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Lectionary Lately: Pentecost, Pearls, & Peter
Thoughts Inspired by the Lectionary Lately:
Don't throw your pearls to the dogs.
(Matt 7:6)
Meaning: Don't share your precious things with people who refuse to appreciate them.
Dialogue is like partner dancing: these activities can only be fruitful if both people are willing and engaged.
Success requires mutual effort. A follow must want to dance with their lead, and an audience must want to listen to a speaker. Dancing with a hostile follow is miserable, as is preaching to a hostile audience.
The more effort you give, the worse the situation gets. Don't waste yourself away trying to please an antagonistic partner.
It's best "not to strive," don't argue, rather disengage (Matt 12:19). There are other willing dancers and other willing audiences.
Christ isn't telling us to hide the Truth from everyone. He is telling us to carefully select our audience, our dance partners in dialogue
Verses from the Lectionary Lately, with Comments from Saints
From the Roman lectionary: Matthew 7:6 - Christ says, "Do not throw holy things to the dogs, nor cast pearls to swine, they shall trample them with their feet, then turn & tear you to pieces."
The swine are believers who live shamefully. One should not waste the brilliant, lustrous words of true theology to those who are unclean. They will despise our words and tear us limb from limb. This is what some so-called philosophers do. When they hear that God was crucified, they stab us with sophistry, arguing with their syllogisms that such an event is impossible.
From the Byzantine Lectionary: Matthew 12:19 - Christ quotes Isaiah 42:2, saying the Servant of God "shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets."
He truly desired to heal in their presence. But since they pushed him away, he did not argue against their opposition… Isaiah prophesied that Christ will do whatever the Jews want. If they do not want Him to be known, He will not make Himself known. He will not stand up against them like one seeking fame, nor will He dispute contentiously.
Saint Chrysostom & Saint Theophylact of Ochrid
From the Orthodox Lectionary: John 21:18 - Christ foretells Peter's martyrdom: "Truly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you pleased. But when you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall dress you, and carry you where you would not go."
Christ foretold that the blessed Peter would be taken to a sore, displeasing, and hateful place to die in. But Peter will root the powerful love of Christ in his heart, take charge of His flock, and free His sheep ensnared by demonic error. Peter's only path to a glorious death leads through a bitter place, a place he would not go on his own.
Commemorations Lately
- It's Orthodox Pentecost!
- The Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist is on Thursday, June 24. Romans, Byzantines & Orthodox are all commemorating him on the same day.
- Martyr Julian of Tarsus AKA Julian of Antioch is remembered on Monday, June 21, in the Byzantine & Orthodox calendar. Romans celebrate him on March 16 as Julian of Antioch, although I found one Roman Ordinary calendar which commemorates "St Julian" on Sunday June 20.
- Saints John Fisher & Thomas More commemorated on Tuesday, Jun 22, in the Roman calendar only, but I admire them too.
The Serpentine Byzantines
Joint Dr. Boaz, the Human
Sweet Potato, the Ball Python
We're a small team comprising a human and a snake.
Joint Dr. Boaz has a Joint PhD in Healthcare Ethics and Theology. He lives a 2nd life as a professional dancer. He's also a parish cantor, visual artist, and gaming streamer.
Sweet Potato is a male albino Ball Python. Born and raised in Florida, he's also traveled across the USA via road trips and even a flight! He's been blessed by a priest and once completed an entire Paschal Fast without eating a single meal.
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