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<DIV><FONT size=4>Here in our story, now is the time to be glad for human
vulnerability. Such vulnerability is the other side of the compassion of Jesus.
Jesus observes: such compassion and meetings of compassion and vulnerability
invite death, a typically enigmatic response.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/LkLent5.htm">http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/LkLent5.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=4>William Loader</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</DIV></FONT>
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<DIV class=quotetext>"Our friend had already done two full courses of
chemotherapy and through it all had somehow managed to complete a doctoral
dissertation at U. Va. She had done it. To celebrate she and her husband rented
a VFW hall, hired a band, and threw one of the biggest parties I've ever seen
for the whole church and half the community. Two days before graduation her
doctors confirmed that the cancer was back. The experimental treatments would
begin the day after graduation. Only a few of us knew it, and my guess is we
would have limped through the ceremony and canceled the party.</DIV>
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<DIV class=quotetext><A
href="http://maryhinkle.typepad.com/pilgrim_preaching/2004/03/are_we_having_f.html">http://maryhinkle.typepad.com/pilgrim_preaching/2004/03/are_we_having_f.html</A></DIV>
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<DIV class=quotetext><FONT color=#000000>Richard Lischer, quoted by Mary Hinkle,
2004</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>- - - - -</DIV>
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<DIV>The word for "being (or reclining) at table" (<I>anakeimai</I>, v. 2) is
also used of the posture in the upper room (13:23, 28), and of the feeding of
the 5000 (6:11). Reclining to eat indicates a festive banquet. It also makes it
feasible for Mary to anoint his feet -- they were not underneath the table as
would be typical of our eating posture -- sitting on chairs at the table.</DIV>
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<DIV class=quotetext><A
href="http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john12x1.htm">http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/john12x1.htm</A></DIV>
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<DIV class=quotetext>Brian Stoffregen<BR>- - - - -</DIV>
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