For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more

"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves will be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?" And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

- Luke 12:32-48

In yesterday's reading, Jesus warned against greed. When asked by someone to help make a brother divide an inheritance, Jesus refused to arbitrate in this way (as was a common practice for a rabbi). Instead, Jesus emphasized the spiritual values, internal wealth, that must come first - and warned against greed, or banking all of our hopes on material concerns alone. He also issued warnings for His followers against anxiety and unnecessary worry and focus in this respect as well. See But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." A note in my study bible reads, "Little flock: the band of disciples who have left everything behind in total commitment to Christ and the Kingdom." This is a reassurance, after Jesus has just told His followers that they must "seek first" this kingdom before all else - material things - we strive for in life, and then all else shall be added.

"Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys." A note says, "Material riches suffer corruption; spiritual riches abide eternally." Jesus is giving us a very clear picture of the power of this heavenly realm that is also within us. The things we do and choose give us values, internal worth - these are treasures that don't fail, that can't be stolen from us and do lot lose their beauty. "Giving alms" is the perfect antidote to the focus on greed and selfishness; it is a lesson not just about giving but about the falsehood of clinging to a worship of the material, a false notion that this is what gives us our true worth and where we find all security.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." A note says, "This verse expresses a basic principle of human behavior: a strong warning to guard the heart, the door of inner spirituality." We are warned about what we love, what we value most. Again, elsewhere Jesus taught that we cannot serve God and mammon. We make choices about what we love the most, and what we put first. This makes all the difference in how we live our lives and what treasures we store up for ourselves. We must be aware of how we choose, what's first in our hearts.

"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves will be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately." A note reads, "A girded waist (as in a suit of military armor; see Eph. 6:14) renders one ready for action. Lamps burning suggests alertness in doing God's will." We are to be on alert about ourselves and our choices - to understand what life offers to us and how we choose and conduct ourselves, especially with regard to all the advice Jesus has just given about the love of greed and the service of selfishness. There is an echo here (in the talk of return from the wedding) of the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.

"Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into." This is Luke's version of yet another parable from Matthew (see Heaven and earth will pass away). It's a parable that teaches us that we don't just choose once, or twice, in our lives - but all the time. We are to be prepared for a lifetime of vigilance, alertness, to ourselves and our positions and choices in life. It is a theme of all of the history of Christian spirituality that is reflected in the language of spiritual theology: we are to be "awake," "viligant," watchful" and on our "guard." In other words, we have a consciousness to develop and to maintain, which takes constant effort and awareness on our part. We are not to "sleep."

"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." My study bible notes, "The point of Christ's admonitions is that we should constantly be prepared for His Second Coming, the date being unannounced." This truly gives us a deeper incentive and understanding of the command to be alert always, to be watchful. Its significance cannot be underemphasized. Think about what actions we might take if we truly took to heart the full impact of these words.

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?" I find it quite a beautiful thing that Luke gives us this important question. Is spiritual awareness, consciousness like this, really for everybody or just for those who would be the small, devoted circle of disciples or apostles? A note says, "The nature of these admonitions suggests Jesus is speaking about matters of concern to all people."

And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." Jesus responds to Peter's question in a wonderful way, that gives us a picture of how the spiritual reality of the kingdom works. It's a parable directed at those who would be disciples, the spiritual leaders of a flock (such as Peter, who asks the question). They, of course, are to remain vigilant as warned. But there is more to vigilance than the guard of the heart; those who would lead the flock must not be lackadaisical in how they treat that flock, how they keep it and guard it. Should they exploit the littler ones, the ones under their care and treat them badly, they stand to lose everything. But it's not just a warning to those who would be stewards, or leaders. It's also a warning to the followers: "But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few." Those who have been spiritually initiated into this truth bear a greater responsibility; nevertheless, those who would follow but are further behind on the ladder of spiritual understanding still face consequences of their choices to do what is harmful or malicious to others in terms of exploiting their power. The response is in proportion to "what they already have" -- the spiritual knowledge that is the true wealth He is speaking of in the first place. The message is for both the disciples, and all people.

