Week 7 Summary Take 2

OT
Leviticus is a hard read. So much discussion of how exactly sacrifices should be offered. The rules were quite detailed for each type of sacrifice and for each reason a sacrifice might be offered. Burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings. Each offered for a unique reason and in a unique way. I struggled to make sense of it all at times. When I consider the rules/laws of the OT juxtaposed against what Jesus taught and what He actually did, it makes me think of a couple of things. Jesus said that He didn’t come to abolish the laws but to fulfill them (Mt. 5) And he makes it clear that following the letter of the law is not enough. He calls us to adhere to the spirit of the law, to observe the law with our heart. Jesus didn’t follow all of the clean/unclean rules or enforce the law of not working on the Sabbath on his apostles. He taught that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person but rather what comes out of the mouth that defiles (Mt. 15:11). Also, the need for animal sacrifices and burnt offerings ended with the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. He is the ultimate sacrifice. He fulfills the law.

I also believe that the law Jesus calls us to follow is much more demanding than the Mosaic Law. It may not be as detailed or have so many layers, but it is incredibly hard (for me) to love your (my) enemy. It is hard to trust God fully. Do we really know what that means? Do I? I know there are areas of my life where I think, I’ve got this God. No need for you here. Those are the things that trip me up, that lead me to sin, that hurt me, my loved ones, and my relationship with God. So why do I forget to (or choose not to) trust God in all things? Are there parts of your life that you try to keep from God? That you think you don’t need God’s Help? Is there anything you can bring to the light today and ask God into? Are you willing? And if you aren’t willing, are you willing to ask God to help you with the willingness?

In Lv. 8-10, Aaron is ordained a priest along with his sons. They are the ones who will offer the sacrifices for all of the people, following the laws to the letter. However, two of Aaron’s sons, Na’dab and Abi’hu, offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as He had not commanded them. That doesn’t go well for them. Fire came forth from the presence of the Lord and devoured them. I wonder why they did this. God said He would kindle the fire (not them), so it strikes me that they did not trust God to do this. What is the cost to our earthly lives and to our eternal lives of not trusting God? I think it can be easy to get distracted from hearing God’s Call or from receiving guidance that is from God. That too is a challenge. But if I know what God asks of me, and I choose otherwise, I don’t think that will go well for me. But I don’t choose to follow God’s Call out of fear (at least not usually). It is out of a belief that my life will be what it is supposed to be, it will be the most fulfilling, and I will be of most service if I heed God’s Call in my life. Selfishly, I also truly believe that living my life this way will lead me to the most happiness, the best life. I fail constantly, but I haven’t given up yet. One saying I have always liked is God is setting us up for joy! Things are hard sometimes, but we are being fashioned. Be patient, and don’t give up.

Leviticus 11-14 was a lot of rules about being clean vs. unclean: infections, childbirth, menstruation, food, discharges, etc. (I am glad we are allowed to eat bacon though, that one would have been rough. Forget everything I already wrote, if we were told no bacon, I don’t know what would happen. Pigs were identified as unclean, along with camels and rabbits. I have been able to avoid camels and rabbits, but those pigs…mmmmm.)
All of the explanations around leprosy and skin conditions makes me a bit itchy. Again, hard to follow. It seems to connect the skin issues with what is on our insides. Are we carrying around something that is eating away at us? We cannot merely wait for it to go away or hope that it goes away. We must be made clean to be fully alive. We are given the gift of confession and reconciliation. We are called to ask forgiveness for our sins. In doing so, we are made clean. This takes away the power of whatever we were carrying. Thank you God!

In Leviticus 15, we hear all about what makes one unclean. Jesus teaches us that we need to repent (metanoia-to think differently after). It is obvious that all of the focus on uncleanness is easily relatable to sin, however, much of what makes one unclean is beyond the person’s control, so they aren’t the same thing. We can all be “unclean” from time to time as we are human. I think this is why prayer, fasting, and tithing are so powerful. Lent gave us a great time to focus on these things and to work on being cleansed/made holy. I am glad that St. Pope John Paul II shared his lectures all of those Wednesdays that turned into Theology of the Body. He clarified the teaching of the Catholic Church around human sexuality and around the love in a marriage. Sex is a gift shared by God with us. a gift to be treasured and appreciated. We live in a time when so many view their sexuality as their own, for their own gratification or purposes. But we are taught that it is sacred, and when shared between a husband and wife, it reveals Gods’ Love for us. What a gift!

Psalms
37-We learn that the righteous will inherit the earth, that the Lord is their stronghhold! Sometimes it seems the wicked prosper while the good suffer. This Psalm helps us know that God sees and will right things. Perhaps not in this world, but He will make all things right.
38-So many trials and tribulations, but David continues to trust in God. v. 15 “But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” v 21-22 ” Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! Do I wait on the Lord when I am afraid, hurting, lonely, angry, in pain? Do I wait for God’s answer, for God’s salvation? It is hard to do. I want relief. I want healing. I want only good things. That isn’t life, at least not as far as I understand it. God is fashioning us, are we helping or hindering?
39-“I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will bridle my mouth, so long as the wicked are in my presence. I was mute and silent, I help my peace to no avail; my distress grew worse, my heart became hot within me.” This is powerful to me. It sounds like David is pretty angry and wanting to speak out. But he tries to follow his own advice and remain silent and peaceful. BUT IT DOESN’T WORK!! This is David! Doing the right thing isn’t somehow easy; it doesn’t take away your thoughts and feelings instantly. I find when I am struggling, I am often able to remain calm and not react for at least several seconds. I often believe that choosing to remain calm and not get worked up will mean I stop struggling. This just isn’t the case. I feel like David. My heart becomes hot within me. It is only when I surrender my will, ask God for help, and choose to think in a different way, that I begin to find some peace.
40-How do we get out of the pit? What is your pit? I have a lot of pits I fall into. Wait patiently on the Lord. Surrender my will. Ask God what to do.
41-Blessed is he who considers the poor! The Lord delivers him in the day of trouble; This too is all about trust to me. If I know that all I have is a gift from God, my very life, my family, all I own, why prevents me from generosity? Fear. Do I really trust that I will be taken care of when I am in need? I shared this in a comment a while back, but it is challenging in a marriage to navigate this. How do you and your spouse decide how you will consider the poor? I have work to do in this area.
42-One of my favorite verses in the Psalms-“As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O God.” Psalm 42 starts the second section of the Psalms. Many are not authored by David. This one is a powerful statement on the psalmist feeling so discouraged, yet recognizing and stating, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.” Even (or especially) in times of discouragement, we are called to hope in God, to praise God. Thank you God!
43-seems like Psalm 42 continues. The psalmist continues to feel discouraged, but continues to sing, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my savior and my God.” He is among ungodly people and remembering a time when he praised God with a group. He missed them, but know God is still God. This reminds me a bit of Family Camp as well as time at your house (3015-Schwalms) when I started spending time with you. It was in those places that I felt close to God and like praising God was joyful and easy. In other places in my life, it seemed God was not as present. I know that was a me issue, not a God issue. But I can relate to the psalmist. And I am grateful for the times we spent together as I grew into a man. You all helped me in many ways. My faith was deeply impacted.

NT-Rob covered a lot of Matthew in his summary, so I will end there. I am grateful to be a part of this. Sorry for any typos or confusing parts.