Of Domination systems, prophetic collisions and Empty Tombs---

It seems Fr. Pat Brennan of Holy Family Parish had been doing some Lenten reading. In case you don't know Holy Family Parish an "Evangelical church in the Roman Catholic tradition" here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Fr. Pat's inspirational choice of spiritual material this Lent was "The Last Week" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan of Jesus Seminar fame.

Here is the link to Fr. Pat's insights on this "historical" perspective (click on "the Bulletin" and then on "Fr. Pat Brennan/Living Faith")--- I will give you the highlights (?) to whet your appetite--

Under Thursday:

"Eucharist is the continuation of the meal-oriented ministry of Jesus. Jesus did a lot of His teaching at meals.... This Passover sacrifice like meal that Jesus gave His followers was not a substitution sacrifice in which Christ gave his life to atone for the sins of humanity, rather it was a meal in which he invited, and invites, His followers to participate with Him in the movement from death into new life."

According to Fr. Pat--- Borg and Crossan emphasize the "new life" that Jesus invites us to is acheived only through death to the "domination style" of life that prevailed and prevails in the culture around us.

Further on under the Friday (as in Good Friday) meditation Fr. Pat says---

"Why did Jesus die? It is clear in Mark's presentation that He died because of His prophetic collision with the domination system of Roman Government and the Jewish temple oriented religion."

SILLY ME!!! I thought he died for our sins!!!!

Fr. Pat concludes by saying "the relevant issue for us is to what degree is this conflict of domination system vs. the Reign of God at work in our own day, and whose side are you and I on?" And this folks is the end result a belief system centered on social/political action and stripped of mystery and any hint of the supernatural--- It doesn't matter what you believe---maybe Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, maybe it was just a generous change of heart in the crowd, maybe Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist or maybe He instituted nothing more then a communal meal, maybe Jesus is truly man and truly God or maybe he is just another really nice teacher/prophet who stood up to the domination system of his day..... it doesn't matter as long as you pick-up your anti-war picket signs as you leave the narthex today.....

Perhaps Cardinal George is somewhat preoccupied by the sins (or rather is that tactics of their "domination system") of a few of his brother priests. It is pretty blatant move on Fr. Pat's part to use the writings of known heretics--- those who spend countless hours and fortunes attempting to debunk Christ's divinity--- for his Holy week reflections to his "sheep" ---- and still the sign outside his church says "Catholic".

From Saturday's Trib---- The Catholic Church Born Again  and from last year---- The Curt Jester covered Fr. Brennan's feelings about Benedict XVI's election--- It seems along with "paradigm paralysis" and "directive images of Jesus" we can add "domination systems", "prophetic collisions", and "meal ministry" to the lexicon of those who are busy singing "a new church into being".