Weekly Readings Reflections: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

God took time to create the perfect mate for Adam. Sometimes, God has a great deal more patience than we do. Teilhard de Chardin wrote a reflection about patience that I particularly enjoy. I wonder whether God took so long to find Adam the perfect mate because God was learning about Adam, or if Adam was learning about himself, and himself in God in that process.
What makes a good friend in your experience?
Once you have found one, how do you honor that relationship?
Once you have a good friend, how do you nurture that relationship?
Have you ever needed to repair a friendship?
Do you consider your spouse a friend?
Do you consider them a gift from God?

Part of becoming an adult is learning to make our own decisions, and living with the consequences. As Christians, we try to bring discernment to that decision-making process, invite God into that sometimes slow distillation of considerations that eventually leads to bold action.
Can you think of any discernments that you have made that turned out really differently from what you had intended?
What did you learn from that?

It's true to say that Jesus shows us the way to glory. But He also shows us how to suffer. I'm just not sure how willing I am to follow him there.
Has there been an episode of suffering in your life?
How was God involved in that chapter for you?
What came out of that suffering?
Is there anything about that time that you should be grateful for?

Jesus elevated marriage to a sacrament in His ministry. He treated children with respect and love, even though the culture of His day did not. Maybe there's a reason that those two themes are together in today's Gospel.
For the parents among us, have your children ever been sacramental to you? Have they been a physical means of God's grace in your life?
Do you feel that you have been the means of God's grace in the lives of your parents at any point along the way?
Why would you want to see your children have children of their own?
How has your relationship to your children and your parents deepened/changed through the years?
How do you relate most to God? Loving Father, Mother, brother, sister ...?
Is God as much a part of your family as you are of His?

Sacred Listening

Grandchildren have a way of reminding you of what's really important.

The way that the sun flashes in the leaves dancing in the wind.

The tickle of a caterpillar crawling along your arm on a sun-kissed summer's day.

The joy of a Popsicle dripping down your chin.

I try to listen with eyes pried wide with awe.

To go beyond mere endurance, and patience.

And transcend to the rapture of life lived in the moment.

And somehow tell them "you are perfect, right here, right now."

Words fail me, the best that I can do is to steal a hug.

Offer to read them a book before they don't need anyone to read to them anymore.

Knowing that the child of today will soon be replaced by the adolescent of tomorrow.

And that I cannot cling to what is here today because we are here to grow.

I try to ponder their enthusiasm.

See the world from their point of view.

Let their words, plentiful as they may be, take me to a different place.

Somewhere more profound and generous than where I spend my harried days.

When I'm really really lucky,

I'm able to see my concerns in a whole new light.

And I realize that God is calling me by an ancient name.

Grandpa.

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections