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The inner word

05 Aug 2012 - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

The Israelites “grumbled” many times during their sojourn through the desert to the land God had promised them. In many cases God’s reaction was anger at the people’s failure to trust in God’s guidance, despite the circumstances. In this week’s reading, however, God’s ultimate response was an act of care: sending them the “flesh” and “bread” they desired. Complaints against God are not in themselves a sin; they figure in scripture on many occasions. It’s what they lead to that’s important. Doubt can lead to belief; even questioning shows you value in a relationship. Don’t be afraid to bring your uncertainties to God. You just might be opening a door to greater faith.

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Exploring the word

18 Mar 2012 - Fourth Sunday of Lent, Cycle B

There’s no more peculiar history than the Bible presents as the story of Israel. From start to finish we find more dubious characters than ever gathered in the works of bicentennarian Charles Dickens. You’ve got liars (Abraham, Jacob), fools (Isaac), peacocks (Joseph), schemers (Laban, Rebecca, Tamar), and murderers (Moses, David). Which barely gets us into the era of kings, where all the blue-ribbon criminals are on parade. And these, mind you, are the good guys! Would any other nation tell their story this way? What would possess a people to say: “Our heroes are flawed, ethically crippled folks who are nonetheless our forefathers and -mothers”? This thesis underlying Israelite history comes to a dramatic conclusion in 2 Chronicles. The narrator tells us simply that by now the entire nation has become a melting pot of infidelity. They pollute what was once consecrated, mock prophesy, despise good counsel. Everybody does it, the sacred narrator assures us: princes, priests, and people together. What is left for God but to allow Judah’s enemies to break down its walls, burn the Temple, and take the people of such little promise away from the Land of Promise? For the story to end here would be both tragedy and travesty. How could you found a religion on a bed of infamy? Shrewdly, the narrative turns a corner in the final paragraph. In a later generation a new ruler will arise who will free the repentant captives. The people of Judah will have a second chance to go home and make things right. “Go with God!” the new edict invites the exiles. And there the story ends. Not with a “happily ever after,” but with hope. It’s a bold way to end a history, or a holy book. Maybe things will be different, and maybe they won’t. Maybe the people will make better choices, but in fact we know they don’t. Not because the Bible tells us so but because human nature hasn’t changed much in thousands of years. From the time of Abraham four millennia ago to now we still lie and preen and do dumb things; we scheme and kill and commit our adulteries. We pollute what is sacred, mock prophets, disdain good advice, and ignore all timely warnings. If we’re counting on human nature to change in order to fix the world, well, the verdict is in: This world is doomed. Yet God so loved this world that light was sent to shine in our darkness. By grace we have been saved through faith. “The ancient curse/that doomed to death a universe,” as the hymn says, was lifted from our weak and untrustworthy shoulders. It was placed on the shoulders of one who would be lifted up so that we might all go up together. Hope has a name, which is why we have a future. Related scripture links The wages of sin: Rom. 6:23 All have sinned: Rom. 3:23; 7:13-25 Christ died for sinners: Rom. 5:6-8 Moses and the seraph serpent: Num. 21:4-9 Later fate of the bronze image: 2 Kings 18:4 Catechism links Expulsion: CCC 385-389; 396-412; 1006-1009; 1846-1851 Grace: CCC 1996-2005

