The Bible - it's a big book when you're looking through it for something written specifically to and for you.
The Bible Draft is a fun and creative way to connect your experiences, thoughts, and feelings directly to the words of Scripture. Played similar to the format of a fantasy football league with the commeraderie among players in your league, the creativity of team names, and the personalization of Scripture passages just for you, the Bible Draft is a worthwhile challenge for those who have never opened the Bible before as well as for anyone else at any stage in the journey.
HAPPY EASTER!!!
Congratulations to the 20 men fromthe 2023 Lent Edition Bible Draft and League (LEBDAL) and the 19 women from the 2023 More Than A Rib (MTAR) league for successful completion of BIBLE DRAFT!!! Check for messages from your respective commissioners for details pertaining to Closing Ceremonies celebrations to take place Sunday April, 30th (afternoon) BibleDraft with coverage from the Catholic Review: https://catholicreview.org/matthew-mark-luke-or-john-whos-your-quarterback-inventive-faith-sharing-bible-draft-comes-to-parishes/
Reflection Spotlight
What do you get when you mix human DNA and goat DNA?
| Leviticus 18:19-23 | |
|---|---|
| 19 | You shall not approach a woman to have intercourse with her while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. |
| 20 | You shall not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife, defiling yourself with her. |
| 21 | You shall not offer any of your offspring for immolation to Molech, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord . |
| 22 | You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination. |
| 23 | You shall not have sexual relations with an animal, defiling yourself with it; nor shall a woman set herself in front of an animal to mate with it; that is perverse. |
Kicked out of the petting zoo!
When confronted with awkward situations one of my coping mechanisms is to make a joke/attempt to bring some levity to things. Leviticus 10-18 is chock full of awkward situations. Odd, perhaps less awkward though nonetheless odd, is the start of this selection when Aaron’s two boys “offer unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them,” and God smites them. I cannot help but think about Indiana Jones and The Ark of the Covenant - when the Nazi’s open up the lid and smitten. This selection continues highlighting details pertaining to ok verse abominable creatures, how to examine for leprous diseases, the institution of “the scape goat,” cleanliness status for men and women after having sexual discharges, and then covers a myriad of people that one is not to have intercourse with.
The context for all of these stories was the subject of “if you’re clean you get to stay in the camp ... not clean, do this or that, stay outside of the camp, and eventually you can come back into camp - maybe.” While I cannot relate to considering eating winged insects or leprousy, I can relate to having a skin blotch. I got MRSA and had to have a chunk of red blisters material cut out of my leg once - that was gross. I cannot relate to having intercourse with my brother’s mother’s sister’s uncle’s donkey’s nephew, but I can relate to the shame and guilt associated with viewing pornography. I literally felt unclean. What’s more, I felt separated from God and from the people that made up my community - I felt outside of the camp. In fact, when I do bad/wrong things of other sorts, I feel a similar separation.
Thank God, unlike the purification rituals described in this Leviticus selection, I have reconciliation - both the Sacrament and the simple act of apologizing - available to clean me up. I’ve been taking advantage of going to Confession much more frequently, even trying to go monthly or twice monthly. I understand that some folks find it difficult to go to Confession, but as far as having a path to cleanliness (and being allowed back inside the camp), I’d say that I (and dare I say we?) have things a lot easier.
Oh, and I’m renovating my bathroom at this time - the concept of cleanliness (or lack thereof while my shower/sink/toilet are removed) takes on a whole new message ;)
