14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year A: July 3, 2011

First Reading: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Clown by Quentin Blake (Written for Ages 3+)

Comment: Abraham sends his servant on a quest—to find a wife for Isaac. The servant is diligent in his task and succeeds in finding Isaac a kind wife, Rebekah, whom he loves. When Clown and his fellow toy friends are thrown into the trash, he goes on a quest to find the group a new home. Clown is diligent in his task, and eventually succeeds in finding a home full of kindness and love. This wordless storybook is a delightful expression of care to explore and discuss with children of any age.

Second Reading: Romans 7:15-25a

Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia C. McKissack and Onawumi Jean Moss (Written for Ages 5-9)

Comment: “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.” When Precious stays home sick, her Mama gives her rules to follow. Brother warns her not to disobey, or Pruella the Boo Hag might come in! The Boo Hag is tricky and scary, a lot like sin. She tries multiple times to trick Precious into letting her in, but Precious outwits the Boo Hag and is able to keep her out. The story ends with the awareness that the Boo Hag is always around, waiting and lurking, much like the evil that Paul describes lying close at hand.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sky Sisters by Jan Bourdeau Waboose (Written for Ages 5-9)

Comment: In his commentary, Lance Pape explains “It is the spiritual ‘infants’, the least theologically sophisticated people, those with the fewest illusions about their own powers of understanding, who know how to receive Jesus in humility and so gain access to the one he came to reveal. (Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 3, p. 217) Nishiime and Nimise try hard to heed the words of their grandmothers: “Wisdom comes on silent wings.” The sisters don’t necessarily understand every part of this advice, but they allow themselves to be guided by it on their night journey. Although they do not always remember to be silent, they work hard to help and remind one another, and joyfully receive Wisdom through their interaction with the wonder of nature surrounding them. Eventually the sisters come upon the beauty and wonder of the Northern Lights—and the Sky Spirits are revealed to them.

This Lectionary Links post is written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun.

Lectionary Links: Sunday, July 3, 2011 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.