Connecting Scripture and Life

Connecting Scripture and Life

by Connecting Scripture and Life

Religion & Spirituality

Episode 98 - Meditating in Color - Isaiah 40

This special podcast invites you to color your spiritual reflections as you listen to a passage from Isaiah 40. This passage reminds us that our lives are short but what we bring to the world is beauty and color to sustain creation. Rabbi Jason Fruithandler and Barbara Murphy invite you to enter into their reflections and express your spirit through art. You do not have to be an artist, but simply a child of God. Download a .PDF of Coloring PDF https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ybY-aW86zTJduq4OeNFYR9hAz3PxRIUI/view?usp=share_link

Episode 95: A Family Confronts its Brokenness - Genesis 42-44

In this episode we experience the brokenness of Joseph, his brothers, and Jacob as they come face to face after years of separation. In the face of starvation all the sons of Jacob save Benjamin travel to Egypt to procure food and there they come face to face with the brother they betrayed but they do not recognize him. Joseph recognizes them and throughout these chapters we share the pain and sadness of a family torn apart by betrayal, lies, cowardice, and inconsolable grief. We watch a family move from alienation to the hope of redemption and restoration. What can we learn from our relationships from this struggling family? Why has God told us this story if there is no hope for reconciliation? Can we hear ourselves in their experiences? Please join us.

Episode 94: Pharaoh's Dream - Genesis 41

In this chapter Pharaoh dreams of emaciated cows eating up healthy ones and rotted corn overcoming good corn. These dreams agitate his spirit and none of his magicians can tell him what they mean. Joseph is brought from prison and he tells Pharaoh that "God will see to Pharaoh's welfare." We see in this passage a God who cares for all of humanity. Joseph tells Pharaoh to prepare during times of abundance for a devastating famine and Pharaoh listens. In hearing the word of God and following it the world is saved. When we learn that God cares for our well being, how do we prepare?

Episode 93-: God the Interpreter - Genesis 40

We continue the saga of Joseph with him in prison, serving under the chief steward, put in charge of the care of the imprisoned chief cupbearer and baker. We are not told why the Pharaoh put the latter in jail but they play a significant role in our understanding of Joseph. They each have dreams that they cannot understand and Joseph telles them, "God will interpret." One has a fortunate outcome the other does not, but what is significant here is that in the midst of suffering, being lifted up to high position, then cast into prison, Joseph keeps his eyes on God. What can we understand about our own lives, the ups and downs, and where our focus remains? In good times and bad God is the interpreter of our salvation.

Episode 92 : Led Not Into Temptation - Genesis 39

In this chapter our hero Joseph is sold into slavery to Potiphar, the chief steward to Pharaoh, and given charge of the entire household. Potiphar trusts him so completely he pays no attention to anything but the food he eats. Joseph is described as fit and handsome and becomes the target of temptations by Potiphar's wife. We see here a young man who seems to have it all: the love of God and fortune of his slave owner. He is living a good life given his circumstances. Yet all the while he must fight off the advances of this woman. Finally she accuses him of rape and Potiphar, without question, lets his fury rule his reason and throwns Joseph into jail. Doing the right thing for the right reasons doesn't always make our lives easy. Jesus said blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness. Joseph resists temptation and is cast into the darkness and even there he rises to esteem because he is with God. Remaining with God is one of the great lessons of this story and remembering there is always redemption for the faithful.

Episode 91: This is the Line of Jacob - Genesis 37

The story of Joseph is a familiar one: brother against brother. The favored son incurs the enmity of his siblings. The father honors Joseph with a colorful coat that he wears proudly. Joseph dreams that his brothers will bow down to him. His brothers respond by plotting against him and selling him into slavery,Then they sit down for a meal. The story of the line of Jacob is the story of humanity. We go on with our meal as our divisions rage on. In the next few weeks we will continue to explore the saga of Joseph that will lead eventually to reconciliation. The question of our own reconciliation with loved ones who betray us, or we betray remains. Please join us

Episode 90- May we be like Joseph - Matthew 1-18-2-15

In the infancy narrative of Jesus Joseph is a hero. This is a righteous and noble man who, without any prompting, would protect the life of Mary and her unborn child though by law he had the right to turn her over for capital judgement. Before his dream he made a heavenly choice. Then the prophetic voice comes to him in a dream to take the woman and her child into his home and name him Jesus. Joseph speaks no words. He does what is righteous without fanfare and we never know in the Gospel what is his reward. The Magi are similar. They come from a great distance through unknown divine inspiration to find the Son of God and then the prophetic dream comes to travel a new path. This Christmas we pray we can be like Joseph who does the will of God without thought of benefit to ourselves, but for the well being of others. This is our reward. God bless you all this Chanukah and Christmas and all through the coming year.

