Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 2, 2023
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Christ-like-ness
She said to her husband, “I know Elisha is a holy man of God, and he visits us often. Let us arrange a little room on our roof and furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair and lamp, so that he can stay there when he comes to us.” And they did just that.
On the coffee table in Ken and Tricia’s living room is a strong statement about the power of Christ-ian transformation:
What do you do when the bible contradicts itself? Or does it?
“Patriarchy is biblical. Counter-cultural elevation of women is biblical. But only one is Christlike.”
So how then should we live? In a Christlike way. Following Christ, lifting our values and actions to be like his. But then he throws a wrench:
Whoever loves father, mother, son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus knows Elisha’s story from 2 Kings. He surely was touched by the rich woman’s love of Elisha. Would she have loved him like that if she had a son? Elisha took a chance.
Elisha promised, “This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.”
Jesus took chances too. He knew his followers had to choose between discipleship and family ties. He had to make a choice himself. In the Moonies, we were asked to make that choice. Novice nuns and brothers must make that choice in their monasteries.
But when it came to women, Jesus always lifted them up and out of their ancient cultural debasement. I think of when a friend talked about an argument she had with her husband, as as she and her husband sat in my office together.
“He was getting angry, stooping to the low level of hollering that was being hurled against him on the phone. I yelled at him, “Don’t yell! Don’t curse! Don’t stoop to his level!”
He yelled back at her, “Don’t tell me what to do!”
After a short timeout she came back and apologized. But even as she walked away she was already thinking, “Why am I apologizing? What am I apologizing for? Women apologize for the air they breathe. Ugh! I’ve been apologizing all my life!”
In the relative quiet of my office, her husband looked over, touched her, said, “I’m sorry for how I reacted to you reacting to me.” He meant it. It was hard for her to receive it, because she’s used to being a woman, feeling mostly wrong about everything. Her husband doesn’t see it that way, but like so many women she has an old script a mile long.
They talked about how to do it different the next time. I bet they will. And I bet she will move another step into being a “counter-cultural elevated woman,” appreciated by Christ rather than depreciated by the world around her.
And her husband will stand up and love that about her.
You are the splendor of their strength, and by your favor our horn is exalted. For to the Lord belongs our shield, and to the Holy One of Israel, our king. Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
(2 Kings 4, Psalm 89, Romans 6, 1 Peter 2, Matthew 10)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
#
