Weekly Liturgy : June 23-29
- Monica
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 10
Luke 9 : 51 - 62
NRSV Translation
(51-56) As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.
(57-62) As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from Monica:
There are over 50 Homeless Jesus statue installations worldwide, often outside churches. The sculpture’s realism has even led some to call the police, mistaking the figure on the bench for a real person. Artist Timothy Schmalz was inspired after seeing someone sleeping under a blanket on a bench in Toronto. Though Pope Francis appreciated his miniature version, several churches initially declined the life-sized sculpture.
Isn’t that just where we might expect to find Jesus? Disrupting our assumptions, standing with the poor and overlooked. When we follow Him there, we confront our own discomfort, even rejection, as we stand with those on the margins. The way of Jesus may be narrow, but it opens into a widening circle of belonging.
This statue invites imagination and resistance... the kind only art can stir. The blanketed body draws quiet attention, sparking reflection on the path of Jesus and our encounters (or lack thereof) with His kin.
One installation stands at St. Alban’s in North Carolina. The rector, Reverend Buck, told NPR, “We need to be reminded that our faith expresses itself in active concern for the marginalized... Jesus, in essence, was a homeless person."
Walk the Son’s long path,
every step taken in Love
encircles all, they belong.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Look for one person today who might feel unseen or overlooked and take a small action to make sure they know they matter.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Look for someone in your life who’s struggling. Ask them, "Would you be willing to share what's important to you right now, so I can better understand how you're feeling?"
Pathways toward Centeredness
Sensation: Experiencing our physical senses and imagination.
Today, take five to ten minutes to sit in stillness and gently notice where your body feels tension; breathe into that space, and ask, “What might this part of me need right now?”
Questions for Reflection
Where do you feel out of your comfort zone? How do you imagine it would feel if you showed up anyway?
“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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