Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Waiting for Christmas...

Matthew 21:33-46 (King James Version)
33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.










There are of course, several interpretations for this parable as with many parts of the Bible. Some say that the 'far off place' may be heaven. What if this were a story read today...current time? All parts of the holy scriptures being true, are true to the ends of time...are they not? Meaning that the interpretations shouldn't be connected to one focal point alone.
My reason for bringing this up is only to cause one to think a moment...not put anyone on the defense.
I have recently been reading the book, 'The Name of the Rose'. The movie version left me with several questions, not to mention it focused way too much on the sensationalism of the sexual scene. I am grateful for the moment to have the book in order to get a better grasp of the time period as well as subject matter. In the 'novel'...the lead role speaks a great deal (as a monk) on various religious interpretations. The ones that stood out for myself were in regards to Revelations. I had always been 'taught'- that the referral to the beast with seven heads and ten horns was in regards to specific nations*

Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

In the novel, however... the interpretation made much more sense, stating the numbers were in regards to the seven deadly sins and ten commandments.

I have been told by other street philosophers that many novels of fiction carry important truths if one but looks with an open mind. Not meaning that I take novels to be 'holy'. Just merely pointing out that 'truth'...is in the eye of the beholder. Just like beauty, eh? *Chuckles*

So I will end today's meandurings with a few quotes.

"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention…. A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words." ~Rachel Naomi Remen.
"In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth." ~Mahatma Gandhi

"You can hear the footsteps of God when silence reigns in the mind." ~Sri Sathya Sai Baba







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