30^th Sunday after Pentecost

Year C:  October 23, 2016

First Reading: Joel 2:23-32

Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’Hare by Elvira Woodruff

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  In her commentary on this text, Donna Schaper explores the way people see when they are living in the darkness. She encourages readers to live into hope, rather than become prisoners of darkness. In Small Beauties, Darcy is one who lives into hope, even in the midst of darkness. Her habit of collecting small beauties is what Schaper refers to as “ritualizing an act of hope… making pictures of the world [we want]…giving [us] a way to touch the prophetic promises of God.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 199) These thoughts seem so poignant in a world that is dripping with violence, grief, and darkness. As you listen to this text and story, wonder together with your community about the ways you might ritualize acts of hope and touch the prophetic promises of God.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Zayde Comes to Live by Sheri Sinykin

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment:  As Paul is awaiting his likely death, he reflects upon his life’s journey in his letter to Timothy. When Zayde comes to live with Rachel and her family, he is also preparing for death.  Both dying men give words intended to reassure the young people that they love and have nurtured in life. Paul assures Timothy that “those who follow Christ are never ultimately alone.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 211) Zayde comforts Rachel with the reminder that she will always have his love and her memories of their life together. With this text and story, invite your community to share their own memories of loved ones and mentors who have shaped and nurtured their own life and faith.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 18:9-14

Better Than You by Trudy Ludwig

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: Ludwig explores arrogance and humility in the story of two children who are neighbors. Tyler struggles with his neighbor Jake, who is great at everything and let’s people know it. Uncle Kevin says Jake is like a pufferfish, “[taking] up so much space that he can actually push away friends.” Like Uncle Kevin, we understand that Jake’s arrogance is a shield around his own self consciousness. Tyler and Jake, along with the Pharisee and Tax collector, are all people in need of love and acceptance. Rather than pitting the arrogant against the humble, consider how humbling the exalted and exalting the humbled might actually bring the two to even ground. Our value lies not in what we can or can’t do, but in God’s grace, and God looks upon each of us with love.

Noell Rathbun-Cook, Union Presbyterian Seminary alumna and Minister of Children at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond,
VA, will be the writer for the Lectionary Links (RCL) for the next ten weeks.

Lectionary Links (RCL): October 23, 2016 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.