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
A product of
Bedouin violence
Comes gradually to understand
That Yahweh listens
To prayers
On behalf of
The innocent
Otherwise lost
As collateral damage
In mayhem
Inspired by
Tribal lust
For war.
PS 138: 1-8
This means that
God 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 fromThe world's lie
That we are condemned
By a necrophilic God
And morbid legal system
Instead of freed
By the 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
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