16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B:  July 22, 2012

First Reading: 2 Samuel 6:1-5

The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “Thus says the Lord of hosts… I have been with you wherever you went… and I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more… Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.” These words to Nathan describe God’s constant presence and participation in the settling and creating of home for David, Israel, and the generations to come. What does it take to be settled, safe, in a place one can call home? Kittinger explores the creation of home through the experience of a young girl. Turning the house on Dirty-Third Street into a home requires many hands, eyes of faith, and the love of a community that is moved by the Spirit of the living God.

Second Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22

I Am I by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” Often we allow those things that distinguish us from one another to divide us, building a hostile environment. As we read from today’s epistle, our reconciliation, our peace, is in Christ. In Christ we see one another with new eyes. I Am I  is a story inspired by a Native American river symbol describing the divisions and connection points between two cultures. It explores the separation and hostility between two boys, as well as their journey to peace.

Gospel Reading: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Five Minutes Peace by Jill Murphy

(Written for ages 3-7)

Comment: “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.” Even in the midst of hustle, bustle, and doing good work, rest is necessary. The reading from Mark describes a scene where Jesus and the disciples are physically separating themselves from the crowds in order to have a time of rest. Even as they draw away the crowds gather. Five Minutes Peace is the story of a mother Elephant looking for a moment’s rest in her wild home. Her children pursue her much as the crowds must have pursued Jesus.

The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, July 22, 2012 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.