Weekly Liturgy : April 20-26
- John
- Apr 20
- 3 min read
John 10:1-10
NIV Translation
1-6 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7-10 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
REFLECTION
from John
Some years ago, I learned that the Greek word that gets translated to “full” (in verse 10), is much better translated as “spectrum.”
I like this subtle shift.
It suggests to me that life in Jesus is a life that includes deeper belly laughs because we’re connected to the source of all life and joy. And it also means more profound sorrow and tears because our hearts break with God’s over injustice and harm.
And everything in between.
Saint Irenaeus was discipled by the guy who was discipled by John, Jesus’ best friend. Irenaeus is famous for saying: “the glory of God is a human fully alive.”
I used to think glorifying God just meant following God’s rules and giving God the credit for everything. Now I wonder if it actually means being my most true self, completely human- the full living, breathing, thinking, feeling creation God designed me to be.
I wonder too, how different our communities might look, if the message we gave to each other wasn’t a demand for moral perfection, but an invitation into authenticity and health. I wonder what pastures we would find.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Share credit generously! Next time you get to present or celebrate good work you were apart of, name all of the contributors who had a hand in the outcome.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Next time you want someone else to do something, start the question with “would you be willing to…”
Pathway Toward Center
Caregiving (Loving God through care and compassion for others):
At the start of each day this week, list one person in your world who you know has a need. Check in with that person during the day to ask how you might help!
Questions for Reflection
Do you ever feel like there is a true and authentic part of you that does not get to be fully expressed in the world? When you contemplate that part of you, how do you feel inspired to respond?
Who is someone whose courage of authenticity challenges your own definitions of Good, True, and Beautiful? Can you begin to see their humanity as an additional reflection of God’s character, just as yours is?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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