21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Isaiah 22: 19-23
2. Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6, 8
3. Romans 11: 33-36
4. Matthew 16: 13-20

• You're fired!
• In the course of human history, we occasionally see God removing someone from their office to make room for a better person.  Makes you wonder how bad things have to get before He does that.
• If all authority on earth ultimately comes from God, why do you think that we sometimes have truly horrible leaders?
• What is our responsibility as God's children with regards to those leaders?
• How can we help them to be better partners with God?
• Is that possible if the leader in question is not one of God's followers in the first place? 

• Seeking the lowly
• There are many ways for someone to be lowly, disenfranchised, oppressed.  Not all of them are very obvious.
• What are some ways that you can think of that someone can be "lowly"?
• What are some examples of how you have seen God care for such folks?
• How can we tell how God wants us to partner with Him to support and comfort these lowly ones? 

• Who has been His counselor?
• It's fine for God to have infinite wisdom, but it would be nice if He'd share every once in a while.
• Do you ever pray for wisdom?
• How would you define wisdom?
• What sorts of wisdom are you looking for?
• If you got it, what would you do with that wisdom?
• Do you think that you might live better with greater wisdom? 

• Partnership
• I'm often struck by the partnership that God strives for with us, His people.  He calls upon us to do our part, and we are called upon to count on, and trust God to do His part.  Yet just what those separate responsibilities amount to can seem tough to nail down sometimes.
• What do you mean when you say "it's all in the Lord's hands now?"
• How can you tell when you're not letting God do His part?
• How can you tell when you're not doing your part in bringing about the Kingdom?
• How do you tell what your part is in the first place? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me into deeper, better leadership among His people?
• Who are the lowly in my life?
• Where might I need greater wisdom?  Am I willing to ask for that?
• Where might God be calling me into a deeper partnership with Him?

Carrying the Ark

 

We had broken camp just across the Jordan from Jericho.

One of the mightiest cities in all of Canaan.

Joshua told us that we needed to conquer Jericho before we could take possession of the land.

All that I could think was this was a decidedly mixed blessing -

This "gift" of the promised land.

 

Then I heard that my cohort of priests would lead the way.

Bearing the Ark of the Covenant in procession.

Straight into the River Jordan.

So that God could perform a miracle.

And let us cross the Jordan dry shod.

 

There were those among us who remembered the stories.

Of father Moses leading our ancestors across the Red Sea.

But all that I could think of was my new sandals.

And how dipping them in that muddy Jordan would do them no good.

And wondering why God needed us to help Him part the Jordan.

 

But there was little time for such wonderings.

God wanted us to cross at dawn.

And I wondered what use it was to God.

That this whole operation turned on the faith of little old me.

In the face of making a fool of myself in front of all His people.

 

But then, almost before I knew it -

We were at the river's throbbing bosom.

And I saw the waters rolling up in a wall to our right.

And new land opening up in front of us.

The way ahead perfectly clear where there had been none.

 

I come here every few years with my family.

And tell them the old stories again.

Hoping that they will have the courage

To let God take their hand and lead them 

Into the impossible.

 

Shalom!