Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Breaking the Rules Effectivelypost from the blog, Building Bridges, Building Hope, by Susie Tierney
Mark 2:23-3:6Mark 2:23 One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain. 24 The P’rushim said to him, “Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?” 25 He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? 26 He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadoland ate the Bread of the Presence,” — which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim — “and even gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.”3:1 Yeshua went again into a synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Looking for a reason to accuse him of something, people watched him carefully to see if he would heal him on Shabbat. 3 He said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Come up where we can see you!” 4 Then to them he said, “What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?” But they said nothing. 5 Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” As he held it out, it became restored. 6 The P’rushim went out and immediately began plotting with some members of Herod’s party how to do away with him. (Complete Jewish Bible).
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In this past weekend’s Gospel reading, we find Jesus in trouble with the Pharisees (again). In the reading from Mark, Jesus defends working and healing on the Sabbath and responds to the Pharisees with the line, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath.”
As I read this scripture passage, I found myself reflecting on three different take-aways that seem to be embedded in Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.
Mark 2:23-3:6
In this past weekend’s Gospel reading, we find Jesus in trouble with the Pharisees (again). In the reading from Mark, Jesus defends working and healing on the Sabbath and responds to the Pharisees with the line, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath.”
As I read this scripture passage, I found myself reflecting on three different take-aways that seem to be embedded in Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.
The first, and most common, take-away is this: the “spirit of the law” is always more important than the “letter of the law.” Or, said more plainly: people are always more important than the laws concerning them.
Years ago I worked as a pastoral minister in a Roman Catholic Church and was the staff liaison for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA); the process by which adults become members of the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the Catechumens or Candidates would ask random things like: “If someone gets hit by a car and there is no priest around, can anyone give Last Rites or perform the Anointing of the Sick? If today’s scripture is our guide – Jesus’ answer to this question might be, “Why in the world wouldn’t you pray over/anoint a dying person?” Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in no way diminished Sabbath law; he simply put the law in the context of our humanity.
The second take-away I have for this particular Gospel reading is: what was in question was acceptable Sabbath practices, NOT whether or not we are supposed to honor the Sabbath. The Dalai Lama once said, “Know the rules well, so you can effectively break them.” Jesus knew the Sabbath laws very well. This particular exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees does not question whether or not we are called to set aside regular time for prayer and rest. Jesus’ exchange with the Pharisees does not question whether or not we are called to live in such a way that all have equal access to basic human necessities and basic human dignity, all the time; or whether or not we are called to allow our land to lie fallow from time to time in order that it can be restored. None of these Sabbath principles are ever in question. What Jesus questions is adhering to the law at the expense of actually living into these Sabbath principles.
Fifteen years ago, I participated in “JustFaith”; a program that invites people of faith to embrace Sabbath principles; to learn more about our current political, economic, and social systems and structures and to learn what it takes to restore and rejuvenate ourselves, God’s people and God’s planet. JustFaith was one of the top three most transformative experiences in my adult life; taking a back seat only to my children and my marriage. Like Jesus’ example in this scripture passage and many others in the Gospels, my JustFaith experience moved me to place a biblical sense of compassion over any secular law that does not protect our God-given sense of dignity and the basic human rights that come with that God-given dignity.
The third and last take-away I have from this Gospel message is: The Pharisees’ biggest problem with Jesus isn’t necessarily what he is doing or even what he says, but rather, by whose authority he is doing it. In other words, in this passage the Pharisees seem to be asking: “Who is this guy?!” “Who gave him permission to make any kind of determination about Sabbath law?”
In the words of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., Bishop Michael Curry, “If it’s not about love, then it’s not about God.” Jesus’ acts of feeding hungry people and healing those in need of healing on the Sabbath were acts of love. If the Pharisees’ minds and hearts would have been open to the fullness of his message, they would have known that he was acting directly on God’s behalf. Only Love can effectively break all the rules, when God’s people are suffering or in need.
Susie
Susie Tierney is the Director of Organizing for JustFaith Ministries and the Executive Director of the Center for Social Ministry in Des Moines, Iowa.
