June 16, 2009

Readings:
Genesis 32 and 33
Matthew 12

Genesis:
In today's readings, Jacob encounters his brother Esau, and is rightly worried about what the reception will be. Yet, Esau greets him with a hug. Grace is like that, sometimes. Disarming.
Yet Jacob can't bring himself to trust it. He very bravely sends the maids and their children, and then the wives and their children in front of him. Grace is hard for Jacob to receive.

Matthew:

Jesus continues to heal in this passage, but it increasingly gets him in trouble with the authorities. And it becomes a question of authority--who is this man to do these things? The authorities of the day argue that he must be demon possessed himself to do them.
Jesus refutes that argument, but then gets himself in trouble with the "family values" folks when his mom and brothers show up at the door. "Who are my mother and brothers?" he asks. As uncomfortable as it makes us, Jesus consistently reminds us that no allegiances can claim our loyalty over our allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven.