with
pulling the oppressive threads out,
one by one,
while trying to hold the
good threads of our society together.
Our Congress members remind of us of
the image of Nero
fiddling while Rome burned.
Toy guns look so real that
police kill kids on playgrounds.
Typhoons and hurricanes grow stronger and
more frequent
because our way of life
is raising the temperature of the
oceans.
_________________________________________
We read Paul’s letter to
the Thessalonians
and ask how we can “rejoice always.”
How can we “give
thanks in all circumstances?”
Paul must have thought
that the
Thessalonians were posing that same question,
so he gave the answer:
Test
everything,
keep what’s good,
stay away from
evil.
_________________________________________
We try to do that.
We
hear the day’s news and the events of our lives
and ask what makes
sense,
what is good
and what is
not.
_________________________________________
We look at the steady
stream of deaths by gun.
We ask what makes sense, and what is good.
We
write and phone our legislators
to pass the kind of sensible gun laws
that
have worked in other states and other countries.
And we keep vigil for the
victims and their families,
taking part in the National Gun Violence Sabbath
Weekend
commemorating especially
the 20 children of Sandy Hook
Elementary
who fell victims to gun violence
two years ago tomorrow
[today].
_________________________________________
We look
at Israel’s
systematic bombing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
and the river of
Christian refugees seeking asylum,
and ask what makes sense and what is
good.
We pray for a solution to the crisis.
We sponsor journalist Alison
Weir’s presentation on the situation
so that we can hear Palestinian
perspectives on the battle.
We stand with the Northwest Ohio Peace
Coalition
with our signs pleading for
peace.
_________________________________________
We look at the wealth gap
in this country,
and the education gap,
and the inequities in the criminal
justice system.
We look at the systemic racism in our society.
We ask what
makes sense and what is good.
We pray for justice, for tolerance, for
civility, for freedom for all.
We join the Toledo Community Coalition.
We
take part in Dialogue-to-Change talks
with people of other races and ethnic
groups.
_________________________________________
We look at the projected
impact of climate change
on our grandchildren
because of our habits of
waste and using more than our share.
We ask what makes sense and what is
good.
So we pray for wisdom and temperance.
We plan to plant trees to
lessen the impact.
_________________________________________
That
exuberance in Isaiah—
The spirit of God is upon me!—
Justice will spring
up before all the nations!—
that determination comes out of Isaiah
just as
the Chosen People
are straggling out of the Babylonian captivity
and
trudging back to their shattered land.
He sings out the glad tidings—the good
news to the poor—
that their hearts and minds will rejuvenate
with the
strength to rebuild and renew the
nation.
_________________________________________
That joy comes out of
Paul
just as the Roman slaughter of both Jews and Christians
lies heavy on
the land.
Rejoice, give thanks, he says, the God of peace is with
you.
_________________________________________
That expectation of the
dawning of a new day
comes out of John
just as the oppression of Pax
Romana—the Roman peace—
threatens annihilation of the people.
John is
confident and hopeful: The light is coming!
They ask him, Who are you?
He
answers: The voice of one crying in the wilderness!
The question comes to us
today:
Are we making straight the way of God in our time?
Do we show such
mercy and love and joy—
carry such good news to the poor—
that people will
see us and ask, Who are
you?
____________________________________________
Yes!
We are God’s
people,
showing mercy and love and joy,
carrying good news to the
poor,
so that, when we hear the question,
we have a ready answer:
The
Spirit of God is upon us.
We are a voice crying out in the
wilderness,
doing our best to make straight the way of God.
--
Holy Spirit Catholic Community
at 3535 Executive Parkway (Unity of
Toledo)
Saturdays at 4:30 p.m.
Sundays at 5:30
p.m.
www.holyspirittoledo.org
Rev. Dr. Bev Bingle, Pastor
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