The Circumlocution of Seeing Your Father's Nakedness

What does it mean when Scripture says that Ham saw his father Noah's nakedness?

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)

In a word, incest.

The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall be put to death, their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:11)

Biblical authors often used evasive synonyms. The author evaded having to write God's name by writing "The Name" instead. The author would not write the actual words for male and female genitalia but would substitute another body part such as thigh, leg or belly. The technical term for using an evasive synonym is circumlocution.

So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. (Genesis 24:9)

The servant actually put his hand on Abraham's testicles. It was a way to swear an oath - another way of saying that if you broke the oath your testicles would be cut off. Thigh is an evasive synonym for testicles. "Seeing your father's nakedness" was an evasive synonym for having sex with his wife. The Bible is full of such curcumlocutions.

Noah was going to have sex with his wife but got drunk. Noah's drunkeness gave his son Ham opportunity to defile Noah's wife (Ham's stepmother). Noah could not curse his son Ham because Noah and his three sons had already been blessed by God - you cannot curse what God has already blessed. Noah instead cursed Ham's son Canaan. 

God had sent the flood because the entire world was corrupt. One thing we take away from the story is that Noah and his family were saved through the flood but the whole ordeal really accomplished nothing for mankind. Ham went right back to the sins of his ancestors.

The events immediately after the flood are in many ways a new creation story, a third creation story after the first two creation stories in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2-3. Like the first and second creation stories, man fell. Man couldn't do it alone. Israel couldn't do it alone. We couldn't do it on our own. We all need Jesus.


-Tim-

Sons of the Prophets and Miraculous Feeding

The prophet Elisha was brought food to feed the sons of the prophets. The food is miraculously multiplied and there was some left over.

A man came from Ba'al-shal'ishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Eli'sha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat." But his servant said, "How am I to set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, `They shall eat and have some left.'" So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.(2 Kings 4:42-44)

The phrase "Sons of the prophets" is significant. This was a guild or grouping of prophets over which Elisha presided. He erected a common dwelling for the prophets, presided over meals and dispatched the prophets to perform errands. Here Elisha feeds them with miraculous food.

Several centuries later, Jesus asks for food to feed the Israelites. Again the food is miraculously multiplied and there is much left over.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  (Matthew 14:15-20)

One chapter later Jesus does the same thing for the Gentiles, feeding them food and having much left over. What does this all mean to us?

Matthew is portraying Jesus as the greatest prophet and fulfillment of all prophecy. His miraculous feeding of the Jews makes them "Sons of the prophets." Even more surprising to the ancient Jewish reader was the miraculous feeding of the Gentiles who were now able to lay claim to the same title. We share the title "Sons of the prophets" today. 

Jesus is the new prophet who has erected the Church as a dwelling for himself and for us, presides over our Eucharistic meals and sends us on our missions to bring his message to all the Earth.



-Tim-

The Seven Beatitudes of the Book of Revelation

We are familiar with the nine beatitudes of Mathew's Gospel.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 
(Matthew 5:3-11)

 How many of us are familiar with the seven beatitudes of John's Book of Revelation?

Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Revelation 14:13)

"Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!" (Revelation 16:15)

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."(Revelation 19:9)

Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.(Revelation 20:6)

And behold, I am coming soon." Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (Revelation 22:14)

-Tim-

The Wedding at Cana: Mary Sets Salvation Into Motion

Mary was given the great privilege of being allowed to set into motion the events leading to the salvation of mankind.

Her son was reluctant. He asks, "What does this have to do with me?" Mary ignored him, looked at the servants and said, "Do what he tells you." Jesus did it. This is not a helpless peasant girl. This is a proud and fierce Jewish mother. Modern Catholic sensibilities have bought into the Peita mindset.

I grew up with Jewish friends. Their mothers expected them to do as they were told. The story of the Jewish mother and her seven sons in 2 Maccabees 7 is the model - a Jewish mother encouraging her sons to stay faithful and the sons doing as they are told in the face of horrible torture and death.

But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native tongue as follows, deriding the cruel tyrant: "My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you. I beseech you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed. Thus also mankind comes into being. Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I may get you back again with your brothers. (2 Maccabees 7:27-29)

Ruth, Judith, Esther.... all the strong women of the Bible set events in motion which lead to the salvation of Israel from great harm. This is the great privilege given to Mary, that she was the one who would set Jesus' ministry into motion, knowing full well how it would end for her Son, and that it would lead to the salvation of Israel and of all mankind.

Look at the strong women of the Bible and you will find Mary in all of them. Ponder the passage above for a moment, for that is the image of Mary at the wedding at Cana.


-Tim-

I Ripped My Pants

It happened at Mass last night.

I have been dealing with an extremely difficult person at work - God’s way of teaching me to bear with the faults of others, as well as family issues, etc. Anyway, I was having a hectic day. Thursday nights I am sacristan for Mass and then altar server for a Novena to St. Jude which includes Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I arrived later than I like and didn’t get to pray.

Everything went well until Father walked to the ambo during the penitential rite, pulled out the lighter we keep there, and lit the altar candles. I had completely forgot to light the candles.

Father started dressing the altar, turns to me and says, "Tim, will you get me some purificators?" Yep, I forgot those too. There were none in the vestry so I had to go all the way to our other vestry by the chapel to get some and got back in time for the Sanctus, handed them to Father and then knelt.

I almost missed ringing the second bell at the consecration. I rang the first bell fine, zoned out and missed the second bell. Doh!