Authors Alice Camille

israel Hope

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Exploring the word

16 Oct 2011 - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

The media is full of it. Power, that is, demonstrated in images of clenched fists, men with guns, the natural world exploding, politicians open-mouthed with rhetoric, dollar signs gleaming, and the bragging rights of corporations. There’s more power to be viewed in ads for the shiniest car, the sexiest lips, and the new pharmaceutical that’ll change your life. If power’s a subject that doesn’t interest you, turn off the TV, power down the computer, throw away the papers, and chase the rest of the family out of the house. Even then, you’re left with your interior dialogue. You don’t think that’s about power? Who has the power makes all the difference daily: Is it you? The boss? Your spouse or kids or parents? Is it all the infernal people in this traffic jam ahead of you? The police or city hall? Wall Street or Washington? Is it the weather? God or the devil? Is it your bad habits or your greatest passions? Are you in charge of what happens next? Ancient Israel believed that all power and authority resides in God, and they believed it the same way we do: mostly with lip service. There’s an old Arab saying: Trust in God, but tie your camel. God has the power, but don’t trust him too far. Because Israel professed that God had the power, it was shocking when the ruler of Persia ended up being the one to unlock the gates of Babylonian captivity. Pagan Cyrus on God’s payroll? The surprises don’t end there. When Jesus is asked if it’s lawful for Jews to pay taxes to hated Caesar and Rome, he doesn’t say no. By “lawful,” of course, is meant Mosaic law; Roman law demanded it. Tribute rendered to Caesar, like that paid to the Temple, seemed to imply allegiance or worse, a sacrificial offering to the god Caesar pretended to be. How could Jesus defend such a practice? He doesn’t. Jesus remains entirely neutral on the subject of Roman political control of Israel. It’s the burning issue of his day, and he never directly addresses it. The disciples nag him for seats of authority in the coming kingdom right up to the night before he died, and it’s one of the first questions on their lips after the Resurrection: So, when are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel? Jesus lives in an occupied country, is condemned and executed by a foreign power, and yet the closest he comes to addressing the matter is an almost friendly chat with Pilate on the nature of power during his trial. For those who exercise real authority, over life and death, in this world and the next, what happens to the spare change doesn’t amount to much. Related scripture links Good folk of other faiths: Gen. 14:18-20; Matt. 2:1-12 Foreign rulers in God's hands: Gen. 14:21-24, 41:1-40; Exod. 6:1, 7:1-5; Isa. 5:26-29, 10:5-15; Jer. 1:15, 21:1-10, 25:15-26, 27:1-22 On being a good citizen: Prov. 24:21; Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:13-17 Fishing for the temple tax: Matt. 17:24-27 Who owns a coin: Luke 12:13-15 Catechism links God acts in history: CCC 302-308 Earthly kingdoms: CCC 2234-2246

Authors Alice Camille

taxes Law israel Resurrection Authority

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Letters to God find a home

28 Dec 2008 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Just before Hanukkah and Christmas a handful of Jerusalem postal workers leave the post office for a few hours and head to the Western Wall. They are hauling thousands of letters addressed to "God, Jerusalem Israel," "the Almighty," or "the Wailing Wall," among others. At the wall the workers separate the letters by gender, going either to the men's or women's prayer sections. They then carefully open the envelopes, fold the letters into slivers, and insert them into crevices. The letters arrive from dozens of countries, some of which, like Malaysia and Kuwait, do not have diplomatic ties with Israel. "The majority come[s] from Christians, but a sizable number come from Jews and even a few from Muslims," said postal worker Avi Yaniv, the manager of the "dead letters" department. "There are also quite a few letters to Santa Claus." Yaniv, a 65-year-old grandfather some call "God's postman,” said he and his fellow postal workers read some of the letters before placing them in the wall, but are careful not to look at the senders' names out of respect for their privacy. Of all the letters he has read over the years, Yaniv said he was particularly moved by one from a mother asking God to heal her son of alcoholism and drug abuse. Another, from a little boy, asked God to bring him a Harry Potter wizard's wand for Christmas. Many others ask for strength to confront challenges ranging from illness and unemployment to marital problems and sexual abuse. Regardless of the religion of the sender, all letters addressed to God are taken to the Western Wall, said Avi Hochman, general manager of the Israel Postal Service. "Israel is a Jewish country and the Kotel [Western Wall] is a sacred place. All people are welcome to pray here. We respect all minorities," Hochman said. "I'm religious myself, so this task gives me the opportunity to go to the Kotel and be part of it," said Iris Cohen, another letter sorter. "I'm attached to this job." "It is a privilege," said Yaniv. "In Jerusalem we feel very close to God, as if he is just a local call away." Source: An article by Michele Chabin for Religion News Service

Christmas western wall wailing wall letters hannukah avi yaniv jerusalem temple israel postal service
Looking for peace

