Pentecost +12 Sunday – B

Pentecost +12 Sunday – B

Years B
1 Kings 2:10-12; 13:3-14 or Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalm 111 or Psalm 34:9-14
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

The temptation of "understanding" is very great. Even wise old Solomon finally failed that test. Along with understanding came/comes riches and honor. And what, I ask, can stand in the face of such principalities and powers? Understanding eventually pales in the temptation of increased riches and honor. Why, simply because it takes so much to increase in wisdom appropriate to this new time and place. Let your growth in understanding lag for a bit, presuming for a moment that you have sufficient, and, lo and behold, riches and honor gain momentum and priority.

Without an increase in wisdom there can be no sense made of metaphor and mystery such as living bread imaged in personal terms. Alice in Wonderland's bottle and cake remain as strange to us as Jesus' language about eating him. Where we are willing to suspend our disbelief with Alice, we don't seem to be able to do so with Jesus.

[Can't help but wonder if Jesus tastes as wonderful as Alice's drink - "mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast" or what my flavor(s) might be or yours.]

= = = = = = =

wisdom connects
far better
with departing
from evil(1)
and doing good(2)

when wisdom
gets mixed up
with riches and honor
there is going to be
hell to pay

to keep wisdom
increasing in stature
attention to G*D's presence(3)
even more than any list
becomes our joy and focus


[Note: (1) (2) (3) are references to The United Methodist General Rules.]