* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * *
Over the next few weeks Mary's life developed into a pleasant routine – mostly pleasant. Rachel had pulled some strings and they were now assigned together to the Puerto Rico flight for most of the workweek. It meant she wasn't travelling to Glenoak very often. When she spoke to her family she expressed regret about the length of time between visits. Privately, though, she admitted to herself that she felt some relief at having more freedom from them.
She still hadn't gotten to know very many people at work, partly because she and Rachel worked together so often, but her circle of friends significantly expanded through the church group where she spent most of her non-work time. There were activities most evenings, sometimes entertaining, sometimes related to the running of the co-op.
There were some not so pleasant aspects to her life.
Her bills still seemed to pile up beyond her ability to pay them. Rather than making headway into paying them off she seemed to be falling farther behind. The end of the month was approaching and she was already behind in her rent by two months. She'd managed to avoid Mrs. Corning so far.
Her calls to her family were never enjoyable. That was nothing new, but she felt an added pressure now because for the first time they'd started saying things that suggested they were starting to see things to admire in her. Her father had even said something about how she seemed to be growing more responsible. She'd been on the point of asking him for a loan, and then just couldn't.
Her family was very enthused about her becoming so involved with "her" church. Everyone at the church really seemed to like her. Even there, though, she felt afraid of falling short. For example, the vegetarianism. While the food was okay, she found herself sneaking out to McDuffy's for a hamburger when she could. She couldn't very often. When she wasn't at church she was usually with Rachel whose constant reference to meat as "dead animals" made her lose her appetite. When she did go back to her apartment, the New Promise Bus drove her right to her front door, far away from a convenient fast food outlet.
She'd never specifically said she'd become vegetarian but she felt the unstted expectation that she would be. At the end of one Bible study session, when pastor David asked if there were any questions, Mary, who'd usually stayed silent during the sessions, raised her hand and said, "I don't understand why we need to have a vegetarian diet. I thought it said somewhere that all foods were okay."
He smiled at her warmly, encouragingly. "Well, Mary, there are a lot of reasons for us to recognize that God wants us to be vegetarian. It's true that the Bible says that we 'can' partake of any kind of flesh but it doesn't say we should necessarily do so. (Acts 10:9-15)
At the time there weren't easy alternatives for people that wished to be vegetarian, but now there are so why would we want to cause harm to God's creatures unnecessarily?
Mary struggled with her thoughts. She'd noticed many times that her knowledge of the Bible seemed oddly lacking compared to others in the group. It seemed funny given that she was a Minister's daughter. "But didn't Christ eat meat? I know he ate fish."
"Well, that's an interesting question, Mary." Again, encouraging, patient. "In fact, there's an argument to be made that Christ didn't eat meat. There is a verse (John 4:8) that was originally translated as meat, but the Greek word used actually means nutrition in a more general sense and nowadays it's usually translated as food. Christ is never said to eat "kreas" (the Greek word for meat). Although he's said to have eaten fish, one has to keep in mind that the word for fish (ichthys) was an acronym for Christ's name and used as a symbol of Christ, and may not have been meant to be taken literally.
There's also harm to ourselves to consider. Looking at the story of Daniel, we know that a vegetarian diet without wine is an aid in looking after ourselves. (Mary frowned, trying to remember which one Daniel was. Then she remembered Aunt Julie and nodded with everyone else.)
It's been well-established that we can best maintain that health through a vegetarian life-style. People who eat meat and eggs are about three times as likely to contract breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer, as those who eat a meat-less egg-less diet. The risk of a heart attack in men is more than three times higher among those who eat meat than among those who don't. (Mary shivered, remembering her father's heart attack).
Even if we agree that he ate meat, that was before all the ethical problems with the way we raise meet now were a concern. The type of harm to God's creatures is greater now with the intensive farming practices that supply most of our meat.
There's another difference between the time when Christ was alive and now, can you think what that was? (A pause. Mary had to shake her head) Well Mary, as the Bible says, "Christ died for sins once for all" 1 Peter 3:18 With his death the reconciliation between man and animals became possible. (2 Corinthians 5:19) Prior to that animal sacrifices were required for forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22, 26) but Christ's blood made the death of animals unnecessary. Indeed it provided a far superior sacrifice. So who are we to return to the lesser relationship with God? (People chuckled).
Remember: John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the 'world' that he gave his one and only Son". Not just humans. God's promises have always included animals. For example, God provided the means of survival to animals as well as humans during the Flood. His demand for a sacrifice during the Passover in Egypt protected both humans and animals. (Exodus 11, 12, 13)
God's original plan for man didn't include a diet with meat. When God blessed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden he refers to giving them "every green plant for food" (Genesis 1:29-30). Prior to the Flood people didn't eat meat, and that's why Noah could gather animals into the ark. Only after the flood does God say that just as the green plants were earlier given to them for food now the animals were given into their hands. But remember, there would have been little or no vegetation so eating meat was a necessary evil. The price we paid for this necessity was that animals thereafter would have a fear and dread of man.
Right now, we've entered a new period of wickedness. Look at the description of the earth in the time of Noah: "… the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence" (Genesis 6:11) Doesn't it fit the period we live in now? (Mary thought of the war and joined the others in chorusing "Thank you Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan"). If we're to come through this period of sin, and experience the new promise of God, we too must find unity with nature, and part of that unity is to refrain from causing that fear and dread among all God's creatures.
God has also told us what to expect, what to aim for during this period of the new promise when Christ returns. Remember? (Everyone nodded, automatically).
Even the lion will eat straw like the ox. ( Isaiah 11:7)
And when that happens we'll find ourselves back in a new Garden of Eden." He concluded smiling at all of them. Everyone smiled back, nodding. And Mary found herself nodding too.