18 Jan 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"What are you looking for?" Jesus asks the disciples of John who approach him in this Sunday's gospel. Egyptian negotiators were asking the same question of Israel and Hamas this week in hopes of reaching a cease-fire in the devastating war in Gaza. As the Palestinian death toll passed 1,000 midweek, a proposed 10-day cease-fire appeared to be gaining support. Egyptian and Palestinian officials said they hoped to seal Hamas' agreement on a temporary halt in fighting, which would be presented to Israel for acceptance. Key uncertainties remained for a longer-term deal under which Gaza's borders would be open and Israeli troops would withdraw, but Egyptian officials expressed public optimism that momentum toward a deal was growing. "We're working with Hamas and we're working with the Israeli side. We hope to reach an outcome soon," Hossam Zaki, a spokesman for Egypt's Foreign Ministry, told the BBC. A Hamas spokesman said he also believed an agreement was possible. "There is good progress in Egypt. We hope that now Egypt will contact Israel and talk about all issues," said Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas adviser. Asked if a negotiated settlement could also include a deal between Hamas and the rival Palestinian administration, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, Hamad said he was hopeful. "I am optimistic now because I think there is no other choice for us," he said. Egypt's foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said details on the proposed cease-fire would be kept "under a lid of secrecy" until all parties agreed but said issues included an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, opening crossings into the blockaded territory, and some kind of international monitoring. Source: An article by Salah Nasrawi for the Associated Press

gaza strip hamas israel cease-fire hossam zaki egypt palestinian authority ahmed aboul gheit
Fragile peace, shattered buildings

25 Jan 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed," the Lord warns Jonah in this Sunday's first reading. As Israel pulled its troops out of Gaza and an uneasy cease-fire between Hamas and Israel took hold this week, the world got its first close look at the destruction the three-week campaign caused in Gaza. In Gaza City, tank shells and aerial bombardment turned homes and office buildings into heaps of concrete. Orange and olive groves were flattened. The parliament building and other targets of Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships were reduced to piles of debris. Destruction in some areas left streets that resembled a moonscape. With Israeli tanks now gone, donkey carts hauled produce and firewood through streets littered with rubble and broken glass. The Israeli offensive left a total of 1,284 Palestinians dead and 4,336 wounded, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. The rights group said 894 of those killed were civilians. The Palestinian bureau of statistics reported 4,100 homes totally destroyed and 17,000 others damaged in the offensive. The death toll in Gaza has provoked international outrage. In Israel, however, the war had strong backing and was seen as a legitimate response to Hamas militants who now have one-eighth of Israel's population within rocket range. At least 13 Israelis died during the 22-day conflict. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon left the region early Wednesday after touring Gaza and southern Israel. He accused Israel of using "excessive force" in the conflict and called for an investigation into the Israeli shelling of U.N. compounds in Gaza during the fighting, which he termed "outrageous." He also called militant rocket attacks against Israel "appalling and unacceptable." Source: Articles by Amy Teibel, Ibrahim Barzak, and Christopher Torchia for the Associated Press and by Mai Yaghi for Agence France Presse

gaza strip hamas israel gaza city palestinians palestinian center for human rights ban ki-moon united nations
Give peace a chance

17 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power," this Sunday's psalm intones. Pope Benedict XVI is calling for the power of peace and reconciliation on a tour of nations in the Middle East this week. In Israel on Monday he called on both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to work toward saving the fragile peace process. "I come, like so many others before me, to pray at the holy places, to pray especially for peace--peace here in the Holy Land, and peace throughout the world," the pope said. "I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties, so that both peoples may live in peace," Benedict said. The pope's visit to Bethlehem Wednesday took on increased significance as he endorsed the idea of a homeland while standing on Palestinian soil. With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his side, Benedict said, "Mr. President, the Holy See supports the right of your people to a sovereign Palestinian homeland in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized borders." To get to Jesus' traditional birthplace of Bethlehem, the pope crossed through the towering concrete slabs of the separation barrier Israel has erected to wall off the West Bank's Palestinian areas. On a visit to a nearby refugee camp, he expressed regret over Israel's construction of the separation barrier. He also urged young Palestinians to "have the courage to resist any temptation to resort to acts of violence or terrorism." While Benedict's trip was intended to boost interfaith relations, it has been fraught with political land mines. Israelis have criticized the German-born pope for failing to adequately express remorse for the Holocaust, while Palestinians are pressing him to draw attention to the difficult conditions of life under Israeli rule. Source: Articles by United Press International and Mohammed Daraghmeh and Diaa Hadid for Associated Press

Peace israel palestinians benedict xvi middle east mahmoud abbas bethlehem
Peace of two minds?

