Epiphany 4 Yr C
Accept or reject
Introduction
What does it mean to speak (think, reason) as a child? Earlier in my life, I would have said that this scripture is simply about the difference between children and adults. More recently, however, I have come to a different (more complex) view. As a child, I believed some things simply because I had insufficient information. Case in point, did you believe in Santa Claus? I did; not because my parents "lied" to me but because they were helping me develop the wonder of childhood so I could become a complete person as an adult. And being a child was so much simpler. Grass grew. The sun rose, then set. Laughter was easy. But that was incomplete. I found the truth behind Santa Claus; I learned how grass and plants grew; I studied how the earth moved, not the sun; I realized laughter often masked pain. So to speak (think, reason) as a child means adopting a simple but woefully incomplete picture of life. And what "childish ways" did I give up. That too is simple. I gave up naivete for awareness; half-truths for completeness. My life is much more complex and much richer. How has your child-view grown up? It is your choice to accept or reject your child-view. Comments welcome.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
[focus on 11-13]
. . . When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
sermons4kids: “It also says that if we listen to His word and don't do what it says, we just fool ourselves. We may fool others and we may fool ourselves, but we can't fool God. Are we for real, or are we just "fool's gold?" ”
Scripture: January 30, 2022—Jeremiah 1:4-10 (image); Psalm 71:1-6 (image); 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (image); and Luke 4:21-30 (image). A video/audio journey through the scripture.
Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection: In Jesus’ first sermon, he referred to two scriptural stories to illustrate God’s love. Why did that so enrage the congregation that they wanted to kill him? Do some of Jesus’ teachings still enrage us today?
Eye Candy: Untitled image; “Reconciliation” (1995) by Josefina de Vasconcellos at Coventry Cathedral [Note: this refers to the 2nd lesson for Sunday]; “Brow of the Hill Near Nazareth” (1886-1894) by James Tissot.
Ear Worm: “Though I speak with the tongues” by Bairstow, relates to 2nd lesson; “O love, how deep, how broad, how high“, "All is love" from Where the Wild Things are
Brain Food: Commentary by Rose Ann Reese; “Hometown visit goes awry“, by Bob Cornwall; “Escaping the boxes“, poem by Andrew King.
Parables: “The Giant of Thunder Mountain” (1991), a little girl is touched by the giant’s love; “Phenomenon” (1996), “bounties and mysteries of human spirit”; “Rudy“, (1993), “pint-sized football player”
Ed. note: Faith@Home is migrating to a new source for a family study guide and activity for a child and a middler, all in one. This and future issues of Faith@Home wil use these materials from Illustrated Ministry.
For families: Study guide and activities (former version); group activities; snacks, kid video
Coloring page: Jeremiah
For children: activity in guide/activity above (another); bulletin games; craft;
For middlers: activity in guide/activity above (another); bulletin games; craft.
For youth: Do you know that Presiding Bishop Curry has written a book, Love is the way. Its purpose is to inform us how true godly love can transform our lives and fix many of our problems. The passage from 1 Corinthians 13 says exactly the same thing, especially the part about what love isn't.
4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
How can you show love today? How could your showing love improve your life? Comments welcome.
In today’s liturgy, we continue the account of Jesus’ sermon in his home synagogue in Nazareth and its results. The congregation immediately discounts his teaching because he is known to them. Jesus points out that the prophets and teachers of the past were rejected by their own people and so took their message to others. This enrages the congregation and he barely escapes with his life.
In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah is called by God and demurs at first because of his youth. But God implants the word in Jeremiah and commissions him to bring a message of challenge to all peoples. Subsequently Jeremiah, like Jesus, was rejected by those to whom he was sent.
The second reading today carries on Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians about the proper use of spiritual gifts. After speaking of various gifts of the Spirit, he explains that all of them are empty and meaningless without love, which is the greatest of all gifts, and the only one that lasts. This well-known passage, justly loved by Christians, is also a challenge to all of us to judge our gifts by the love they build up in the church, which is the body of Christ.
We gather in Eucharist to meet Christ and to hear his message. Today’s readings carry a warning to us that those who reject the message will find its promises going to others. We too are to bear that message and to state it clearly. We may be rejected, but like Jesus and the prophets before him, we continue to go to all people and to proclaim that message by word and deed so that all people may hear it and accept it.
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.