You ,,, held up / grounded my pastor’s sermon today, on a very crazy day for her to preach just back from vacation. I love how you channel inSPIRITation right into our sermons on these wild days. 💜 I was praying for her the second I read this last night and Boom there it was this morning in my hearing.
Your contrast of two kingdoms is crystal clear - haves and have nots - Rule of God and the Rule of Ceasar. Unfortunately, the argument/claim to be a member of the "haves" has become more persuasive and gain more ground. Who would not want to have shelter, maybe even two, food , free to move around, have a network of influential friends with power and authority over others, medical care, pension and benefits, treat yourself and friends to dinner once in a while, etc. The "have-nots" live in section 8 housing, if they are lucky given the shortage of affordable housing and steep rentals. Sleeping in cars is an option, again, if you have the money to afford a car. No longer can you stay overnight at public parks otherwise youll be arrested and put in jail, which might be better because you have shelter, showers and free meals. If being a "have" affords me all kinds of comforts, why would I not want to join Herod's court and enjoy the party -the abundance and entertainment? Who would no want to RSVP to Herod"s shindig of the whose who's get together? The invitation has been made. "Where would you rather be?" With Jesus's "have-nots" or Herod's party of retribution? "Follow me" says Herod. "I'll feed you well. Dance for me." This reminds me of Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (mammon). "You choose ." Peace.
Scripture is often -- if not always -- on point, if pastors and preachers would just be willing to get out from under traditional interpretations and apply the metaphor to today. Thank you for illustrating how to do precisely that.
Choose to be with “Herod” or against “Herod?” Dance to exclusion, isolation, nationalism and individualism or dance to elitism, empiricism, arrogance, and interventionism?? Oh the songs we choose! I grieve for the lost Jesus and the false dichotomies we choose to dance to.
Watching the clip of Donald Trump in Butler, PA over and over last night it looked to me like if he hadn't turn his head to the right at that moment, the bullet would have killed him instead of nicking his ear. As much as I loath his politics and his plans for his possible future presidency, I finally cried for this troublesome human as I watched him raise his fist in defiance. I was glad of it.
I just saw "The Philadelphia Eleven" yesterday at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Sacramento; it is a moving account of just what it takes to make big social and cultural changes like the ordination of women.
Any documentation that her name was "Salome"? Would also appreciate a clarification of John's words understood as a "being in bed with" the Romans. Mark's is a stark political contrast, but it is more subtle than that. Compare Jesus' march to Golgotha and the emperor's triumphal march in Rome. Whatever. Of more importance to me is the compromise most of us, Christian or not, make with the two choices you (or the Gospel of Mark) raise. What?! Surely we don't have to choose between those two extremes! Or do we? And do we? On the other hand, there is plenty in the NT which does not pin us down to those choices once the Christian movement gains traction. Perhaps we slip into being disingenuous when we take texts on a ride with our own rhetoric. It would be radical just to enact the practices of those early Christian communities, which are definite alternatives to the way most of ours, today, live. And those who put these examples before our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ are definitely sticking our necks out. That's more in line with how I take Diana's messages.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I particularly appreciated the prayer you included. It’s helped me to put things in a better perspective. Even if you strongly dislike this man and what he stands for, violence is never the answer.
Diana, deep gratitude for your spiritual openness to sharing the braid of Christian history, the events of this age, and difficulties of holding hope. Your sharing, the Convocation site and the periods of silence I find so necessary help balance my personal perspective.
I wrote this before Butler PA. Perhaps DJT’s brush with death will change him. I hope so because otherwise his goals as reflected in Project 25 are harmful: “file:///private/var/mobile/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~Pages/Documents/Plunder%20Blunder.pages
You ,,, held up / grounded my pastor’s sermon today, on a very crazy day for her to preach just back from vacation. I love how you channel inSPIRITation right into our sermons on these wild days. 💜 I was praying for her the second I read this last night and Boom there it was this morning in my hearing.
Thank you my dear!!