In this past weekend’s Gospel reading, we find Jesus in trouble with the Pharisees (again). In the reading from Mark, Jesus defends working and healing on the Sabbath and responds to the Pharisees with the line, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath.”
As I read this scripture passage, I found myself reflecting on three different take-aways that seem to be embedded in Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.
Breaking the Rules Effectively by Susie Tierney in Building Bridges, Building Hope, News & Press
From the Center for Social Ministry’s blog, Building Bridges, Building Hope – Mark 2:23-3:6
In this past weekend’s Gospel reading, we find Jesus in trouble with the Pharisees (again). In the reading from Mark, Jesus defends working and healing on the Sabbath and responds to the Pharisees with the line, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath.”
As I read this scripture passage, I found myself reflecting on three different take-aways that seem to be embedded in Jesus’ response to the Pharisees.
The first, and most common, take-away is this: the “spirit of the law” is always more important than the “letter of the law.” Or, said more plainly: people are always more important than the laws concerning them.
Years ago I worked as a pastoral minister in a Roman Catholic Church and was the staff liaison for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA); the process by which adults become members of the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the Catechumens or Candidates would ask random things like: “If someone gets hit by a car and there is no priest around, can anyone give Last Rites or perform the Anointing of the Sick? If today’s scripture is our guide – Jesus’ answer to this question might be, “Why in the world wouldn’t you pray over/anoint a dying person?” Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in no way diminished Sabbath law; he simply put the law in the context of our humanity.
The second take-away I have for this particular Gospel reading is: what was in question was acceptable Sabbath practices, NOT whether or not we are supposed to honor the Sabbath. The Dalai Lama once said, “Know the rules well, so you can effectively break them.” Jesus knew the Sabbath laws very well. This particular exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees does not question whether or not we are called to set aside regular time for prayer and rest. Jesus’ exchange with the Pharisees does not question whether or not we are called to live in such a way that all have equal access to basic human necessities and basic human dignity, all the time; or whether or not we are called to allow our land to lie fallow from time to time in order that it can be restored. None of these Sabbath principles are ever in question. What Jesus questions is adhering to the law at the expense of actually living into these Sabbath principles.
Fifteen years ago, I participated in “JustFaith”; a program that invites people of faith to embrace Sabbath principles; to learn more about our current political, economic, and social systems and structures and to learn what it takes to restore and rejuvenate ourselves, God’s people and God’s planet. JustFaith was one of the top three most transformative experiences in my adult life; taking a back seat only to my children and my marriage. Like Jesus’ example in this scripture passage and many others in the Gospels, my JustFaith experience moved me to place a biblical sense of compassion over any secular law that does not protect our God-given sense of dignity and the basic human rights that come with that God-given dignity.
The third and last take-away I have from this Gospel message is: The Pharisees’ biggest problem with Jesus isn’t necessarily what he is doing or even what he says, but rather, by whose authority he is doing it. In other words, in this passage the Pharisees seem to be asking: “Who is this guy?!” “Who gave him permission to make any kind of determination about Sabbath law?”
In the words of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., Bishop Michael Curry, “If it’s not about love, then it’s not about God.” Jesus’ acts of feeding hungry people and healing those in need of healing on the Sabbath were acts of love. If the Pharisees’ minds and hearts would have been open to the fullness of his message, they would have known that he was acting directly on God’s behalf. Only Love can effectively break all the rules, when God’s people are suffering or in need.
Susie
Susie Tierney is the Director of Organizing for JustFaith Ministries and the Executive Director of the Center for Social Ministry in Des Moines, Iowa.
Read the rest of the blog post here.
“The momentum of the human experience and the sacred always seems to have the trajectory of relationship, cooperation, social good, and community. To put it bluntly, the Gospel is not a private party; it’s about the beloved community.” (Jack Jezreel, Founder of JustFaith Ministries)
Help us build the beloved community.
Together we can make a better world.