Episode 89: Chanukah Light Coming into the World

Today we talk about lighting the Chanukah lights from passages in the Talmud. Chanukah is not spoken of in Torah and Maccabees is not part of the Jewish Canon and yet Jews worldwide light the candles over eight days until the whole house is glowing with warmth and the divine light of God. This is a beautiful tradition to remind us that the light coming into the world has always been here and will never leave us. Christians in Advent light candles in preparation for the light coming into the world, the coming again of Jesus who promised he would never leave us. This is a beautiful opportunity to celebrate together, Jews and Christians, who hold this light in our hearts and are reminded to live it every day. It is time to embrace one another and keep as holy and sacred the light of God within us and to share it with the world. Ulla said: There were two amora’im in the West, Eretz Yisrael, who disagreed with regard to this dispute, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida. One said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future. On the first day, eight days remain in Hanukkah, one kindles eight lights, and on the second day seven days remain, one kindles seven, etc. The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days. Each day, the number of lights corresponds to the number of the days of Hanukkah that were already observed. And one said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot: Thirteen were sacrificed on the first day and each succeeding day one fewer was sacrificed (Numbers 29:12–31). The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade.Therefore, if the objective is to have the number of lights correspond to the number of days, there is no alternative to increasing their number with the passing of each day. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were two Elders in Sidon, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel.Each provided a reason for his actions: One gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the Festival. And one gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. The Sages taught in a baraita: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it. If he lived upstairs, he places it at the window adjacent to the public domain. And in a time of danger, when the gentiles issued decrees to prohibit kindling lights, he places it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation. And what blessing does one recite? He recites: Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us to light the Hanukkah light. The Gemara asks: And where did He command us? The mitzva of Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Torah, so how is it possible to say that it was commanded to us by God? The Gemara answers that Rav Avya said: The obligation to recite this blessing is derived from the verse: “You shall not turn asidefrom the sentence which they shall declare unto you, to the right, nor to the left” (Deuteronomy 17:11). From this verse, the mitzva incumbent upon all of Israel to heed the statements and decrees of the Sages is derived. Therefore, one who fulfills their directives fulfills a divine commandment. Rav Neḥemya said that the mitzva to heed the voice of the Elders of Israel is derived from the verse: “Ask your father, and he will declare unto you, your Elders, and they will tell you” (Deuteronomy 32:7).

Episode 88: Blossom of the New Creation - Isaiah 11-1-10

The wolf is the guest of the lamb, the infant plays by the viper's den, the lion eats hay with the ox, knowledge of the Lord covers the earth like water. All of these things are antithetical to the reality we live in and yet through the prophet, God has promised that this is what will be. This is an aspirational prophecy that shows us what we are and will be. It is for us to live toward this promise of a new creation of love and peace and the word of God as the only weapon against the wicked. Please join us for this transforming conversation that witnesses the bud of new life blooming.

Episode 87: Gratitude for Temptation - Mt 4- 1-11; Mk 1-12-13; Lk 4-1-13

We usually hear about Jesus tempted in the desert at Lent. This conversation places it in the context of the season of thanksgiving. We know the story: Jesus, filled with the Spirit, is led into the desert, fasts for forty days and nights and undergoes three temptations from the devil. These are basic things we humans desire: food, power, self-possession. When we are at our most vulnerable an urge comes to stray away from what we know to be true into the illusion of truth. When we are brought to the test, we learn from Jesus that being firmly connected to God will keep our minds and hearts in the right place to see through the lies. It is a great gift to have our faith challenged and to know if we live our lives in the presence of God we will stand firm. For this we give thanks.

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