Jam – November 10, 2020

PART I: Biblical Perspective

The of Matthew

It is believed…

a) That Matthew was written first (not by everyone).

b) That Matthew was and (unlike Mark and Luke) written by an apostolic eyewitness.

c) The was composed as a literary work to interpret the theological meaning of a concrete historical event to people in a particular historical situation.

d) The gospel reflects the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and .

e) Matthew goes back to ' origins, showing him as the Son of God from his birth, the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.

f) Most scholars believe the gospel was composed between AD 80 and 90, with a range of possibility between AD 70 to 110; a pre-70 date remains a minority view. The work does not identify its author, and the early tradition attributing it to the apostle Matthew is rejected by modern scholars. He was probably a male Jew, standing on the margin between traditional and non-traditional Jewish values, and familiar with technical legal aspects of scripture being debated in his time. Writing in a polished Semitic "synagogue Greek", he drew on the as a source, plus the hypothetical collection of sayings known as the (material shared with Luke but not with Mark) and material unique to his own community, called the M source or "Special Matthew".

November 10, 2020 1 Bible Jam

Matthew Chapter 25: Sunday’s Reading: 25:14-30

1. A talent: This is a large sum of money in Matthew’s day, equal to the wages of a day laborer for fifteen years.

2. It appears in Luke: Which is not surprising. Why? Lukem19:11-27

The Story About Investment

11 While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to by this time and expectation was building that God’s kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:

12-13 “There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, ‘Operate with this until I return.’

14 “But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: ‘We don’t want this man to rule us.’

15 “When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.

16 “The first said, ‘Master, I doubled your money.’

17 “He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been trustworthy in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’

18 “The second said, ‘Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.’

19 “He said, ‘I’m putting you in charge of five towns.’

20-21 “The next servant said, ‘Master, here’s your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don’t suffer fools gladly.’

22-23 “He said, ‘You’re right that I don’t suffer fools gladly—and you’ve acted the fool! Why didn’t you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?’

November 10, 2020 2 Bible Jam 24 “Then he said to those standing there, ‘Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.’

25 “They said, ‘But Master, he already has double . . .’

26 “He said, ‘That’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.

27 “‘As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don’t want to see their faces around here again.’”

3. The parable as it often does, leads in two directions:

4. My interview with Rick Ufford-Chase: (11/26/2016)

a. https://vimeo.com/193144927

b. Doctrine of Discovery: The Doctrine of Discovery was promulgated by European monarchies in order to legitimize the colonization of lands outside of Europe. Between the mid-fifteenth century and the mid- twentieth century, this idea allowed European entities to seize lands inhabited by indigenous peoples under the guise of discovery. In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas declared that only non-Christian lands could be colonized under the Doctrine of Discovery.

In 1792, U.S. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson claimed that this European Doctrine of Discovery was international law which would also apply equally to dealings the infant U.S. government would have with non- Christian lands.[4] The Doctrine and its legacy continue to influence American imperialism and treatment of indigenous peoples.

c.

5. Commentator: M. Eugene Boring

“…Contrasts in Matthew’s pictures of the judgment and the ultimate judge served to guard the reader from 2 readily objectifying the meanings presented allegorically and to frustrate our efforts to summarize the way God works into neat coherent systems. The pictures point beyond themselves and resist systematization, will still Speaking of the reality of judgment and the necessity for decision and responsible action.”

November 10, 2020 3 Bible Jam PART II: Contemplative Thought Henri Nouwen – a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. His interests were rooted primarily in psychology, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice and community. For more about Henri Nouwen, visit www.henrinouwen.org

“Learning to Live on the Other Side”

I am beginning to discover the other world in which I live. When I run, monks smile; when I work very intensely, they make signs to slow down; and when I worry, I know it is usually useless. Last week I asked someone how he thought I was doing. He said, “I guess OK. Nobody has mentioned you yet.” That would not be a good sign everywhere! I really must enter that other side, the quiet, rhythmic, solid side of life, the deep solid stream moving underneath the restless waves of my sea.

Someone read a story about Beethoven at dinner when Beethoven had played a new sonata for a friend, the friend asked him after the last note, “what does it mean?” Beethoven returned to the piano, played the whole sonata again and said, “That is what it means.’ This type of response seems the only possible response to the question, “what does the contemplative life mean?”

