From: your-daily-tripod+noreply@googlegroups.com
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:44:12 +0000
Subject: [Your Daily Tripod] Digest for
your-daily-tripod@googlegroups.com - 1 Message in 1 Topic
To: Digest Recipients <your-daily-tripod+digest@googlegroups.com>
=============================================================================
Today's Topic Summary
=============================================================================
Group: your-daily-tripod@googlegroups.com
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/your-daily-tripod/topics
- For Me and For You (August 9) [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/your-daily-tripod/t/a8e72fe1fe606808
=============================================================================
Topic: For Me and For You (August 9)
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/your-daily-tripod/t/a8e72fe1fe606808
=============================================================================
---------- 1 of 1 ----------
From: "dxfaro@cox.net" <dxfaro@cox.net>
Date: Aug 08 06:49PM -0700
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/your-daily-tripod/msg/99815d4ccba0b3c7
Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Above the firmament over their heads something like a throne could be
seen, looking like sapphire. Upon it was seated, up above, one who had
the appearance of a man. Upward from what resembled his waist I saw
what gleamed like electrum; downward from what resembled his waist I
saw what looked like fire; he was surrounded with splendor. Like the
bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day was the splendor that
surrounded him. Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of
the LORD. Ezekiel 1:25-28c
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked
him, "What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth
take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?"
When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the subjects
are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a
hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you
will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me
and for you." Matthew 17:25b-27
Piety
Praise the LORD from the heavens; give praise in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels; give praise, all you hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon; give praise, all shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens, you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name; for the LORD commanded and they
were created,
Assigned them duties forever, gave them tasks that will never change.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deep waters;
You lightning and hail, snow and clouds, storm winds that fulfill his
command;
You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
You animals wild and tame, you creatures that crawl and fly;
You kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all who govern on
earth;
Young men and women too, old and young alike.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name, for his name alone is exalted,
majestic above earth and heaven. Psalm 148:1-13
Study
There is a lot going on in today's readings about heaven and earth
being filled with the glory of God.
First, Ezekiel has a vision of God taking on human form. This is a
radical departure from the popular concept of the Lord handed down
since Moses. In this tradition, not only could the name of God not be
uttered, no mere human could even look upon the the face of God. "I
will make all my beauty pass before you, and in your presence I will
pronounce my name, 'LORD'; I who show favors to whom I will, I who
grant mercy to whom I will. But my face you cannot see, for no man
sees me and still lives." (Exodus 33:19-20)
Second, after becoming man, Jesus predicts his execution as he begins
to prepare his disciples for a future without his physical presence.
However, because they are filled with the joy of life with Jesus, they
can not fathom life without Jesus, and especially not life without him
if he is handed over to the authorities and killed.
Third, we have a discourse about the relationship between civil
authorities and the Lord over the temple tax. The notes to the New
American Bible for this passage point out that "before the destruction
of the Jerusalem temple in A.D. 70 every male Jew above nineteen years
of age was obliged to make an annual contribution to its upkeep. After
the destruction the Romans imposed upon Jews the obligation of paying
that tax for the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. There is disagreement
about which period the story deals with."
Thanks to a miraculous intervention, Jesus can sidestep the query
about the temple tax so it does not become a distraction on the road
to Calvary. This miracle resolves the temple tax question for Peter
with the coin found in the mouth of a fish.
Now the fourth topic in today's readings is that Peter also has to
consider the question of whether followers of Jesus are citizens
subject to local laws governing foreigners. On this point, Jesus
teaches that they are not subject to the same laws that apply to
foreigners. The notes to the NAB also are helpful for today's reader.
"Just as subjects are not bound by laws applying to foreigners,
neither are Jesus and his disciples, who belong to the kingdom of
heaven, bound by the duty of paying the temple tax imposed on those
who are not of the kingdom. If the Greek is translated "sons," the
freedom of Jesus, the Son of God, and of his disciples, children
("sons") of the kingdom is even more clear."
However, Jesus wants to avoid offending them with such a teaching so
the miraculous intervention sidesteps the temple tax question.
Instead, we can be left with the facts of Psalm 148, a psalm repeated
in the daily cadence of morning prayers in temples, monasteries,
churches, homes and hearts. All creatures great and small in the
heavens and on the earth are to give praise to God's holy presence.
You kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all who govern on
earth;
Young men and women too, old and young alike.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name, for his name alone is exalted,
majestic above earth and heaven. Psalm 148:11-13
Action
The real issue in today's Gospel is the prediction of Jesus' death on
the cross. A lot of other things are going on that might distract
Peter and the rest from this truth.
There are many potential obstacles that could come up in the way
toward fulfilling that prophecy. Jesus, however, does not want these
to deter his followers from the bigger picture.
For me and for you, our minds, mouths and hearts must be filled with
the praise of God. What issues sidetrack us from life in friendship
with Jesus? How can we resolve these so we can begin/continue on our
journey with Jesus?
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Your Daily Tripod" group.
To post to this group, send email to your-daily-tripod@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
your-daily-tripod+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/your-daily-tripod?hl=en.
No comments:
Post a Comment