![]() This historical/critical approach in influenced by my academic training, but also from my inherent distrust in implied authority, particularly for Biblical texts, which for me as a gay man were, and continue to be used as an instrument of political and religious oppression. When I encounter Scripture, it is often important to me to engage deeply with the text itself: what is the context in which it was written, what are the purposes and agendas of the writers, what were their sources, how do they influence the narrative, what might they have added. And I’ve been reflecting on how we have different ways we engage with our faith, and different places and ways we find God. To repent.Īs you know I’ve been leading our work on our Church Profile (the Parish Council is reviewing what I hope is our final version now). They are stories with unexpected twists in the plot and unexpected meaning that are meant to inspire in us a metanoia, to literally “change our minds”, and think again, to think differently. All these lessons from Jesus are parables, or in Hebrew mashal which can also be translated as a “taunt” or “riddle”. And this week the Parable of the Talents, with the three servants, their master, and vast sums of money. Parables such as the Wise and Foolish Builders, the Mustard Seed, the Unmerciful Servant, the Workers in the Vineyard, the Wedding Banquet, the Ten Virgins and their lamps and oil that Lisa preached on last week. This also marks our end in our yearlong adventure in Matthew’s gospel, with its 20 parables. We’re almost at the end of the liturgical year, the alternative calendar that many churches follow where the first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new year. Desire for financial security has been an important driver in my adult life. ![]() Escape from this situation happened for me through admission to a great public university, through scholarships, financial aid, and loans, and some hard work and luck. Being the recipient of food stamps-or “Aid for Dependent Children” as it was called in Michigan–was for me the source of real shame, and I remember scrutiny over what we were purchasing at the grocery store more than once. I remember many concerns about debt for furniture, loans, and credit cards, what seemed like an endless and inescapable cycle. While I knew we had a safety net in my extended family, there was little money, and we received at times welfare assistance. My parents divorced when I was ten, and my mother, without even a high school diploma, and battling medical and psychological health concerns, struggled to find meaningful work. I grew up, at times, relatively poor, in a post-manufacturing town in southeastern Michigan. Parable of the Talents Year A Proper 28 – 25 th Sunday after Pentecost
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