Jesus says, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." As we have, so much is required of us. Jesus is speaking about spiritual authority and understanding; those who go along this road of salvation that lasts a lifetime and in which we hopefully can grow. He begins this reading with the words, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." These great values of spiritual reality which are stored eternally for us and will not disappear, will remain with us. But they bear great responsibility. In fact, the more wealth of this kind that we have, the more the responsibility lies with us to conduct ourselves in certain ways, to guard against incentives of greed and selfishness, exploitation of others, and the greater the consequences will be should we fail to do so. Is this for all people? Indeed it is. But of those who have, much will be required. Ignorance is not an excuse for bad behavior, and so Jesus tells the story. But knowledge bears its own burden of power and meaning that we share in. Which will you choose? How do you choose to fall on any side of this question? It's all up to us, and what effort we make at life, at this spiritual understanding and discipline in which we grow and learn. There's no one exempt from the message or the struggle. It's our effort, in the end, that makes the difference.

But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”

- Luke 12:13-31

In yesterday’s reading, Jesus spoke about the realities that are within us, and that are not hidden from God’s understanding. We must take care of what is inside of us, the values we hold – because to fear those who can kill the body alone is not what we must keep in mind. The one who may take our soul knows all there is to know about us – even the hairs on our head are numbered, even the sparrows are accounted for and known, and we who form this flock are more valuable than the sparrows. We must also be aware of the work of the Holy Spirit, that which is known to us and which is also at work in our lives. It is this we must pay the most attention to, particularly in times of stress or persecution for the confession of faith in Christ. See Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” A note in my study bible reads, “It was a tradition for respected rabbis to arbitrate personal disputes over property or money. But Jesus refuses to play the role of judge (v. 14) regarding material things, and instead issues a stern warning about greed (v. 15).” It’s quite interesting to note that Jesus is not necessarily criticizing the (presumably) injured man’s feelings, but directing him instead to a better source of worth or values. We enter here into the internal realm Jesus was speaking of in yesterday’s reading – about that which we store within us. The “light” He’s referred to before with which our body may be filled is also a metaphor for values, for worth. Are we going to focus on one sort of abundance – or do we put another first? Jesus has taught that we must choose that which we worship: God or mammon. This is the choice He is emphasizing here. What do we put first? What do we love? He goes to the heart of the question – what is within the heart of the man who asks? Perhaps he’s asking out of greed, or perhaps a sense of justice. We don’t know – the question is, where will he put his highest value? His healing, one way or another, is to be directed elsewhere.

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” A note reads, “The rich man is a fool, despite his material success, because he vainly puts all his trust in his possessions rather than in God. To be rich toward God (v. 21) is to have a life of close communion with Him through faith and works.” What comes first? Where do our values – and that which therefore creates self-worth – come from? The rich man clearly put all his hopes, all his efforts, toward one thing. He did not put first what needs to be certain and sure, a safeguard he truly needs – that of his own soul, the internal reality or state of his being and true worth.

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” Another note in my study bible says that “this is an exhortation against worry (v. 22) and anxiety (v. 26), not against God-ordained planning and earnest work.” Once again, we are drawn toward the understanding of the awareness of God of all things – and the fact that we are worth so much more than the birds (as Jesus mentioned sparrows in yesterday’s reading). So much of what we do in life is focused on getting material things. What about the things that remain first, and more important? “Life in abundance” is more than the material. It is that which adds dimension to us, enlivens us, teaches us how to live, and to live with life abundantly. It is that which adds that extra depth and width and height to life, which feeds us with spiritual food and nourishment, meaning, and joy.

I don’t think Jesus would ever deny that we need material things to live, we live in a world of material reality. But “material-mindedness” is much more than simply acknowledging the reality of the world and the way it works. To be strictly “material-minded” means that we are without that enlivening spirit of understanding that gives so much to us, that fills our lives with love and meaning, that challenges us to live as truly “incarnationally” as we can – as human beings filled with light. This is not a choice between life in abundance in a material sense and the abundance of the spiritual life per se. (In fact, Jesus indicates quite the opposite, stressing that we need not have undue anxiety about the material things we need.) Rather, the message here is about the power and abundance of the spiritual life, that this must be our focus. If we focus too much on the material – with all the emphasis and stress that goes along with that alone – we are likely to miss the boat altogether. We will miss the light, that which makes us more real, gives us more depth, more abundance, and a greater sense of joy and meaning in our lives. What is first with you? Where is your light, your treasure? What do you make sure you have before all else?

Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

"Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

- Luke 11:53 - 12:12

In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke of the "Woes" that belong to religious hypocrites. He was dining at the home of a Pharisee, who found it remarkable that Jesus did not perform the ritual cleansing. Jesus then remarked on the hypocrisy that attends the emphasis on external form alone - that is, when it is without the necessary internal reality of love and mercy in the presence of the kingdom. This is especially true for the religious leadership, for the reasons Jesus elaborates. See Woe to you!

