Comments on: Saturday Week 31 Year II

By: Honora

Honora — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:02:24 +0000

I was just thinking that perhaps this applies to lay evangelists who suddenly begin to make their living by evangelizing for pay, either in speaking to crowds in auditoriums ($800-1200 per session) or aboard luxury cruises.. a phenomenon here in America that is so embarrassing.

By: crystal

crystal — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:58:46 +0000

Paul sounds here like Ignatius

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:15:57 +0000

I think that the remarks St. Paul makes in the reading for the same day resonate here. I think it’s not about money and its capacity to buy but about two different economies and where they interesct and what they reveal.

By: crystal

crystal — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 19:44:13 +0000

If money is really the ability to get what you want, then how you use that ability would say something about you. So money would be indifferent and intent would matter? But still, buying influence seems wrong.

By: Eifion

Eifion — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:08:54 +0000

How come you entered a comment at 6.46pm when it’s still only 6.08pm?

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:46:11 +0000

I’m drawn back to my homily … maybe Jesus is asking us to put our money where our mouths are. I don’t hear a strong note of compromise in him. Money is a ‘tainted thing’ but better than anything it reveals our hearts. Who do we belong to?

By: Honora

Honora — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:44:31 +0000

Knowing what makes the world go ’round and that it wouldn’t change soon, perhaps He was saying to use money, rather than the other way around.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:11:10 +0000

I must say that Jesus is never more confusing to me than in this particular passage. I expect his teaching to be difficult, but I guess being told that “use dodgy money to buy yourself some friends” is just plain weird!

I suppose there is a message of “be wise as serpents, innocent as doves” in there somethere, though…

By: Eifion

Eifion — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:49:42 +0000

I wonder did Jesus always understand what he meant. Surely, like all of us he was sometimes working things out as he said them. We like to know exactly what’s what but the invitation is surely to ponder his teachings and realise what they say to ME. Absolute certainty is neither possible not desirable.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:31:31 +0000

I must admit I like the confusion. I get suspicious when everything fits together neatly. And, besides, it gives us plenty of scope to make something out of it.

Do you know anybody who is completely, transparently understandable and clear? Anyone without residue of mystery, complexity, contradiction? Why should we expect Jesus to be any different? Why should we want it?