12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C:  June 23, 2013

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a

Harriet’s Had Enough! by Elissa Haden Guest

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: In this text, Elijah runs away to save his life, yet prays to die once he reaches the wilderness. He has come to a point where he feels alone and out of options. Yet God stays with him, providing for him. When he finally hears God’s voice, he is told to go back the way he came. Like Elijah, Harriet is also determined to run away from her troubles. As she’s leaving, her family shows her love and care, and eventually she decides to turn back and stay. In realizing they are not alone, Elijah and Harriet are both able to return to their callings, Elijah as a prophet, and Harriet as a valued member of her family. Using these stories, explore the ways the people of your church are encouraged and strengthened in their own callings.

Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-29

I’m Like You, You’re Like Me by Cindy Gainer

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: Belonging to the church does not mean finding a community where everyone looks and thinks just as we do. According to Carol E. Holtz-Martin, Christ’s reconciling power is found in his making “one body out of an infinitely varied tapestry of believers.” (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 3, p 163) Diversity can and does exist within the Church. Gainer’s book seeks to help young children understand the concepts of tolerance and diversity. “Even though we’re different in some ways, we can enjoy being together. We can show that we like and welcome each other. We can learn to accept each other.” This in essence, sums up this text for small children. To be unified in Christ is to belong together and welcome each other, embracing our distinctions and our similarities. Wonder together with the children of your church about the things that make them alike and the things that make them different.

Gospel Reading: Luke 8:26-39

The Boy Who Stuck Out His Tongue by Edith Tarbescu

(Written for ages 5-9)

Comment: “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” When Jesus frees the man from the demons that have plagued him, his life is changed. This man who was once an outsider in his own city returns to it to share the good news of Christ. In many ways, The Boy Who Stuck Out His Tongue is also an outsider in his town. Plagued by the demons of rudeness and self-interest, he doesn’t seek to help or be kind to others. His behavior manages to get him stuck in a painful situation, and in the process of being saved, the boy is changed. Once he is freed, he vows to be a helper in his town. Wonder together about the ways being helped and cared for has changed people in your church for the better.

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

Lectionary Links: Sunday, June 23, 2013 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.