[00:00:05] Hello! My name is Sally Moriarty-Flask; welcome to From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, October 27, 2024, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
[00:00:25] This week's episode is entitled: Healing Our Inner Blindness, and in these readings, we'll ask ourselves if we see the people and the world around us as God sees them.
[00:00:41] As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following:
Are we willing to discard our old way of life in order to follow Jesus and be worthy of the blessings, and the responsibilities, of the new life he wants to give us?
[00:01:00] So let's begin in prayer:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:06] Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the gift of this day, for the gift of your word. We ask that you help us to know and understand what it means to be your faithful disciples. Help us to counter our spiritual blindness so that we are able to see the goodness of the created world and treat our planet and all its inhabitants with the love and respect they deserve. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:01:41] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures.
[00:01:48] Our Gospel this week is from Mark 10: 46-52 and there are no options for shorter or longer versions this week.
“As [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimae’us, a blind beggar, the son of Timae’us, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!’ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; rise, he is calling you.’ And throwing off his cloak he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
[00:03:14] This passage follows immediately after the end of last week's Gospel… and it's important to note that this event is recorded in ALL of the Synoptic Gospels - so, Matthew, Mark, and Luke - although the beggar's name is only recorded in Mark's account.
[00:03:34] Remember, in the course of their journey, Jesus is teaching his followers what it means to be faithful disciples (or opening their eyes, if you will) by getting them to see with their PHYSICAL SIGHT as well as to understand WITH THEIR MINDS the roles and responsibilities they take on when they choose to follow him.
[00:03:58] These verses, 46 - 52, are the very end of chapter 10 and what they record is the last event before Jesus reaches Jerusalem, which, of course, is the geographic destination of his journey. We also need to be aware of the connection between Jesus opening the eyes of understanding for his disciples and his miraculous cure of the physical blindness of the beggar sitting by the roadside, who we will then hear - at the end of the reading - follows Jesus “on the way” - that first term for Christianity.
[00:04:38] So let's jump into this week's Gospel…
“As [Jesus] was leaving Jericho”
Now, Jericho is about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem; it would have taken Jesus and his disciples about 8 hours, or a full day's walk, to reach the city - from Jericho - to reach Jerusalem.
[00:05:01] I will include some photos from Jericho in this week's Instagram post, so check those out.
[00:05:08] “[He] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude”
That great multitude was likely comprised of pilgrims heading to Jerusalem for the great feast of Passover. As they leave the city, they encounter…
[00:05:22] “Bartimae’us, a blind beggar, the son of Timae’us, sitting by the road.”
Now, I always find it fascinating that those who translate the scriptures deem it necessary to explain to Bartimae’us. Bar - in Aramaic - means son of… so the name Bartimae’us literally translates to son of Timae’us. But again, for some reason, the translators find it necessary to explain that!
[00:05:57] Another thing I want to point out here is that we're told Bartimae’us is sitting by the roadside and understand that his location is quite strategic.
[00:06:10] It allows him to beg for alms from those crowds of pilgrims that are heading to Jerusalem. BUT, those words also invite us to compare his solitary state with the camaraderie of these pilgrims heading en masse to Jerusalem for the feast… his isolation with no hope of reaching Jerusalem versus their companionship and joy as they are traveling to Jerusalem.
[00:06:49] Think about it… how many times do we see someone who is alone… just seeing someone who is alone? Maybe they're sitting by themselves at a restaurant, or in a cafeteria, or on a park bench, or maybe in a church pew. And how many times do we pass right by? Just as the crowds of pilgrims passed by Bartimae’us?
[00:07:26] Do we take the time to check on an elderly neighbor when we haven't seen them for a while? Do we call to check on a friend or relative that we know lives alone? How willing are we to step out of our comfort zone to reach out to someone who might need a friend?
[00:07:50] Now, I am very shy by nature, so that type of action is really quite difficult for me. My husband, on the other hand, sees every stranger as a friend he just hasn't yet met. And back before he retired, whenever he would travel for business, he never waited for someone to approach him. He would strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere.
[00:08:19] That is a gift and not one that I possess, but that just means I have to work harder at it than my husband does. But again, just some food for thought and perhaps a challenge to all of us to be kinder and friendlier.
[00:08:46] “When Bartimae’us heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!’”
[00:08:56] Now there are a couple of things to take note of here. First, Bartimae’us is the only person along this journey to Jerusalem that addresses Jesus by name and Second, he is the first person to use the title SON OF DAVID, indicating that Jesus is the heir to the promises made by God to King David. Jesus is the Messiah, the King, who will rule the house of David for all eternity.
