Readings, September 16, 2007

Exodus
Chapter 32 7 With that, the LORD said to Moses, "Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, 'This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!' 9 I see how stiff-necked this people is," continued the LORD to Moses. 10 "Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation." 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, "Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'" 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation

The Programmer said to Moses, "Go down now to your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt.  They have reverted to erroneous programs.  They began to think they could program their own programmer and to worship it.

"See how stubborn this people is, to go on putting their programming ability ahead of My operating instructions.  Don't bother me, but let me de-program the lot of them and I will make you, Moses, into a great nation, replacing Abraham in My covenant. 

Moses begged The Programmer to save the people.  "Why, Mighty Programmer, should you deprogram the very people who You saved with your powerful program?  Remember the contract you made with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you promised to make their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (CFs wonder if a new star is programmed every time a downloading soul is formed) and I will give you this land as an eternal heritage."

So, The Programmer decided not to deprogram all the people who turned away from Him to their own silly programs.

Interpretation

I am grateful to Jesus Christ, The Program in perfect, loving, human form because He considered me worthy of accepting His download and allowed me to re-program others' programs to accept Him.  I once loved my own program (like those who made themselves a golden calf) and tried to cruelly de-program those who downloaded The Program.  But, I was mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unawareness of The Program.  The Programmer's grace, and The Program's love

(supplied by the Holy Wireless Connector) has abounded and deserves to be fully downloaded by all free-will progrms.  The Program came into the world to save those with programming errors.  I was first among those whose vanity corrupted their ability to download The Program.  That's why He used me to show His love and patience to lead others to everlasting life.  To the Programmer of time, Who is ever free from error, and invisible (to separate the saved on earth), the only Programmer, honor and glory for all time.  So be it.

Gospel

Luke
Chapter 15 1 1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 "Or what woman having ten coins 2 and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.' 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents." 11 Then he said, "A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' 22 But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' 31 He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

Interpretation

Those who made a living confiscating money from other for the government and sinners came to hear His download.  Pharisees and scribes were jealous, and complained, "He welcomes sinners and eats with them."

The Program said:  Who among you with a hundred sheep wouldn't leave the 99 and go after the lost one (strayed soul) until he found it?  Isn't he happy when he finds it?  He puts it on his shoulders with joy, brings it home (Heaven), and calls together his friends and neighbors (angels and saints), and says, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep (soul).'  I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in Heaven over one who replaces his error-ridden program than over 99 who don't think they need to repent.

"Or, what woman (the Blessed Virgin Mary, downloader of The Program), having lost ten percent of her portable wealth wouldn't light a lamp, sweep, and search until she finds it?  Then, she calls her friends and neighbors (angels and saints), and tells them, 'Rejoice with me because I've found the coin (soul) that I lost.'

"In the same way, there will be rejoicing among the Programmed Spirits of The Programmer over one who replaces bad operating instructions with His Download."

Then, The Program said, "A man had two sons.  The younger said, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.'  The father divided the property between them.  After he realized he was free to do as he pleased, the younger son collected his property and went to a far country where he squandered his inheritance on sin.  When he was broke, a famine came, and he was in poverty.  He got a job tending swine, and wasn't even allowed to eat the pigs' food.  He wanted to, but nobody gave him any.  Then, he recalled the program he had rejected.  'My father's workers have more than enough to eat, but I am starving.  I will go to my father, and download His Program, telling him I'm sorry for refusing to download it before.

When he was a long way off, His Father saw him, and was filled with compassion.  He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.  His son said, 'Father, I have rejected two sets of operating instructions, yours and The Programmer's.  I no longer deserve to be thought worthy of them.'  His father ignored him and ordered his servants (saints and angels), bring signs to show that I will accept his desire to reprogram himself.  And, he transferred to him physical signs of His love.

An expensive celebration began among those who served The Father.

(The tax collectors and sinners were the wasteful brother, scribes and Pharisees who had been, according to themselves, faithful, were the "good" son.  They were not happy that others would be treated equally by The Programmer and wanted to maintain their special ownership of access to The Programmer.)

The older son was resentful of the fact that his brother, who'd wasted half the father's estate, was back and forgiven.  And, since the father was transferring property that he'd given to the faithful brother to the unfaithful brother, he was angry at having to pay for the feast.  After all, he thought it was his money that his father was giving to a wastrel.  He was so angry he refused to enter what was his own house.  His father came out to him and pleaded.  He told his father, 'Look (at the facts)

The "good" son was lying.  He had access to goats to feast on his his friends, he'd owned the goats since his brother left, but was too cheap to 'waste' them on his 'friends'.  The Programmer explained, 'you are here with me always, everything I have is yours, but I have access to Programming, because I AM THE PROGRAMMER, and, out of my great love for those who will be saved, I'm simply programming more for him (them).  Be glad about it (don't be a selfish prig), because life with My Programming is worth celebrating!"