I don't know why it seems to have just come into my awareness in the last month or so, given that it was issued in August, but the Vatican has issued a directive prohibiting the use of the name of God in the Liturgy. This doesn't change anything in the official prayers or texts, because the tetragrammaton, as it is known, has never been used in them. The words of Jesus, on the other hand, are a different matter.
He did it again in today's gospel passage. And in the TEMPLE no less.
"Before Abraham came to be, I AM," he says, puncturing orthodox Jewish silence on an afterlife, claiming preexistence for himself, and blaspheming by pronouncing the name of God (I AM) all in one sentence. And then while the crowd is busy trying to find the biggest, nicest stones to crush him with, he slips away.
As we enter the celebration of Holy Week (and our Jewish brothers and sisters enter the celebration of Pesach) It's not a bad idea to spend some time remembering the deep Jewish roots of our faith, and the respect that we should have for them. Having been working at the Interfaith Center for more years than I care to count, I long ago got out of the habit (common among some Christians) of using YHWH in prayer or conversation. But it's also great to know (as we learned at the model Seder on Monday) that the cup of wine drunk "when supper was ended" is known as the "cup of redemption."
These are also days when we have a tendency to ponder what it might have been like to have "been there." Personally I get uncomfortable with that one. As somebody who's chosen a life that is in large part about preserving religious tradition, I can too easily imagine who's side I would probably have been on. At least I wouldn't have needed a fake beard.
He did it again in today's gospel passage. And in the TEMPLE no less.
"Before Abraham came to be, I AM," he says, puncturing orthodox Jewish silence on an afterlife, claiming preexistence for himself, and blaspheming by pronouncing the name of God (I AM) all in one sentence. And then while the crowd is busy trying to find the biggest, nicest stones to crush him with, he slips away.
As we enter the celebration of Holy Week (and our Jewish brothers and sisters enter the celebration of Pesach) It's not a bad idea to spend some time remembering the deep Jewish roots of our faith, and the respect that we should have for them. Having been working at the Interfaith Center for more years than I care to count, I long ago got out of the habit (common among some Christians) of using YHWH in prayer or conversation. But it's also great to know (as we learned at the model Seder on Monday) that the cup of wine drunk "when supper was ended" is known as the "cup of redemption."
These are also days when we have a tendency to ponder what it might have been like to have "been there." Personally I get uncomfortable with that one. As somebody who's chosen a life that is in large part about preserving religious tradition, I can too easily imagine who's side I would probably have been on. At least I wouldn't have needed a fake beard.
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1 comment:
Father, How sad to hear your politcal homily today. You need to remember the separation of church and state. I think you took advantage of your congregation by influencing them with your position on the health care plan. You are incorrect in stating that we our the only country with health care issues, furthermore there has been no proven success of universal healthcare.
Sincerely,
A visiting Catholic
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