24 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Ascension reading from the Letter to the Ephesians speaks of the effort to preserve unity "through the bond of peace." Those working for peace in the Middle East hope that this week's U.S. visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would further the cause. Netanyahu spent three days meeting with President Obama and high-ranking members of Congress and the administration. Obama encouraged Netanyahu Monday to stop expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank and to grasp the "historic opportunity" to make peace with the Palestinians. Thus far Netanyahu has refused to agree to the creation of a Palestinian state and has announced plans to continue building up settlements. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters Tuesday she had reiterated the U.S. commitment to a two-state solution and its demand that Israel halt construction of settlements. After meeting with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Netanyahu glossed over differences between his stance and Obama's, saying that the U.S. and Israel were working together to resume Mideast peacemaking and "bring other elements in the Arab world into the process." Source: An article by Amy Teibel for the Associated Press

Peace middle east palestinians israel barack obama Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
To tell the truth

07 Jun 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"We are all children of God," Saint Paul reminds us this Sunday in the reading from the Letter to the Romans. In interviews previewing the speech he will make Thursday in Cairo to the Arab world, President Barack Obama suggested he will encourage Muslims, Christians, and Jews to work together to find common solutions to the problems in the Middle East. "I think the most important thing I want to tell young people is that, regardless of your faith, those who build as opposed to those who destroy I think leave a lasting legacy, not only for themselves but also for their nations," Obama said in an interview with Canal Plus, a French television station. In an interview with the New York Times, the president said another key part of his message would be to "stop saying one thing behind closed doors and saying something else publicly." The president said he hoped to persuade the Arab people and ultimately their leaders to work with the United States."There are a lot of Arab countries more concerned about Iran developing a nuclear weapon than the 'threat' from Israel, but won't admit it," Obama said. There are a lot of Israelis "who recognize that their current path is unsustainable, and they need to make some tough choices on settlements to achieve a two-state solution--that is in their long-term interest--but not enough folks are willing to recognize that publicly."There are also a lot of Palestinians, he said, who "recognize that the constant incitement and negative rhetoric with respect to Israel" has not delivered a single "benefit to their people and had they taken a more constructive approach and sought the moral high ground" they would be much better off today--but they won't say it aloud. "We have a joke around the White House," the president said. "We're just going to keep on telling the truth until it stops working--and nowhere is truth-telling more important than the Middle East." Source: An article by Reuters and a blog posting by Jeff Zeleny for the New York Times

Truth barack obama israel palestinians middle east arabs iran
Study this war some more

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Christ brings peace and achieves reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles, the Letter to the Ephesians proclaims. But Israelis and Palestinians aren't there yet, as evidenced by last winter's Gaza War. Now, Israeli soldiers who fought in Gaza have testified that their army used excessive force during the three-week offensive, according to a report released Wednesday. Soldiers say the military used Palestinians as human shields, improperly fired incendiary white phosphorous shells over civilian areas, and used overwhelming firepower that caused needless deaths and destruction, echoing claims already leveled by Palestinian and human rights groups. The Israeli military disputed the report, saying the accounts were anonymous and impossible to verify. The accounts of 26 war veterans were collected by "Breaking the Silence," an organization of Israeli army reservists critical of their country's treatment of Palestinians. They described demolishing buildings, vandalizing homes, and using more than essential firepower, given the relatively light resistance they encountered. "There were no clear red lines," one soldier told the group. "If you're not sure, kill. Fire power was insane," said another. Military officers have acknowledged that rules of engagement were relaxed to minimize army casualties but insisted civilians were never targeted. Wednesday's report was sure to fuel a debate that still rages six months after the offensive over whether Israel violated the rules of war. International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have said the degree of force and the heavy civilian death toll constituted war crimes, and the U.N. has launched a probe, headed by a respected war crimes prosecutor, into the actions of Israel and Hamas. Human rights groups also say Hamas committed war crimes by firing rockets at civilian areas in Israel. Source: An article by Steve Weizman for Associated Press

war hamas israel palestinians gaza rules of engagement human rights watch amnesty international civilians

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