Sunday, July 5, 2015

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:
  1. Amos 7: 12-15
  2. Psalms 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14
  3. Ephesians 1: 3-14
  4. Mark 6: 7-13
  1. I yam what I yam
    • Have you ever felt called to a position, role, ministry, only to be told "no"?
    • How did you respond to that?
    • Did that refusal make you doubt your initial calling?
    • How did you work through that?
  2. Justice and Peace
    • Pope John Paul II was quoted once saying "if you want peace, pray for justice."  Do you think that's reasonable?
    • Given the disparity between the resources consumed in the developed world versus the developing world, do we have anything to fear from justice?
    • Where do you think more justice is needed close at hand?
    • What can we do about that?
  3. Passing the baton
    • How well do you think that we're doing at forming the next generation of disciples in our families/parishes/as a Church?
    • Does that say more about the message, the messengers, or the audience?
    • What can we do about that?
    • How responsible are we for the ultimate success of the spread of the Gospel?
  4. Ite, missa est
    • Do you think that our function as individuals in spreading the Gospel changes over time?
    • How would you know when such a time of change has come?
    • What might be some symptoms of someone who missed God's call into a new/different ministry?
Preparation for Reconciliation:
  1. How much am I willing to stake so that I can do God's will in my life?
  2. How sensitive am I to violence and injustice in all of their forms?
  3. When was the last time that I made a decision based on God's destiny for me?
  4. How is my life "good news" to anyone?
Self Esteem Issues
Wow, that last town was a tough crowd.
We really need a better advance team.
Someone who will book us where,
Somewhere we'll be appreciated.

It's just so frustrating to work so hard in a a sleepy village,
Pour your heart and soul into the community,
Only to meet growing resistance, even anger,
Until finally they tell you you'd better leave before "something happens".

Jesus completely changed my life.
Gave me purpose where there was none,
Helped me see my whole life
Whole, in a whole new way.

I know I'm no spellbinding orator, no inspiring preacher,
But we put it all on the line back there, no holding back,
Totally honest, from deep within our hearts,
And and they were afraid of us.  That anger was fear.

But at least that was better,
Better by far than indifference.
The yawns, the indulgent smiles,
As if to say "I've heard it all before."

Win, lose, or draw, it must be important that we've been here,
Or the Master would not have sent us.
But I struggle to see what we've left behind besides a cloud of dust
That is quickly going to settle and be gone.

Shalom!

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