Summer '73 Friday

SPIRIT METHODS MANUAL

PSU Spirit Methods July 27, 1973

WORDS OF JESUS CONVERSATION



INTENT





MODEL













EXAMPLE

Selections and

Homilies




WORDS OF JESUS

WORDS OF JESUS ­ Conversation uses the preaching of Jesus to reconstruct the journey of the eschatological hero, which provides a reference point ­ and thus point of return ­ in dealing with the Other World. The emphasis is rational ­ yet cuts through intellectualism and moralism and to the spiritual. The conversation is to intuit the ontological grounding of Jesus through his preaching.

WORDS

Read the appointed selection.

HOMILY

Give a short tangential lesson on the preaching of Jesus that shifts attention from the words and sets a context for the questions.

QUERY

1. What are the key images in this story?

  1. What did you hear Jesus beholding in the "Other World" out of which he said the particular words being read?

Transition

Re­cap the insights of the group. Get off stage.

  1. Words: Mat: 5, 2­20

Homily: Indicative mode: He's simply pointing. In New Orleans in a recent political campaign one of the candidates had posters made which proclaimed simply, "This is Edwards country." That's the indicative mood. The secret is that for a man of spirit the indicative is the imperative.

  1. Words: Mat: 5, 21­48

Homily: Strangely, in his preaching only one message seems to keep beaming through: "Times up! Kingdom's here! Repent and live this new life!" Absurd message! Just indicating the way it is.

3. Words: Mat: 6, 1­34

Homily: In the other world there is no such thing as the moral. You are dealing with the indicative. Jesus is reporting the way it is. He's

operating ontologically and not morally and therefore is operating in the universe of "everyman" and not simply reporting on his own interior state.

4. Words: Mat: 7, 1­23

Homily: Explore relation of Words method to Luke and Psalms method. Use knowing, doing, being motifs. Journey of Jesus as disclosed in his preaching. Grasping his posture (spiritual not intellectual or moral) thru his preaching. Jesus sneaks from the Other World (right in midst of this one). Talks about how it is over there.

  1. Words: Mat: 7, 24­8, 34

Homily: Transparent knowing is a crucial clue to dealing with the Words. This has to do with grassing the way it is in its totality; like an artist grasps life in its totality. Not interested in intellectual analysis of the Words, no interpretation. The issue is not his rationality or the meaning of his Words.

  1. Words: Mat: 9, 1­10, 33

Homily: Curious image of Jesus in the movie Gospel according to St. Matthew. Robot­like, he pops out of the sky and rolls thru history and up and out the other end. He never stops and just throws his words over his shoulder to his disciples following behind. He speaks almost mechanically, like he's been programmed and repeat his one message again and again.

  1. Words: Mat: 11, 4­30

Homily: Image of levitation ­ it's like Jesus is walking in the other world in the midst of this one. He speaks from across "the river" "over here, it's like this, etc…."

  1. Words: Mat: 16, 1­28

Homily: In the other world the saints speak to you. But they speak only to people in the other world ­ not to anyone in this world.

9. Words: Mat: 17, 1­18, 7

Homily: Figure of Jesus provides an objective reference point in dealing with the other world. Without such a reference point one gets lost. He's the primal sign and the ontological touchstone. In our time there seems to be weird fascination with the figure of Jesus, in particular, and eschatological heroes in general: Jesus Christ Superstar, interest in astrology, Lone Ranger.















































































PREPARATION



  1. Words: Mat: 18, 8­20

Homily: We are learning how to read the Bible as a religious exercise. This is related to our other guru methods but is a bit different. They are a tool for evangelism. Reading the scriptures has to do with nurture ­ sustenance of the P.O.G. Our fathers knew that and that wisdom was behind the daily reading of the "Good Book" ­ in families, schools, etc.

  1. Words: Mat: 20, 1­34

Homily: Now, remember Jesus is just reporting the way it is, "I calls 'em the way I sees 'em," (image of umpire at baseball game). We were all trained in Sunday school to hear the Words thru the screen of morality and bourgeoise virtue. However, Jesus doesn't use that screen ­ in fact, he's rather ruthless in his assault on the moralists.

12. Words: Mat: 22, 2­46

Homily: Beyond the moral does not mean brushing the moral aside. Jesus is standing in and speaking from the ontological ground of all morality. You have to deal with the moral ­ but Jesus is not reporting any "moral" imperatives.

13. Words: Mat: 24, 1­44

Homily: In the other world there are no problems, only one problem ­ Satan. He's there always trying to tug you back into this world ­ always right behind you.

14. Words: Mat: 25, 1­30

Homily: Good news Jesus proclaims is absurdly contentless. Only proclamation he makes is to indicate the way it is.

15. Words: Mat: 25, 31­26, 35

Homily: Jesus seems to sort of march around revealing the way it is ­ in the other world. His Words come as revelation and the key to revelation is surprise. His beholding always comes as a disturbing surprise.

16. Words: Mat: 27, 11­28, 20

Homily: Standing on the other shore, Jesus does everything he does in relation to the Father. He must have been a powerful presence ­ went around on a thirty­foot cloud of awe.


Questions

Alternative questions for the "Words of Jesus" conversation include the following:

1. What did Jesus know that allowed him to say that?

2. What know about Kingdom?

3. What do we know about the "Other World" on the basis of these Words?

4. What was going on with Jesus?

5. How does this illuminate responsibility to God for this world?

6. What state of being is Jesus speaking about?

GUIDELINES

Methodologically, it's suggested that enough of the Words be read so that all hear some. But it's not too important to hear every word. Presume an instant context ­ give no opening context. You're not after the "awe." It may come but you're not out after it. These conversation have more of a rational emphasis. The guru can remain rather objective, be nonchalant. After reading the Words a short tangential homily that shifts attention from the Words and provides the context for the question is appropriate. There really is only one question, however you ask it. "What did you hear Jesus beholding in the 'other world' out of which he said the particular Words being read." Normally, any answer which is obedient to the form of the question is simply accepted.

It's usually not appropriate to pin peoples' responses down to a particular passage or Word. However, one must watch for intellectualization and block it as possible ­ hopefully with your homily prior to the question. It's also critical in the homily to cut the ground out from under moralism. A short transitional comment at the close of the conversation is needed to enable the group to move on. These conversations must be short ­ no more than fifteen minutes

This conversation is unique among the spirit conversations because preparation does not include brooding on the spirit dynamics of the group. In preparing: a) locate the scripture, b) select your homily, and c) select two or three questions most appropriate to the selected passage. Your goal in this conversation is to have the group identify the "Other World" in the classical heritage of the church and thus get some cultural underpinnings for their subjective awareness of the Other World.