Join us today
shared by our partners at Bread for the World
Schedule an Offering of Letters in your church
Bread for the World’s annual Offering of Letters campaign directly impacts Congress. People of faith write letters, and present them as an offering to God before mailing them to Congress. Supported with prayer, these letters are a bold witness to God’s justice and mercy. You can learn more and download the Offering of Letters toolkit at bread.org/ol.
Has your church held an Offering of Letters this year? Let us know how the Offering of Letters went by completing a short survey at bread.org/olfeedback.
Maryknoll Missioners live and work with communities in some of the most vulnerable countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nepal, Philippines, South Sudan, Tanzania, East Timor.
Visit the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns website to learn how you can ask the leader of your Catholic institution (parish, school, hospital, university, etc.) to sign the Catholic Climate Declaration that says “Catholics Are Still In.” Deadline for signatures is June 11.
And send a letter to your Members of Congress to ask them to support funding in the 2019 federal budget for programs that address climate change.
Thank you!
Upcoming JFM Graduate Immersions with Maryknoll
EL SALVADOR, November 30 – December 9, 2018
Deadline for signups: July 30, 2018
See flyer for more details.
For more JustFaith Ministries stories, visit our blogs:
Catching Light: a blog by Muriel Schmid, Director of Programs
Mosaic: a blog by Cory Lockhart
Still in the Storm: a blog by Joe Grant
In the Storm Still: a companion blog by Joe Grant
JustFaith Ministries is a nonprofit organization that forms, informs, and transforms people of faith by offering programs and resources that sustain them in their compassionate commitment to build a more just and peaceful world.
“Great economic inequality inevitably produces injustice in a fallen world; therefore, Christians must oppose it.”
On July 1, JustFaith Ministries releases the first 8-week phase of its brand-new JustFaith program, Living Compassionately – Caring for the Poor. The first phase of our newJustFaith program focuses on poverty, consumerism, and wealth inequality and what Christians are called to do. Don’t miss the opportunity to revisit your JustFaith journey or to simply start it with this new material; it is timely and very much needed in a world where the people of the margins are in dire need of support. To learn more, visit our page.Help us build the beloved community.
Together we can make a better world.
Join us today
shared by our partners at Bread for the WorldSchedule an Offering of Letters in your church
Bread for the World’s annual Offering of Letters campaign directly impacts Congress. People of faith write letters, and present them as an offering to God before mailing them to Congress. Supported with prayer, these letters are a bold witness to God’s justice and mercy. You can learn more and download the Offering of Letters toolkit at bread.org/ol.
Has your church held an Offering of Letters this year? Let us know how the Offering of Letters went by completing a short survey at bread.org/olfeedback.
Catholics Are Still Inshared by our partners at Maryknoll
The Paris Climate Agreement still matters!
One year ago, President Trump announced his plan to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement – a landmark global agreement that provides a framework for each country in the world to do its part to limit global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to help those countries most vulnerable to climate change. Maryknoll Missioners live and work with communities in some of the most vulnerable countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nepal, Philippines, South Sudan, Tanzania, East Timor.
The United States – one of the largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions in the world – needs to do its part.
That's why many people of faith and leaders of businesses, universities and local, state, and tribal governments across the United States have joined the “We Are Still In” campaign. In solidarity, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns has signed a declaration with other Catholic institutions to announce that “Catholics Are Still In.”Visit the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns website to learn how you can ask the leader of your Catholic institution (parish, school, hospital, university, etc.) to sign the Catholic Climate Declaration that says “Catholics Are Still In.” Deadline for signatures is June 11.
And send a letter to your Members of Congress to ask them to support funding in the 2019 federal budget for programs that address climate change.
Thank you!
EL SALVADOR, November 30 – December 9, 2018
Deadline for signups: July 30, 2018
See flyer for more details.
For more JustFaith Ministries stories, visit our blogs:
Mosaic: a blog by Cory Lockhart
Still in the Storm: a blog by Joe Grant
In the Storm Still: a companion blog by Joe Grant
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JustFaith Ministries · PO Box 221348 · Louisville, Kentucky 40252 · United States
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