Excellent!! Especially the prayer. One nit: Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, not the grandson.
fixed! don't know how I messed that up! thx
fixed
Your contrast of two kingdoms is crystal clear - haves and have nots - Rule of God and the Rule of Ceasar. Unfortunately, the argument/claim to be a member of the "haves" has become more persuasive and gain more ground. Who would not want to have shelter, maybe even two, food , free to move around, have a network of influential friends with power and authority over others, medical care, pension and benefits, treat yourself and friends to dinner once in a while, etc. The "have-nots" live in section 8 housing, if they are lucky given the shortage of affordable housing and steep rentals. Sleeping in cars is an option, again, if you have the money to afford a car. No longer can you stay overnight at public parks otherwise youll be arrested and put in jail, which might be better because you have shelter, showers and free meals. If being a "have" affords me all kinds of comforts, why would I not want to join Herod's court and enjoy the party -the abundance and entertainment? Who would no want to RSVP to Herod"s shindig of the whose who's get together? The invitation has been made. "Where would you rather be?" With Jesus's "have-nots" or Herod's party of retribution? "Follow me" says Herod. "I'll feed you well. Dance for me." This reminds me of Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (mammon). "You choose ." Peace.
Thank you, Diana, for this message! It is very timely and apropos to today’s climate of division!
Scripture is often -- if not always -- on point, if pastors and preachers would just be willing to get out from under traditional interpretations and apply the metaphor to today. Thank you for illustrating how to do precisely that.
Choose to be with “Herod” or against “Herod?” Dance to exclusion, isolation, nationalism and individualism or dance to elitism, empiricism, arrogance, and interventionism?? Oh the songs we choose! I grieve for the lost Jesus and the false dichotomies we choose to dance to.
Ah, the choice is Herod's party or Jesus's.
The birthday supper or the last supper.
I have no idea where you got this other choice. It isn't in my reflection.
Perhaps mistakenly I thought you implied Herod’s party was Trump’s party excluding the Left as another of Herod’s parties.
Thank you for your Niebuhr piece so well done. You describe my Methodist heritage perfectly.
Watching the clip of Donald Trump in Butler, PA over and over last night it looked to me like if he hadn't turn his head to the right at that moment, the bullet would have killed him instead of nicking his ear. As much as I loath his politics and his plans for his possible future presidency, I finally cried for this troublesome human as I watched him raise his fist in defiance. I was glad of it.
I just saw "The Philadelphia Eleven" yesterday at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Sacramento; it is a moving account of just what it takes to make big social and cultural changes like the ordination of women.
I highly recommend this movie.
Any documentation that her name was "Salome"? Would also appreciate a clarification of John's words understood as a "being in bed with" the Romans. Mark's is a stark political contrast, but it is more subtle than that. Compare Jesus' march to Golgotha and the emperor's triumphal march in Rome. Whatever. Of more importance to me is the compromise most of us, Christian or not, make with the two choices you (or the Gospel of Mark) raise. What?! Surely we don't have to choose between those two extremes! Or do we? And do we? On the other hand, there is plenty in the NT which does not pin us down to those choices once the Christian movement gains traction. Perhaps we slip into being disingenuous when we take texts on a ride with our own rhetoric. It would be radical just to enact the practices of those early Christian communities, which are definite alternatives to the way most of ours, today, live. And those who put these examples before our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ are definitely sticking our necks out. That's more in line with how I take Diana's messages.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I particularly appreciated the prayer you included. It’s helped me to put things in a better perspective. Even if you strongly dislike this man and what he stands for, violence is never the answer.
Diana, deep gratitude for your spiritual openness to sharing the braid of Christian history, the events of this age, and difficulties of holding hope. Your sharing, the Convocation site and the periods of silence I find so necessary help balance my personal perspective.
I wrote this before Butler PA. Perhaps DJT’s brush with death will change him. I hope so because otherwise his goals as reflected in Project 25 are harmful: “file:///private/var/mobile/Library/Mobile%20Documents/com~apple~Pages/Documents/Plunder%20Blunder.pages
Thank you, Diana. We certainly need that prayer.
Thank you ...
Thank you for the update on today’s musings. The comparison to today’s world is uncanny! Praying for peace and understanding. 🙏❤️
Interesting. Depressing