Ezekiel (37:21-28) preached in the 6^th century in Babylon where the Israelites were in captivity. They believed that they were in dire straits because they had abandoned God’s ways and God was punishing them. If we accept the fact that humankind cannot name or describe God, then we must admit this kind of thinking represents an early stage in the development of our concept of God.

Ezekiel says that God will set things up so that the people can return to their land. They will no longer worship idols and go astray. God will be in heaven and they will be on their land under one leader David. It is essential that tribal, patriarchal gods have the full fealty of the people. Laws, customs, rites and regulations will emerge to assure that God is not angered again. This is the stuff of religion. Religio = to bind. The people are bound to their narrow concept of God. We have to ask what God is doing with the rest of the world while God and the people of Israel are once again getting cozy in their relationship. Continue reading →

I hear the whisperings of many:
“Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!”
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him.” (Jeremiah 20:10-11)

This almost sounds like something coming out of Washington these days. Without drawing undue comparisons between Jeremiah and current political leaders, the words still point out what happens when human beings take seemingly unpopular stands. Trying to change the way people think and act is fraught with difficulties because people are resistant to change. One pundit said, “Only babies with wet diapers like to be changed.” Continue reading →

Dawn Greeter

This bird sits atop our gazebo and sings in the dawn. It reminds me Merton saying that birds chirping at dawn are asking permission to be for yet another day.

Abraham is the common denominator in both readings. The change of name form Abram to Abraham represents a shift—a shift toward a broader concept of God. God promises to make Abraham the father of many nations and then reverts back into the tribal-god-become-real-estate- agent (Gn 17:3-9).

There are conflicting concepts of God here. First off God appears to be the God of a “host of nations.” God is the God of every nation. Then, the concept of God backslides into tribalism—“I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession.” Now the God of all nations is favoring one nation over all other nations. If I were writing this account, I also would make sure that my God gave me land in perpetuity. Continue reading →

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dn 3) is a story of faith. It is a story about competing nationalistic, tribal gods. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship Nebuchadnezzer’s god. They are faithful to their god who saves them from the fiery furnace.

Over the ages, men and women have died rather than abandon their gods. Over the centuries, men and women have killed others in the name of their gods. We killed commies for Christ. We have killed Muslims for Christ. Muslims have killed Christians for Allah. Continue reading →

Paul testifies that he has been taken possession of by Jesus. If Paul were to testify as a Catholic Christian today, he might say that he had been taken possession of by the institutional church where hierarchs rule by dogma and fear.

Pope John XXIII, when asked what he had done by convening a council, got up, walked across the room and threw open a window. At the time, I remember pundits saying that he would not have thrown open the window if he knew what was going to fly in. I think John XIII knew exactly what he was doing. He was listening to the holy Spirit. He wanted to bring the church into the modern world. The hopes and dreams of modern men and women are the hopes and dreams of the church. Continue reading →

Jeremiah (11:18-20) uttered his prophecies in the 7^th century BCE when Israel was under siege from Babylon. Jeremiah’s prophetic statements were not appreciated by the powers. Jeremiah, like a trusting lamb, does not realize that they want to do away with him. It seems that people do not like dire messages of reform and repentance from prophets in any age. Jeremiah places his trust, not in his own power and words, but in God. He looks to God to deliver him from his enemies. Continue reading →

What does a golden calf (Ex 32:7-14) have to do with our spirituality today? It has nothing to do with it if we take the account literally. It has everything to do with it if we dig deeper and examine the reality underlying the symbol of the golden calf.

A Mertonian explanation of the symbol would cast it, not in bronze, but rather in terms of the false self-true self. Spirituality brings us to acknowledge that God exists. Our belief tells us that God came to dwell among us. Our faith tells us that we live and breathe in the person, power, and presence of the Risen Jesus. Continue reading →

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you. (Is 49:14-15)

The first part of the reading from Isaiah reads like many an Irish blessing. “May the road rise to meet your Feet. May the wind be always at your back.” Two years ago we were on the tiny Aran Island of Inis Oirr and it rained and the wind blew all week. It is tough going when the wind is not at your back. Isaiah is assuring us that God is making all things new for us as creation continues to flare forth. Isaiah uses feminine images to bring out the love and compassion of the Divine. Continue reading →

Both readings today deal with water. Ezekiel (47:1-9, 12) speaks of a trickle of water from the east side of the Temple that becomes a mighty river thousands of cubits downstream.

Water is THE sign of life. Water is essential for life. Our space probe is looking for water on distant planets because the presence of water may indicate some form of life. The waters of Baptism bring new life just as the waters coming from Ezekiel’s Temple nurture creatures and fish and vegetation. Continue reading →