Weekly Readings Reflections: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

It's easy to see the prophetic as something epic, grand, larger than life that dedicated professionals give their lives to. The problem is that perspective leaves the rest of us "off the hook" as it were, for speaking up when things are wrong, for being a voice when God needs one.
We've all seen examples of folks who are full of themselves, who think that they have all of the answers, and are, in actuality, inauthentic. How is such a windbag different from a true prophet?
Are there situations in your family, church, community that need to be spoken about, called into question?
How do you know that you are not the one to begin those conversations?
How would you like for God to let you know that you have a responsibility to be prophetic in some situation?

Seeds are pretty hardy. Depending on the plant species, a seed can tolerate conditions that would kill a plant in no time. But a seed, by itself, is not developing, growing, bearing fruit, giving of itself. It needs moisture, soil, and sunshine before it can move into that next stage of its existence and development.
How has God been kind to you?
How has that kindness changed you?
Has your trust for God deepened because of God's kindness?
What has that trust in God enabled you to do that you could not do otherwise?

We all fear many things: loss of a cherished job, the collapse of the nation's economy, someone close to us coming down with COVID-19, the list goes on. But one of the most profound fears that I have is that of lack of meaning.
What do you think makes for a meaningful life? Is it measured in the number of great grandchildren you leave behind, the financial legacy that you leave behind, the memories that others have of you, the number of patents that you have, ...?
Do you think that we should necessarily know how meaningful our life has been before we die?
What would you say is the relationship between meaningfulness and holiness?

Poor Peter. He was doing so well in last week's Gospel, and now Jesus has to rebuke him.
How have you "lost" your life in God's service? Maybe turning down a promotion so that you could stay close to family, giving up on a cherished degree program to raise your children ...?
Did you make that sacrifice willingly?
Do you think it's important if you sacrifice gracefully?
Is it possible to start out in a resentful sacrifice, and gradually "step up to the plate" to the point that you embrace and find joy in that sacrifice over time?
How do we avoid a martyr complex?

It Isn't Easy Being a Martyr

No wonder the surest way to get canonized is to be a martyr.

For starters, you have to find some calamity that's big enough.

Maybe your parents, or worse, your spouse, become chronically ill.

Or your kids need braces right after you lose your job.

Your cross has to be something folks can relate to.

Then there's the whole advertisement campaign.

Making sure that everyone knows what you're suffering.

How it's changed your life, made a better person out of you,

Not to mention how your sacrifice helped others around you.

Otherwise, no one's going to appreciate the depth of your martyrdom.

Sadly, there is no such thing as "martyr's anonymous"

Where you can go and get hints on how to be a good martyr.

Those wanna-be martyrs are insufferable anyway.

Always whining about their problems, how no one knows -

The depth of their sacrifice the way that they do.

And honestly, that joy that I keep hearing about in sacrifice

Just is not coming my way.

Selling my classic '76 Pinto to pay for my daughter's college -

Sounded like a good idea at the time.

But she's failing chemistry, and I miss the upholstery on that car.

Maybe I'm doing this wrong.

Maybe I just need to tell the right kind of people,

People who appreciate vintage automobiles,

People with ungrateful children,

People who really know how to suffer loud and long.

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections