Gospel of John - Class 4

Tonight the instructor began the class by having us present the ideas for our papers: Up front where everyone could see us ... it was tough! I knew it was coming though, and managed to do it without too much anxiety. Although I am attracted to the story of the Woman at the Well because it seems to have plenty to talk about, I didn’t have much time to put my thoughts together. Prior to class I underlined some of my notes and focused on those to explain my plan, which is a bit weak at the moment. Still the instructor and the class seemed to think it would be OK.

 

About three other students are planning to write on the Woman at the Well and surprisingly, all of our papers will be quite a bit different. One person is planning to write about Nickodemus, and another person is planning to do his paper on signs and symbols. Another one is planning to write about the struggles in her family and one will write about how this introduction to the Gospel of John has changed her life. One of our fellow students is going to take a very different approach. She plans to focus her paper on the good guys and bad guys, with the established leaders, those with power and in control of the Temple and Jerusalem, as the good guys. Jesus, on the other hand will the bad guy, the outsider, the one causing all this trouble, leading the people astray by trying to convince anyone willing to listen that he is the Son of God.

 

After our break we returned to the story of the Woman at the Well, in which the symbol of religious power was shifting. Neither the temple nor Mount Gerizim was for true worship, which was also being shifted to Spirit and Truth. Only in Jesus could true worship be celebrated. The cleansing of the temple, the dwelling place of God, was to help us understand that Jesus as the true dwelling place of God. The distinctions between Jews and gentiles, and men and women were no longer important. There is a very distinct progression of faith found in the story. In v9 she simply calls him a Jew, in v11 she uses a title for respect, in v2 she identified him as greater than Jacob, in v19 she calls him a prophet, in v26 He identifies himself as I Am, in v29 she says come and see the Christ, and in v42 the people call him the savior of the world. This is the first time that John uses the words I Am for Jesus’ name, although it’s not the last time in this Gospel.

 

After Samaria was concurred by the Assyrians they were unfaithful to the covenant, worshiping false gods that now dominated region. Some scholars argue that the Samaritan’s husbands are symbolic, and that her five husbands shouldn’t be taken literally. One interpretation focuses this part of the story on her relationship with God. The husband she now has, a pagan god (not her actual husband) is not real and Jesus insists that salvation is from the Jews. Jesus says that the woman has no real husband, “The one you have now is not your husband”, denouncing both the worship of false gods and the false worship of an entire nation. In fact, since she has no real husband she is available to be espoused to Jesus. She is a Samarian, an outcast who is lost and separated from true love and true worship. Jesus purposely comes to Jacob’s Well because he wants this nation back; and this is why he comes to us!

 

Remember that Jesus is the bridegroom and the woman goes beyond the boundaries of being a mother, teacher, laborer, missionary, and evangelist, in a dialog like that of a lover courting his beloved: An entire nation. The story may have nothing to do with her private life, but instead is a reflection on the covenant life of the community. Of course it can be interpreted on a literal level even if the symbolic interpretation trys to go deeper. The woman left her water jar, abandoning her daily concerns because of more important concerns. The evangelization of en entire nation was now in the hands of this woman, and this woman alone. It’s important to note that she is the first person and the only person presented in the public life of Jesus through which a whole group of people are brought to believe. In this story is a pattern of faith development that we all must progress through.

 

Don’t be confused by those who might claim that the townspeople were not converted by the woman. Some try to ignore her role claiming that the townspeople were converted by the words of Jesus himself, but this argument is ignorant of the way faith is developed. In the Gospel of John all people are brought to Jesus by someone and come to full faith by the Words of Jesus. All are bound to Him by his own words, but there is always someone in between; who brings them to Jesus. This is the same role given to the disciples on the night He died, to bring others to the Light of Christ.

 

This Gospel is attemping to bring a reader confronted by ancient divisions, corrupted by the worship by foreign tribes, and suffering from unhealed divisions, into a reality characterized by inclusiveness and integrated into a new convenient where no one is excluded and offered the Living Water of Jesus. Because it isn’t found in the original Greek manuscripts, some suggest that the story about the Woman at the Well may have been deliberately added to the Gospel to counter the Synoptic Gospel’s warning to the Disciples “not to enter Samaria". This would have been done to give legitimacy to the evangelization of all people which is so much a part of John’s Gospel.

