21 Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 22: 19-23
2. Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6, 8
3. Romans 11: 33-36
4. Matthew 16: 13-20

• Being an authority
• How would you define authority?
• Where does that authority come from?
• How are we to recognize true authority?
• What helps does God give us for recognizing true authority?

• You are never truly alone
• Have you ever felt abandoned by someone that you had trusted?
• Have you ever felt abandoned by God in your life?
• During that tough time, what exactly were you expecting God to do.  In other words, what made you think that He had left you?
• How did you ever come to forgive God for that?
• How would your reaction to those circumstances be different today?

• The sweat of my brow
• Some attribute the quote: "Pray as though everything depended on God, work as though everything depended on you."
• What is our part in bringing God's kingdom to earth?
• Do you think that we are all expendable, that if one of us completely fails in God's will for our lives that he'll just tap the next person in line and get the job done anyway?
• Have you ever felt a calling to do something and responded "not me God, you have the wrong number?"
• Or - Working for God
• Do you know anyone that you can say is "working for the Lord" in their life?
• What does that make the rest of us?  Maybe since people pursue hobbies during their free time, and we work for God during our free time (that is, the time that we are not working for pay), that we are reduced to mere hobbyists for the Lord.
• Or is it possible that any labor, when done properly, is for God?
• If so, what do we have to do, what must our attitude toward our work be, so that we are working for God?

• A question of identity
• Think of someone that you are close to, a good friend, your spouse, some family member.  How would you describe that person to someone else?
• What do you base that on?  If someone challenged your assessment of that person, what would you bring forth as evidence?
• How have you developed your appreciation of God's character in your life?
• What would you say is God's personality?
• Why are you drawn to God today?
• How has that changed over time?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What am I doing to hold those in authority accountable?
2. How am I taking my fears, my anger to God in prayer?
3. What is God saying to me lately?
4. Who is Jesus in my life?

Yes We Are

"The body of Christ"
"Amen"

"The body of Christ"
"Amen"

"The body of Christ"
"Amen"

And so the litany went in the Communion procession ahead of me.
The chorus of Christ's Presence among us swelling with each reception.

Finally, it was just one guy ahead of me.  "The body of Christ"
"Yes we are!"

I looked the Eucharistic minister in the eye and said "I need a moment."
"So do I" she said, and we both contemplated what we just heard.

Finally, conscious of the shuffling feet behind me, we both moved on.
Both of us affirmed in our true identities before God.

Shalom!