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Daily Scripture

+ 4th Week in Lent

He comes off smelling like a rose – Moses, that is.

Readings: Exodus 32:7-14 Psalm 106:19-23 John 5:31-47

But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God: “Lord” he said, “why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt… Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring this disaster upon your people.” [Exodus 32:11-12]

No wonder God has such a band image even among Catholics! Poor God! Moses comes out smelling like a rose in this reading. Doesn’t seem fair to God.

Of course, this is a ‘cropped’ image of God. Much as we crop a digital photo to the size of our screen, the author of the Book of Exodus and other authors of Old Testament literature portrayed a wrathful God in the face of a sinful nation with the hope that they would wake up to their evil ways. Moses was their hero, a kind of interlocutor who interpreted the behavior of the people before God with the hope that mercy might prevail over the just punishment that they brought upon themselves. We might say that Moses was into ‘damage control’ before God.

This is an anthropomorphic (fancy word for ‘human’ image of God – inadequate at best.

In the scheme of life, it is we who bring ‘wrath’ upon ourselves. We don’t need God to do it. “What goes around comes around.” I often assign this ‘mantra’ as a penance within the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The wrongs we impose on others will come back to haunt us, sooner or later.

It is not God who has to relent; it is we who must face the music that we ourselves have scripted.

My God is a God of justice but justice and mercy meet in my God. How do I know this? It’s written on every page of the four Gospels.

Still another view on 'It's politics... isn't it?'

Tuesday May 13, 2008

A slippery slope!

I listened to Rev. Wright’s full homily (not the network’s You Tube snippet), the interview with Bill Moyer and the C-Span broadcast of his speech at the Press Club. It reminded of a Holy Name meeting years ago when the speaker (African-American) addressed the issue of social justice, rejecting the role of violence and destruction employed by union movements. In response to the audience irritation at the comparison, he said, “I speak so loud, you may not hear my words”. Sounds like Rev. Wright!

Had he been polite and courteous at the Press Club, the outcome may have been different. But as you know, and this writer demonstrates, we have our own prisms. We hear things through the filter of our apperceptive mass including the accumulated prejudices and biases we don’t care to acknowledge. His key words demonstrate this:

Translation: We are people of good faith but this is not our problem. We have tried to help, but they have wasted the opportunity. Move on!

The writer prefers that the wronged adopt forgiveness and fails to acknowledge responsibility for the continuing injustices demonstrated by African-American’s poverty, joblessness, infant mortality and the crime and incarceration rates. Here in Philadelphia, a predominantly Black city, more than 40% of the people live below the poverty line.

Yes it does make a difference too many Americans, especially the younger generation, who understand bias and prejudice whether it be race, gender, religion, sexual disposition, in the Church or on the public stage.

“Experience” is the new code word!

The NY Times column called the Clinton use of the race card shameless (I was a supporter), but it is ‘win at any cost’. Yesterday, WV exit polls showed that more than 20% of the white voters considered race in deciding to vote for her. And they had the guts to admit it. 51% said Rev Wright affected their decision. He just made it easier on them.

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