 

The fact that Jesus was like us in all things, except sin, means that his understanding of his mission changed as He grew wiser. As he progressed in life He would also have grown in an understanding of who he was. The contrast between the woman, who was marginalized at best, and Nickodemus, a high ranking Pharisee, represent the wide spectrum of believers that we see today. John’s Gospel expresses the same thoughts as Saint Paul regarding faith and baptism, the fact that we are all are one in Christ Jesus.

Third Year Retreat

We began our half day Saturday retreat, titled The Door of Faith, with a half hour of social time talking with fellow students and eating bagels and muffins and drinking coffee: Thankfully they also had orange juice for me. This is the very first ILM Retreat for third year students. As usual I really didn't know what to expect for today, and as usual I really enjoyed what I heard.

Our opening prayer was, "Door of Love, assure me of your protective presence as I wonder about the landscape of my life. When I become lost, clear a path of hope. May every step of mine take me through the doorway of your love. Be my passageway today as I open the door of my heart, as I ask for Grace through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Although I didn't know it until the end of the session today’s reflections were taken from a book called Open the Door by Joyce Rupp, and our two guides started with a Bible reading; "Listen, I am standing at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come to you and eat with you, and you with me" (Revelation 3:20).

Swinging doors are a reminder for us that God is present on both sides waiting and ready to greet us and guide us in love. Revolving doors require knowledge about when to step in and when to step out. We must be aware that God's timing is not our timing. Glass doors are easy to see through, but it is a false sense of sight, because although we can see many things we can not see what God sees. Dutch doors are solid at the bottom and open at the top which reminds us that although we can see what is ahead there are always obstacles in our path. We can only do what God wants us to do.

Sliding doors must be pushed aside to see what is behind them. Some times the obstacles in our path must be moved to the side before we can see God's will for our lives. Screen doors remind us that while running forward in haste we must be mindful that it possible to crash into what we don't see. Bouncing off an unseen screen reminds us that we should slow down and take the time to see what's between us and our goals.

Each of these doors reflects the uniqueness of our relationship with God. There are many personal doors to our heart as well; doors that are closed, doors that are full of pain, doors that must be built, and doors that are locked. Most importantly, we can be doors for each other.

Doors of course are active devices, requiring hinges to operate properly. Hinges keep the door in place and some times we don't pay attention to them until they begin to squeak and need to be oiled. "So I say to you, ask and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you" (Luke 11:9-10).

Daily Prayer is taking the time to talk to God. Trust reinforces the confidence to always remember that God is there with you. Love must always be ample, being non-judgmental and giving the benefit of the doubt to others. Patience enables us to keep the door open, prepared for whatever God has planned for our lives. Forgiveness enables us to let the door swing freely. Surrender is for when your heart is not yielding, asking God for the help that we need. Faithfulness is to keep knocking even when we think God isn't there.

Which of these oils do we need to keep the doors of our hearts working normally? Our Gospel reading from Luke 4:14-21 includes, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord".

Today's Gospel reading is a job description for each of us. After reading from the scroll, Jesus rolled up the scroll and sat down, but he wants each of us to stand up. Our scroll is our Baptismal Certificate giving us the qualifications necessary to speak God's message. Discernment is messy and takes a long time, but in choosing a ministry there here are two basic conditions. 1) To be in touch with God with access to the Holy Spirit through prayer. 2) To be in touch with ourselves, not acting from emotion or following personal agendas, but faithful to what is needed to further the message of God's Love. Begin each day with the prayer, "Jesus, what do you want me to do for you today?"

Our most important gift in any ministry is our presence. It isn't what we do, but is instead what God says through us. We can't do it all, but that's OK because we aren't being asked to solve the problem, what is important is what He does with us while we're there; we're simply asked to be involved. People don't go to church because they're good; they go to church because God is good. You never know where or when your presence will enrich the lives of others.

"The door of faith is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into His church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the Word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through the door, is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime. It begins with Baptism, through which we address God the Father, and it ends with a passage through death to eternal life, fruit of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, whose will it was by the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believe in him into his glory. To profess faith in the Trinity is to believe in one God who is Love, who in fullness of time sent his Son for our salvation; Jesus Christ, who in the mystery of his death and resurrection redeemed the world; the Holy Spirit who leads the church across centuries as we await the Lord's return" (Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict XVI, The Year of Faith).

