Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 28, 2013:

Genesis 18: 20-32
Psalm 138: 1-3, 6-8
Colossians 2: 12-14
Luke 11: 1-13

Persistence.

What are we to make of God in these readings? Do we learn from Abraham that to get what you want, you have to haggle with God like some sort of celestial rug salesman?  And are we supposed to nag God, in Jesus' story of the late-night neighbor? What are we saying about God in these examples?

Perhaps the better question is, what do these examples say about ourselves? Is it just possible that in the course of Abraham's back and forth with God, Abraham is coming to a deeper awareness of God's care and concern for every single person (which might be a stretch in a culture that had little notion of an individual, apart from their larger identity group)?  Is persistence held up as a virtue that honors stubbornness, or as a way that helps us understand whether what we ask for is something we REALLY want, something we're really willing to stand up for, something we really NEED?  Maybe in the process of being persistent, we are given the time and space to reframe and rename our request, to experience a conversion toward God's perspective that helps us to 'ask rightly'.

Whatever we decide these readings mean for us today, you are invited to look to the premier example of prayer that Jesus gives us in the Gospel, the "Our Father", and spend some time with each phrase seeing how these words can help shape your own prayer.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 21, 2013:

Genesis 18: 1-10a
Psalm 15: 2-5
Colossians 1: 24-28
Luke 10: 38-42

For an extended but wonderful reflection on today's Gospel, let me refer you to "First Impressions".
Dominican Father Jude Siciliano coordinates this website, used to help preachers in their preparations.
I invite you to click the link, take a few minutes and let his reflections be a catalyst for your own this week!

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 14, 2013:

Deuteronomy30: 10-14
Psalm 69: 14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36-37
-or-
Psalm 19: 8-11
Colossians 1: 15-20
Luke 10: 25-37

 "Just leave it to the experts."

Moses, addressing his people in preparation for them reaching the promised land (without him), did not say that.  Jesus, in fleshing out the lawyer's answer about inheriting eternal life, did not say that, either.

The law of God is not some encrypted, password protected, obscure, dense treatise. It is not for only the privileged few to know and carry out. It is, "something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts." In other words, deep down you know what's right, you can feel what is right, you've got this!

If only it were always that simple, right?

The parable of the Good Samaritan in this Sunday's Gospel illustrates some challenges to acting and living according to the law of love, which is the essence of the law of God. Sometimes the demands or obligations of our profession might impede our better intentions (if the wounded stranger was dead, touching him would have rendered the priest unclean, and unable to perform his Temple duties), sometimes fear of the opinions of others, peer pressure, or 'going along to get along' hems in the inclinations of our better nature ('if the priest did nothing, perhaps I shouldn't' might've been going through that Levite's mind). Sometimes a healthy sense of 'stranger danger' goes overboard, and every interaction becomes a potential trauma, rather than a potential encounter with Christ in this unknown neighbor. 

• Who are the 'neighbors' you avoid? Why? (sometimes there ARE good reasons!) 
• When have you felt the law of God tugging at your heart, occupying your thoughts? What happened? 
• How might you love God by serving a 'neighbor' this week?

The Mystagogia group will meet at St. Bernadette's at 4:30pm this Sunday to help with the Migrant Ministry Dinner. (please check your email for directions)

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 7, 2013:

Isaiah 66: 10-14c
Psalm 66: 1-7, 16, 20
Galatians 6: 14-18
Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

The big churchy buzz-phrase lately has been 'the new evangelization".  As best as I can determine, it involves Catholics coming to a deeper understanding of and lived appreciation for their faith, in order to make the Gospel more attractive and easily apparent to others. (please correct me if I am wrong)

Has summer lulled you into complacency? Are you feeling fairly blase about all things spiritual? Is just getting to church on Sunday too much effort, never mind more deeply understanding your faith?! If you can summon the umph to click the "Here are the readings" link (or: HERE!) maybe we can get back in gear...

Consider the tender imagery in the first reading, images first meant to encourage the Jews newly returned from exile in Babylon, as they went about the tasks of rebuilding the temple and their faith tradition.  Here around St Andrew's lately, nature has exploded: walk around our courtyards and you can't help but notice flowers tumbling over themselves, birds singing loudly, even a bunny or two hopping around! Let this first reading encourage you to view the world, if only for a few moments, as a child might - look around and discover what delights you, and let that lead you to rejoice in the God who provides it all for you!

The Gospel invites us to share that delight. Jesus is telling his disciples in essence, okay, you've been watching me, now it's YOUR turn. What are his directions for success?

• Don't try to do it alone- help each other stay focused and stay encouraged.
• Keep it simple, don't get so weighed down with 'stuff' (gadgets, plans, obligations) that you can't be flexible and open.
• Let yourself be vulnerable- let others help you. If others only feel indebted to you, they may only grudgingly accept your message. If we're helping each other, so much the better.
• Don't worry about advancement of whatever sort, be content and grateful for what you do have.
• Don't stew over 'failure'. Keep looking for the next opportunity to love as Jesus does.

See you in Church this weekend!

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 30, 2013:



1 Kings 19: 16b, 19-21
Psalm 16: 1-2, 5, 7-11
Galatians 5: 1, 13-18
Luke 9:51-62

Jesus' back and forth in this Gospel with would-be disciples seems fairly harsh - their requests seem reasonable enough, don't they? It helps to remember that at this point in Luke, Jesus is journeying to Jerusalem, where he will ultimately be arrested and put to death. Earlier in the chapter (9), we find Jesus miraculously feeding a crowd, Peter naming Jesus as "the Christ", Jesus warning them about the burdens of discipleship, a mysterious transfiguration, healing a boy of demonic possession AND the disciples arguing about who is the greatest! I'm tired just thinking about all this action!

While Jesus is repeatedly trying to prepare his followers for his suffering- and theirs- many are simply getting caught up in the wonder of all these amazing things. So when one eager disciple comes up and says he'll follow Jesus 'wherever', Jesus wants to be sure he understands the depth of the required commitment! And as for telling the bereaved son to 'let the dead bury the dead', Jesus was speaking in hyperbole to a person he recognized as spiritually alive, not dead. And to the third person he advised the need to eliminate distractions and prioritize obligations if he would be successful. (Looking back while plowing ensures a crooked row!)
Just after this Gospel passage, Jesus sends out the 72 disciples on a mission - so he really was making sure that would-be disciples were up for the task! (It would have been a disaster for his mission if the disciples went out and whined about the food and accommodations rather than preaching the Gospel message! Have you ever followed a car that has the fish emblem on it, and witnessed the driver behaving in a most un-Christian manner? Kind of like that.)

There's a freedom that Jesus offers to those who choose to follow him. The freedom of the promise of the Gospel. But he's no huckster- he's not trying to trick any of us into the life of discipleship-- we all know that some choices are inconvenient, painful even. But we have it luckier than Jesus' original disciples- we know the truth of the resurrection! And we are gifted with God's Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us through it all.

• What are some of the distractions that keep you from fully following Jesus?
• How might you attend to them?

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 23, 2013:

Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1
Psalm 63: 2-6, 8-9
Galatians 3: 26-29
Luke 9: 18-24

• As a disciple of Christ, in what ways do you feel you must deny yourself certain things? 
• What are the crosses in your life? 
• In what way can bearing those crosses be redemptive?

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 16, 2013:

2 Samuel 12: 7-10, 13
Psalm 32: 1-2, 5, 7, 11
Galatians 2: 16, 19-21
Luke 7: 36- 8:3


How do you show God your gratitude?