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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute. Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more: https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/
In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute. Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more: https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/
Monday of Holy Week
St. Luke’s Institute
April 14, 2014
Irony +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø
Irony, the dictionary says, is, “The use of words to convey the opposite of
their literal meaning”
Ø
It isn’t rare for us to use irony in ordinary
life; we do it all the time
Ø
We say to friends, when tempting them to a slice
of the raspberry white chocolate cheesecake, “Sure, no calories in that!”
Ø
Not only words, but events can also be presented
with irony
Ø
And it’s irony we hear in John’s Gospel today
Irony in John +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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In the Gospel, Jesus has given Lazarus back his
life by raising him from the dead
Ø
And his opponents want to end Jesus’ life; they
want to kill the one who gives and restores life!
Ø
That’s John’s use of irony!
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His enemies may not have seen it that way, but
John does, and he expects that we, his readers, will see what irony there is in
their plotting against Jesus
IRONY HELPS US
UNDERSTAND ++++++++++++++++++
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Irony helps us understand something about the
perversity of human nature …
Ø
That we are all capable of doing the opposite of
what we claim to believe and, in the process, we miss the inconsistency
Ø
Unfortunately, as we grew we, myself included, let
devious patterns of thought develop …
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And we shut ourselves off from seeing things as
they are or accepting new more life-giving alternatives
DEALING WITH THE
IRONY ++++++++++++++++++++++
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Prayer for an open heart and mind, for more of a
child’s simplicity and wonder is always in order
Ø
It would help us to see that at times our
actions and words are so opposed to what we claim to hold dear
Ø
If our actions, words, beliefs, and ideals were
all to be truly united and consistent, we would avoid the kind of irony present
in today’s Gospel
CONCLUSION
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø
Yes, we could leave it for more innocent
matters, like the calories in cheesecake
Ø
This Week we call Holy gives us the time, the
space, and the focus to make that consistency possible
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
