Weekly Liturgy : September 1-7
- DJ
- Sep 1
- 4 min read
Luke 14 : 25-33
NRSV Translation
25-27 Now large crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28-30 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
31-32 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.
33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
REFLECTION
from DJ
In this text we see a rare instance where Jesus confronts the crowd as a whole. His challenge to the crowd is summed up with the urgent instruction to “Give up all your possessions.” Surely, Jesus is referring to more than just material things, like houses, cars and toys. He is speaking about anything, including our own families, tribes, ideologies, culture, and traditions, that possess our hearts and hold us captive.
To remind myself of this teaching I often stat my day with the “Welcoming Prayer” by Thomas Keating.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
I welcome everything that comes to me today, because I know it's for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.
I let go of my desire for power and control.
I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure.
I let go of my desire for survival and security.
I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.
I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within. Amen.
The “Welcoming Prayer” can be done in a moment, in a breath. It is about “Letting Go.”
When we welcome “what is” in our life, it doesn’t mean that we don’t want or need change or growth. It means that we accept what comes our way and invite God into it. In God’s presence we bring to God our needs, our desires, our thoughts, our emotions, and our circumstances. Instead of fighting these things and those around us, we welcome them and God in them so that WE can be transformed as we consent to His presence in all areas of our lives. To fight against our reality, to demand and to grasp onto our desires, is one way of denying that God alone is our Source of Life, that God is our Source for Love and Power.
When we “cling” to our needs and our desires or demands that “what is” be different we are attempting to control. When we “let go” and meet God in our reality, then we actually do become free and experience His presence – which does heal, provide our needs, transform us.
If we grasp and control our lives we will inevitably create “substitutes” for a genuine resting in God and His provision. What are our current substitutes?
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Identify someone in your work context who tends to solve problems differently than you do. Next time you see them tackling an issue, see if you can pay attention to their process well to understand their priorities and goals. Check in with them afterwards to see if you got it right!
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
When you make a request of someone, and they say, “no,” what sort of response happens inside of you? Do you get upset? Do you remain at peace? Do you villainize the other person? Do you find it easy to move on?
This week, pay attention to these natural responses in yourself. Catalogue the things that make it easier for you to remain differentiated from the other person’s decision.
Pathways toward Centeredness
Tradition (loving God by engaging ritual and symbol):
Have you ever attended a highly liturgical church or joined a local monastery during their hours? If not, plan a visit sometime soon!
Questions for Reflection
What helps you cling less tightly to the things, people, or ideas that have formed your identity?
Who do you know who seems to be at peace with everything in the world around them, quick to graciousness and slow to defensiveness? Can you model anything about their personality for yourself?
“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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