No, I don't want to do Lectio Divina. I want God to listen, not talk.
I'm pissed. (Excuse the language but Thesaurus doesn't have a synonym for "pissed.") In Morning Prayer, the reading is from Acts 6: 2b-5a:
"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Look around your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual and prudent, and we shall appoint them to this task. This will permit us to concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the world." The proposal was unanimously accepted by the community.
This reading is what set me off. You can tell men wrote this. Why does it have to be either, or? Why can't it be both, and? I'll tell you why. Because these apostles were men and the writers were men, that's why. Men have one track minds. Women wait on their families all the time while doing other tasks! If the apostles were incapable of waiting on tables and evangelizing why didn't they take turns preaching and serving others?
Note that the requirement for serving was seven spiritual and prudent men. Weren't the apostles spiritual? Were they foolish? So whom did they assign the task of serving? If the servers were spiritual why weren't they evangelizing? If one can wait on tables then one can preach to others; that's a people skill.
Grrrrrr.
What about witnessing?
The apostles should have given us a good example of serving others by waiting on tables AND preaching the Word. Jesus gave them the example of washing feet; did they pick seven others to do that task so they could concentrate on prayer? How did they define ministry?
And don't get me started on Martha and Mary! That was written by men, too--obviously.
"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Look around your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual and prudent, and we shall appoint them to this task. This will permit us to concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the world." The proposal was unanimously accepted by the community.
This reading is what set me off. You can tell men wrote this. Why does it have to be either, or? Why can't it be both, and? I'll tell you why. Because these apostles were men and the writers were men, that's why. Men have one track minds. Women wait on their families all the time while doing other tasks! If the apostles were incapable of waiting on tables and evangelizing why didn't they take turns preaching and serving others?
Note that the requirement for serving was seven spiritual and prudent men. Weren't the apostles spiritual? Were they foolish? So whom did they assign the task of serving? If the servers were spiritual why weren't they evangelizing? If one can wait on tables then one can preach to others; that's a people skill.
Grrrrrr.
What about witnessing?
The apostles should have given us a good example of serving others by waiting on tables AND preaching the Word. Jesus gave them the example of washing feet; did they pick seven others to do that task so they could concentrate on prayer? How did they define ministry?
And don't get me started on Martha and Mary! That was written by men, too--obviously.
1 comment:
I agree, Jesus gave a far more perfect example than His disciples. However, I always read the story of Martha and Mary in a positive light: Jesus did not exclude women from discipleship (sitting at his feet and learning).
For me, Luke 10 is something written at men, not by men, in case men dare claim that women should be washing the dishes only. Jesus clearly states that Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her. That, to me, are words spoken to Martha but only because Martha is following what is expected of women. And what Martha thinks is what men were saying in her day, and Jesus demolishes it.
I love it.
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