The mystery of faith is that it always meets you where you are, and it never leaves you where it found you. Today's reading reminds us to fan into flames the gifts that God has given to each of us. Which key will unlock your heart to the voices who call out to you?

Gospel of John - Class 3

Prior to class, I copied down the notes on the white board. 1) “Dear John, You're fired. Sincerely, Herb”, and 2) “Dear John, Things are tough. We can't afford you anymore. You're fired. I'm sorry. It's not my fault. It's just circumstances. Sincerely, Herb”. At first I didn’t think they had anything to do with the Gospel of John, but our instructor said she would explain it later.

She began tonight's lecture by reviewing the talk about the Wedding at Cana. The point of the story is not turning water into wine, but is to reveal Jesus’ identity as the son of God; taking up the position of the bridegroom to Israel. Although there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the story at Cana did or didn’t happen, and although some might argue that the Bible is (just) a book of stories, these stories were inspired by faith and faith is imparted by these stories.

After David captured the city of Jerusalem he took the Arc there and made it his capital. It’s interesting to note that before the temple, the Jews did not have a sense that God lived with them continually. The tent and the Arc were signs of God’s presence, but He was not necessarily confined to them. In time however, the Temple was understood to be the permanent place for God. It assured them that God was with them and that His actual presence was there continuously.

David knew that if you wanted God to dwell with you, you must be faithful to the covenant and seek good and not evil so that the “Lord your God will be with you”. Later with Jeremiah and the prophets God's presence in the Temple became a sign of judgment. Still later Ezekiel proclaimed that once Jerusalem returned to their God then He would return to the Temple.  This idea that God might depart and then return is found in the Gospel of John in the themes of darkness (separation from the Glory of God) and light (communion with the Glory of God).

The Temple was the center of political and social life, a place for proclaiming official news, a source of work, and a source of taxes. The Temple tax had to be paid in the local currency and animals had to be purchased for the sacrifice, so travelers coming from other lands needed the money changers to worship in the Temple. The money changers were not the problem: Jesus wasn’t trying to interfere with the worship of those from faraway places; Jesus was upset with the money changers who were cheating the poor and innocent for personal gain.

The Temple also gave those in power superiority over all other Jews, but Jesus was now proclaiming that He was the place where the people should meet God. Bringing down sacrifice and ending the sacrificial system was seen as an attack by those in power within the Temple system. Essentially the approach to sacrifice as a way to manipulate and placate God was now over. Jesus was saying “You no longer need this”, God is not a vending machine in which you put time or money or talents and out comes salvation or ever-lasting life.

Remember that in the story of the Wedding at Cana (the beginning of Jesus’ ministry) there are only 6 jars, which is an incomplete number, suggesting that the worship of the Jews is incomplete. Jesus himself is the seventh jar indicating that the worship of God is being perfected in Jesus. Jesus said “You destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days”. He was the new means of atonement, and there was no longer any requirement for sacrifices at the temple. These actions at the Temple set him in conflict with those who are in opposition to him. Keep in mind that John’s represents those in opposition to Jesus as the Jews, but this is only symbolic.

The foundational image of the temple was misunderstood by the Jews and disciples who are unable to move beyond the literal words of Jesus. They experienced a struggle for understanding, “How can you do this”, “It took 46 years to build the temple”, there was both acceptance and rejection. The disciples seem to have understood His meaning and therefore they represent the community that understood the Temple of His body to represent the believing community that comes later. “They came to believe the words that were spoken”.

First, the Temple was understood to be a building, and then in revealing the identity of Jesus as the bridegroom and the new temple, the Temple is understood to be the person of Jesus, and even later the Temple is understood to be the church, the community of believers. We are the new Temple, an Christological symbol of the community of believers. In Jesus’ teaching the destruction and rebuilding of the Temple points to what Jesus will accomplish in each of us, “Let your hearts not be troubled”. Prayer does not change God, prayer changes us. While Jesus is with us he provides living water and healing, and we should also be sources of comfort and healing.

Next our instructor asked us to discuss, amongst ourselves, the story of Nickodemus and to find examples of symbolism in the story. My little group of three found a few: Re-birth = heaven, wind = spirit, light = truth, darkness = evil, serpent mounted = healing, and Jesus glorified = eternal life. Talk about a proud little group of three. Other groups found: water = source of life, flesh = word becoming flesh, and a few others.

