The history of the chosen people in the Old Testament recounted in the books of law and prophets moves from the universal man and woman Adam and Eve to their progeny Cain, Abel and Seth and then on eventually to Noah and his sons and through a long series of “begets’ through the patriarchs and matriarchs and a cast of rogues, heroes, proper matrons and prostitutes, masters and slaves, kings and refugees. The chosen people have an honored lineage that has many branches represented by favorite sons Isaac and Jacob as well as black sheep Ishmael and Esau with branches veering off and then bending back to merge with the main trunk. If that family tree – our family tree – were pictured it would resemble a contorted, gnarled oak much more than a soaring linear palm or cypress.

That history is full of movement, too. This week’s Old Testament lesson calls the patriarch Abraham a Chaldean and last week’s lesson reminds us that “our ancestor was a wandering Aramean (Syrian) who went down to Egypt. The sacred story encompasses all of the ancient known world on three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. The continuing sacred story of God and his people encompasses every race and language and we are but a part of the Catholic church that encompasses every land. The faces we see every day here in Los Angeles and the languages we hear at work, school and in the market remind us that we are many, but let Holy Scripture remind us that we share one Creator, one long marvelous family tree, one Savior and we are ultimately one Body of Christ.

ACE Quiz

Our sacred story in the last two Sunday’s lessons refer to which of the following countries?

A) Syria (Aram)
B) Iraq (Chaldea)
C) England
D) Egypt
E) Israel

ACE

The Big FOUR-O used to be something I dreaded as the outer limits of youth after I got past the big THREE-O. Then, I didn’t know that the number forty has a very positive meaning in the Bible where, along with the number four, it represents completeness. We read of forty days and forty nights of rain in the great flood and Moses spending forty days on Mt. Sinai. The Israelites wandered forty years in the wilderness eating manna before reaching the promised land. In the New Testament Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness and was with the disciples for forty days between his resurrection and ascension.

Now that I am the other side of forty and regard it with some affection and nostalgia I only wish there was a positive reference to FIVE-O, but I’m afraid I have to wait for SEVEN-O.

ACE Quiz
Which of the following are correct?

A. Jonah gave Ninevah forty days to repent.
B. NBA is scheduled to go to a forty week season including playoffs.
C. Lent is forty days long.
D. Jesus was in the tomb forty hours.

Adult Christian Education

The Beatitudes, or blessings, are found in two places in the New Testament: the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke and the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew. This Sunday we hear the Beatitudes from Luke, which come with a set of corollary woes, or curses. Read the following blessings:

"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.

"Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.

"Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.

"Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.

"Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Jesus addressed these words to the disciples, but they are not for the disciples alone. How can we read these two thousand year-old words today and apply them in our lives?
Me? I am often tempted, and give in to the temptation, of thinking myself a reasonably intelligent, reasonably fit, reasonably skilled guy who is doing quite well – thank you very much. I recognize myself in the second half of the passage, in the woes. In fact, I am doing so well that I have no need of help or input and can do just fine if I am left alone: I have what I need, I have a full stomach, I get my share of laughs, people like me and even occasionally applaud my sermons! I am one self-sufficient dude.
Unfortunately, my self-sufficiency contains seeds of destruction; it is like looking at the ATM receipt on the first of the month and thinking I’m rich and can go out on a shopping spree and take time off to do it. I get like a drunken sailor (been there, ain’t pretty) spending wildly with no thought of where the riches come from or how to get more. Prayer, scripture reading, works of mercy, sacraments give way to taking care of my wants and my appetites. Before I know it my account is empty, my card declined.

Christ is calling us to a sober, clear-headed humility, to self-emptying in order that we might be filled with good things from God. I have a garage (still) filled with so much stuff that I cannot sort out what’s in there, move around, or even put my new bike in to keep it out of the rain. I am so full that if I don’t take care of the mess I will live out the rest of my life with a garage full of slowly rusting, mildewing junk. No room for trikes, children’s bikes or toys or other things that represent joy and hope; just rusty, mildewed laid up treasures to the rafters.

It takes honesty to see ourselves in the “woes” and it takes courage to claim the blessings. We have to give up our trust in our riches and make room in our hearts and metaphorical garages for the kingdom of God. We have to put away our junk food addiction and feast at Christ’s table. We must give up that scorn we have for others so we can rejoice with God. And we must be willing to give up often hard-earned respectability and security to stand with and follow Jesus wherever he goes.

God grand us honesty to acknowledge our stored up riches, our gluttony for food that fills yet does not nourish, our laughter and scorn for others, and our chasing after the approval of this world. Make us beggars for your love; hungry for your righteousness; inconsolable, but for your mercy; and ever ready to speak your praise and follow in your way. Through your son, our savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

ACE Quiz

“One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong.”

1) Which does not belong with the woes?
A. Woe to you who are rich.
B. Woe to you who are full.
C. Woe to you who are good-looking.
D. Woe to you who are laughing.
E. Woe to you who are spoken well of.

2) Which does not belong with the blessings?
A. Blessed are you who are poor.
B. Blessed are you who are sick.
C. Blessed are you who are hungry.
D. Blessed are you who weep.
E. Blessed are you who are hated for Jesus’ sake