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Breath of the Spirit

Pastoral, Liturgical, Teaching, and Social Justice Moments brought to you by www.DignityUSA.org.

Breath of the Spirit is DignityUSA’s electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community, but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life.

We welcome relevant homilies, inspirational writings, social justice opportunities, or theological articles from other sources also — particularly from wise women and men who can help us grow as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) and allied Catholic/Christians. You may volunteer to help with this program or send your comments by e-mailing info@DignityUSA.org ATTN: Breath of the Spirit.

FEBRUARY 24, 2008: THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

Readings: 
Exodus 17:3-7
Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
John 4:5-42

Even without reading the Exodus text in Hebrew, students of Scripture can distinguish the Yahwistic author from the book's other two sources when they hear the narrative of Israel's 40 year trek through the wilderness. Almost always when the Chosen People gripe, complain, or argue with God and Moses during this most important event in Jewish history, the Yahwistic author is responsible for the narrative.

FEBRUARY 17, 2008: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Readings: 
Genesis 12:1-4a
II Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9

Some priests of my era insightfully employed a quote from Dag Hammarskjold on their ordination memorial cards. "I don't know who - or what - put the question. I don't know when it was put. I don't ever remember answering. But at some moment I did answer Yes to Someone - or Something - and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful and that, therefore, my life in self-surrender, had a goal.

FEBRUARY 10, 2008: FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Readings: 
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11

As with so many essentials of faith, Scripture gives more than one response to questions about temptation and evil.

The Yahwistic author of Genesis (thought by many scholars to have been a woman) provides us the best known myth of how sin and evil entered our world. According to this 10th century BCE theologian, Yahweh created humans without sin's disorder. The last line of chapter 2 states, "The man and woman were both naked, yet felt no shame." If evil is to break into our human existence, it must come from outside. No one can be tempted from within.

FEBRUARY 3, 2008: FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

Readings: 
Zephania 2:3, 3:12-13
I Corinthians 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12a

One of the most disturbing dimensions of taking Robert North's courses in biblical archeology was his stated conviction that the historical Jesus never intended his followers to number more than a small minority in any community. The Jesuit scholar contends that very few people actually have the courage to carry out Jesus' teachings and imitate his lifestyle. Once organized religion took over Jesus' faith, his beliefs were either ignored or, at best, watered down, enabling large numbers of people to claim they were other Christs.

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