Someone in the class asked about the baptismal story and whether this is where the idea of being “born again” comes from. Most believe that being born again or being born of the Spirit is a conversion experience. Our baptism is in fact a rebirth in Jesus which is a rebirth in the Spirit, which is understood as dying to your-self and rising to eternal life. It might be seen as being “born again”, however the conversion which follows isn’t a one-time experience; it’s an ongoing process.

Nickodemus is an example of a crypto Christian (secret believer), a representative figure of the Jews. He was part of the ruling leadership who comes to Jesus at night; in spiritual sadness. We see that by coming at night he is spiritually in the dark and he hasn't quite seen the light, even though he says, “We know that you are a teacher from God”. Jesus is the light shining in the darkness, the light of the world and the One who gives sight. Nickodemus voices a resistance to this idea of new life because he is afraid. He is a realist who is a bit frustrated, “How is this possible”. He is asking the question that we must all ask of ourselves, “Will we allow our life to be transformed by the possibilities given to us by God”, or will we continue to define how we understand God?

Nickodemus lives in the heart of every crypto Christian, believing because of the signs; but because of his inadequate faith and literal interpretation he is unable to understand Jesus. Jesus is replacing what it means to be a Child of God and in this narrative about being born of water and spirit vs born from the womb the evangelist gives us one of the clearest images of the femininity of God. Water is used in baptism and cleansing, giving us life via re-birth. Some see this as a strong image of God as Mother, spiritual rebirth and spiritual transformation. The replacement theology of this text is that every person is a Child of God not because of birth but because of their baptism in water and spirit.

We moved on to the story of the Samaritan woman, and the instructors question was “What is the main point of the story”? Again my little group of three listed conversion through belief, the message about the importance of doing god's work, willingness to spread the word, and the Water of Life. We also noted that although the Samaritan woman misunderstood Jesus’ meaning, she came to him in daylight in contrast to Nickodemus. Other students noted the importance of equality. Jesus’ acceptance of sinners and outcasts representing acceptance of all people: Jesus' offer of life to all. This story also is a type of story following a Biblical pattern, where a meeting at a well of future spouses as playing a salvation role in history. Josephs well in this story represents Ancient Israel.

Recall that in the previous story Jesus offers Nickodemus new life which he resists, He offers it again and it is resisted, and then He has the last word. This same narrative technique is found in the story of the Samaritan woman, and it turns out that this technique is used a lot in the Gospel of John. Many of the stories in John follow a structure or narrative technique called chiasm.

Remember my notes before class? They are an example of this technique:

• A – Dear John, (opening)
•    B – Your fired. (statement)
• A' – Sincerely, Herb. (closing)

The second example would look like this:

• A – Dear John, (opening)
•    B – Things are tough. We can’t afford you anymore. (explanation)
•       C – Your fired. (statement)
•    B’ – I’m sorry. It’s not my fault. (regret)
• A' – Sincerely, Herb. (closing)

In the story about the Samarian woman, the technique looks like this:

• A – v4:1-14 – Conversation with the woman
•    B – v4:10-15 – Conversation about living water
•       C – v4:16-26 – Conversation about true worship
•    B' – v4:27-38 – Conversation about bread of life
• A' – v4:39-42 – Conversation with the town folk

In the story the woman came during the day, evidently trying to avoid others, and as in other stories light represents salvation and revelation while darkness represents rejection. In this story Jesus seeks out the Samarian woman (He really didn't need to pass through Samaria. Jesus had just come from the Temple, an area that represents leadership and high rank in Judaism. He has left an area of holiness to an area that is fallen away; separated from the covenant. He is a Jew, a man, and Holy while she is a Samarian, a woman, and sinful: He is purposely ignoring the rules of ritual purity. The woman is a seeker, questioning Jesus' willingness to talk to her.

She wants to know where true worship should take place, so we know that she is aware of the requirement of one place for worship. She was aware of the disagreement because she knows that the Temple in Jerusalem was not the original place of worship for the Jews. Notice that Jesus never says that it should be Jerusalem; instead He says that both places are superseded by a worship in Spirit. The woman begins as an outcast, who is known by Jesus who reveals her shame, yet during her conversation with Jesus she moves beyond her past. Jesus chose a rejected sinner and filled her with the good news about who she could be. Although her testimony could not be trusted (in legal matters) because she was a woman, she was believed by the others because she had been transformed. Her example of evangelization to others emphasizes the mission of the church to all people.