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him. After Jesus' denunciations of the practices of the Pharisees, scribes and lawyers, they decide they need to catch Him and find an accusation against Him.

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops." My study bible notes: "Jesus warns against hypocrisy (v. 1). All pretense and hidden evils will be exposed by God's light." There are a couple of significant little "notes" in this paragraph. First of all, we're told there are so many people - such a multitude - that they are trampling on one another. And it's here that Jesus decides to openly criticize the Pharisees and warn against them and their hypocrisy. So this is, in effect, an open declaration against the practices of the leadership. And that is also reflective in some sense of Jesus' words, that whatever is spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, everything is to be revealed - that what is spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. Effectively, we can't hide from the knowledge of God. Nothing about us is unknown. At the same time, Jesus' words are for the world to hear - in effect, revealing what He understands about the workings of the internal life, especially the reality of the spiritual standing of those whom He criticizes.

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." A note in my study bible reads, "In the face of persecution and dangers the disciples are to fear only God, in whose power and providential care lies each person's ultimate destiny." This is another fascinating passage, because of the hints here in the words used, and the language Jesus employs. We are not to fear the world and its persecutions, in this faith He preaches. But, Jesus teaches, we are to fear Him who has power to cast into hell. And this is emphatically stated. It seems contradictory to us, that we are to fear the one who is Love. And in the next statements, we find how valuable and of how much worth we are to that same One. Even the sparrows God knows and loves. Even the hairs on our head are numbered. This is not so much about awareness or some form of accounting of all things, creatures and beings, but a sign of love: how much we mean to God that God's awareness of the slightest things about us is always there, always full and complete. And then, "Do not fear!" We are in fact precious to God - far more than the value of many sparrows (and even the sparrows God knows and loves). What we are to fear then is the loss of our true worth, our value - the spiritual reality and relationship that connects us to God and God's kingdom, through which we seek our own identity, reality, relationship. We wish to remain in that love, and once again, our own choices are crucial to this relationship. We are not powerless, but rather powerful. We bear the responsibility to return that love and relationship, or not. Just as Jesus has taught us to be "light bearers" in the previous readings, so this light is dependent on our choice for this single most important relationship in our lives.

"Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God." A note reads, "True discipleship means public confession of Jesus as the Son of Man (Dan. 7:13), who is the Messiah and the eternal Son of God." The Son of Man is an apocalyptic title from the book of Daniel (see reference in the note). So, this is in fact a further elaboration on the theme of judgment. What do we confess? What is it that will be known in public as it is in private? Or do we deny our faith before men? I personally think that confession takes many forms, and that it must be sincere. Truly we are to take just as seriously Jesus' criticism regarding outward form alone (pertaining to the Pharisees, scribes and lawyers), as when we make our own public confessions of faith. But I think the great emphasis here is on those who stand with Him in his humility and persecution. Can we openly be who we need to be in real faith in what He teaches, or do we wear a more acceptable public mask, that confers a better social standing?

"And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." A note here reads: "To say a word against the Son of Man is to reject His messianic claims. To many people, before their conversion, Jesus seems a mere man. Later, they are enlightened, repent and are forgiven." Whenever the subject of judgment comes up, we must always recall that this is an eternal kingdom full of mercy. We always have time to reconsider - but this does not take away the responsibility for the choices we make when the kingdom "breaks through" somehow into our lives. Faulty choices just mean perhaps a deeper "undoing" in the future to learn our way forward along a good road. The teachings about the Holy Spirit run more deeply and powerfully beneath everything that is pertinent to our lives and our choices, and touch upon the same theme of responsibility. In another note, my study bible says that, "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against the divine activity of the Spirit" (as, for example, in the accusation that Jesus healed or performed exorcisms by demonic power). But this isn't only about the miracles of Jesus. It is also about the active life of the Spirit when it touches our own lives, and as it works within us. Indeed, so active is this spiritual reality within us, so present is the Spirit to us, that Jesus says that "in that very hour" of persecution the Holy Spirit will teach His disciples what to say. This is an ever-presence, a reality that is always with us, and we are to pay attention to it, to heed its actions in our lives, and how its help can direct us.

