Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Call to worship
In today’s scriptures, Jesus gives us concrete ways to live out Christian discipleship. We must forgive our enemies, stop judging and condemning others, and give of ourselves generously with empathy, compassion and love.
- To the point: Jesus makes our call to live as “children of the Most high” concrete and practical. His norms of behavior move us from the already high standard “do to others as you would have them do to you” to the even higher standard — “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” We are empowered to act in this way because of the extravagant good measure with which God always acts toward us.
- Connecting the Gospel (Luke 6: 27-38) to the First Reading: It was perfectly permissible and encoded in the Law to exact an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Saul’s attempts on David’s life justify Abishai’s desire to kill Saul whom, after all, “the Lord delivered” into David’s hands. David’s sparing Saul’s life was a gesture of mercy that superseded the Law. The Gospel challenges us to the same measure of mercy.
- Connecting the Gospel to experience: In a society where the standard for many is “dog eat dog” and getting ahead at any cost, the golden rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a high standard, indeed. What a challenge the Gospel poses!
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(Luke 6: 27-38)
Give and gifts will be given to you.
Injured? Offer the other cheek. There is only embrace and kiss.
Don’t lend and demand repayment, you say.
There is only give all your money, or whatever you have.
There is no get-that-cloak-back when someone takes your coat.
Instead, buy the person a wardrobe.
God of inexhaustible love,
pour your gift of love on us, over us and within us,
all of it, shaken down, overflowing.
Let us love each other well,
with your own prodigal, radical, love.
The First Reading
(I Samuel 26: 2,7-9,12-13,22-23)
“I would not harm the Lord’s anointed.”
Lord, let us do no harm, never return hit for hit.
Guide us to where you live in our souls.
God of pardoning love, help us always to forgive.
The Second Reading
(I Corinthians 15: 45-49)
Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.
Christ, we are only earth. But you open us to you.
We go up to heaven through you.
Heaven comes down to us through you.
You are the gate, the gate keeper
the one who opens us to make all Earth holy.
Thanks.
Copyright © 2022, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for reflection