 

History Lesson

Did you know that in Washington, D.C. there is some kind of law preventing buildings taller than the Washington Monument? At the very top of the Washington Monument is an aluminum cap, and inscribed on one side of the four sided cap are the words: "Laus Deo". Obviously you can't see these words since they're small and on the outside, and in fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there. These words are facing skyward, 555 feet 5.125 inches high, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States of America.

 

Although these two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words are out of sight and out of mind, they've existed at the highest point of the city since 1888. Composed of four syllables of seven letters, Laus Deo is Latin for "Praise be to God". The Washington Monument in what some would argue is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world, is capped with a tribute to God, the Father of our nation. From the top of this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors take in the panoramic view of the city. From this vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant; a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east, and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

 

Yes, it's a cross; separation of church and state was not and is not in the Constitution. When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 one of the items deposited within it was a Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy; We are "One Nation, Under God", and sometimes it's difficult to remember that separation of church and state was not meant to remove religion from the everyday life of our country, or from the men and women we task with it's maintenance.

 

George Washington's prayer for America was "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Gospel of John - Class 2

One of the students began tonight’s class by reading the familiar prologue to John’s Gospel, which begins, “In the beginning was the Word …” (John 1:1-11). John definitely intended to show that Jesus was closely related to God and that his authority came from God. This idea also parallels the Book of Wisdom, where wisdom is personified as a woman in which God descends into the world and then returns to heaven: “Send her forth from your holy heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her that she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is your pleasure” (Wisdom 9:10).

 

Unlike the synoptic gospels John doesn’t start with Jesus’ childhood, but instead starts with the preexistence of Jesus. Another difference is that the Synoptic Gospels start with the humanness of Jesus and work up to his divineness, while John's Gospel starts with the divineness of Jesus and works down to his humanness.

 

The various themes are concerned with the origin and destiny of Jesus the Logos, “In the beginning was the Word”, which intentionally recalls the story of creation in Genesis. The Word is used as a metaphor to demonstrate Jesus' unique access to God. Jesus was both the reveler and the revelation of God, “and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ...” (John 1:1).

 

The various responses to Jesus are light (acceptance), “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become the Children of God”, and darkness (non-acceptance), “but the world did not know him” (John 1:10-12). John assures us that the darkness will never overcome the light.

 

John also describes the relation of Jesus to John the Baptist and to Moses. God’s story has moved from the eternal (heaven) to history (earth); it is no longer a cosmic story but has become a human story, which can be seen as the key to the Gospel of John. God chose to express himself to humans through another human being.

 

Although we see John’s testimony, “Behold the Lamb of God” as pointing to Jesus who sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins, that isn’t quite accurate. At that time the Jews would have sacrificed a grown sheep, or a goat, or a cow as an offering for sin. He is, instead, referring to the Passover Lamb which was not offered as a sacrifice for sin, but to commemorate their collective deliverance from Egypt.

 

John saw the Passover Lamb of God as a symbol for the deliverance from collective sin that was sacrificed for the salvation of the world, as opposed to the atonement of individuals. Although we would all agree that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was for us as individuals and for our sins, it was not as the Lamb of God. Notice that in the verse “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), the word sin is singular. It is intended to point to the one sin in the world: alienation from God.

 

A symbol makes something present that otherwise would not be present, or in other words it points to something and is that something. For instance the bread and wine points to Jesus and is (in fact) Jesus. A symbol must be tangible, in that we must be able to see it, hear it, or touch it, etc. and it must engage the person even when they don't want to be engaged. It also has a transforming affect changing the person who experiences it either in a positive or negative way, and it cannot be misinterpreted. A kiss with a loved one is intended to share intimacy, it isn’t confused with hate. The kiss of Judas on the other hand was the kiss of betrayal, and it can’t be manipulated to suggest love.

 

The Gospel of John contains seven signs; the Wedding at Cana, the cure of officials son, the cure of the paralytic at Bethesda, the story of the loaves and fishes, walking on the water, the man born blind, and the one that got Jesus into so much trouble, the raising of Lazarus. There are some interesting ideas for reflection in the story about the Wedding at Cana: such as the lack of wine, Mary’s suggestion that Jesus might be able to help, Jesus' response to Mary, and something referred to as replacement theology.