How do we understand the work of the Holy Spirit? When we pray, we pray to know and to understand it, to be made aware of it, and to better communication within this membership of the Kingdom. We wish to know God's will, and to carry it out. For that enlightenment that my study bible speaks of (referring to confession, above), we pray to understand better and to grow in spiritual value and awareness. This is the power of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, and the responsibility we take on when we take Christ's words seriously about what we are to fear. We fear losing that connection and understanding, and the worth that it conveys to us, the values it gives us. How will you act to create this more powerful life, to carry this life in abundance within you that the Spirit confers? It's all about our choices, your choice. Of what do you wish to be aware? The sparrows are worth so much and are precious to God. So much is riding on each of us, even the very hairs of our heads are numbered and known. Reciprocate that love and grow in it; this is what He asks of us today. Can we hear what the Holy Spirit has to teach us in that moment we confess?

Woe to you!

And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them."

Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

- Luke 11:37-52

Yesterday, we read that Jesus warned about seeking signs of the kingdom, and insisted instead that those who are able to perceive clearly should rejoice. The spiritual eye is the lamp of the body - that is, of our whole human selves - if we perceive clearly, then we will be illumined, as a lamp gives off bright rays. He warned His listeners that those who paid attention to the light of the prophets and the wise of the past will cast judgment on those who cannot perceive the greater light that is before them in the present. See Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.

And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. A note in my study bible says, "Washing the hands before eating was an important religious ritual for the Pharisees. They are concerned about outward cleanliness; Jesus says internal purity is more important."

Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you." A note reads, "Deeds of love toward people, such as giving alms, purify the inward man. External things like food and clothing cannot defile one who is inwardly pure." I think it's important to contrast the ritual cleansing mentioned above with the internal cleansing that Jesus is talking about. He will go on to chastise the Pharisees for their greed; they profit from their positions in the temple leadership.

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." My study bible says, "After their testy attacks against Him, Jesus pronounces a series of denunciations against the Pharisees and scribes." Here we read the contrast between what they emphasize and what Jesus teaches they should be doing. They literally measure out what is owed even in the "least" things (like herbs), but justice and the love of God is passed by. "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces." Here Jesus addresses vainglory - that is, the elevation of the self or social standing rather than the value of humility, a show of self-importance. To "love" this is a form of idolatry: to exalt in something selfish, rather than the things that give true self-worth in the eyes of God. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them." Again, the image of the external that masks the internal truth. A grave is full of death and decay internally - this is a way of saying, to my mind, that these men are empty and nothing internally, without value. But the perception of the world, for which they live, cannot see it - despite the adulation or public recognition, the greetings and the best seats, which they receive.

Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." The lawyers are experts in the Mosaic Law. This lawyer, as we shall see, is correct. Jesus is speaking not as a condemnation of the Law or religious practice, but rather of how religious rituals and practices, given by faith in God, can be misused to conceal hypocrisy of all kinds. Therefore all of these warnings also apply to us today. And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers." This image of people weighted down with burdens they cannot bear reminds us of how the Law can be used to put unmerciful demands on people, while those who enforce or impose it use no mercy themselves. "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation." Here we return again to the themes of yesterday's reading. How do they perceive? How do they see what is in front of them? They reject Jesus as their "fathers" (that is, the religious leadership of their type before them) rejected the prophets. That is, to reject righteous criticism is to act as those who "build the tombs" of the prophets - which they do. And there is another very important emphasis here, and that is on judgment. To persecute the righteous is to bring judgment upon oneself. Just as the Crucifixion is the judgment of the prince of this world, so to persecute the righteous brings judgment on those who reject their message and seek to harm them as a result. Again, as in so many recent readings, the emphasis is on our perception and on how we choose. Can we hear and see the righteousness that may be in front of us? The action of wisdom of the Spirit when it manifests in our world? "This generation" refers to those who witness that which is greater than the prophets - Christ's manifestation in the flesh before them.

"Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." The spiritual reality in the Scriptures and the law teaches all about spiritual perception. But the ways in which they have used the law for themselves retains all of this for only their "class" of the religious, those who worship. Yet they fail to perceive - and worse, those with the capability among their flock they hinder by their teachings and behavior, their misuse of religious law for their own gain and vainglory.

