It is appropriate this week, in Ordinary Time, that the readings focus on the transforming power of the ordinary. In a world of celebrity, of “Reality TV”, and of value given only to winners and to those who are larger than life, it can be tempting to think that the ordinary has no contribution to make, that “vanilla” people can make no difference. But, the Gospel is a message that does not despise the small things. God’s reign is a reality in which the least, the child and the marginalised all have significant value to offer.
May you celebrate the small and the ordinary in your worship this week.
READINGS:
2 Kings 5:1-14: Elisha is visited by Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, who has a serious skin disease. He instructs him through a messenger to wash himself seven times in the Jordan, which, after some complaining, Naaman does, and he is healed.
OR Isaiah 66:10-14: A prophecy of restoration and comfort, like being nursed and cared for by a mother, for Jerusalem and her people.
Psalm 30: David celebrates God’s deliverance, healing and mercy, and that God has turned his mourning into dancing, committing to a life of praise.
OR Psalm 66:1-9: A psalm in praise of God who is glorious and who saves God’s people in miraculous ways.
Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-14: Paul instructs the Galatiands to give themselves in bringing goodness into the world – correcting one another, working faithfully, providing for their teachers, and doing good (justice) at every opportunity.
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20: Jesus sends the seventy two disciples out to preach the Kingdom, instructing them to bless the homes where they stay, accepting hospitality. On their return he celebrates with them, but stresses that the best thing is to have “names written in heaven”.
REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
The central message this week is simple but significant – do not despise the saving power of small things. God’s commitment to justice, restoration and healing is proclaimed strongly through the Psalms and Isaiah’s song, but the way God’s saving work comes into being is often through small, ordinary people and actions. Naaman complains because Elisha speaks to him through a servant and asks him to wash in an ordinary river in Israel – yet he can only be healed by changing his attitude, and embracing this ordinary way to healing. The picture of God’s care and comfort in Isaiah is that of an ordinary, familiar domestic scene – a child being nursed by its mother. Galatians speaks about the work of following Christ in the every day terms of our relationships with one another (correcting each other and sharing burdens), taking responsibility and doing good for all. And Jesus sends his disciples out to share the message of God’s reign, while accepting hospitality along the way – a very ordinary practice for travelers. Even when they celebrate overcoming demons, Jesus downplays it. Psalm 30 recounts an ordinary journey from joy to pain and back again, relying on God’s mercy and grace – a common human experience. The one reading that appears to be out of place is the alternative Psalm (66) – but here the focus is on the Exodus, which, although proclaimed through retelling the miraculous story, is about the very ordinary human longing for liberation and salvation – which is, of course, the essence of the message that Jesus’ disciples would have preached.
CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: It is important that the work of celebrities and high profile leaders in the struggle for justice is recognised and celebrated, but justice is really achieved not by these few. If we are to reverse the impact of climate change, it will take small but significant shifts in the habits of many ordinary people. If our world is to become more peaceful, it will mean ordinary people must learn to understand and respect one another, recognising our common humanity. If wealth is to be equitably distributed, it will mean changing the values by which ordinary individuals live from consumerism to simplicity and from accumulating to giving. If these shifts were just taken seriously by Christ-followers alone, the impact would be nothing short of miraculous. As Christians around the world join together in peace-making, hospitality, taking responsibility for the change we can bring and doing small acts of goodness, the Gospel message would be preached clearly and powerfully, with very few words necessary.
LOCAL APPLICATION: It is often tempting as we seek to share Christ’s message in the Church and into our communities to think about making big changes and attempting big, attention grabbing projects. However, our impact is often less about how we structure our services or what kind of music we use or how “prominent” we are in our community. Often it is in the quiet work of nurturing care and service within our community, and in doing the slow, transformative work of growing into caring, serving Christ-followers in our homes, workplaces and sports clubs that ultimately determines how effective our ministry is. When, instead of pointing fingers at “the world” we are willing to accept its “hospitality” speaking blessing, and offering grace and mercy and justice in every situation and with every person, then people begin coming to us to learn more about our faith and the One we follow. But, if we fail to do this, then no amount of words or programs will be enough to compensate for our lack of grace and goodness.
RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Extraordinary Ordinariness
Good News By Degrees
The Call Of Compassion
Hymn Suggestions:
Come Let Us Sing Of A Wonderful Love
Dear Jesus In Whose Life I See
Praise To The Lord, The Almighty
O Jesus I Have Promised
May The Words Of My Mouth (Link to YouTube video)
Lord, Reign In Me (Link to YouTube video)
When It’s All Been Said And Done (Link to YouTube video)
What Can I Do (Link to YouTube video)
With Kindness (Scroll down to listen the preview – Track 1)
Liturgy:
A Liturgy For The Lord’s Supper
Video Suggestions:
Psalm 66
Martyn Joseph – The Revolution
Image Suggestions:
These images use the road to evoke both the traveling of the disciples as they were sent out by Jesus, and our journey through life as we seek to follow Christ and make whatever small difference we can.
Forest Path
Road
Ah, the longing for the spectacular, the aversion to the ordinary…
“If, instead of waiting for stones to be changed to bread, we share the food we have; if, rather than waiting for the fantasy job or lover, we engage the people and work of our lives; if, rather than waiting for rescue, we lay down our lives for our friends, then we depart the world of deadly illusion for a living reality.” – Norah Gallagher in Practicing Resurrection