Is it just me, or does anybody else feel like they are having a hard time breathing these days?
Maybe it's the change in the weather. Maybe it's allergies. Maybe it's the time-change. Maybe it's the fact that we just finished with Halloween, and already the Christmas decorations are up.
I don't know what to attribute it to, but I know that literally, physically, and psychically, I'm having a hard time breathing, and Benadryl doesn't seem to be helping. Add to that, the seemingly daily reporting of gun-violence, the wavering economy, the increase in pettiness, politicians smoking crack, clergy-people, who claim to follow the same Jesus I follow, who at the same time are justifying their building of million-dollar homes, and I just cannot breathe!
So...maybe it's just me.
In any case, you have been warned, dear reader, that I am not taking full, deep breaths as I approach the scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday!
I am cynical and frustrated by what looks like pettiness in the extreme in the gospel lesson (Luke 20.27-38...You should really read it first, otherwise nothing I say here will make any sense.). Not surprisingly, the Sadducees come to Jesus and challenge him. I'm pretty sure that there is nowhere in scripture when the Sadducees approach Jesus with anything other than a challenge...but this time, Jesus looks like he gets drawn into the prettiness! Bad form Jesus (I warned you that I am grumpy!)!
They get into this long discussion about leverite marriage, a method that, while it is presented as a means to ensure that women are not left destitute when/if their husbands die, it really seems that it is (also) a process that keeps women in the position of being nothing more than chattel to be traded from one man to the next (please don't feel the need to correct me on this...I know the basis of leverite marriage...still feels like horse trading to me!). And they are using the whole argument to discuss (debate) the reality/validity of the resurrection...which is already a confusing enough topic...let alone when you try to couch the discussion in terms of marriage, etc. What, in Sweet Betty's name, does this have to do with the resurrection?!
I can imaging my sister telling me, at this point in my rant, that I need to spray some saline in my nose, take three deep cleansing breaths, try to find my "happy place...," and then look again. Okay, say it with me: "Clear blue ocean. Clear blue ocean."
My sister is so smart!
Here's what I really think this is all about...the Sadducees don't really give a flip about the resurrection they just want to make Jesus look like a fool...and Jesus uses their own argument against them, which he does on a fairly regular basis (so, if I offended you by saying"bad form, Jesus," I apologize).
This is what I think he is saying, "Really, Sadducees? Can't you think any bigger than that? Don't try to draw me into a discussion about resurrection, then limit resurrection to your silly legalisms! Don't you get it?!
Resurrection is NOT just a continuation of the way things are!
It is not the status quo forever!
It isn't even a going back to the "good ol' days" when women were traded about among the brothers...neither is it a reality where there would need to be care for the welfare of women. Think bigger!
Think totally different!
Think something COMPLETELY NEW!
Think relationships.
Think wholeness and happiness and joy and plenty and welcome!"
Now, I'm fairly certain that that is not what the Sadducees wanted to hear (In fact it is, most likely, just that very type of thinking/visioning/talking/hoping/etc. that had them wanting to humiliate Jesus in the first place.)...But, while it may not be what they wanted to hear...it is definitely what I want to hear...because if the resurrection comes with all off those things (wholeness and happiness and joy and plenty and welcome, then it probably also comes with clear sinuses and easy breaths - which, I guess, is really pretty minor, in the grand scheme of things.)!
Sent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
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