Over the next few weeks Mary's life developed into a pleasant routine – mostly pleasant. Rachel had pulled some strings and they were now assigned together to the Puerto Rico flight for most of the workweek. It meant she wasn't travelling to Glenoak very often. When she spoke to her family she expressed regret about the length of time between visits. Privately, though, she admitted to herself that she felt some relief at having more freedom from them.
She still hadn't gotten to know very many people at work, partly because she and Rachel worked together so often, but her circle of friends significantly expanded through the church group where she spent most of her non-work time. There were activities most evenings, sometimes entertaining, sometimes related to the running of the co-op.
There were some not so pleasant aspects to her life.
Her bills still seemed to pile up beyond her ability to pay them. Rather than making headway into paying them off she seemed to be falling farther behind. The end of the month was approaching and she was already behind in her rent by two months. She'd managed to avoid Mrs. Corning so far.
Her calls to her family were never enjoyable. That was nothing new, but she felt an added pressure now because for the first time they'd started saying things that suggested they were starting to see things to admire in her. Her father had even said something about how she seemed to be growing more responsible. She'd been on the point of asking him for a loan, and then just couldn't.
Her family was very enthused about her becoming so involved with "her" church. Everyone at the church really seemed to like her. Even there, though, she felt afraid of falling short. For example, the vegetarianism. While the food was okay, she found herself sneaking out to McDuffy's for a hamburger when she could. She couldn't very often. When she wasn't at church she was usually with Rachel whose constant reference to meat as "dead animals" made her lose her appetite. When she did go back to her apartment, the New Promise Bus drove her right to her front door, far away from a convenient fast food outlet.
She'd never specifically said she'd become vegetarian but she felt the unstted expectation that she would be. At the end of one Bible study session, when pastor David asked if there were any questions, Mary, who'd usually stayed silent during the sessions, raised her hand and said, "I don't understand why we need to have a vegetarian diet. I thought it said somewhere that all foods were okay."
He smiled at her warmly, encouragingly. "Well, Mary, there are a lot of reasons for us to recognize that God wants us to be vegetarian. It's true that the Bible says that we 'can' partake of any kind of flesh but it doesn't say we should necessarily do so. (Acts 10:9-15)
At the time there weren't easy alternatives for people that wished to be vegetarian, but now there are so why would we want to cause harm to God's creatures unnecessarily?
Mary struggled with her thoughts. She'd noticed many times that her knowledge of the Bible seemed oddly lacking compared to others in the group. It seemed funny given that she was a Minister's daughter. "But didn't Christ eat meat? I know he ate fish."
"Well, that's an interesting question, Mary." Again, encouraging, patient. "In fact, there's an argument to be made that Christ didn't eat meat. There is a verse (John 4:8) that was originally translated as meat, but the Greek word used actually means nutrition in a more general sense and nowadays it's usually translated as food. Christ is never said to eat "kreas" (the Greek word for meat). Although he's said to have eaten fish, one has to keep in mind that the word for fish (ichthys) was an acronym for Christ's name and used as a symbol of Christ, and may not have been meant to be taken literally.
There's also harm to ourselves to consider. Looking at the story of Daniel, we know that a vegetarian diet without wine is an aid in looking after ourselves. (Mary frowned, trying to remember which one Daniel was. Then she remembered Aunt Julie and nodded with everyone else.)
It's been well-established that we can best maintain that health through a vegetarian life-style. People who eat meat and eggs are about three times as likely to contract breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer, as those who eat a meat-less egg-less diet. The risk of a heart attack in men is more than three times higher among those who eat meat than among those who don't. (Mary shivered, remembering her father's heart attack).
Even if we agree that he ate meat, that was before all the ethical problems with the way we raise meet now were a concern. The type of harm to God's creatures is greater now with the intensive farming practices that supply most of our meat.
There's another difference between the time when Christ was alive and now, can you think what that was? (A pause. Mary had to shake her head) Well Mary, as the Bible says, "Christ died for sins once for all" 1 Peter 3:18 With his death the reconciliation between man and animals became possible. (2 Corinthians 5:19) Prior to that animal sacrifices were required for forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22, 26) but Christ's blood made the death of animals unnecessary. Indeed it provided a far superior sacrifice. So who are we to return to the lesser relationship with God? (People chuckled).
Remember: John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the 'world' that he gave his one and only Son". Not just humans. God's promises have always included animals. For example, God provided the means of survival to animals as well as humans during the Flood. His demand for a sacrifice during the Passover in Egypt protected both humans and animals. (Exodus 11, 12, 13)
God's original plan for man didn't include a diet with meat. When God blessed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden he refers to giving them "every green plant for food" (Genesis 1:29-30). Prior to the Flood people didn't eat meat, and that's why Noah could gather animals into the ark. Only after the flood does God say that just as the green plants were earlier given to them for food now the animals were given into their hands. But remember, there would have been little or no vegetation so eating meat was a necessary evil. The price we paid for this necessity was that animals thereafter would have a fear and dread of man.
Right now, we've entered a new period of wickedness. Look at the description of the earth in the time of Noah: "… the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence" (Genesis 6:11) Doesn't it fit the period we live in now? (Mary thought of the war and joined the others in chorusing "Thank you Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan"). If we're to come through this period of sin, and experience the new promise of God, we too must find unity with nature, and part of that unity is to refrain from causing that fear and dread among all God's creatures.
God has also told us what to expect, what to aim for during this period of the new promise when Christ returns. Remember? (Everyone nodded, automatically).
Even the lion will eat straw like the ox. ( Isaiah 11:7)
And when that happens we'll find ourselves back in a new Garden of Eden." He concluded smiling at all of them. Everyone smiled back, nodding. And Mary found herself nodding too.