27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Call to worship
Today’s scriptures underscore God’s intention since beginning of creation — that all would people live together in love and harmony, that all would be innocent and loving and that we would embrace God’s kingdom.
- To the point: Jesus is indignant with the disciples for the same reason he confronts the Pharisees for their “hardness of hearts,” Jesus contrasts the “hardness of hearts” that led to the Mosaic Law permitting divorce with the openness of heart he shows in the embrace and blessing of children. Amid the difficulties of human relationships, we are to maintain openness of heart—like Jesus and innocent children. That was God’s intention “from the beginning of creation.” In such openness the kingdom of God is found/
- Connecting the Gospel (Mark 10:2-16) to the first reading: This familiar story from Genesis reveals that “from the beginning of creation” God intended that we humans live in community and be in life-giving relationships with each other and all of creation.
- Connecting the Gospel to our experience: Hardness of heart can be easier than openness of heart because the former focuses us on ourselves. In the end, however, such hardness of heart destroys self and relationships. The only way to real fulfillment of self is through openness to others.
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(Mark 10: 2-16)
“Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.”
At the end of hard days, we who are ragged and bothered,
come running like children, to you, Lord.
We take shelter in your warm embrace.
Your hands are on our heads and on our whole weary world.
Bring all the works of your hands and all of your children
into your kingdom, together, and hold us all there safe.
The First Reading
(Genesis 2: 18-24)
“It is not good for man to be alone.”
You are made of love, O God.
Three persons loving and free. Yet one God.
Let us, too be not alone, but at one — with the
whole created universe, especially one with each other,
all together in the fullness of your love.
The Second Reading
(Hebrews 2: 9-11)
He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels.”
O God, who are we, that you are mindful of us?
Just flesh. Yet you care for us.
Tiny we are. Yet, Jesus, for a little while,
you walked with us. You ate and drank with us,
shared our life, shared our death.
Because of you we now call your father Our Father,
and God calls us “beloved.”
Copyright © 2021, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for reflection