Twelve
boys and their coach left their bikes, shoes and backpacks before wading into the
Tham Luang cave. It was a sort of initiation for local young boys to enter the tunnel network, trying to go to
the end of the tunnel, where they would write their names on the wall. They were planning to leave straight away, instead the Thai soccer team got trapped inside the partly-flooded cave by flash floods.
They spent nine days alone in the cave, and became the center of a complicated
rescue operation. [1]
Initiation rites have existed forever. Many of the initiation rites began with the legitimate purpose to enculturate a person seeking membership as native warriors, religious congregation, military unit, college fraternity and sports teams. Most seem to be harmless enough, yet sometimes these rituals crossed the line to simply hazing with occasional tragic outcomes. As the military attempted to rein in these rites/rituals many of the old timers said, “I had to do … everyone else should too!”
Hence
Paul’s public challenge to Peter, “if you, though a Jew, are living like a
Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Gal 2:14) Paul was seeking consistency in Peter’s
exercise of the gospel, no matter who is present, especially in joining in table
fellowship. There are two issues in play
here, the first the Jewish-Christians from Rome expect the Gentile-Christians
to meet all the Jewish initiation expectations, primarily circumcision. The other concern is Peter seems to be
two-faced, meaning Peter when he is alone with the Gentile-Christians fully
participates with the community, however when the Jewish-Christians are present
he withdraws from the Gentiles gathered.
Relationship
is important, whether between the circumcised and uncircumcised, disciple and
the poor, God and his people. Jesus’
disciples noticed something in John’s disciple’s prayer life together, so they asked
Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” (Lk 11:2)
Within the Lord’s Prayer scripture scholars have long debated how to interpret the
word “bread”. Are we asking for sustenance for the body or
eucharist for the soul?
In
the biblical tradition bread is not only a necessity for life, it is also a
symbol of our relationship with God.
From the manna of the Exodus to the bread in the Our Father, bread
serves as a reminder that we stand before God like a client in need, and God is
our patron. The late Michael Crosby, OFM
Cap, noted that no matter how we translate the Greek word, it is the humble act
of asking God for what we need that best captures Jesus’ intention.
Jesus
urged his followers, “Ask and you shall receive.” (Lk 11:9; Jn 16:24) As we
approach this Eucharistic sacrifice, we need to ask daily; our daily petition
for bread keeps us humble, for by it we admit that our life and future rest in
the hands of a generous and caring God. Our
daily prayer for daily bread keeps us in our place, allowing God to be God.
[1] INSIDER. “The Thai soccer team got trapped in a cave
because of an initiation ceremony gone wrong, according to one of the rescue
divers” by Alexandra Ma, July 4, 2018. https://www.thisisinsider.com/thai-cave-team-got-trapped-during-initiation-ceremony-gone-wrong-diver-says-2018-7
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