Weekly Readings Reflections: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

One liability with a good memory is that not all of my memories are good. Things that I've said run the gamut from well meaning but unfortunate to "what on earth was I thinking!?" to the occasional moments when I hear myself say something and think to myself "I hope someone's taking notes. That was pretty good."
When you have said something that you regret later, what do you usually do about that?
When someone comes to you after a heated exchange and they start with "I didn't mean ..." how do you take that?
Is there any way to prepare ahead of time to say the right thing, be the right sort of presence, so that we're more likely to heal than hurt others?
How does "tough love" factor into all of that?

Ours is a culture that thrives on accomplishment. The more letters that you have on the end of your name the better. They show that you have a good work ethic, that you're intelligent, that you persevere even when the going gets tough. But its easy to get caught up in all of that and make those accomplishments the center, rather than how they equip us to serve others.
Looking at some of the folks that you've met along the way who have been truly fruitful in their lives, do you see anything that they have in common?
What might it take to emulate some of those qualities in your own life?

Knowing that all creation waits for us to be revealed sort of puts this life into a different context. I'm hoping that when that happens I'll have a good deal more wisdom. Failing that, I'd at least like to cure this receding hairline before its too late.
What comes to your mind when you think on "glory"?
We likely don't have any trouble thinking about the glory of God, but what of the glory that we'll come into, how hard is that to imagine?
What can we do now to prepare for that glory?

In some respects, the Gospel is immutable, the Good News never changes. In other respects, we are called to be prophetic, speaking God's Word into the present circumstances, people, culture in ways that meet them where they are in the moment. To do anything less is not really faithful to God's Word in our lives.
How can we, as a body of believers, be more prophetic to those that God brings us?
How can we be more prophetic within the various communities that we belong to?
How can we be more prophetic within our families?
When I was in RCIA, the goal was to emphasize faith formation versus faith information. What's the difference?
Is one more prophetic than the other?

Being Receptive

Learning a new skill, new concept, new subject is hard.

It requires time, diligence, and patience to form new information pathways.

It's harder yet to look at things through new eyes,

To look at the familiar and see a different picture altogether.

Sometimes, that journey to discovery is a long one.

And the best that we can do is to pray for patience.

Patience with God in His working within us.

Most of all, patience with ourselves.

I always worry though, that I'll just take so long.

That the opportunities that are right in front of me will pass me by.

And worse, I won't even know that I missed them.

Since God never seems to put an expiration date on revelation.

I can only pray that I become more sensitive -

To that gentle tug on my heart in the moment.

Learn when it's time to just stop.

And breathe, and listen.

And when it's time simply to trust where the Spirit is guiding.

Do the best that I can with what I have in hand.

And trust God to sort it all out in the end.

And trust His gentle and sometimes unseen work in me.

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections