Proper 7 Yr A
Do not be anxious

Eye Candy:
Many images in The Painted Prayerbook by Jan Richardson;
“Study of Flying Sparrow” (1515-1520) by Giovanni de Udine

Ear Worm:
“God of the sparrow” by Broadway Festival Choir;
“In that great gettin’ up mornin’ “, hymn by Gather male quartet (sorta like Barbershop);
“His eye is on the sparrow” by Whitney Houston [very bluesy spiritual]

Brain Food: Commentary by John Edward Harris [scroll down to the reflection on the gospel reading]; “A bad case of the I-can’t-help-it“ by Rev. Dr. Patrick Keen, commentary on Jeremiah reading

Prayer for Children

God of sparrows and budgerigars,
of tiny babies and little kids,
please help us to trust your total love
for each one of us.

Nothing ever escapes your notice,
nothing happens outside of your care.
If we trust you, you can make-over
ugly souls into beautiful people,
and your can turn sins and sorrows
into the success of wiser lives.

You know we trust you a little,
please help us to trust you a lot more.
In the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen!

© Bruce Prewer

Parables:
“Moon” (2009), "superb psychologial sci-fi", Review;
“Where the wild things are” (2009), a "poignant film about childhood that may have you howling", Review;
“Solaris” (2002), "will put you in touch with your memories and yearnings", Review 

Hymn Notes: Many have adored Whitney Houston's rendition of "His eye is on the sparrow" (referenced above). Here's a tidbit about its origin:

"Civilla Martin [author] describes the context out of which the hymn was born: 'Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheelchair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s response was simple: 'His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was the outcome of that experience.'

The next day she mailed the poem to Charles Gabriel, a famous composer of gospel songs, who wrote a tune for it."

Last Sunday we heard Jesus give instructions to his twelve disciples as he prepared to send them out to proclaim the gospel. Today that passage continues with his warning to them that they will encounter opposition to the message and even may have to suffer for it.

Track 1: The first reading from Genesis continues the story of Abraham and Sarah. Before the child promised them was born, they decided to help God out by Abraham getting a son by the slave girl, Hagar. However, once Isaac was born Sarah demanded that Hagar and their son be sent away. God cared for them, however, and Ishmael became the ancestor of the Arabs, as Isaac was the ancestor of the people of Israel. 

Track 2: The first reading is from the Jeremiah. This prophet was strongly rejected by the leaders and many of the people. Attempts were made on his life. Jeremiah became the model for martyrs and others whose witness to God earned them persecution and even death.

In the second reading, Paul sets forth the meaning of baptism. It is nothing less than a participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The terms used here in the original Greek means that we have already died with him in baptism and are in the process of being raised with him into the resurrection life. Thus, our old identity is gone and our new identity is as members of Christ’s Body.

We gather as church to respond to the same call that was made to the twelve apostles and to Jeremiah and the prophets. It is not always easy to be follower of Christ. We must expect to find that our message is not always popular nor will we always be well treated for proclaiming it. However, as the people of God we find that God’s grace is always available in Word and Sacraments. We are upheld in the experience of those who have gone before us and above all by the example of Jesus dying and rising in our midst.