Reflections on 9/10

I have been reading commentaries on the Gospel for 9/11/11, Matthew 18:21-35, amidst the growing thunder of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. For most Americans, their Bible reading is bits and pieces called pericopes that they get on Sundays from their denominational lectionary. The Church's teaching, catechisis, has become so dismal that even the most regular church goers may not know that the readings on Sundays are pericopes not a contiguous reading of the Bible, especially the Gospels.

Another group of Americans, are member of Bible study groups/denominations that can tear you with quotations from the Old Testament and the New Testament excluding the Gospels. That is what I find fascinating, as Christians why would we base our foundation in that which has been completed, fulfilled the Old Testament or the implications/result of an encounter with the living and active Gospel as told by individuals in the New Testament, i.e. the letters of Paul (actual and attributed) and Revelation.

A third group of Americans I the group that believes they have read the Bible because they have been given decontextualized verses and teachings, usually by the above mentioned group two. This group is where the Gospel in it's unabridged, uninterpreted power is liberating. People are thirsting for the spirit quenching drink of the well of love that Jesus taught - not the oppression of the teaching contained the secular religion of the American Way.

See, I was in NYC on 9/11 and this anniversary is not about America and it's way of life but about forgiveness and love. All of creation, including all of humanity, has been forgiven. All of creation, including ALL OF humanity, is loved by God. God is love. That is the 10th Anniversary story in a nutshell - no politics, no self righteousness, no justice, no hatred, but only our call to love and forgive.

Peace, mitakuye oyasin