Related: Richard Rohr: “An Embarrassing Silence” January 6, 2020 https://cac.org/an-embarrassing-silence-2020-01-06/

“We gradually come to recognize that ‘thinking’ does not enable us to love God and love others. We need a different operating system that begins with and ends with silence.” In contemplative practice, the Holy Spirit frees us from taking sides and allows us to remain content long enough to let it teach, broaden, and enrich us in the partial darkness of every situation. We need to practice for many years and make many mistakes in the meantime to learn how to do this. Paul rather beautifully describes this kind of thinking: “Pray with gratitude and the peace of Christ, which is beyond knowledge or understanding (what I would call “the making of distinctions”), will guard both your mind and your heart in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Teachers of contemplation show us how to stand guard and not let our emotions and obsessive thoughts control us.

When we’re thinking nondualistically, with this guarded mind and heart, we will feel powerless for a moment, stunned into an embarrassing and welcoming silence. Then we will discover what is ours to do.

What is centering prayer? A method of meditation placing an emphasis on interior silence; prayer centered on the presence of God.

? Is prayer centering on the presence of God different than prayer centering on God.

November 10, 2020 4 Bible Jam Part III A Touch of Reality

Tattoos on the Heart The Power of Boundless Compassion Barking to the Choir The Power of Radical Kinship

Sell Your Cleverness Chapter 5 – begins on p.91 Excerpt from p. 97 – 99

With only three day’s notice, Homeboy was informed that President Obama wanted to visit with some homies during his upcoming visit to Los Angeles. Coming to our headquarters was deemed too porous and difficult to secure. …We were told to submit the names of four trainees who would be allowed to attend a meet and greet with the president after his speech at Los Angeles Trade-Tech.

On the hottest August day in memory, the homies and I walked past the crowd of people waiting for the speech. When we got to the front of the line, which snaked around the block, we saw a local elected official trying to get in as a VIP. He was pleading with the Secret Service agents. I knew him and vouched for him to try and help the situation, to no avail. But when I told the same agent that we were from homeboy, we were immediately waved in. These four gang members, Needless to say, were beside themselves.

“You know,” one said, “not just anybody gets to meet the president. Not even rap stars. Not even Lil' J.” (I had to google him.)

“How much yaw anna bet,” another replied, “he’ll say, ‘Don’t call me Mr. President, call me Barack’?” (he didn’t). We were given yellow wristbands and escorted to the shaded VIP section, where we had seats to view the president’s speech; the rest of the crowd, including the aggrieved official, was left to stand in a shadeless sweltering patch of brown grass in front of the stage.

A striking black woman began to sing the National Anthem and Johnny, the homie next to me, leaned in and whispered, “I don’t know how to explain what’s happening to me right now.” I encouraged him to give it a try. “I mean, just right now I don’t know, I got chills.” The sensation, I knew, was not caused by a sudden burst of patriotism but a palpable wave of gracious

November 10, 2020 5 Bible Jam inclusion. This is the sound of someone previously outside being given the welcome mat to enter inside.

After the speech, White House staff ushered us and the young people from other at-risk youth organizations into a tiny, airless room adorned with flags and a plain backdrop screen. Moments later the president entered and began meeting everyone, asking for their names and ages as he did so. The White House photographer captured the moment as Obama shook hands and shared a word with each one. He got to our very own Herbert, a tall, lanky nineteen-year-old African American who worked in our diner at City Hall. Herbert had a beard that looked like Brillo pads caught in a windstorm. The day before we had tried to give him a razor, but he refused it. The president greeting him after the introduction.

“Herbert,” he said smiling, “I wish that at nineteen, I could have grown a beard like that. Heck, I wish I could grow one right now.” (Vindicated, Herbert sent an “I told you so” sneer in my general direction.) He asked what Herbert did at Homeboy.

“I work at the diner, Herbert said. “But mainly I work on myself,” he quickly added. “You know, therapy, anger management, stuff like that.”

The leader of the free world paused. Then he shook Herbert’s hand again and said, “I commend you.”

I was the last one to shake the president’s hand. “Father Greg Boyle,” I told him. “I’m sixty years old.” Everyone laughed. The president pointed a finger at me.

“And you don’t look a day over fifty-nine,” he said, to more laughter. Before the visit ended, he shared a bit about his own life. “My mother was a single mom,” he said. “I got in trouble, just never got caught.” It was a tender vulnerable moment. Later, I heard a homie say, “He was one of us.”

That day four gang members shook the hand of the president of the United States. The commander-in-chief. The most powerful man on earth. And even he is not more important that the homies whose hands he shook in that airless room.

November 10, 2020 6 Bible Jam