Weekly Liturgy : October 20-26
- Matt
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Luke 18:9-14
New Living Translation
9-12 He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’
13 “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”
14 Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”
REFLECTION
from Matt
Whether online or in person, other people's comments usually reveal more about them than they do about you. They are a glimpse into their journey and not necessarily a reflection on who you are. As a parent, when one of my children plays the comparison game with a sibling, I often remind them: "You have enough to worry about for yourself. Let them worry about themselves."
I'm not at all suggesting that we shouldn't care about other people. But when it comes to comparison or trying to look better than others, we can learn much from the humility and introspection of the tax man in Jesus' story. If we all focused more on what we ourselves need to do and less on what other people should do, what a difference that might make in our world.
What am I learning right now? How am I being shaped by my circumstances, observations, or experiences? As a Christian, am I being formed more by the news cycle, cultural norms, and political ideology than I am by the words and ways of Jesus? What is God teaching me in this?
"I may not be perfect, but at least I'm better than all those fill-in-the-blank people."
There's a scene in Revelation chapter 4 where a group of elders gather around the throne of Jesus, take off their crowns, and lay them at his feet. Their well-deserved crowns. Crowns representing accomplishments and contributions — maybe even their fasting and tithing. What might the world be like if, instead of flaunting our crowns and polishing the jewels, we simply and humbly set them down at the feet of Jesus?
We don't always have to fight, and we don't always have to win.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Engage John Wesley’s 22 Questions of Self-Examination. Click the button below to access them!
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
When do you know that another person has truly considered your needs and adjusted their problem solving strategy to meet your needs (as well as their own)? How can you emulate those examples of mutuality in each of your relationships this week?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Did you know that you can limit your social media consumption by changing the setting on your app? For example, on Facebook, go to "settings," "time management," and then "daily limit."
Spend more time today getting to know a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor than you spend on the news.
Questions for Reflection
What are you learning in your life right now? What are a few areas you'd like to grown in? Write them down, and set a calendar reminder to check back on your list in a few weeks or months to see how you've changed.
“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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