For Sunday, July
3, 2016, 7th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: 2 Kings
5:1-14, Ps 30, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, 'Wash and be clean'? So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. [2 Kings 5:1-14]Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow...if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life...let us not grow weary in doing what is right...So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. [Galatians 6:7, 8b-9a, 10]
[The Lord] said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few...Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves...Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone...shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not it will return to you...But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you...say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you.' [Luke 10:2a, 3, 5-7, 10-11a]
The world is a fearsome place. Far away and close to home there is turmoil, anger, mistrust, and violence. Political agenda spirals seemingly out of control in the failing attempt to exert more long-term control over local power and personal wealth and prestige. Misinformation, disinformation, and deliberate manipulation fuel the fires of those who act impulsively with nothing more than looping 10 second soundbites, self-aggrandizing opinion and deliberate lies disguised as broadcast journalism, and clever but deceptive tabloid headlines to inform. Wars, extreme weather, other catastrophes destroy life and property daily. In short, there is nothing new happening in the world. We are but sheep in the fields of history and humanity. Yet despite superficial evidence to the contrary we are no worse off than at any other time since the world began. But there are more of us now and we "know" more with the increasing rapidity of the broken "breaking news." It is all happening in our time, not our parents', grandparents', or the annals of past civilizations which raises the level of anxiety that results in chaotic response, ambivalence, or apathy. We all seek to find some level ground to rest upon, to think, to plan, to understand. And the place of busy resting is in Jesus.
Paul tells us we reap what we sow and we are not to grow weary in doing what is right. Of course if everyone believes that what they are doing is "right" how can we decide what really is? Naaman was reminded by servants that he might have agreed to the healing ritual that Elisha prescribed if the activity had been more difficult. Perhaps we, too, feel that living into our faith must be too difficult for us mere mortals so we escape into checklists of giving money and attending church services as doing our duty, fearful of the wolves who will mock us, or worse, and the commitment required if we live the life we are called to live. But let's try, together, in the Family of Faith, to walk the Gospel path, offer Peace to all and accept what returns. Let us shake the dust of complacency from ourselves, as Christ's lambs, and labor in the fields of God. Not a promise of ease in life to be sure, but a sure Promise of eternal life with joy.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O Lord our God, arouse and provoke us in heart
and in mind to labor in Your fields for the good of all, sow to the Spirit, and
reap the plentiful harvest of the Family of Faith.
Lord
with Your Favor
RESPONSE: We will do what is right
~
O Lord our God, spare the lambs of Your
pasture from the wolves of unbridled self-interest lurking in governments now, and
in those to come, throughout this world, in our own nation, and our local
communities. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Lord
with Your Favor
We will do
what is right
~ O Lord
our God, lift the spirits of those who have fallen through chronic sickness,
poverty, and depression, and lighten the load for all who give support. We now
join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…
Lord
with Your Favor
We will do
what is right
~
O Lord our God, shelter all who are in
the depths of grief, and infuse a spark of joy that grows into rejoicing, to
know the ones we have sent to You are a new creation of life, love, and peace
for all eternity. We pray especially for:
Lord
with Your Favor
We will do
what is right
~
O Lord our God, we pause in this
moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or
silently…
Lord
with Your Favor
We will do
what is right
~
O Lord our God, grant infectious energy and contagious inspiration to those You
have appointed to lead us on the path to everlasting life. We pray especially
for:
Lord
with Your Favor
We will do
what is right
The Celebrant adds: God of Benevolence and Strength, impel our desire to shake off the dust of our own complacency,
immerse ourselves in the healing elements of prayer, and turn our lives to Your
service in the spirit of gentleness. We ask through Jesus, our Teacher, and the
Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, who together with You are One God, infinite and
eternal. Amen.
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