[00:09:30] So, just to reiterate, this is the first time the name of JESUS is paired with the words SON OF DAVID – and the first time they are used TOGETHER to address Jesus.
[00:09:43] One other thing I want to point out here is the use of the word “mercy.” The NAB (New American Bible) translation, which is what the Catholic Church uses for the Lectionary, the NAB translation uses the word pity, while the RSV translates it as mercy. That's significant because those two words are NOT the same. Pity is recognizing the suffering of another, which then inspires some type of moral action in response - some help… some assistance… something.
[00:10:23] It is typically one directional, as opposed to being a shared experience. In other words, one person pities another, and that's what we hear in the NAB translation. Bartimae’us asks Jesus, have pity on me. Now, mercy - on the other hand - is when a stronger entity or person (that can be a nation, a court, a head of state… God) grants some type of boon or favor to a weaker entity.
[00:11:03] This type of interaction implies some form of connection or bond between the two parties, which can be physical, social, political, monetary… but there's a relationality in that exchange - a recognition of the essential interconnectedness between the two parties - and often the weaker entity incurs some form of debt. How many times have we heard the term a debt of gratitude, right? That is what is implied by Bartimae’us saying, have mercy on me.
[00:11:40] It shows Bartimae’us fundamental awareness of Jesus' inherent power and authority. Now…
“[M]any rebuked Bartimaeus, telling him to be silent”
Now, this may seem like a callous reaction, given that Jesus has already healed so many others, but consider for a moment that - not just the disciples, not just Jesus, not just the pilgrims - all of them, are on their way to Jerusalem and their destination, the end of their journey, is so close. They are a day's - just one day's - walk away.
[00:12:20] And this plea may seem to be just one more nuisance to men who are tired and worn and just plain ready to be done traveling. Think of your - if you have, if you're a parent and you have kids - think of your kids asking: Are we there yet? Are we There yet? Are we There Yet? ARE WE THERE YET? When you're on a road trip, right? So, this is, in some ways just one more nuisance that the disciples see.
[00:12:50] “But [Bartimaeus] cried out all the more.”
This tells us that he's not deterred by their rebukes… by their reactions… by their negativity… but is all the more determined to be heard. So, what does he say?
“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
[00:13:07] As Jesus draws nearer to Jerusalem, the Messianic Secret so prevalent in Mark's Gospel is falling by the wayside, and Jesus’ identity as the Messiah can now be revealed. There is no longer the danger that he will be considered only as a wonder worker traveling throughout the countryside… his ultimate destiny is now upon him.
[00:13:40] “And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’”
[00:13:44] Note here that Jesus does not call Bartimae’us himself but has his disciples do it. That's an interesting detail, and I don't want to skim over it, because that becomes the new model of how followers WILL be called to Christianity… how they will be gathered… after Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. They will be called… they will be gathered… by Jesus disciples. And how does Bartimaeus respond?
“[T]hrowing off his cloak he sprang up and came to Jesus.”
Now, that action would have been absolutely foolhardy for a blind beggar. His cloak was likely his most prized possession. It would have kept him warm at night… it would have kept him protected from insects…. it would have been a valuable possession that he could barter with during the day. Remember, Jewish law said you always had to give things back at night, but he could - perhaps - loan it to someone else in exchange for some good or service during the day. So, to throw off that one thing… that one prized possession… and to abandon it is a clear indication to us that he is also willing and hopeful of abandoning his old way of existence.
“And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’”
[00:15:23] Notice here, those are exactly the same words that Jesus asked of James and John in last week's Gospel. They came to him and said: do whatever we want you to do. And he said: what do you want me to do for you? He says those same words to Bartimae’us here. The response, however, is completely different!
[00:15:53] “[T]he blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’”
[00:16:01] Look at how Bartimae’us addresses Jesus: Master! The one who has no physical sight is able to perceive Jesus’ true identity better than those who not only can see him with their own physical eyes, but have traveled with him for three years. And realize, too, that Bartimae’us doesn't ask for honor and prestige - as James and John did - he asks for the gift of physical sight.
[00:16:42] “Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’”
Jesus’ words here are the same ones he spoke to the woman with the hemorrhage back in chapter 5 of Mark's Gospel. If you remember, she was in a crowd… Mark describes her as being afflicted with a flow of blood (a hemorrhage) for years… and she had gone through all of her money… all of her savings… she had nothing left after paying doctors and healers and so many people to try to help her… and she sees Jesus in the crowd, and she thinks to herself: Oh, I'm not… I’m not important enough to approach him, but if I just touch the hem of his garment - just the hem of his garment - maybe I'll be healed. I know he can heal me! I just have to get close enough! Just imagine herself… imagine this woman worming her way through the crowd to get close to Jesus and just ever so slightly touching the hem of his garment.
