Decisions
Helen Weber-McReynolds, RCWP
February 26, 2023
First Sunday of Lent
Gen 2: 4, 7-9, 15-18, 21, 25; 3: 1-7; Ps. 51; 1 Thess 3: 4-9, 12; Mt 4: 1-11
Most of us have been confronted with a choice, sometime in our lives. A big decision, an important change in our lives. One alternative represented the easy way out, the path of least resistance, maybe the selfish choice. The other was more challenging, more helpful to others, potentially a bigger contribution to the community at large, and, ultimately, more authentic to the person you believe God has asked you to become.
The people in each of our readings today faced decisions like those. They were tempted to take the easy way out, but ultimately decided to do what they knew was right. They all provide us strong role models in following the way of the God of unconditional love.
Our first reading, from Genesis, the second creation myth featured there, is a story that has been interpreted in troubling ways over the centuries. Let us remember two things about Biblical interpretation. First, there was no video camera in Eden. This is a story, featuring a talking snake, written by a person hundreds of years before Jesus was born, meant to react to events that were happening at the time of its writing. Some biblical historians believe the Adam and Eve story was a polemic against goddess worship cults that were popular at the time. Second, traditional interpretation does not equal Biblical truth. Certainly, we know the concept of Original Sin and the idea that Eve was responsible for it were not a part of Jesus’ theology, or that of the early church. It was not widespread until Augustine of Hippo popularized it in the 4th century. As our friend, Angela, has previously preached about, and studied for her Masters thesis on Eve, we can ask other questions and learn other valuable truths from this story.
Snakes, for example, in many ancient cultures, and some contemporary ones, were seen, not as evil and lethal, but as wise, healthy, and immortal. Their intimate knowledge of the roots and growth of plants, and their periodic shedding of skin and appearance of new life lead to symbols such as the Staff of Aesculapius, the symbol of medicine. And there is Hebrew wordplay in this story. The word arom means both wise and naked, which can lead us to think of the snake’s wisdom, transmitted to the two earthlings, as being shed of ignorance, exposure to truth, or naked intelligence.
If we open our minds to these new possible ideas about this story, maybe we can see this as a story about a choice of wisdom, about discernment and how it first evolved. I’ve asked Angela to share a little more about this in a few minutes. But first, let us briefly consider the other two readings.
The passage from Thessalonians was a sigh of relief for Paul, who had had to retreat from Thessalonia after founding a church there, but then encountering intense opposition from the Jewish community. Timothy had reported back that the Thessalonian church had made the choice to remain faithful, but longed for Paul to return. Paul encourages them to continue to avoid the temptation to stray from the faith, and to strengthen one another by their mutual love and love of God.
And then we see the choices Jesus made during his trial in the desert, to turn away from wealth, abuse of power, control, and domination, toward the uncertainty of following the unknown path of preaching the establishment of God’s Reign on earth. Again, there was no video camera in the desert capturing Jesus and the devil duking it out. Maybe Matthew, and the other evangelists, were recounting a story Jesus may have told, comparing his misgivings about his vocation to fighting with a tempter, we don’t know. It resembles a legend about the testing of the people of Israel in their forty years in the desert, and features the quotes from the Old Testament. The point is that Jesus shared our human temptations, as well as our human ability to choose love and life, if we wish, and that he calls us to follow his example of peace, sharing, and working for justice.
And now, please, I ask Angela, and then all the rest of you, to share your thoughts.
Helen Weber-McReynolds, RCWP
February 26, 2023
First Sunday of Lent
Gen 2: 4, 7-9, 15-18, 21, 25; 3: 1-7; Ps. 51; 1 Thess 3: 4-9, 12; Mt 4: 1-11
Most of us have been confronted with a choice, sometime in our lives. A big decision, an important change in our lives. One alternative represented the easy way out, the path of least resistance, maybe the selfish choice. The other was more challenging, more helpful to others, potentially a bigger contribution to the community at large, and, ultimately, more authentic to the person you believe God has asked you to become.
The people in each of our readings today faced decisions like those. They were tempted to take the easy way out, but ultimately decided to do what they knew was right. They all provide us strong role models in following the way of the God of unconditional love.
Our first reading, from Genesis, the second creation myth featured there, is a story that has been interpreted in troubling ways over the centuries. Let us remember two things about Biblical interpretation. First, there was no video camera in Eden. This is a story, featuring a talking snake, written by a person hundreds of years before Jesus was born, meant to react to events that were happening at the time of its writing. Some biblical historians believe the Adam and Eve story was a polemic against goddess worship cults that were popular at the time. Second, traditional interpretation does not equal Biblical truth. Certainly, we know the concept of Original Sin and the idea that Eve was responsible for it were not a part of Jesus’ theology, or that of the early church. It was not widespread until Augustine of Hippo popularized it in the 4th century. As our friend, Angela, has previously preached about, and studied for her Masters thesis on Eve, we can ask other questions and learn other valuable truths from this story.
Snakes, for example, in many ancient cultures, and some contemporary ones, were seen, not as evil and lethal, but as wise, healthy, and immortal. Their intimate knowledge of the roots and growth of plants, and their periodic shedding of skin and appearance of new life lead to symbols such as the Staff of Aesculapius, the symbol of medicine. And there is Hebrew wordplay in this story. The word arom means both wise and naked, which can lead us to think of the snake’s wisdom, transmitted to the two earthlings, as being shed of ignorance, exposure to truth, or naked intelligence.
If we open our minds to these new possible ideas about this story, maybe we can see this as a story about a choice of wisdom, about discernment and how it first evolved. I’ve asked Angela to share a little more about this in a few minutes. But first, let us briefly consider the other two readings.
The passage from Thessalonians was a sigh of relief for Paul, who had had to retreat from Thessalonia after founding a church there, but then encountering intense opposition from the Jewish community. Timothy had reported back that the Thessalonian church had made the choice to remain faithful, but longed for Paul to return. Paul encourages them to continue to avoid the temptation to stray from the faith, and to strengthen one another by their mutual love and love of God.
And then we see the choices Jesus made during his trial in the desert, to turn away from wealth, abuse of power, control, and domination, toward the uncertainty of following the unknown path of preaching the establishment of God’s Reign on earth. Again, there was no video camera in the desert capturing Jesus and the devil duking it out. Maybe Matthew, and the other evangelists, were recounting a story Jesus may have told, comparing his misgivings about his vocation to fighting with a tempter, we don’t know. It resembles a legend about the testing of the people of Israel in their forty years in the desert, and features the quotes from the Old Testament. The point is that Jesus shared our human temptations, as well as our human ability to choose love and life, if we wish, and that he calls us to follow his example of peace, sharing, and working for justice.
And now, please, I ask Angela, and then all the rest of you, to share your thoughts.
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