So, once again, the emphasis is on spiritual perception, just as in yesterday's reading. But this time, it is directed to the leadership of the temple, and how they lead their flock, even those who would desire the "key of knowledge" of God, and who are locked out by the leadership and their hypocrisy. We may think that these "woes" (as they are called) apply to the past - a religious system that existed before Christ which He criticized. But these warnings are to us all, here, now and today. We all have rituals and practices that are beautiful, and helpful for worship - the vehicles through which we approach God. We all have buildings and services that a flock must help to support financially. But no matter what they are, no matter which worship practice we use, if we put all of our faith only in the outward appearance of following those rules or services or facilities and none in the inward part where we truly answer to God, from which we are to truly pray and worship, then we fail. Worse, we become hypocrites, who mislead others as well. I'm certain many of us have known outwardly pious people who spare no mercy nor justice for others if they have something selfish to gain. ("Hypocrites" originally means "actors" in the Greek.) Moreover, if our leadership simply seeks its own glory or public regard, we have lost the race. So, there is all this emphasis on spiritual perception and the internal light that is of God, the love that binds us in true relationship to God. It is spiritual understanding that gives us true value and that is to be imparted to Jesus' followers. When we pray, let us be sure it is to find where and how we need to go to please God, Who is love. Let us seek to understand where we need to be merciful, and what we need to learn in our lives. Wisdom leads us when we let it, but it must come first before appearance and convention and what we are used to. There is no getting around it. What do we love? What do we put first? Is it the glory of "the best seats" or the most beautiful places, a high place in the leadership? Can we make our spiritual eyes clear enough to see and to perceive, so that we may reflect light? Or will we, too, be the empty unknown tombs? What do we carry within us? Light or darkness? Jesus reserved His most harsh criticism for those who would lead and who failed to be anything but hypocrites. Let us remember this applies to all of us today as much as it did to the leadership He was addressing. Perhaps, in fact, these words may even more strictly apply to us, who call ourselves followers of this Teacher.

Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

- Luke 11:27-36

In yesterday's reading, Jesus answered His critics who claimed He was casting out demons by Beelzebub. He said, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." We are to understand the crucial choices we make to be a part of this kingdom of heaven, or not.

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" My study bible says of these verses, "God's blessing falls not upon those who have prominent family connections, but upon those who hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus is stating a principle, not denigrating His mother: she both heard God's word and kept it, and thus became the most blessed of women (1:28-39, 42)." Jesus always emphasizes that those who seek to build this kingdom ("who hear the word of God and keep it") are family. See also Luke 8:19-21.

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here." A note reads, "The sign of Jonah is the preaching of Jonah (v. 32) under which the Ninevites repented. By contrast, this evil generation (v. 29) did not repent under Jesus' preaching, which is far greater than Jonah (v.32). In Matthew, the sign of Jonah is also Jonah's three day sojourn in the belly of the great fish, a picture of Christ's death and Resurrection (Matt. 12:40)." In yesterday's reading, Jesus refused to give "proof" to those who asked for a sign so that they would believe. Repeatedly, we have been invited to understand the importance of being witnesses - those who have been a part of this event, of the "kingdom of heaven coming near" have a responsibility as witnesses. Do they accept or reject? The kingdom "breaking through" in our world, in whatever form, such as the preaching of Jonah, or the wisdom of Solomon, confers on us responsibility. Do we accept or reject? Do we demand signs or perceive with the heart what is there and good and true and of great value?

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light." A note in my study bible says, "Spiritual sight is compared to physical sight: if the eyes of both body and soul are healthy, a person is full of light." Once again, we are told of the importance of choice. There is the kingdom of heaven, and then there is that which works against it. It's the same warning as in yesterday's reading about the vigilance necessary even when our "internal houses" are swept clean. Do we choose to fill ourselves with this light? Can we perceive it and embrace it? Do we hold anything back from its searching beam?

How are we filled with light? We make choices - to be filled with light or darkness. The extreme dichotomy here can be misleading, to my mind, because of the way we perceive. But if you think about it, this great light that Christ brings - and the presence of the Spirit - is something that we take in or not. Using the metaphor of John's Gospel (the light that shines in the darkness), we are to understand what is in us, what our spiritual states are. Do we allow that light to shine within ourselves? Do we allow it into all of our secret, internal places so that it transforms and heals? Or is a part of us dark, reserved from this light and hidden away from its capacity for transformation and enlightenment? These are our important choices, to be a part of this kingdom or not, and to become one such as Solomon or Jonah from within whom the light shines in the world. Jesus says that the lamp of the body is the eye; therefore we must take great care how we discern, how we perceive. It's not the first nor the last time we will receive this message. What does it mean to you? How do you perceive?

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

- Luke 11:14-26

On Saturday, we read of Jesus teaching His disciples to pray. It is the Lord's Prayer He taught, the Our Father. This beautiful prayer of supplication is a kind of tapestry of the plea and promise of the manifestation of God's heavenly kingdom in the world. Jesus taught about the importance of persistence in prayer, and said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" See Our Father in heaven.