[00:17:56] And what happens? Jesus says: wait! He feels the power go out of him. And he says: who touched me? And his disciples are like… what do you mean who touched you? You're surrounded by people! What do you mean who touched you? But he knew!
[00:18:09] He knew - specifically - that healing power had gone out forth from him. And the woman owned up to it. And he said… what did he say, did Jesus… what did Jesus say to that woman? Your faith has made you well, the same thing he says to Bartimae’us. And what happens?
[00:18:29] “[I]mmediately [Bartimaeus] received his sight and followed [Jesus] on the way.”
[00:18:38] Bartimae’us’ reaction to the complete and radical change in his life is to become a faithful disciple of Jesus. Those words “on the way” are the words that were used to describe the earliest practice of Christianity.
[00:18:56] Many of us never experience such a life altering event. Often our experiences seem quite pedestrian in comparison: a near miss traffic accident… a green light exactly when we need it… a phone call or text from a friend when we're down in the dumps… all signs of God reaching out to us through other people and through experiences.
[00:19:25] Other times, however, they may seem just as consequential: the day we get married… the first time we hold our newborn baby… or seeing our own grown son or daughter walk down the aisle on their own wedding day.
[00:19:44] But how do we react to those events? Are we as thankful for the gifts God gives US as Bartimae’us was? Whether the gift is a new day of life to live ourselves… a new baby… or maybe just a simple rainbow? Are we willing to see - really see - the people and the world around us as God sees them?
[00:20:19] And, like Bartimae’us, are we willing to discard our old way of life to become faithful followers of Jesus that share in the blessings, the responsibilities, and the joys of discipleship?
[00:20:39] So let's turn to our First Reading, which is from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 31: 7-9.
[00:20:47] “Thus says the LORD:
‘Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise and say, “The LORD has saved his people, the remnant of Israel.” Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who has labor pains, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and E’phraim is my first-born.’”
[00:21:45] Jeremiah is one of the four major prophets, along with Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, and we know more about him than we do about any other Old Testament prophet. We know that he lived in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC. We know that he was born into a priestly family in a small village called Anathoth, which was near Jerusalem.
[00:22:15] We know that he was called to ministry at a very young age, which is captured in that beautiful passage from chapter 1: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you” to which Jeremiah responded: Nope! Nope, I'm too young. I don't have the right words to say to speak on your behalf. Nope!
[00:22:46] But we're told that “the LORD extended his hand and touched [Jeremiah's] mouth, saying, ‘See, I place my words in your mouth. This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.’” Kind of impossible to say no at that point, huh?
[00:23:23] We know that Jeremiah's career as a prophet lasted for over 50 years and that he preached divine judgment to the Northern Kingdom of Judah in light of its lack of faithfulness to the Covenant and the practices they undertook of idolatry, social injustice, and moral decay that became rampant in the Northern Kingdom. We also know that Jeremiah's life was NOT a pleasant one, which, while true of most prophets, is even more so for poor Jeremiah… which is why he's sometimes called the Weeping Prophet. And we know that his prophetic ministry was marked not only by opposition, but also by public disgrace, arrest, and imprisonment.
[00:24:23] And finally, we know that he was eventually forced into exile in Egypt, where, according to tradition, he was murdered… stoned to death by his own countrymen. Pretty horrific background.
[00:24:42] Now, this week's passage is part of what is called the Oracles of Restoration. So, let's dive straight into that…
“Thus says the Lord”
Remember, those words mean that the prophet is speaking on behalf of God. And we know that God touched Jeremiah's mouth and gave him the words that God wanted Jeremiah to speak.
[00:25:07] “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘The LORD has saved his people, the remnants of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,”
[00:25:29] The words in this Oracle call for a celebration among the nations to commemorate a new Exodus, the return of the exiles - where God saves his people, the remnant of Israel, bringing them - not just from Babylon (which the Oracle calls the north country) but from anywhere they have been exiled and scattered - gathering them from the farthest parts of the earth. The prophet then goes on to describe who will be gathered…
“among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who has labor pains, together; a great company, they shall return here.”
[00:26:19] In other words, everyone! Everyone!
[00:26:24] The words here are intended to be broad and inclusive - intentionally - and this is an overwhelming message of hope to a people that desperately need it.
“With weeping, they shall come”
Weeping over what was lost.
“and with consolations I will lead them back.”
Their grief will be consoled and their mourning will be turned to joy.