 

Our instructor asked each of us to consider what symbolism we can find in the story, and to discuss this in our small groups. Our group thought that the vast quantity of water turned into wine recalls prophecies of the abundance of God’s love. We also thought that the replacement of water might represent the revelation of Jesus. Of course we all agreed that Mary’s place at the wedding was important, and that she was instrumental in mediating the beginning of Jesus ministry.

 

The symbolism of the Bridegroom is very important in the Wedding at Cana. In Old Testament times Israel had broken their covenant with Yahweh, who was described as the bridegroom in Isaiah. Israel is described as the spouse and Baal is described as the spouse’s lover. Baal was a name for the various (false) gods, which was (is) actually anything that takes you away from the one (true) God.
 

Marriages were arranged by the family, although the heads of the house never negotiated directly. They each went through their respective deputies, and once an arrangement was agreed to the couple was considered to be officially engaged. In fact a formal betrothal was a binding agreement. Interestingly, if the negotiations failed the deputy could never marry the bride, which was a protection against false negotiations.

 

It’s easy to envision John the Baptist as the deputy who spoke for and revealed the identity of the bridegroom who was responsible for supplying the wine. In this story then, because Jesus supplied the wine He should be identified as the bridegroom. Jesus is taking the role that Israel has with Yahweh, and hopefully when the people see the signs, their response is to believe. In this verse “to believe” really means “to believe into” which is to “believe gradually”. The good wine is not the point of the narrative; the point is Jesus as the bridegroom because He will provide whatever we need in abundance.

 

Someone once said that “all stories are true and some of them actually happened”. In John’s Gospel every story is a vehicle of God’s message of salvation, because for the Johannine community scripture contained all the truth that is necessary for salvation. The evangelist was not responsible for whether the story was true, he was only responsible for the truth of the message of salvation.

 

One puzzling aspect of the story is in Jesus’ reply to his mother, “Woman ... my hour has not yet come ...” (John 2:4). John is highlighting their and uses this narrative strategy to focus the reader’s attention on Jesus’ final hour. He isn't going to do something because of his relationship with his mother, but instead is going to do something because of his relationship with his father. When Jesus looks down from the cross and says to His mother, “Woman behold your son”, and to the disciple “Behold your mother” (John 19:26-27) Mary becomes the mother of the church, and this is the moment when discipleship enters the world.

 

There is a parallel story in Luke where Jesus redefines the meaning of family when he says “who are my brothers and sister”, and another one comes when Jesus says “don't you know I must be about my Father’s business”. The real meaning of discipleship is in understanding who our brothers and sisters are.

 

The reason that Mary has such a crucial role in this story is because in the Johannine community women have equal and active roles. She is presented as a woman who is not passive, submissive, or docile, but instead deliberated with the messenger during her annunciation, and then went in hast (independently) to visit her cousin. She acts by telling the waiters to "do what they are told", taking charge of the situation and arranging things so that something good will take place.

 

John's community is moving away from their past traditions. They saw the stone water jars at the Wedding at Cana as representing a moving away from Jewish culture (Law). Notice that the story doesn't throw the jars away, but instead replaces the water used for ritual washing with the wine of the Eucharist. As John’s community finalized their break with Judaism they were re-engaging traditions in a new way, and re-interpreting old texts with new understanding.

Speak Up

Benjamin Stein is an American actor, writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He recently wrote and then recited on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, something he called "My confession". In it he mentioned that even though he is a Jew, as was every single one of his ancestors, it doesn't bother him "even a little bit" that some people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. He doesn't feel threatened, or discriminated against because to him that's what they are, Christmas trees. Neither does it bother him when people call out, "Merry Christmas". He doesn't think of it as a slight or worry that they are ready to put him in a ghetto. For him, it shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. The Manger Scene on display at a key intersection near his home is just as OK with him as was the Menorah a few hundred yards away. He doesn't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, of course, any more than Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. People don't like being pushed around, period.

 

In his confession he is asking, "Where did the concept that America is an explicitly atheist country came from"? He can't find it in the Constitution and he certainly doesn't like it being shoved down his throat. In fact, where did the idea that we can worship celebrities but we can't worship God come from? I suppose it's another sign of age, but there are a lot of people who wonder where these celebrities came from, and where the America we knew went to. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Later she said you better not read the Bible in school, and we said OK. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and thou shalt love your neighbor as yourself, but in 1995 Ms. O'Hare was kidnapped and murdered along with her son and granddaughter, by a former manager of her American Atheist organization. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities will be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. We said, "He’s an expert and should know what he's talking about", and so we said OK, but in 1983 Dr. Spock's grandson committed suicide.

