It's unusual these days to find fresh, current commentary on passages from Torah. I imagine its easier and safer to repackage the same messages and meanings that have been applied through the centuries. This practice has always seemed a little self-contradictory to me, though. Since we believe that G-d is fresh and new every morning as the manna that symbolized divine provision, why wouldn't we expect that the Spirit of the Living Word would enliven the message of our own daily bread?

I recently began reading a small book called "Meeting God in Virtual Reality".  The authors provide a beautiful and liberating explanation of the ancient practice of "lectio divina" >> the practice of slowly reading a biblical or sacred text and allowing it to touch you with new meaning and purpose... it is more about listening with the heart than understanding with the mind. The application of the practice in this little book covers viewable media of all sorts, not just textual material, but I have enjoyed the application across the full spectrum of daily life.  Perhaps I have always regarded the study of God and relationship this way.

So when I read the Levitical texts about mutilation in sacrifice a few weeks ago, I was immediately struck by the sense of how "anti-Levitical" was the body of Jesus in the time of His execution.

Leviticus 22:18-25 (The Message) God spoke to Moses: "Tell Aaron and his sons and all the People of Israel, Each and every one of you, whether native born or foreigner, who presents a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, must make sure that it is a male without defect from cattle, sheep, or goats for it to be acceptable. Don't try slipping in some creature that has a defect—it won't be accepted. Whenever anyone brings an offering from cattle or sheep as a Peace-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, it has to be perfect, without defect, to be acceptable. Don't try giving God an animal that is blind, crippled, mutilated, an animal with running sores, a rash, or mange. Don't place any of these on the Altar as a gift to God. You may, though, offer an ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted as a Freewill-Offering, but it is not acceptable in fulfilling a vow. Don't offer to God an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut-off testicles. Don't do this in your own land but don't accept them from foreigners and present them as food for your God either. Because of deformities and defects they will not be acceptable."

And yet the offering of Jesus of Nazareth in His broken body was accepted by G-d. So we are told in the historical documents and so we are assured in our hearts as believers.

If we think we honor God by mutilating others, we have some more thinking to do.  In every case, it is God who determines what is acceptable and the criteria of the Holy has everything to do with the inherent humility and mercy of the one(s) who make the offering.  Selah...