11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Exodus 19: 2-6a
   
2. Psalms 100: 1-2, 3, 5
   
3. Romans 5: 6-11
   
4. Matthew 9: 36 - 10: 8
   

• You can never be too holy
  
• If you define holiness as "right relation with God", and you define "right relation with God" as fulfilling God's own destiny for you in your life, then the holy person is the one who is most authentically and courageously who God created them to be.
• Who are some folks in your life who stand out to you as holy?
• How are they making a difference in the world around them?
• Does their example at all inspire you?
• What would you like to do, to become, to be more like them?
  

• God is always faithful
  
• God never turns His back on us, no matter how dark the time, no matter how deep the despair that surrounds us.
• Do you think that God is able to turn anything to good?
• How has that sort of transformation occurred in your life?
• What was the hardest part of such a transformation?
• If you had to go through that again today, would it be easier?
  

• Reconciled to God
  
• Reconciliation in most of our minds has been identified with the sacrament of that name.  But that's to miss a good portion of the glory of reconciliation.
• What are some signs that you need to be reconciled to God in some way?
• When you see those signs, how do you respond?
• How do you find reconciliation to God when you need it?
• Do you think that you are more or less sensitive to that need for reconciliation?
  

• Against all odds
  
• Sometimes, the work in front of us seems overwhelming.  We want for the energy, the affirmation, the success, at least once in awhile, to reassure us that we are doing the right thing, and doing the thing right.  I think we need to get over that.
• How do you know when you are where God wants you?
• If no one agreed with the work that you were doing, or with you, is it possible that you could still be doing God's work?
• What are some signs that you have received in the past that you were doing God's will?
• Are those signs there all of the time?
• Does that matter?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
  

1. How is God calling me to be more authentic today?
2. Where are there hurts in my life that God would love to heal?
3. Where can I build greater peace in my life?
   
4. How are the various ministries in my life building the Kingdom?

  Lost

Imagine that you are out hiking in the local mountains.
The trails are well marked, well kept, easy to see.
Time goes on, and the trail begins to get dimmer.
Signs disappear, the grade gets steadily steeper.
And you realize that you are no longer on an established path.

At that point, you could just turn around and return the way that you came.
But trails have crossed each other more and more lately.
Retracing your steps seems all but impossible now.
To make matters worse, your canteen is all but empty.
And the sun is going down soon, plunging all into darkness.

You pull out your handy US geological survey map of the area.
And try to locate yourself on that map,
Starting with your last known location.
Hoping that you actually do know where that was.
Then, trying to trace your decisions of the day on the map.

At least you know you are lost.

Imagine instead that you don't realize that you're off the trail
Because you never knew that there should be a trail.
Instead, you just pick your direction by instinct.
Trying to judge where the cliffs and cataracts might be.
Looking for a place to camp for the night, with no clear direction.

Imagine that you are sent into the wilderness to find and rescue
Someone who was lost, and who did not know they were lost.
You cannot just pluck them out of the wilderness,
They have to want to come to safety with you.
You have to convince them that there's a better way to hike.

In the meanwhile, they are in a hurry.
They don't know where they are going, but they are making great time.
You keep up so that you can converse
Sharing the trail with them as you are trying to make a rescue.
You try to come up with ways to get through to them.

Then you let them know that friends, family, relatives are worried.
They tell you that they are out here in the wilderness for sweet freedom.
They don't want to be shackled by other's ideas of what to do, how to live.
They find that communing with nature satisfies their every longing.
And they know that they are happier this way, with no restraints.

And suddenly you know how Jesus feels about His children.

Shalom!