 

In light of recent events, such as terrorist attacks and school shootings, we are asking ourselves why people don't seem to have a conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough we can figure it out, and while some might argue that we reap what we sow, I believe that there is evil in the world. Thomas Jefferson said, "A nation that expects to be ignorant and free is a nation that never was and never will be." Remember when I pointed out how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell: Or how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says? Remember too how we can sometimes be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us? We can't just sit back and complain about what terrible shape the world is in, because that is giving in to evil. We must speak up as witnesses of Jesus' Love for us and help others find God again ... before it is too late!

Gospel of John - Class 1

After introducing herself, our instructor told us about the upcoming Diocesan Mass for Victims at Our Lady of Refuge. We were invited to distribute brochures to anyone who has lost a loved one do to violence. She went on to express her hope is that we can internalize the Gospel of John, so that we can use it in our personal lives and ministries. She also addressed the course requirements which are attendance, class participation, and a 3 page double spaced reflection paper, submitted in hardcopy on the last day of class. Although she likes the assigned book, and certainly wants us to read it, she intends for us to read it at a later time. There will be no assignments or requirements from the book during the semester.

 

She had three general suggestions for the paper: 1) Discuss an insight that we gained from the class, either from reading the text or through discussion, and the significance this insight might have in our life and ministry. 2) Reflect on a major or minor character or a group in the text, and discuss how this person or group relates to our life. For instance, what surprised you or disturbed you about this character and how do you identify with this character. 3) Reflect on the passion of Jesus and interpret that passion according to the life of an imagined person by applying it to a real or imagined pastoral situation.

 

Our instructor began the lecture by pointing out that the miracles of Jesus were performed in the presence of the disciples but not in our presence. Then she asked us to discuss the question, “Do you think this puts us at a disadvantage”? She also asked, “What if this was the only book that we have to understand who Jesus was”. My small group decided that we aren’t at a disadvantage: The disciples are presented by the author as pretty much clueless during their time with Jesus. We decided that it was because the disciples didn’t have the Holy Spirit at the time they were living with Jesus. We, on the other hand, have the advantage of being blessed with the Holy Spirit as a result of our baptism.

 

The writer acknowledges other miracles and exorcisms of Jesus which tells us that this evangelist had an approach to Jesus that is unique. He writes “Now Jesus did many other signs" suggesting that he believes these other signs are not crucial. He goes on to say, "But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” (John 20:30-31). In other words, what the author has written in this Gospel is sufficient and all that is necessary. He locates the encounter with Jesus not in the experience of Jesus' life, but through the revelation within the text that is available to all of us. Every time we read and re-read the text we should get something else from it because (hopefully) we've been changed by the previous reading.

 

By the time the Gospel was written, the early Christian church was a faith community separate from the Jews, and they believed that Jesus was the personal embodiment of God in the world. Coming to "know who Jesus is" is the essence of the Gospel of John, unlike in Matthew who stressed following the teaching of Jesus and observance of the law, or Mark who stresses suffering as the essence of his Gospel. For the Johannine community, theological concern was more important than their identity in relation to Judaism. They believed that individual readers may have life in Jesus name by applying the same things that Jesus was heard to ask of God, "That they may be one as we are one". The community was made up of Galileans, a large contingent of Sumerians, gentiles, and of course Jews of the diaspora that almost never went to Jerusalem for feasts.

 

The group was threatened by disunity by those who didn't want their community to include "others", such as Jewish believers of Jesus that didn't want to completely break away from the synagogue, or persons who they considered to have inadequate faith, or the Samaritans that were considered to be failed Jews, and the “other sheep” which is what they called those who followed the twelve apostles. Because they struggled to stay faithful to their original makeup, they faced dissension from within and persecution from without.

 

Today we might better understand this community as a cult or sect within the overall Christian movement. Like modern day cults, they isolated themselves by withdrawing from outside influences, which made them stronger as a community but isolated the development of their theology. As modern day sects, it allowed each member to have a stake in the community which in turn allowed each member to make a total commitment to the group. This Gospel presents an interesting look at one (of the many) variations in the early church.

