Weekly Liturgy : July 14-20
- John
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Luke 10 : 30 - 42
The Message Translation
38-40 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”
41-42 The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from John:
There is so much work to be done in the world! People to see and places to go. Emails to write and dishes to clean. Meals to prep and justice to promote. Wars to solve and tax cuts to protest. People to get housed and communities to convince housing is good. Plants to water and pets to feed. A warming planet to cool and a friend’s text message to reply to.
And it’s so easy to convince myself that nothing is more important than getting that work done.
But in the moments that I get the busiest, something occurs in my vision. I start to see people around me as means to my imagined ends. And I start to get angry with those who are not working for the same ends as I am, or going about the work differently than I choose for myself. And my exhaustion and my cynicism grows until I miss the point of the work itself.
I bet Martha and I would have lots to process together.
And much to learn from the Marys in our midst.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Each time you find yourself annoyed with another person's behavior this week, remind yourself of moments when you have acted in the same way.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
We humans like to use moral categories (good vs. bad; right vs. wrong, etc) to describe the world around us.
What is one strategy you can employ to slow your own process of moralizing so that you can instead be curious first about the world?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Intellection (pursuing knowledge):
Is there a topic you’ve always wanted to know more about? This week, spend 15 minutes each day researching your chosen subject. Find a book or hop on Google or send a question to someone you consider more knowledgeable!
Questions for Reflection
What helps you slow down in moments you may be over functioning? What are the clues that help you recognize its time for rest?
Whose behavior challenges your own way of being in the world? How can you start to see their behavior as good and complimentary to your own?
“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.
Copyright (C) 2023 Church at the Park. All rights reserved.
