22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-8
2. Psalms 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5
3. James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27
4. Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

• The next big thing
• When the children of Israel were about to enter the promised land, they doubtless had a lot of questions like "will my flocks and herds find enough to eat in this new place", "how will we know what to plant in proper season in this new place", "we have been nomads for more than a generation, how are any of us to learn to become city dwellers" and many more.
• When you have contemplated a big change, perhaps getting married, moving to a new place, getting a new job, the birth of your first child, graduation from college, what changed in those transitions?
• What stayed the same in your life?
• Which of those was more important, the things that were changing or the things that were staying the same?
• Which of those two made you feel better about that impending transition?
• Where was God in that transition?

• Justice versus retribution
• When things go wrong because of someone else's actions, our inclination is to look for justice, to make them accountable, have them pay the price for their actions.  But one is left with the question of what are the real benefits of such retribution.
• Is justice the same as retribution?
• Does justice at least often call for retribution?
• If you had to choose between healing, and retribution, which would you choose?
• What do you think Jesus' choice would be?

• Defending the weak
• Orphans and widows were perhaps the most easily marginalized in ancient Israel.  Widows had little means to support themselves and their families without a husband, and orphans had even less support.
• Who are the widows and orphans of our day?
• Is it enough to vote in politicians who write legislation that supports the poor?
• The plight of the poor seems overwhelming, what can we do as individuals?

• Defiling the temple
• Defiling something sacred does violence to the purpose for that article, place, time, ...  The defilement says that the higher purpose has no meaning, no merit.  Each of us has a sacred purpose before God, a destiny that only each of us can fulfill.
• Why do you think that you are on this earth?
• Has your answer to that question changed over the years?
• How did you discover your true call?
• What do you do to make sure that you stay true to that call?
• How can the rest of us help you in that? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How can I more fully lean on God's faithfulness?
2. Where can I be a healing presence today?
3. How can my walk with God become more authentic?
4. Where is God calling me to be more the me that He made me?

Change is Hard

Camel dung!  Get your sun dried camel dung right here!

Listen ma'am, the camels that gave us this load,

They have been eating nothing but dates the past few days.

The smoke from this batch will give you just what you need 

To give your next bar b que an extra special hint no one else has.

How do I know which camels produced what dung?

How do I know what those camels have been eating?

Listen pal, I don't get into your business, whatever it is.

So you just stay out of mine and leave me alone.

A man's gotta provide for his family by whatever means.

Yeah I'm nervous about this whole "Promised Land" thing.

No one I know has ever seen it.  All we got is rumors.

And the rumors ain't none to savory if you ask me.

I heard of giants with legs like tree trunks.

And a soldiers outfitted with steel swords and shields.

Besides, who wants to settle down into just one place?

Out here in the wilderness, storm comes in, 

Wipes out all of the trees in the area in one swoop.

We just gather the children and flocks, and be on our way.

No harm, no foul.  It's that easy.

We pin ourselves down to farms and cities, now that's different.

Fire, flood, wind, hail, any of those could level your farm

Leave you starving the next winter,

Your wives and babies dying of crop failure.

Unless of course, you're a city dweller of some sort.

And I have no idea what those folks do.

I've slept under the stars my whole life.

Things get bad, you just move on.

Out here in the wilderness,

Most folks are people of the herds.

You get into cities, soon there will be governors,

Administrators, clerks, treasurers,

Before you know it, hardly any of us left

Who know how to make an honest living.

Or remember that we are all equal before God.

I just hope God knows what He's doing.

And I hope that Joshua is listening very closely.

Shalom!