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. In the previous passage (see Saturday's reading), Jesus had taught the disciples to pray the Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father. The fact that this demon is mute, and causes its victim to be mute, tells us about his handicap - he cannot pray, he cannot have this relationship to God and the heavenly kingdom we wish to manifest upon the earth. We can conclude about evil that it is restrictive, depriving. These are aspects of the punitive - it keeps us from the fullness of relationship, belonging and life in abundance that we desire.

But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." My study bible notes, "Beelzebub: a pagan god, derided by the Jews as 'The Lord of the Flies.' Here it is a direct reference to Satan."

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. A note reads, "A sign from heaven would be a spectacular miracle validating Jesus' authority. Jesus refused to do such a sign in His temptations in the wilderness by the devil, and He declines here as well (vv. 29, 30)." Throughout the Gospels, we are told that people want spectacular signs, or proofs, from Jesus so that they believe - and He consistently refuses to bow to this demand. He is looking for a kind of faith that comes from the heart.

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges." Here Jesus is referring to the exorcists who performed this act in the Jewish tradition. In other Gospels, we are given this discussion as part of Jesus' conflict with temple authorities - and this reference to Jewish tradition implies the same. Jesus' logic is irrefutable: why would Satan cast out Satan? In some sense, it is a reflection of the understanding in the Lord's Prayer - that Jesus works for the kingdom of heaven. We pray to be delivered from that which acts against this kingdom, and keeps us from knowing, understanding and manifesting God's will.

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. The finger of God, my study bible says, is the Holy Spirit. See also Matthew 12:28. This is a warning; they must think carefully about their conclusions.

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." A note reads, "This verse is seemingly the opposite of 9:50: 'He who is not against us is on our side.' Here however, the unique action of gathering or scattering is the issue: each person does one or the other." We are given a picture of division: we choose the kingdom or we choose to work against it.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first." My study bible notes: "Those who have been cleansed are here warned not to be careless. Dry places, deserts, were thought to be the abode of demons." All of these verses - and so much more that we have already read in Luke's Gospel - return continually to the idea that there are no bystanders in this experience of the kingdom of heaven that comes near. Once exposed, we have to make choices.

This idea that there are no bystanders is a rather uncomfortable one for many of us, especially we who consider ourselves educated and modern. This is because the concept of doubt is essential for testing and truthfulness in the sense that we desire to know something, not to believe in something false or misleading. But Jesus is addressing here something different from an intellectual concept of "doubt" as it is commonly used in this context. Discernment is a highly important and valued concept in Jesus' teaching - and He warns His followers repeatedly of "wolves in sheep's clothing" who will come to scatter them and use them falsely. But the choice Jesus talks about here is the certainty and reality of this kingdom: when it manifests in our lives and in our world, when it "breaks through," we must use the eyes and ears of perception in our hearts. We have a duty, a responsibility to do this. We make choices. It is there, also, that our discernment lies - the important organ of spiritual perception and understanding, to separate the Good Shepherd from those who would mislead us. So, the development of discernment and the essential need to choose wisely are one and the same thing, a part of the same faculty. Here we are given to know the great importance of choice: there is the heavenly kingdom, which we pray to manifest in the world, and there is that which works against it. We must take these choices seriously and not be frivolous. We must not demand proofs or signs unreasonably, but instead bear the responsibility to develop our own spiritual eyes and ears - our hearts, and to keep them "clean" or "pure" so that our perceptions may also be as clear as they can be. Just as Pilate couldn't really wash his hands of his decision, so we are not just bystanders when something has been given to us, or made manifest to us. We are witnesses - we are presented with choices. What's your testimony? What do you perceive? What do you want to work for in your spiritual life in this world? What do you choose to serve?

Our Father in heaven

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. So I say to you, ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

- Luke 11:1-13

In yesterday's reading we heard the story of Martha and Mary. Martha was busy serving guests, and asked Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help. But Mary was listening to Jesus teach. Jesus told Martha that although she was worried and troubled with many things, Mary had done the one thing needed, and that good part would not be taken from her. See You are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed.

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples." A note in my study bible reads, "Lord, teach us to pray expresses a universal spiritual need, and leads Jesus to teach the Lord's Prayer to the disciples." Many of Jesus' disciples were John the Baptist's disciples first. We don't really know what prayers John taught, but clearly these disciples wish for guidance.