And here is the best part….

During the benediction, Father exposed the Blessed Sacrament and as everyone was singing O Salutaris I stood to get the Thurible for Father. I felt my pants leg get caught on the heel of my shoe as I stood and felt the seat of my pants let go. RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!!! Good thing I was wearing a cassock and surpice.

So I'm standing there singing O Salutaris with a giant hole in my pants under my cassock. I'm half horrified at the thought of my pants being ripped and half trying not to laugh at the thought of the Spongebob Squarepants "I Ripped My Pants" episode.

I apologized to Father about the candles and purificators later in the vestry (still wearing the cassock) and he was most gracious, but I'm sad now. These were my altar server pants for four years. They were worn threadbare but had a permanent smell of incense that wouldn't wash out. There was even a "My Pants Smell Like Incense" thread on Catholic Answers about these pants. My buddy says that I should cut out the worn knees as relics but something about venerating my pants doesn't seem right.

Anyway, I'm going to miss those pants. They were like a friend who shared all the special liturgical moments with me. Black Dockers martyred for Jesus.


-Tim-

And the Word Became Text

Michael Casey OSCO, author of the definitive work on Lectio Devina titled "Sacred Reading", wrote a paper for the Benedictine Oblates World Congress which took place in Rome during October 2013. In it he describes the heart of Lectio...

We are, perhaps, familiar with the hodie of the liturgy. Today Christ is born. Today Christ is risen. Today Christ ascends into heaven. In our liturgical celebrations we are not simply commemorating past saving events, but we are actualising them, activating them, making them present and accessible today. We are entering into the process of salvation. The timeless economy of salvation is being realised for our benefit today.

The practice of lectio divina is a prolongation of the reception of the Word proclaimed in liturgy. In a way similar to the liturgy, when we receive God’s Word in lectio, it is as though God were speaking directly to us today. It is not merely an inspiring word from the past that still has the power to touch us, to guide us and to move us to good living. It is God’s unique and empowering Word addressed to us at this moment and in this situation in which we find ourselves. This is more than mere reading; God is at work in us. The Holy Spirit is as active in our reception of the inspired Word as in its original composition. This is why Saint Jerome wrote, “We cannot arrive at an understanding of Scripture without the aid of the Holy Spirit who inspired it.”

Read More... 

-Tim-

The Number of the Beast

666 has to do with emperor worship.

John wrote Revelation to seven Churches in Asia minor. These were being persecuted because they refused to participate in emperor worship. Emperor worship was a huge problem at the time. The city of Pergamum in Asia Minor was the regional center of emperor worship and it was particularly difficult for the Church there. St. John notes the difficulty they are having in that particular city.

And to the angel of the church in Per'gamum write: `The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; you hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith even in the days of An'tipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." (Revelation 2:12-13)

Temple to Emperor Trajan - typical
City of Pergamum, Asia Minor

Emperor worship was the main problem in the Book of Revelation. Those who did not participate in emperor worship were barred from commerce, shunned from society, arrested and sometimes put to death. Antipas (in the passage above) had been appointed Bishop of Pergamum and was martyred by burning on the altar in one of the temples to the Emperors.

Slaves used to be marked on the forehead or right hand by their owner. A mark or name on the forehead was a sign of ownership. 666 represents the emperor. Some would bear the mark of the emperor while Christians would be marked with the name of Christ on their forehead.

saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads." (Revelation 7:3)

they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads; (Revelation 9:4)

Then I looked, and lo, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

ST. Paul calls himself a "slave of Christ" and notes that he had been marked. The mark on the forehead has to do with slavery and ownership.

The passages above are key to the overall meaning of the Book of Revelation. The followers of Christ with the name of God on their forehead are persecuted now. That persecution is temporary however, and if the followers of Christ persevere to the end they will be rewarded. The followers of the emperor will be destroyed in the end. That's the whole point of the Book of Revelation. It is a message of hope for persecuted Churches.

And St. John challenges us to ask ourselves who's name is on our forehead. Is God's name on our forehead? Is Jesus' name on our forehead? What name do we bear on our forehead? Who owns us?

-Tim-

Zippered Thin-Line RSV-CE Bible from Oxford University Press

RSV Catholic Edition from Oxford University Press

Shown is the zippered, thin-line RSV Catholic Edition Bible in imitation leather from Oxford University Press. It is listed on Oxford Press website in black at $32.99 but can be found on the internet in both black and burgundy for a little over $20.

It is imitation leather but it feels like lambskin and is beautifully stitched. The binding is sewn and it has a zippered closure with miraculous medal zipper pull. I've added two ribbons to save my place - one red for the Old Testament and one white for the New Testament. The ribbons had to be cut short so as not to get caught in the zipper. There are very few notes, no maps, no essays and no pretty pictures - very few frills, just the text. It is not a study Bible but designed to be carried with you and read.

This is an amazingly rugged yet beautiful Bible. I tend to be rough on things and the zippered closure is a blessing for travel or just throwing it in the back seat of the car. This one has been used every day for years, has been dragged up and down the east-coast in backpack, on airplanes, in hotel rooms, and it still looks brand new. I have read this Bible cover to cover three times and am half way through my fourth.

This is quite simply one of the best values in Catholic Bibles available today. 

RSV Catholic Edition from Oxford University Press

RSV Catholic Edition from Oxford University Press

RSV Catholic Edition from Oxford University Press

RSV Catholic Edition from Oxford University Press

-Tim-