Weekly Liturgy : August 25-31
- John
- Aug 24
- 3 min read
Luke 14 : 1, 7-14
NRSV Translation
1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.
8-11 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host, and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
12-14 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
REFLECTION
from John
If you know our community’s story, you may know this passage of text holds a great deal of influence on how we understand the work we’re up to. In 2007, a group of friends risked believing the promise of Jesus’ invitation - that if we build tables and host spaces that include seats for those we prefer to judge, we (the ones hosting) are the ones to receive blessing. That risk produced Church at the Park.
18 years later, we try our best to continue risking the same sort of faith here - and it is a risk. We seek to align ourselves with humans who have often been uninvited, disinvited, and barred from other tables. Sometimes that means we get uninvited too.
And, fail as we may, we try hard to keep spaces open at our tables for people who seem to want to judge us, which can be awkward.. if not outright painful.
But these moments are the portals to another dimension of experience. On the other side are spaces of grace, mutuality, and transformation. And through the fog of possibility the world we all long for, a world made right, comes into better view.
And the risk becomes worth it again.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Whose behavior seems to keep getting in your way? Ask that person about their goals.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
How do you know when you can cross off a task from your to-do list?
Can you begin to add your sense of connection and understanding of another human being to that answer?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Intellection (loving God by pursuing knowledge):
This week, pick up a non-fiction book to read before bed each night. If you prefer to scroll on your phone, spend your time researching an interesting topic, rather than just scrolling on social media.
Questions for Reflection
Which metaphorical (or real) table to do most want to sit at? Would you be willing to give up the seat of honor at that table?
Who in your world can you invite to move into the seats of honor?
“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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