Weekly Liturgy : August 3-9
- Cory
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Matthew 14:22-33
NIV
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
REFLECTION
from Cory
Fear distorts reality.
The disciples are are on the water in a boat threatened by the waves. Naturally, they are afraid.
And then Jesus walks across the water (as one does) to meet them.
The disciples don’t see their friend, the one with the power to calm the storm. They see a ghost, a phantasm, or a spectre. Something to fear.
When we find ourselves in a place of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear our minds are wired to see everything that approaches as a threat.
Maybe the best thing we can do in those situations is to simply name our context. We are in a storm. We are afraid. And if something new and unexpected comes into that context, to be open to it.
To remember how easy it is for our context to shape our perception of reality.
“It occurs to me,” writes Padraig O’Tuama, “that courage comes from the same place as fear, and where there is fear, there is the possibility of courage.”
“Hello to fear. Hello to the courage that comes from the same place as fear.”
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
How does your context—your life, your stressors, your to-do list—shape your perception of the actions and words of those around you? Rather than interpreting the actions or words of others through your own context, try to stay open and curious, allowing them to speak for themselves.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Name what you observe without adding judgment. Replace “you always / never” with a specific example.
Pathway Toward Center
Sensates: Loving God with the Senses
Find some ways to take yourself (and your context less seriously) this week. What are some activities that get you out of your head and take the focus off of you and your context?
Questions for Reflection
What storms are you facing? How are those storms distorting your perception of reality and closing you off to the new and unexpected?
Who are the people and what are the practices that help you see reality more clearly?
“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.
