17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 2 Kings 4: 42-44
2. Psalms 145: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18
3. Ephesians 4: 1-6
4. John 6: 1-15

• Reckless generosity
• Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.  So goes the conventional wisdom.  Such thinking asks "how can we make this aid sustainable, how can we structure the help that we give others so that they do not need it?
• Do you think that God wants to fill all of our needs of the needy?
• If so, how is He going to perform that?
• Which is better, to share what you have, knowing that it is not enough, or wait until all of the resources needed are available, and then go minister?

• What do you need?
• The problem with losing a loved one is that right after they pass, your house is full of condolences, offers of help, people, even strangers.  But pretty soon, that all thins out and you are left behind with no company but cherished memories.
• Think of a time when someone you knew really needed support, but you didn't know what you could do for them that would make a difference.  Did you offer help?
• Were you specific about what sort of help you were offering, or did you leave it open-ended?
• How did you know when you were done?

• Perseverance
• I think that it's a common experience that as we get older, life becomes more and more about just showing up, and being being flexible.  I just saw a saying semper gumby that sort of sums that up.  For those of you too young to know who Gumby is, well, you had to have been there ...
• Do you think that there is ever any benefit from simply accepting something that you know is not going to change in your life?
• Is such acceptance a loss of hope?
• How do you know when it's time to stop looking for improvements?

• Unquestioning obedience
• I'm often struck by the seemingly nonsensical things that God asks of His people when He wans to perform a miracle.  See 2 King 5: 9, Joshua 3: 8, John 9: 7, Luke 17:14.
• Why do we consecrate bread and wine at Eucharist rather than grain and grapes?
• Why do the sacraments each have a physical component at all?
• Why do we?

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Where is God calling me to be recklessly generous?
2. Who of my neighbors is in need?  How can I help?
3. Where is God calling me to change my attitude about something troublesome in my life?
4. Where am I being called to offer what little I have?

Shalom!