Weekly Liturgy : July 6-12
- John
- Jul 6
- 3 min read
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
NRSV
1-2 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3-8 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 If you have ears, hear!"
18-19 "Hear, then, the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
20-21 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
REFLECTION
from John
When Jesus explains the parable to his disciples, he focuses on the seeds. And so we are invited to reflect on ourselves and our lives.
But let’s not forget the scandal of the story as those 1st century listeners would have understood it: a gardener who is careless with his seeds, who is unconcerned with the yield of his crop, who is excessive with his sowing practices.
If we are to understand the gardener as the God-character of the story, what then are we to make of God’s character in real life? What lavishness, prodigiousness, and indiscrimination are we to see in God?
May we have ears to hear.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
At the end of each day this week, ask yourself the following question:
Who benefited from my decisions and behaviors today?
See how many names you can list by the end of the week.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Sometimes the kindest and safest pathway in to healthy relationship is by naming boundaries. This week, practice naming your own boundaries kindly and calmly, not as threat or consequence, but as invitation for another person to know you more fully.
Pathway Toward Center
Sensation (Loving God through our senses):
Instead of trying to activate one or more of your senses, this week, find some time to do the opposite. Find a quiet and dark area - as quiet and dark as possible. Take 10 minutes to sit in the stillness. What do you notice? Do you hear God’s voice in any new way?
Questions for Reflection
This story suggests God doesn’t make rules for his love.
Do you think humans are supposed to be like God in this way? Or do you prefer clear rules for love, care, and service?
“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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