Question #40

First, my response to question #39:
I hope for wisdom for our leaders that we may know not only peace, but real justice.
I hope for the renewal of spirit for my congregation that we may bloom, bursting forth in glory to God for all to see.

I hope for the strength to speak and act to do my part to make the world a better place.

Now for today's question:

Question #40
Finally, the day (and the last question) have arrived...almost. The tomb was found to be empty because the stone was rolled away. What has been rolled away for you this Lent?

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Question #39

First, my response to question #38:
I know that my sinfulness is not unique. I'm not suggesting that because I'm sinful just like everyone else that I have an excuse. No, the similarity means that the people who actually participated in crucifying Jesus were no different than I. I would have been party to it as well. So in a real sense, every sin of mine today drives another nail into Jesus' flesh. This is particulary true when I participate in "corporate sin" (primarily through my silence) such as racism, sexism, materialism, etc.

Now for today's question:

Question #39
The time from Jesus' death to the resurrection is only about 40 hours, but just like a difficult week at work it can seem like a very long time. What are the hopes that you longingly wait for in this time in between?


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Question #38

First, my response to question #37:
When I was a young man, I made an intentional decision to deny the existence of God. It was meant to be a test to determine if God were real. Well, the test only lasted about a week as I was haunted by a gnawing feeling in my gut that wouldn't go away. That experience settled for me the truth of God's existence. It was not something that is transferable, nor would I wish on anyone the pain I felt. I would not encourage denial for anyone, but this particular experience left me with an incredible present.

Now for today's question:

Question #38
For Good Friday it is always important to consider what it means that Jesus died for your sins. What does that mean to you on this sacred day?

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Question #37

First, my response to question #36:
It is easy to desert someone in pain. Even when the pain is not ours, we tend to avoid it. When someone is suffering greatly, somehow I have the courage to be with them. Ironically, it is when someone is lonely that I tend to want to avoid contact. Actually, I have found that while I sometimes don't feel like making that visit, once I'm there I find it very rewarding. I doubt that any of us want to take the final part of Jesus' journey with him, but I think that if we find the courage to do so we will be amazed at what we find.

Now for today's question:

Question #37
Peter not only deserted Jesus, he also denied even knowing him three times. How has denial impacted your life?


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Question #36

First, my response to question #35:
I haven't researched the Gospel of Judas, but from what I have heard it seems to hinge on an almost denial of the flesh, i.e. Jesus desiring to be free from his body to return in spirit to God. From that perspective, we might let Judas off the hook, but I am uncomfortable with the prospect of Jesus disdaining his humanity. In a way, this feels like a betrayal since the heart of the Christian message is that God came and experienced what we experience, even to the point of suffering a horrific death. The humanity of Jesus is so central to my beliefs that I think the primary way I could betray him is to argue that I cannot be expected to be like him since he was more than human. And, in fact, I do betray him every time I fail to do what he would do were he living my life.

Now for today's question:

Question #36
Nearly all the followers of Jesus desert him after his arrest. We don't hear any voices calling for his release from Pilate and only John, Mary and Mary Magdalene are mentioned as being at the cross. How has desertion been a part of your life?


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Question #35

First, my response to question #34:
I've never really had a time in my life when I didn't know God. That's not to say that I've always had the same understanding of who God is, or that I've always listened. It is a daily struggle to make sure that the direction in which I am heading is the one God wants for me. As I've grown spiritually, the sense of God's closeness has deepened. While that means that I find more ready access to God, it also means that I have had to be more careful to discern when my own thoughts are masquerading as the voice of God. Even though God dwells with (in) us, ultimately, the reference point is outside and beyond any of us.

Now for today's question:

Question #35
The Passion story begins with betrayal. Regardless of the perspective provided by the newly translated Gospel of Judas, what place has betrayal had in your life?

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Holy Week

We've reached the end of our journey through Judges. Even though I was eager to go on this journey, even I must say that I'm glad that it's over. The horror of the stories at the end of the book leave us with a tremedous tension that needs resolution.

Unfortunately, we not only must wait for that resolution, the week that lies ahead is a painful journey through betrayal, denial, desertion and death. It is a bleak but necessary journey that I hope you will take with intention, contemplation and prayer.

Question #34

First, my response to question #33:
What is so wrong with saying, "I wasn't thinking when I said that, I'm sorry"? Admitting that we were wrong can be so very hard, but look at what dire consequences can result from that kind of stubbornness. I wish I could say that I was good at admitting my mistakes, but I'm not. Politicians have made an art form out of well-crafted explanations of past mistakes that never seem to actually admit the mistake. Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear genuine apologies in public life?

Now for today's question:

Question #34
The last word in the book of Judges is that everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes because there was no king. The direct interpretation is that lawlessness abounded due to the lack of a monarch, but it seems that the bigger spiritual problem is doing what is right in your own eyes, i.e. having no reference beyond yourself. Reflect on the times that this has been true for you.

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Question #33

First, my response to question #32:
The element of sibling conflicts and civil strife that is too often (and too easily) overlooked is the fact that the opponent is very similar to ourselves. We can see the small differences as so great as to lead to violence while totally overlooking the overwhelming amount of similarities. Perhaps there is a basis in low self-esteem in this sort of conflict. It certainly makes me wonder out loud if that is the cause of so much strife in the church (and in our churches) today. Could it be that our lack of confidence in our own positions cause us to lash out at others who differ? Perhaps the explanation is that we believe that the best defense is a good offense. So the road to peace may require us to live with the unsettling truth that our own positions may not be superior, they simply work for us for the time being. Perhaps humility and self-confidence go hand-in-hand.

