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No hometown welcome for the prophet - not even Jesus!
Especially because the coming weekend is a holiday weekend (Happy 4th of July!) it's not too early to begin to look over the scriptures for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Thus Sunday's gospel (Mark 6:1-6) includes a verse well known by believers and non-believers alike: Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household." (NAB 1995)
As is usually the case, the first lesson (Ezekiel 2:2-5) thematically connects with the day's gospel. Here the Lord missions Ezekiel to preach to a people "hard of face and obstinate of heart - a rebellious house."
The second lesson (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) breaks the theme of the first and third lections but is also a familiar text. Here St. Paul speaks of the "thorn in the flesh" that keeps him humble and dependent on the mercy of Christ.
These texts and background material on them can be found here and here. Help for preparing youngsters to hear the Word at Mass this weekend can be found here.
These scriptures fall on this weekend as the Sundays in Ordinary Time tick by, with no intended relationship to the 4th of July. Should a preacher try to connect these scriptures with the civil holiday? If so, what kind of connections might he or she make? (You can be sure the parallel question of whether or not to sing patriotic songs at this weekend's liturgy is on the minds of music ministers!)
Care to comment?
-ConcordPastor
Running the risk of sounding like the resident grump, I am not a fan of connecting the scriptures with the civil holiday. Nor do I abide by the use of patriotic music at liturgy on such holidays.
ReplyDeleteYet I make my peace with both when I participate in liturgy... It is not after all, my table, but rather the Table of the Lord, for us all.
Aren't you glad that you asked? (:->)
Fran
I'm fine with either. I'm sure you will tie it in nicely with your homily.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the music....who cares. I like it all, mix it up,
I think that as long as one offers a "prophetic voice" to the discussion of the civil holiday, then it is appropriate especially given the Scriptures. Give to Caesar....
ReplyDelete