Mary van Balen

(Originally published in the Catholic Times, March 11, 2012 © 2012 Mary van Balen)


The gospel reading about the rich man and Lazarus is familiar to most of us. Lazarus is a poor man who lies at the door of the rich man, hoping in vain for a scrap from his table. After a life of leisure and abundance, the rich man dies and finds himself tormented in the netherworld. Lazarus also dies, but he is taken to heaven and cradled in the bosom of Abraham. I often think of this reading as a reminder of the importance of caring for the needy among us, not only those struggling to survive materially, but also those impoverished of spirit. Today, however, I am struck by another message.

Once resigned to his fate, the rich man asks that someone be sent to his brothers who still live, that they might be warned and change their ways. Abraham says that cannot be done. He reminds the rich man that his brothers have Moses and the prophets to warn them. The rich man persists, saying that if Lazarus could go to his brothers, they would surely listen to someone come back from the dead. Again, Abraham says no. Even if someone were to rise from the dead, they would not listen.

I pondered this section of the gospel and thought about where the rich man’s brothers looked for wisdom. Or did they? Read More 

The Scripture reading from Morning Prayer today (Proverbs 8. , 32-36) as well as the OT reading from Mass (Ws 7. 22b-8.1) speak of the importance of seeking Wisdom and Understanding: "Happy are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and grow wise...Happy the one who listens to me, attending daily at my gates, keeping watch at my doorstep."







Opening oneself to Wisdom is a daily affair. The Holy One is always pouring out Divine Self, Wisdom, and we are called to "attend daily."

The reading from Mass beautifully describes Wisdom in all her feminine glory. She is spirit, which means, as any reference to Spirit or to Holy One, that Wisdom/Spirit is neither male or female as we define gender. Spirit is beyond human gender. Of course, Christians are accustomed to hearing male pronouns when reading or speaking about God. Today's reading from Wisdom is refreshingly filled with feminine pronouns - perhaps more noticeable to the women among us. Read More 

PHOTO: Christ and John the Baptist - Church of the Divine Wisdom, Istanbul
Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘What description can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:


“We played the pipes for you,
and you wouldn’t dance;
we sang dirges,
and you wouldn’t be mourners.”
‘For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.
Mt 11,16-19

Today’s gospel reading may resonate with many of you. You can’t win. A child wants you to do one thing, your spouse another. Your boss has a vision for your project, but the people who will be putting it into action have their own ideas. And somewhere, at the bottom of the list is what you want to be doing. So, no matter what you do, some people are going to be unhappy. What are you to do? Read More 

PHOTO: Mary van Balen
After nine hours of selling bras and underwear and cleaning out dressing rooms, I looked forward to getting off my feet. Hot humid air blew across the parking lot as I looked for the little Civic with an Obama/Biden sticker on the bumper. I collapsed into the driver's seat, turned the air conditioner on "high" and started the long drive home.

Traffic wasn't bad. I popped a voice therapy CD into the player, started taking deep breaths, and progressed through the four exercises that are helping combat chronic hoarseness. Eleven minutes and miles later I was cooling off and feeling less like a dishrag and more like a person. Read More 

IMAGE FROM Rhodes Jewish Museum



Blessed is the one who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on God's law day and night
Psalm 1, 1-2




What comes to mind when you hear the word "law?" Traffic regulations? Tomes of legal statutes? Rules that you cannot break without suffering consequences? Laws, unless changed by legislation or edict, are static and guide individual and societal behavior.

Such definitions come quickly to a modern, western mind, but not to an ancient Hebrew one. To them, law (or Torah) was given by God not only to regulate their behavior, but also to help them become a wise people. (see Dictionary of Biblical Theology by Xavier Leon Dufour)

The Law was not static, but developed as Hebrew history unfolded. By the time the Israelites had returned from Exile and the Psalms were written, "law" was equated with "Wisdom," and to love the Law was to love God. Read More