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Monday 30th
Week OT
St. Luke’s Institute
October 27, 2014
HANDLING THE TRUTH +++++++++++++++++++++++++
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In the climactic scene of the classic film A Few Good Men, Navy lawyer Lt. Daniel
Kaffee played by Tom Cruise is interrogating Marine Colonel Nathan Jessup,
played by Jack Nicholson
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At a pivotal point, Cruise demands the truth
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Nicholson thunders, “You can’t handle the truth!”
BLINDED TO THE TRUTH ++++++++++++++++++++++++
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The synagogue leader in today’s Gospel can’t
handle the truth either
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A miraculously cured woman stands in front of
him, along w/ Jesus, who cured her
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What reaction would you expect from the leader?
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Astonishment and awe?
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Gratitude for God’s power?
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An invitation to praise him?
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Well, none of that happens
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The synagogue leader ignores Jesus and blames
the woman for coming to be healed on the Sabbath
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According to his twisted logic, healing someone
requires work and work is not allowed on the Sabbath!
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He warns the others to come on one of the other
six days if they need healing
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His response is senseless
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It’d B like a hospital closing down it’s ER on Sunday
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This fellow is so consumed with resentment
against Jesus that he has blinded himself to truth
BLINDNESS IN
OURSELVES ++++++++++++++++++++++
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It’s easy to see such extreme blindness in
others: racial supremacists & extremists of almost any kind
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But there’s 1 place where it’s difficult 2C, in
selves
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It’s easy 2B blind 2R own blindness, 2 let
resentment grow till we can C no goodness in that person whatsoever, 2 become
so fanatical about a particular truth that we make it the only truth
CONCLUSION
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Let the synagogue leader teach us, by sharp contrast,
2 search R attitudes 4 patches of blindness
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And we ask, “Who
me?”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