So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." A note reads: "Matthew's record of the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) has a slightly stronger liturgical flavor, and is the one prayed in the Orthodox liturgy" - that is, in the liturgy of the Eastern Church, based on the original Greek of the New Testament. It continues, "Our Father signifies (1) the unique privilege of being children of God by the grace of adoption, and (2) the unity of Christians who commonly call God 'Our' Father. God's name is hallowed when we praise and glorify Him by righteous words and deeds. God's kingdom and will are closely related: we pray they may be actualized on earth as they are in heaven, where God's reign is gloriously manifest." We recall that the disciples (both the original twelve and after that, the seventy) have returned from successful missions, in which they were instructed to teach that "the kingdom of God has come near to you." This will, then, that we pray to follow and build in the world, is the power to manifest God's kingdom on earth.

"Give us day by day our daily bread." This powerful and even somewhat perplexing phrase is its own unique verse. My study bible notes: "Daily (Gr. epiousios) can also mean the 'essential' bread which many Church Fathers understood as (1) the truth of God's Word for daily sustenance, or (2) the sacramental bread of the Eucharist, Christ Himself." As Christ Himself is also the Word, these two things are of the same substance and meaning. Epiousios is an important word that seems to have been coined specifically for the Gospels. It means more than "essential" but is close to "supersubstantial." That is, our bread that is more than bread, with an added substance beyond - that which is necessary, I would say, for the whole of our being. In other words, this particular word, coined uniquely for this prayer, has many layers of meaning to it - which incorporate that which is needed for our daily lives in this world and in the life of the world to come (that kingdom of heaven that we pray we manifest also here on earth). It is bread with an added substance or essence, a depth or dimension of being that is more than simply our "daily bread" in daily, earthly terms. We also need spiritual food for the "life abundantly" we desire. So it is indeed a picture of the Eucharist and the truth of the Word that sustains the whole of our being.

"And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." A note says, "Willingness to forgive everyone is a prerequisite to being forgiven by God. To be indebted means to have committed a sin against another. Although God tests us, He does not lead us into temptation. Deliverance from the evil one (rather than from evil in the abstract) is the classic patristic understanding of this petition." The willingness to forgive is also linked to God's will, as is so much of the rest of this prayer. Forgiveness, to my mind, is giving things up to God and asking for God's will: it is not "equalizing" by our own judgment nor is it pretending no offense has come but rather seeking God's will in response to an offense, and not "worldly justice" from our own perspective. To be freed from temptation and the evil one, then, follows the same logic - so that we can be free to more clearly receive and follow the will of our Father in heaven.

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs." A note here reads: "Jesus praises persistence even if it seems inopportune and bothersome. Persistence in prayer helps us to focus our attention on God." St. Paul writes that we are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).

"So I say to you, ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." A note reads: "We ask in prayer, seek through study, and knock through righteous living." In my opinion, Jesus is referring here to the depths of Christian mystery and the heights of understanding.

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" My study bible says that "Evil is used here in the general sense of all human beings being weak and sinful. If Jesus promises to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, how is it that we ask? The Church, since the early days, has provided this prayer: 'O Heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who are in all places and fill all things, the Treasure of good things, and Giver of life, come and abide in us, cleanse us from every stain and save our souls, O Good One."

I quite love the prayer to the Holy Spirit quoted in the note in my study bible. It sets the tone and emphasis on the "good gifts" that we must keep in mind, the grace of God and those spiritual blessings we receive when we receive the Spirit and His effects in our lives. So often when we pray we think only of the worldly things we believe we need or want - and this is also important and not left out of the Gospel message. But far greater - and we take this in context of the past two readings (the story of the Good Samaritan and that of Martha and Mary) - is the emphasis on the spiritual life and those gifts that we would seek. The Good Samaritan takes time from his working schedule of travel to take care of a man he comes across who's been robbed and beaten. Martha is busy with the duties of hospitality and worries and frets about what needs to be done, but Mary stays at Jesus' feet listening to Him, and this is called her "good part, which shall not be taken away from her." The message is about taking time out from the earthly worldly obligations and what we think we need, for that "better part." This prayer, with its special word, epiousios, teaches us about the real gifts of life and of the Father, that kingdom that we pray comes near to us and manifests - and the will of the Father we pray to manifest and to know so that we work for it in the world. To bring that kingdom into the world then, is to take time, to make time for it to "break in" upon us. We do that in many ways, through the practice of love and mercy and compassion, taking time out to help and heal the need we can, by listening through prayer or studying scripture, practicing worship - in whatever way we are fed and share in our "daily bread" that takes care of the whole of us. Let us remember we need "supersubstantial" food for our "superessential" life we seek - the life in abundance that Jesus has promised. Our worldly lives will not be truly blessed, abundant and joyous without it. In all ways, we seek and make room, we take time, so that the kingdom of heaven may truly break in upon us, in every way that it can. We pray for that Holy Spirit, our Comforter, to seal us with the anointing energy, the crowning joy, of the life of Jesus and the fullness of His mission.

