God is exceedingly merciful & wants us to converse with Him (readings for July 28, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary 111)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Commentary

Hyperlink to additional resources (in either blue or green)

Reading 1  Genesis 18:20-32 

In those days, the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave (It’s not what you might be thinking. See Ezekiel 16:49-50), that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me.  I mean to find out."

While Abraham's visitors walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. 

Then Abraham drew nearer and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"

The LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." 

Abraham spoke up again:"See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?"

He answered, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."

But Abraham persisted, saying "What if only forty are found there?"

He replied, "I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty."

Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?"

He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there." 

Still Abraham went on, "since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?"

The LORD answered, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty."

But he still persisted: "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?"

He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."

Responsorial Psalm  Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8  

R.(3a) Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name.

R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise.
When I called you answered me; you built up strength within me.

R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar.
Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me; against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand.

R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.

R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Reading 2  Colossians 2:12-14 

Brothers and sisters:
You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

Alleluia  Romans 8:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 11:1-13  

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."


And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

What these scriptures tell us about God:

the LORD remained standing before Abraham.
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
the judge of all the world act with justice?"
"If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
"I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
"I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty."
"I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there."
"I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty."
"For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."

Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
you have heard the words of my mouth;Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
your kindness

your truth;
great above all things your name and your promise.
When I called you answered me;
you built up strength within me.Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
The LORD is exalted, yet the lowly he sees,
Though I walk amid distress, you preserve me;
against the anger of my enemies you raise your hand.Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
the work of your hands.Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions
You have received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father.

Father, hallowed be your name,
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

What these scriptures tell us to do:

Abraham drew nearer
"See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes!
Abraham persisted, 

"Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.
Still Abraham went on
I have thus dared to speak to my Lord,
But he still persisted
let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. 

I called for help

give thanks to you

sing your praise
worship 

give thanks to your name.I called for help

I called 

I called for help

I called for help

I called for help

 faith in the power of God,
"When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."
persistence
ask

seek

knock

Focus on God, not circumstances; come to the Lord, come humbly, interact with Him (readings for July 21, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 108)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlink to additional resources

Commentary

Reading 1  Genesis 18:1-10

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot.  Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: "Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant.  Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.  Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way." The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said."

Abraham approached God. He approached God humbly. He interacted with God

Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls."  He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Then Abraham got some curds and milk, as well as the steer that had been prepared, and set these before the three men; and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.

They asked Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He replied, "There in the tent."  One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son."

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 15: 2-3, 3-4, 5

R.(1a) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heartand slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Reading 2 Colossians 1:24-28 

Brothers and sisters:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Alleluia  Luke 8:15 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 10:38-42  

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lordat his feet listening to him speak.  Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me." 

Come to the Lord.  Come humbly. Listen to Him.

The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Focus on God, not circumstances.

What these scriptures tell us about God

He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who does these things shall never be disturbed.

God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles

Christ in you, the hope for glory. 

There is need of only one thing.  

Mary has chosen the better part

What these scriptures tell us to do

he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them

bowing to the ground

ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant

does justice 

walks blamelessly 

does justice

thinks the truth in his heart

slanders not with his tongue
does justice 
harms not his fellow man

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor

honors those who fear the LORD.does justice 

lends not his money at usury 

accepts no bribe 

does justice 

rejoice in my sufferings for your sake

kept the word with a generous heart 

yield a harvest through perseverance.

welcomed him

sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak

came to him 

What these scriptures tell us not to do

anxious

worried about many things

A Garden Hose as a Metaphor for the Productive Christian Life: Fixing Damaged Hoses

The hoses in our garden do not stay in pristine condition. They can’t if they are going to fulfill their purposes. Some are accidentally sliced by the lawn mower.  Others develop leaks around the fixtures. Some sort of issue is inevitable. That doesn’t mean that they are no longer useful. We fix them and put them back into service. 

Both of those dynamics occur in the lives of those who seek to fulfill the purposes God created them for.

We will get banged up one way or another. Everyone of us will be impaired by fatigue, disbelief, or fear at some point(s) in our lives. Look at Elijah, Thomas, and Peter; they were true servants, but they each had their moments of weakness. See 1 Kings 19, John 20:24-29, and John 13:38, 18:17, 25-27.   Some of us will be bruised by run ins with non-believers; Paul and Silas’ experience, described in John 16:33, is an example of that.  Jesus bluntly acknowledged this when he told us in John 16:33 that “in the world you will have hardship.” 

But God will fix and continue to use us if we will accept His loving repairs. God got Elijah, Thomas, Peter, Paul, and Silas through their difficulties and continued to use them. We cannot forget the second part of Jesus’ statement in John 16:33: “be courageous: I have conquered the world.”

So how does God repair us? Prayer seems to be key. He helped Elijah, Thomas, and Peter out of their desolations by drawing them into conversation with Him. 1 Kings 19:9-10, 13; John 20:27, John 21:15-19. Paul and Silas were delivered after they were “praying and singing God’s praises.” Acts 16:25. The Psalms record multiple instances of devout servants crying out to God in their distress. See e.g. Psalm 3:4, 18:6,118:5, and 120:1. James 5:13 put it well: “[a]ny one of you who is in trouble should pray.” 

God’s love is readily accessible; we are to grasp it and deliver it to others (readings for July 14, 2019, annotated) (Lectionary: 105)

Key:

What the scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlinks to other resources

Reading 1 Deuteronomy 30:10-14  

Moses said to the people:

"If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law, when you return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul.

"For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, 'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out."

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37  

R. (cf. 33)  Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindnessanswer me with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness: in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;  you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,  and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his nameshall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

Reading 2 Colossians 1:15-20  

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Alleluia  CF. John 6:63, 68 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 10:25-37  

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"

He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."

Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

What these scriptures tell us about God

this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you

it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
great kindness

constant help.
bounteous is your kindness

great mercy
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
saving help

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
the LORD hears the poor

his own who are in bonds he spurns not
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God

in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible

all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things

in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead

in all things he himself might be preeminent.
in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell

through him to reconcile all things for him

making peace by the blood of his cross

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life

you have the words of everlasting life.

What these scriptures tell us to do

heed the voice of the LORD

keep his commandments and statutes

return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul

Turn to the Lord in your need

Turn to the Lord in your need

praise the name of God in song

glorify him with thanksgiving
Turn to the Lord in your need
seek God

Turn to the Lord in your need

love his name

Turn to the Lord in your need

love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind

and your neighbor as yourself

moved with compassion 

treated him with mercy

What these scriptures tell us not to do

passed by on the opposite side

passed by on the opposite side