Sunday Musings - December 3, 2023
For many Christians today is the first Sunday of advent; the period for Christians to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was and is the Messiah; the anointed one; the savior; the one who “sits on the right hand of God; one of the trinity.
Christmas is for many others a secular holiday on which they celebrate the sharing of gifts. Sadly, for some, these gifts may represent the God of commercialism who demands one must ignore budgets and outdo their neighbor in cost and/or size of gifts. For others, regardless of religious beliefs, the gifts are more about sharing of oneself and the gifts with which one has been blessed.
There are several other celebrations in December including:
Bodhi Day (Dec. 8). Buddhist; the day Buddha achieved enlightenment.
Feast Day of your Lady Guadalupe – patron saint of Mexico
Hanukkah - This ritual symbolizes how one day’s worth of oil miraculously.
lasted for eight days during a battle between a small group of Jewish people
and the powerful Greek-Syrian army in 165 B.C. Per Jewish tradition, they
are said to have emerged victorious and reclaimed the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem.
Yule (Dec. 21-Jan.1)
Wiccans and Neo-Pagans celebrate the winter solstice
This first Sunday of Advent is also the fourth Sunday on which I invite readers
to consider what Jesus might have been teaching in the
Beatitudes as contained in New Testament book of Matthew. The
beatitude on which I will now briefly reflect is:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they
shall have their fill.”
As is always the case when one considers a teaching or lesson written in
a language other than one’s own, it is important to make translation
decisions. In this case we must consider the word which is translated in the
New Testament as righteousness. The Greek noun is Disaiosune; the
adjective is Dikaos and the verb Didaioo. Many translators have suggested.
the English word justice best conveys the meaning Jesus intended. In
Plato’s republic Disaiosune is also usually translated as justice.
We are still left with the fact that many volumes have been written attempting to define the parameters or characteristics of justice. For the purpose of our discussion, I am going to suggest if we want to understand justice we look to other teachings of Jesus regarding the behavior which honors the fact all existence is interconnected. When we mistreat one part of all that is, we mistreat all. When we honor one part of all we honor all. There is ample scientific evidence this is the case.
It is also important we consider Jesus, the teacher, says “Blessed are
those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.” He does not say, “Blessed
are those who achieve righteousness.” We are expected to honor the fact all
are imperfect; will hurt self and others. This helps to make sense of many
of his teachings such as:
· Love thy neighbor as thyself.
· Love your enemy.
· Let him/her who is perfect throw the first stone.
· Feed the hungry – share your loaf of bread so that it feeds many.
· Clothe the naked – those who need clothes to protect them from the cold and the heat.
· Open the gates of the prisons – this does not preclude lovingly restraining those who are unable to consider the needs of others.
· Expect forgiveness as one forgives others.
· Offer the other cheek.
We could list many more day-to-day behaviors which Jesus might consider just; which would help us move towards being our better selves and, thus, honor the oneness of all. I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that the teachings of Jesus seem to mirror what science is now validating; many factors affect the behaviors our mind chooses; many factors call into question what we like to think of as free will - the factors which affect or result in our thinking and behavior. Jesus might easily have been thinking of study results reported by Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford, in his most recent book Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will.”
How can one hunger and thirst after justice if one has no free will? This is a fair question. The teachings of Jesus direct us to do what comes naturally if we are well fed, well clothed and housed, treated with respect and love, and free of war and other traumas. Jesus is really talking to those of us who are privileged to have all we need to “naturally” move toward restoring ourselves and others to their healthiest selves while honoring the fact that some may never have brains which are able to do this.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice. Blessed are those who are privileged to care for those whose brains cannot care for themselves and others; cannot honor the sacredness of all that is.
Written December 3, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Sunday Musings - December 3, 2023
For many Christians today is the first Sunday of advent; the period for Christians to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was and is the Messiah; the anointed one; the savior; the one who “sits on the right hand of God; one of the trinity.
Christmas is for many others a secular holiday on which they celebrate the sharing of gifts. Sadly, for some, these gifts may represent the God of commercialism who demands one must ignore budgets and outdo their neighbor in cost and/or size of gifts. For others, regardless of religious beliefs, the gifts are more about sharing of oneself and the gifts with which one has been blessed.
There are several other celebrations in December including:
Bodhi Day (Dec. 8). Buddhist; the day Buddha achieved enlightenment.
Feast Day of your Lady Guadalupe – patron saint of Mexico
Hanukkah - This ritual symbolizes how one day’s worth of oil miraculously.
lasted for eight days during a battle between a small group of Jewish people
and the powerful Greek-Syrian army in 165 B.C. Per Jewish tradition, they
are said to have emerged victorious and reclaimed the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem.
Yule (Dec. 21-Jan.1)
Wiccans and Neo-Pagans celebrate the winter solstice
This first Sunday of Advent is also the fourth Sunday on which I invite readers
to consider what Jesus might have been teaching in the
Beatitudes as contained in New Testament book of Matthew. The
beatitude on which I will now briefly reflect is:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they
shall have their fill.”
As is always the case when one considers a teaching or lesson written in
a language other than one’s own, it is important to make translation
decisions. In this case we must consider the word which is translated in the
New Testament as righteousness. The Greek noun is Disaiosune; the
adjective is Dikaos and the verb Didaioo. Many translators have suggested.
the English word justice best conveys the meaning Jesus intended. In
Plato’s republic Disaiosune is also usually translated as justice.
We are still left with the fact that many volumes have been written attempting to define the parameters or characteristics of justice. For the purpose of our discussion, I am going to suggest if we want to understand justice we look to other teachings of Jesus regarding the behavior which honors the fact all existence is interconnected. When we mistreat one part of all that is, we mistreat all. When we honor one part of all we honor all. There is ample scientific evidence this is the case.
It is also important we consider Jesus, the teacher, says “Blessed are
those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.” He does not say, “Blessed
are those who achieve righteousness.” We are expected to honor the fact all
are imperfect; will hurt self and others. This helps to make sense of many
of his teachings such as:
· Love thy neighbor as thyself.
· Love your enemy.
· Let him/her who is perfect throw the first stone.
· Feed the hungry – share your loaf of bread so that it feeds many.
· Clothe the naked – those who need clothes to protect them from the cold and the heat.
· Open the gates of the prisons – this does not preclude lovingly restraining those who are unable to consider the needs of others.
· Expect forgiveness as one forgives others.
· Offer the other cheek.
We could list many more day-to-day behaviors which Jesus might consider just; which would help us move towards being our better selves and, thus, honor the oneness of all. I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that the teachings of Jesus seem to mirror what science is now validating; many factors affect the behaviors our mind chooses; many factors call into question what we like to think of as free will - the factors which affect or result in our thinking and behavior. Jesus might easily have been thinking of study results reported by Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford, in his most recent book Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will.”
How can one hunger and thirst after justice if one has no free will? This is a fair question. The teachings of Jesus direct us to do what comes naturally if we are well fed, well clothed and housed, treated with respect and love, and free of war and other traumas. Jesus is really talking to those of us who are privileged to have all we need to “naturally” move toward restoring ourselves and others to their healthiest selves while honoring the fact that some may never have brains which are able to do this.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice. Blessed are those who are privileged to care for those whose brains cannot care for themselves and others; cannot honor the sacredness of all that is.
Written December 3, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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