Proper 10 Yr C
Hard words
Esser, Piet, 1914-2004. Good Samaritan, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54721 [retrieved November 19, 2021].
Published date July 7, 2022
Editor's note: During the season of Pentecost, churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary have two options. One, often called "semicontinuous" or "Track 1", provides more detail about the Old Testament stories. The other, called "complementary" or "Track 2", more closely marries the Old Testament lesson to the gospel reading.
Introduction
The inquiring man says to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" That's pretty hard for us to nail down, isn't it? How does one measure "neighbor"? From the gospel, it is clearly not only one of my countrymen. It is also not only one of my religion. It seems to me to hark back to what Jesus said in our scriptures for a few Sundays back: "Love". No ifs, ands, or buts. No conditions. No strings. When we encounter one with a need, our love trumps everything else. I find that particularly hard to swallow on some days. Comments welcome.
Luke 10:25-37
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, `Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
From sermon4kids.com: “Jesus has told us to love our neighbor. If you have trouble knowing who your neighbor is, just remember the story of "Horton Hears a Who!" and the story of the Good Samaritan—then you will know that every person is your neighbor and "A neighbor's a neighbor, no matter how small!" "
Scripture: July 10, 2022 (Proper 10, Year C)—Amos 7:7-17 (image); Psalm 82 (image); Deuteronomy 30:9-14 (image); Psalm 25:1-9 (image); Colossians 1:1-14 (image); and Luke 10:25-37 (image). A visual/audio journey.
Collect: O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection:
Track 1: How can we bear God’s fruit in the world? How can we live out the commandment to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves?
Track 2: How does the story of the compassionate Samaritan expand your understanding of who your neighbor may be? With whom do you identify most in this parable?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 2 © 2013 Westminster John Knox Press)
Eye Candy: The "Good Samaritan" has elicited a plethora of Images since its telling. Here are a few: Cathedral of Rossano (6th Century); Chartres Cathedral (1205-1215); Rembrandt (1630); Moritz Schultz (1872); Ernst Barlach (1919); Jesus Mafa (1973); John Swanson (2002); Turolt & Meissner (no year given)
Ear Worm: Let Justice Flow Down; "Christ beside me" by John Rutter; "We will take what you offer" by John Bell
Brain Food: "On the same page as Jesus" by Andrew Prior; "Proper 10 Year C" by Jill Duffield; "Just ask" by Karoline Lewis
Parables: "Machine Gun Preacher" (2011), a man committed to saving the children in the Sudan; "Admission" (2013), "If this is the right place for you, this is where you'll be"; "To end all wars" (2001), "In a prison of brutal confinement, they found true freedom."
For families: Study guide and activities (former guide), group activity, snacks, kid video
For children: See family guide/activities above (another activity); bulletin games, craft
For middlers: See family guide/activities above (another activity); bulletin games
Coloring pages: Samaritan, Luke a, Luke b
For youth: Jesus tells us that our neighbor is not who we're expecting: not (just) living next door; not (just) sitting beside us in school; not (just) people we agree with. Further, Jesus says we are to help those who have a need. First question, does this make you feel comfortable or uncomfortable about your behavior? And second question, how can you consciously adhere to Jesus' instruction this week? Comments welcome.
Our reading from the gospel of Luke today is the parable of the Good Samaritan. Thus, we are confronted in the liturgy with the radical call of God to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our participation in the Eucharist as the baptized people of God is far more than an action by which we receive God’s grace for ourselves; it is our act of commitment to the ministry of self-giving love to others. The Prayers of the People in particular are expressive of this. By joining in prayer, we commit ourselves to active ministry to those for whom we pray.
Track 1: After hearing many of the stories of Elijah and Elisha in the past weeks, we turn to a prophet who came soon after. Amos also was prophet in the kingdom of Israel and challenged the king and the royal court to return to faithfulness to God. Today Amos has preached at the royal sanctuary against the king’s apostasy from the God of Israel. The king’s priest demands he leave and addresses him with the insulting term “seer” which Amos rejects. He is simply a servant obeying his God.
Track 2: The Old Testament reading is from Moses’ final address to the people of Israel. He reminds them that God’s favor toward them calls for obedience to His commandments. That obedience, Moses says, is not external but is implanted in our hearts and lives by God.
Today we begin reading through the epistle to the Colossians. Scholars debate whether Paul or one of his later followers writing in his name wrote this letter. We are hearing the opening greeting to that church. It is the love that the people of that church share with each other which is the mark of their life in the Spirit: a sign of the obedience implanted in us by God.
The parable teaches us that every human being is our neighbor toward which we have the ministry of love. We are given this ministry of active love toward others as the means of extending the saving and reconciling work of Christ to all humankind. Our celebration today, and at every gathering of the church, is meant to send us out into the world to make Christ known.
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.