[00:26:54] “I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble”
These are bold promises made to the exiles - reminiscent of the promises we read in 1st Isaiah. The presence of water, of course, is never a guarantee in biblical lands that are often dry and arid; and roads are rarely smooth and straight but are worn by ruts, scattered with rocks, and they twist and turn following the natural terrain. So, God is promising - through Jeremiah - that he will protect and guide his people as they return to the Promised Land.
[00:27:39] “for I am father to Israel, and E’phraim is my first-born.”
Israel and E’phraim are both references to the Northern Kingdom which fell to Assyria ~ 700 BC. The image of God as Father, here, replaces the image of the wrathful judge seen elsewhere in Jeremiah. This image is intended to bring hope for deliverance and salvation. This passage should be a reminder to us, as well, that God will welcome us back when we turn away from him despite our bad behavior. If we return to him and follow his will, we - too - can rejoice at his divine mercy.
[00:28:32] So many times people think that their sins are greater, their bad deeds are greater, than what God can forgive. There's no such thing! God is greater than anything we can imagine, and all he asks of us is true and honest contrition. All we have to do is say: “Lord, I'm sorry” and REALLY mean it, and when we return to him, he will forgive us.
[00:29:08] There's another great quote, though, that “forgiveness begins by forgiving yourself.” So anytime we think that our sins are too great for God, perhaps what we need to do is extend a little bit of mercy to ourselves and forgive ourselves as well. Now Catholics, of course, seek out that mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or Confession) where we ask God for forgiveness and - hopefully - are granted absolution for our sins.
[00:29:43] Our Psalm this week is Psalm 126, and the response is:
“The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.”
Now, I'm just going to mention here quickly, you may hear something different in your parish this week, because the New American Bible version of that is: “The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” And here are the verses:
[00:30:08] “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said, among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Neg’eb! May those who sow in tears reap with joy! He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seeds for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”
[00:30:47] Now, this Psalm is a Communal Lament. And remember, a Lament has five parts: the Lament itself, an Invocation, an expression of Confidence, and then Praise, and Petition. Now, I've gone over those parts several times in the past, so this time I invite anyone listening to try and parse out this Psalm all on your own.
[00:31:12] One other thing I want to point out here, when it talks about the Neg’eb… the Neg’eb is a great desert, so that's what they're talking about… like watercourses in the desert. And this Psalm, it's important to note, is also one of those Ascent Psalms that I explained a few weeks ago. As you may or may not remember, they are called Ascent Psalms because they were sung or recited during pilgrimage to Jerusalem for major feasts. Since Jerusalem is on top of Mount Zion, pilgrims would go up or ascend to the city, regardless of what direction they came from… north, south, east, or west. So, the Psalms they sang were Ascent Psalms.
[00:31:57] And that leads us to the Reading this week from the Letter to the Hebrews 5: 1-6.
[00:32:04] “[Brothers and Sisters:] Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with wickedness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; and he says, also in another place, ‘You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchiz’edek.’”
[00:33:06] Remember, the Letter to the Hebrews was written for two basic purposes. First, as a beautiful theological treatise explaining that Jesus is both the perfect sacrifice and the great high priest who offers that perfect sacrifice and Second, to provide encouragement to a community of Jewish converts to Christianity who are struggling with their faith. And if you look back on the past few weeks, you will see that the message of Hebrews builds - very carefully and very deliberately - one section upon the other - expanding and connecting the various parts of the message as it goes along.
[00:33:51] This particular section builds on last week's passage to further explain how men chosen to be priests serve God on behalf of the people.
[00:34:04] Now the author tells us that a priest possesses three characteristics: (1) is his role as mediator, (2) is solidarity with others, and (3) divine appointment - meaning not just personal preference! A man doesn't just decide one day that he wants to be a priest - no, no, no! A man MUST hear a call from God to which he MUST assent before he is appointed by God to his ministry - and remember, we heard that in chapter 1 of Jeremiah when God said: “I knew you… I dedicated you… I appointed you.”
[00:34:52] This is the 4th of our 7 passages from Hebrews, and it takes up where last week's passages left off and explains - in detail - all three characteristics of a priest. So, let's get started…
[00:35:09] “Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”
So, chosen from among men… appointed to act on behalf of men... that is the role of a mediator - the first characteristic that all priests must possess.
[00:35:40] “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people.”
[00:35:58] This section describes the solidarity of the priests with others: dealing gently… offering sacrifice… and remember, solidarity is the second characteristic that all priests must possess.
[00:36:23] When the author talks about offering sacrifice, what he means by that is an atoning sacrifice. Jewish converts to Christianity would certainly have recognized the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, in those words. And we, as Catholics, can also recognize in those words the work of the ministerial priesthood in making present the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross which happens at every celebration of the Mass.
