For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. [Matthew 12:8]

This verse was part of the translating assignment for my Greek students this week. The discussion ensued about why the word that is normally rendered “and” should be here translated “even.”

In a dispute with the grouchy legalist religious authorities over his supposedly violating their strict homemade rules about the Sabbath, Jesus asserts his lordship over all realms—even their Sabbath (and all the picky rituals they loved).

It got me thinking. How would Jesus express his lordship “even” over some of the pet habits of my life?

“For the Son of Man is Lord EVEN of my _________________.”

a. finances
b. leisure time
c. screen obsession
d. eating or drinking habits
e. fill in your own blank.

Israel/Palestinian peace plan
Let’s hope it sticks. Hamas released the last twenty living Israeli hostages yesterday under the ceasefire deal that pushed the pause button on the two-plus years of war in Gaza. This latest armed conflict was initiated by Hamas’ attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel then freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The exchanges of hostages and POWs also included the returning the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages.

Did you see any of the return of the Israeli hostages? Powerful footage! People are cheering. Families, soldiers, leaders, countries collectively holding their breath. And it’s hard to miss the returning of the dead as well.

It may seem strange or morbid. But it shouldn’t. To desire the bodies of the dead is akin to saying that their lives mattered. The violence and inhumanity of war cannot erase these ones made in the image of God. We must still honor them.

Historically, Christians have always honored the dead bodies of their loved ones. In the Catacombs of Rome, comfort was found in the confidence that the bodies of those who were persecuted and martyred were treated with care.

In the ancient world, the poor, the enslaved, and the condemned were often left in common pits outside the city. But the Christian community were better than that. They gathered the remains of their brothers and sisters, prayed over them, and marked their resting places with signs of faith and hope.

To honor the dead and their bodies is to honor their lives. The Bible attests to this. Abraham buries his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. Joseph makes sure his father Jacob’s bones are carried out of Egypt. And, of course, the women came to anoint Jesus’ body on Easter morning. Collecting and not forgetting the bodies of the deceased has always been the honorable practice of the faithful. It tells the watching world we still respect and revere the human person—the living and the dead.

This and that

More than a paycheck…what makes for the happiest workers
William Vanderbloemen, CEO of a Christian search group, interviewed 30,000 people and found the 6 things that the happiest, most successful employees have in common. They are:

1. Having a good boss
2. Work-life balance
3. Enough money
4. Autonomy and flexibility
5. Professional growth
6. Meaningful work

Love your neighbor…taken literally and beautifully
Manolo Betancur, owner of Manolo’s Bakery in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been giving out cakes and other food from his shop to his homeless neighbors for more than twelve years. His heart is so genuine! “We don’t call them ‘homeless,’” Betancur says. “They’re our neighbors.”

Trick or Treat
Halloween is right around the corner. I read that many families spend upwards of $200 on Halloween candy. Whoa. Some churches (like Trinity at our annual Trunk or Treat) look for meaningful ways to engage the community around this “holiday.” I laughed a bit at Kelly Ripa’s rant about ungrateful trick or treaters: “You know, we give good candy. Full-size candy. You think they’d take the win and say, ‘Thank you.’ But they go, ‘I don’t like Hershey’s, can I get a Snickers bar? I want Skittles…’”

Take a gander at these vintage Halloween postcards. They’re kind of creepy. Here is a sample.

They said it

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” [Dwight D. Eisenhower]

“You’re the luckiest person in the entire world if you know what you really want to do … and you’re the luckiest person in the world if you can then make a living out of it.” [Andrew Lloyd Webber]

“My great concern for you in life is not that you will fail, but that you will succeed in doing the wrong things.” [Howard Hendricks]

“O good shepherd, seek me out, and bring me home to thy fold again.
Deal favourably with me according to thy good pleasure,
till I may dwell in thy house all the days of my life,
and praise thee for ever and ever with them that are there.”
[Jerome, 4th century]