Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 3, 2013:
Jeremiah 1: 4-5-6, 17-19
Psalm 71: 1-6, 15-17
1 Corinthians 12: 31- 13: 13
Luke 4: 21-30

The psalmist implores God:

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians muses about having faith strong enough to

move mountains.

And Jesus narrowly escapes being hurled down the hill of his own hometown by his fellow Jews!

So, what do these varied images of geological formations have to tell us about anything? And how is it that we read again and again of rocks and stones in our Scripture?

• The house built on a solid foundation (Mt 7:21, Lk 6:46)
• The Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5)
• The seed on rocky ground.. ( Lk 8: 6)
• Let the one without sin cast the first stone... (Jn 8: 7)
• The stone across the tomb (Mk 15: 46)

The stone, the rock, the mountain can be a weapon, place of danger or symbol of being 'set in stone' (hard-hearted', immovable).  They can also speak to us of protection, surety, a new vantage point, a safe refuge.

In the Gospel, Jesus used the firm foundation of the prophet Isaiah to define his 'mission statement', and his neighbors in the synagogue were just as firm in their expectations for him to stay in place (the carpenter's son becomes a carpenter- what's wrong with him?!).  That's a challenge many of us face as well-- the pressure to fulfill the expectations of others, whether or not that means being true to ourselves. And yet God's Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the gifts that provide refuge and strength to carry out our mission - the mission of all baptized in Christ: to love and serve as Jesus did.

The topic for the Catechumenate session this Sunday is the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 27, 2013:

Nehemiah 8: 2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19: 8-10, 15
1 Corinthians 12: 12-30
Luke 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21

Most excellent Theophilus

In the very first verses of Luke's Gospel, the evangelist is stating his case, the reason and the audience for his relaying of the Good News. And do you know who Theophilus is? In all probability, you! The name literally means "friend of God".

• What does it mean to be a friend of God?
• What do these Scripture readings tell us about how God treats God's friends?
• What do they tell us about the choices we make if we are friends of God?

The topic for the Catechumenate this Sunday is Sacraments of Healing.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 20, 2013:

Isaiah 62: 1-5
Psalm 96: 1-3, 7-10
1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
John 2: 1-11

Doesn't it seem a little funny that the first recorded public miracle of Jesus was about keeping a party going?  Not giving sight to the blind, not exorcising demons, but playing the Divine Vintner?! There's so much to like about this story, so much that reminds us that Jesus was indeed, truly and fully human (while also being truly and fully Divine, of course).  Jesus' reply to his mother's request sounds just like an embarrassed young man trying not to be seen as a 'momma's boy', or simply someone trying to mind his own business. And yet he relents: who would want the bride and groom to be embarrassed as the wine runs out (wedding feasts would last for days, and involve most if not all of the villagers... who would certainly be spending the next days or weeks reviewing the spread)?

 This first miracle not only demonstrates his power, and his mother's intercessory power, but also that he CARES about all sorts of things that concern us. God CARES for us- enough to become one of us. And God CARES about us, because in Jesus God experienced our concerns and hopes, our despair and joys.

This Gospel passage is often used in connection with the Sacrament of Marriage - called a sacrament because we believe in some real way that the marital relationship is a visible representation of the reality of God's love, fidelity, and creative power.

January 18-25 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. At St. Andrew's this Friday evening, January 18, we will have a 7pm ecumenical service of scripture and song with several other local Christian congregations, during which we will celebrate 30 years of working together to feed the hungry through Western Wake Crisis Ministry.  Please come if you are able! The topic for the Catechumenate on Sunday will be ecumenism.

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Here are the readings for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, January 6, 2013:

Isaiah 60: 1-6
Psalm 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-13
Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2: 1-12

This is a feast of expansion, of inclusion and widening of boundaries. God can't and won't be contained! 
This is good news, and yet also challenging news. It challenges us when we want to feel secure that we know all the definitions, that every question has a black and white answer, and that we are members of THE exclusive inner circle- and that everyone else must have it all wrong. It challenges us when we want to set the limits about who God might love and who God might save. It challenges us to be honest about whether we prefer to be made in the image of God, or want to make God in our own image.  What can we learn from the Magi?

Some reflection questions from "For the Ride Home":
•Were the Magi following the star or following their hearts to find the Christ child?
•When the Magi found the newborn child in the arms of its mother what did they do? Why?
•What do you encounter in the everyday world that is ordinary yet profound?
•How do you connect heart and mind in your search to find Jesus in your everyday encounters?

The topic for the Catechumenate Session this Sunday is Images of God .