The WEB

Who's My Neighbor?

We heard that in last week's Gospel reading. A scholar asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said to love God with everything you have and to love your neighbor as yourself. Then Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The scholar having heard the story asks, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "The one who treated him with mercy."

This seems to be especially meaningful this week. I've written about the Front Porch Fridays where the neighbors gather every Friday night in the summer. It has become evident that one of our neighbors was not who she proclaimed to be and is now serving time in jail. Shock resonated through our group and we spend an extra ordinate about of time decompressing on my front porch. How do we respond?

It has been so apparent about how much our actions effect those around us. We suffer because of the things others do. We are not little islands that have no impact on the world but every move makes a difference to someone or something else. It's the Interconnectedness of life. It's the Web in which we weave our lives.

A "Green Bible" Study and Reflection on the Hebrew Law and Sacrifice

• I have been most fortunate to be participating in the GreenFaith Fellowship Program this past year. As part of the requirements we are to write our personal ecological theology and were each assigned a study partner. Debbie and I have been sharing a Bible study on line using the GreenBible. Here is one of my sharing on the 26th chapter of Leviticus.

  Leviticus is certainly not a "fun" book to read. Where as the Torah itself means "teaching" it is intended to be positive and joyful rather than narrow and restrictive. My study Bible refers us to Psalm 119 which praises and gives gratitude for the Law. I keep remembering that "the Law" is seen as a gift from God that guides a people into favor and salvation.
  
  But Christians don't come from that perspective because we see the Law as restrictive and gruesome. Especially troublesome are the animal sacrifices. But we miss the big picture of the awesomeness, the majesty, the power and the love of God is demonstrated in God's direct guidance of God's people. (I'm pulling all this from the Catholic Study Bible). Interesting to consider isn't it?
  
  Another thought on sacrifice: without understanding the importance of sacrifice as a means of relating to God, it is impossible for Christians to find meaning in Christ's sacrifice.

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• 

  Susan Hedge Now, I want to look at the ecological circumstances of Leviticus which is why I am here. The Trail Guide in the back of the Green Bible gives a good starting discussion. It starts with Leviticus 26:3-26. Here we see that the consequences of disobedience are pretty harsh. God is very serious about how people should live their lives, "lives of peace and connection to God". When we step away from that obedience, we step away from God.
  
  So the question is asked: Since our interdependence with the earth is jeopardized when we step away from God's commands and our connection with it and God is broken, in what ways has this warning from God become a reality?
  
  I first think of our materialistic life style. Jesus says to not worry about what we shall eat or what we shall drink but consider the lilies of the field which neither sow or reap but they have everything they need. As the people wandered in the dessert they were to trust and God would provide food and God did.
  
  Taking this to a very personal and local level. My garden is having a terrible time with the drought and the heat this summer. I take it personally that it doesn't look like my neighbors' gardens. But I planted heirloom tomatoes which don't have the disease resistance that other varieties have. And then there is the raccoon who every night takes the biggest almost red tomato for his dinner. I struggle with my earth connection and try to understand what it needs to produce. I struggle with the idea that the local raccoon needs food to eat, my food! I consider that there may be a couple of those laws that I am not following such as letting the land rest but they are very vague in my memory. However, I do have faith that God will provide my food most likely at the downtown farmers market where I will venture tomorrow.

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DirtyButts Dies

Our genetically modified hen, died a tragically when she tried to get out of her nesting box. As I mentioned before, she was a large hen designed for roasting and eating so she had a very large carriage making it difficult to walk and almost impossible to get into the nesting boxes. We had placed a nesting box low for her convenience but of late she had wanted to get into one of the high ones. Unfortunately, she missed the mark, fell and broke her neck. I wonder how often we are designing our environment so we miss the mark and may be about to break our necks.