21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b
2. Psalms 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
3. Ephesians 5: 21-32
4. John 6: 60-69

• God of all
• The Semitic culture that the ancient Jews belonged to held that different parts of the Earth had different god(s) inhabiting them.  So emigrating to a new place logically would mean taking on new gods.  One God over all the earth, throughout all time was a novel, even heretical idea at that time.
• Throughout your life, there have been many changes, perhaps different locations, different careers, different relationships, and yet here you are, still worshiping God.  Why is that?
• Many young people, somewhere around the time they become adults in our society, "out grow" God.  The lucky ones find their way back.  Did you go through such a period in your life?
• If you had the chance to talk to that younger, doubting version of you, what would you tell them?
• In the long run, is doubting, wrestling with doubts about our faith, always bad?

• Being courage for others
• Who are some of the lowly in your life?  Are they homeless, in chronic poor health, unemployed and unemployable, addicted, ...?
• Do you think that there is anything about your life that encourages them?
• Why is that?

• Trinity invitation
• Richard Rohr makes the case that the ultimate mystery of the Trinity is not how God can be three and one at the same time.  The ultimate mystery is that God through all time, in all creation, is inviting each and all of us (at the same time) into that Trinity fellowship.
• If invitation and love defines who God is/are, then what does that tell us about how we relate to those who come to the Church looking for sustenance, healing, compassion?
• If Jesus is forever inviting His Church into the Trinity, and Christian marriage is meant to mirror, even incarnate that same love and invitation, how ought we as married couples give of ourselves generously?

• Sometimes you need a friend
• In large corporations, it's always wise to remember that true loyalty, the sort that inspires the best in people, comes of relationships between people.  No one is really loyal to a concept, an organization, a project.  They are principally loyal to a person.
• When has following Jesus been hard for you?
• What made that chapter in your life difficult?
• Did you just give up and turn your back on Jesus?
• Why or why not?
• How do you think that made Jesus feel?
• How did you feel afterwards? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Where might I draw strength from my doubts?
2. How can I lift up just one of "the lowly" today?
3. How can I, my family, my community, my Church be more invitational?
4. Where is God calling me to companion Jesus today?

Shalom!