Now for today's question:

Question #33
Yet another story of a bad vow...the other tribes swear not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjaminites, so they get around their own words by allowing them to take their daughters! Isn't there another way to deal with keeping your word than something like this? What would you have done? Can you name something similar from your own life?

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Question #32

First, my response to question #31:
I think hospitality is one of the most ignored practice among Christians. I'm not saying that Christians are inhospitable; rather, I'm suggesting that hospitality is rarely seen as being among spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, and Bible study. Yes, I think it is on that level of importance. Hospitality is not just being congenial to guests, it is truly caring for those whom you don't know. It means taking in the stranger, not simply wishing him or her well. This was what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 25 when he told the story of people asking him, "when did we see you, lord?"

Now for today's question:

Question #32
There is no fighting quite like that between siblings. The civil war among the tribes in Judges is seen again and again in civil wars today. Why is it so hard for us to get along with those most like ourselves? And what can we do to bring peace?

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Question #31

First, my response to question #30:
I agree with the commenter that violence is a human creation. Thank you for reminding us that this story is not meant to be seen as exemplary, but instead shows the human capacity for inhumanity. It is a frightening tale about very wrong priorities and selfishness. The first step to ending this sort of violence is to acknowledge that the world does not revolve around any of us. Our faith teaches us to regard the other in high esteem. If we were willing to show the greatest love, we would lay down our lives for each other: the complete antithesis of the taking of life demonstrated in this story.

Now for today's question:

Question #31
The men of Gibeah, like those of Sodom, seek to rape the visitors in their town. We can miss the point of the story by focusing on the homosexual element. The true point is that this is a most heinous violation of the demands of hospitality. We may think this sounds like a small thing, but taking care of the stranger is emphasized on nearly every page of the Hebrew Bible. So just how important is hospitality today?


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Question #30

First, my response to question #29:
We don't know what it is to be persecuted for our faith, so it is hard to say how much it would take for any of us to deny our faith (and we are certainly grateful not to be tested). As we approach Holy Week, we can't help but think about how all the disciples deserted Jesus. Peter denied him and Judas betrayed him. These were his closest followers, how much better do you think any of us would do? I think we are enticed all the time to compromise on the high demands of our faith to unselfishly serve God by serving others. I'm afraid that if the price were right I could sell out, I pray not to be tested.

Now for today's question:

Question #30
The Levite's concubine is a helpless victim from the start. She can't find refuge in her father's house and then after a brutal gang rape she is killed by her lover. This is a story that reads like a tabloid headline. What is the answer to this level of violence?

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Question #29

First, my response to question #28:
After 9/11 when people were questioning how any religion could teach that a person should kill himself to destroy the enemy I couldn't help but think about Samson and the Temple of Dagon. Clearly, even though Samson is the putative "hero," the story is still a cautionary tale. What he did may have been effective, but there is so very much about Samson's life that leads us to understand that he is not a role model. He was a wild man, human enough to know what love is, but too wild to ever truly experience it. We read the stories, and at the end of his pathetic life we are left with a nagging feeling that we need to choose another way: the way of love.

Now for today's question:

Question #29
The Levite "sold out." How easy is it to compromise one's beliefs? How much does it take?

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The Mercenary Levite

The end of the book of Judges is simply horrific. After Samson's death there are no more judges. The story picks up with Micah getting the same amount of money from his mother as Delilah got for betraying Samson, leading to the logical conclusion that Micah is her son. He hires a Levite to be his personal priest, creating his own god. This Mercenary Levite has a concubine who leaves him and goes home to her father. The Levite goes there and talks to the father to try to entice her to come back. Aside from the blatant patriarchy of the scene, it seems obvious to me that reading between the lines that the reason for her leaving was to get out of an abusive relationship.

The Levite certainly gives reason for us to loathe him. He chooses to travel too late in the day and finds himself and his traveling party stranded in the town square. When they are taken in, the men of the town come to the door seeking to rape them. They are given the homeowner's daughter and the Levite's concubine. In a most pathetic scene, the Levite opens the door in the morning to find his concubine on the doorstep, seeking, but not quite finding refuge. He tells her to get up, which she is unable to do. It is unclear if she is even alive, but that becomes a moot point as the Levite takes her home only to butcher her and sends a body part to each of the tribes of Israel in an effort to get them to gather in war against one of their own tribes.

The warring is very effective and the annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin is almost complete. In the end, the surviving men seek wives from the other tribes, but they are refused because of a vow the other tribes had made. But then in legal maneuver worthy of the worst of politicians, the other tribes point out that they promised not to give their daughters to the Benjaminites, but they never said that they couldn't take them! So the final scene of the book is the abduction of virgins by the Benjaminites.

The closing words on the whole saga of the period of the judges is that everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes because there was no king.

Question #28

First, my response to question #27:
Another question that is uncomfortable to answer. I'll take the path of the general answer and simply say that nagging is effective with me. The observation I would add is that it something that is most effective by those closest to me, i.e. my family. I'm guessing that that is true for most of us. So it is interesting to note how powerful love is. It can be used as a tool, or even a weapon.

Now for today's question:

Question #28
Samson pulled down the Temple of Dagon in revenge for being blinded by the Phillistines, killing 3000 of them along with himself. So how do you come to terms with a prime example of suicide terrorism in our holy scripture?


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