thursday musing

+
I've been back only 2 weeks and I'm already looking forward to a day of retreat.

It's been that hectic. Just the stuff to do takes time, a little here, a little there. An hour to visit the hospitals. Playing phone tag. The only hitch to my retreat day could be a funeral. I have not been responsible for leadership at a funeral since the 1st of the year. MP has had 5, PTMP has had about 5 too. I'm on deck for the next one.

My response to an erupting staff issue is "I don't have time for this." I really don't. It's not all about you, or me, or the colleague who made the decision you don't agree with. Don't ask me to have a meeting to tell you that. Stop hyperventilating and act like an adult.

Thoughts about Sunday's lessons. There is so much in this little story about the leper and Jesus. So far I've picked up - healing vs. cleansing. Notice that the word is cleansing, not healing. (I've been able to actually spend time with the Greek - fun, but perhaps not productive. - Isn't that sad?)

Cleansing this leper - declaring him clean - is a priestly function. Like the next story, about healing and forgiving sins - Jesus is expanding notion of wholeness. It will be no longer controlled by the priestly rituals. Jesus is snorting when he tells the man to go back (ek-ebalov) to the priests and witness to them. The English is softer.

The leper says to Jesus: you have the power to cleanse me. What faith!

It is sad that spending time with the Greek does not a sermon make these days. I need stories, a hook, an image, some tap-dancing and fireworks. Sigh, Jesus, pilot me.
+