Reading Deeper

YEAR 1, EASTER 5, SUNDAY, EVENSONG & BENEDICTION:
LEVITICUS 8:1-13,30-36; MATTHEW 7:7-14; JOHN 6:13-21

There is a famous Classical biographer named Plutarch who lived about 2000 years ago and wrote a number of "Lives" of various famous people. I am curretnly reading a complete collection of these. I recently read abotu Romulus, who is reported to have founded Rome, and Theseus, who is reported to have ordanized the body politic in Athens into a democracy. I thought I knew about Theseus - he killed the Minotaur. I thought I knew about Romulus - he was nursed by a wolf. I did not. Plutarch does his homework, he collects all of the tales, stories, and histories known about the people he writes about and produces an account that informs the reader of everything that is known or even beleived about the persons. I went from being uninformed and ignorant of it, to being immersed in the interesting lives of two people.

In our first reading tonight we read about the long ordination and consecration of Aaron and the Holy Place. It takes days and it is a dense account in Leviticus. Our second reading narrates how Jesus called us to enter by the narrow gate, by a way that can sometimes be hard. I think we ought to be warry of making quick decisions, assuming we know everything about something when we a diving deeper into a book, a judgement, or a decisons will qucikly show us how much more there is to know.

I think that it is important for Christian to weigh options and take time to make decisions. One thing in particular I think we can all dive deeper into is the Bible itself. Often Christians assume they know what the Bible says; many decisions and judgements have been made on such assumptions. In the reformation some people thought that the Bible mandated that they rip out organs, statues and artwork from churched. I think looking back, that decsions was hasty and misguided.

I have been leading a Bible Study on the Maccabees and have noticed again and again how certain passages have lept off the page. Some are funny: the writer refers to a certain king as "almost as long in years as he is in folly". Some passages are instrictive: after much debate the Macabees decide that a necessary problem they will have to deal with is defending themselves on the Sabbath from bodily harm.

In May, at Saint Mary's, we celebrate Mary. Not everyone does this, but the root of our love of Mary comes from scripture. This month, I would like to encourage you to dig deeper into the Scriptures. Discover Mary in the Gospels and her types in the Old Testament. Discover Leviticus, its complex rites, law and narrative. Discover a book not ever read before. I know every time I read the scriputres something new jumps out at me. Guided by the Spirit, I know that the samewill happen to you too.