Embedded Files
. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Proper 11 Year B
Sheep in paradise, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54925 [retrieved April 11, 2021]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcofantoni84/3166517854/.
Published date 7/17/2024
Introduction
Introduction
A psalm appointed for this Sunday is Psalm 23, the beloved Shepherd psalm. Most of us hold dear how the psalmist describes God's care for us—taking care of all our wants, keeping us on the straight-and-narrow, holding us close in times of trouble. We are truly blessed by the care of the Shepherd.
Notice in "Symbols of the Church" below, the three functions of a shepherd's staff. Since I've always been a bit clumsy, naturally I zeroed in on "provides stability", giving the user support while trekking across rocky, uneven terrain. Also I recall the many times, when my way in life was uneven and rocky, that Jesus supported me. In considering the staff's use as a weapon, we (sheep) are protected by our shepherd who defends us from those who would harm us. I'm grateful that Jesus' staff is long enough to reach me and bring me back into the fold when I stray. It is my charge to be a shepherd in Jesus' reflection, to provide stability for others, to protect others from those who would harm them, and to encourage their "return to the fold" if needed.
A final comment is about Bobby McFerrin's "Psalm 23", a re-visioning of the psalm for and about his mother. It is well worth listening to here. Feel free to comment.
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. . . .
From sermon4kids.com: “It [Being moved with compassion] means that when Jesus saw that they [the people] were like sheep without a shepherd, he was moved to action.”
Scripture: July 21, 2024—2 Samuel 6:1–5, 12b–19 (image); Psalm 89:20-37 (image); Jeremiah 23:1-6 (image); Psalm 23 (image); Ephesians 2:11-22 (image); and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (image). A visual/audio journey through the scripture.
Collect: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection: God promised to build King David into a “house.” Paul told the Ephesians that in Christ they would be built into “a dwelling place for God.” How is the Holy Spirit living in you?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 2 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press)
Symbols of the Church
Symbols of the Church
The shepherd's staff has 3 main purposes: (i) it provides stability; (ii) it serves as a weapon; (iii) it can be used to pull the sheep back into the fold. As your shepherd, Jesus stabilizes you, protects you, and keeps you in his care.
excerpted from "3 Tremendous responsibilities" website.
Click here for a page of symbols described in this publication.
Images enhancing
the scripture
“Young boy with a lamb” by Zalman Kleinman
“A migration of nomads“ (1660-1680) by Edward Calvert
“Our English coasts” (1852) by William Holman Hunt
“Old world” (2024) by Story People
Music founded
in the scripture
"All are welcome" by Marty Haugen
“Lead us, O father“, congregational singing
“Shepherd” by Cece Winan
“Psalm 23” by Imant Raminish
Other voices
about the scripture
“Come away to a deserted place” by Peter Lockhart
"Preaching the gospel of one new humanity" by Paul Neuchterlein
"Shepherding gone wrong and right" by Tommy Parker
May the reading of your Word
draw near to you those of us once far off.
May the hearing of your Word
break down the dividing walls between us,
for Jesus Christ, your living Word, is our peace. Amen.
Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 2 © 2015 Westminster John Knox Press, p.
Movies representing some part of the scripture
“Mr Pig [Sr Pig]” (2016, not rated), a journey with two objectives, Review
“Still Alice” (2015, PG-13), Alice has everything, Review
“The fundamentals of caring” (2016, TV-MA), learn about ALOHA for caring (Netflix film), Review
Special for today
Special for today
A concept for this day is "in one body": Our shepherd Christ gathers all of us into the one flock—the body of Christ. A song that may help in the understanding of this concept is "We are". Listen here to a magnificent presentation by Sweet Honey in the Rock.
For each child that born
A morning star rises and sings
To the universe who we are
We are our grandmothers prayers
We are our grandfathers dreamings
We are the breath of the ancestors
We are the spirit of God
We are Mothers of courage
Fathers of time
Daughters of dust
Sons of great visions
We are sisters of mercy
Brothers of love
Lovers of life and
the builders of nations
We're seekers of truth
And keepers of faith
Makers of peace
wisdom of ages
For each child that born
A morning star rises and sings
To the universe who we are
We are one
For families: Study guide, group activity, snacks—large marshmallows make good sheep, kid video
For children: activity; bulletin games; craft—Using cotton balls, scissors, glue and crayons, cut out a tracing of a large sheep; color it, glue pieces of cotton balls
For middlers: activity; bulletin games; craft—cut out several small sheep to color and add a very small amount of cotton ball wisps (see children craft above); hang each of the sheep on a wall or from the ceiling with curling ribbon.
For youth: From this long article written by three scientists of faith (one Christian, one Buddhist, one Muslim), we have read Dr. Wiseman's component and Dr. Harman's component. The third (and final) scientist in this article is Dr. Fahad Ali, a Muslim geneticist. For this week, read Dr Ali's component. He says:
"We need a God because we need a sense of place and purpose and a sense of something beyond."
That's somewhat different from statements from the other two scientists. How differently do you feel Dr Ali is from Dr Harman OR from Dr Wiseman? Write your thoughts down. Next week we do a slightly different analysis. Feel free to share here and/or on Friends of SSSJ facebook page.
Today’s gospel reading follows the first mission of preaching and healing that Jesus sent the apostles out to do. They return and he takes them away for rest and reflection. Then they return to the crowds and Jesus has compassion on the people, who are like sheep without a shepherd. This image of Jesus as shepherd comes originally from David, the Shepherd King, and is a consistent image of God in the Old Testament.
Using II Samuel: In the first reading, the prophet Nathan brings God’s promise to David that he who was taken from shepherding sheep will now be the shepherd of God’s people. God promises that David’s descendants will establish God’s kingdom forever. Christians see this promise as having been fulfilled in Jesus.
Using Jeremiah: In the first reading, God speaks through Jeremiah against the corrupt leaders of the people as bad shepherds preying on their sheep. God promises to come and be the people’s shepherd. God will send the descendant of David who will care for all people as a loving shepherd.
In today’s reading from Ephesians we find a reflection of the Jewish-Christian joining of the personal and the social aspects of the life of God’s People, extended now to the entire human family through the dying and rising of Christ.
We are called by God as individuals into a community of persons. Again and again in the sacred story the promise of God coming in person to care for the people is made. God will make all people into one flock, one community. In the liturgy, the tension between the personal and the communal is expressed and resolved. In Holy Communion, it is our selves that are offered, blessed, and broken, that we may be given as signs of Christ to the world.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
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