You are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed.

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

- Luke 10:38-42

In yesterday's reading, we read the parable of the Good Samaritan. We understand it to be Jesus' answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" The Good Samaritan is nominally an enemy of the Jews - who stops to help a Jewish man attacked by robbers. (This was after a priest and a Levite had already passed the man by.) Not only did he care for the victim, but he also took him to an inn, and paid the innkeeper to provide whatever else was necessary for his healing. This Samaritan then, is the neighbor - the one who acts as a neighbor. There is much to read into this parable for our understanding. See Go and do likewise.

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. My study bible notes that "Martha and Mary are the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1)." Martha, Mary and Lazarus are important figures in the Gospels and in Jesus' life. They are His friends. Indeed, it is in John's Gospel that we read the shortest and one of the most profound sentences in the Gospels: "Jesus wept." This is at the death of Lazarus and the sorrow of Lazarus' sisters. The stories concerning Martha, Mary and Lazarus are quite special in that they give us a glimpse of the personal life of Jesus among beloved friends, and His emotional ties to them. We are also given to understand from the stories in other Gospels about Martha's role concerning hospitality, and Mary's more spiritual emphasis - noticeably in the story from John's Gospel about the raising of Lazarus (see the readings here, here and here).

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." My study bible notes, "Martha was distracted (v. 40) and troubled about many things (v. 41) in providing hospitality for Jesus. But the one thing (v. 42) needed was for her to listen to Christ, to hear His words -- a priority which certain does not exclude serving Him." I find a particular kind of parallel and counterpart in the context of the Gospel and the fact that preceding this story is the parable of the Good Samaritan. In that parable, Jesus gives the example of a person (the Samaritan) who is going about his business, along this treacherous road where people were prey to robbers. The Samaritan takes time from his schedule and whatever his business was to tend to the need of the hurt man, to help him to heal, to take him to an inn, and to leave him there with money for the innkeeper to complete the man's care, and a promise of more to come if necessary on his way back. It's like a picture of a businessman traveling for his work who comes upon an unfortunate victim, and does what he needs to do to show compassion. My study bible had a great note on this parable in which it expressed the idea that we show our love for God when we care for one another. Coming immediately after that parable, we find Mary doing the "one thing needed," "the good part." Her sister Martha is busy with the usual women's business - the duties of hospitality. But it is Mary who is taking time out to sit at the feet of Jesus, and to listen. So, like the Good Samaritan, she's taking the time out from her usual work, her business, to do the thing that is needed. She is showing, in effect, her love for God. It's not that serving and hospitality are bad or wrong things - but the emphasis is there again. We need to take the time out from our worldly lives and do what is needful.

The story in yesterday's reading of the Good Samaritan teaches us about taking time out to do what is needful - to act as neighbor, to help, and to heal. Today's story also teaches us about taking time out from our busy lives for what is truly needed, and that is giving time to listen to our Lord. We express love for neighbor by helping, healing. But the normal rule of hospitality - at least as written here - is something different, business as usual in some sense. We need to take the time out from the things we think are necessary (and of course, work is necessary for our lives) for what is needed. And what is needed is our compassion for those who need our mercy for healing, and also our time for our own healing as we listen to God, perhaps in worship, or in prayer, in study of Scripture, etc. So we take time out for what is needed. And that is marked by a kingdom of relationships of love.

What do you need to make room and time for in your life? Is there something needed from you? Today's story tells us about time for listening to the Lord, for that primary spiritual relationship. There's a great contrast to my mind between the things that are needed and the things that constitute obligation here in this story and in the story of the Good Samaritan. What is needed is the opportunity that God has somehow presented us with: someone who needs our help, an act of mercy - or the Lord's presence to us in whatever form that may take. Both cases are a kind of "breaking in" upon us of the kingdom coming near. Both cases are construed of relationships of compassion and love. Both cases take us out of business as usual, the things we usually think are necessary for our lives, the obligations we bear. Consider then the difference between what is necessary, and what is needed. What is needed from you today? What is needed by you today? The key here is mercy and love, and the reality of that kingdom and our relatedness to it and in it. What will you do for that relatedness today? How may it call you out of your own daily life? This is a priority that takes precedence before all else, it is "that good part" and it "will not be taken away" from you.