[00:36:54] Remember, Jesus was sacrificed once in time - once throughout all of recorded history - on a Cross… on top of a hill outside of Jerusalem. But that very same sacrifice is made present again at each and every Catholic Mass.
[00:37:21] “And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was.”
That characteristic of divine appointment, the third characteristic that every priest possesses, is made very clear here. It is NOT just a personal choice, it is a call by God! Think of Jeremiah: I knew you… I dedicated you… I appointed you…
[00:37:56] “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; and he says also in another place, ‘You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchiz’edek.’”
[00:38:21] Now there's a lot to unpack there!
[00:38:25] First, Christ did not exalt himself but was appointed - and this is made clear throughout the New Testament - that Jesus, being both fully divine and fully human, was obedient to the Father's will and his own divine nature rather than just relying on the preference of his human nature.
[00:38:48] Second, we have that beautiful quote from Psalm 2: “You are my Son, today I have begotten you” which is God's promise to his Anointed One. Those words would have been recited during a liturgy to install a King of Israel, who himself should have been a descendant of King David, right?
[00:39:14] So, that was God's promise to David in chapter 7 of 2nd Samuel - that David's throne would be established forever. And because we see Jesus as a son of David (remember Bartimae’us’ use of that address in the Gospel?) because Jesus is a descendant of David, Christians see Jesus as the eternal fulfillment of David’s earthly, limited kingship.
[00:39:48] And third, and lastly, we hear the words of Psalm 110: “You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchiz’edek.” That line alone is quite complex… so stay with me here as we parse this out! Psalm 110, from which this quote comes, is a Psalm of victory for God’s priest-king – or, to put it another way, for a descendant of King David AND we've already made the connection - or rather Bartimae’us made the connection for us - that Jesus is a descendant of David.
[00:40:28] But where does Melchizedek come in?
[00:40:32] Well, to answer that, we have to go back to the Book of Genesis… because, other than the mention in this Psalm, that is the only place in all of scripture that we encounter Melchiz’edek. So, in the Book of Genesis, Melchiz’edek appears mysteriously in chapter 14 and disappears just as mysteriously, a few short verses later. We are told that he is the king of Salem - and Salem, as a place, is traditionally identified as Jerusalem… you’ll notice that's part of the word.
[00:41:15] We are also told that he is a priest of God Most High AND because he appears and disappears without any particular fanfare - in other words, he has no definite beginning or end - his priesthood is considered to be eternal.
[00:41:37] And finally, we are told that he brings bread and wine, he blesses Abram (Abraham was still being called Abram at the time), Abram gives 10% of all his possessions to Melchiz’edek, and Melchizedek disappears. That's it! That's it!
[00:42:02] He is quite the nebulous figure - but a priest certainly - and possessing all three characteristics of a priest that's described in the Letter to the Hebrews: he serves as a mediator to bring God's blessing upon Abram; he displays solidarity with Abram in sharing bread, wine, and resources; and he is a priest of God Most High indicating divine appointment. So, why is all that important?
[00:42:37] The author of Hebrews is establishing a theology that underpins the identity of Jesus as our Great High Priest… an eternal priesthood. And it's no coincidence that what is shared with Abram, by Melchizedek, is bread and wine… think Eucharist; 10% of all of Abram's goods given to Melchizedek… think tithing.
[00:43:12] This is not coincidental. And remember, this Letter to the Hebrews was written ~ 65 AD – so 1st century - and a whole lot of theology was rapidly developing in the first few centuries of the Church… I described that last week as the Patristic Era.
[00:43:35] There was so much that was known and understood… but had to be codified, defined, identified, written down - for future generations.
[00:43:48] I also said that the Letter to the Hebrews was a grand theological treatise… well, welcome to theology!
[00:43:57] Having encountered all the scriptures offered to us this week, let's ask ourselves again if we're honestly willing to see the world around us as God sees it? With our human sight, certainly, if we're lucky enough to possess that gift… but to really see the beauty and magnificence of God's creation. Are we willing to have the eyes of our heart be opened to love as God loves all of his creation - the earth, the air, the water, the plants, the animals, and all people? Not just the ones we like, not just the ones who look like us, not just the ones who like us, but all people?
[00:44:56] And can we see all of creation for the good it inherently possesses - not as commodities - not for how people and things can be used - but see the beauty they possess solely because God created them and declared them to be very good?
[00:45:18] Are we worthy of the blessings God bestows upon us through the beauty of this created world? And are we willing to undertake the responsibility of caring for his creation as faithful disciples?
[00:45:37] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, please send me an email at
[email protected].
Thank you for listening and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions. The content of this show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask. Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved. Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thanks for listening and God bless.
