WwtW: Jesus welcomes the weak and humble to join the pilgrimage, heading heavenwards

Ordinary Time, Year C, Week 22.

First Reading:           Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a

Context.           The origins of this “letter” are shrouded in mystery: we don’t know who wrote it, who is was intended for, or whether it was even a letter (it may well have been a homily.)  Its central theme is the priesthood of Christ, crucified and exalted: Christ did what Jewish cult could not do – provide permanent cleansing from sin, through the New Altar of the Cross.  We are called to follow our “forerunner” on his pilgrimage, bringing us home to heavenly rest.  The sections of the letter we’ve been reading over the past few weeks deal with quite how we’re to walk this walk: we heard of people who endured trials for the sake of the heavenly city they could not see but, by faith, were assured of inheriting.  We must follow this pilgrim band, who have Jesus as their head.

WwtW: God beckons us all to come feast at His table

Ordinary Time Year C, Week 21.

Isaiah 66:18-21

Context.           This reading comes from part of the book of Isaiah called “Third Isaiah.”  It comes from a time very soon after the end of the Babylonian Exile.  The people have returned to their land after two or three generations of exile in Babylon.  They are rebuilding physically, structurally and emotionally, and there’s dispute about how best to do this, including about how involved non-Israelites can be.  The dominant message is of hope and comfort, but the author also has a vision for how the People are to live in the Restored Land.

WwtW: God perfects our faith through the division and strife we encounter when we live as peace-makers

Wednesdays with the Word (OT C, 20).  A new series for this blog!  I've started a Bible Study at my parish, looking at the coming Sunday readings.  We meet Wednesday mornings after Daily Mass.  I'll be posting the notes I make for them here afterwards.  I regard producing these notes as the first 1/3 of homily writing: contextualizing and understanding the scriptures.  The next third is what we ask together as a Bible Study: how do these readings renew us in our awareness of God's action in our lives?  Given the reality of God's grace, how are we to respond?  The next third, which I'll get back to next month after what seems like a long summer off, is packaging that Good News into an engaging homily

Gospel (Lk 12:49-53)

Context.           This is part of Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:48; Wks 13-31).  For the last few weeks, we’ve been reading a section (12:1-13:9; Wks 18-20) on vigilance in the face of eschatological crisis.  To ready themselves for the end of the world, disciples have been invited to some pretty extraordinary acts: being liberated from possessiveness (even with regard to one’s basic bodily needs), and serving as a table-slave in the Household of God.  We now come to a reading that looks at the consequences of this.