 

As a result of their independence this community saw things differently and found no need for the primacy of Peter. They considered all characters in the gospel to be disciples, not just the twelve. Nevertheless they didn’t deny the primacy of Peter or the hierarchy of the church, and they didn’t resist the church as it was developing under the twelve apostles or deny the orthodoxy of the universal church. The Gospel, however, never stresses the leadership of the twelve apostles.

 

The Gospel of John omits the beatitudes, many of the miracles, the infancy narratives, the baptism of Jesus, the temptations in the desert, the parables, the institution narrative in The Last Supper, and the agony of the garden. The author uses long discourses that represent us, such as the stories of Nickodemus and the Samaritan woman.

 

What it presents is the knowledge of Christianity as it was given and written for believers. The challenge is the belief in one God. The author’s purpose was to deepen the faith of believers, finalize the break with the synagogue, and to reveal who Jesus is. The focus was to introduce Jesus as both the revealer and the revelation. The book should be read as a text about Jesus, as a text about the early church, and as a text about the community in and for which this gospel was written.

 

The distinct universalism found in John’s Gospel is for the whole world, because the Good News was given to all: Women, Sumerians, and Gentiles alike. According to them Peter was told to feed the lambs but was not meant to be the universal shepherd. Office and titles were not significant since all disciples were equal. They were concerned with their own community, life in abundance, and the idea that all received the spirit from Jesus.

 

The exercise of leadership and power, or alternatively service and love, was represented by the washing of feet and dying on the cross. Because the risen Christ appeared to all of the disciples, not just the apostles, John’s community believed that we are all given the power to receive sin.

 

There is no moral instruction in this Gospel other than the single commandment “to love one another”. Although the Jews are representative of all those who hated Jesus it was not actually only the Jews. This group is symbolic of all those who refused to believe in Jesus, and it isn’t intended to demonize a specific group of Jews or Jews as a whole, but is meant to represent an attitude of refusing to believe in Jesus.

 

John’s Gospel stresses a reflection on revelation, by emphasizing what has been revealed by Jesus. John is constantly giving us the revelation of Jesus, in the Words that are spoken and the Words that are shared. He wants us to understand that God wants us to speak back those words. If the theology of Jesus is the relationship of God in the world, "I am in God and God is in me", then the spirituality of Jesus is the application of God in the world, "God is Love". Spirituality is a personal commitment by each of us to the One who is giving us the Word.

But I Really Want It

Being discontented means to be not pleased or satisfied, and although "but I really want it" won't be found in Wikipedia or a medical journal, it might be described as a real disease. The symptoms are the restless desire for something more, something better, something satisfying. No one is immune to But I Really Want It disease, and we humans struggle with it from the day we're born. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed that darned snake, and my grandkids blame their cousins. Imagine how much we liked our roller-skates, until we saw the next door neighbor scooting around on those shinny new rollerblades. Everything changed in 30 seconds and suddenly our roller-skates were old and embarrassing. There it was, But I Really Want It disease swept over us and that craving for something more or something better struck us like a ton of bricks.

 

In Ecclesiastes, the book that might be subtitled "Solomon's Search for Satisfaction", Solomon contracted a serious case of But I Really Want It disease. Although what he had was a lot, what he had wasn't enough. One more wife turned out to be a hundred wives, more horses, more gold, and more slaves. The list of what he wanted went on and on until finally he concluded that "All mans efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied" (Ecclesiastes 6:7). It's important to recognize that, like Solomon, no matter how much we have, buy, build, eat, or accumulate, it won't be enough. Millions of people around the world, and especially in America, are drowning in debt because they haven't found satisfaction. Unable to curb their desire for whatever is newest or coolest, they're constantly spending, wanting just one more thing, and ending up full of worry, plagued by unpaid bills, and hounded by overdraft fees and interest.

 

As we think about our New Years resolutions, we should remember Saint Paul who discovered the secret to satisfaction, which is why even from prison he could write, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I find myself" (Philippians 4:11). He was imprisoned, yet he was free from the need for something more or something better, because that need was already being met by the Lord. Our constant desire for more and better is our humanness trying to satisfy what only God can satisfy. Consider that the next time you find yourself really wanting something. Instead of running to the store, focus on the things you already have in your life, and run to the Lord to fulfill that longing. When you stay connected to God, you'll find you don't need anything more than what you already have: Even if what you have is very little.